Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Clayton.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Wag Trendz® started with a shared frustration. My business partner, Sarah, and I both love dogs, and we were both tired of the same thing: a pet gear market flooded with overly cutesy, mediocre products that weren’t actually doing right by dogs or their owners. We knew there was a better way — gear that combined genuine street-fashion edge with real safety, real fit, and real comfort.
We launched in Austin in 2021, but we didn’t start from a boardroom or a mood board. We hit the road. For three years, we attended dog events and pop-ups across the country, fitting harnesses on real dogs of every breed, size, and personality, watching how they moved, listening to what wasn’t working, and bringing all of that feedback back into the design process. That field research became the foundation of everything we make.
My background is in business, with an MBA in Business Analytics from the University of Tennessee and over 28 years of business experience. Entrepreneurship was never really on my radar, but marrying what I love (dogs) with what I know (business) turned out to be exactly what I was meant to do. Sarah brought equally valuable credentials: 12+ years of hands-on veterinary practice experience, which grounds every design decision in an understanding of animal health and anatomy. She also co-owns a successful martial arts school here in Austin, and that discipline, the commitment to continuous improvement and community-building, quietly runs through everything we do at Wag Trendz® too.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not always smooth. Building a product-based business from scratch is humbling. Getting fit and function right across dozens of breeds and body types took real iteration and real failure along the way. Early prototypes didn’t always land the way we envisioned. Scaling while staying true to our quality standards has been an ongoing challenge.
There’s also the reality of being a small, female-owned business trying to get noticed in a $150B industry dominated by large, established players. Breaking through takes time, consistency, and a lot of faith in what you’re building. The dog community has carried us through more than once. They’re vocal, loyal, and genuinely invested in seeing small brands like ours succeed. We don’t take that for granted.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Wag Trendz® is an Austin-based, female-owned urban dog gear brand built around one core belief: dogs deserve gear that is safe, functional, and genuinely stylish, and dog parents shouldn’t have to choose between the three.
We specialize in no-pull harnesses, collars, leashes, and dog hoodies, all featuring original artwork created entirely in-house. You won’t find generic, mass-produced patterns here. Every piece is a wearable work of art with a street-style edge, and every feature exists because a real dog needed it. Our harnesses include dual leash clips with a front no-pull attachment, no-choke construction, ergonomic fit distribution, a locking neck clasp, reflective safety strips, and a breathable mesh lining, all designed with brachycephalic breeds in mind from day one. Our hoodies are made from human-grade materials and come in sizes XS to 4XL, including an anxiety-soothing fit that has resonated deeply with dog parents dealing with nervous pups. With over 150 five-star reviews from customers across the country, the feedback speaks for itself.
What we’re probably best known for right now is the NeoCool™ Sport Harness, our patent-pending harness built with breathable and durable perforated material that delivers passive, all-day airflow without soaking or pretreatment. There is nothing else like it on the market. It was born directly from years of customer feedback from owners of French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, and other heat-sensitive breeds who needed more than what existed. We launched it in 2025 and are still actively refining it.
What sets us apart goes beyond the products themselves. Co-founder Sarah’s 12+ years of veterinary practice experience means every design decision is evaluated through the lens of animal health, not just aesthetics. That vet-informed approach combined with bold, original street-style design is genuinely rare in this space. We also spent three years on the road doing hands-on fittings with real dogs before we ever stopped iterating, and that commitment to getting it right rather than getting it out fast is something we carry into everything we do.
We also give back in a way that’s meaningful and concrete. In partnership with Freedom Frenchie Rescue, we created the “Fart Like a Frenchie” dog hoodie, and 100% of the profits go directly to their rescue operations. Not a percentage, not a pledge. Every dollar of profit goes straight to French Bulldogs waiting for a forever home.
What we most want readers to know is this: Wag Trendz® was built by people who genuinely love dogs, who listened to the community, and who refused to put out something mediocre just to fill a shelf. We’re recognized by Google as a Top Quality Store, which reflects the standards we hold ourselves to across every order and every customer interaction. Every product we make has a story behind it, and every customer who buys from us is directly supporting a small, female-owned business that puts that back into the dogs and the community every chance we get.
What are your plans for the future?
2026 is a big year. We recently launched on Amazon, expanding the brand’s reach to millions of new dog owners nationwide. We’re growing our wholesale presence, expanding our ambassador program, and continuing to refine the NeoCool™ technology as we keep listening and innovating.
We’re also focused on deepening our giving back efforts as the brand grows. The Freedom Frenchie Rescue partnership matters to us deeply, and we want our ability to support rescues to grow right alongside the business.
Longer term, the vision is to be the go-to lifestyle brand for the modern dog parent, the person who brings their dog camping, overlanding, to the trail, and everywhere in between. We want to be in more hands and on more dogs. The mission hasn’t changed since day one. We’re just better equipped now to see it through.
Pricing:
- Individual products range from $27 to $64
- Bundles & sets from $54 to $124
- No Pull Harnesses start at $46
- Hoodies are $48
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wagtrendz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagtrendz
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wagtrendz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXDCBu2GU6rV9oY5u7eY-2Q
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/WagTrendz
