Ahead of International Dog Day tomorrow - the first-of-its-kind dog drying product in Ireland and the UK has been launched by Waterford-based entrepreneur Frances O’Reilly.
DogDry is a brand new innovative super absorbent dog drying coat for wet dogs.
This is Frances’ first foray into entrepreneurship having previously held a high-flying career in innovation working with global brands such as Diageo, Kellogg and more.
Following a ten-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. The result is ‘DogDry’ - a collection of 5 different-sized drying robes designed in Ireland and created to do exactly as described - ‘get a wet dog dry’.
Frances says that the purpose of her new product is founded on her belief that “every dog, everywhere, has the right to play outdoors. DogDry makes it easy because DogDry takes care of the mess."
Photograph: Patrick Browne
The product itself is a hugely innovative product as there is nothing of comparison like a dog-drying coat 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 super-absorbent 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 said:
“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 in Ireland before taking the plunge and deciding this would be my business and not a side project. I know that 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 that 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 DogDry 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, it is available online at www.DogDry.com
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