STARTUPS FOCUSED ON . . . DOGS

Dogs can be a mans best friend, but who knew there was so much money to be made on our four legged companions. There are 80 million pet dogs in the United States alone, and anyone who owns a dog knows just how great a helping hand in anything from dog food to dog walking can truly be These various startups are doing their best to capitalize on the dog lovers in all of us:

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• Barkbox : This subscription based startup has owners select the size of their dog and then wait to receive a new box of canine related products at their doorstep each month.  As an added bonus, 10% of the company's proceeds go to supporting local dog shelters.  Over 40,000 customers have signed up and VC firms are taking notice as Barkbox has raised over $5 million in funding.   

• Swifto: A NYC-based startup has taken dog walking to the next level.  Hire a Swifto dog walker and then get a text message along with the option to monitor your dog's route, location, and distance traveled, it even tracks where he/she poops (not kidding).  The app works on both i0S and Android phones.  Users get a text when the walk is done and the dog is back home.  

• DogVacay: My family loved taking trips but hated dropping our dog off at the kennel where we knew he counted down the minutes until we came back to pick him up.  Dog Vacay solves this problem by letting your puppy stay with an experiecned and insured dog owner for $15/night. This airbnb for pets gives dog owners a piece of mind thanks to photo updates from the hosts along with great customer service

• Petflow: Attempting to reduce the costs and hassle of shopping for dog food, Petflow is aiming to be the #1 stop for online pet food shopping thanks to its fantastic selection (nearly 150 brands), discounted prices, and customizable delivery schedule.  Founded by two dog lovers with a long history of e-commerce experience, Petflow has grown into a company with some serious investments, having raised $15 million in its first two rounds of funding.