How to care for accessories?

At Warsaw Dog, we make sure that our products stand out not only with their unique design, but also with impeccable quality. We have dogs ourselves, so we know how important are accessories that please the eye and which we can trust! Check what we sew and how to care for our products so that they serve you as long as possible! :) 

 

Tape - a beautiful and durable base for a harness, leash and Warsaw Dog collar

We use polyester tape with a strong, tight weave for sewing harnesses, collars, city and unfastened leashes as well as car belts. Its smooth surface makes it harder for dirt to enter between the fibers. It dries like a dream, so you can successfully wash the leash between walks!

You can also fully rely on her endurance, the manufacturer estimates its value at 4kN, so it will be possible to keep two handsome female grizzly bears on it :) 

 

How to care for tapes?

Despite its resistance to overload, the tape may slightly pilling over time and the print may wear off at the edges. It is often favored by it rubbing the belt on a hard surfaceFirst of all, loosening the leash after the dog or very intensive scrubbing. If you want to avoid chafing, try not to let the leash scrape on the sidewalk.

Important - abrasions on the edges do not affect the strength of the weave, as long as it is not mechanically damaged. 

Mechanical (tooth;)) damage to the tape.

 

It happens that the tape will be bitten by the dogwhich most often occurs when the dog is left unattended - e.g. in front of a shop. Bites are a very characteristic damage that looks like cutting the tape with a sharp tool - here: teeth;). The edge of the bite is straight but the edges are frayed. Typical places where bites appear are the front strap in the easy walk harness, the shoulder girdle and the sternum strap in the guard harness, the martingale collar loop and the leash, i.e. all the places where the pooch can reach his mouth;) The problem usually concerns puppies and teenagers whose teeth itch and bursts with energy, because all bites are a well-known dog's way of relieving excitement, boredom and frustration. 

To avoid this take off the harness when you come back from a walk and try not to leave your dog unattended, e.g. in front of a shop.  

 

You can go ahead and wash Warsaw Dog accessories

The patterned print is permanent - no worries you can wash the accessories in the washing machine, on a slack at 60 degrees with the use of washing powder or liquid. Don't use bleach!

If you prefer, you can wash them by hand: with hot soapy water, gently scrubbing the tape with a brush or sponge along the fibers of the tape.

A combination of these two methods will work well in case of strong dirt.

 

Remember that dirt rubs into the fabric and builds up over time, so it's better to wash accessories more often whenever needed.

 

Threads for special tasks

We use extremely durable and tear-resistant polyester threads. They have the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificate, and the manufacturer recommends them for sewing leather, thick fabrics and items that require special security, e.g. safety harnesses or safety belts. 

 

Carabiners tailored to your needs

We use proven nickel-free metal snap hooks in three sizes - for medium and large breeds, small and miniature breeds. Based on 5 years of experience in selecting accessories for the individual needs of dogs, we have determined weight framesfor which we dedicate a given lanyard width, and thus - the size of the carabiner. All this so that the leash does not weigh your dog down, but that you can fully rely on its strength :) 

Lanyards and belts for the car have been tested for endurance.

Construction of a carabiner on the leash

The most sensitive element of any carabiner with a swivel, thanks to which the leash twists less around its axis during a walk, is the core that secures the carabiner to the base. It is also the place where they work the most atmospheric factorssuch as accumulating water, sand or salt from salt water. Carabiners wear normally in direct proportion to intensity of their exploitation, and above all, what size the dog is, whether it pulls on a leash, whether you have one or more leashes, and whether you make sure not to drop it on the pavement / other hard ground.

The two most common damage to carabiners is a core breakage inside the swivel or the failure of the head to prevent the core from falling out. Both are usually related to the natural wear of this element. That is why it is so important to check their condition regularly before and after a walk, especially if your pooch is energetic or pulls on a leash. Pay attention to whether the mechanism or swivel has become loose, whether the carabiner opens and closes smoothly, and that it does not get caught on the harness, collar or clothing which could depress the mechanism and open it by itself. 

How to care for carabiners? 

The faster wear of the carabiner is mainly due to the friction force, so rinse the leash thoroughly under running water if it has come into contact with mud. Do not put a wet lanyard on a shelf or in a drawer, let it dry as quickly as possible so that water does not accumulate in the slots of the carabiner, which can contribute to corrosion.

Carabiners have a spring mechanism, and sand that gets inside the mechanism may cause it blocking carabiner (this applies to any product that uses a spring mechanism, not only carabiners). Such damage is temporary - to release the sand from the mechanism, clean it with compressed air or simply tap gently to release the sand from the gaps, and then blow it thoroughly with our mouth force;)

 

Damaged, worn carabiner on the dog leash - a broken bolt that opens the carabiner

 

In order to prevent the carabiner from getting sanded, it is worth taking care that the carabiner to which we attach the pooch is possible. had no contact with sand. This is a challenge for active dogs, so it's worth checking if the carabiner opens and closes smoothly, and if necessary, clean the mechanism of sand. 

Also, be absolutely avoided hitting the carabiner on a hard surface, mainly dropping the leash on the sidewalk. This will significantly accelerate the wear of the material and in the long run may lead to permanent damage to the carabiner. We recommend that you check that the carabiner is working properly each time you drop the lanyard on a hard surface.

 

Fittings - metal elements 

All the fittings we use (rings, D-rings, triangles, frames, regulators) are steel, welded or cast. You can rely on them 100%, we trust them to the maximum :) The manufacturer ensures that their breaking load is 100 kg - they could be successfully used to build a swing for an adult with an average body weight. 

All our fittings are painted with powder paint under pressure. 

How to take care of metal parts of Warsaw Dog accessories? 

The natural stage of using painted fittings is paint wiping on the edges most exposed to friction and knocking. Unfortunately, it cannot be fully avoided, but you can significantly extend the life and aesthetic finish of the fittings, which will please the eye for a long time :) The speed of paint wear always depends on frictional forces, i.e. primarily on the strength of the dog's pulling on a leash, the intensity of using the accessories (whether we have one set or several, whether we let the leash loose behind the dog, whether the pooch likes to roll, etc.) and how we take care of the accessories we have. 

In order to protect metal hardware, we recommend it washing accessories secured with a cotton bagto prevent the fittings from touching the drum during the spin cycle. Also, by washing the leash separately, "with an empty drum", we increase the risk of bruising the fittings, so it is worth adding even dog blankets to washing :) 

To prevent corrosion of metal fittings, make sure that the accessories are thoroughly dried after washing or bathing during a walk. If the pooch has had a mud bath or swam in the sea, it should be additionally rinsed under running water or washed.

 

Plastic elements - buckles used in the Warsaw Dog harness and collars

All the elements that we use in the production of accessories are the original duraflex that has been proven for many years. The original duraflex is not ordinary plastic, but a patented material combining the elasticity of rubber and the wear resistance of polyurethane. Elements of this brand are also widely used in military, sports and tourist equipment. 

NOTE: there are also cheaper substitutes for duraflex elements on the market and, unfortunately, it happens that manufacturers of accessories incorrectly describe their products as containing duraflex elements, although the semi-finished products used are substitutes whose specificity has not been tested as well as the original.

 

So you will make sure you are dealing with original element.

Original buckle for collar or harness by Duraflex

 

Even the most solid buckle with time is subject to natural wear. Assuming we go out for a walk with the dog 3 times a day and remove the accessories when we come back, this gives us about 6 buckles a day = 180 a month and 2160 buckles a year. Wow, that's quite a lot! 

 

To keep your dog safe First of all, pay attention to the slight mechanical damage of the buckle - stomp, catch, strong jerk. In this case, check if the teeth have not been bent, and if the buckle opens and closes smoothly.

Buckle with broken teeth. 

 

A properly fastened buckle should not open by itself, unless the securing teeth are pressed in. Pay attention to whether the buckle does not get caught on the clothes and does not stick to the pooch's body.

 

What if, after all, it broke? 

With the above knowledge, taking care of the Warsaw Dog accessories will be easier, and the leashes, harnesses or collar will last longer. However, we can help if the accessories are damaged in any way, we offer, among other things buckle replacement  :)