Guest Post: Scout Dog Collars

When preparing your pup for his portraits, I always recommend fitting him with a clean, appropriately sized collar. Your photography session is the perfect excuse (as if you really need one) to pick out something special for your four-legged family member. In my first guest post, Sandra with Scout Dog shares the inspiration behind her popular custom collars and why giving back to the rescue community means so much.

How did your fur kids become a part of your family?

I found my dog Scout and his brother on a Sunday morning, sitting on the side of a South Texas road in an empty beer box like two teenagers sleeping off a great Saturday night. They were eight-weeks-old, skin and bone, bald in spots from ringworm, and with tummies bloated from parasites. Knowing these two would never stand a chance in the overfull shelters, I took them to the vet and began nursing them back to health. Eventually, Scout’s brother found his forever home elsewhere, but Scout, ever the ugly duckling, stayed with me.

It’s been eleven years since the day I brought him home, and he’s changed nearly everything about my life. I adopted Gracie, a shy Great Pyrenees mix, to keep him company, and together the three of us have traveled the country. They’ve both become Canine Good Citizens, earned TTs through the American Temperament Test Society, and [earned their] Master’s Degree in Canine Life and Social Skills.

How has Scout helped shape your brand or mission?

I started Scout Dog because I could never seem to find a collar to suit him– he is by turns a dork, a best friend, a hunter, a lover, and a couch potato–and I figured there must be many dog owners out there like me, who have dogs that need something just a little special.

What sets Scout Dog apart?

I make all Scout Dog collars personally using the best quality metal hardware and materials I can find; if I wouldn’t use the collars on my dog, there’s no way I could feel comfortable having others use them. My favorite part of the process–aside from having Scout or Gracie model a new style–is picking out the fabric. When I find a fabric I want to use, I can actually see the dog and its owner and know who they are and what their relationship is; if I can’t imagine the dog that would wear the collar, I don’t buy the fabric, no matter how appealing it is.

Scout Dog Collars in red and blue custom fabrics
Photos provided by Sandra with Scout Dog.

I want to create products that enrich the relationship between people and their dogs. After experiencing the overpopulation problem in San Antonio, this is especially important because, without that bond, it’s easier to give up pets. I want people to be able to express the bond they have with their dog and show the world that their dog is unique and special.

Chocolate Lab wearing a Scout Dog Collars style
Photo (L) provided by Sandra with Scout Dog; photo (R) taken by Stephanie Zukowski and provided by Sandra with Scout Dog.

I see that giving back to local shelters and animal non-profits is important to you. Tell me more about why and how you’re giving back.

Supporting animal rescue is extremely important to me and to the whole concept behind Scout Dog. In this past year, Scout Dog donated 12% of sales to local and grassroots rescue. I think often of the twist of fate that brought Scout into my life at the exact moment he needed me, and of the anonymous rescuer who helped me find my sweet Gracie. Through Scout Dog, I want to be able to help others have that same experience that changed my life.


This content is provided to Bark & Gold Photography as a guest post by Scout Dog. To learn more about its products, including traditional and loop martingale-style collars, or to shop online, visit www.scoutdogcollars.com.

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2 thoughts on “Guest Post: Scout Dog Collars

  1. Mia Diego says:

    I’m writing to find out if you would make a custom collar for my 13 lbs dog. I have a GPS collar that has a strap and buckle that I find too heavy. I’m looking to change the strap on it. Is this something you are able to do?

    Mia Diego

    • Bark & Gold Photography says:

      Mia, you would need to reach out to Sandra with Scout Dog Collars directly to inquire. I am strictly a pet photographer and do not make these. Please visit her website at https://scoutdogcollars.com to contact her. She would be able to answer any questions you have.

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