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An interview with Andrew Bunch, Marketing & Public Relations Manager for Dogmatic Products based in Brooklyn, New York
1. How did you come up with the idea?
About a year ago, after a particularly wet winter and muddy spring with my new puppy, LuLu, I figured there had to be a better way to clean her paws without throwing her into a tub after each of our walks in New York's Central Park. The wipes were useless, and she was just getting too big to carry from the front hall into the tub or shower. And my furniture was being ruined! It was a nightmare so I called a friend of mine, Andy Taylor, who is like McGyver with fixing appliances and inventing something out of nothing. I described my dilemma and my idea to him. Together we came up with what is the now PawPlunger. Andy came up with the name.
2. How long did it take to bring your idea to market?
It has taken just about one year from idea to prototype to tooling to market. I was incredibly fortunate to have a friend, Steven Ostrow who had a brother, Lane Ostrow, in the "invention" business. As president of First Plover, Lane looked at the prototype Andy and I developed, and decided to join forces with us. Plover supplied initial capital as well as the business model/manufacturing expertise. It takes a big chunk of money to get an idea off the ground - let alone to market.
3. What makes your product unique?
Well, frankly it doesn't exist so that by definition makes PawPlunger unique! I truly believe the PawPlunger is/was desperately needed in the pet grooming market. Let's face it, today, no matter where you live, most dogs are indoor dogs. They are members of the family, not simply pets. But it can be a messy, stressful and expensive situation. I use the prototype just about everyday and it really does make this rather unfun part of pet owning much easier.
4. Are you planning any enhancements/improvements to the product?
Well, some customers have asked how they should dry the paws. I have joked back that we can only do so much and to try a towel!! Seriously, I have been discussing with Lane the creation of an insert that will help soak up the excess water. Andy and I are working on that now -- but it's top secret!
5. What is your professional background? Did that line of work or education help you in developing this product?
I am a former actress...well...hmmm... I was on the 80's television show CHiP's so I don't know if that qualifies me as an actress! But, to answer your question, Kozmo, nothing in my education or experience in the journalistic world helped me create the PawPlunger. My love of animals was the first impetus as well as the old adage, necessity is the mother of invention, which was never more true than after my getting LuLu. She's the true PawPlunger inspiration.
6. Throughout the entire inventive/manufacturing process what was the hardest obstacle you faced?
Honestly I think we were incredibly lucky. We had funding, a unique idea, a terrific patent lawyer and a dream. Andy can comment on the actual building of the prototype obstacles a bit more. Andy and I would brain storm design and function and he was left with the task to make the PawPlunger a three dimensional reality not just an idea of mine. Andy: The brushes were by far the biggest part. I looked at at least 30 different brooms to find bristles stiff enough to be effective yet gentle enough for paws. Once we had the bristles we had to figure out the density of the bristles and how to attach them. We started by using epoxy glue for the first prototype then advanced to grommets. The last task was figuring out the placement of bristles inside the plunger so it cleans between dogs' toes.
7. What type of pets do you own?
LuLu is a two-year-old soft coated Wheaten Terrier. She is named after my beloved Louie, a rescue dog I had for fourteen years. Louie was more of an ....hmmm... intellectual type of pup. He didn't like to get dirty so until LuLu came along I didn't know I would need a PawPlunger. I also owned the world's oldest living cat, Sally. She lived to be 23. I am convinced that there is some longevity ingredient in Fancy Feast and perhaps we should look into it for human consumption!
8. Is there anything else you'd like readers to know about you or your product?
Nothing, really. But know we would love to hear feed back. We will be open to ways to improve the PawPlunger and sincerely hope it makes a pet lover and his best friend's life a bit less stressful!
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