Dogs have gotten way more fashion-forward in recent years. Pups who used to be dressed in kitschy bright pink, paw-printed garb are now decked out in simple understated collars, harnesses, and leashes in muted tones. You’ve probably seen them on Instagram if not in real life.
These doggie accessories are often from Wild One, the brand that brought the minimal millennial aesthetic to dog parents. And yes, there is a harness and leash set in Millennial Pink.
The monochrome dog products can now be found at Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Target, and Petco, but the allure that got Wild One on every pet parent’s radar is the combination of minimalism and insanely good marketing. All of the products are simple, stylish, and can be matched with nearly any personal aesthetic. Everything on their site and their social media pages is well-photographed, and of course, paired with images of cute dogs. The brand absolutely caters to the fashionable dog owner — after all, if you’re going to have dog stuff scattered all over your apartment, it can at least be cute, right?
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Over the past three years since Wild One launched, the products have moved from the proverbial streets of social media to the streets of major cities, and have even caught the eye of quite a few celebrities, influencers (and dogfluencers), and tastemakers. There are even a few brands who leaned heavily into the minimal pet product action after Wild One broke the internet (looking at you, Fable Pets).
But the real question about this brand is: Is the Instagram hype around Wild One real? Are the products worth the money?
I set out to test everything from Wild One’s latest product drop with the help of my trusty assistant, Miso (my best bud and one of Mashable’s resident dogs). Our findings? Most of this dog gear not only looks good, but also holds up to everyday use and is worth the price tag. Read on for reviews of the Wild One Treat Pouch, the Everyday Carrier, the rinseless shampoo, and the new cocoa colorway of the Walk Kits.
Wild One Treat Pouch
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Our rating: 5
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Price: $44
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Pros: Stylish, minimal design; Roomy enough for treats, poop bags, and your phone/keys; Magnetic closure for easy access; Can be worn as a fanny pack, over the shoulder, or crossbody
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Cons: On the pricier side
I’m working on reactivity training with my dog, Miso, which basically requires that I hand feed her treats on our entire walk. I was previously using a clip-on treat pouch from our local pet store, but the cinch-top made it hard to grab treats fast enough to dole out rewards for good behavior, and the clip on piece would constantly fall off my pants or whatever jacket I was wearing.
The Wild One Treat Pouch is my new go-to and I won’t be switching to another treat carrier any time soon. The magnetic closure is a genius invention, and Miso would like to give a huge doggie smooch to whoever thought of it. It keeps you totally hands-free, keeps treats from falling out (even if you turn the bag upside-down), and it allows you to grab a treat fast, without having to fiddle with any zippers or cinch closures. There’s also a hidden spot for poop bags in case you don’t want the whole world to know that yes, you do have to pick up poop every day.
I love that you can wear it as a crossbody or as a belt bag, and it has enough room for my phone and keys, too. I opted for the black color, but it comes in lilac and cocoa as well, so you can match it to your dog’s leash, collar, or harness. Oh, and it’s made of 10 recycled plastic bottles, for all you eco-friendly folks out there.
Wild One Everyday Carrier
Credit: Wild one
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Our rating: 4.25
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Price: $150
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Pros: Matches any outfit; Padded, waterproof bottom; Durable material; Comes with a clip to keep your dog secure; Lots of pockets; Top zipper
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Cons: Very small dogs might be able to jump out, even when attached to the clip; Heavy; Pricey
While I wish I could throw my own dog in this bag and take her with me everywhere, Miso weighs in at a cool 45 pounds and isn’t exactly keen on being carried around. To test the Wild One Everyday Carrier, I enlisted the help of a friend’s dog — a little gremlin named Leo. He’s a 7-pound, 8-year-old Japanese Chin and is a pro at being carried around on the streets of NYC.
When compared to a normal zip-front dog bag, the Wild One Everyday Carrier is obviously a lot more aesthetically pleasing, but is also significantly heavier. I tested the cocoa color, and it’s a great choice for folks who dress in neutral tones or who don’t want their carrier bag to clash too much with their wardrobe. Above all, it’s super stylish and looks like a designer handbag — any pup riding around in this carrier is definitely the it-girl (or boy) of the block.
Credit: Jae Thomas
It’s made of 80 recycled plastic water bottles too, so you can feel good about your purchase (even if you are spending $150 on a dog bag). There are three exterior pockets and one interior one for storing both dog stuff and personal stuff. The canvas-like material is heavy-duty and feels extra durable, and the interior of the bag is lined with a removable water-resistant, washable base (just in case of an on-the-go accident). It also features a fabric-guarded zipper that won’t catch your dogs fur, and an interior clip to keep your pooch attached to the bag while they run errands with you.
The only real downside to the Everyday Carrier is that it’s not machine washable. Because the base isn’t actually attached to the bag, you might end up with a mess on your hands that you’ll have to hand-wash. If your dog is generally clean, this isn’t a problem, but if they get rough at the dog park, eat messy snacks, or are known for nervous-peeing, it might be an issue.
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I plopped Leo in the bag and carried him around in it to see just how well the bag’s features work. His long coat was the perfect test for the fabric-guarded zipper — and I’m happy to report that it won’t catch your dog’s hair, even if they’re on the shaggier side. In terms of actually carrying a dog in this bag, I feel it would be ideal for pups a little bit bigger than Leo. He’s on the smaller side at 7 pounds, and even when his collar was attached to the bag’s inner clip and the zipper was closed, he was able to hop out of it while it was on the floor. Dogs might not be able to let themselves out of the carrier if the clip was attached to a harness instead of a collar, but this is definitely a consideration if your small dog doesn’t regularly use a harness. The bag is safe for carrying up to 20 pounds though, so if you’re working with a dog between 10 and 20 pounds, you’ll probably be good.
Overall, the bag was easy to carry, has wide comfortable straps, and features plenty of pockets for holding all the daily doggie essentials. While the price tag is a bit high at $150, it’s made of recyclable plastic bottles so you can feel good knowing you helped divert single-use plastic waste. Looking good and saving the planet? A total win-win.
Wild One rinseless shampoo
Credit: Wild One
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Our rating: 5
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Price: $14
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Pros: Smells great; Ideal for in-between baths; Easy to use
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Cons: Makes your dog wet for a little while
Giving dogs a bath (especially bigger dogs) is sometimes a two person job. If you just don’t have time for the ordeal that is bath time, Wild One introduced the perfect solution — rinseless dog shampoo. While it’s not technically a dry shampoo, it works in the same way by giving your pup’s fur an extra refresh between baths.
To use it, all you need to do is shake the bottle, spray it onto your dog’s coat, and rub it in. Obviously it will make your dog’s fur wet for a bit, so you might not want to let them onto the couch or the bed immediately after applying.
A great thing about this shampoo is that it completely removes any bad smells from your dog’s coat, instead of just masking them. The fragrance smells like lemon and clean laundry, so your dog will smell like they’ve been rolling in freshly-washed sheets — even if they’ve actually been rolling in the mud.
Miso is not a fan of bath time (she goes completely stiff in protest once I put her in the bathtub), so this is a great product to reduce the amount of baths I need to give her. It only takes about a minute to spray her with the shampoo and rub it in. She doesn’t love it, but she tolerates it — and it’s only a minute of her being slightly uncomfortable vs. 20 minutes of her hating life in the bath. I found that using the rinseless shampoo keeps Miso smelling good and her coat feeling clean for an extra one to two weeks between uses. It’s not a complete substitute for a bath, but it’s great in a pinch and will make for fewer trips to the groomer.
Wild One Collar Walk Kit in cocoa
Credit: Jae Thomas
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Our rating: 4.25
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Price: $88
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Pros: Durable; Easy to clean; Minimal design; Dirt- and water-proof
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Cons: Collar sizes run a bit big; A big piece of the collar hangs loose when it’s tightened to the smallest hole
Say you want your dog to be the most stylish pup on the block, but you also don’t want to invest in collars and leashes that are just going to get destroyed. That’s where Wild One comes in. Their flex poly coated webbing leashes and collars are dirt-proof, odor-proof and are insanely easy to wipe clean. I had one of the internet-famous harness Walk Kits myself before testing this Wild One drop, and I love and use the leash and poop bag holder to this day (they both still look brand-new). But shortly after buying, my dog trainer recommended we use a head halter connected to a collar for Miso’s walks, so testing the collar Walk Kit made more sense this time around.
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I opted for the brand-new cocoa color, and it’s a fantastic alternative to buying a pricier brown leather collar for your pup (and it will probably last longer, too). This collar and leash set is ideal for pretty much every kind of dog. For dogs who tend to get dirty, owners usually gravitate away from pricier, trendier accessories for fear of damaging them, but you won’t have that issue with the collar Walk Kit. Every component is easy to wipe down, the collar and the leash can hold up to rough doggie play, and it comes with a cute matte poop bag holder (because no owner is exempt from poop scooping).
Credit: Jae Thomas
On first try-on, I noticed that the collar runs a little bit big. Miso was exactly between the size medium and large with a neck measurement of 17 inches, and a Wild One rep suggested I size up just in case. While the collar fits Miso when fastened to the furthest hole, theres a big piece of it that hangs loose and isn’t secure on her neck. I definitely wish that the D-ring was a little farther back on the collar to hold the extra length in place. If I were purchasing again (which, I would), I would size down — and I also recommend sizing down if your dog is between sizes.
