Designed for on-the-go Pet Parents who don’t do prissy, the Love Thy Beast Canvas Pet Tote holds your dog, your essentials and your classic sense of style!
You may remember me mentioning that Oscar, my 6-year-old Shih Tzu/Chihuahua mix, has the market covered on lazy. Yep, he makes sure to practice daily. He’ll reluctantly partake in a walk, but given the choice, Oscar will always pick the “Carry Me, Mom” option. I’m lucky that he’s taken to dog carriers with little cajoling – hell, if you put down a big enough purse, he’ll climb in and give you a look that says: “I’m ready to go when you are, hairless servant!” The problem I find with finding a dog carrier or bag is due to my pickiness… with style. In the land of little “purse” dogs, as they’re often referred to, bags abound with bling and frills. And if you know me, those two things (especially put together) are guaranteed Anti-Amy repellant. Are there no bags out there for me? Curse you Paris Hilton! You’ve ruined it for us all! (*Shakes fist in direction of Los Angeles.)
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But what’s this? Is there hope for the doggy totting gal in search of sophisticated style that defies all frou-frou logic? My faith in canine couture is revived – I have seen the light, which is, in this case, the Canvas Pet Tote by Love Thy Beast.
The first thing I noticed about the Canvas Pet Tote was its totally lack of small dog cliché accessories. Not a bejewel or frill to be seen. Instead, this tote relies on simple lines, thick, durable material and classic color combinations to convey a modern yet timeless fashion statement. It fits right into the urban landscape, thanks to its minimalist design approach that seamlessly combines oversize chic and multifunction purpose. In other words: this is a dog carrier that I would shamelessly flaunt while carrying Oscar to work, running errands or window shopping.
Bag Basics
Here are some of the selling features of Love Thy Beast’s Canvas Pet Tote:
As an added bonus, Love Thy Beast is based out of Brooklyn, NY, and the Canvas Pet Tote is made in the USA using locally sourced materials.
Oot and Aboot (As a Canadian, that’s how I say “Out and About”)
Sure, I could have taken this tote on a test drive around the urban jungle, but why not give it an outing worthy of its hipness… to a dog-friendly lavender farm!
A friend and I took Oscar and the Love Thy Beast Canvas Pet Tote to Weir’s Lane Lavender & Apiary, a quaint lavender farm about 40 minutes west of Toronto. To get to the store, we had to park and walk down a winding, grass-and-dirt paved, one-lane trail that is frequented by drivers picking up their plants. Needless to say, I was glad to carry Oscar for this leg of the journey.
We had free reign of the grounds, from the budding lavender patches to the bustling bee hives. When the Canvas Pet Tote wasn’t perched comfortably on my shoulder (thanks to its ample canvas straps), I had to place it on the damp ground that was covered in hay, dead leaves and other interesting nature debris a city girl can’t place. Good news – all the not-so-fashionable accessories brushed off easily, without leaving any unsightly spots or signs behind.
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As for comfort, Oscar thoroughly enjoyed his first-class travel accommodations. He could choose to lie or sit down. The scoop at the front of the tote gave him the perfect vantage point to take in the beauty of the lavender farm, whether I was carrying the bag or it was on the ground. Oscar got out of the tote occasionally, but was always happy to hop right back in when it was time to move.
I got a few admiring comments for both Oscar and the Canvas Pet Tote, and I was able to store my purchases from the boutique store in the bag. This meant I had extra hands to take some wonderful pictures of the farm and surrounding area. It was the perfect, fashionable day!
The Verdict
I’m pretty sure I found my “Aha!” dog carrier. And if you don’t see me carrying Oscar it in, it means that:
I freakin’ love the Canvas Pet Tote. Love Thy Beast has captured the essence of the utilitarian tote and took it to the next level by giving you the ability to bring your furry BFF everywhere you go.
The Canvas Pet Tote comes in two sizes – a feature you don’t usually see in fabric dog purses. Even more surprising, they fit dogs that are bigger than your average teacup breed. The Medium, which is the one I tested, measures in at 14″L x 8″W x 12″H and can carry a dog up to 15 lbs. The Large, which measures in at 17″L x 8″W x 15″H, holds dogs 25 to 30 lbs. Most dog bags only carry up to 10 to 12 pounds, so it’s great to see an option for pet parents who want to carry their larger-sized small dog around.
A turn-off for some may be the cost. With a price tag of $160, the Love Thy Beast Canvas Pet Tote isn’t cheap… but that’s the whole point. You get what you pay for, and the Canvas Pet Tote is well worth the price. Trust me, it’ll be your go-to bag for countless seasons to come. It matches every outfit, houses Oscar quite comfortably, and I can even put my wallet in the tote with him (although, I have caught him rifling through it, trying to lift a few $20s). When it comes to bags or purses, I’ve had enough to know the difference quality makes, and the Canvas Pet Tote makes the grade, so I have no problems making the investment – it’s money well spent!
The only feature I’d change is the depth of the side pockets. Although it fit treats and extra poop bags, I found it to be a little shallow for a water bottle. This could be rectified with one section of the pocket reaching right to the bottom of the bag, or even the addition of a long, vertical pocket or sleeve attached to the rear of the tote.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars (5 star rating)
If you’d like to get one for yourself (which you totally should!), you can purchase the Canvas Pet Tote on the Love Thy Beast website. I have the Grey & Navy tote, but you can choose from Olive & Navy, Natural & Orange, Navy & Red, Dark Grey, Black and Dazzle. It’s definitely the finishing touch to a stylish pet parent’s outfit!
