Product Spotlight: Commuter Backpack

I am so excited to officially announce that the Commuter Backpack is now available! But don't forget, this is a limited release and there is only a small batch available!

The Inspiration

It might be helpful to understand a bit about my background to see how the pieces lined up for this product to come to life.

Several years ago I started to make bags and accessories (for humans) to fit needs for travel, work, and life under the brand name Jo Rose Design. Organically this evolved into prototyping stylish yet functional products I desired as a dog owner. 

After launching Wag Theory with a waxed canvas rain jacket, it was only natural that I started to think about bag construction again, this time for dogs!

As part of the design process, I visited a co-working office space to talk to dog owners that bring their pups to work. The final design is modeled after a traditional backpack that might carry daily essentials for a pup headed to the office, but is equally functional for a trip out and about for errands, to the park, or to hang out with friends.

Sizing & Fit Tips

After revising the straps of this backpack countless times to ensure the best possible fit for the widest range of dogs, we uncovered some tips to help with sizing and fit:

• To keep the pack from tilting to one side, be sure that strap lengths are symmetrical and all attachment points are very snug. A human backpack has the benefit of gravity to keep it aligned on the back, while a pup's backpack has to balance on the spine. This means that an unbalanced load or unbalanced straps can cause it to tilt. Shoring up these elements should help significantly, though please note that every dog body is different so some body types will balance the pack better than others. You may also find that wearing clothing or harness underneath the pack helps keep it in place!
• Play with the girth adjustment (the strap that connects the neck and the belly) to find the optimal weight distribution center. With an ideal fit, the middle connector will be perfectly centered.
• The backpack can be worn on top of a dog's standard harness, or you can clip the leash directly to the pack. That said, if your dog is a strong puller, you should never rely on the backpack as the sole source of connection. 
• If strap ends are too long once you've found the optimal fit, cut to the desired length and carefully run the strap end over a lighter or small flame to keep the webbing from unraveling. Please be cautious when performing this step, and if you need a tutorial, here's a really quick YouTube video I found that explains how to do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzYca4DCACM

Personalize It!

Wag Theory now offers personalization on certain items and the cuteness factor goes through the roof when a pup's name is added! 

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