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Exercise is a huge part of maintaining the health and wellness of your dog. Gyms for Dogs creates dog park products with your dog's happiness and health in mind. Their durable, high-quality, all-weather products are a great way to increase activity in not only your dog, but you as well. We spoke with members of the Gyms for Dogs team to ask them more about their products and how their products reflect their values and goals as a business.  

What is your product and why is it a good choice for pet owners?

Our products are designed to provide playful exercise for dogs. They are made with earth friendly materials that are recyclable and durable.  The products can be placed indoors or outdoors and in all-weather climates.

What are the benefits of your products for pets and pet owners?

The Gyms For Dogs™ products provide vigorous exercise for dogs.  There are over 14 products that are scientifically designed to enhance a dog’s cardiovascular and neuro muscular systems as well as help with balance and agility.

What makes your products unique? How does it stand out in comparison to similar products?

Our products are designed as a complete circuit of different exercise and play stations to give dogs a variety of the types of exercise and training products.

How do your products reflect the values and goals of your organization (charitable giving, production value, etc)?

Our goals are to provide a healthy and safe way for dogs to burn off energy and get in shape to help prevent disease and obesity and depression in dogs.  We also focus on the bond between the dog and the owner when dogs play and are trained on the equipment. Dogs need an outlet to play and enjoy the interaction with their owners.

How much do your products cost, and how can pet owners find out more about this product?

Our products range from $400-$2500.  To find out more about the Gyms For Dogs™ - Natural Dog Park Products™, please email sales@gymsfordogs.com

In Partnership with Dog on Leash

Looking to match with your furry four-legged friend? Dog on Leash creates luxurious matching accessories for both you and your dog. Rock a belt or bracelet that matches your dog's collar, leash or show lead for maximum style and sophistication. Made from materials like Italian leather, pearls, and Swarvoski crystals, these handcrafted pieces are well-made and sure to receive many compliments at the dog park and beyond. Johanne, founder of Dog on Leash, spoke with us about her business and the beautiful products she creates for her customers. 

Dog on Leash is much more than just a boutique. We specialize in unique leather dog collars and leashes for your canine best friend, as well as similar belts for their owner. From the United States, Canada and Europe, we support artists that create unique collars and leashes that will bring out your dog’s unique personality. 

All of our products are handmade with the finest Italian leather and the strongest hardware. From luxurious Swarovski crystals to silver ornaments and stones, these are some of the absolute finest pet art wear available. From small to big dogs, classical to fashionable, we have a style and size for your beloved furry best friend. 

Products:

DOG COLLARS are handmade and available in a range of models - both luxury and casual depending on your dog's style. Choose a base model and customize by changing the colour of the leather/suede and Swarovski crystals with our colour tablet.

LEASHES are available in the same styles as collars, so your dog will have the perfect matching accessories! Tassels are made from kangaroo leather with European beads and gems to enhance your dog's collar. With this collar and leash combo, your dog will be the most stylish pup around!

BELTS are available in the same styles as dog collars and leashes, so you can match with your stylish dog.

SHOW LEASHES are made in exquisite kangaroo leather, and are available in almost any colour with beautiful beads. Kangaroo leather is the most durable and soft leather you can find, making it great for show leads. Customers have the option to customize the colour, length and beads based on their dog's style. 

BRACELETS made from kangaroo leather with European beads and gems to match your show leads. 

In Partnership with Bailey's CBD

When it comes to giving hemp supplements to your pet, there are a few important things to keep in mind as a guardian.

Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Vs. CBD Isolate

You might see these terms thrown around quite often when explaining various products that are said to benefit your pet's health in certain ways, and it can be rather confusing to take in. Full spectrum hemp oil and CBD isolate are two completely different products, and it is important to understand these differences and be able to spot them when looking for a CBD product to give your pet to ensure the most therapeutic experience for your furry loved ones.

Full Spectrum Hemp Oil

This is a whole plant extraction, preserving hundreds of beneficial compounds from the hemp plant, one of the main one's being Cannabidiol (or CBD). Others include therapeutic phytocannabinoids such as CBG, CBC, CBN, terpenes, flavonoids, as well as essential vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, and chlorophyll. All of these compounds have a synergistic interaction with each other (also known as the Entourage Effect) and the more that are present, the better. This improves the overall therapeutic value of the hemp oil. You will also notice that full spectrum oil is murky and dark in color.

CBD Isolate

This is CBD in its purest form. This is a highly processed extraction, removing everything recognizable from the hemp plant except the molecule CBD. It is often found in the form of white powder, or crystals, and can be mixed into nearly anything.

What We Use

After working with top veterinarians in the field, we have found that the most beneficial and therapeutic hemp oil to use for pets is raw, full spectrum oil that is phytocannabinoid rich, while retaining as much of the hemp plant as possible. Bailey's CBD products are all natural, contain no additives, no preservatives, and are made with organically grown hemp. This is so important to keep in mind when choosing a CBD-based product for your pet, because at the end of the day, we all want what's best to help our pet's live healthy, age gracefully, and feel complete.

Is Bailey's CBD Safe For My Pet?

Yes, it is safe. Because our products are virtually free of THC, there is no intoxicating effect. However, phytocannabinoids, like those found in Bailey's CBD products are instrumental in our body's regulatory system and support important functions, such as: appetite, digestion, immune function, inflammation, pain, mood, sleep, reproduction/fertility, motor control, temperature regulation, and memory. The overall effect is that the body achieves homeostasis, and all of it's systems are balanced.

Our Mission Is Rooted In Helping Pets & Giving Back

Bailey’s CBD was started in October 2017 after I had spent five years working at a medical cannabis dispensary in North San Diego. The shop cultivated their own high CBD plants (ACDC) and created CBD tinctures and Rick Simpson Oil for their terminally ill patrons. During that time, I was educated on how cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with the body. Eventually, I opened a delivery service and for three years supplied medicinal cannabis products for folks with cancer and other chronic or debilitating conditions. One day I decided to formulate a CBD tincture for pets, and began to provide those formulations through my delivery business as well as to friends and family. This garnered a different clientele — these customers weren’t cannabis users, they just really loved their pets. I received overwhelming feedback, and many would report back in tears of joy due to the impact that CBD had on the quality of their pets’ lives. I began to fine-tune the product with meticulous effort, and made the adorable face of my pug Bailey as the logo and brand mascot (and of course he is the boss). Our mission is to help as many pets as possible find relief through hemp derived CBD products. In dedication to getting our products to as many pets in need as possible, for every four bottles sold, we donate one to a rescue. Every month we choose a new rescue to donate our CBD products to, and we also provide coupon codes for rescues to receive generous discounts on our products throughout the year. If you are part of a rescue that would like to work with us please reach out, we would love to hear from you.

Author: Jay O'Keefe

CEO, Bailey’s CBD

www.baileyscbd.com

In Partnership In With Canis World

Canis World creates CBD tinctures for our furry four-legged friends that are suffering from a host of issues, such as anxiety, pain, seizures, and more. Their USA-made products cater to your dog or cat's tastes, coming in flavours like bacon, cheese and natural. We had the pleasure of chatting with some of the Canis World members about the inspiration for starting the company as well as their goals for the future. 

What passions, life events, or furry friends inspired you to start your company/organization/venture?

Christopher Robin is a dog we rescued several years ago.  All of our dogs are very special dogs to us, but Christopher Robin has had his share of obstacles in life, which had left us with a very special connection.  When Christopher Robin became ill and was battling for his life, we explored every single medical option we could find along with alternative options to leave “no stone unturned” in our quest to provide him with the best care and outcomes available.  He literally had a team of seven healthcare providers and scientists engaged in his care.

We didn’t like what we were seeing online being pedaled for pets in the CBD space. The cannabinoid industry (CBD) for pets is an industry with a lot of different directives, products and misinformation. Most of which we really just weren’t really thrilled about, and when it came to Christopher Robin’s best interest we felt we had no choice but to develop a product we knew was clean, high quality, and effective. 

Upon seeing the benefits Christopher Robin experienced (which left our veterinarian speechless), we decided to then work with various veterinarians who started to report back their clinical case studies and inspiring results they had seen in their clients first hand.  This is when we knew it was time to pay it forward, and make Canis World available for purchase, not as a business, but as a cause for the pets to provide quality and comfort.

What does your work offer to pet owners? What are your goals for this venture?

Our work is to be on the cutting edge of developing some of the best solutions surrounding cannabinoids for the benefits of pets.  Our goal is to incorporate our background and access to medical providers and scientists to help keep us moving in the right direction with innovative options for pet parents. 

What is your personal connection to pets, and what effect does this have on your work?

One of our favorite things about life is the happiness, comfort and well-being of our pets.  The other day we had seen a meme that stated something along the lines of “there are about 8 people I really care about and 3,000 dogs I have never met”, and the overall gist of that is how we feel.  In working with pet parents at Canis World, we have had some very rewarding cases, pet parents crying and thanking us, friendships with the pet parents and dogs we have not even met but love dearly. 

We have always rescued and adopted our personal dogs.  In some cases, they are senior dogs or dogs with health or behavioral issues. The breeds of dogs we have adopted vary so much.  We don’t select a breed or dog to foster or adopt but they just seem to find us.  After all, they do say that we don’t pick our dogs, but they pick us, and it is our obligation to do right by them because we are fortunate to have them in our lives.

Our love for dogs (and cats), has fueled our passion in making a difference and that is why Canis World exists.

How is your work a benefit to pets and pet owners? (through work or through charitable giving)

Our work is a benefit as we feel we are motivated for the “right” reasons, which is to first and foremost always think of what is best for the dog.  We are not out to make a buck on the back of a dog, but we are out to find ways to create benefits for dogs that are affordable to their pet parents.  We are also passionate about giving back to causes aligned with our philosophy (those who actively seek to help senior and rescue dogs).

How can pet owners get in contact with you/find out more about your work?

They can contact us personally through our website at: www.CanisWorld.com and if they wish to speak with one of the founders to ask questions or  swap stories on dogs, we will always make ourselves available for such dialogues. 

What advice can you offer to other entrepreneurs looking to get started in the pet industry?

Personally, we know many brands and products enter the pet industry for profits.  While there are certainly good pet products, there are also bad pet products.  Our advice is make sure you have a true love, passion and commitment to pets as your priority and never lose sight of that committed focus and purpose, which also means quality control measures and standards. Do a lot of due diligence.

There exists a wide gamut of individuals, much like in any other field.  Finding and identifying quality individuals or companies to align yourself is worth the arduous amount of time and effort on the front end, as it will ultimately lead to a great product and good relationships on the back end.  Nothing worthwhile is easy, as is often times quoted, but if you are passionate about helping animals, it is an honor to spend your time in pursuit of championing a cause for which they need to rely upon a human voice. 

In Partnership with Kennel & Crate

Certainly not lacking in style or function, Kennel & Crate craft beautiful handmade dog crates you'll actually want to keep inside your home. Choose from a variety of standard crates or customize your dog’s crate to fit your own style aesthetic. We sat down with a few members of the Kennel & Crate team to ask them about their organization and what makes them unique.

What kind of goods/services does your organization offer to pets/pet owners?

We build custom dog kennels.  These are real pieces of furniture, crafted and finished by hand.  Most of our kennels are wood, but we also offer a more rugged, industrial all steel version.

Our double kennels feature an interior door that can be latched open to create one large den, or latched closed to make two cozy spaces. 

What makes your organization unique? How do you stand out in comparison to similar organizations?

We build everything from scratch.  We have craftspeople that build the kennels from kiln-dried lumber, metal workers that fabricate, weld, and assemble the bars for our kennel doors, the barn door mechanisms, the locking pins, foot rails, and finishers that create our one of a kind stained and painted finishes.  We are proudly a “Made in Oklahoma” company and we build our kennels on my family’s farm. 

What makes this organization a good choice for pet owners? What benefits do they gain by engaging with your organization?

People spend a lot of money on their home design and décor.  We build kennels that complement that décor.  We work directly with our customers to coordinate the size, shape, and finish details to create a kennel that is worthy of their dogs and their home.  We have so many customers that work with professional decorators and designers to create a beautiful home.  After going to that much time, trouble, and expense, it doesn’t make any sense to stick a wire kennel in the corner.

Our kennels are real, hand-crafted furniture.  We integrate kennels into desks, sofa tables, end tables, kitchen islands, media centers, pub tables (pup tables – get it?), sideboards and bookcases.  We’ve even done a dining table.  Our distinctive designs, excellent quality materials, attention to detail and customer service set us apart from our competitors.  I don’t even like to say competitors – we really don’t have any competition.

What are the core values of your organization? How do they influence your business practices (production quality, charitable giving, etc)?  

This truly is a family operation.  We build the kennels on our family farm.  My uncle is my primary partner.  My aunts and cousins go to trade shows with me.  My brother is my California sales rep. My family has been in Stillwater community for generations and we love being a part of the community.  We donate to local events that support animal welfare organizations like the Stillwater Humane Society which we supported through Putts for Pets event sponsorship and the Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s annual fundraising gala by donating a custom kennel for their silent auction.  We are also providing a kennel to a teen in Kansas City who is getting a service dog through SIT Service Dogs.  We built an all-steel kennel for an active law enforcement K-9, too!

We’ve had an OSU (Oklahoma State University) student come take a tour and discuss entrepreneurship as part of a mentoring program.  We hope to have more interactions like that!

We did a nice discount promotion over Veteran’s Day 2018 and had a few veterans take advantage of that.  We will do more promotions like that in 2019.

We take pride in our customer service.  We talk to all of our customers.  Even if we get an order online, we still call and go over details, we ask for pictures of existing furniture so we can make sure we coordinate the finish just right.  We send sketches sometimes when asked for unique items – like a hexagon kennel with a round top.  We will send pictures or even samples to a customer for their review if it’s something tricky or really out of the ordinary. 

We don’t send out an order if it’s not right.  We will completely rebuild a kennel if it’s not right.  Almost all of our in-stock items are items that are great, but not exactly what the customer ordered.  Maybe we made it too short, or the stain didn’t come out as expected.  I’d rather re-do a kennel completely than send it out wrong.

We love it when customers send us pics of their dogs in their kennels and tell us that their dogs love the kennel as much as they do.  We especially love it when we have a customer that will actually come to the shop to pick up their kennel.  It doesn’t happen very often as few of our customers are actually local, but it’s awesome when it does.  We love showing off our little shop!

What’s the best way for pet owners to find out more about your organization?

Visit our website www.kennelandcrate.com or send us an email at office@kennelandcrate.com.