30 AprEpisode 6 | Let’s talk about dogs in the workplace with Carly Strife from Bark
Meet Carly Strife, COO of Bark. Carly might be one of the coolest, most powerful, young female entrepreneurs in NYC. If you like dogs and you like buying stuff, you are probably aware of this booming company, which is rumored to be going public sometime soon.
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Podcast Episode 6: Let's talk about dogs in the workplace with Carly Strife from Bark
Transcript:
Annie:
Hello everyone. Today I'm really excited to be talking to Carly Strife, who is one of the three co-founders of Bark, and if you haven't heard of Bark the company, you've probably heard of their best known product, which is called Bark Box. It's a monthly subscription service that has been around for about six years and now has offices in New York City and in Columbus. I met Carly at Bark’s Canal Street office, which is full of dogs and the entire space is set up in such a way that the dogs were clearly a priority. Every desk has room for a crate to go underneath it. There are big baskets full of dog toys at every corner of the office, pretty much. There are poop bags by the elevator and a dog treat dispenser by the elevator. And they're also all these different sort of like cubby- like areas where you can hang out with your dog. There's an area that's gated off where dogs could play off leash and they're planning on expanding their offices in the next few months. I believe they now have three floors and they're going to have five floors or something plus a roof deck. So if you are a dog lover and you are looking for a job in New York City, this is the place to check out. So I was really excited to go there and have Carly give me a tour of the offices and I was eager to hear how they went about creating this especially dog-friendly workplace.
In addition to wanting to talk about the space, I also wanted to talk to Carly about this kind of new sort of dog product she's created, which I would describe as dog products as human entertainment. Bark Boxes often have a theme and all the toys and treats that are in the box will go around this theme. So my favorite one is the artist box that they had with treats called starry bites and a paint palette squeaky toy. And the best part was the Bob Ross squirrel, a squirrel made to look like Bob Ross.
Everything they make is really cute and kitschy and cool. But I admit that I used to be sort of against it all only because it seemed to me like all of their toys were being marketed so that they'd be fun for the humans as opposed to really enjoyable for the dog. But I eventually came around for two big reasons. One, I see that a lot of dogs really do love the stuff that comes in a Bark Box and even though you're a dog might be just as happy to have a tennis ball stuck inside of a sock, at least the dog owner is being reminded to try new toys with the dog and try new treats with the dog on a regular basis.
The other reason why I've really come around is, well, I guess it's kind of the two reasons overlap, but if the humans enjoying getting this box every month, or if the humans enjoying going to the pet section of Target and this is encouraging them to engage with their dog in a new fun, pretty easy way, then I'm totally all for it. Like they have this whole line of toys that's called Lights, Camera, Bark, and they're designed to be, they're designed to be used with your dog in photos. So there are things that you would pose in a photo with a dog, like, they're emoji hands. There's a squeaky toy called totally grammable toast. It's a slice of avocado toast and in the photo that goes with it on their site, they show the dog eating it with a woman who's sitting at brunch drinking her mimosa. And another squeaky toy that makes it look like your dog is puking rainbows and then little costumes that you can put on your dog, like a shark fin or a unicorn horn. And so, you know, at first I'm like, seriously, really is this what the world needs? But then I think, you know, great, I like that people are taking pictures of their dogs with their dog’s toys. In fact, I kind of like that rather than the dog being the accessory. The toy is becoming the accessory and it's a toy that in addition to being cute and fun for the human is meant for the dog to enjoy. And I saw firsthand many of their office dogs enjoying their products.
**music**
Annie:
Currently. For those who don't know about your background, can you talk a little bit about how you came to be, who you are at BarkBox? I know you were not always in the dog biz.
Carly:
I was not. Yeah, I went to school for engineering. So my first role out of college was in New York City. I had never been. I never really spent any time in your city until I, until I started there. And it was this combination finance engineering role and is it a very big company, a very formal company. And I saw all my friends running around in jeans and getting all their fancy perks and snacks at work and really wanted to figure out what the hell they were doing cause I wanted to do that. Um, so I started, um…
Annie:
And were you always interested in entrepreneurship?
Carly:
I was, I think from a little, from when I was a little kid, I was always kind of selling, selling stuff to anyone who would buy it and starting these little companies in my neighborhood. Um, but didn't really, that doesn't necessarily run in my family. I don't think anyone has necessarily started a business, but I think I always had that bug. Um, and actually took a few classes in college as well. Um, but the number one thing I wanted when I was at Deloitte, was just something a little bit more faster paced, something that I could grow into.
So I started working nights and weekends with a couple of startups, really understanding what that culture was all about. Um, and that's how I was introduced to the folks at Uber. Um, and I started as an operations manager to launch the New York operation back in 2011. And yeah, I think, just being that very fast-paced environment was really interesting for me. And at the time I wasn't necessarily interested in the transportation industry, but it was really loving what I was doing and was thinking about what could I be doing that I would love even more.
And this opportunity came around to work with Matt and Henrik, who are my partners, and be their operational co-founder in a business for dogs, which was like a dream come true cause I never thought that that type of opportunity to build a business with my name on the door, do what I like to do and do it for something that I felt so strongly about. I never thought that can happen.
Annie:
How did they, when they first approached you and explain their idea, what did it look like? What did they say?
Carly:
I think we all, so I didn't immediately start working on it full time. I stayed at Uber for a little bit of time. And really we thought it would be this kind of, like, side project where we find really cool toy companies or local treat vendors and we would buy them and package them up in a box and then send them out to subscribers. I don't think any of us realized the size of the opportunity at the time. So back then we just thought it would be this kind of fun little side project and it really took off,specifically, in the the first like five or six months.
Annie:
Now the fact that it has to do with dogs, you didn't grow up with dogs, right?
Carly:
I didn't. I didn't get my first dog until college. And really…I didn't even know the impact that it would have on my life until I got Cooper, um, 12 years ago now.
Annie:
Tell us about Cooper.
Carly:
He is a puggle. He's an overweight puggle. Um, but he's very friendly and cuddly and hungry, and just gets along with everyone. I think when we go to the park, he would leave with anyone as long as they were like feeding him treats and like promised him dinner. But he's very sweet and I think I knew that I wanted more dogs and wanted to be more involved kind of minute I got him. So I also rescued a dog, Roxy, seven years ago now. She's a pit bull and they get along really great. But she was a little bit more of a handful, he was always pretty easy and she was a bit more of a handful around the house.
Annie:
Did you ever foresee structuring your work life so that you could maximize your dog time?
Carly:
Well, I think many people who work at Bark have done that because their dogs are in the office. We have a little area for them to run around. They get to take their dogs on walks during the day and it's a good, kind of like, break from work and also, you know, necessary need. And I think they've really optimized being able to spend more time with their dog. Unfortunately, my dogs don't come into the office cause I'm running in and out for meetings or doing different things. And they actually, now that they're a bit older, they kind of like to be on the couch. They have their dog walker every day. And I get to take them to the park in the morning and in the afternoon. So they've got a pretty, pretty good lifestyle. But it definitely forces me to slow down, leave work on time, not kind of burn the midnight oil in the office cause, you know, I have basically kids to get home to. And I like that and I think they appreciate that I don't work too late.
Annie:
So having dogs has helped you structure your work life to some extent.
Carly:
Totally.
Annie:
I did want to talk about how you've created a workplace that seems like, in addition to creating products for dogs, and I want to talk about sort of who the BarkBox customer is.
Carly:
Sure.
Annie:
But on the other side, you've also created a workplace that's really catering to people who love dogs and want to spend time with their dogs. That seems like it's been secondary to the vision, but it certainly seems like it's an important part of it, right?
Carly:
Yeah.
Annie:
Like I just walked through it. How would you describe if somebody walked into your offices, how would you describe what it's like here?
Carly:
Well, I would say that our office is a mess all the time because of probably the humans.
Annie:
It doesn’t look too messy to me.
Carly:
But it really is designed for dog people, really ambitious dog people because we're building a really big business, but the dogs are our inspiration. So having them around, being able to have your dog with you, other dogs, your colleague’s dogs or foster dogs who are in the office. All of that just serves us to be able to create a better product for actual dogs and help us understand them better. So, I don't think it's just a kind of a nice office perk. I really think it's an imperative for us to be creative and to be thoughtful and, you know, if a toy, you make a toy and if immediately a dog in the office isn't playing with it, like, we're not going to send that toy out. So yeah, it's more of a business imperative than just a nice office perk. But obviously I think people really benefit from having the dogs
Annie:
How did it affect building out your offices, space wise. Was it a consideration?
Carly:
Totally. So I think you saw, we have, like, a little area in the back and on this floor in particular and in some other floors where you can have your dog off leash,at any hour of the day just if they want to, if there's puppies and they want to wrestle that there it's a little bit more secluded and out of the way for people to be able to do their work. But we also have dog beds and toys and chews all around the actual workstation so that when you are trying to kind of plug in and do work, your dog is also occupied and space under the desk for crates or beds or whatever, whatever you really want. So, we can always do better, I think. When we just hired a VP of workplace strategy and infrastructure, who's going to be thoughtful when we build out our other floors and the roof deck ofwhat do we really need to cater to dogs and their people in this space.
But there's dog bowls all over you'll see and treats and treats by the elevator and poop bags hung by the elevator. So, we've done quite a few things to just make it a nicer place for dogs.
Annie:
Have there been any problems that have come up with dogs being here?
Carly:
I think there's always a challenge when there's a new dog in the mix. And I think that's kind of same of any situation, whether it's a dog park, daycare or anything. But people around here are very kind of smart. There's a few kinds of dogs on the welcoming committee who will help get other dogs acclimated. Um, but no, I think if there have ever been any issues, usually it's just a dog who's not right for the office environment. And, you know, we're pretty honest with the staff and the staff is very, they are honest with themselves with, like, is this a situation that's gonna work out or not? And those dogs who kind of don't do well in the office environment just stay home and that's okay as well.
Annie:
So does that require some judgment from the employee then? Whether or not it's an okay situation for their dog?
Carly:
Totally. And very often people are self aware of their dogs, kind of you know, personalities. But in a handful of cases where that awareness isn't there, you know, the dog just isn't getting better in the environment. We'll kind of step in and say, Hey, this isn't right. And I think people really recognize one dog can mess it up for all the dogs and don't want to be in that position. So we've had pretty good, I mean touch wood, we haven't had as many issues in the last six years that we've been in business.
Annie:
How many dogs are here compared to people? Would you say it's like one-to-one ratio?
Carly:
No, I think we're probably four to one. There's just over a hundred people in the New York office today and there's probably 25 to 30 dogs on any given day. Our Columbus office is a different story. Everyone has one or two dogs there. Um, so that they're probably closer to like a two to one human ratio. Um, and their dogs are bigger and I think better than New York dogs just ‘cause they're a little bit more mellow.
Annie:
It seems to me that there are more and more workplaces that are specifically catering to people who want to be able to bring their dogs to work. Is that something that you've found that you have people seeking work here for that?
Carly:
I don't think we see people seeking it out for just because they want to bring their dog to work, but if they're the type of person who wants to bring their dog to work, they probably love dogs enough that they want to work in this type of business. But a lot of creative companies and agencies and things now have dogs in the workplace policies. And New York is a little bit challenging with real estate to be able to allow dogs and buildings, but we've always had a really great relationship with our landlord to be able to continue to do that.
Annie:
Have other businesses ever reached out to you for advice on how to cater to people who want to bring their dogs to work?
Carly:
Totally. And we've also been featured in a few articles just around like dogs in the workplace and what those like perks looked like. And yeah, we're always very helpful. We're very pro advocating for dogs in the workplace. Um, but it's not right for everyone. Like, I don't think a law firms, probably another good place to have dogs.
Annie:
Why?
Carly:
I don’t know. I mean I just get comfortable with the fact that they're messy all the time and that there's hair everywhere and pee and poop and things. And I think maybe in, like, a client or more professional environment, it doesn't work. But I don't know, maybe some dogs are great in that.
Annie:
Is there anything surprising about having dogs in the worst place that people might not know if they're not in a workplace with dogs.
Carly:
They can get noisy, but so can people, so I think maybe that's one, like, if one dog starts barking, that can set off a chain reaction, but again, they're our inspiration. So we laugh and it's funny for us when that happens, but I think the noise is something, I'm sure that is a challenge. Um, but no, there really haven't been many surprises. I think one of the great benefits is, you know, every two hours or so you have to go out and get some air and walk your dog around the block and that I think is good for people to kind of recharge and just, you know, get out of their seat. I think people sit, sit in their seat too often and don't get out enough. And there's these funny little like packs of people that have joined around dogs. I mean, obviously we all have dogs, but certain dogs that walk together, but people who don't work together and it's just nice to like have that little social aspect to it as well.
Annie:
Do seat arrangements get determined by dog friendships, desk arrangements?
Carly:
On the macro scale, they're more organized around businesses. Um, but certainly if there's two dogs within a certain functional team that don't get along, then they'll definitely be separated or they'll work out amongst themselves what day is this dog coming in one day, you know. Um, but most dogs here,like I was mentioning before they're well suited for the office environment. They're friendly. They're not, kind of, stirring stuff up amongst the other dogs.
Annie:
What do you do about people with allergies?
Carly:
Don't hire them.
Annie:
*laughter*
Carly:
I mean, most people with allergies… I don't know if we have anyone who has allergies.
Annie:
Wow. So that's never come up?
Carly:
Wow, we're missing a whole talent pool, I'm sure.
Annie:
Interesting. It's not specified when you apply?
Carly:
No, we're not going to get rid of a dog, so I think people just self select.
Annie:
Space wise, you mentioned that you have the off-leash area, which is sort of behind a fence, which I thought….and it also looked like you had some little rooms with glass doors. Is that also for people to be able to be with their dogs or is there a different purpose there?
Carly:
I mean those are mostly for small meetings and conferences, but certainly when you have your dog in there, they can kind of roam around. So, this floor, all the floors have conference rooms that most dogs go off leash in. Yeah.
Annie:
Tell me about the Bark Box client because I think that, from my point of view, people talk about spoiling their dogs, but really a dog would be just as fine with a toy that looks like a blob as opposed to a toy that looks like, Bob Ross the squirrel, which I love. Um, it seems to me like you have a client who is providing for their dogs but also “X”
Carly:
Well, we view our customer as the dog first. Um, so all the products, while hilarious to the humans are, like, very technically sound, we're very thoughtful about the stitching and the materials and the way that it's constructed. But yeah, secondary to that, the human who's pulling out their credit card for this every month is someone who doesn't take things too seriously, can laugh at the Bob Ross dog toy and the other, the other items in the box and kind of understands and is excited by the narrative and how they can create this story and experience with their dog every month.That's kind of just like, it's funny and it's not serious. And it's, uh, we put so much, like,the amount of detail and thought we put into the products and the way that they look and the writing on the information card that you get. And it's just if you take the time to…most of our customers take the time to really look through those details and really appreciate them and that, I think, makes them feel more connected to us, more connected to their dog. So yeah, it's about spoiling them with the best stuff we can possibly come up with. But it's also, like,an hour or two of entertainment that you didn't have before and that time spent with your dog that isn't just spent on the sofa or at the park. It's just a different type of experience we're trying to create.
Annie:
So it's interesting to think of it as entertainment, but I guess it is.
Carly:
I think so. It makes me laugh every month. Like I think I have wishful thinking that everyone lasts as hard as I do. But..
Annie:
But you've really, I mean, you've created something that didn't exist before, not only just in, you know, a monthly box, which is in and of itself a pretty new idea, but just the idea that you could get entertainment out of something that you're buying for your dog to mutually enjoy seems like it's…
Carly:
It’s a gift for both of you.
Annie:
It's a gift for both of you. Um, and one thing I find as someone who works with both dogs and people, it's that, like you said, you have to think about the person as much as you're thinking about the dog because you want to make everybody happy. Right? It's about the relationship. It's not just about, you know, you don't want to be giving to your dog at your own expense. Right?
Carly:
Right.
Annie:
And you're going to have to be spending time doing what your dog is doing and where your dog is spending time.
Carly:
Yeah, exactly right. And I think that there are not enough opportunities to do that in today's world.
Annie:
I also have found that my perception of, or even the word “spoiling”, like I don't think I do things…
Carly:
It’s not really spoiling. You should just be doing this. Yeah. I think dogs like…I mean my dogs are certainly my children, we talk about them like they're our children now and I think it's less uncommon to hear some of the kind of ridiculous things people do for their dogs now. And I think, there are not very many companies who serve people who just want to, like, give them the best stuff. I think you're seeing it in food now. Like the quality of food has gone up so much for dogs because people are starting to realize and recognize, um, not just the trends that are happening in human food, but, like, what's going into like some of the foods that are available for dogs. And I think you're not really able to say, well, they're just a dog now. You're weighing the options of, like, where do I want to spend my money? How can I make this dog's life better, happier, longer,…
Annie:
And that, that makes your life better.
Carly:
Exactly. And I think that's where, uh, I think toys and treats and some of the stuff we're doing is a little bit less, it's not food and that it's not as required, but I think that, like, activity and engagement and time spent with your dog is still is so important that I don't think people valued as much before. I think it was always kind of a “me first.” And I think kids obviously come first and people have realized that for a while and I think people are starting to just put their dogs in that position where, you know, they come first. You know. We see a lot of people who don't want to cancel their subscription even if they're down on their luck cause they don't want to take it away from their dogs. It's important to them. It's important to the relationship that they have. So, yeah, I think we… because we feel this way about our own dogs, we really, really identify and can create products really authentically for people who also feel the same. And I think the biggest change from when we first started to now is we now realize there are so many more people than we thought who feel this way and treat their dogs as way. So yeah, dogs are number one.
We're a venture backed company, so a lot of investors, if they don't have a dog, they just don't get it. But anyone with a dog is like, yeah, they're like a part of our family. The kids, you know, require that the dog get treated as well as them. Um, so we get some kind of pushback there and then I think maybe it's just anyone who doesn't.. if you don't have a dog or know someone who has a dog they're obsessed with you might not kind of understand why this is such a big, big opportunity.
Annie:
What's on the horizon for BarkBox? You said you have two floors here on Canal Street. Is that right?
Carly:
Three.
Annie:
You have three, you're going to get two more?
Carly:
We're getting two more in the summertime.
Annie:
Oh my goodness.
Carly:
Yeah, we're still growing. I think we just get excited ‘cause we don't think that there are enough companies who are focused on dogs who are just thinking about bringing happiness and enjoy a new experience. So we think that, um, there's a lot of just opportunity to build more stuff for our existing customers and for new customers. And, um, like I was saying before, BarkBox is a little bit of a luxury to get toys and treats delivered every month. But there are a whole host of other products that people need that we can deliver at different price points and more premium stuff, more kind of,mass stuff.
We send stuff out to, uh, you know, several hundred thousand customers every month and like it's a giant kind of test. We're not throwing stuff in that we're testing, but it's like a research group every month that we get to talk to and interact with. Not many people get to interact with their customer every month and we do. So it's definitely a place where we learn a lot about the products that we want to build and about the way that we communicate with our customers, um, that I think fuels a lot of other things. But, I think it's just the beginning. I think it's just one, one product of many.
Annie:
And the toys and the treats,you now make all of those in house, is that right?
Carly:
Most of them.
Annie
Did they used them?
Carly:
Yeah, we still work with several partners, but most of them out of necessity and out of the fact that we now have the best direct information about what people really like and don't like we've started to develop most of them on our own. So have in house toy designers, we have food developers and everything gets tested. Uh, so yeah, we've built those teams quite a bit over the last few years out of necessity for just most toy companies, like the Kong toy, it doesn't change. It's been around for, for several years. We can't just put one of those in the box every month. We have to create entertaining stuff every month. So yeah, we do it all ourselves.
Annie:
And, the products,though, are also sold outside of the boxes. Is that right? At the stores? Or online?
Carly:
Um, so the Bark Box products, you can also find them on barkshop.com which is our eCommerce site, but we have a relationship with Target, to do toys and treats, but that stuff is all exclusive to Target.
Annie:
And aren't there other products as well? I mean, aren’t you.. I know you have your newsletter but that was tied into the BarkBox, but weren't you guys getting involved in vet care or am I wrong?
Carly:
So we had a few other businesses that we've had up and running that we've either shut down for, you know, what's happening in the world or what's the business doing or what are we, what do we want to be working on, what's authentic to us. So we had a media property called Bark Post, which was like a sales and advertising driven media site, so we had a lot of unique visitors on there. But, we didn't… we saw the kind of world of sales and advertising for this type of site kind of going away so we decided to kind of pivot away from that. So we still have really, really like funny and entertaining and engaging content creators and we still post a lot to our social platforms, but, the media site or blog is no longer.
Um, and we started a vet care business, basically Uber for vets. Um, it was probably one of our favorite products just in terms of the service level. It's an in-home vet going and taking care of your dog, you don't have the stress of, you know, the waiting room, really high level of care. But again, it was a little bit inauthentic to us in that we're not vets, we can't really think about how we can make this experience better. We obviously…the delivery of the experience we thought a lot about, but it just wasn't something that we felt comfortable scaling, just cause we don't have the right experience for it.
Annie:
Okay, so I didn't know that. So that doesn't exist. Yeah. Wow. I thought you guys succeeded at everything you did.
Carly:
No, not everything. And some of it we just are very honest with ourselves of, like, is this something that we can see scaling into the size of the business that BarkBox is today?
Annie:
It's really interesting.
Carly:
So we've been pretty disciplined about it.
Annie:
You have to weed out what's not working and focus on what's working.
Carly:
But it’s also, like, I think for us, because we are naturally entrepreneurs, the three of us- is we want to do a lot of stuff and we're very comfortable with the fact that it's not all gonna work. Um, so the way that we get to do a lot of stuff it to be really disciplined about when we stop doing stuff. So we've, yeah, over the years it's not, those are not the only two things that we've sunsetted, if you will.
Annie:
Tell me about your failures.
Carly:
Well, you just heard two of the bigger ones.
Annie:
Well, I think that's a really great lesson than to any entrepreneur or artist or really anyone is to fail fast in a way and use that information to inform what you're going to do. It doesn't have to do with dogs. It has to do with…
Carly:
…anything.
Annie:
…with life. Right.
Can I tell you my idea for a business that I think you guys should get on?
Carly:
Do I have to pay for it?
Annie:
Can you make a dog Uber?
Carly:
Uh, we've tried. So Uber or Lyft or Juno if you're out there listening. Yeah, we've tried to work with them basically to have a button that is dog friendly cars. We created this, like, really amazing kit that has like a blanket so that you can have it over the seat and smaller bags of treats and cleaning supplies and couldn't get any of them to bite. But I agree it's such a stress to order it and then I have to call and ask if they're dog-friendly. Actually we got one company to poll all their drivers, “would they be willing to, for a small fee, take a dog?” And many of them said yes, So nd so why not?
Annie:
It hasn't happened yet.
Carly:
Yeah. No, it has not happened yet. Um, but there's still hope.
Annie:
Well, it seems like if anyone's poised to create this, it would be you, having had a foot in Uber and a foot here because I know, I see the need for it every day. I mean both traveling with my own dog but also for our clients coming to us. It’s a struggle.
Carly:
Yeah. I think the thing that I have learned is that, and it's a little bit actually similar to the vet service where, I think if you can piggyback on something that people are already doing and already doing it really well, which I think Lyft and Uber and Juno really are, they've figured out how to get the right amount of cars on the road and all that. If you can piggyback on what they're doing by providing this extra layer of service, then I think we'll be able to provide it in more mass to people. So we're still working on it, but I get it. I feel that pain pretty often as well.
Annie:
Well, what's the most exciting new project then that's going on at BarkBox so that people can tune in for in the future.
Carly:
Sure. So Friday we're actually launching something that I'm really, really excited about. Um, it's a subscription box for dental care. So we've taken dental care, which is really important for dog’s health, it's called Chompers Club. So anyways, really important for dog’s health and really, really costly if you don't, kind of, manage it on an ongoing basis or have, kind of, a habit around it. So it's creating a really fun and engaging experience that's habit-driven around dental care for dogs. Which I'm like, I think that will be a really, uh, we'll kind of flip the industry on its head. So I'm really excited about that.
Annie:
This is going to be a monthly box devoted to dental care?
Carly:
Yeah. It's a monthly box that…
Annie:
That you would get in addition to your regular Bark Box?
Carly:
Yeah. To separate business.
Annie:
And what does it mean?
Carly:
So, basically a toy that is… either a toy or a treat that is like engaging for the dog that you can create this mechanical action. And then we've partnered with this bio-sciences company that makes all natural enzymes that are in human toothpaste that, basically, if they're in your mouth and working these enzymes are just like breaking down plaque and tartar. So I think a lot of the toothpastes you see for dogs today doesn't actually have anything that would break down plaque or tartar. They're just a good flavor to allow your dog to stick the thing in their mouth so that you can create this brushing action. But this is creating that on top of actually like breaking stuff down.
So it's very, like, preventative health, new all natural technology, like enzyme technology and just cool, like the delivery of it has these, like kind of, single serve packets so that you can like remember to do it every day. And my mine is stuck on my fridge right now. It's very cute. Um, I've started doing it every day and I have three dogs so I don't get them all every day, but it's definitely a habit that I wasn't in before, but have experienced the like $1,500 trip to the vet to do the dental cleaning thing. So, well this is a much better option.
Annie:
We talk a lot to our puppy clients about getting in the habit of brushing your teeth. And I often say, brush your dog's teeth with peanut butter if you need to. At least you're getting in there and they're getting used to it even if you're not using toothpaste. But I didn't even know about the chemistry of the toothpaste that they do have. So what you're saying is this doesn't count for much.
Carly:
And I'm sure that there are just very different iterations of it, but it feels, I think part of it is it feels very…some people really like when it feels “vetty” or if it feels very like medical. But I don't think that stuff, like, creates a habit in a way that we can if we're like really creating this experience.
So we're really excited about it. It’’s launching Friday. Um, but I'm sure it'll just be like BarkBox too where we learn every month when we send something and we'll make it better and better for the customers and for dogs having the experience.
Annie:
Yay. I like that. Anything else you wanted to mention? I noticed that you are, I think it was a more recent thing that you guys started, toys that are specifically for taking photos of your dogs.
Carly:
Oh yeah, Lights, Camera, Bark. Yeah. So we've created a couple different product lines that are very targeted towards our type of dog parents. Soa lot of people, very socially engaged, wanting to share on Instagram, I think, or have Instagram accounts for their dogs. So these products are just kind of like hilarious things that like most humans have, so like avocado toast or like champagne or there's, like, a selfie stick, but it's an actual stick with an iPhone on it.
So yeah, silly things like that. And so also really, like, again, great products for the dogs but also really taps into what these, what their dog parents are thinking about and what's kind of in the zeitgeist of the world. And then we also have one called Party Animal, which is all about toys and products you would need to throw your dog a birthday party, which again, it's just like this phenomenon that's happening now with people, not just celebrating their dog's birthday, which is really, we find that is like one of our, um, that's when a lot of people buy BarkBoxes but also, like, celebrating with others, like having an actual birthday party. So there are a couple of different product lines that really tap into what people are, what people are not doing with their dogs.
Annie:
Yeah. I mean, I guess it kind of comes down to if the way you love your dog makes you happy and…
Carly:
… lean into it
Annie:
Yeah lean into it, as long as you're not hurting your dog.
Carly:
Yeah, exactly.
Annie:
‘Cause sometimes, I see pictures of dogs online where I'm like, that dog doesn't look comfortable or that dog…
Carly:
Yeah, we definitely don't advocate for anything like that. I think we'll probably never sell clothes or anything. Not that people that put clothes on their dogs are hurting them, but, yeah, we definitely like, we like to celebrate dogs in their, like, natural environment and you know, play styles is something we talk a lot about. So really leaning into that more so than just what's going to be funny for a human. We really… the dog is our customer and we put them first.
The other actually, maybe, one other product club… we've recently launched something called Super Chewer, which I'm sure as you know, there are tons of dogs that love to go really aggressive on their toys and rip things apart, but really enjoy it probably. So we have a line of toys and a box subscription called Super Chewer, which is more durable, heavy duty toys, different materials, and lasts much longer and are more enjoyable, for the dogs that kind of like to go a little bit harder on their toys.
Annie:
Sounds good. Next needs to be like dead animals that you can ship in the box. Give them the joy of actually ripping apart a deer.
Carly:
Yeah. I’m sure you've seen a lot of squirrels in our boxes now we’ve got to make them like animatronic squirrels that run away when the dog tries to go after them.
Annie:
I love the Bob Ross squirrel, like I said, are there any other favorite cute things that you've seen in the boxes?
Carly:
Um, I just got a pirate box, which I thought was really interesting. I had a squirrell with a peg leg. Oh, the artist's box was really fun. It was like Bob Toss, Frieda the one, that one person Picasso. So it was like a squirrel with his ear bit off. I got that one.
Um, no, I like them all. I think they're very funny. They're a little bit left of center. We're definitely, I'm not, like I mentioned before, we don't take ourselves too seriously. We're kind of here to make you giggle, and make your dogs have a great time. So I think all the products are trying to do that in some way.
Annie:
So not afraid of being irreverent.
Carly:
No. Yeah, not at all. Um, and I think that's part of what makes…we're not, we don't play it too safe. Um, and I think that's part of what makes us interesting for the people who get the box.
**music**
Annie:
I asked Carly what advice she would give a young person looking to start a career that can involve dogs.
Carly:
I think in entrepreneurship in general, I think just try, try whatever you're excited about. And, I think for us what's been good in building something for dogs is that we’re building stuff that we would give our own dogs or that we want to give her own dogs and only stuff that we would give our own dog. So, just being authentic, especially if you're a customer of your own product, just be creative with what you would really want. And also listen to your customers cause they'll tell you what they want as well.
Annie:
And Maybe not to be afraid of planning your career around your dog.
Carly:
Yeah, no, it can happen. I think now more than ever it can happen.
**music**
Annie:
I loved visiting the Bark offices and meeting Carly. I love seeing dogs at offices and sometimes at School for the Dogs we actually do desk-side training, giving people some ideas of how to make their dog’s work day better.
If you go to the show notes, which can be found at schoolforthedogs.com/podcast I wrote up Eight tips for Bringing your Dog to Work. Eight things that you can think about training wise. And I also put up some photos of our School for the Dogs students with some of their favorite BarkBox toys. So make sure to go check out our website.
Our Woof Shout out this week goes to Ginger, one of my best dog friends and has many friends at School for the Dogs. Her owner, Anna is one of our trainers and I wrote about Ginger in the blog post that's in the show notes because it was really Ginger and Anna who showed me how hilarious the BarkBox toys really were. And I also appreciate that Ginger who is one of the most sweet and sensitive and silliest dogs. I know, very generously let's Amos raid her toy basket pretty regularly. So thank you for your patience, Ginger.
A big thank you to Alex Kriss for producing this episode and to Azalea Grace for her ukulele version of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5. I'm a big Dolly fan
And our Fun Dog Fact of the Day: Did you know that in World War one, in propaganda posters, the English Bulldog represented England, the Dachshund represented Germany, the French Bulldog represented France, the Russian Wolfhound represented Russia in these posters. What breed represented America? The American Bull Terrier aka the pit bull. This fact comes from the excellent book, The Pit Bull Placebo: The media myths and politics of Canine Aggression by Karen Delise. I will link to it in the show.
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