Stories

How To Skijore With Your Dog This Winter

Learn the dos and don'ts of Skijoring from Ruffwear's own Kadee and Sturgill, and Kelly and Juniper. It's a fun winter activity for the whole pack where your pup gets a chance to be in the lead.

How To Plan A Dog-Friendly Honeymoon

If you’re anything like us here at Ruffwear who include our dogs in just about everything we do, why not include them in a honeymoon, too? Here's how Ruffwear Marketing & PR Manager, Dani, planned hers so dog, Vilas, could join in on the vacation fun.

Discovering Bikejoring Together

When Meg adopted Leo, a husky and malamute mix, she realized he was a natural fit for the bike. He could run long miles over varying terrain and enjoyed the thrill of high-speed endurance sports. So, she began training him and teaching him new skills. This is how the pair started bikejoring together.

Holiday Gift Guide for Dogs and Dog Lovers

If you’re on the hunt for holiday gifts for the dog lovers in your life, you’ve come to the right place. We’re dog lovers too and all our gear is designed to inspire fun outside. We’ve selected gear that will get tails wagging in the winter by offering warmth and extra visibility. Plus, we’ve picked out a few perennial pieces that are trail-ready and budget-friendly.

Special Tails Belong On Every Trail

When Emma was diagnosed with numerous, rare, chronic medical conditions at age 12 her life changed forever. But Zander, a four year old German Shepherd who is her Medical Alert Service Dog opened her eyes to new paths. Read their story and learn how to help ensure wholesome, safe and inclusive experiences for the disabled outdoors.

Trick or Treat? Our Dogs Will Have Both

This time of year, we’ve got tricks and treats on the mind. And who better than our tail-wagging friends to show off the tricks they do for their favorite treats? When the Ruffwear Pack busts out the Treat Trader™, here’s what our dogs do. 

Meet Ruddy: Mt. Bachelor's Playful Avalanche Dog

Ruffwear’s Content Creator, Erin Swanson, recently made the trek to Mt. Bachelor with our Videographer, Photographer, and Community Manager. Their mission? Learn about (and play with) Mt. Bachelor’s newest avalanche puppy in-training, Ruddy.

From The Couch To An Ultra Run With My Buddy

When Karl Lee got his first dog, a playful brittany puppy named Sekani, he struggled to tire him out. So, they started running. What began as neighorhood 5ks soon transformed into ultra distances in the Canadian mountains. This is their story.

Bailing Off Our First Thru Hike

Follow along with Julianne and dog Indy,  three year old Pyrenees mix, as they attempt to hike 567 miles on the Colorado Trail (CT). After years of backpacking together and training all winter, Julianne was confident they could walk from Denver to Durango, but Colorado's weather had other plans.

HOW TO: DIY A Dog Crate End Table

Kadee and dog Sturgill set out to build a DIY crate that can be used to store his toys, apparel, and gear -  and inevitably other items like plants, books, and treats. The goal was to help Sturgill feel safe in his enclosed space while also giving his humans a usable surface that looks nice in our house.

How to Follow Your (Dog's) Nose

Let those invisible trails of whiffs and sniffs lead you to new discoveries. With dogs as our guides, the secret's out: if it's the joy and freedom of adventure you're after, chances are it's right under your nose.

Discovering Something New: Wild Swimming with Lulu & Foxy

For outdoor adventure lover, Fay Preene, wild swimming with her dogs Lulu & Roxy is not just an action or an exercise. It touches on her happiness, her job, the environment, and her social life. Fay has always loved water, be that being in it, on it, beside it or listening to it. She discusses getting to do it with her best four legged friends and provides tips on how to join her and wild swim safely with your dog too.

The Life of Riley: Adventuring with My Senior Dog

The biggest lesson we’ve learned, is that it’s not how far or fast you go – it’s the company you keep that makes an adventure special!

Building Lasting Friendships: Introducing a New Puppy to the Pack

Ruffwear ambassador, Siobhan Seller, shares her personal experience when introducing puppy Lunar to her dog Roshe, which didn’t unfold like a fairytale at first. Siobhan takes us through the ups and downs, highlighting the hurdles they faced and the heartwarming moments that made it all worthwhile.

Who Rescued Who?

As an adult, I adopted my first dog in 2010 - Chipper. My heart. He came from a small, overrun rescue in North Carolina. This was one of my first glimpses into the rescue/animal welfare world. Chipper moved across the country with me, to Arizona. I didn’t know anyone in Arizona. So what did I do?

A Perfect Partnership: Fly Fishing with Sammy

Whether it's fishing, hiking, or simply exploring new places, I now view every adventure with Sammy as a chance to deepen our connection and cherish the moments we spend together in the great outdoors.

A Golden Adventure: Road Tripping With Two Dogs

Ruffwear ambassador, Kyarna Rushworth, recently embarked on her first road trip with her two Golden Retrievers, Merlot and Winter. Although not everything went according to plan, they came out with unforgettable memories.

The Scoop: Road Tripping with the Dogs of Ruffwear

Planning a Book Tour with Katie & Spaghetti for "On Digital Advocacy"

Spaghetti is part of my identity as an outdoorist, as an advocate, and as a human being. Going on a book tour without her just wouldn’t be right. 

Trip Tips: A Night in the Sawtooth Backcountry with Bronwyn & Arnie

Find backcountry magic and practical backpacking tips in this trip report from Ruffwear Ambassadors Dr. Bronwyn Fullagar and sidekick Arnie.

Impact: Trail Folx

Learn more about Trail Folx, one of our most recent Paw It Forward recipients. Trail Folx is a nonprofit organization creating opportunities for Los Angeles’ underprivileged and underserved youth to participate in mountain sports.

Backpacking the 40km Scottish Mamores Munro Circuit with Our Two Dogs

As soon as Henry and Wally see us organising and packing their hiking packs, they start getting excited and can’t wait to hit the trail – especially when it's for three days on the Scottish Mamores Munro Circuit.

Bondi Falls in Love with Water

From water skeptic to captain of the SUP, Bondi's journey developing a new love for water has been tremendously rewarding for Cory and Rafa.

Running for Change: Creating Safe Outdoor Spaces for All

"Running has become a powerful tool for me in the fight for racial equity in the outdoors. It’s a way for me to connect with myself, with nature, and with my community. But, it’s also a way for me to advocate for change."

These Paws Are Made For Hiking

Each hike brings new discoveries, unique challenges, and endless moments of joy. There literally is no better adventure buddy than a dog.

Ode to a Trail Dog: Running with Riggins

Alli and Riggins have been running together for over 7 years, covering over thousands of miles and countless mountaintops. Running has been the foundation of their undeniable bond and source of unforgettable adventures.

4-Week 5K Training Plan for Running with Your Dog

A beginner's 5k training plan focused on building up more time moving together and making running a part of your and your dog’s routine.

DIG: Behind the Design of the New Trail Runner™ Collection

Behind the design of the new Trail Runner™ Belt, Leash, and Running Vest – game-changers for runners, seasoned or new.

Impact: Protect Our Winters

Inspired by the ways our canine companions give so much to us, we seek opportunities to give back to others through our Paw It Forward program. In 2022, one of the eight recipients was Protect Our Winters (POW).

How it Started & How it’s Going: Canine Explorer Edition

The Ruffwear Pack shares how some of their favorite outdoor activities with their dogs got started, and how they’re going.

A Growing Pack: Making Room for Adventure with a Baby

Annalie and sidekick Ted are finding ways to adventure and unleash possibility in even the everyday moments now that there’s a new kid on the block.

Unleashing Noodle's Possibilities

From Noodle’s first set of wheels to her first hike, swim, and catch of a flying disc, her story shows how grit and a little extra support from those around you go a long way when it comes to #UnleashingPossibility.

Ronan to the Rescue

A member of four search and rescue organizations, Kate Fernhoff works alongside her canine sidekick, Ronan, a wilderness live find dog and human remains detection dog. This is the tale of their search for two lost hikers.

Tala Takes Flight

Ruffwear Ambassadors Becca & Tala are #UnleashingPossibility in just about everything they do together – on the water, over land, and yes, even in the air.

How to Become an Adventure Dog

Tom & Savannah Go for a Walk (Around the World)

"Wanna go for a walk?" takes on a whole new meaning with Tom Turich and Savannah – the tenth person and first dog to walk around the world.

Life Is Short, Live In Dog Years

Ruffwear Ambassador Mallory Paige recently lost her adventure pal, Baylor the Dog. She spent 14 months camping across North America on a motorcycle-sidecar with Baylor – proving you don’t need to be fearless or perfect to live your dreams. Baylor lives on in a film about his adventures with Mallory, Operation Moto Dog.

Unleashing Possibility with Seth & Rose

"With Rose, I feel like Unleashing Possibility is just being able to have that mutual trust together. It's that deep bond with Rose where we're totally in sync, and we can do just about anything together."

Unleashing Possibility with Theresa & Cassie

We're sharing stories of dogs and humans finding ways to Unleash Possibility together. Here, Theresa and her canine sidekick, Cassie, explain how tackling their first big outdoor adventure together – a 3-day backpacking trip in Goat Rocks Wilderness – started a new chapter of their lives exploring the outdoors. 

Unleashing Possibility with Cara & Kiva

With the right gear and a bit of that eagerness to explore that comes so naturally to our dogs, there’s no telling what adventure you and your dog can unleash next. And as Cara and Kiva show, sometimes, it's our dogs that actually Unleash Possibility within us.

Unleashing Possibility with Ally & Rhea

As part of our series on dogs and humans finding ways to Unleash Possibility together in both the epic and the everyday, Ally & Rhea show how a bit of confidence and curiosity goes a long way to discover your inner explorer and lead to new endeavors.

Creating New Memories with Hand-Me-Down Dog Gear

Ruffwear Ambassador, Laura Patton, shares how passing down dog gear from one dog to another brings bittersweet joy – preserving one dog's memory and creating space for more memories to be made. 

The Scoop: Tips & Gear Hacks for Getting Outside with Your Dog This Winter

A little bit of motivation (and a few aha! gear recommendations from the Ruffwear Pack to break free of the winter doldrums.

Bento's Superpower: A Therapy Dog Delivers Joy to OHSU Hospital

Mark and his trained therapy dog, Bento, volunteer at OHSU Hospital to deliver joy to patients and staff. In this story, Mark gives a glimpse into a day in the life of a therapy dog.

DIG: Behind the Design of the StormSleeves™

Welcome to our first D.I.G. (Design, Innovation & Gear) story of the year, where we dig into our latest innovation in the world of canine apparel: the StormSleeve™. We design to solve problems, meet needs, and truly enhance your and your dog’s outdoor endeavors. And, we design to do so without distracting dogs from their task at hand: unleashing their inner explorers.

Our RAD Adoption Program Is Back

One of our favorite things to do at Ruffwear is connect canine explorers with human explorers. And our RAD Adoption Program helps us do just that. While the pandemic caused us to hit pause on these events, we are stoked to bring them back again. In this article, we've got the scoop on our latest event.

Making an Impact: Going PFAS-Free by 2024

What in the world are PFAS? And, what does it have to do with sustainability and your dog’s gear? Let’s dig in.

The Paths We Share: Trail Running with Nathan & Turkey

Nathan Nee is an ER Veterinarian. He and his canine sidekick, Turkey, live for exploring the trails together. They've run, hiked, and camped through the mountains and switchbacks of Colorado, Utah, Canada, and Washington. Here, Nathan shares how traversing these paths with Turkey has not only strengthened their bond, but helped him find his own path forward in life.  

How To Find Dog-Friendly Trails

Finding a dog-friendly trail is equal parts art and science, navigating features like water access and steep terrain with leash regulations and dog rules. We’ve got your quick-start guide to finding dog-friendly trails in your neck of the woods (or wherever you’re headed next). So grab your leash, round up your pup, and let’s hit the trail.