Out of Stock

Why We're *Almost* Out of our 1" Auto-Locking Carabiners

At The Exceptional Dog Shop, we pride ourselves on offering gear that is handmade, with high-quality materials and hardware.

closeup of auto-locking carabiner.

The auto-locking carabiner that is an option on our Cross-Body Strap as well as an option on our Leashes for Medium & Large Dogs is currently very limited in stock. 

We are currently well stocked in our auto-locking carabiners for our paracord as well as small dog leashes!

🌍 Why We Source This Hardware from China

This particular hardware isn’t manufactured in the United States. I wish that it were! Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, tariffs on aluminum are at 50%, so even US manufactured hardware is increasing in costs.

After research and testing, we found a supplier in China who meets our quality standards. We have tried to source hardware from other countries in the past and been disappointed in the quality, so we are relying on an experienced manufacturing facility to supply our hardware.

📦 Why We’re Not Restocking Right Away

Due to recent changes in U.S. import policy, including:

  • Cancellation of the de minimis exemption, which previously allowed shipments under $800 to enter duty-free.
  • Unpredictable reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods, which has fluctuated from as high as 125% to a current rate of 34%, plus additional ad valorem tariffs of 10% for fentanyl, recently down from 20%. 
  • Brokerage fees from carriers like UPS, to cover their costs for customs processing, disbursement, merchandise processing fees, & harbor maintenance fees. Harbor maintenance fees in specific, have increased under this administrations Maritime Action Plan Executive Order.


…our cost to restock this hardware is estimated to have effectively doubled. 

 

⏳ The Timing Challenge

Manufacturing and delivery used to take about 45 days.

With the increase in packages requiring processing by shipping carriers (due to the de minimis exemption cancellation), packages are expected to take even longer to clear customs.

With tariffs and fees changing rapidly, we can’t accurately predict the final cost of an order if we placed one today. That uncertainty makes it nearly impossible to plan responsibly or price fairly.

💬 What This Means for You

For now, we’ve chosen to pause restocking this hardware until the tariff situation stabilizes. This decision reflects our commitment to:

  • Fair pricing: we won’t charge you double for the same product.
  • Transparency: we’d rather explain the pause than swap in lower-quality alternatives.
  • Integrity: we’re not interested in cutting corners or compromising our standards.

 

We know this may be disappointing, especially if you were hoping to order soon. We’re actively monitoring the situation and exploring alternative solutions that align with our values. If you’d like updates or have questions, we’re always here to chat.

Thank you for supporting a small business.

We appreciate your patience—and your pups do too.

Peace, Love, & Puppies,
Wendy
Owner, The Exceptional Dog Shop