PET
GLOBAL BRAND & PRODUCT TRAINING GUIDE · 2026
PRODUCTS
BRAND GUIDE
For Buyers & Category Managers
- Brand origin & founder Chris Onthank story
- Doggy Care Center — America's first in-house pet test facility
- Global presence — 40+ nations, world's leading pet chains
- Outstanding award-winning packaging
- Full portfolio & competitive differentiation
For Store Teams & Floor Staff
- Tech I · Dirty Dog™ — dual-fibre 3000 GSM system explained
- Tech II · Chill Kuzzi™ — Far Infrared wellness technology
- Tech III · Repelz-It™ — Swiss nano stay-clean protection
- Tech IV · Itchy Witchy™ — nano-encapsulated essential oils
- Sales scripts and customer Q&A for every technology
01Who is Dog Gone Smart (DGS)?
The DGS Philosophy: "Smarter by Design"
Every DGS product starts with a problem — muddy paws, smelly beds, stiff joints, itchy skin. DGS solves those problems with technology: no buttons, no charging, no applications. The technology works passively, every time the pet uses the product.
This produces products with a story — a reason to exist beyond aesthetics. In today's premium pet retail environment, a product with a verifiable, science-backed story sells itself at the shelf.
| Technology | Brand Name | Problem Solved |
|---|---|---|
| Super-Wicking Microfibre | Dirty Dog™ | Muddy paws, wet dogs, dirty floors |
| Far Infrared (FIR) | Chill Kuzzi™ | Joint pain, anxiety, poor circulation |
| Nano Stay-Clean | Repelz-It™ | Odour, stains, bacteria on beds |
| Nano-Encapsulated Oils | Itchy Witchy™ | Skin allergies, yeast, persistent itching |
Awards, Credentials & Safety
- Repelz-It™ uses NanoSphere® technology — Swiss-developed, bluesign® approved, world's strictest EHS textile standard
- PFOA-free, PFOS-free, REACH compliant, California Prop 65 conformant
- Dirty Dog Doormat is one of the best-selling pet accessories globally — available on every continent
- FIR technology backed by peer-reviewed scientific studies
- Active participant at Global Pet Expo and SuperZoo annually since launch
- Repelz-It™ is an award-winning industry-recognised technology
- Amazon.com is DGS's single largest global retail account — with thousands of verified customer reviews and top category rankings
—The Founder
Chris Onthank founded Dog Gone Smart in 2006 with a clear ambition: to build a pet accessories brand genuinely differentiated by technology with a real scientific basis and a provable benefit for the animal. As a trained animal behaviorist and canine expert, Chris brought something rare to the pet products industry — not just a passion for animals, but a deep technical understanding of how dogs behave, what they need, and how material design can directly influence their physical and mental wellbeing.
Before focusing on the products business, Chris founded the Dog Gone Smart Canine Center in Norwalk, Connecticut — a 12,000 sq ft dog care facility with daycare, boarding, training, grooming, and a dog swimming pool, serving Fairfield County families for over 30 years. This extraordinary daily proximity to dogs became the most powerful product development tool DGS has. The problems DGS solves are problems Chris observed directly, every day, over decades.
Under his leadership, DGS expanded from a single hero product to a multi-technology global portfolio distributed across four continents, stocked in the world's largest pet retail chains, and recognised as the standard-bearer for science-backed innovation in pet accessories. Chris works directly with textile scientists and nano-materials specialists to develop DGS's fabric compositions — and then owns them exclusively.
02The Doggy Care Center
At the heart of the DGS story sits something no other pet accessories company in America had built before: a fully operational, founder-run Dog Gone Smart Canine Center — a 12,000 square foot, state-of-the-art dog care facility in Norwalk, Connecticut. This is the first facility of its kind operated at a pet products company's home base in the United States — and it is the primary reason DGS products perform better in real-world conditions than products developed by specification alone.
The Center offers full-day and overnight boarding, structured daycare, professional group and private training, grooming, and hydrotherapy in a purpose-built dog swimming pool. All dogs are pre-evaluated for safety and paired into compatible play groups. The facility has been serving Fairfield County pet owners for over 30 years.
For DGS product development, the Canine Center is an irreplaceable asset. It allows the product team to observe dogs using concepts under authentic daily conditions: sleeping, resting, entering wet from walks, recovering from exercise, managing anxiety, or dealing with joint stiffness. Every new product or technology is trialled with real dogs of different breeds, sizes, ages, and health profiles before it reaches production.
When a FIR bed is prototyped, the dogs in the Center experience it first. When a Dirty Dog format is tested, it meets actual muddy paws in real conditions. This direct feedback loop between living animals and product designers means every DGS product is validated by animal response — not by marketing assumption or lab simulation alone.
What This Means for Retail Partners
🔬 Authentic Performance Proof
Products are validated on real dogs in real daily conditions before launch. Every claim DGS makes about its products has been observed in living animals — not extrapolated from lab tests alone. This makes every product story verifiable and defensible at the shelf.
🎯 Problems-First Development
Chris and his team see hundreds of dogs every day — and their owners' frustrations. The DGS product range was built from direct observation of real problems. This is why DGS products feel so intuitively relevant to pet owners the moment they hear the story.
📣 Compelling Staff Story
When your floor team explains that the product was tested on real dogs at the founder's own dog care center, before any product reached a shelf, the product story becomes unforgettable. It transforms a sales pitch into a genuine brand narrative that customers repeat to others.
03Present in Over 40 Countries — A Truly Global Brand
Amazon is Dog Gone Smart's largest single retail partner worldwide — present across Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.de (Germany), Amazon.co.uk (UK), Amazon.fr (France), Amazon.it (Italy), Amazon.es (Spain) and further international marketplaces. The DGS Dirty Dog Doormat is a perennial top-rated product in the pet accessories category with thousands of verified five-star customer reviews, and consistently ranks as a bestseller in the doormats and pet mat segments. Amazon's global infrastructure allows DGS to reach pet owners in every DGS market with next-day delivery and maximum review visibility — making it both the brand's most important volume channel and its most powerful social proof generator.
The core principle: Dirty Dog technology is a precisely engineered dual-fibre composite where two fibre types perform complementary functions simultaneously. One fibre pulls moisture and dirt off paws at speed. The other traps and holds that moisture deep within the fabric where it cannot escape or transfer back. Together they create an absorption system that outperforms any single-fibre mat, towel, or seat cover on the market.
The Two-Fibre System — How It Works
- Rapid surface moisture & dirt capture
- Polyester is naturally hydrophobic — liquid is forced downward by capillary action rather than sitting on the surface
- The "noodle" cut maximises contact points per cm² — every paw step engages hundreds of individual fibre tips simultaneously, each wicking independently
- Dirt particles including fine clay and sand are mechanically trapped between fibres and physically removed from the paw on contact
- Open, plush structure makes the dog's paw sink slightly into the mat — maximising fibre-to-paw contact on every step
- Speed: moisture transfer begins within milliseconds of paw contact
- Deep moisture retention and permanent lock-in
- Polyamide (nylon) is strongly hydrophilic — it actively absorbs moisture into the fibre itself, not merely between fibres
- Once moisture enters the polyamide core it is chemically bonded within the fibre structure — it cannot transfer back to paws or floors through normal pressure
- This is the critical difference vs standard microfibre mats: standard products trap moisture between fibres where compression squeezes it back out. Dirty Dog absorbs into the fibre where it stays until machine washing
- The core holds up to 7× the product's own weight in water and mud before saturation
- No back-transfer even when walked on repeatedly by multiple dogs
"Noodle" Cut — Why Architecture Matters
- Each noodle fibre stands individually — not flat or interlocked like conventional loop pile
- A standing fibre tip is always upright, ready to intercept a paw on first contact
- The irregular cross-section creates micro-channels between adjacent fibres — the actual pathways liquid travels from the polyester surface toward the polyamide core
- The soft rounded profile is gentle on sensitive paws — dogs do not avoid the mat, maximising voluntary use
Two fibres, two jobs: one grabs the mud and water off the paw instantly, the other locks it deep inside so it can't come back out. 3000 GSM — three times higher than a regular mat.
Performance vs Competition
| Metric | Dirty Dog | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption (GSM) | 3000 | 800–1500 |
| Max. water capacity | 7× own weight | 2–3× |
| Drying speed vs cotton | 5–8× faster | 2× faster |
| Back-transfer to paws | None | Frequent |
| Non-slip backing | Thermoplastic rubber | Often none |
| Machine washable | All products | Often hand-wash |
What it is: Far Infrared (FIR) is a naturally occurring, completely safe form of electromagnetic energy — part of the same spectrum as sunlight and the body's own radiant warmth. DGS permanently embeds bio-mineral particles into fabric fibres during manufacture. These minerals capture the dog's own body heat and reflect it back as FIR energy — directly into tissue beneath the skin. No electricity. No heating elements. No batteries. No effort. As long as the dog rests on the product, the technology is fully active.
🧬 The Science
- Bio-mineral coating embedded permanently in fibre at manufacturing stage
- Particles capture and reflect the dog's own radiant body heat as long-wave far infrared (FIR) energy
- FIR penetrates 4–7 cm deep into soft tissue and muscle
- Stimulates microcirculation at capillary level, improving local blood flow
- Backed by peer-reviewed animal studies on FIR therapy
- Effect accumulates with regular use — dogs that rest daily on FIR beds show progressively better outcomes
🐕 Proven Benefits
- Eases joint pain & stiffness — particularly arthritis in older dogs
- Calms anxiety — reduces cortisol; effective for storms, fireworks, separation
- Improves circulation — nourishes muscle tissue, flushes lactic acid
- Faster recovery — supports tissue repair after exercise or surgery
- Deeper, more restorative sleep — calmer, less restless overnight
- Works for cats — equally effective for senior or anxious felines
🛒 FIR Product Range
- Chill Kuzzi Round Bed (S / M / L)
- Chill Kuzzi Nook Bed (calming, enclosed)
- Cat Nook Cave Bed (20" · FIR for felines)
- FIR Dual-Bolster Crate Pad (XS → XXL)
- Chill Kuzzi FIR Blanket (M / L + Cat)
- Chill Kuzzi Hoodie (wearable FIR)
- Chill Kuzzi Pet Pouch (travel & carrier)
"Does your dog have stiff joints, trouble getting up in the morning, or seem anxious during storms?" The Chill Kuzzi bed uses Far Infrared technology — the same science behind infrared saunas and sports recovery therapy — but built permanently into the fabric. Nothing to plug in. Your dog just lies on it, and their own body heat is reflected back into their joints and muscles. It reduces stiffness, helps them stay calm, and deepens their rest. Many owners with older or arthritic dogs see a real difference within the first week. "It looks like a beautiful bed — and it works like a therapy tool."
The Simple Explanation for any Customer
Think of it like a thermal blanket for your dog's muscles and joints — but passive. The dog lies down. The minerals in the fabric capture their body warmth and send it back as infrared energy. The same principle as an infrared sauna, but the dog doesn't have to do anything. The bed does the work.
The Key Selling Moments — When to Lead with FIR
- Customer mentions older dog — joint pain, arthritis, stiff mornings → FIR Round Bed or Crate Pad
- Customer mentions anxiety — storms, fireworks, separation distress → FIR Blanket as first option
- Customer has recently adopted or rescued a dog — FIR helps establish calm routines
- Customer asking about post-surgery recovery or sports/working dogs → FIR Crate Pad
- Customer browsing gifts for pet owners — FIR Blanket has beautiful packaging and a compelling story
- Cats — Cat Nook Cave Bed and FIR Cat Blanket solve the same problems for senior or anxious felines
What it is: DGS's award-winning nano-scale protective coating — permanently bonded into the fibre of pet beds, cushions, and outerwear. Uses NanoSphere® technology by Schoeller Technologies AG, Switzerland, carrying the prestigious bluesign® approved certification — the world's most stringent EHS standard for textiles. Dirt, liquids and natural pet oils bead off the fabric surface rather than bonding, while simultaneously inhibiting the bacteria that cause "wet dog smell."
🔬 How It Works
- Nano particles embedded deep in the fibre — not a surface spray that washes off
- Non-stick surface: dirt, mud, hair and liquids bead and roll off
- Bacteriostatic: inhibits bacterial reproduction — the primary source of pet bed odour
- Lasts up to 50 machine wash cycles without losing efficacy
- Fabric remains 100% soft, breathable, natural-feel
✅ Safety & Certification
- NanoSphere® by Schoeller AG — Swiss-developed
- bluesign® approved — world's strictest EHS textile standard
- PFOA-free & PFOS-free — no harmful fluorocarbons
- REACH compliant — full EU chemical safety
- California Prop 65 conformant
- Non-toxic for pets, humans, and environment
🛒 Products
- Repelz-It Chenille Sleeper Cushion (XS–XXL)
- Dry As A Bone Rectangle Bed (M–XXL)
- Dry As A Bone Lounger Bed
- Dry As A Bone Sleeper Cushion
- Canvas Collection beds
- Repelz-It outerwear jackets
"How often do you have to wash your dog's bed?" The main reason pet beds smell isn't the dog — it's bacteria feeding on the natural oils they leave behind. Repelz-It builds a bacteriostatic barrier directly into the fabric fibres. Dirt and liquids bead off like water on a raincoat, and the bacteria that cause odour cannot reproduce. Your customer washes far less often, it stays fresh longer. "Swiss-certified. The world's strictest textile environmental standard. Built into the bed."
What it is: Designed for dogs suffering from skin allergies, yeast infections, and persistent itchiness. DGS embeds thousands of nano-sized bio-reactive beads into the fabric. Each bead contains fractionated coconut oil, lavender, sweet basil, and cinnamon — friction-activated, releasing only on contact with skin or fur. No greasy residue. No staining. No smell on furniture.
🌿 The Four Oils
- Coconut Oil: moisturises, soothes irritated skin, natural carrier
- Lavender: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, calming for anxious dogs
- Sweet Basil: antifungal — proven against yeast strains
- Cinnamon: potent antimicrobial vs Candida and dermatitis bacteria
💡 The Nano-Release System
- Oils sealed in bio-reactive polymer beads embedded in fibres
- Friction-only release: activates only against skin or fur — not furniture surfaces
- Continuous slow-release during rest — passive, always-on therapy
- Machine washable without significant efficacy loss
- Complementary to vet-prescribed treatment — not a replacement
🛒 Products
- Itchy Witchy Blanket (M / L)
- Itchy Witchy Dual-Bolster Crate Pad (S–XXL)
- Itchy Witchy Hoodie (wearable)
- Key use cases: seasonal allergies, yeast infections, between vet visits, chronic skin sensitivities, anxious dogs (lavender)
"Does your dog scratch constantly, or has your vet mentioned skin allergies or yeast?" Itchy Witchy uses four essential oils — lavender, cinnamon, coconut, and basil — nano-encapsulated into the fabric. Your dog releases them just by lying down. No sprays, no mess, no stain. Natural, drug-free relief that works passively every time they rest on it. "The chemistry of ancient herbal medicine, built into a modern bed."
08aDGS Packaging — A Competitive Advantage in Itself
DGS packaging is one of the brand's most important commercial assets — and one that is often underestimated. In a pet specialty environment where floor staff cannot be present at every shelf moment, the packaging itself functions as a silent salesperson. DGS has invested heavily in developing packaging that is immediately distinctive, visually premium, and communicates the technology story clearly to a shopper with zero prior knowledge of the brand.
Each technology line has its own distinct packaging architecture — colour-coded, clearly structured, and designed to communicate the key benefit in a single glance. The FIR range communicates warmth, wellness, and calm. The Dirty Dog range communicates energy, function, and the "problem solved" message instantly. Repelz-It signals protection, cleanliness, and science. Itchy Witchy signals natural, gentle, botanical care.
The packaging is designed to work in any retail environment — from the floor of a PetSmart or Fressnapf in Europe to a premium boutique shelf in Singapore. It requires no additional POS material to perform, though DGS does provide supporting marketing materials to all partners upon request.
Critically, the packaging includes clear diagrams, illustrated technology explanations, and QR codes that link to video demonstrations — enabling even self-service shoppers to fully understand what they are buying and why it justifies the price. This dramatically reduces purchase hesitation and return rates, and is one of the key reasons DGS products achieve unusually high repeat-purchase rates at retail.
08bProduct Portfolio — Core Range
Tier 1 — Dirty Dog Line Universal · Global · Immediate Category Impact
- 3 sizes: S (60×40cm) · M (79×51cm) · L (88×66cm)
- 14+ colourways — solid and two-tone
- Dual polyester/polyamide fibre · Non-slip rubber backing
- Machine washable · Multi-use: car, crate, bowl mat, bath
- 152×76cm (60"×30") — hallways & boot areas
- Same 3000 GSM dual-fibre as Doormat
- Non-slip rubber backing · Multiple colourways
- L: 33×79cm · XL: 41×97cm
- Absorbs 20× more than a standard cotton towel
- Quick-dry — natural companion SKU at every Doormat display
- Side A: rubber nubs for grooming + hair removal
- Side B: 1500 GSM microfibre — dries 8× faster than cotton
- Works dogs & cats · Strong impulse purchase
- Full: 137×147cm · Single: 112×89cm
- 3 modes: bench seat / hammock / cargo
- Headrest strap · Seatbelt openings · Non-slip
- Catches litter scatter from tray and cat paws
- Machine washable · Extends DGS into feline category
Tier 2 — FIR, Nano-Protection & Nano-Oils Premium · Technology-Led · Highest Margin
- S / M / L · Grey & Slate Blue
- Bio-mineral FIR coating · Raised bolster sides
- M / L + Cat versions
- Beautiful packaging · Ideal gift item
- Crate Pad: XS–XXL all crate sizes
- Cat Nook Cave Bed: 51×51cm igloo design
- Chenille Sleeper Cushion XS–XXL
- Dry As A Bone Beds M–XXL · 50 wash cycles
- Blanket M/L · Crate Pad S–XXL · Hoodie
- Ideal for allergic, itchy, or anxious dogs
- Hoodie: FIR therapy worn on the body
- I'm Gismo: modular walking handle + poop bag system
09aStaff Quick Reference — Sell by Customer Need
🌡️ Older Dog · Joint Pain
Lead with Chill Kuzzi FIR Round Bed or Crate Pad. Emphasise joint pain, better sleep, passive therapy. No plugs, no medication. "Their rest time becomes recovery time."
🐾 Muddy Dog · Dirty Floors
Lead with Dirty Dog Doormat (L or M). Explain dual-fibre and 3000 GSM. Bundle with Shammy Towel. "One grabs the mud. The other locks it in."
😟 Anxious Dog · Storms
Lead with Chill Kuzzi FIR Blanket. Explain cortisol reduction, passive calming. "Their own warmth reflected back — instant calm."
🌿 Itchy Dog · Skin Allergy
Lead with Itchy Witchy Blanket or Crate Pad. Ask about allergies, yeast, vet visits. "Drug-free, friction-released essential oils. Works while they sleep."
🛡️ Hygiene-Conscious Owner
Lead with Repelz-It Chenille Sleeper or Dry As A Bone Bed. Explain bacteria = odour. "Swiss-certified nano protection. Washes half as often."
🎁 Buying a Gift
Lead with FIR Blanket, Shammy Towel, or Grooming Mitt. Outstanding packaging, clear story. "A gift that actually does something."
09bWhy DGS Wins at Shelf
| Feature | DGS Products | Standard Pet Beds | Standard Doormats | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIR Wellness Technology | ✔ Built-in, passive | ✘ | — | No comparable product exists anywhere |
| 3000 GSM Absorption | ✔ 3000 GSM | — | 800–1500 GSM | Measurable, verifiable performance gap |
| Swiss Nano Protection (REACH) | ✔ NanoSphere®/bluesign® | ✘ | ✘ | Global certification — zero retailer risk |
| Nano-Encapsulated Skin Oils | ✔ Friction-activated | ✘ | — | Addresses #1 vet visit reason in dogs |
| Real Dog Testing Facility | ✔ Doggy Care Center | ✘ | ✘ | Authentic validated performance claims |
| Award-Winning Packaging | ✔ Self-selling shelf unit | Often generic | Often none | Reduces POS investment for retailer |
09cDistribution Partners
09dContact & Partner Information
10 Hoyt Street · Norwalk · CT 06851 · USA
For pricing, samples, point-of-sale materials, and training support in your market, please contact your local DGS distributor or regional representative. Your representative is your primary point of contact for day-to-day account management, ordering, and in-store activation support.
If you do not yet have a local representative or need to be connected, contact info@dgspet.com and the DGS international team will connect you with the right contact for your region. For Scandinavian markets, a dedicated regional team is available at post@dgspetproducts.no (DGS Petproducts Scandinavia · Trondheim, Norway).