Developing our Explor-Air Harness - Comfort, Fit & Freedom

Some products are made because a business needs them. Ours were built because we needed them first.

Our late border collie Callie taught us a lot of what we now know about harnesses.
Reactive from six months old, strong, determined, and clever in ways all collie owners will know — she tested the limits of every harness we bought for six years.

Some tore apart.
Some loosened.
Some twisted out of shape, and she’d reverse straight out of them.

We found one style that helped — a three-strap secure design — but it wasn’t comfortable, and it wasn’t beautiful. It was survival gear.

Then Poppy arrived.

Bright, soft, gentle-hearted — but with just enough mischief to slip a lead clip and sprint through every front garden on the estate. We were desperate to dress her in something stylish, but experience had taught us to lead with safety first.

And then came the moment that changed everything.

Whitby, Water and What We Didn’t Expect

Poppy had a water phobia. Her confidence around lakes and bridges had taken weeks to build — slow steps, patience, rewards, deep breaths. Then one day at Whitby she saw the sea below us, panicked, and reversed out of her harness beside a live road.

Jamie was holding our baby daughter. I was trying to clutch onto Poppy, terrified.

We left shaken, crying, and certain of one thing:

We weren’t trusting what was on the market anymore.
We were building our own instead. And we were determined to build something better.

The First Chapter: First Dawn Adjustable

Our first harness line was called First Dawn - easy to clean, strength-tested, ergonomic Y-shape. On paper it looked right. But neoprene shifted when they ran, the back frame slid around, and while it was safe, it lacked the solid, grounded feel dogs and owners want when things matter.

A product can be excellent technically and still not excellent practically.

We learned a hard and expensive lesson, and moved forward.

Aurora Explorer Pro — The Turning Point

Callie needed stability without neck buckles. So we built her a harness she, and we, could believe in.

Aurora Explorer Pro was our first “this works” moment: no neck buckles, structured frame, hand-painted northern lights design, reflective trim. Owners loved it. Many said it felt sturdy - almost too sturdy.

But we also learned something critical:

Not every dog needs a harness built to prevent escape.
Many simply need one that feels kind, which didn't need to go over their head and which was more flexible with comfort first.

Which led to…

Windermere, Flora & Diamond Rose — Our Flexible Phase

Aurora gave us stability — but not every dog needed something that firm.

As feedback began to build, we heard the same request again and again:

“I love the security, but could it be softer?
More flexible? Less structured?”

So we trialled and released three new designs in our core explorer range:

Windermere — blue plaid, traditional and timeless

Flora — bold pink + sunshine-yellow florals

Diamond Rose — faded pastel blush, soft-textured and elegant

All three had no neck buckles just like Aurora, maintaining security, but with a noticeably gentler feel through the body. Strong, but not rigid. Supportive, but not heavy.

These harnesses taught us something important:

Security was valuable — but comfort was beginning to matter more than over-stringent measures.

Owners loved the aesthetics. Many preferred the lighter feel. But we also saw another pattern emerging…

Dogs who disliked overhead fitting still needed an option.
So while these three designs served a purpose beautifully, they also led us toward our next step — to introduce one buckle at the neck. But, in a way we felt comfortable with, with safety first.

And that’s where Twilight Faye was born.

Twilight Faye — Flexibility and Ease

We trialled buckles — metal looked beautiful, but our tests showed it wasn’t as strong as plastic due to the design and application. And so, we built Twilight Faye, our first harness with a neck buckle for dogs who dislike overhead fitting.

It was flexible. Lighter. Loved.

But after years of development, harnesses were costing more to produce than they generated and we couldn't continue the pattern. We considered discontinuing them completely…

…and then our community convinced us not to.

People wanted harnesses in our new Ember Moors fabric, and a feminine one to match. So, we decided to give it one last try. And they weren’t wrong - this turned out to be a pivotal moment for us.

The Crufts Moment — and the Bra Realisation

In 2025, we spent our first year at Crufts at our biggest show yet. Our harness designs had been on my mind but nothing concrete as of yet. Returning home from Crufts, I unclipped my bra — and the relief was instant.

Then it hit me:

If a poorly-fitted bra can make a woman ache,
a poorly-fitted harness can do the same to a dog.

Harnesses often sit in awkward places — too tight under armpits, too high on the neck, cutting across the shoulders where movement starts.

Discomfort doesn’t bark.
It shows up quietly - in gait, in posture, in reluctance. All signs we saw from Poppy, regardless of the any harness she wore.

So we rebuilt everything with one intent:

Comfort first. Always comfort first.

The Redesign That Changed Everything

We tested two size structures side-by-side across our community — labs, spaniels, collies, sighthounds, deep-chested dogs, narrow-waisted dogs. One structure consistently fit more bodies naturally and without forcing adjustments when it came to their movement.

We finalised that structure.
Refined it again.
And named the result:

Explor-Air.

Slim.
Shoulder-safe.
Armpit-clear.
Movement-led.

And the real kicker - Poppy was so relaxed and comfortable wearing it, she slept in her harness. For the first time ever.

What Makes the Fit Different?

🐾 Clear of the armpits - no friction, no sores

Chest plate depth keeps fabric off the tender under-elbow area.

🐾 Sits behind the shoulder - not on top of it

Leaving space for natural reach, stride and extension.

🐾 Sits further back from the neck - allowing unrestricted movement

Leaving your dog more comfortable, and supported when exercising.

🐾 One refined size framework - built through real-dog testing

Tested with two systems, refined into one that fits wider, deeper, taller and slimmer profiles beautifully.

🐾 Protected ID placement

Tags sit safely on top with an integrated tag holder — no dangling, no catching, less loss.

Comfort Doesn’t Just Help Injured Dogs

Poppy is now under investigation for a suspected muscle-nerve condition — so comfort matters deeply to her. But we've also learned this:

Healthy dogs deserve comfort just as much.

Owners have told us:

“This is the first harness my dog has truly relaxed in.”
“She seems comfortable, she's never been this comfortable before.”
“My dog is happier, I'll only be using this shape from now!”

And honestly, that means everything.

The Future - and Where To Find Us

2026 will bring more.
More designs. More colours. More thoughtful development.

🌄 Daybreak & Nightfall Explor-Air Harnesses

Available for pre-order now (Feb/March delivery)

🐾 Available at Crufts 2026 - Hall 2 · Stand 46

We’d love to see you there.

If comfort comes first for your dog too:

👉 Explore our Explor-Air Harness Collection - Designed for Movement & Comfort

Because a harness shouldn’t hold a dog back.
It should let them be free.