FAQs

GENERAL INFORMATION

What makes UNIMIN special?

(1) Veterinarian-Owned

As actively practicing veterinarians, we have a deep understanding of the physical and behavioral needs of dogs. Our experience in veterinary medicine has uniquely positioned us to design harnesses and leashes that not only improve the walking experience but also prioritize the comfort and safety of both dogs and their owners.

The UNIMIN harness set, which includes a harness, a neck collar, and a 3-way leash, is designed with your pet's ultimate comfort and security in mind. This is the culmination of long-term efforts by a dedicated team passionate about bringing high-quality, comfortable, secure, and eco-friendly products to pets and their owners.

As an example, our harness has five strategically placed adjustment points, features a front O-ring enhancing your pet’s comfort and shoulder mobility, and a back D-ring allowing better pet visibility for your quality time walks with your pet.

(2) Eco Friendly & Quality Materials

All our harness sets are crafted from 100% certified REPREVE® fiber, made entirely from recycled plastic bottles collected from oceans and landfills. Did you know it takes about four bottles to make one UNIMIN leash? We’re incredibly proud of this transformation journey. 

Our harness isn't just another product on the market. It's crafted from the highest quality materials—durable metal hardware (no plastics here!) and double-layered, woven recycled polyester webbing, ensuring both strength and comfort. Every inch of our webbing is made from 100% certified REPREVE® fiber, showcasing our commitment to eco-friendly practices.

(3) Offering of Vibrant, Stylish Designs

Our products come in five beautiful colors: Midnight Black, Deep Purple, Ocean Blue, Mulberry Red, and Pistachio Green. Our items are easy to maintain, machine-washable, and its vibrant colors stay true wash after wash. 
We do not believe that style has to be compromised with function, so here are our products in the best design and craft!

We invite you to visit our Instagram(@uniminpet) and Facebook(@unimin) pages to explore more about our products and the values we stand for.

Where are the products manufactured?

Our finished products are manufactured in China. 

Our products are made from 100% recycled polyester webbing from REPREVE®, produced by UNIFI Inc., an American-based international textile manufacturer. Our journey began in Los Angeles, where we meticulously designed our products and sourced the best recycled polyester fiber we could trust. It took us about a year to secure a consistent, stable supply from UNIFI Inc., allowing us to produce high-quality products for our customers.

Our main Chinese manufacturer is one of the few facilities globally equipped to handle the specialized processes needed to transform REPREVE® fiber into the high-quality, long-lasting materials used in our products.

What is UNIFI Repreve®?

UNIFI Repreve® is a line of recycled fibers produced by UNIFI Inc., a leader in global textile solutions. The process begins with collecting and cleaning recycled materials such as plastic bottles, which are then broken down into chips and processed into fibers. This innovative process helps reduce landfill waste and ocean pollution, conserves water and energy, and provides a sustainable alternative to virgin fiber production​​​​.

At UNIMIN, all of our harness sets are made from 100% UNIFI REPREVE® fiber. We are proud to be the only brand currently using REPREVE® fiber in pet harnesses, neck collars, and leashes. Our ability to trace these fibers is supported by UNIFI's FiberPrint technology, which is akin to analyzing human DNA, revealing the origin of the product, and ensuring authenticity and quality​.

How many bottles are used per product?

Please refer to the below chart:

How can I ensure my pet does not pull on the leash, collar, or harness?

As veterinarians, we’ve ergonomically designed our products to support the body and provide the best comfort for walking. We offer the leash in three different ways (hand-held, cross-body, waist-worn) depending on your comfort levels. 

We do advise against using the leash cross-body or waist-worn if you may struggle to control a strong dog, due to the risk of being dragged or falling. This is particularly important for seniors, young children, or individuals with limited strength. The handler shall possess the necessary strength and capability to manage the pet effectively, ensuring both the handler’s and pet’s safety.

Our harness and leash are versatile, allowing you to clip them at the back or front, depending on what works best for you and your dog. You can wear the leash cross-body or choose to hold it by hand like a traditional leash depending on your dog. For example, we would not recommend using the leash cross-body style if you have a very heavy dog. Our coworker has two American Bulldog girls who love to pull, so she sticks to handheld. 

If your dog is too strong to hold, avoid wearing the leash around your waist or cross-body. With our products, you can choose to use the leash in the way that works best for you.

How does the front D-ring of the Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness help to prevent the handler from getting pulled?

When the dog pulls, and the leash is attached to the front D-ring, it causes the dog to turn towards you. This interrupts the pet’s forward momentum, making it physically more difficult for the dog to continue pulling. The mechanism is similar to how a halter works on a horse.

Furthermore, dogs possess strong muscles in their chest and shoulders, which they can effectively use to pull when the leash is attached to their back. By moving the attachment point to the front, the harness reduces the dog’s ability to leverage these muscles to pull, thus decreasing their overall pulling power.

How do I deal with dogs escaping their harness?

We've considered various ways to enhance the security of our harnesses. Our L and XL harnesses include a built-in handle in the back. If the front D-ring alone is not sufficient to prevent your dog from escaping, we recommend connecting the leash to the back D-ring, wrapping it under and around the body, and then threading it through the handle. This method may help with both pulling and escaping but always keep in mind not to compress your pet’s body.

What are your thoughts on a Control Leash?

Control leashes are specifically designed to manage or prevent pulling, which differs from the primary purpose of our products. We’ve ergonomically designed our Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness to provide the best comfort for your pet while also helping to prevent pulling.

If the front D-ring of our harness is not sufficient to prevent your dog from pulling or escaping, we recommend connecting the leash to the back D-ring, wrapping it under and around the body, and ultimately threading it through the handle. Our L and XL harnesses feature soft-padded handles for these purposes. 

What are your thoughts on a Gentle Leader Harness?

Gentle Leaders can be used to restrain pulling but some consider them more of a restraint than a training tool. We see them primarily used for service dogs. 

Gentle Leaders are great for managing your dog's head and helping with behaviors like lunging and jumping. They're effective for pulling but can be uncomfortable at first and need proper fitting.

Our Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness has the front D-ring, distributing pressure across the chest and preventing pulling without straining the neck. 

If you have a dog that intensely pulls or acts aggressively on walks, a Gentle Leader might help you gain control. Remember, fitting is key for both and we encourage you to sample and try what works best for you and your pet.

Are harnesses designed to “enable” sled dogs to pull?

We equip our harnesses with front D-rings located on the ventral upper chest specifically to enhance control over dogs that tend to pull. This design is not intended to enable pulling; rather, it aims to prevent it through:

(1) Interrupting Forward Momentum: When the dog pulls, and the leash is attached to the front D-ring, it causes the dog to turn towards you. This interrupts the pet’s forward momentum, making it physically more difficult for the dog to continue pulling. The mechanism is similar to how a halter works on a horse.

(2) Reducing Pulling Power: Furthermore, dogs possess strong muscles in their chest and shoulders, which they can effectively use to pull when the leash is attached to their back. By moving the attachment point to the front, the harness reduces the dog’s ability to leverage these muscles to pull, thus decreasing their overall pulling power. 

My dog has a collapsed trachea. Would your Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness work?

Our Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness is specifically designed for dogs with collapsed trachea, offering a comfortable alternative to traditional neck collars which apply direct pressure on the narrowed airway. 

It also supports brachycephalic dogs prone to congenital obstructive upper airway disease. The chest "O-ring" on this harness distributes pressure evenly, thanks to its "Y" shaped front part that reduces strain on the neck, while the back D-ring option minimizes neck pressure, enhancing overall comfort.

This design is particularly suitable for dogs with wide necks or those prone to discomfort under the armpit as it prevents scraping in these sensitive areas. Moreover, it's an excellent choice for pets with sensitivities around the ears, face, and neck, such as those suffering from chronic ear infections, hot spots, or mouth pain since it avoids squeezing their faces and keeps pressure off delicate areas.

We have truly loved serving our clients and their pets through the years, so it is truly heart-warming to design products intended for the best care for your and your pet!

Are there any scientific studies you can share about O-rings’ connection to reducing pressure on the trachea?

There aren't specific scientific studies that focus solely on the O-ring’s impact on reducing tracheal pressure. However, harnesses compared to solely neck collars reduce pressure off of the pet. O-ring designs are in line with veterinary recommendations for dogs with respiratory issues or those prone to tracheal collapse.

When choosing a harness, especially for dogs with tracheal collapse, it’s crucial to get the right fit. A harness that’s too loose won’t properly restrain the dog and may still put pressure on the trachea. It’s also important that the harness is worn correctly to function as intended.

Our harness is designed with an O-ring positioned at the ventral neck and chest area, featuring five adjustment points to ensure a good fit. Its 'Y' shape helps distribute pressure evenly across the chest, providing comfort and a tailored fit for the dog.

How does the O-ring help prevent a pet from choking? 

Our O-ring harness is made to keep pressure off pets’ necks, so they won't choke. Our harness is designed with an O-ring at the front of the neck and chest, and it has five points where you can adjust it to fit your pet. The shape helps spread the pressure evenly across your pet’s neck and chest, so they feel comfy and snug.

When choosing a harness, especially for dogs with sensitive necks, getting the right fit is crucial. If it's too loose, it won't hold your dog well, and if it's too tight, it could hurt them. Putting the harness on correctly is important for it to do its job properly.

What would you recommend for long-body dogs, such as Dachshunds or Welsh corgis?

We completely understand the challenges of fitting dogs with long backs and short legs as we have treated many of them at our clinic. Our Customizable 5-Point Perfect Harness features five adjustment points, which we believe will be beneficial for these types of dogs.

Check out our Instagram post of a Dachshund using our product: bit.ly/3WPdi6D 

We hope this video helps you and other parents of cute little furry friends with long backs and short legs. Follow us on our Instagram(@uniminpet) and Facebook(@unimin) pages to varying pet breeds using our products!

What is the Proposition 65 Warning?

For California consumers, this product can expose you to chemicals including Bisphenol A, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm, and Antimony trioxide, which is known to cause cancer. For more information, visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. 

CARE FOR PRODUCTS

How do I clean my UNIMIN Harness set?

To clean, use the gentle wash cycle with cold to lukewarm water, and let it air dry. Colors are long-lasting even after multiple washes. Detailed steps below:

1. Place UNIMIN products in a pillowcase or a laundry bag.
2. Machine wash or hand wash them using mild detergent in cold or lukewarm water.
3. After washing, simply hang them to dry in a shaded area. Enjoy the long-lasting colors even after multiple washes!

How do I deal with the matting of my pet’s hair? 

Long pet hair may occasionally become matted due to friction with any harness during the pet’s activities. To address this, during our product development process, we designed our harness to cover a smaller surface area of the pet’s body compared to others in the market. 

Pet hair can indeed become intertwined in the webbing due to the texture of woven-fiber webbing. We recommend a hair lint roller to remove fur stuck in the webbing. 

Are your products bite/chew-proof?

Our products are not bite or chew-proof. However, they are designed to offer a soft but sturdy grip​​!

ADDITIONAL INTERESTING COMMUNITY QUESTIONS

Believe it or not, we receive all types of questions! As veterinarians, we are always excited to share our knowledge and ease your worries. See some sample questions below. 

What are your thoughts on a collar’s width needing to cover the length of two vertebrates? 

Larger dogs, or those with stronger necks, generally need wider collars to distribute pressure evenly and provide better control without stressing the neck. Conversely, smaller or more delicate dogs may be more comfortable with narrower collars to avoid excessive bulk and weight.

Ultimately, there is no scientific basis linking the width of a collar to the width of two vertebrates. The best approach is to select a collar that is safe, comfortable, and suited to your dog’s size, breed, and the collar's intended use. 

Why are veterinarians designing training equipment?

We believe our work goes beyond treating illnesses as we're committed to comprehensive preventive care that improves pets' overall well-being. This includes medical treatments, training, behavior, and dietary advice. Our goal is to enhance the lives of pets and their owners by integrating practical training methods, such as leash-walking, with the creation of beneficial tools like our ergonomic harness set. This approach is similar to healthcare professionals, such as podiatrists, who recommend specially designed footwear for specific needs.

We value open dialogue and welcome any feedback or suggestions. If you have more opinions, please feel free to discuss them with us!