Bold Lead Designs’ Mission:

To provide innovative solutions for human-dog interactions with the highest quality dog goods available anywhere; we passionately create for pet owners, canine professionals, and service dog handlers worldwide.
From our workshop to the world, our products are designed to enhance our clients’ lives.
Success and growth are achieved with understanding, compassion, and an undying commitment to quality.

Lead boldly.

Company Information:

Bold Lead Designs is an innovative small business that designs and crafts premium quality dog products, including: leads, collars, harnesses and accessories. Using only the best leather and materials for products that last a lifetime. Located in Aurora, Colorado, BLD’s workshop serves clients in all 50 US states and over 50 countries worldwide.

Our talented team of 6 to 8 people is inclusive, compassionate, and genuine. Each of us takes pride in our quality product, superior customer service, and our ability to truly understand our client’s needs. 

Bold Lead Designs was born in 2008 to provide well-designed, top quality, handcrafted leather dog accessories for dog handlers who desired something better than the disappointing, off-the-shelf options. New designs are continuously in development in direct response to what our customers require.

We sell our products direct to customers, wholesale to independent retailers and offer private label design services for specialty shops and canine professionals.

Katrina Boldry, Owner & Designer (pictured at right with BLD’s official greeter and professional model, Dalton Deleon. Dalton is also Katrina’s mobility assistance dog) founded BLD to address the gap between the dog equipment people needed and what was otherwise available. She is proud to provide custom made equipment solutions for people with disabilities. “A dog lead or a harness isn’t just a tether,” she says. “It’s a line of communication that can enhance the human-animal bond.”

At Bold Lead Designs, we don’t just make dog gear; we strive to offer solutions that enhance our clients’ quality of life. All of us at Bold Lead Designs are honored to have the opportunity to provide equipment that improves the independence of our clients with disabilities. We are grateful for your support and thank you kindly for your business. Let us know if we can be of assistance.

BLD is a leader in specialized equipment for working and service dogs. With over 15 years of dedicated research, experience, and consultation with canine professionals of all kinds, we are continuously developing and improving our unique, specialized dog harnesses. In order to ensure our functional harnesses are designed for correct fit and load distribution to minimize impact on the dog’s physiology, we follow the latest science on harness research.

Owner and designer Katrina Boldry has pioneered specialized assistance dog harnesses that considered not only the dog’s physiology, but also how the human partner impacts the dog through their use of the equipment. Developed with advisement and approval from orthopedic specialists, physiotherapy/rehabilitation experts, and service dog organizations, BLD’s mobility/balance assistance harnesses have set the gold standard in the service dog industry.

What makes BLD stand out?

Handcrafted, durable and functional leather dog products that are also beautiful! Our personal customer service is the best you’ll find anywhere—we really understand the special needs of people with disabilities, and the demanding expectations of professional dog handlers. Bold Lead Designs specializes in equipment solutions for people who can’t find the right gear elsewhere. Our clients come to us for our expertise in finding solutions to their equipment dilemmas. Because our materials and craftsmanship is superior, we can offer the best warranty in the industry. All BLD leather products are crafted by hand in our Colorado workshop from the best quality leather and hardware available. We use American cattle hides provided by domestic suppliers, and every collar and leash is backed by a lifetime warranty. We also offer private label and custom orders for specialty retailers.

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Proudly made in the U.S.A.

As a small independent local business, we design, manufacture and represent our own products. Most of the items we offer are made by hand in our own leather workshop. 

At Bold Lead Designs, we believe well-designed, handcrafted, locally-made products should be available to those who desire durable, quality gear for their canine companions. For us, “American Made” means making a sturdy, sincere product by hand with American materials, and standing behind that product with a lifetime warranty. It means creating jobs for artisans, and making every effort to support other small businesses like ours. It means listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and taking pride in providing thoughtful customer service during every step of the process.

We also offer an assortment of accessories that complement our in-house-made products. Some of the products we design are made by other talented American crafts people, as well as specialty parts and hardware that are fabricated to our specifications. We are proud to support other small businesses like ours!

Our Workshop:

Located in Aurora, Colorado, the Bold Lead Designs workshop is filled with the fabulous aroma of leather and inspires creativity. Our work space is carefully organized, and stocked with the best quality leather and hardware we can find, hand tools, and simple machinery. We welcome clients (and their dogs) to visit our shop by appointment, and we will gladly demonstrate our products, customize a leash, repair an item, or fit their animal for one of our custom-built harnesses. Our team consists of true craftspeople who love the satisfaction of making things with their hands in an era of digital content and mass production, and who insist on providing a genuine and personal brand of customer service. We are quirky, diverse, and inclusive.

Inspirations:

We are inspired by the most amazing customers in the world. The delight of our clients continually reminds us why we do what we do, and the real difference we can make in the lives of people with disabilities by providing them with the right gear to live as independently as possible. New products are the result of conversations with customers, and often begin with, “What I really need is…” We are inspired by working dogs of all kinds. The loyal, joyful dedication of canines encourages us to create highly functional & durable products for their handlers. Whether tracking in the field, walking close on busy city streets, or assisting with daily tasks, we know that each dog and handler has specific needs. We are energized by creating the right equipment to fit those needs. We are inspired by our materials. The rustic smell of leather, the strength of brass hardware. The tools & methods we use to produce our wares direct us to keep our designs straightforward, elegant, & timeless.

Meet Katrina:

Katrina Boldry
Owner

Katrina is the founder, owner & designer of Bold Lead Designs (BLD) in Colorado. Katrina’s story begins when trying to find a replacement for a 15 year old leather guide dog leash she received when raising a Guide Dog puppy as a teenager.  “I couldn’t find a leash I liked,” she explains. “There was nothing out there that had all the features and functions I wanted.”

Being a creative problem solver and artist at heart, and finding nothing that met her needs, Katrina decided to craft the perfect dog leash. The result was so unique, all her friends and neighbors wanted one, too!

Bold Lead Designs emerged in 2008 to provide well-designed, top-quality, handcrafted leather dog leashes to dog handlers who desired something better than the typical, disappointing, off-the-shelf options. Over time, new products were designed in direct response to what customers were telling her they needed but could not find. Katrina’s designs provide solutions to the dog equipment dilemmas of pet owners, canine professionals, and service dog handlers worldwide.

With a background in the arts, and a previous career as a professional photographer, Katrina is a self-taught craftswoman who learned her trade by determination, trial and error. She sought business training and resources to create and grow her concept into a viable company from The Women’s Business Center at Mi Casa Resource Center in Denver (an affiliate of the Small Business Administration). This guidance has proven invaluable, and Katrina gratefully acknowledges every peer, counselor, and professional who has helped her grow Bold Lead Designs into what it is today—a company known and respected as much for its compassion as for the thoughtfulness and durability of its products. Her consideration for the needs of her clients has led to the development of many products previously unheard of in the market, including the first wheelchair-friendly dog lead and the sturdiest mobility harness available. A solopreneur until June of 2013, Katrina has since expanded the business add new production, customer service, and administration positions. Her team doubled from 4 in 2016 to 8 full-time positions in 2017, and maintains a team of 6 to 8 people. The business is continually planning for growth and innovation in response to the needs of her extraordinarily loyal customer base.

Katrina regularly gives back to the canine community by donating merchandise to animal rescue organizations and service dog training agencies and offering sponsorship and financial support to non-profit organizations. She speaks frequently at small business training seminars to inspire other entrepreneurs, and she enjoys giving presentations to service dog trainers and sharing her insights about specialty equipment. Katrina is honored to have found success designing and providing equipment that allows service dog handlers to get out and enjoy the world independently. She is currently training a service dog to assist with her own balance and mobility needs, to help mitigate progressive health issues.

Katrina is an honored recipient of the 2016 Women of Influence award, 2015 40 Under 40 award, City of Aurora Business Recognition award, and the Small Business Excellence Award from Colorado Lending Source. (Details can be found below.)

Our Team:

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Nicole

Office Manager

 

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April

Production, harness specialist

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Bill 

Customer Service

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Taquoia

Office Assistant

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Micah

Production 

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Valerie

Workshop Assistant

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Emily

Workshop Assistant and Events

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BLD is honored to be featured in local and national media

2015 Business Recognition Award

Bold Lead Designs has been honored with the 2015 Business Recognition Award from the City of Aurora. The program acknowledges outstanding businesses in the community that contribute to the city’s economic vitality. The fantastic video at the top of this page was produced for this program.

“The entrepreneurial spirit is exemplified in Bold Lead Designs, a manufacturer of handcrafted leather dog leashes and service dog equipment. In just nine years, the company has risen from its residential basement roots on Havana street to its own warehouse in central aurora, producing products for pet owners, canine professionals and service dog handlers in more than 30 countries worldwide. Providing beautiful and functional solutions to dog equipment dilemmas worldwide, Bold Lead Designs makes everything by hand at their Aurora workshop while using the best quality leather and hardware available. Domestic suppliers provide the American cattle hides used for every collar and leash, which are backed by a lifetime warranty. Owner Katrina Boldry has built her business on both passion for the product and a solid foundation of ethics. The company’s success is evident in its increasing gross sales year after year. From 2013-2014, Bold Lead Designs experienced a 32.5% increase in gross sales and net income rose 135 percent. To serve the needs of customers, new products are created and introduced each year, including most recently The Perfect Pace no-pull training tools. The company contributes to nonprofit service dog organizations and rescue groups.”

2016 Pet Age Woman of Influence Award 

The Women of Influence awards program honors women leaders who are influential in the pet manufacturing or servicing industry. Winners have a solid reputation based on experience, integrity and leadership and have a proven track record of accomplishments. Katrina has demonstrated  a commitment to excellence in their organization, community and the pet industry as a whole. See page 54 in the May 2016 issue.

2015 Small Business Excellence Award

Bold Lead Designs has received the 2015 Small Business Excellence Award from Colorado Lending Source.

Check out the Media Page for articles, success stories, media clips, TV programs, and other great info about Bold Lead Designs success.

watch more videos Media Page
2015 Aurora Business Awards

2015 Pet Age 40 Under 40 award

BLD’s founder has received the tremendous honor of being named a 2015 Pet Age 40 Under 40 award winner.

KATRINA BOLDRY (37)
Owner and Designer, BOLD LEAD DESIGNS LLC
Aurora, Colorado
Company description: Bold Lead Designs offers premium quality leather dog leashes, collars, harnesses, and service dog equipment, all artisan crafted in Colorado with a lifetime warranty.
Primary job function: Product design, marketing, sales, customer service and daily business operations
Years in industry: 7
What do you feel is your biggest contribution to the pet industry? I’m very proud of my service dog equipment designs and work with the disabled community. Customers often contact us to share how much their new custom leash or harness has changed their lives. Perhaps they are finally able to leash up their dog on their own without assistance, or walk on their own with the help of their service dog because they got the right harness that meets all their needs.
What do you wish you had known earlier about the pet industry? I’m a bit of an outsider. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about the pet industry. I think not having a background in your industry can be an advantage, because you approach things from a unique perspective.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? People always are surprised to learn that my company and the products we make even exist. They are surprised that I actually make things by hand, instead of reselling or outsourcing. They’re stunned to know that not only can I make a living doing this, but have created jobs and successful business around something I am so passionate about.