Product Review: Earthdog Decorative Hemp Adjustable Collar

The Earthdog Decorative Hemp Adjustable Collar is made from hemp webbing with a plastic quick-release buckle and decorative trim overlay. This collar comes in three sizes and 24 different styles. The company makes matching leashes, harnesses, martingale collars, and couplers, as well as solid-colored untrimmed versions of all these products.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love the way Earthdog's collars look, and they are very popular. I see them on dogs everywhere, and the star, crown, and daisy patterns seem to be the most popular. Brisbane's Earthdog collar is a less common pattern, but it is easily one of the most unique and creative. Each of Earthdog's trims is named after a specific dog, and my favorite is called Avery. It is a fabulous twist on the overdone skull and crossbones theme, featuring a dog skull. Totally different, right? I have a coyote skull sitting on my bookshelf right now, and I can confirm that this design is accurate.

Photo by Erin Koski

These collars are very durable, though I did see the leash ring fall off one at work once. The dog in question never had a leash attached to his Earthdog collar, but he did have two extremely heavy tags swinging from is for well over a year before the fabric eventually wore through. I have never seen the trim overlay take any damage, and Brisbane has not clawed his up even with his super-pointy nails.

Pros: Unique and creative designs, machine washable, and made in the USA. These collars also hold their size very well and don't slip wen adjusted.

Cons: Hanging excessively heavy stuff on the leash ring might lead to unnecessary wear and tear, though that could have been a product flaw. I don't believe the owners of that collar ever followed up with the company, though.

Bottom Line: This is Brisbane's default collar. When he's not dressed in My Little Ponies, he's usually wearing his Avery dog skull Earthdog collar.

Product Review: Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Harness

The Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Harness is a roman-style harness made from soft hemp webbing and lined with fleece. This harness currently comes in five colors and three sizes to fit dogs with chests 16"-40" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

Brisbane isn't a fan of certain types of harnesses, so this has never been one of his favorites. However, the fleece makes it incredibly comfortable and soft for dogs with sensitive skin. It's my first choice for something to leave on a new foster dog for days. Ulysses is wearing it right now. Our harness is a size Medium, in Apple Green so it doesn't actually match either of our Cozy Hemp collars.

I love that the chest strap of this harness is not fixed. It slides freely through both the straps that connect it to the front straps. This means I do not have to lift the dog's feet and put them through anything. I just thread the chest strap through the appropriate loop and buckle it. The top strap also has a loop big enough to thread a seatbelt through, so I could use this harness to tether Brisbane in the car to reduce driver distraction. It's definitely not a crash-protection harness, though.

Pros: Fully-lined with fleece for a soft fit. Extremely durable, and looks great even after years of use. Stays put and does not rotate around the dog. Easy to put on, no feet-lifting required.

Cons: Doesn't come in sizes small enough for Ru. It's a bit bulky because the straps are very thick. The fleece on my harness is light-colored enough that it often looks dirty.

Bottom Line: While it's not currently our everyday harness, this is one that I feel comfortable leaving on Brisbane for extended periods without worrying that it will chafe. It's great for hiking and travel, and I expect it to last through several dogs.

Product Review: Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Collars

The Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Collar is an adjustable flat buckle collar. This product has changed a bit in the 8+ years since I purchased mine, as it is now has a plastic buckle instead of metal.

Photo by Erin Koski

I bought Brisbane's first Planet Dog collar when he was just a few months old. He previous collar had worn a lot of the hair off the front of his neck, and I was looking for something soft that would hopefully allow it to grow back. These collars are lined with fleece, and incredibly soft.

The purple one on Josie was the first collar I bought, this one is a Large and the metal buckle is fairly heavy. With his tags adding to the weight, it didn't seem to help Brisbane's lack of neck fur. I found the green collar a few months later, it's a size Medium and rapidly became Brisbane's everyday collar.

Photo by Erin Koski

Both of these collars have made many trips to the beach, but you'd never be able to tell by looking. The worst sign of wear on either is that the Planet Dog logo has come partially unstitched. They were advertised as getting better with wear, and I believe it. I'm not normally a fan of worn-out collars, but I still love these after all these years.

Back when the Cozy Hemp collar had metal buckles, I would recommend it for dogs with skin allergies that left them sensitive to plastics. It now has a nylon buckle, but this makes it much lighter and probably more comfortable.

Pros: Lasts forever and looks great the whole time. Great for dogs with sensitive skin. Machine washable, and weathers repeated salt water immersion better than my Lupine collars.

Cons: The sizing hardware on my collars slips very slowly, allowing the collar to gradually loosen up over time. Not a problem for me since I don't walk anybody on a flat collar, but could be an issue for someone else. It is very possible that this has been fixed since I bought these. They don't make one for super-tiny dogs, so no Cozy Hemp for Ru.

Bottom Line: These collars will probably last longer than my dogs and someday be willed to my descendants.