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THIS WEEK'S TOPICS:

• 🛌🏻 The human dog bed

• 💅 Where bougie dogs shop

• 🏠 Airbnb for displaced dogs

🛌🏻 THE HUMAN DOG

In a world where pet pampering is reaching new heights, humans have sniffed out a novel way to join in on the furry fun: enter The Plufl Human Dog Bed.

A dog bed designed for human comfort + room for your pooch.

This plush bucket bed is priced at $499 (currently discounted to $300), and is more than just a niche luxury item; it's a symbol of our unending quest for coziness and big spooning our dogs.

The Plufl, dubbed "the world’s first dog bed for humans," is a brainchild of founders Noah Silverman and Yuki Kinoshita, which successfully crowdfunded over $420,000 through Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Its journey from a quirky idea to a desirable product was bolstered by a successful pitch on ABC's "Shark Tank," leading to a customer base now over 10,000 strong.

Google's annual holiday 100 roundup saw a 1,650% surge in interest for human dog beds in 2023, placing them alongside trending gifts like Stanley water bottles and smart TVs.

The Plufl, weighing a hefty 25 pounds and available in multiple colors, combines the comforts of memory foam with the convenience of machine washability and portability.

Initially appealing to pet owners wishing to bond with their furry companions, the Plufl has found a broader audience.

People like Danielle Turchiano, a marketing consultant, have discovered an odd productivity boost from working within its cushioned confines.

Others find it an ideal space for meditation and relaxation during the workday.

A look at the business

With each unit retailing at $499, and assuming an average production cost of around 30-50% of the retail price, a conservative estimate would place Plufl's gross revenue well into the millions.

Given the company's reported customer base and a singular product offering (until recently), it's plausible that they're raking in revenues north of $5 million, with a healthy margin.

However, like all trend-driven products, the question of longevity looms.

The Plufl's cult-like status echoes past fads like Snuggies and bean bags, suggesting a possible peak-and-valley pattern in its financial future.

While the current trajectory is upward, sustaining this momentum will require strategic marketing and perhaps expansion into complementary products such as the Hugl Cooling Body Pillow. 

Kind of looks like a reimagined pregnancy pillow.

The Plufl's success story is more than just a testament to our love for comfort — it's a clever twist on pet-human dynamics.

💅 WHERE BOUGIE DOGS SHOP

Why can't look good feel good apply to dogs as well?

This month saw the launch of PawWire, a premium (aka fancy) marketplace to find products for your pet.

Whether you are looking for a handmade European leather bowtie, or an essential oils body mist, they have you covered.

With both a website and a mobile app, PawWire greets you with a curated list of products that you then swipe through to tell the platform what you like and what you don't like, much like a dating site.

This then decides your future results as their algorithm learns what you like and don't like.

PawWire comes to us courtesy of parent company The Wires, who also owns FashWire and Glosswire (see a theme here!).

So it seems that they are taking a playbook that has worked in other premium categories and bringing it to pets.

Some quick research doesn't show a ton of traffic yet for PawWire. However GlossWire and FashWire pull in around 16k and 14k monthly visitors:

While we do wonder if our pup needs a $62 scarf, we do also have suits in our closets that weren't cheap and we only wear for special occasions.

And we do have to admit, their products look quite dapper in some of their photos.

So, if you are looking for some unique brands and feeling the need to spoil your pooch, PawWire looks like a great place to splurge.

🏠 AIRBNB FOR DISPLACED DOGS

This week we are profiling the second Purina Pet Care Innovation winner, BestyBnB.

Times can get tough for anyone at any time.

That's one of the reasons social services exist.

Whether having issues with domestic abuse, mental health issues, or other hardships that cause someone to seek help, there is a safety net for people.

The problem that Matt Krentz and Andy Bond learned about was that in cases of domestic violence, there was a high rate of animal abuse as well, as domestic violence agencies don't have services for the pets of abuse survivors.

Some of the stats they learned were quite alarming:

• Less than 5% of domestic violence agencies have the means to house companion animals.

• Over 50% of people who call a 24-hour abuse hotline seeking help, DO NOT leave their abuser when they find out they CANNOT bring their pet. This is the No. 1 barrier preventing survivors from seeking immediate help.

• 70% of pets left behind by a survivor are harmed or killed by the abuser in retaliation 😭.

They decided to act and in 2019 formed BestyBnB, with the goal of preventing owners needing to surrender pets when seeking social services.

How it works

BestyBnB provides social service agencies with an online platform to connect vetted pet caregivers to pets in need (hence the similarity to AirBnB, as the interface is similar to finding a place to rent).

So agencies don't need to go through all the time of creating their own program, and instead can leverage BestyBnB's tools to help clients find a short term solution for their pets.

Besty also handles finding and vetting the caregivers. With mandatory background checks and training to ensure that the foster homes are safe spaces for pups.

Caregivers are able to share updates through the platform so owners can stay connected until they can be re-united.

When asked the benefit they provide:

Besty has launched in the Kansas City area for now, but plans to expand to other locations soon!

DOGGYDEX™

Winner 🏆: S&P 500

Proudly introducing the DoggyDex™, an index comprised of 10 publicly traded companies whose primary focus is the dog/pet industry.

List of tickers used can be found at the very bottom of the newsletter.

The yellow line-plot in the chart represents these companies above (DoggyDex™) and their combined performance against both the S&P 500 and Bitcoin on a weekly basis.

Pawformance is measured by % gains & losses.

• 🗳️ Breeds and their political parties: A man came up with a list of breeds and their political affiliations, along with some personality traits in this montage clip.

• 🛀 This house for sale has a custom dog bath: A house listed for sale showcases a custom tile and glass dog bath next to the laundry - well done!

• 📸 Justin Theroux red carpets with his dog: Actor Justin Theroux hits the Humane Society’s red carpet with his perfect pittie, Kuma.

DOGGY B-DAY

• $CHWY - Chewy: E-commerce platform for pet supplies

• $IDXX - Idexx Labs: Vet point of care instruments and vet software

• $FRPT - Fresh Pet: Pet food company

• $PETQ - PetIQ: Pet health products and medicines

• $PETS - PetMeds: Online pet pharmacy

• $ZTS - Zoetis: World's largest producer of meds and vaccines for pets and livestock

• $TRUP - Trupanion: Pet insurance company

• $WOOF - Petco Health & Wellness co.: Pet health & wellness company

• $BARK - BarkBox: Subscription service providing dog products, services, and experiences

• $PET - Wag! Group Co.: Tech platform that allows pet owners to connect with industry professionals for services such as, walking, training, etc.