Shopping for dog supplies can be extremely frustrating.
There are so many options to choose from.
How do you choose the best option? Will it hold up over time? Will it be comfortable for your pet and easy for you to use?
We're all on a budget, and the last thing you want to do is buy something for your dog that ends up being a poor value for the money.
Like many lifelong pet owners, I've been shopping for dog supplies for decades.
From collars to harnesses and dog leashes to toys, I've purchased hundreds of products over the years.
Some have held up well, while others were ruined after just a few uses.
As a pet owner, nothing is more annoying than spending money on supplies just to be let down by their quality and durability.
This is especially true when you order products online.
No matter how many reviews you read, there are always conflicting opinions.
This is one of the main reasons why I was skeptical about the quality of BAYDOG products, but once I was able to try them, I was pleasantly surprised!
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BAYDOG Dog Harnesses, Leashes, and Accessories for Dogs Review
Dog Harnesses
The Chesapeake Bay Dog Company offers two harnesses — one for small breeds and one for medium and large dogs.
The Chesapeake Harness fits our Labrador, Saddie, very well; she seems comfortable moving around with it on. The Cape Cod Bay Harness is ideal for our Beagle mix, Molly.
Both dog harnesses feature a padded breast plate, padded traffic handle, and reflective stitching.
Reflective stitching is a must-have safety feature that I always recommend.
It ensures that your dog can be seen at all times when walking early in the morning or the evening.
I also believe that a padded chest plate is a must-have feature for dog harnesses.
Some harnesses have simple nylon straps that wrap around the chest.
While this design works to keep your dog secure, it's not very comfortable for Fido.
A padded chest plate keeps your dog comfortable, no matter how far you'll be walking.
Whether you walk your dog on rural hiking trails or through urban city streets, you really should purchase a dog harness with a traffic handle.
While there are many leashes available with traffic handles, it won't help you if your dog is walking off-leash.
A harness with a traffic handle gives you a secure way to take control over your pet when necessary, pull him up out of the water when swimming, or just help him climb a difficult set of stairs.
As I mentioned, the Chesapeake Harness is designed for medium and large dogs.
My favorite feature of this harness is the 3 attachment points.
As I demonstrate in my video review, there are two D-rings located on your dog's back — one between the shoulder blades and one further down in the middle of his back.
The other is located on the front of the chest plate.
If your dog pulls or isn't 100% leash trained yet, a front clip harness (like the Chesapeake Harness from BAYDOG) is a necessity.
Most manufacturers sell front-clip or back-clip harnesses, so it's nice to see that the BAYDOG Chesapeake Harness features both.
I also demonstrate how easy it is to adjust this harness in my video review above.
The Chesapeake Harness is equipped with a 4-way adjustment.
There are plastic sliding adjusters on each side of the dog's neck and on either side of his chest.
I am impressed by the adjusters for two reasons — (1) they stay in place once adjusted, and (2) they are very easy to use.
The Chesapeake Bay Dog Company is a small business that prides itself on supporting other small businesses.
They do not sell their products through mass retailers. You will not find BAYDOG products on Amazon or your local PetSmart.
This harness is available in the following colors:
- red
- black
- blue
- green
- purple
- pink
- camo
You can purchase the Chesapeake Harness on the company's website for $32-$35, depending on the size that you need.
It is available in 4 sizes, and the measuring instructions can be seen above.
RELATED: How To Put On A Dog Harness (Step-by-Step)
The Cape Cod Bay Harness has a lot of the same features, but it's designed especially for small breeds.
It only has one attachment point on the back of the harness and features a 3-way adjustment instead.
There is one sliding plastic adjuster on the nylon strap that goes around the chest. There are also two Velcro adjustment points on either side of the neck. The Velcro adjusters allow you to get the perfect fit, no matter how small your dog's neck is.
This harness is also made with lighter materials to be more comfortable for small dogs. It's available in softer colors as well, including:
- violet
- red
- pink
- teal
- black
- blue
This BAYDOG harness is available in four sizes, and you can see the measurement guidelines to the right.
As of this update, it looks like the Cape Cod Bay Harness isn't available on the company's website.
However, I found this listing on The Dog Store, where it sells for $20.99-$23.99, depending on the size.
Dog Leashes
The Chesapeake Bay Dog Company offers two leashes — the Hudson Bay Leash is made for medium and large breeds, and the Pensacola Bay Leash is designed for small dogs.
As you might have guessed, the Hudson Bay Leash matches the Chesapeake Harness, and the Pensacola Bay Leash matches the Cape Cod Harness.
The leashes are both designed with a 2-layer construction with reinforced stitching.
Have you ever seen a dog snap a leash by pulling on it?
Probably not, but I bet you've seen one chew through a leash.
Unlike traditional nylon leashes, the 2-ply construction of these BAYDOG products will prevent that from happening.
The material used to make the Hudson Bay and Pensacola Bay Leashes is all-weather nylon and is designed not to fray.
Both of these leashes also feature a padded neoprene handle.
The handle liner is odor-resistant and soft on your hands. These leashes also feature reflective stitching.
I love the quick attachment feature that these leashes have.
As you can see in the photo on the left, each leash comes with a carabiner clip on the handle.
There is also a D-ring 24″ down the leash.
Instead of having to take the leash off of your dog and loop it through itself to tether your pup, you can just wrap the leash around the object you want to tether to and clip the carabiner to the D-ring.
Of course, I do not condone tethering your dog for long periods of time.
However, if you need to secure your pet while you run inside to grab something or tether your dog to a chair leg while you're having dinner at a pet-friendly restaurant, this feature is very convenient.
As I mentioned, the Hudson Leash is made for medium and large breeds.
It is 1″ wide and available in the same colors as the Chesapeake Harness (except for camo).
The Pensacola Bay Leash is designed for smaller dogs, so it is only 5/8″ thick and lighter than the Hudson Bay Leash.
It is available in all of the same colors as the Cape Cod Harness.
The Hudson Bay Leash is available in 4-foot and 6-foot lengths. You can purchase it on the BAYDOG website for $20 and $22 respectively.
The Pensacola Bay Leash retails for $20 on the company's website and is only available in 6-foot length.
SIMILAR: How To Choose the Right Dog Leash
Other BAYDOG Gear for Dogs
The Frisco Bay Treat Pouch isn't necessary, but it is pretty handy.
You can attach it right to either BAYDOG leash, and you can also use it with any other standard.
It’s not a must-have item, so if you’re on a budget, you can skip this one.
It is quite convenient, and I think it would be especially handy to have if you're training a dog or have to walk your pet multiple times per day.
It would also be a great gift for your dog walker or pet trainer!
In my video review at the top of this article, I demonstrate how easy the Frisco Bay Treat Pouch is to attach to a leash. It’s just two simple clips.
One clip attaches around the inside of the leash handle, while the other wraps around the leash itself.
This ensures that the pouch stays securely in place and doesn't slide down the leash while you're walking.
There is a pocket for a roll of dog poop bags, and you get a free roll included with the purchase.
On the other side, there is a mesh pocket to hold a tennis ball or small toy.
You can also store car keys, credit cards, or other items in the small Velcro pocket.
The large middle pocket has a magnetic snap that keeps dog treats secure.
The treat pouch sells for $22 on the BAYDOG website.
Finally, I reviewed the Tampa Bay Collar.
I prefer to use a harness with my dogs instead of a collar, but that's just my personal preference.
These collars feature a quick-release plastic buckle and separate attachments for the leash and your dog's ID tags.
There is also reflective stitching and a breathable mesh lining to ensure Fido doesn't get hot under the collar.
Most nylon collars must be adjusted using sliding adjusters that the collar feeds through.
While this isn't too difficult, the Velcro adjustment feature on BAYDOG's Tampa Bay Collar is much easier and faster.
As you'll see in my video review above, you can get the perfect fit in just a few seconds!
But my favorite feature is that this collar can be personalized!
Depending on the size of the collar your dog requires, you can have 17-25 characters embroidered on it.
Many similar products can be personalized with vinyl letters or a small etched metal plaque that is attached to the collar.
I think embroidery is a higher-quality option because there is no chance of the information wearing off over time or coming off when you wash the collar.
The Tampa Bay Collar is available in 5 sizes for dogs with a neck circumference of 13-26″.
These collars also match the Hudson Bay Leash in colors of red, black, blue, green, purple, or pink.
These collars sell for $24-$25 depending on the size.
The Bottom Line
If you need a harness or collar for your pet, I think that BAYDOG products are great value for the money.
They offer the same premium quality as other popular brands, but the price is about 25% cheaper.
The leashes also offer great value for the money spent.
The treat pouch isn't necessary, so if you're on a budget, you can skip this one.
It is a good value but not a must-have for every dog owner.
I also think a BAYDOG collar/leash/treat pouch or harness/leash/treat pouch combo would make a great gift for any dog owner.
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