Cyclist Lanette Fidrych wanted to keep rubber out of landfills. Where most saw a useless piece of trash, she saw a sturdy, pliable, non-absorbent material – perfect for dog collars. She made one for her dog, Regan, to immediate praise by fellow dog owners.
Thus Cycle Dog was born. The Portland-based company claims to have kept a mind-blowing 200,000 tubes out of landfills (that’s about 3,500 a month for five years!), hand sewing them into leads, collars and other dog products. Working with bike stores, Lanette and her husband and business partner Paul are committed to helping Portland close the loop and reclaim every tube that hits the road.
But does the product stand up to an active, rambunctious dog?
After a summer of dog-centric adventures including river trips, road trips, swimming, hiking, camping and rolling in sand, dirt, mud and sap (Baylor exclusively handled this part of the testing) I’m happy to report the Cycle Dog lead and collar surpassed my expectations.
On the plus side, the rubber tubes don’t absorb dog stink and helps the collar dry quickly. A day of adventuring, followed by an evening of cuddling equals pure dog-induced perfection, sans dog funk.
Then there’s the “Pup Top” bottle opener. In tribute to the micro-brew-loving city it calls home, the leash and collar both have a built-in metal bottle opener. Just call your furry friend over when you’re ready to pop open a cold one.
It uses an airline-style seatbelt buckle to close the collar rated to more than 750 pounds, more than enough to hold back an excited dog. The collar and leash are double stitched and made of heavy materials to dissuade fading and fraying. One long summer and ours is still going strong.
The only thing missing? A clip to easily “park” your dog in front of restaurants and shops. A carabiner attached to the bottle opener easily does the trick, something I added myself.
Eco-friendly, durable, stink-free and with a built-in bottle opener, Cycle Dog hit the mark with this leash and collar. Priced at $50 for the set, it’s a solid value for dog lovers. You can also purchase items individually; a collar costs $25, and lead is also $25.
Dog owner or not, you can help keep tubes out of the landfill and dogs looking hip by participating in the brand’s Tube Drop program.
