[Review] Buddy & Co Denim Leash/Collar Set

Recently, Buddy & Co (read my previous reviews HERE!) sent me one of their newer products to try out. Being a fan of their last leash, I was happy to try it out and share my opinion. Here’s what I thought!

First, the collar. It’s tough collar. It’s nice to find a collar that looks nice, is tough, and also complements my dog’s fur.

This collar is unique because the buckle end goes through the ring in order to secure. Because of this, it does feel stronger and like it provides an extra layer of protection in case something were to break, tear, or snap. However, it also makes that section of the collar very bulky, as the fabric is doubled up in that section.

Besides wanting a metal buckle (some of my favorite dog collars have this), my main suggestion is that it would be nice if there was more than one ring on the collar – a dedicated ID ring would make the collar a bit quieter (less jingling and jangling) and tidier.

Secondly, the leash. It’s a really attractive and comfortable leash. It has a padded handle to allow for a comfort grip if your dog pulls. At first, I was turned off by the red color on one side of the leash. The denim just looks so nice that I wanted both sides to be denim. But then I realized that the flashy red side allows for better visibility while walking – which is a priceless thing when walking around busy city streets.

The leash itself looks great, but it’s not the finest construction I’ve seen. After a couple of walks, the stitching seems kind of shoddy (see photo). The leash is lightweight, which means it’s best for small or medium sized dogs (or large dogs that walk well). Either way, lightweight leashes won’t stand the test of time and use and abuse like a more heavy duty leash would.

Overall, I was expecting better quality, tougher products from Buddy & Co. When I see “denim” in a product listing, I think of the tough fabric of denim jeans. Unfortunately, the leash and collar are essentially made of red nylon with a layer of denim style fabric sewn onto the top. So it’s not quite what I expected, but of course, it still looks great, and I really think that this leash, along with the matching collar, would make a fantastic gift for a dog owner.

I give this matching leash and collar set by Buddy & Co four out of four stars.

[Review] Blueberry Pet

I recently was lucky enough to review a few products from Blueberry Pet this past month. If you’re not familiar, Blueberry Pet is a designer pet company that sells dog and cat collars, leashes, toys, clothing, and accessories. I was able to test out a couple collars and a harness. Here’s what I thought!

3/4″ M 3M Refelctive Fluorescent Yellow Padded Collar

I spend a lot of time outdoors with my dog, and this collar is highly visible, both during the day and the night. I purchased the fluorescent yellow collar, and it’s awesome for any season – it is easy to spot in the white snow, and I’m sure will stick out nicely in green grass or fall leaves. The collar has reflective strips (made by 3M) running along the top and bottom of the collar, which make it a good choice for walking my dog at night, too, especially when paired with a leash with reflective stitching.

The collar itself if is very high quality, especially for the price. Since Blueberry Pet is somewhat of a boutique pet brand, I think they could easily get away with charging more money for this collar, yet they have it priced fairly. I chose the medium size, and am very happy with how well it fits. My dog is about 60 pounds, with a 15 inch neck. I was relieved to find that the medium fit her without a problem (since the sizing guide lists 14.5” as the smallest for the medium).

The collar is soft and has a comfortable neoprene layer. The only downside of this is that it makes it a little bit harder to adjust, since the thick collar can be hard to push through the plastic adjuster. Once it is adjusted, though, it is very secure. The thick collar also creates a bit of a ‘bulge’ (see photos) where near it can be adjusted.

I also like the small plastic clip included for the dog tag, so that the tag doesn’t need to be on the same D ring as the leash attach point.

3/4″ M 3M Reflective Multi-colored Stripe Olive and Blue-gray Dog Collar

The color combinations offered for this are really pleasant, I chose the olive and blue/gray option, and think it is represented well in the photos.

One cool thing about this collar is the d-rings that are on both sides of the buckle. Sometimes I worry that plastic buckles will not hold up over time, or will crack under too much stress or pressure. But since a leash can attach to both rings which pull over the buckle from each side, a dog pulling on the leash will never put stress on the buckle itself – only on the fabric of the color.

The color has great reflective stitching running through it (made by 3M). Also included is a separate little spot to hang their identification tags from, so that you don’t have to attach it to the same spot as the leash attach point.

I purchased the medium size for my 60 pound dog. She has a neck size of 15 inches, and I was initially worried that this collar would not fit her at its smallest adjustment, since it says it goes down to 14.5 inches. It was simple to adjust, however, and I even had to make it larger, so there is plenty of room to adjust it.

I normally buy collars with metal clasps so I don’t have to worry about them breaking over time, but the unique D Ring setup for attaching to leashes really makes this collar stand out. This collar is practical, attractive, and affordable and I will be recommending this company to my friends when they are looking for quality pet accessories.

3/4″ Step In Harness 

I really couldn’t be happier with this harness. I’ve had a tough time walking my dog since I adopted her last year, since she was never leash trained well. I’ve gotten a lot of the training done, but she is still a “puller” from time to time. I’ve tried the gentle leader, the prong collar, and a different harness. She powers through all of it. For some reason, she has been a great walker wearing this harness. It’s been about a week so far, and I’m hoping it is not just a coincidence.

The harness is awesome quality. It’s thick and padded, so I know it’s not rubbing and wearing into her chest or sternum. I really like the two D rings that come together over the clasp to attach the leash to. It gives for extra security and strength while walking. The only negative I have found is that if I leave the harness on her in the house, those D Rings flop around and hit the plastic buckle, making a bunch of noise while she walks (not a big deal).

The harness is very easy to put on, and I was thrilled to find that it’s easily adjustable and fits my 60 pound husky mix very well, with the option to go bigger or smaller yet. (I purchased the size medium).

All in all – I give the Blueberry pet products I’ve been able to use a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. My favorites are the reflective fluorescent collar and the step-in harness.

NOTE: I did have an issue — the small clip I that the ID tag connects to came off, and I found it laying on my floor (with the ID tag attached) in my home. I am very thankful it fell off at home. It seems the plastic must have come broken from the manufacturer, since my dog had only been wearing the collar for a couple hours and hadn’t been under any stress.

[Review] Buddy & Co. Nylon Leash w/ Reflective Stitching

As a dog owner, I am always on the lookout for companies that sell high quality collars, leashes, and toys. So I was pretty excited to find Buddy & Co, a boutique dog company that makes some really good looking  (and functional) dog accessories at decent prices.

I was able to try out their nylon reflective leash at a discounted price – but my review is completely honest and unbiased.

The leash arrived in a nice little zip bag and included a few stickers, which was a very nice touch. Upon opening the package, I was surprised at how lightweight the leash was. I am replacing my dog’s old Remington rope leash, which was substantially bulkier and heavier than this Buddy & Co leash.

What makes this leash a step up from the rest?

There are a few things that I absolutely love about this leash. One of them is the bit of extra padding that was added to the hand grip and the end of the leash. It is not a lot of extra material, but it feels just right and adds some extra comfort for long walks.

Another nice little thing about this leash is the D-Ring that is sewn into the end of the leash (near the handle). I personally don’t like to attach the poop bag holders to a leash of my dog’s collar because they swing and become an annoyance, but I have been tying just one or two individual poop bags to this D-Ring when I take walks. That way I don’t have to check my pockets before I go on a walk and I can be sure that I always have a few poop bags with me.

The final (and most important thing!) that I love about this leash is the reflective stitching. There is reflective stitching going down both sides of the leash. It’s very visible when light shines on it, yet it doesn’t stick out during daytime use.

How would I improve upon this leash?

Well, this wouldn’t apply to all dog owners, but my dog is still in leash training, so she likes to pull from time to time. When we are in “training mode”, I like to take up some of the slack by wrapping the leash around my hand a few times to keep her close to me. The only problem is that this nylon leash is so slippery and slick that the leash constricts around my hand tightly, almost like a noose. I would really suggest to Buddy & Co to add some more texture to the nylon so it can be gripped better.

Other than this one thing, I can absolutely recommend this leash to any dog owner trying to become a bit more visible to other walkers, runners, bikers, and drivers. I was initially worried that the lightweight leash wouldn’t be able to handle my 60 pound dog, but there is no question that this leash is plenty strong, and could handle even larger and stronger dogs than mine.

Because of the lightweight, yet strong material, and the added little touches like reflective stitching and padded grip, I rate this leash from Buddy & Co. 4.5 out of 5 stars – NEARLY PERFECT!