Bold, Leather Leashes

There are leashes and then there are Bold Lead Designs! This Colorado-based company specializes in top quality leashes which are adjustable and suited to a wide variety of activities. There are a wide range of different leashes designed for different functions and breed sizes.

The company sent me a Colorado Lead to try out. The leash is 6 foot long and adjusts to three different positions. It is perfect for training and for every day walks and includes a snap fastener on both ends and two solid rings for length adjustment. I felt very comfortable walking Axel on this leash - it is a good length to allow Axel the freedom to walk at a distance from me, but in situations when dogs were about, I was able to use the fastener to hook and shorten the leash, giving me more confidence to keep him under my control.

What is wonderful about these leashes is the rich quality of the leather, really soft so there is no burning of hands when your dog pulls. Leads range in price from $28-$59. Visit http://www.boldleaddesigns.com/ or contact info@boldleaddesigns.com for more. All leashes come with a lifetime guarentee too!

Hand made collars

I recently had the pleasure of testing out Roverdog8's stylish handmade collars on all three of the pups and let me tell you, they are gorgeous! I tried out the collars and leashes and I couldn't be more pleased.

Each piece is meticulously hand made using the finest quality materials and carefully chosen trims. Their collars feature a signature lamp work bone bead made exclusively for Roverdog8 by one of two accomplished Canadian bead artists that they use.

You can see by the pictures how breathtaking they are and not only are they stylish, they're very well made. Our dogs are full of energy and not once has their collars come off or a single stitch out of place. They're so painstakingly created and the jewel work is breathtaking.

While you can download an order form right from their site, they also list the many retailers that sell their products. They even have a sizing chart so you get a perfect collar. I have to also add that my package came perfectly packed and with the best customer service.

If you're looking for a collar that is functional yet stylish, check out their products and see why I'm sold on them.

Click, click! Good dog!

Is your dog having a hard time walking with you? Do they pull, or run making your walk not very enjoyable? Well then maybe you and your pooch need a little help from The Clicker Leash.

The Clicker Leash is a leash that is also a training tool for your dog. With a simple click, you are able to gain your dogs attention, reward with a food treat and continue on your way. The click will soon come to mean "good dog". Your dog will want to hear that sound because after wards the dog knows that something yummy will be coming to him or her and will continue behaving well for you.

The Clicker Leash is getting a lot of positive PR right now because it has been selected to be the only leash in a basket of doggie goodies for the new "First Dog", that is joining his new family in the White House. As we all know, what comes with a new puppy is a lot of training and the Clicker Leash is the perfect tool to use.

The Clicker Leash does not need to be used only on walks. You can also use it for teaching basic commands such as, sit, stay, kiss, and if you want to get a little fancy, roll over. As soon as your dog equates a quick click with "good dog", your training will go on and on.

The Clicker Leash website is very informative and has specific instructions on how to use the leash. I recommend looking around the site and maybe you'll see that this is what you need to help train your dog.

Is your pup ready to sport the latest in collar couture and help the environment at the same time?

This past weekend, the Philly area welcomed fabulous spring weather. Yes, it was just a tease, since the weather people are saying it's going to get cold again this week, but it was still so great to take my daughter and dog out and let them run around in the yard.

Just like you and I pop in and out of stores to see what the latest spring fashion is, our dogs should also have a new collar or shirt for the change of season. I recently got a collar from a company called Wagging Green. Not only is my dog looking great in his new duds, but we are also doing our part to help protect the environment. All the products made at Wagging Green are made from 100% natural bamboo fibers.

So, why bamboo? Good question. Bamboo is good because they are naturally anti-bacterial and order resistant for more than 50 washes, so no more nasty, smelly collars. They are hypoallergenic and provide UV protection. Bamboo is more absorbent, fast drying and breathable. Of course, bamboo is also 100% biodegradable so it is safe for the earth.

The products found at Wagging Green include collars, leashes, tags and doggie t-shirts. They also have items for cats. The Wagging Green website is so easy to navigate around too. You'll be sure to find something on there that your pup will love. Happy (almost) Spring!

Affordable Leashes from American Apparel

I love American Apparel for its basics--cotton tees, dresses and leggings. And now I love it even more for the affordable, yet colorful leashes! The dog leashes for only $12 and available in three widths--small, medium and large. All of the leashes are 63" long. You can also choose your color-black/purple, dark grey/orange or light beige/white.

While at American Apparel, also check out the dog collars and ribbed dog-tee! Both are affordable at $15 and $14 respectively. Plus if you sign up to receive emails, you will receive a coupon for 10% off your on-line purchases. Get all of the American Apparel pet accessories here.

Did you find your animal?

I have written a lot of product reviews since I started writing for this website, but none of my reviews have ever helped another cause, until now.

I recently found a website called Found My Animal. This website sells rope FOUND leashes for your pup and the best part is that 25% of the profits go to the Louis Animal Foundation (more about that later) . The rope is made from heavy duty material and come in a variety of lengths to best fit your friend. Each rope is hand spliced by professional New England rope makers. The ends of the rope are "whipped" for additional durability.

What I love best about the FOUND leash is that the hardware on the leash allows you to use it in the following ways:
1. as a simple hand held leash
2. around your waist allowing you to walk hands free
3. over your shoulder or across your chest
4. to clip your animal to a fence, tree or post without worrying about the security of a knot.

Each of the leashes also come with a brass tag that has a number on it. This number signifies the number of animals that have been helped.

As mentioned above, 25% of the profits goes to the Louis Animal Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit group that is dedicated to spaying/neutering and providing homes for animals that have not found their people yet. In my opinion, this is a good thing.

So, if you are in the market for a new leash for your dog, or you need a gift for the holidays, check out the Found My Animal website. Buy a FOUND leash and feel good that some of the money spent is going to help a great cause.

Crewmutts!

I recently was browsing online at one of my favorite retailers, J.Crew, and found that they now offer canine accessories! Crewmutts offers the cutest accessories, including collars, leashes, beds, clothing and bags. The clothing range in size from XXS to M, while the collars go up to size XL.

As with J.Crew's human clothes, the Crewmutts collection boasts the traditional, classic styling such as argyle and madras. Check out the cashmere sweater, which is available in deep midnight (shown), heather majestic purple, heather scarlet and bright rhubarb.

Today only save 20% on purchases over $175! Just enter code PRIVATESALEOCT at the checkout.

Beautiful, Custom Made Dog Collars and Leashes!

I admit—Jax is one pampered pooch—nothing but the best for our little fur ball. He has an awesome bed, good food and lots of toys to keep him mentally and physically engaged. Despite this, I have, admittedly, overlooked Jax’s neck attire. For the last 16 months, he has been wearing a durable, nylon green Martingale collar. Functionally, this collar works—I’m a big fan of the Martingale, a specialized dog collar that helps prevent a dog from slipping out of his collar. Fashionably, this nylon green collar is plain, old and dull.

Luckily, Jax no longer sports this boring old nylon collar of yesteryear because I found The ModDog—a retailer specializing in hand-made, custom designed collars, leashes and key fobs! Kyra, the founder and designer, created The ModDog after trying to find cute, stylish Martingale Collars for her Weimaraner puppy, Noodles. Kyra creates fashionable collars that will make your four-legged friend the hippest dog in the neighborhood!

The collars and leashes are all hand made and come in a variety of fun, bright designs such as Serendipity—an olive green and aqua swirl design; Pink Hot Cocoa—brown with pink dots; and
Wonder Dots—bright circles in primary colors on a white background.

As an added bonus, all of the collars are triple stitched at stress points to prevent breaking and prolong durability. And the collars are priced well—starting at $17 for a customized, handmade collar!

Jax is now sporting the Mojito collar, and he is the most handsome dog on the block with his swanky new collar. Jax and I highly recommend The ModDog’s custom designed collars and leashes. Jax is definitely the leader of the fashion pack with his new collar! Check out all of The ModDog’s fashion forward designs today.

Kyra welcomes questions about her products and she can be reached at kyra@themoddog.com or 770.310.9821.

Save 10% on your order with coupon code SWANKYPUP—just enter it in the “notes to seller” during the check out process!

Staying safe in the dark...

It's a fact, everyone has to let their dogs out at night. Some people are able to just open their doors and let the dog out to do whatever it is he or she has to do. Other people are ok with getting some exercise and walk their dogs around the block. This can be tricky to do at night if you live in an area that may not have a lot of street lamps.

I recently came across a great website that can solve this problem for you. When you go to the Keep Doggies Safe website (Keepdoggiessafe.com), you'll find a wide selection of lighted leashes and collars that will not only keep your dog safe when walking at night, but will also keep you safe too.

Here's how it works. Each leash comes with an on and off switch that you simply turn on when you are about to take your walk. The leashes are AA battery operated and come included with the leash. Each leash is 4.5'' long and all come with a big, comfortable handle so they are easy to hold onto. You'll be seen for a 1/2 mile when using this leash.

As I mentioned, the leashes and collars come in a variety of styles and patterns. You can choose from a long stripe to flashing dog bones to dancing macaroni. The collars also come in different styles. The price for these items are very reasonable and you'll see that right now they are having a summer sale. Lots of good deals on lots of cool stuff for your dog.

So, if you do a lot of outside walking, I highly recommend this leash. It's safe, functional and eye catching to those who see it. Order today from Keep Doggies Safe and enter the code Swanky1 for 10% your order.

Time for a walk!

Going out for a walk is a normal and frequent everyday activity for dogs. It's good exercise for your dog and for the dog walker. I feel it's important to have all the necessary equipment with you when you go out. Poop bags are a must have, maybe some water (if your walk is going to be lengthy), and of course a good leash.

I found a website called 26 Bars and a Band (www.26barsandaband.com). They sell fantastic retractable leashes and other cool accessories for your dog. The leashes are available in a variety of prints. Each leash has a plastic cover with a 12 foot nylon lead. The buckle is made of metal.

Some other things that 26 Bars and a Band sells are collars, t-shirts, and collar charms. Any of the items on the 26 Bars and a Band website would make a great gift.

When you order enter the word Swanky in the coupon code area and receive free shipping .

Can a leash be stylish and durable?

Yes, if it’s the Lucky Brand Guitar Strap Leash! Since adopting Jax in May 2007, I have been on a mission to find a sturdy, yet stylish leash that withstands the elements while hiking in the Wissahickon Valley (part of the Fairmount Park System in Philadelphia). I hit the jackpot with the Lucky Brand Guitar Strap Leash. This leash is stylish—its intricate embroidery design in red, orange, yellow, white, black and a touch of green truly resembles a guitar strap. And this leash is durable. It features a rubber-lined hand grip that helps me keep a firm hold on Jax when he decides to chase a squirrel. We have been using this leash for six months and it still maintains its fashionable look. The leash is 1” wide and 60” long—perfect for medium to large size dogs. This leash is now on sale at Lucky Brand Jeans for $19 with $6 flat shipping!

* Please note: We just learned these collars are now sold out on the Lucky Site. We'll let you know if they get any more in, and will keep you posted on future Lucky dog sale items.

Everything you need in one place

Do you ever take your dog for a walk, and realize that you have so much more to schlep with you than just the dog? If my dog and I are going out for a long walk, I bring the dog, my cell phone, house keys, poop bags, and treats. I don't have enough hands for all this stuff.

Scoopdoggy.ca makes fantastic bags called Stroll Town bags, leashes and collars. The bags attach to the leash so that all you have to hold onto is the handle of the leash. The bags themselves are large enough to hold plastic bags, a fetch toy, treats, a cell phone, and a credit card. They are available in two sizes and come in three fabric choices, which allows the owner to customize their gear and their dog's gear to their own fashion sense.

So, if you are searching for a way to have everything at your fingertips, but not directly in your hands, the Stroll Town bags from Scoopdoggy.ca is what you need. If you order now through August 30th, be sure to enter SP2008 in the coupon code section and receive 10% off any item online.

Grab the rope and go!

This time of year, my family and I spend a lot of time at the beach. It's the same thing every weekend. We load up the car with our bags, our kids (yes, that does include the dog) and we are off. Our dog has his own luggage (the E.B.D. Carry All Bag from Pupcentric.com) and we are always sure that we have his Rope-N-Go inside.

The Rope-N-Go, available at Ropengo.com, is a hardware free harness that can fit any pet from the smallest of dogs to the largest of dogs. The rope is made from strong material and will not catch on the hair of our furry friends. There are no buckles to have to play around with and no noisy metal that can clang when going for a walk or set off a metal detector at the airport.

What I like about the harness, is that my dog is a puller when he goes out for walks. When I use the Rope-N-Go, I never worry that he is hurting his throat when he pulls, because there is nothing around his neck . The harness sits nicely on his chest, and since it is adjustable, I can be sure that it is placed on him properly.

The Rope-N-Go, comes in a wide variety of colors and all come with a great removable leash with a comfort grip at the end. For our smaller, canine friends, the Rope-N-Go comes in an extra small toy size.

You can purchase the Rope-N-Go online at Ropengo.com or you can find a list of stores where they are sold.

A pet umbrella for those April showers...

April is here... and that means lots of rain (around here, at least!) I discovered a unique (semi-odd) but practical product for your dog this spring, called the Pet Umbrella.

It's exactly what you would expect it to be... an umbrella to protect your dog from getting wet. This pet umbrella features a dog leash which easily attaches to your pet's collar. A clear umbrella body, trimmed in classic plaid, allows full view of your dog while walking.

On sale for $19.99, this could be a great product if you have a dog who hates the rain (like mine does!)

Cool duds for Spring!

Well spring has sprung, and more and more dogs are coming out of their winter hibernation and hitting the pavements for long walks again. It's a great time of year!

Just like many of you hit the stores to find what's hot in spring fashion, so should your dog. Wonderdognyc.com has fabulous collars, leads, and harnesses for your swanky pup that will, for sure, make heads turn.

The colors and fabrics for spring are great -- very eye catching. All of the designs at Wonderdognyc.com are handcrafted of the most advanced materials available. The spring line is full of fun, bright geometric patterns, stripes and even vegetables (like the ones shown in the picture). All collars have matching leashes to make the complete outfit.

So, if your dog is one that loves to be out and about, showing off the latest in pooch fashion, he/she will want to be sporting a new collar from Wonderdognyc.com. When you are ready to purchase your very cool items from Wonderdognyc.com, be sure to enter "the swanky pup" under the heading "How did you hear about us?". Wonderdognyc.com will send you a FREE Glow collar with your purchase.