As you may have seen, the MyDogLikes crew returned home from a huge dog friendly road trip. We had an awesome time and explored some of the nation’s most famous parks and landmarks. Other than highlighting dog friendly travel destinations, one of the main goals of the trip was to help promote getting out and being active with your dogs. Over the next several weeks we are going to be highlighting some of the brands and products that make exploring with your dogs easier and safer – starting today with MightyPaw – a company focused on designing high quality, functional dog gear for active pups.

About MightyPaw

MightyPaw is the brainchild of a husband and wife team; who, as fitness enthusiasts, were looking for a better way to incorporate their dog, Barley, into their exercise routines. Disappointed with what was currently on the market, they decided to create their own line of functional dog gear and accessories – so that Barley could comfortably join them on their adventures!

MightyPaw now offers a wide assortment of collars, leashes, harnessess, safety belts (and more), designed for outdoor and active use. So whether you are an avid runner, hiker, walker, or traveler MightyPaw has the dog gear that you need to bring your best friend along!

Use code “DogLikes” to save 20% off any MightyPaw order!

We first learned about MightyPaw a couple of months ago when they reached out to us as fellow Rochesterians. We are always excited to learn about and work with local businesses, so we jumped at the chance to test out some of their products. MightyPaw was kind enough to send us a variety of their collars, leashes and harnesses to try and share with our readers. (They are also sponsoring an exclusive giveaway for our readers so make sure to enter below!)

Hands Free Bungee Dog Leash

Anyone who has ever run with their dog knows that a standard leash does not lend itself to maintaining proper running form! Not only is your arm movement restricted by holding onto the leash, but unless your dog is constantly keeping a perfect tempo and distance, you can easily be pulled off balance.

MightyPaw’s Bungee dog leash is a hands free system for walking or running with your dog. The leash itself is made from a durable yet flexible material, giving it a built-in stretch or spring. This allows the leash to absorb the majority of the tugs and pulls that are encountered BEFORE reaching you, and pulling you off balance! MightyPaw’s bungee leash comes in a 3′ 0r 4′ length, with 16″ and 14″ of stretch respectively.

The bungee leash comes with and attaches to an adjustable waist belt, allowing you to have complete control over your dog, without having to hold onto anything. The waist belt is lightweight and contains a rotating D-ring to keep your dog on whichever side you prefer.

Our thoughts on the Mighty Paw Hands-Free Dog Leash

Our first impression of this leash was that it is clearly high quality. The material is tough and thick and looks like it can withstand a lot of abuse. We also really liked that the leash has reflective piping for that added touch of safety when running in low light.

It was very easy to adjust the waist belt and we were ready to head out for a test walk on no time.

Right away I was impressed at the level of shock absorbed when Charlie would reach the end of the leash. Not only was this nice for me, but him as well since he was pulled back gently instead of a suddenly like on a regular leash. After only a bit of walking I actually found that he was heeling better than normal due to the steady and slight adjustments made by the leash! This was a welcome surprise, and makes us even more excited to use the bungee leash in the future. We (Rach) haven’t had the chance to test out the performance on a run yet, but we will make sure to add a comment when she does. Judging by how well it handles Charlie on our walks (and the hundreds of 5 star Amazon reviews) we have no reason to think it will be anything but spectacular!

If you are worried about getting tangled up with the leash – don’t! The D-ring is easy to slide around yourself while on the go should your dog decide to switch sides! Before using the waist belt, I was concerned that it would pull on my stomach and be uncomfortable or leave me off balance, but was so glad to see that I remained solid and sturdy in the face of little pulls and changes in speed and direction. I never felt any pressure on my stomach either!

MightyPaw Sport Dog Harness

If you are going to be adventuring with your dog, the Sport Dog Harness from MighyPaw is the perfect accessory for maximum control and comfort. It is constructed of a durable, weather-proof fabric with tough stitching and sturdy hardware.

Features

Comfort – The chest and back portions of the sport dog harness are padded in order to provide a comfortable and non restrictive fit.

The chest and back portions of the sport dog harness are padded in order to provide a comfortable and non restrictive fit. Chest & Back Leash Attachments – Is your dog a big puller? Do you typically have more control when they are on a chest harness? No worries – the MightyPaw Sport Harness provides both a back attachment and a front-chest option!

Is your dog a big puller? Do you typically have more control when they are on a chest harness? No worries – the MightyPaw Sport Harness provides both a back attachment and a front-chest option! Lifting Handle – The back of the Sport Harness contains a thick and sturdy handle which can be used for ultimate control, or for lifting/ helping your dog up from the ground or out of the water.

What we thought of the MightyPaw Dog Harness

First thing we noticed is that this is a great looking harness. It has a different fit than most others that we have tried, and seems to give Charlie an excellent range of motion in his arms. With other harnesses that we have used, we have found abrasions under their arms after prolonged activity, but this was not the case with MightyPaw! It took a couple of minutes to get everything adjusted to his body, but that is only a one time deal. After sizing, there are quick release buckles on the sides to take it on and off in only seconds.

One thing to note – Take particular care in selecting the appropriate neck size for your harness. While the chest area is highly adjustable, the neck is not! Make sure to read the sizing guide here! Also, consider sizing up if your dog has a big barrel chest like Harley. Overall, we found the fit to be a little better for Charlie and would likely have sized up for Harley because of his needing a little more distance from neck to chest strap.

We love having the flexibility of leashing Charlie in the front or the back with this harness. As a pup, he would turn into a sled dog and pull tremendously whenever leashed on the back. For this reason he has been wearing a chest harness for the past 2 years. We actually tried out the back attachment of the MightPaw harness to see how he would do and we were very impressed! Perhaps our little man is growing up?!

Charlie seems completely comfortable wearing this harness, and I love that it is padded to prevent irritation during activity. We also really love the back handle for the added control it provides and also for helping him out of the water when swimming. Sometimes Charlie is a little stinker about jumping into the car and we found that a little tug on the back handle also encourages him to leap up!

Why MyDogLikes MightyPaw Dog Gear & Accessories

We love any brand that promotes getting out and being active with your dog, but hold a special affection for MightyPaw. MightyPaw puts their mission into action with dog gear that begs to be used. Everything we have tested is tough, rugged and well made. They also perform great in outdoor activity just as designed. Extra little features like multiple connection points, a handle, sliding D-rings, reflective fabric, padding, etc, show that these products were made by people who really use them and know what it takes to be active AND comfortable with your dog. Not having the right gear should never be something that holds people back from being active with their dog, but having the right gear can make the experience that much more FUN and SAFE!

Still unsure? (Silly, I know). All MightyPaw products come with a 90 day money back guarantee, so if you are not satisfied for any reason just let let them know!

Want to give MightyPaw a try!

In addition to the giveaway below, MightyPaw is offering a special discount exclusively for our readers. Click on the button below and use code “DogLikes” to save 20% on anything in their entire store!

Use code “DogLikes” to save 20% off any MightyPaw order!