Pets: TRAX Leash Series
Pets: TRAX Leash Series from Tristan Christianson
Pets: TRAX Leash Series

Several pet care projects were in development in 2009-2010 including a human/canine workout product combining weights and leashes. The initial project of an interchangeable weight system and retractable leash was a good success selling through catalogs and featuring at PetCo in 2010. Growing out of that project was the need for a retractable mechanism that could be locked/unlocked with the pull of a finger. Working with engineers overseas, a trigger-style mechanism was incorporated into a new leash design that could compete with the likes of Flexi leashes.

The first Trax Retractable Leash project was developed around the appearance of the more common style of design in three weight class sizes and sold under ANI in-house brand through PetCo in 2009/2010. With the trigger concept worked through, the intent was to develop an all-new retractable leash design.

The Trax Ergo project was successfully developed for private label under PetSmart's emerging Bounce brand in 2011/2012.

The design principal was developed around a carabiner looking to utilize the new design's form to both be a new way of holding and using, and acting as a tie-out security feature when the dog needed to be kept on location. Inspiration was found in both the carabiner feature as well as fishing rods and reels in the way that casting and retrieving is performed the snap-pull of stopping a dog quickly was very much similar. That form combined with the single-draw, index finger trigger was a better, more intuitive performer than what was typical in virtually all other designs which required the user to quickly press on a slick plastic thumb button and then push it forward to lock, proving not very simple in emergency situations.
The design features a metal inner reinforced frame with a polypropylene shell and TPE over-molded grip. Safety features included both a reflective stitched ribbon leash and dual-sided oversized reflector rings. Working with PetSmart's development team, engineered structural standards of seven times rated dog weight capacity were met or exceeded.
First generation Trax Leash developed and sold in 2009-2010 through PetCo under ANI in-house branding. Three sizes were developed to meet industry standards for small, medium and large weight class dogs. The trigger-action mechanism was designed into the more commonly seen grip style. Color and package design were developed to distinguish the sizes.
Trax Power Leash. Developed in 2009-2010 and originally sold through PetCo. The design was built around incorporating an interchangeable weight system for exercising with your pet. The concept put the retractable leash in one hand, while the other applied a zippered nylon case with the capacity to hold keys, and wallet with a velcro'd opening for pulling waste baggies out. With this design the use of the commonly found thumb-activated leashes was problematic combined with the weights which led to the locking trigger concept that became the centerpiece to the new designs that followed.
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Pets: TRAX Leash Series

Several pet care projects were in development in 2009-2010 including a human/canine workout product combining weights and leashes. The initial project of an interchangeable weight system and retractable leash was a good success selling through catalogs and featuring at PetCo in 2010. Growing out of that project was the need for a retractable mechanism that could be locked/unlocked with the pull of a finger. Working with engineers overseas, a trigger-style mechanism was incorporated into a new leash design that could compete with the likes of Flexi leashes.

The first Trax Retractable Leash project was developed around the appearance of the more common style of design in three weight class sizes and sold under ANI in-house brand through PetCo in 2009/2010. With the trigger concept worked through, the intent was to develop an all-new retractable leash design.

The Trax Ergo project was successfully developed for private label under PetSmart's emerging Bounce brand in 2011/2012.

Available
Freelance, Full-time, Moonlighting
Tristan Christianson
Independent Industrial Design, Product Development & Production San Francisco, CA