THE STORY OF EXUBERANT PAWS

Dog Accessories for Happy Dogs

My name is Rachel, and I founded Exuberant Paws with one goal in mind: to share my love of crafting with people who love their dog as a child. My own dog (aka my baby), Niska, is my inspiration and very conveniently my super cute model. Niska is a Patterdale Terrier, and at 3 years old, won’t be getting any bigger. At 15 pounds, she is the perfect size for cuddling, adventures, and chasing around the house. 

I grew up always having a family dog, and have loved having a furry companion- but have found it to be quite a different experience being a dog mom as an adult. My biggest realization in raising this adorable furball is that it takes a lot of work to take care of a dog- including training, proper gear, and general care. When Niska joined my family, although I definitely faced many frustrating times with training, I was amazed at just how much love I had to give- my heart completely opened up, and I wanted to do anything I could to figure out what this little pup needed. Many (many, many, many) hours of learning and training later, I have a pup with lots of manners, who knows some cute tricks, and who responds well to me and others she meets. 

Pair all of this with my other love- creating handmade products. I searched for a long time to figure out what I could make for my furry best friend, and continually felt disappointed that all I could find were sweater patterns, or goofy patterns. Not to say I won’t make some goofy things in the future- but I wasn’t satisfied until I began to think maybe I could make my own harness for her. And then it hit me- how cute would a harness with a little backpack be? Once the idea was born, I worked on several different design iterations, tested them out, and made and remade it. It took the better part of a year, but I had finally figured out a model that worked and that was able to withstand the strength of my pretty athletic pup. And honestly, I wanted to be able to bring it to others. 

My products are made from 100% cotton yarn, designs are my creation, and made with active dogs in mind. I’ve done the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to! Each product has gone through rigorous testing- to ensure that not only are they cute, but they are functional and will hold up for the active (and sometimes stubborn) dog.

I hope you enjoy reading lessons that I have learned through the blog, and are able to use my products on your next adventure! Happy dogs make a happy life :).