We had no idea we would be on Product Hunt today! What a nice surprise. Now that I've had a chance to respond to my early commenters, here's a little bit about us :)
I'm a dog owner in Brooklyn. I grew up with rescue dogs my whole life in Charlotte, NC and finally got one of my own, Winston, when I moved to NYC. And boy! Having a dog in NYC is so much different than having a dog in NC. So I built Dog Parker for people like me: urban pet parents. We are people who live in walkable cities and neighborhoods and love to take our dogs out and about with us: the city is their suburban backyard equivalent! We go to dog parks, use dog walkers and doggie daycare sometimes, and generally like to lead active lifestyles with our dogs. So many places don't allow dogs inside so it's a constant battle of planning your day around errands, leaving your dog at home for long, unwanted periods of time when otherwise they could have been with you for 95% of your day, or, for some people, running the risk of tying your dog up outside for a moment. Dog Parker is building more livable cities for dogs and their owners so you can have your dog with you before, after, and in-between all your errands.
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CEO @cbrownridge, I very much appreciate all of your gracious and professional responses in the comments here. It can be a tough room.
I think the first impressions can be helped by using photos of the larger units on your site and in PR, largely because that doesn't rule out anyone, while photos of the smaller units make many dog owners think it won't ever work for their particular dog. I also assume that the people who need this most are larger dog owners who cannot pick up and carry their pups, which is often an option for the smallest dogs.
One key improvement I would need to see before considering this for one of my dogs is greater visibility for the dog. Not a hugely vulnerable window on all sides, but some small slits like a typical crate, so an anxious dog can see people and animals approaching and passing by in all directions. To me this is the biggest difference between a dog crate and a dog box. This will also help people and dogs see there is an animal inside and avoid a surprise as they pass by.
It's probably not a great fit for me, but it might be for some of my real estate clients. Please feel free to drop me a line or add me to your list: rob.millis@corcoran.com or rob@robmillis.com
@robmillis@corcoran Thanks for your comments, thoughts, and very helpful feedback! Yes, tough room, but Uber, AirBnB, and DogVacay were also highly questioned when they first came out. New ideas can be scary :) and they take a lot of explaining and usage for people to get comfortable and trust it and we understand that. As a new startup, we are constantly improving the service, adding more sizes to the fleet, and learning how to better educate dog owners and the public on dog safety. To your point of greater visibility for the dog, it is one we hear often and have considered solutions for as dog owners want the dogs to see more, but dogs tend to feel safer in less-visible, den-like environments. We have worked with animal behaviorists, vets, and wellness experts every step of the way and they have encouraged us to keep the doghouses less visible for the comfort of the dog, but I like your idea of small slits that will still let them feel enclosed and safe, but also look out if they want. Thanks for that!
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I am working on getting the founder in the chat. In the meantime, you can contact the founder, Chelsea Brownridge on Twitter @cbrownridge.
@veronica@hartawilliams yep! And while we are still just on v2 of the Dog Parker (we are very new afterall), we are excited to install UVC sanitation lights in v3. Technology is amazing, isn't it?!
@joewaltman Hi there! Some people don't believe in crating dogs, but trainers, animal experts, and vets all say that crate training your dog enhances their sense of security and is perfectly safe (in many cases, safER for the dog, especially when you consider the alternatives). Dogs are den animals afterall. At the end of the day, we encourage our members to know their dogs temperament, as every dog is different and slowly acclimate them to new environments.
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@cbrownridge@joewaltman this is not crating. Especially putting it out in public - this is trapping a dog in a public space. Any one can come along and kick the box etc A trapped dog is not the same as a dog secure in its den.
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OMG! This is such a bad idea. Really? Seriously? Own a dog - stick it in a box.
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