Tails & Trails
Our Ethos
Tails & Trails is the hub for everything we believe about dogs outdoors. Born in the Pacific Northwest, Made For Dogs (MFD) designs and curates reliable, durable, activity-specific gear for real conditions—trail, backcountry, off-road, and off-grid. Our mission is simple: build and select equipment that helps dogs move safely and confidently, while respecting the wild places we all share.
What Tails & Trails Covers
This page is your overview of the topics we break out in detail across the sub-pages below. Each section reflects how we design, test, and recommend gear—for both MFD products and the partner brands we carry.
- General Safety: Field-tested best practices for planning trips, supervising dogs, reading conditions, and choosing routes that match your dog’s fitness and experience.
- Product Safety: How to select the right tools for the job, verify fit and load limits, perform pre-use inspections, and care for gear so it performs when it matters.
- Hiking Trail Safety: Leash strategy, heat/cold management, terrain awareness, water hazards, and etiquette around other trail users, livestock, and wildlife.
- Waste Management: Simple, zero-excuses methods to pack out pet waste, protect water quality, and keep trails, parks, and forests open and healthy.
- (More coming): Transport & Use Compliance, Seasonal Readiness, Working-Dog Considerations, and additional discipline-specific tips.
How We Think About Gear
- Dog-first design: Fit, freedom of movement, and safety drive every decision. If it doesn’t work for the dog, it doesn’t ship.
- Activity-specific: Different jobs need different tools. We build and recommend gear for the actual demands of hiking, scrambling, snow, water, and vehicle travel.
- Proven in the field: We test in real weather, real terrain, and repeat use cycles. If it fails in testing, it doesn’t make the cut.
- Curated partner brands: When we stock other brands, it’s because we know the people, the product, and the performance. Everything must meet or exceed our reliability standards.
Safety Is Non-Negotiable
- Right dog, right day, right distance: Match objective difficulty to your dog’s conditioning, age, and temperament. If in doubt, scale back.
- Supervision at all times: No unattended tethering. Re-check harness/collar fit and hardware during the outing.
- Fit & sizing: Verify size, weight ranges, and suitability on each product page (MFD and partner brand). Dogs are individuals—build, coat, age, and behavior vary. If a page is missing info or you’re unsure, reach out and we’ll help you dial it in.
- Legal compliance: Follow local leash laws, access rules, and animal-transport requirements. Conditions and regulations change by season and jurisdiction.
Stewardship: Trails, Forests, and Water
We’re guests out there—act like it.
- Pack it out: Waste bags aren’t trail decorations. Bag, seal, and carry out pet waste every time.
- Protect water: Keep dogs (and soaps) out of sensitive sources; avoid algae blooms; never rinse gear in streams.
- Wildlife first: Manage distance and prevent chase or harassment. Stick to open, durable surfaces to protect habitat.
- Give back: We support local shelters and animal-protection efforts, and help maintain the trails and greenspaces that make adventures possible.
Quick Trail Code
Plan. Inspect. Fit-check. Hydrate often. Pace to conditions. Respect closures. Pack out everything. Review and retire worn gear.
Where to Go Next
- General Safety → trip planning, conditioning, supervision
- Product Safety → sizing, inspections, maintenance, care
- Hiking Trail Safety → terrain, weather, water, etiquette
- Waste Management → simple, clean pack-out systems
- Transport & Use Compliance (coming soon) → vehicle laws & restraint
Disclaimer
Tails & Trails provides general information only and is not a substitute for veterinary, legal, or professional safety advice. Outdoor activities involve inherent risks. You are responsible for product selection, sizing, lawful use, and continuous supervision. Made For Dogs LLC is not liable for misuse, non-compliance, injury, or damage arising from product selection or use. See our Warranty, Terms of Use, Product Use & Safety, and Transport & Use Compliance pages for details.
Need Help?
Questions about fit, use, care, or safety? We’re here. Visit our contact page and a team member will assist you.