When we came up with the idea for Pup Scruffs in late fall of 2019, we immediately began building the business. By the time our E-commerce store was completed, and our product line was fully developed, it was mid-March of this year...just as the covid-19 virus was sweeping the nation. What are the odds?

Launching a fashionable neckwear business for dogs in the middle of a pandemic is far from ideal. Businesses were shutting down left and right, the economy plummeted, unemployment skyrocketed, and people were dying all over the country. We were watching a horror story unfold.

Instead of celebrating our launch, we were overwhelmed with the feeling of "Oh sh*t! What are we going to do!" Literally - what were we going to do? The timing of things couldn't have been worse. But with so much already invested into the business, throwing in the towel was not an option.

People all over the country were struggling to put food on the table - let alone buy fashionable neckwear for their dogs. However, the one thing that was high on their priority list was face masks. And that was our saving grace.

When we created Pup Scruffs, we basically took a product that was originally designed for humans - the neck gaiter - and added 10 different sizes (to accommodate most dog breeds), printed them with fun dog inspired patterns...and marketed them for dogs. But because of the pandemic, we quickly shifted gears and started marketing them towards humans for face masks as well.

Business literally quadrupled overnight and the response we received from our customers was excellent! Men, women, and children of all sizes are now wearing Pup Scruffs as masks while their dogs sport matching Scruffs around their necks. It's a beautiful thing!

By thinking fast and adjusting to the current conditions, we were able to take a bad situation and turn it into something positive. And now we truly have a reason to celebrate!

Thanks to all our awesome customers who support us and the shelter dogs. We couldn't have done it without you!