Founded by a Navy Veteran.

Hi, I'm Tristan. I served six years in the U.S. Navy as a Corpsman — a combat medic — and spent my last three years attached to the Marines, where I earned the title "Doc."

The idea for this harness was born during cold weather training. I was the lead medic responsible for 200 Marines and three other corpsmen, hauling 100+ lbs of gear across 200 miles in 50 days of freezing conditions.

Everything broke. Buckles snapped. Zippers froze. Straps tore. Buttons popped. Poles bent. Even bones gave out.

But there was one piece of gear that never failed — snowboard straps. Every Marine could click into snowshoes or skis in seconds. The hardware fit every boot. It locked tight. It didn't care how cold it was. It just worked

The day that changed everything.

When my contract ended, I packed up and started the drive home. I had a plan, my wife was starting her new job with the Navy, and we were building a life in California with my childhood best friend, Beasley.

Beasley died on the drive home. She was 15. It was Golden Retriever Day.

That loss broke me. The plans I'd made for us were gone. My wife started her new chapter, and I couldn't find mine. I felt lost so I started volunteering at a local animal shelter.

I took the dogs no one else wanted to walk. The strong ones. The big ones. The reactive ones. The shy ones. I grew close to one in particular and our morning walks became the best part of my day.

One morning, another volunteer took her out before I got there. Her harness had always been hard to fit, and it had a habit of going loose mid-walk. That morning it slipped. She got away. She didn't come back .

I thought I had at least another 12 years before I'd have to feel that kind of loss again. I was wrong. And I knew right then I had to do something about it.

Built Different. Built to Last.

I built Docs Dogs because no dog should ever slip out of a harness again.

Every harness we make is built around the same hardware that never failed me in the field — a real ladder ratchet strap, the kind used on snowboard binding straps for decades. No plastic buckles. No loose fits. No "good enough." Just gear designed to lock in, dial in tight, and hold.

We're a veteran and family-owned brand built on a simple promise: your dog deserves better gear, and so do you. Whether you're skinning up a backcountry line, hitting the resort, or just walking your best friend around the block — we've got you.

Thank you for trusting us with the ones who matter most.

— Tristan, Founder
Navy Veteran • "Doc" • Beasley's Dad • Trick & Bambi's Dad