TRUCKEE, Calif. — Visit any trail or coffee shop in Truckee and you’ll see how well-loved dogs are in the town. Now, a new store in downtown celebrates the community’s love of their furry friends. 

Wild & Ruff is a dog focused brand that celebrates pets and their owners, along with the outdoor lifestyle of the region. It was started by Jamie Vine, who moved to Truckee in 2022. 

“My dogs are a huge passion of mine and the outdoors and Truckee needed a really cool dog store and a dog brand,” Vine said. “My goal is to create a lifestyle brand for humans and an innovative, really cool aesthetic for dogs.”

---

---

Vine has created several brands over the past 20 years, so part of her desire to start Wild & Ruff was that there weren’t a lot of interesting or unique patterns for dog accessories. The other inspiration was a desire to make accessories that were functional and practical in the outdoors. 

For example, the collars don’t have plastic buckles that break easily in the cold and the leashes have carabiner locks that are secure. 

---

---

When designing the products, Wild & Ruff spoke with search and rescue and avalanche dog teams to find out how the gear they use is lacking or could be improved.

“We love to develop our products with the mindset of being an outdoor loving, adventuring dog owner – built to last and have a nature based aesthetic,” she said.

The store sells harnesses, leashes, collars, and stainless bowls, along with double sided bandanas that can be used for cooling off your pup. They are interested in sustainability across the board so they also sell sustainable toys and healthy treats.

“What’s special about the treats we sell is they are all super organic, with only one to three ingredients, no fillers, meat only, basically only what we would feed our dogs,” Vine said. “We want to be confident about what we give our dogs and what we sell to other dogs and if we can convert some other dogs from wheat and flour based treats to all-natural meat based treats, we feel like we’ve helped a doggie.” 

Vine said they currently have treat vendors outside of the area but she is open and interested in sourcing the treats locally that meet her standards. 

The toys are also focused with the dog’s health in mind. Many are made with coconut fiber filling and other natural ingredients like leather and water buffalo bone, so if the toy is ripped up and eaten, dogs aren’t swallowing plastic.

Some of the other toys are made from recycled plastic found in the ocean. 

In addition to focusing on health and sustainability, Wild & Ruff is also passionate about giving back. 

“We are super focused on helping dogs,” Vine said, saying that she’s partnered with the Humane Society to donate money and swag bags for free adoption events. They will also be sponsoring adoptions so that new dog owners can come pick out a few items for their pets.

There is also an interest in celebrating the community’s love for dogs outside of the store. Vine gives out “Dog Friendly Business” stickers to place in the windows of businesses around town and they want to create a map of dog-friendly businesses, trails and beaches.

The store offers items for humans too. There are branded hats and clothing as well as home decor items. 

To check out Downtown Truckee’s new Dog Gear & Gift Store, visit Wild & Ruff at 10115 Donner Pass Rd, or go to the online store at https://wildandruff.com.