Probably the first thing I got from Snowflake Craft was a pull strap. Well, pull straps. For those who may not know, pull straps are usually used by people who need mobility assistance but not necessarily guide work—the straps are usually floppy. SC makes pull straps from paracord, which means you can buy a pull strap in colors appropriate for any situation! When we went with GUGP to Universal Studios this past summer, Kaline’s SC pull strap in Hogwarts House colors was a big hit.
Other awesome paracord products include clip-chains—chain martingale collars that are clipped together so that they stay at the top of the neck rather than sliding down—ID tag holders, custom leashes, key fobs and much more. Nerissa is incredibly creative and is always coming up with amazing new ideas for new products and accessories. She designed a collar called a Knot-A-Prong, which has moveable knots all along the collar to mimic the correction of a prong collar in a milder (and more colorful) way.
Since I’m an addict, I also have a collection of “off-menu” SC items like custom collars for our favorite sports teams, puffy bow ties, and sports-themed pajamas and snoods (another necessity for the well-dressed Doberman). Own a Dobe, especially one with floppy ears and a penchant for shaking himself off excessively, and you quickly learn about the marvelous garment known as a snood. It’s basically a fleecy tube with elastic at one end. Usually it’s used to keep ears warm and/or clean, but I also use them to keep Kaline’s ears from flapping when he shakes off, especially in the rain. Kaline being Kaline, I naturally have various team-spirit snoods so that he can look snazzy while also being incredibly pouty and grumpy. (He is not as much a fan of the snoods as I am.)
SC is also hard at work on exciting prototypes for mobility and guide harnesses made of biothane which will be released in June of 2017. The harnesses feature a ton of reflective material so the dog is visible in any conditions, and biothane is probably the easiest material to clean off after it gets wet or dirty, an important consideration when your energy to do such cleaning is limited. In order to ensure safe and ethical usage, customers will need to complete an application process before buying a harness.
Both Nerissa and Amanda are incredible craftspeople with strong ethics. The importance of this can’t be overstated. There are too many harness makers and gear makers out there who will sell to anyone, regardless of whether the dog is actually a service dog or the gear is safe for a dog of that size and age to be using. I’m always proud when Kaline is out looking sharp in his gear from DD Service Dog Designs and Snowflake Craft!
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