DogFender - The ultimate defence collar
When I first interviewed Dogfender in July 2023, it was ahead of their product launch in September 2023.
So, I reached out a paw for a follow-up interview to see how things had gone.
I contacted Peter Antonio, the inventor of DogFender, who was happy to sit down for an interview with me.
How did your launch go?
It was a very exciting time for me and the whole team. The excitement of launching a new product teamed with the anticipation of seeing how the public received DogFender, was exhilarating.
The concept of DogFender took over five years to develop from an idea into an actual working product.
Well, saying that, it wasn't the idea itself that took five years to develop. The product side was simple enough to design and perform in the way I intended. The biggest hurdle was getting through all the standards and regulations required when designing a new product to bring to market.
In the end, we realised we did not need to worry. DogFender was well received; we sold out our initial stock in under a month!
I don't think it could have gone any better.
What did you learn from the launch?
It was assuring to see that DogFender was positively received.
One thing we observed via many questions received was about how the collar worked and whether it was a shock training collar.
We spent a lot of time explaining the concept of how DogFender works, but we were happy to answer all questions as it showed interest in the product and also helped us understand dog owner consumers' requirements better, as well as highlight how we could better communicate the value of DogFender.
Is DogFender one of those electric shock collars that were banned?
Many people have jumped to this conclusion, but we feel it is important to understand the distinction.
DogFender is not a training collar that some people call shock collars.
We cannot emphasise enough that DogFender does not affect dogs wearing the collar.
Even the 'attacking dog' is only subject to a quick pulse static discharge, which is aimed at distracting an ' attacking' dog and, therefore, stopping the attack, giving owners a safe window to grab and control their dogs, whilst both dogs have been separated.
Does the pulse static discharge hurt either dog?
Absolutely not.
The dog wearing DogFender won't experience any sensation whatsoever because the static charge is directed outward.
Regarding the "attacking dog," the pulse static discharge is instantaneous. Sure, it is not the most pleasant experience, but akin to the sensation when a human touches something and receives a small static electric shock.
You feel the pulse as a reflex action and pull away; it's nothing that would cause long-term harm or injury.
Why did you stop selling after your launch in September?
When developing a new product, you have to gauge how popular it will be.
Also, during the manufacture of any product, unless you physically make it yourself, you have to purchase at set quantities.
So, getting the initial stock manufactured and shipped can be a bit of guesswork to make sure you don't end up with surplus unsold stock.
Thankfully, we were a bit too cautious, and we sold out!
We have since improved our manufacturing, so stock availability should not be a problem moving forward.
Will you be making more products?
There are a few exciting new products in the pipeline, but I cannot reveal them yet.
What is next for DogFender?
We have so many exciting things happening.
We have just updated our website to make it easier for everyone to order.
As mentioned, there are improvements with our manufacturing, and we are working towards a global launch starting with the UK.
We've also been busy setting up fulfilment centres in the UK, America, Australia and Greece, with further interest from other countries around the world.
If you would like to find out more about DogFender, you can get in touch here:
Contact:
Email:
Website: www.dogfender.co.uk
