User Research
Online Survey (85 responses)
Where do you Live?
How large is your dog?
How comfortable are you using your dog leash (In terms of hand/arm soreness)?
How enjoyable is walking your dog?
Do you view walking your dog as a chore?
What type of dog leash do you have now?
What do you like about the dog leash you have now?
Common answers:
- Good length, gives dog freedom but still allows control
- It’s cute
- It’s retractable
- Easy to use
- Sturdy/strong
Interesting :
- thin and lightweight, carabiner so it ensures leash won’t come undone
- My dog leash has a little extension on it that lets me connect the leash to something else like a table or chair without having to take the leash off my dog.
- soft fabric but strong
What do you dislike about the dog leash you have now? (Highlighted ones are comments I found unique)
- slips out of hand
- My dog is way stronger than me but I don’t think that’s the leash’s fault
- It smells
- Could be cuter
- Could be longer
- It gets in the way
- Can get caught
- Can be very long. Stressful when car comes and have to reel in quick
- Digs into hand if dog pulls
- Chewed in the past
- The fact that it’s made out of leather (less environmentally sustainable)
- Clips get bulky and annoying
- Not super comfortable
- Doesn’t stop dog from pulling
Any special features you wish your dog leash had? (Optional)
- Something that stopped him from pulling so hard without hurting him
- Glow in the dark for at night
- Automatic poop picker upper.
- Extra hold by the collar; reflection woven in vs. painted over.
- Something that would make it easier to eat a snack with both hands while I’m walking my dog.
- Easier folding
- Water bottle or treat storage
What do you look for in a dog leash?
What time of day do you walk your dog?
This question got kind of messy because people go out to walk their dogs at all times of the day and maybe even more than once.
Have you ever had the following problems walking your dog leash?
How much are you willing to pay for a dog leash?
Do you multitask when you walk your dog?
I then asked what people did and a lot of them answered that they go on their phones, talk to other people, eat food, or listen to music.
Interviews
Interview №1 : Ana and Calamari Czyzewski
Ana a junior at the University of Minnesota has been a proud dog owner of a chihuahua pug mix, Calamari. Calamari is on the smaller end, but enjoys the luxury of multiple leash styles. Since Ana first got Calamari about a year ago she has used a variety of leashes that have meet varying levels of style and functionality. To this day she still switches the leashes she uses, but has overall used the same leashes since she got Calamari.
Here is a portion of Ana’s dog leash selection:
Gripping Method
“Good way to get exercise”
“Once you start walking with one leash it’s hard to get used to other leashes, even Calamari can feel the difference. I can tell when Calamari doesn’t like leashes”
“I prefer thicker leashes, they have a better grip and aren’t as tight. I like how this one has a slight elasticity to it”
What do you look for in a leash?
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Ana told me when looking at a dog leash she looks for a long leash but with a good grip, and especially in the city it’s important for her to have control because of the danger cars pose.
Retractable Leashes?
Ana has used retractable leashes in the past but tries to refrain from them on long walks because her mom has told her about the strain and injury it can put on dogs as the retracting mechanism is used suddenly.
Have there ever been any issues while walking Calamari?
- “Calamari is a lot more powerful than she looks, and has ran into the street before or bolted with a loose leash when I’ve been caught off guard or distracted by my phone”
- “It can be difficult to find time to walk Calamari in between classes, especially when it’s recommended to take your dog out about every 4 hours”
- “Clips have undone themselves on walks and given her scares”
Interview №2: Lorna Levine (age: in her late 40s) and some input from Bill Levine (age: early 60’s) and of course, dog, Landon. Lorna’s approach to walking is keeping Landon closer to her, while Bill likes to leave some wiggle room and will sometimes let Landon off leash in a field. Bill also brings a lot of treats on walks/runs to train Landon.
Landon is a big, beautiful, and strong dog, and does tend to jump and bark when walking in his house. The two leashes to walk Landon are pictured below:
From the looks of it the carabiners work really well, but it isn’t very attractive, I asked myself: could there possibly be a more pleasing way to do this while still being functional?
Landon went to puppy classes when he was younger so he has proper walking etiquette. While bringing Landon there, Lorna learned that “shorter is better” and therefore settled with the 4 ft leash she owns now. She bought the other leash at a farmers market because she thought it was a “cheap alternative that could be tied around her waist.” Walking Landon isn’t to hard, but liked the shorter leash to keep him a little closer to her. Landon used to have a harness but now just attaches leashes to a collar because harnesses were too much of a hassle. Lorna and Bill also discussed the muzzles that are supposed to help dogs stop tugging but Bill expresses his sympathy for doing that to a dog. After discussing why they had the leashes they had, Lorna and I went for a walk, this is how Landons leash was attached:
Some notable things
Landon sometimes doggy company on his walk- Laila his “girlfriend,” this brings into question of where other dogs come into play in the dog walking experience and how this could be made better. Lorna also mentions, likewise to Ana, “I like walking my dog because it forces me to stay active.” Hints back at the active lifestyle people tend to lead when a dog owner.
Likes about Current Leash
- The material of the green leash as it is shorter and thicker and gives a better grip than the rope
- More control, and easier to move Landon over on walks
Retractable Leashes?
Would never get Landon a retractable leash, “It gives him way too much freedom, and I like to show who’s in charge”
Difficulties/Concerns
“It can be hard to take Landon out on walks if it’s raining — I would never use the waist leash in the rain because I definitely need more grip in that situation and would rather hand hold Landon”
“It’s like having another kid, so it’s hard because it’s something you have to do and it can be a pain”
Because the neighborhood doesn’t have sidewalks, visibility in the early morning or night as days get shorter becomes a problem. Lorna wears lights that strap to her chest but when she does that cars still can miss the fact that Landon is with her. Landon is also very sniffy so it’s necessary to bring along treats to bribe obedience. The main topic of concern was bolting. There are times when Landon is too strong and when he bolts when he sees a squirrel or gets excited or anxious, it takes a great amount of strength to restrain him if he hasn’t gotten away already. Ilana, Bill and Lorna’s 18 year old daughter, has actually broken her wrist before. They informed me, Dog Walking 101: Do not wrap your leash around your wrist, as there isn’t enough strength to keep yourself from getting injured. Even Bill has had a leash wrapped around his arm and felt like his shoulder was pulled out after a bolting incident.
What they’d like to see
Lorna: “I’d like to see more options in the 4ft leashes, I just have a hard time finding shorter leashes, there’s a lot more extendable ones”
Bill: “I think dog leashes should have some kind of sensor that would hold Landon tight if he started to bolt, it would have to have some sort of retractable mechanism and be strong enough to keep Landon from bolting.” Bill told me of an event that happened that day where Landon did bolt and really scared a woman, “scared the bejeezus out of her.” Bill seemed concerned about being respectful of other people while on his walks which comes with keeping his dog controlled.
Interview №3 Gregg and Zofia (dog) Aspnes
Greg a second time dog owner isn’t a super active person as he is in his 70’s, and he likes to let Zofia run free and has a looser approach when walking Zofia. This is very different to the approaches of the other two people I interviewed who prefer more control when walking their dog.
Why Retractable?
Gregg was the first person I interviewed that was very supportive of the retractable. Why was this? When he first started his dog leash hunt, he had always wanted a retractable leash. It really all comes down to the experience you want for your dog and yourself, and for Gregg, he values Zofia’s freedom to just “be a dog.” For him personally he likes to have this freedom as well and be able to go at his own pace without keeping up with Zofia who tends to run ahead. Gregg says, “ he’ll let Zofia have more fun and ability to sniff around” and then slowly reels in as he catches up and then “gives her a little tug” once he does. They can of have an interval system of walking. Additionally the retractable has a really nice handle on them.
Gregg’s thoughts on walking dogs
Gregg really values freedom for Zofia and they kind of do their own thing on walks. This was really evident when walking Zofia with the shorter non-retractable leash and she was tugged probably a little more often and she was a little wilder because she’s used to having a little more wiggle room. A Gregg has said before it’s “impossible to control her anyways.” If he had it his way Gregg would always have Zofia off leash- she “runs around the yard a lot because he “doesn’t like to restrain her on a leash, and doesn’t sacrifice much by not taking her out for a walk.” When he’s out at the cabin he just let’s her do her “crazy runs.” The only time he feels the need to use a leash is when other people are around, and “in public you have to keep her close.” Gregg has lost a dog to a car and is therefore careful with Zofia in public because he doesn’t want her “diving across the street for a squirrel.” Location has a big influence on Gregg’s dog walking experience, when walking in places with a lot of people he really shortens up the leash, and if people are around she is leashed more.
Can dog’s tell?
Gregg kind of discussed this idea that dogs can be upset with you. With his previous dog, he had her travel in a carrier via plane and once she landed so gave him this look and he could tell she was mad and upset. Regarding leashes, you want your dog to be happy and there’s definitely ways to tell- something to consider as product testing comes into play.
Gregg likes Style
Greg is a stylish man and he wants his dog to look good too.He wanted to get a leather leash because it would look better and match one of Zofia’s collars. Sometimes has debates with his girlfriend Gail because she has different tastes and will want to put a pink leash on, which Gregg disagrees with.
“I want my leash to look good. I like red. I think it’s important because it’s like putting on a shirt on in the morning, if I wear it I want it to be a good shirt.” Why wouldn’t his dog leash be rigorously stylish too?
Brings doggy bags, loose leaf big bags, bags need to be big enough to get over your fist (storage) has rolls of bags, the bigger ones and easier to use, he just holds them. I want my leash to look good, i like red. it’s important bc I think for example what shirt should I wear I want it to be a good shirt. Why wouldn’t his dog leash be rigorous leash stylish too.
Unpack the Data
I unpacked my data by writing down the most common or most interesting or intriguing comments and quotes.
- Blue: Attractive Feature in a Leash
- Yellow: Issues and Concerns
- Pink: Quotes from Interviews
I then organized the post-its by comments that related to: Environment, Quality, Dog Behavior, Comfort, Clean-up, Style, and Lifestyle:
Pink: Items people bring along on walks
Blue: Dog behaviors and personalities
Insights
- Bill a very athletic 60 year old guy needs a way to brace himself, have a safety, or be warned when Landon is about to bolt because dogs are unpredictable and you can easily be caught off guard and lose your grip on your leash and your dog.
- Ana, a college student at the University of Minnesota needs a stronger dog leash because she lives in the city which poses more threats of distractions to her dog and potential leash “break outs.”
- Gregg, who is very stylish and has a very energetic dog needs a leash that allows his dog to have freedom but is also very stylish because functionality doesn’t always necessarily mean that aesthetics need to be compromised.
New Ideas
Timeline
Wednesday 10/2: Begin composing survey questions, looking at including a variety of fixed response, short answer, and open ended questions. Think of people who might be able to take this survey. Make sure it’s <10 minutes. Post survey to instagram at least by tonight.
Thursday 10/3: Continue reaching out and finding people to take survey. Start making an outline for interview questions.
Friday 10/4: Interview 1
Saturday 10/5: Interview 2
Sunday 10/6: Interview 3
Monday 10/7: Organize Data — find some creative and clean ways to do this. Draw insights from collected data.
Tuesday 10/8: Begin organizing blog and make it easily presentable and clear.
Wednesday10/9: Sketch out new ideas, and finalize blog.
