Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
This fab new Dog product is to Dry for..
And even if you only have fur babies to worry about keeping warm and dry, I may just have the paw-fect product.
As many of you animal lovers out there are likely aware, Friday was International Dog Day. A whole 24 hours where we are supposed to shower our fourlegged friends with even more love than normal – if that was possible.
T be honest, I had no idea there even was such a day, but I became aware of it when an email dropped in my inbox telling me all about it.
It also told me about a wonderful new first-of-itskind Irish-made product which was launched on the very same day.
DogDry is a brand new innovative super absorbent dog drying coat for wet dogs, created by Waterford-based entrepreneur Frances O’Reilly.
Having previously held a high-flying career in innovation working with global brands such as Diageo, Kellogg and following a 10-year career, break to care for her young children Frances had a light-bulb moment while drying off her beloved dogs with a towel for at least the thousandth time.
Her ambition was to create a super absorbent drying coat for wet dogs.
And the result is DogDry a collection of five different-sized drying robes designed in Ireland.
Frances says the purpose of her new product is founded on her belief that “every dog, everywhere, has the right to play outdoors and DogDry makes it easy because it takes care of the mess.
The product itself is hugely innovative product as there is nothing of comparison on the market in Ireland or in the UK at present.
Frances’ background in innovation came to the fore in designing this product as she broke down the technical capabilities used in super absorbent reusable nappies.
DogDry is made with comfortable performance fabrics – the soft bottom layer wicks away moisture and odour, the superabsorbent middle layer locks it away from the dog’s body and the waterproof top layer keeps the mess within the coat and out of the owner’s car and home.
Speaking of the innovation behind this new product Frances says, “I live in Co Waterford close to beaches where my family and my dogs love to walk and swim. I believe dogs are part of the family and just like other members of the family they need to be given time to do the things that bring them joy. For most dogs that means rolling and sniffing and splashing about outdoors.
“But wouldn’t it be great if cleaning up afterwards wasn’t a problem? That’s why I created DogDry – it’s a super-absorbent drying coat that dries your dog as she wears it and keeps wet dog mess out of your car and home.
“DogDry comfortably adjusts to fit dogs of all shapes and sizes – pure breeds, mixed breeds, and no one knows quite what is in the mix breeds – so that every dog is happy to wear it as they dry off, making your life a little bit easier and getting rid of smelly wet towels.
“I’ve relied on skills I learned during my career leading innovation teams and put the idea for DogDry through independent quantitative research among a representative sample of family dog owners before taking the plunge and deciding this would be my business and not a side project.
“I know 65% of dog owners in Ireland are interested in buying a DogDry, that 1 in 4 households has at least 1 dog and that 40% of dogs in Ireland are mixed breeds.
“I am 100% confident the problem of wet dogs making a mess in the car and house exists, and that DogDry solves the problem in a way that works for the dog and works for the owner.”
DogDry is designed in Ireland by Sharon Maxwell – a designer and lecturer for the BA in Fashion Design at Atlantic Technological University in Donegal.
The goal behind the product is to take it to as many of those dog families nationwide and move into international markets within the next year.
DogDry comes in five sizes from extra small to extra large and all sizes in-between and it is available to buy online from €79 at www.DogDry.com