Where are the Products for Owners of Two or More Dogs?
When my first Boxer named Bogart died, I decided that when I got my next dog I would also get a second dog. One thing I noticed about Bogart is that 50% of the time he seemed really bored and would lay his head on the window sill and just stare outside. I was not always home and did not have the chance to play with him after work. Boxers are a very hyper and active breed and love attention. When the time came to get my next dog I got two male Boxers, one dark brindle (Tiger) and the other fawn (Bogart). I will never give a dog the same name as a previous dog because it causes problems with animal control records.
I had never owned two dogs before; therefore there was a slight learning curve involved:
* I had to purchase two water and food bowls
* One Boxer was 7 years old and the second was a puppy therefore I had to purchase two types of dog food
* Vet bills were doubled
* I had two kennels inside the house
* Two leashes and collars
* Making sure my mannerisms were always contingent with Bogart being treated as the
dominant male of the two and that they both knew that I was the alpha male. For example,
always giving Bogart food and toys first.
I thought I was ready to bring home two dogs because I had covered and/or anticipated all of the above needs. Upon bringing home the dogs, everything went well. On the third day they were playing together like old friends. I kept a close eye on them when together because they were both males from the same litter and this is supposed to be a volatile situation. To this day they have not had any major problems.
The one issue that I had not anticipated was that of walking two dogs simultaneously. When walking one dog I always had a free hand for tasks such as talking on the cell phone, holding used and unused poop bags, keys and other convenience items. When I tried walking both dogs traditionally, with one leash in each hand, both hands were occupied and multi-tasking was very difficult. I started shopping around for some type of device that would allow me to walk both dogs with one hand because I was on-call 24/7 and had a cell phone with me at all times. The only products I could find were what are called couplers. A coupler is a Y-shaped device with two dogs connected on one end and the other end connects to a leash. I could walk both dogs with one hand but the coupler was too restrictive and if Bogart made a sudden change in direction, Tiger would go flying in the air. The coupler gave very little control of the dogs. I then continued my search for a better product to no avail.
I decided that I would create a product that had the functionality of a storage, leash and travel product. I named the product The SmartWalk Manager. The patent-pending product allows dog owners to walk one or more dogs with one hand thereby leaving the remaining hand free for other tasks. It also allows the owner to have convenience items (phone, waste bags, keys, treats and other convenience items) always available during walks or travel.
Dog Owners and Couplers
Unlike couplers, the owner has better control of the dogs with the SmartWalker. When the larger or more active dog makes any sudden turns, the pull can be interrupted by the SmartWalk Manager before the smaller dog is affected. Unlike couplers you can add or subtract multiple dogs at a time. Couplers are preconfigured for 2 or 3 and sometimes 4 dogs. The SmartWalk Manger allows you to add and subtract from 1 to 6 dogs.
Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters
Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters should have available to them all the tools that will increase the quality of life for their customer’s dog(s) and make their business life more competitive. The SmartWalk Manager makes items conveniently available to the sitter while they are caring for your dog(s). The sitter or walker can have the following items available to them while walking their client’s dog(s): cell phone, treats, poop bags, keys, notebooks, tissues, pepper spray, whistle and other convenience items.
We think a Pet Sitter or Walker’s company could benefit greatly with the use of our products. The SmartWalk Manager can be seen as a “tool of the trade” for dog walkers and therefore may be tax deductible. Check with your tax consultant for details.
The SmartWalk Manager for responsible dog owners who:
* Love exercising with their pets
* Like the convenience of having items available to them while walking and/or traveling with
their pets
* Having treats available as rewards at the time of the good behavior
* Would like the possibility of doing more than holding leashes while walking their dog(s)
The SmartWalk Manager is made up of the following components
- Large SmartWalk Manager for dogs with a combined weight over 50 lbs and Small SmartWalk
Manager for dogs under 50 lbs.
- Red, Black or Green Anodized Aluminum Leash Retainer resists corrosion and scratching
- 6-pocket black genuine leather pouch for the large and 4 pockets for the small
- Stainless Steel swivel snap
- Soft rubber ergonomic handle
- Allows walking of multiple dogs with one hand
- The swivel snap untangles leashes
- Owner can store his/her and dogs items in the pouch
- Key chain holder sewn into pouch
- Unlike couplers, the device does not allow larger dogs to overpower smaller dogs
- Owners use the device to rollerblade with their dogs
- Can attach to stationary objects to act as a tie-out
- Back pocket is made of mesh for storing dog treats
- Can be used with any nylon or leather leashes
- Everything for walking your pets is stored in one place
- Retail Packaging: security-sealed bar-coded clamshell for sitting upright or hanging