Over 75 million dogs are kept as pets in the United States. It is known that dogs and other pets provide benefits to their owners, from simple companionship to exercise. It is common for dogs to wear collars that include one or more of a buckle, ID tags, medical-related tags, and a D-ring for attachment to a leash. Due to the weight of these items, they generally fall to the underside of the dog's neck where they may be difficult to see and/or grasp. With long-haired dogs, these items often become at least partially buried in the dog's neck hair, making it particularly difficult to easily attach a leash to the dog's collar. Typical leashes include some form of a clasp that requires fine motor skills, or micro-movement, by the dog owner. For example, many conventional leashes include a clasp that requires sliding a gate of the clasp with a thumb. For some dog owners, such as those with arthritis, the micro-movement required makes it difficult to attach a leash to and detach a leash from a dog's collar. Even for dog owners without arthritis, these clasps may be difficult to use, such as to attach and/or release from a collar's D-ring.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds