Special Report: Leashes and Collars

Special Report

Leashes and Collars

When it comes to the leashes and collars category, manufacturers have undertaken the vast commitment of providing safe, effective, sturdy and versatile equipment to pet parents and their retail partners. There are several different collar and leash options, each providing something as simple as an easy walking solution or for more intensive training purposes. Anything from a martingale or head collar to a harness or slip collar, leaders within the category have shown their dedication to educating pet parents to ensure their pets are receiving the correct level of care or training to live their happiest and longest active lives.

At Alsip Home and Nursery in St. John, IN, the most impactful innovation within the leashes and collars space hasn’t necessarily been whittled down to a specific product or line. Rather, it’s the growing volume of options that are available to pet parents. “The variety of harnesses has been the biggest investments for us,” said Sandy Richwalski with Alsip Home and Nursery. “With the growing number of households having more than one dog, we have seen an upsurge in customers wanting a harness that helps control their dogs while walking. Unfortunately, harnesses are not a one size fits all category.”

Similarly, for In the Company of Dogs, in Billerica, MA, the business has seen the rise in options allowing pet owners to curate what their pet gets as the most impactful means to expand the category. “More choices in personalization have driven growth in the category,” said Kim Kavanagh of In the Company of Dogs. “Martingale collars with quick release buckles. Use of materials that are lightweight, antimicrobial, odor-proof and stain resistant such as BioThane.”

Within the next five years, Richwalski predicts the collar and leash category will provide a fusion of sturdier choices blended with fashion forward options. “In the future, I see more durable options combined with fashionable items coming out,” she said. “People are getting more vested in their pets and are willing to splurge on fashion.”

Changing consumer demands in the past year, specifically in the leashes and collars category, have forced suppliers in the space to make changes and additions to continue meeting pet owners’ needs. “We have noticed the increased demands for new and innovative leashes, especially with so many more people becoming pet parents,” said Brollytime's Greg Edson. “We have focused this year on just making sure we have ample supply to ensure our retail partners never run out of stock.”

“Lone Wolf has noticed an uptick in demand for more colors and more choices in the length of the leashes, especially with some specific types of training,” said Elizabeth York for Lone Wolf Pet Products. “There has been a sharp increase in demand for show collars and show leads. To meet these demands, not only have we doubled our staff but, we've added new color combinations and rope widths to accommodate our customers. We have also streamlined our logistics to improve turnaround times.”

“Pet ownership has increased over the past few years dramatically and pet parents know they can rely on our comfortable and durable leashes to keep their pets safe,” said Leah Angelos for ZippyPaws.

“There has been a lot of innovation within the leash and collar categories over the last couple of decades and this continues to boost consumer interest in high quality, feature-rich accessories,” said Bryant Baxter for EzyDog. “EzyDog has long been known for our unique collars and leash systems. We believe there is a perfect accessory solution for every dog out there and, as such, we continue to adapt our line to accommodate these needs. This past year we introduced more color variety to products within these categories including a new corduroy range. We also introduced a slimmed down version of our popular Road Runner Leash which allows hands-free walking for smaller breeds.”

“Demand for leashes and collars has risen quite a bit this year,” said Cynthia Barlow of Up Country. “In addition to onboarding many new accounts, a lot of our retailers have increased their online presence as well. As we heard in the news, the adoption rate in 2020 and 2021 increased dramatically, thus, so did the demand for new pet accessories. Due to Covid, many more people are shopping online, working from home with their pets, and taking them for walks. Dogs are being viewed more and more as valued family members who deserve nice things too!”

Suppliers know that with help from retailers, pet parents have become well-educated on the leashes and collars category and from there are able to select product lines which meet their demands and specific requests, such as odor-proof, a particular color or style or added comfort for both the pet and pet owner. Education also allows for suppliers and retailer to dispel myths and misunderstandings surrounding the category, which suppliers are intent on diffusing. “Many pet parents are concerned about the safety and security of leashes and we really take that to heart," Edson said. "We manufacture a patented four-finger-hole dog leash that provides maximum comfort, support and safety.”

“Lone Wolf has a close working relationship with our retail clients in order to ensure customers have current and correct information regarding proper sizing, application and use of our leashes, grooming loops, multipurpose leashes, traffic leads etc.,” York said.

“People may think that high-priced leashes and collars are the only ones that will keep their pets safe,” Angelos said. “At ZippyPaws, we pride ourselves on pairing high quality materials with eye-catching designs, without costing an arm and a paw.”

“The benefits of having the right gear cannot easily be comprehended without experiencing it firsthand or having someone explain it to you,” Baxter said. “Not all leashes and collars are created equally, and a driving factor of that stems from the fact that different solutions are fit for different customers. A basic leash might seem like the solution a customer thinks they need but, if they have a strong pulling dog, a shock absorbing or training leash could make a world of difference while enhancing their experience as a pet parent.”