Peachy's Pet Pals: DOG IS GOOD TEAMS WITH VICTORIA STILWELL FOR NEW APPAREL LINE RECOMMENDED BY WHOM YOU KNOW

When I first heard about DIG about a year ago, I fell in love with the products they had to offer. I have 2 rescue dogs and they are like my children. When I saw Victoria Stillwell's "Follow" T-shirt, I loved it! The first line of the saying printed on the shirt, "I want my dog to follow me because she wants to, not because she is afraid of what will happen if she doesn't", says it all, I think. Plus, I loved the Lipstick Red color of the shirt. I happened to go out to lunch with a friend of mine recently and I was wearing this shirt. She had to know where I got it because she wanted one herself. If you know of anyone who adores their dogs, this is the shirt for them!

"Dog is Good" has recently launched a new collection called the "Victoria Stilwell Collection!" If you've never heard of Victoria Stilwell, she is a renowned dog trainer that helps solve behavior problems in canines and works in a positive way to strengthen relationships between dogs and their owners. The "Follow Me Ladies" long sleeve T-shirt is all about having a positive relationship with your dog! It is meant to ensure the owner is not leading their dog by force or creating fear. The shirt is made of 100% Pima cotton which gives it a soft, vintage feel! The shirt is very easy to care for and is perfect to wear this fall during walks with your pup! This is a great new collection for those who love their dogs and want to show it proudly!

Who doesn't love a dog? I love them all! I also love this beautiful lipstick red long sleeve by Victoria Stilwell. The "Follow" shirt is awesome and super soft to the touch. Goes on as smooth as can be. I love what's written on the front of the shirt. It's a great gift for those dog lovers!

There's good news for dog lovers, and it comes in fashion form! Dog is Good is a clothing line created by Jon and Gila Kurtz to express the love humans have for dogs in a from that is actually fashionable as well as functional. The line has been around since 2006 and has become incredibly popular since it was created - and now, Jon and Gila are taking it to the next level. They've teamed up with Victoria Stilwell, the star of Animal Planet's hit television series "It's Me or the Dog," to create three new t-shirt designs which incorporate Dog Is Good's recognizable messaging and graphic style, as well as Stilwell's main philosophies about dog training (which revolve around positive reinforcement). The result? Cute, fashionable, t-shirts which let people show their love of dogs in a fun new way. I tried out the "Follow Me" shirt, which is soft and comfy, as well as fashionable. It has the silhouette of a dog, with the following beautiful message: I want my dog to follow me because she wants to, not because she is afraid of what will happen if she doesn't. Because she knows I will treat her with kindness. Because she knows I will care for her and return her loyalty. Because she can trust that I will give her a home where she will be safe. Because she looks to me for guidance and I look to her for inspiration. Because with a little bit of respect and cooperation, all things are possible." A truly lovely sentiment, and beautifully incorporated into the design of the t-shirt. I got a number of compliments on the t-shirt the first time I wore it and am looking forward to wearing it again soon! The next time I'm looking for a gift for a dog lover, I definitely know where to go!

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Dog is Good is “positively” thrilled to announce that the award-winning dog-centric lifestyle company has teamed with internationally renowned pet expert Victoria Stilwell to create a new line of fashionable apparel for women. 

The Victoria Stilwell Collection by Dog Is Good includes stylish T-shirts in three creative designs that combine Stilwell’s core philosophies with Dog is Good’s signature dog-inspired messaging and graphic style.

These original designs feature the sentiments: “Kindness Is Powerful,” “Inspire Respect,” and “Follow Me,” presented in a fashion fit tee, as well as roomier women cuts, all in the 100 percent super-soft, ring-spun cotton Dog is Good is known for.

The Victoria Stilwell Collection by Dog Is Good will debut at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) August 18-22 at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Booth No. 7319). 

“We are so pleased to work with Victoria Stilwell on this line of apparel,” said Gila Kurtz, co-owner of Southern California-based Dog is Good, and a certified dog trainer. “Victoria’s philosophies are right in line with Dog is Good values, so I think that makes a great connection in respect to the positive dog-human relationship and how that is nurtured.”

Stilwell is best known for her role as the star of Animal Planet's hit TV series “It's Me or the Dog,” where she shares her passion for positive reinforcement dog training by taming some of the world’s most unruly dogs while counseling families on their dog problems. A national ambassador for American Humane, she is a dedicated advocate for helping people connect with their dogs by building healthy relationships based on mutual trust, respect, and love. In addition to serving on the Advisory Board of DogTV, Stilwell shares her insights on her website, positively.com, and via her partnership with eHow Pets on YouTube.

“I’m thrilled to be joining forces with Dog is Good on this project because our ideals and goals are so perfectly in sync,” said Stilwell. “The movement to foster and maintain bonds with our pets based on mutual trust, respect and love as opposed to fear, pain and intimidation will be very well served by this new product line.” The partnership with Stilwell and Dog is Good to create the custom apparel combines a parallel enthusiasm to celebrate positive relationships between dogs and their humans. 

Owners Jon and Gila Kurtz are a husband and wife team who provide the majority of the creative ideas for the product lines. Pairing clever designs with casual style fashion, gift items and innovative dog products, Dog is Good is a lifestyle company dedicated to “Dogvergnügen,” a word they created and define as “the unique joy you feel in the presence of Dog." 

“Central to our brand is how we relate to dog lovers with our humor and sentimental designs,” said Jon Kurtz, who is also a retired U.S. Navy Captain. “It’s all about the dog-human relationship and generally reminding people how great they feel when they’re with their dogs. It all comes back to our word, Dogvergnügen.”

Dog is Good items have won numerous pet and gift industry awards, including the Pet Product News International Editor's Choice Award, the Dog World Magazine Editor's Choice award, the Pet Age Pinnacle Award and the greeting card industry’s Louie Award. DIG also licenses the brand to other product manufacturers in the pet and gift industries and is actively seeking additional licensees.

The Victoria Stillwell Collection by Dog Is Good is available exclusively via Stilwell’s website positively.com and at Dog is Good dogisgood.com. Wholesale purchases are available only through dogisgood.com.

Jon and Gila Kurtz always knew their future involved running their own business. While living in Washington state (circa 2005), Jon, then an active duty US Navy Captain and Gila, a professional dog trainer, saw a void in the marketplace and subsequently, an opportunity.

Gila had long-complained about the lack of clothing which both expressed her love of dog and was actually fashionable. Jon could have cared less about women’s clothing, but he saw a chance to inject his brand of humor into what he classified as his new favorite oxymoron, a “really big niche.” In this case, a brand that celebrates the remarkable bond people have with their dogs, in a way that they could really relate to. 

Full of ideas and energy, the Kurtz's decided they could make a good run at it. Thinking of the myriad possibilities for irreverent humor and plays on words, Jon suggested changing “God is Good “to “Dog is Good.” They knew it was a winning idea; sell clever and sophisticated dog-themed apparel (human) and gifts to people “who love their dogs.” 

A short time later {September 2006}, the Navy moved the Kurtz family to Seal Beach, CA. After they got settled in sunny SoCal, they started the company and worked it nights and weekends.

Initially their sales were limited to small retail events in Orange County and LA County such as charity dog walks and fundraisers. Based on increasing demand for their products, they broadened their distribution to more shows and began to sell to retail stores. By the end of 2009, they had increased their annual revenue from $65,000 in 2008 to more than $250,000.

Gila modeling a an early-edition DIG tee

Over the next year they fine-tuned their message and art styles, and broadened their product mix to develop the brand. To simplify their message, they created and subsequently trademarked the word “dogvergnügen,” which they define as how great one feels when with their dog. That is the essence of the brand – evoke an emotional response in the consumer by reminding them about how great they feel when with their dog.

Revenue doubled in 2010 and they grew revenues to just under $1 million in 2011. The sales rate for 2012 is up 40% over 2011. The brand is now well-positioned and widely recognized in the category. Dog is Good currently sells through three different distribution channels: (1) Retail sales at events and on the website (2) Wholesale sales to retail stores, online stores and catalog companies and (3) Licensing to manufacturers for royalty income. All of these distribution channels are experiencing growth.

In addition, “Dog is Good” is heavily involved in nationally known charitable fund raising events and is aligned with some very high profile names in the pet industry.

Jon and Gila have recently begun developing products for two new line extensions – “Cat is Good” and “Horse is Good.”