We are a large, pet-loving family from Connecticut. Over the years, we’ve had over 14 dogs in our lives.

More recently, our two yellow labs, Nauset and Brewster, became prone to acral lick dermatitis, a common condition in many dogs. Once the itch-lick cycle started, it was hard to stop and quickly grew into a large raw open sore. We tried applying tape, but after constant licking and pulling, the tape unraveled and they were back at it. The vet prescribed a cone as the only solution—however, it wasn’t a solution for us. Neither the dogs nor our home could tolerate the irritation and destruction.

Our dogs are very active, and the cone completely disrupted their day. They couldn't run, wrestle, fetch, play, go for a hike, or even hop up into the car! Not only was their active lifestyle disrupted, but even simple tasks like eating and drinking, climbing the stairs, and snuggling on the couch became a struggle. One pass by the coffee table and everything was on the floor. The pups were unhappy, and so were we.

As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention,” so began our search for better wound protection.

Our kitchen island became the workbench. With daily deliveries of materials, we carved out prototypes using an exacto-knife, and Nauset and Brewster became the test subjects. The prototypes were tested for comfort, durability, ease of application, and even lick resistance (hello, peanut butter test!).

After more than two years of development and testing, a patent was granted on December 25, 2018. ProudPet Patch moved from the kitchen island to a real production floor—but it’s still a small, family-run operation at heart.

The ProudPet Patch was born out of the need for something better than the cone—and it’s become so much more: a softer, smarter bandage with a heart. It’s been a lifesaver in our home, and we’re proud to share it with pet parents everywhere who love their pups like family.