The Sharks Got it Wrong! Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Dogs
Join Isabel and inventor, Kirsten Brand, to discuss how Kirsten was inspired to invent noise-canceling headphones for dogs. Raising a noise-phobic dog is no easy feat and Emma, Kirsten's beloved dog, showed many of the typical signs of noise phobia and noise-induced anxiety during storms and fireworks. Wanting to come up with a solution for a problem that 1 in 3 dogs - maybe more - experience regularly, Kirsten not only developed a product that is comfortable for dogs to wear but also plays relaxing music to enhance their enjoyment. Play along to learn just how serious the problem of noise-phobia can be for dogs and their families and get some tips on how your dog can be trained to accept the technology. Then, listen as Kirsten shares her Shark Tank experience and how the sharks got it very wrong with her product. Enjoy the show!
Listen to Episode #104 Now:
BIO:
Kirsten Brand and Emma (Yorkie/Malti-poo) are the founders of PAWNIX, a company that creates noise-cancelling headphones for dogs. Kirsten spent 20 years in Research and Development. She and Emma also worked in the Pet Industry for a large Consumer Product Goods Company for over 5 years. Kirsten and Emma needed to find a solution for Emma, who suffers from anxiety and stress caused by loud noises such as fireworks and thunderstorms. Nothing they found on the market worked for Emma, so they developed PAWNIX Noise Cancelling Headphones, which are designed to electronically remove, block out loud noises, and help calm dogs in stressful situations. Kirsten and Emma invented PAWNIX so that Emma could also be comfortable traveling in airplanes and have ear protection during loud sporting events.
PAWNIX headphones for dogs use advanced noise-cancelling technology to block out sounds that can cause anxiety in dogs. The headphones fit comfortably over a dog's ears and are adjustable to fit a variety of sizes. They also have Bluetooth connectivity, so pet owners can play calming music or white noise to further soothe their dogs.
The PAWNIX headphones for dogs have received positive reviews from pet owners who have used them to help calm their dogs during fireworks, thunderstorms, and other loud events. The headphones are a unique solution to a common problem faced by many dog owners and demonstrate the innovation and dedication of Kirsten and Emma in creating products to improve the lives of animals.
Transcript:
00:00:01.820 --> 00:00:03.480
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
00:00:03.920 --> 00:00:05.040
Announcer: Let's talk pets.
00:00:22.882 --> 00:00:26.982
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome to Covered In Pet Hair, a boozy show for pet lovers on Pet Life Radio.
00:00:27.102 --> 00:00:36.022
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with the creator of noise-canceling headphones for dogs.
00:00:36.442 --> 00:00:41.242
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will tell you all about her and introduce you as soon as we come back from these messages from our sponsors.
00:00:44.942 --> 00:00:46.802
Announcer: Take a bite out of your competition.
00:00:46.822 --> 00:00:51.842
Announcer: Advertise your business with an ad in Pet Life Radio podcasts and radio shows.
00:00:52.202 --> 00:00:59.122
Announcer: There is no other pet-related media that is as large and reaches more pet parents and pet lovers than Pet Life Radio.
00:00:59.402 --> 00:01:06.122
Announcer: With over 7 million monthly listeners, Pet Life Radio podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.
00:01:06.462 --> 00:01:15.602
Announcer: And our live radio stream goes out to over 250 million subscribers on iHeart Radio, Audacy, TuneIn and other streaming apps.
00:01:15.742 --> 00:01:24.802
Announcer: For more information on how you can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network, visit petliferadio.com/advertise today.
00:01:26.822 --> 00:01:29.962
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.
00:01:39.595 --> 00:01:41.155
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
00:01:41.175 --> 00:01:55.735
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with a pet parent, an inventor, an entrepreneur, a former packaging engineer, an adventure seeker, a road tripper and a cocktail connoisseur.
00:01:56.075 --> 00:02:06.355
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a world traveler, a sports junkie, who's originally from Detroit and recently moved back after 20 years of being all over the US.
00:02:06.655 --> 00:02:08.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's dog mom to Emma and Teddy.
00:02:09.315 --> 00:02:17.795
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's founder of Emma Brands and she's the creator of Ponyx, noise-canceling headphones for dogs.
00:02:18.195 --> 00:02:20.135
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Her name is Kirsten Brand.
00:02:20.335 --> 00:02:21.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome, Kirsten.
00:02:21.195 --> 00:02:22.895
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so good to have you on the show.
00:02:23.175 --> 00:02:25.775
Kirsten Brand: Thank you for having me and Emma and Teddy.
00:02:25.795 --> 00:02:27.215
Kirsten Brand: Pleasure to be here.
00:02:27.235 --> 00:02:28.575
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so good to meet you.
00:02:28.595 --> 00:02:29.675
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm so excited.
00:02:29.695 --> 00:02:38.135
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I really love when somebody thinks outside the box and creates something that maybe in 100 years is going to be like a no-brainer, right?
00:02:38.575 --> 00:02:43.115
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But it's you who is entering the market with it, which probably is no easy feat.
00:02:43.135 --> 00:02:50.535
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to get to know all of these things that you've done to bring noise-canceling headphones to the pet industry.
00:02:50.555 --> 00:02:52.635
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But first, I want to introduce our drinking game.
00:02:52.655 --> 00:02:56.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So anybody at home participating in our drinking game today, anytime you hear this word.
00:02:57.815 --> 00:03:00.035
Announcer: The secret word is sharks.
00:03:00.855 --> 00:03:06.575
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Take a drink of whatever you're enjoying, but please be over 21 to partake in an alcoholic beverage in the US.
00:03:07.075 --> 00:03:12.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know you sell all over the world, so just follow your rules wherever you are and never drink and drive.
00:03:12.455 --> 00:03:14.395
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You always should drink responsibly.
00:03:14.415 --> 00:03:16.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So what are you having today, Kirsten?
00:03:16.555 --> 00:03:18.655
Kirsten Brand: I am having a lovely Guinness.
00:03:18.895 --> 00:03:19.955
Kirsten Brand: I'm a fan of stouts.
00:03:20.295 --> 00:03:21.915
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Ooh, I love a Guinness too.
00:03:22.015 --> 00:03:23.295
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There's something about a Guinness.
00:03:23.295 --> 00:03:25.215
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You can't really replicate.
00:03:25.735 --> 00:03:27.675
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I'm also a fan of tequila.
00:03:27.695 --> 00:03:35.235
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So today I'm having a watermelon margarita with actually zero proof tequila, which is made by Ritual Zero Proof.
00:03:35.255 --> 00:03:37.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They're not sponsoring even though they should be.
00:03:38.035 --> 00:03:40.815
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I just want to shout them out because it's a great product.
00:03:41.135 --> 00:03:42.995
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This tastes like a real margarita.
00:03:43.015 --> 00:03:47.075
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It even has that little burn of like alcohol, like of a spirit.
00:03:47.455 --> 00:03:49.695
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So you really feel like you're getting a cocktail.
00:03:49.715 --> 00:03:53.555
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It has all the flavor that you'd expect from a tequila, but it won't give you a hangover.
00:03:53.575 --> 00:03:54.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So cheers.
00:03:54.195 --> 00:03:55.315
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you for being on the show.
00:03:55.335 --> 00:03:56.495
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so good to meet you, Kirsten.
00:03:57.135 --> 00:04:05.035
Kirsten Brand: Yeah, it's good that you like Ritual because I've tried a couple of the zero proof and you know, you have the drink and you're like, something's missing.
00:04:05.055 --> 00:04:06.535
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's that burn.
00:04:06.555 --> 00:04:08.635
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like it's the burn, right?
00:04:08.655 --> 00:04:10.855
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I haven't tried any of their other spirits.
00:04:10.875 --> 00:04:11.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They make others.
00:04:12.035 --> 00:04:15.915
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I kind of want to try the rum, but I guess it's late in the season to do that.
00:04:15.935 --> 00:04:17.535
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I'll wait till next summer to try that.
00:04:17.795 --> 00:04:21.895
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I need something to come up with a very good zero proof red wine.
00:04:22.135 --> 00:04:27.075
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like I have yet to find that red wine, especially in the fall and winter is like my go to.
00:04:27.755 --> 00:04:32.695
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And if some inventors out there, can you make it so that it doesn't stay in my teeth while you're at it?
00:04:32.715 --> 00:04:34.595
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So no alcohol, no staining teeth.
00:04:34.615 --> 00:04:36.335
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That would be the perfect thing for me.
00:04:37.035 --> 00:04:38.095
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So here's it.
00:04:38.115 --> 00:04:41.415
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to introduce this show with a game, which is how I do it every week.
00:04:41.795 --> 00:04:51.135
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to play a game about the whole purpose of your product, which is noise phobia, noise aversion in dogs.
00:04:51.315 --> 00:04:53.595
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So this first game, it's called noise proof.
00:04:54.075 --> 00:05:09.295
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And proof, noise proof, as in your headphones are noise proof, but also noise proof because I feel like a lot of pet parents aren't quite convinced of the severity of noise phobia, noise aversion, etc.
00:05:09.535 --> 00:05:10.775
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Would you agree with that statement?
00:05:11.335 --> 00:05:13.775
Kirsten Brand: I agree with that because it doesn't affect all dogs.
00:05:13.895 --> 00:05:15.415
Kirsten Brand: It affects like one in three.
00:05:15.815 --> 00:05:17.455
Kirsten Brand: And in my house, I have two.
00:05:17.715 --> 00:05:21.835
Kirsten Brand: And of course, Emma, who it was made for is the sound phobia girl.
00:05:22.235 --> 00:05:27.855
Kirsten Brand: And Teddy could care less, wants to go and investigate all kinds of noises.
00:05:28.055 --> 00:05:35.075
Kirsten Brand: But when he sees his sister put on her ponics, he's like, it is ponics time, I want my ponics, let's go lay down, let's go have fun.
00:05:35.335 --> 00:05:36.735
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that so much.
00:05:36.855 --> 00:05:41.195
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have been looking through your Instagram with all of these dogs wearing their ponics.
00:05:41.215 --> 00:05:42.495
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's just the cutest thing.
00:05:42.515 --> 00:05:45.695
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, so before we talk about the ponics, let's play this game.
00:05:45.835 --> 00:05:49.635
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So these facts are taken from today's veterinarypractice.com.
00:05:49.855 --> 00:05:55.475
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's an article that was sponsored by a veterinary product manufacturer.
00:05:55.495 --> 00:05:59.555
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I feel like it's probably been researched and fact-checked multiple times.
00:06:00.215 --> 00:06:01.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So here we go.
00:06:05.115 --> 00:06:12.495
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The first question in this is a true and false game is, canine aversion is also known as noise, anxiety or phobia.
00:06:12.515 --> 00:06:13.195
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:06:14.275 --> 00:06:14.655
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:06:14.655 --> 00:06:22.195
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And people talk about it in many different ways, but let's just say that that's the way that it is referred to in a veterinary medicine situation.
00:06:22.855 --> 00:06:26.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Canine aversion affects 67% of dogs in the United States.
00:06:27.575 --> 00:06:31.975
Kirsten Brand: Oh, I'm going to go with false because of the stat that I just had earlier.
00:06:31.995 --> 00:06:34.275
Isabel Alvarez Arata: No, I think that's about the same stat, right?
00:06:34.295 --> 00:06:36.315
Isabel Alvarez Arata: 67% is probably one out of three.
00:06:36.715 --> 00:06:37.595
Kirsten Brand: Then it's gone up.
00:06:38.035 --> 00:06:38.955
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's gone up.
00:06:39.495 --> 00:06:42.815
Kirsten Brand: One in three would be 33, right?
00:06:43.035 --> 00:06:44.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: One in three would be 33.
00:06:44.455 --> 00:06:44.935
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You're right.
00:06:44.955 --> 00:06:46.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I was thinking two out of three.
00:06:46.195 --> 00:06:46.635
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:06:47.775 --> 00:06:48.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Right.
00:06:48.555 --> 00:06:49.715
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But this is the United States only.
00:06:49.735 --> 00:06:50.515
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's gone up since COVID.
00:06:50.815 --> 00:06:51.335
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, yeah.
00:06:51.355 --> 00:06:52.055
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm sure it has.
00:06:52.095 --> 00:06:52.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm sure it has.
00:06:52.975 --> 00:06:57.395
Isabel Alvarez Arata: COVID puppies have all sorts of challenges that they face having been stuck at home.
00:06:57.715 --> 00:06:58.195
Isabel Alvarez Arata: For a year.
00:06:58.575 --> 00:06:58.855
Kirsten Brand: Yeah.
00:06:58.875 --> 00:07:02.675
Kirsten Brand: Because it's not what I boast all the time about thunderstorms and fireworks.
00:07:02.695 --> 00:07:04.515
Kirsten Brand: It can still be as simple as your vacuum.
00:07:04.555 --> 00:07:04.835
Kirsten Brand: Right?
00:07:04.855 --> 00:07:04.915
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:07:04.935 --> 00:07:06.395
Kirsten Brand: Like dogs are scared of that.
00:07:06.435 --> 00:07:06.775
Kirsten Brand: So.
00:07:06.815 --> 00:07:08.015
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly right.
00:07:08.555 --> 00:07:09.275
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:07:10.035 --> 00:07:10.475
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:07:10.635 --> 00:07:16.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Many pet owners do not view noise aversion as a medical issue, so they do not discuss their concerns with their veterinarians.
00:07:16.895 --> 00:07:17.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:07:17.755 --> 00:07:18.155
Kirsten Brand: True.
00:07:18.575 --> 00:07:18.935
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:07:19.015 --> 00:07:19.395
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:07:19.575 --> 00:07:23.035
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They think it's like bad behavior or they're just a little nervous.
00:07:23.635 --> 00:07:24.675
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is the next one.
00:07:24.895 --> 00:07:31.495
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Genetics has been suggested as a basis for noise aversion in pointers and herding breeds.
00:07:31.515 --> 00:07:32.235
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:07:33.075 --> 00:07:33.895
Kirsten Brand: It's true.
00:07:34.395 --> 00:07:35.235
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is true.
00:07:35.255 --> 00:07:41.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Usually, I mean, there could be other environmental factors, but genetics is sometimes what we end up going back to.
00:07:42.255 --> 00:07:47.075
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Fear is reduced by repeated exposure to the sound stimulus.
00:07:47.095 --> 00:07:47.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:07:47.955 --> 00:07:48.415
Isabel Alvarez Arata: False.
00:07:48.775 --> 00:07:49.575
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is right.
00:07:49.575 --> 00:07:50.235
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You are right.
00:07:50.255 --> 00:07:50.995
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is false.
00:07:52.175 --> 00:07:57.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I wanted to make sure that I changed that one up because it was actually kind of a surprise for me.
00:07:57.755 --> 00:08:03.075
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because with noise phobia, you get a lot of mixed messages from dog trainers and from things.
00:08:03.095 --> 00:08:08.955
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We don't have enough, I feel like, research, maybe until lately, to tell us exactly how to address it.
00:08:08.975 --> 00:08:11.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I know you do like counter conditioning.
00:08:11.455 --> 00:08:13.875
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that is definitely something that is recommended.
00:08:14.255 --> 00:08:22.275
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I hadn't actually read anywhere that fear is increased every time that there is exposure, which is really concerning.
00:08:22.515 --> 00:08:30.515
Kirsten Brand: So yeah, you would think that if you're training them to not react, that you're training them to not be scared anymore.
00:08:30.515 --> 00:08:38.215
Kirsten Brand: But you can train them to not do the reaction that you've been seeing, but that doesn't mean that they're not still calculating it internally.
00:08:38.235 --> 00:08:46.275
Kirsten Brand: I kind of tell some people in my network about, you know, when you're talking to a kid and you're just like, she should be seen and not heard.
00:08:46.735 --> 00:08:50.635
Kirsten Brand: Like the kid is still sitting there thinking and taking that all in and internalizing it.
00:08:50.635 --> 00:08:52.075
Kirsten Brand: And dogs are doing the same thing.
00:08:52.475 --> 00:08:53.795
Kirsten Brand: They have a fight or flight.
00:08:54.075 --> 00:09:00.615
Kirsten Brand: And just because you tell them, no, don't react, doesn't mean that in their internal system their fight or flight isn't still going on.
00:09:00.895 --> 00:09:01.635
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly right.
00:09:02.035 --> 00:09:06.275
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Noise aversion can have a negative effect on the owner's quality of life.
00:09:06.275 --> 00:09:06.935
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:09:07.835 --> 00:09:08.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:09:08.635 --> 00:09:09.095
Kirsten Brand: Yeah.
00:09:09.235 --> 00:09:10.115
Kirsten Brand: And that's a shame.
00:09:10.135 --> 00:09:13.655
Kirsten Brand: I mean, I hope people don't get to that extreme of having to surrender their dog.
00:09:14.155 --> 00:09:21.975
Kirsten Brand: But also the simplest thing about just feeling bad, that your dog feels bad, that's putting stress on your life and in your own body.
00:09:21.975 --> 00:09:29.155
Kirsten Brand: And so it's a cyclical effect and your dog senses that and feels stressed and then you stress and we try to break that.
00:09:29.515 --> 00:09:30.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, absolutely.
00:09:30.555 --> 00:09:32.935
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So this is not going to make you feel any better, guys.
00:09:32.955 --> 00:09:38.815
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is dogs experiencing noise aversion are akin to a person having a panic attack.
00:09:38.835 --> 00:09:39.555
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:09:40.175 --> 00:09:40.495
Kirsten Brand: True.
00:09:41.375 --> 00:09:41.795
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is true.
00:09:42.555 --> 00:09:48.955
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Dogs with noise aversion may also develop other comorbidities such as separation or general anxiety.
00:09:48.975 --> 00:09:49.615
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:09:49.875 --> 00:09:50.215
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
00:09:50.315 --> 00:09:51.035
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is true.
00:09:51.315 --> 00:10:05.295
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And the last one is severity can be assessed by asking about the intensity of the reaction, the frequency of noise aversion events and how soon the dog recovers from the event once the noise has stopped.
00:10:05.395 --> 00:10:06.035
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:10:06.055 --> 00:10:06.235
Kirsten Brand: True.
00:10:07.355 --> 00:10:17.255
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, just knowing that there is a way to test, just like a questionnaire even, should help pet parents understand that it really is a real thing and that it needs to be addressed.
00:10:17.275 --> 00:10:26.115
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I love that you became the inventor of a product to address noise phobia from an experience with your dog Emma.
00:10:26.135 --> 00:10:31.095
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you briefly tell us how Emma displayed her noise aversion?
00:10:32.395 --> 00:10:37.795
Kirsten Brand: I was afraid, everybody at home, she also used to be a drinker, but she's 17 now.
00:10:38.215 --> 00:10:47.735
Kirsten Brand: But this is Emma, who was the noise averse one, and she would do everything from the shake that you can see, she'd try to go run and hide.
00:10:48.055 --> 00:10:52.475
Kirsten Brand: Her favorite place was in the shower, like other dogs, just cowering in the shower.
00:10:52.775 --> 00:11:00.755
Kirsten Brand: If we weren't at home, because we traveled a lot in our old job, you could see her physically cower every time a loud noise would happen.
00:11:01.915 --> 00:11:13.855
Kirsten Brand: So, those are just the things that you can physically see, but there's so much going on in their little brains, just like us, like cortisol, all kinds of chemical reactions are going on that tend to prolong things.
00:11:14.135 --> 00:11:16.395
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's terrible to see.
00:11:16.415 --> 00:11:34.815
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have a noise-phobic dog, and it's mostly storms, so she doesn't like fireworks, but luckily we don't get them super close here, and when we do, we've prepared for them so we have her under really high-dose CBD or something like that to calm her down, and we have some prescription medication for those cases.
00:11:34.975 --> 00:11:51.775
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Kira can feel storms coming before they even arrive, so she has a storm-phobia, and you can see her shaking on the floor, and it's like these tiny little shivers, and it's not destructive, and it's not vocal, it's just like this paralysis and trembling.
00:11:51.795 --> 00:11:52.895
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so sad to see.
00:11:53.395 --> 00:11:57.615
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, how difficult was it for you to say, okay, so Emma has this problem.
00:11:57.955 --> 00:12:06.295
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I heard in the Arden Moore interview that you did on OBEhave where you used your Sony headphones to see if they would put her at ease.
00:12:06.315 --> 00:12:08.535
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, a desperate pet parent will try anything, right?
00:12:09.195 --> 00:12:12.975
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She took to them okay, but it wasn't like it wasn't right for her species.
00:12:14.115 --> 00:12:15.115
Kirsten Brand: Or me, right?
00:12:15.135 --> 00:12:26.595
Kirsten Brand: There's a lot of pet parents out there that know exactly what I'm talking about, that you're just awkwardly holding these earmuffs, or the Sony ears, like above their ears.
00:12:26.615 --> 00:12:28.355
Kirsten Brand: And then you're like, what do I do now?
00:12:28.395 --> 00:12:31.475
Kirsten Brand: I'm just going to sit here for an hour holding it.
00:12:31.495 --> 00:12:34.415
Kirsten Brand: And like, but then I was like, how do I do this?
00:12:34.435 --> 00:12:36.895
Kirsten Brand: How do I just make it so that my life's easier?
00:12:36.915 --> 00:12:37.015
Kirsten Brand: Right?
00:12:37.215 --> 00:12:38.835
Kirsten Brand: Because we all love convenience.
00:12:38.855 --> 00:12:45.095
Kirsten Brand: And so that's how the iteration started about how do you take this technology and gear it towards a dog?
00:12:45.235 --> 00:12:45.835
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Amazing.
00:12:45.855 --> 00:12:47.255
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You have one there to show us.
00:12:47.335 --> 00:12:49.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you tell us quickly how it works?
00:12:49.515 --> 00:12:50.295
Kirsten Brand: Yeah, sure.
00:12:50.815 --> 00:13:00.615
Kirsten Brand: So just like other headsets that are on the market, like your Rex specs and your mutmuffs, we provide sound dampening foam that's inside.
00:13:00.635 --> 00:13:04.115
Kirsten Brand: And then we go a level above and beyond, right?
00:13:04.135 --> 00:13:11.635
Kirsten Brand: We mentioned the Sony and it has electronics inside where there's two microphones on each ear.
00:13:12.635 --> 00:13:21.055
Kirsten Brand: One is taking the initial sound and making a wavelength and then sending it back out through the speaker so it knocks the original sound down.
00:13:21.095 --> 00:13:28.395
Kirsten Brand: And then there's a secondary hybrid speaker that is also trying to like clean it up and make it so that it'll knock the sound down even more.
00:13:28.675 --> 00:13:32.015
Kirsten Brand: So that's all the noise canceling aspects.
00:13:32.075 --> 00:13:37.895
Kirsten Brand: And then we also provide Bluetooth because we know that music is calming and soothing not only for humans but for dogs.
00:13:38.315 --> 00:13:45.315
Kirsten Brand: There's many studies out there about using reggae or classical music to help calm dogs and they did it for shelter dogs first.
00:13:45.375 --> 00:13:47.355
Kirsten Brand: So why reinvent the wheel?
00:13:47.475 --> 00:13:49.975
Kirsten Brand: That's what we recommend reggae and classical.
00:13:49.995 --> 00:13:55.875
Kirsten Brand: And so we're so happy to be able to provide them your dog with a little different thing to think about too, right?
00:13:55.895 --> 00:13:59.535
Kirsten Brand: They're like, oh, what's that music instead of what's that?
00:13:59.555 --> 00:14:05.435
Isabel Alvarez Arata: When I hear reggae, I think of myself on a cruise ship with a margarita or like a pina colada.
00:14:05.535 --> 00:14:08.475
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know that they wouldn't associate that, but still they can.
00:14:08.835 --> 00:14:10.595
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that reggae is one of them.
00:14:10.615 --> 00:14:11.795
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love reggae.
00:14:11.815 --> 00:14:14.815
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm from Miami, you know, like been to the islands a lot.
00:14:14.835 --> 00:14:16.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that to me sounds amazing.
00:14:16.755 --> 00:14:21.135
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But my dog, Kira, not much of an island dog, so I bet she would like the Mozart better.
00:14:21.315 --> 00:14:27.775
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So what has the reaction been in the pet industry, in the world of pet parents and pet lovers?
00:14:27.795 --> 00:14:30.495
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What if they get told you about this product?
00:14:30.675 --> 00:14:31.315
Kirsten Brand: Oh, one.
00:14:31.355 --> 00:14:34.215
Kirsten Brand: It was like, it's about time, genius.
00:14:34.315 --> 00:14:35.295
Kirsten Brand: We need it.
00:14:36.215 --> 00:14:45.635
Kirsten Brand: And when you're at the point where you'll do anything for your dog because you haven't found another thing that will work, man, the price point is nothing for me.
00:14:45.655 --> 00:14:48.775
Kirsten Brand: I'd spend, you know, a million dollars to make my dog feel better.
00:14:48.835 --> 00:14:51.655
Kirsten Brand: So we get a lot of positive feedback.
00:14:51.755 --> 00:15:00.775
Kirsten Brand: We're getting somewhere, you know, some people are on a more fixed income and we're so happy that platforms have payment plans now.
00:15:00.875 --> 00:15:01.335
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:15:01.475 --> 00:15:04.915
Kirsten Brand: You don't have to, you know, shuck out all the money all at once.
00:15:04.935 --> 00:15:08.095
Kirsten Brand: You can do it in a more, you know, responsible way over a couple months.
00:15:08.415 --> 00:15:09.455
Kirsten Brand: Yes.
00:15:09.475 --> 00:15:15.595
Kirsten Brand: And we just like your dog, we do get feedback though about dogs feeling storms and feeling sounds.
00:15:15.915 --> 00:15:24.655
Kirsten Brand: And so we've spent a lot of time, you know, recommending the thunder shirts out there and how do you create a system so that your dog is protected everywhere.
00:15:25.135 --> 00:15:50.475
Kirsten Brand: And since we've been talking about it so much and even recommending people put like children's shirts on their dogs so that they get the swaddle effect too, we dove deeper into that science and now we're, you know, in the middle of creating anxiety pajamas and anxiety vests to kind of expand the ponics line because we're like, well, if we're already talking about it, like we should just use our know-how and like make it better than what's out there already.
00:15:50.835 --> 00:15:51.255
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:15:51.275 --> 00:15:52.355
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So it's really funny.
00:15:52.615 --> 00:15:54.735
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We're going to talk about your experience on Shark Tank.
00:15:55.235 --> 00:15:59.955
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have been going through the show and all the notes and like articles that came out about it.
00:15:59.995 --> 00:16:04.155
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's funny to me, the price point is about $200, give or take.
00:16:04.695 --> 00:16:12.055
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And to me, first of all, if I was a shark, I would have been like, yeah, I mean, that's people pay $200 for pet related electronics all the time.
00:16:12.075 --> 00:16:14.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So like the price point is not out of this world.
00:16:14.795 --> 00:16:24.315
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then when you realize just how much you're spending on like all the supplements that maybe could or could not work, then you're like, it's really not that much either.
00:16:24.335 --> 00:16:28.915
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So like from a pet professional's experience, I've been in the pet industry for 20 years.
00:16:28.935 --> 00:16:31.175
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm a writer and journalist specializing in the pet industry.
00:16:31.495 --> 00:16:38.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can tell you that the sharks just didn't have the experience with pets that maybe I would have or somebody else would have.
00:16:38.475 --> 00:16:41.455
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I do want to dig into your Shark Tank experience.
00:16:41.475 --> 00:16:42.415
Isabel Alvarez Arata: No hate on the sharks.
00:16:42.435 --> 00:16:43.995
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Love the sharks, especially Mark Cuban.
00:16:44.375 --> 00:16:46.135
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I do need to take a break here.
00:16:46.155 --> 00:16:47.535
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So let's listen to our sponsors.
00:16:47.555 --> 00:16:52.975
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And when we come back, we're going to dig into what it's like to be a pet industry entrepreneur on Shark Tank.
00:16:52.995 --> 00:16:53.755
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't go anywhere.
00:16:53.775 --> 00:16:54.475
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'll be right back.
00:16:57.415 --> 00:16:59.135
Announcer: Molly, here's your dinner. Zeus that's not your food!
00:17:03.635 --> 00:17:05.735
Announcer: Don't let that happen to your precious cat.
00:17:05.935 --> 00:17:09.195
Announcer: Elevate your cat's eating experience with the Cat Tree Tray.
00:17:09.415 --> 00:17:14.815
Announcer: The Cat Tree Tray keeps your cat's food off the floor and conveniently located on the cat tree.
00:17:15.235 --> 00:17:17.375
Announcer: It's the perfect way to eat.
00:17:17.755 --> 00:17:25.195
Announcer: It's a beautiful wrought iron tray that easily attaches to your cat tree and keeps dogs and other critters out of your cat's dish.
00:17:25.515 --> 00:17:27.375
Announcer: A must for multi-pet households.
00:17:27.675 --> 00:17:31.635
Announcer: There's a 6-inch tray for large bowls and a 4-inch tray for smaller bowls.
00:17:32.095 --> 00:17:34.755
Announcer: Purchase your Cat Tree Tray today.
00:17:35.095 --> 00:17:37.555
Announcer: Go right now to www.cattreetray.com.
00:17:37.835 --> 00:17:39.735
Announcer: That's www.cattreetray.com.
00:17:40.155 --> 00:17:44.635
Announcer: cattreetray.com.
00:17:44.655 --> 00:17:49.335
Kirsten Brand: Let's Talk Pets.
00:17:50.215 --> 00:17:51.095
Isabel Alvarez Arata: On PetLife Radio.
00:18:03.428 --> 00:18:05.798
<v SPEAKER_4>petliferadio.com Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
00:18:05.818 --> 00:18:07.358
<v SPEAKER_4>I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata.
00:18:07.378 --> 00:18:15.378
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And today, I'm having an awesome conversation with Kirsten Brand, who developed a line of noise-canceling headphones.
00:18:15.398 --> 00:18:22.238
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I can't say it without doing this for some reason and putting my hands around my ears, because I feel like it's such a cool concept.
00:18:22.638 --> 00:18:25.478
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I'm so excited that you took the time to chat with me today.
00:18:25.498 --> 00:18:29.218
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I've always been a fan of Shark Tank, so I know you were on Shark Tank.
00:18:29.718 --> 00:18:32.878
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If you're game, I would like to invite you to play a second game with me.
00:18:33.298 --> 00:18:35.258
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's called Shark Tank Insider.
00:18:35.538 --> 00:18:41.418
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I promise not to ask you too many questions because I'm sure there's some kind of documents and contracts and NDAs that you signed.
00:18:41.698 --> 00:18:45.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But would you grace us with some Insider tips or Insider information?
00:18:46.018 --> 00:18:47.458
Kirsten Brand: I'll try where I can.
00:18:47.598 --> 00:18:53.998
Kirsten Brand: It is a very close knit little, like you join the little Shark Tank Society of, you know, people who have been on it and aired.
00:18:54.018 --> 00:18:59.318
Kirsten Brand: And there is a little literacy behind it because, you know, it's Hollywood and there has to be some magic.
00:18:59.918 --> 00:19:00.938
Kirsten Brand: I'll answer what I can.
00:19:01.158 --> 00:19:01.978
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, here we go.
00:19:01.998 --> 00:19:03.698
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is Shark Tank Insider.
00:19:04.398 --> 00:19:08.178
Isabel Alvarez Arata: First of all, was it your idea or somebody else's to go on Shark Tank?
00:19:08.618 --> 00:19:13.998
Kirsten Brand: Oh, you know, when you talk about a new idea, everybody says, oh, you should be on Shark Tank.
00:19:14.018 --> 00:19:15.098
Kirsten Brand: You should be on Shark Tank.
00:19:15.118 --> 00:19:19.338
Kirsten Brand: And I always get to the point of like, oh, well, I want to be at this certain dollar amount.
00:19:19.358 --> 00:19:20.238
Kirsten Brand: I want to do this.
00:19:20.258 --> 00:19:21.018
Kirsten Brand: I want to do that.
00:19:21.518 --> 00:19:28.258
Kirsten Brand: But you should, if you have a great idea, like throw that out the window and do it whenever you can, because it's so very hard to get on.
00:19:28.778 --> 00:19:30.638
Kirsten Brand: And it was just a spring day.
00:19:30.798 --> 00:19:33.318
Kirsten Brand: And I was like, you know what, now I need to do it.
00:19:33.398 --> 00:19:38.538
Kirsten Brand: And I'm so happy I did, because it is a long duration process and very hard to get on there.
00:19:38.598 --> 00:19:40.738
Kirsten Brand: And everybody there gets so blessed.
00:19:40.978 --> 00:19:42.478
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is my next question.
00:19:42.498 --> 00:19:48.658
Isabel Alvarez Arata: From application that spring day to actually, like, seeing yourself on the TV, how long did it take?
00:19:48.778 --> 00:19:51.518
Kirsten Brand: Oh, it was almost a year from seeing myself on the TV.
00:19:51.958 --> 00:19:57.138
Kirsten Brand: So I don't know if you've known anybody that has actually been preempted on TV.
00:19:57.638 --> 00:20:00.258
Kirsten Brand: But my episode was preempted twice.
00:20:00.818 --> 00:20:01.658
Kirsten Brand: What does that mean?
00:20:02.178 --> 00:20:05.258
Kirsten Brand: It means it was supposed to air and then they had to push it.
00:20:05.278 --> 00:20:14.598
Kirsten Brand: So the first time they pushed it is because ABC broke in and had to do special coverage of the Ukraine War because it had just started, like, that week.
00:20:14.838 --> 00:20:15.438
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Understood.
00:20:15.458 --> 00:20:18.178
Kirsten Brand: So my episode got pushed later into the season.
00:20:18.398 --> 00:20:24.758
Kirsten Brand: And then they brought it forward to fill some other ABC gaps, you know, like, good production teams that they are.
00:20:25.118 --> 00:20:25.458
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:20:25.898 --> 00:20:36.678
Kirsten Brand: And then I was preempted for the second time because there's some strange thing in the Detroit area with ABC that they did a wedding special show at that time.
00:20:37.278 --> 00:20:44.058
Kirsten Brand: So after the wedding special, it was then shown at one o'clock in the morning, just in Michigan.
00:20:44.478 --> 00:20:47.358
Kirsten Brand: So I'm having, like, a little watch party.
00:20:47.838 --> 00:20:52.858
Kirsten Brand: Luckily, I had the episode, but we were a little delayed starting the episode.
00:20:53.158 --> 00:21:01.098
Kirsten Brand: So when my segment aired, like, my phone just blew up from all my friends all over the country, like, oh, you did such a good job this day.
00:21:01.118 --> 00:21:02.898
Kirsten Brand: And I'm like, I haven't even seen it yet.
00:21:02.918 --> 00:21:08.458
Kirsten Brand: I'm like, okay, now I don't even have to watch myself because my friends and family said I did a good job.
00:21:09.258 --> 00:21:10.078
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's important.
00:21:10.258 --> 00:21:10.678
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:21:10.698 --> 00:21:12.258
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So where is Shark Tank filmed?
00:21:12.278 --> 00:21:12.938
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is it in LA?
00:21:13.558 --> 00:21:14.778
Kirsten Brand: It is in LA again.
00:21:14.858 --> 00:21:18.838
Kirsten Brand: They had a stint with COVID where they were in Vegas, but they are back to LA.
00:21:19.658 --> 00:21:31.738
Kirsten Brand: And they are also back to doing all the interviews for people who want to be on the show in different cities because they had done a long time, a traveling show, right, to get people for the show.
00:21:32.098 --> 00:21:38.078
Kirsten Brand: And then COVID happened and everything, like when I did it, everything was virtual and through WebEx and everything.
00:21:38.098 --> 00:21:40.738
Kirsten Brand: And now they are back to live casting calls.
00:21:40.778 --> 00:21:42.038
Kirsten Brand: So I think that's great.
00:21:42.398 --> 00:21:47.578
Kirsten Brand: So people, you know, can pitch live instead of having a screen in front of them.
00:21:47.618 --> 00:21:48.718
Kirsten Brand: And it's great.
00:21:48.978 --> 00:21:50.138
Kirsten Brand: It'll be the show.
00:21:50.638 --> 00:21:52.418
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And who went with you other than Emma?
00:21:53.018 --> 00:21:54.358
Kirsten Brand: Oh, it was just me and Emma.
00:21:54.818 --> 00:21:56.218
Kirsten Brand: Poor Teddy didn't get to go.
00:21:56.618 --> 00:21:59.518
Kirsten Brand: Teddy's a bit of a COVID character, baby.
00:21:59.538 --> 00:22:01.938
Kirsten Brand: So I would have needed a second handler.
00:22:01.958 --> 00:22:08.318
Kirsten Brand: But if I ever get invited back, he's going to Hollywood and I'll take some with me.
00:22:08.638 --> 00:22:09.118
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Good.
00:22:09.678 --> 00:22:11.658
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I sign up for dog handling in Hollywood.
00:22:11.998 --> 00:22:12.418
Kirsten Brand: Okay.
00:22:12.538 --> 00:22:13.318
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Take me with you.
00:22:13.338 --> 00:22:13.678
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:22:14.358 --> 00:22:15.638
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Who wrote your sales pitch?
00:22:15.658 --> 00:22:16.458
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Did you write it yourself?
00:22:17.418 --> 00:22:26.478
Kirsten Brand: I wrote most of it and they give you great production teams that have been doing this for the 14, 15 seasons that they've been on the air.
00:22:26.878 --> 00:22:28.538
Kirsten Brand: And my team was amazing.
00:22:28.838 --> 00:22:34.858
Kirsten Brand: But they pretty much just let you talk about what you want and sell your own company and your own product.
00:22:34.878 --> 00:22:36.278
Kirsten Brand: They just give you advice.
00:22:36.618 --> 00:22:37.078
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Perfect.
00:22:37.858 --> 00:22:39.278
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So how nervous were you?
00:22:39.958 --> 00:22:42.038
Kirsten Brand: Oh, I was super nervous.
00:22:42.058 --> 00:22:46.158
Kirsten Brand: Those doors that they open and then you walk down the hallway are huge.
00:22:46.198 --> 00:22:49.178
Kirsten Brand: And it's just it's a huge production thing.
00:22:49.198 --> 00:22:51.738
Kirsten Brand: And I didn't think it was that big watching the show.
00:22:51.758 --> 00:22:54.898
Kirsten Brand: And then when you're there, you didn't get to see it or hear it.
00:22:54.918 --> 00:23:00.938
Kirsten Brand: But I was holding Emma and the doors open and I was looking up and I'm just like, Jesus, take the wheel.
00:23:01.798 --> 00:23:05.258
Kirsten Brand: And the production team afterwards was like, that was really cute what you started saying.
00:23:05.278 --> 00:23:06.398
Kirsten Brand: And I'm like, I said that out loud.
00:23:08.438 --> 00:23:09.378
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You said it out loud.
00:23:09.398 --> 00:23:10.918
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I haven't actually seen the episode.
00:23:10.938 --> 00:23:12.078
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I couldn't pull it up, but I saw.
00:23:12.498 --> 00:23:16.798
Kirsten Brand: They don't have it on TV, but the production team was just like, that was really cute.
00:23:16.818 --> 00:23:17.778
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, got it, got it, got it.
00:23:17.778 --> 00:23:20.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so what was the best part of being on Shark Tank?
00:23:21.198 --> 00:23:25.078
Kirsten Brand: I think the best part was the experience and all the people that I got to meet.
00:23:25.218 --> 00:23:31.458
Kirsten Brand: And like, everybody who runs that show is just amazing, like the nicest people.
00:23:31.918 --> 00:23:41.438
Kirsten Brand: And of course, it doesn't hurt that every time it re-airs, I can tell because I get emails about, you know, how our customers disagree with what the sharks were saying.
00:23:42.058 --> 00:23:46.758
Kirsten Brand: And, you know, give me kudos for keeping going and the products needed.
00:23:46.758 --> 00:23:50.178
Kirsten Brand: So I'm like, oh, there's an influx of sales and an influx of emails.
00:23:50.298 --> 00:23:52.098
Kirsten Brand: It must have re-aired on CNBC.
00:23:52.318 --> 00:23:52.758
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yep.
00:23:52.798 --> 00:23:54.398
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, I'm going to keep my eye out for it.
00:23:54.398 --> 00:23:57.758
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, what was the worst part about being on Shark Tank?
00:23:58.518 --> 00:24:01.038
Kirsten Brand: Oh, watching yourself on TV.
00:24:02.418 --> 00:24:04.818
Kirsten Brand: And just thinking, oh, I should have said this, I should have said that.
00:24:04.838 --> 00:24:07.638
Kirsten Brand: But I mean, the experience is so great.
00:24:07.658 --> 00:24:17.998
Kirsten Brand: It's more about, you know, as an entrepreneur, wanting to do your best, and then just kind of rethinking about it over and over in your mind, like, oh, I could have done this differently, I should have said that.
00:24:18.018 --> 00:24:20.238
Kirsten Brand: But it was such a great experience.
00:24:20.258 --> 00:24:23.538
Kirsten Brand: Like, you just have to remember that not everybody gets to do that.
00:24:23.618 --> 00:24:27.258
Kirsten Brand: And, you know, you got to just be grateful for what you do get to do.
00:24:27.638 --> 00:24:32.418
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, and you got your business and your concept out there, which is really all that matters.
00:24:32.438 --> 00:24:35.398
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Nobody remembers exactly the script you used.
00:24:35.558 --> 00:24:40.518
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They remember that you created this really interesting product.
00:24:41.018 --> 00:24:43.278
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I have one last question for you, part of the game.
00:24:43.538 --> 00:24:46.978
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And that is, so I have one last question for you, which is part of the game.
00:24:47.078 --> 00:24:49.518
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then I have a couple more questions for you before we wrap up.
00:24:49.538 --> 00:24:50.838
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Who is your favorite shark?
00:24:50.938 --> 00:24:55.118
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it doesn't have to be the four that were there for you, even though you did have a really good shark tank.
00:24:55.638 --> 00:24:58.438
Kirsten Brand: Oh, I love Lori and Barbara.
00:24:58.838 --> 00:25:07.518
Kirsten Brand: Then I think my third would be Mark, but who has jumped up from my being on the show and how we interacted was Mr.
00:25:07.538 --> 00:25:08.018
Kirsten Brand: Wonderful.
00:25:08.218 --> 00:25:17.558
Kirsten Brand: Like, I know he gets a bad rap, but just what we talked about, our report, because I was out there for over an hour and you only get to see seven minutes of it.
00:25:17.898 --> 00:25:21.158
Kirsten Brand: But, like, he's a fantastic guy and he just gets a bad rap.
00:25:21.158 --> 00:25:23.178
Kirsten Brand: But, you know, I think a lot of it's for TV.
00:25:23.698 --> 00:25:24.358
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, I'm sure.
00:25:24.958 --> 00:25:26.778
Kirsten Brand: So what is he talking to?
00:25:26.918 --> 00:25:28.158
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, why do they call him Mr.
00:25:28.178 --> 00:25:28.378
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Wonderful?
00:25:28.838 --> 00:25:30.938
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is it because he's wonderful or is it sarcasm?
00:25:31.278 --> 00:25:39.958
Kirsten Brand: I think a little of both, you know, because he's got an interesting personality, but he's really smart and, like, very quick.
00:25:40.138 --> 00:25:51.758
Kirsten Brand: And I think he just, I think for the show, he has a lot of a job to, like, dig deeper and get into the harder questions and then be very like, oh, well, because of that, I'm out.
00:25:52.218 --> 00:25:55.538
Kirsten Brand: But he does dig deep and you know your stuff.
00:25:55.638 --> 00:25:58.438
Kirsten Brand: They are fascinating, like, back and forth.
00:25:58.558 --> 00:26:02.178
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, they, yeah, they definitely are sharks for a reason.
00:26:02.198 --> 00:26:03.538
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They have a lot of experience.
00:26:03.558 --> 00:26:07.498
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So just the fact that you went there is almost like you were mentored by them a little bit.
00:26:08.038 --> 00:26:08.678
Kirsten Brand: A little bit.
00:26:09.198 --> 00:26:11.278
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Did they give you good feedback?
00:26:11.578 --> 00:26:16.258
Kirsten Brand: There was, there was a lot of good feedback of like, okay, well, you came from the right industry.
00:26:16.278 --> 00:26:17.338
Kirsten Brand: You know what you're doing.
00:26:17.358 --> 00:26:22.818
Kirsten Brand: Like, there was a lot of good stuff, not like some people get like, you don't know what you're doing.
00:26:25.818 --> 00:26:26.038
Kirsten Brand: Right.
00:26:26.058 --> 00:26:28.118
Kirsten Brand: So it was nice to hear the good feedback.
00:26:28.838 --> 00:26:35.778
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, would you, so you do recommend the experience to other pet industry entrepreneurs, specifically in the pet industry, would you?
00:26:35.798 --> 00:26:38.698
Kirsten Brand: Oh, yeah, I would, I would recommend it to anybody.
00:26:38.718 --> 00:26:47.418
Kirsten Brand: But I think in the pet industry, because we can create so many more products that are in need right now, because it's an ever-expanding market.
00:26:47.458 --> 00:26:55.998
Kirsten Brand: I think we have a little leg up, because we wouldn't be like, oh, you know, here's another soda or here's another brand of chips with a different ingredient.
00:26:56.018 --> 00:27:03.418
Kirsten Brand: Like, our entrepreneurs are truly coming up with with needed solutions and different things that haven't existed so far.
00:27:03.838 --> 00:27:07.278
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, so last question is about your product, actually.
00:27:07.278 --> 00:27:20.518
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How long between, say, like, ordering it and your pet actually wearing it comfortably, would you say people should expect when they plan their maybe Fourth of July orders or their New Year's orders?
00:27:20.818 --> 00:27:32.558
Kirsten Brand: So, we do give a 60-day trial period because some dogs take to it right away and some dogs, you know, take three or four times or just a longer duration because their PTSD is so bad.
00:27:32.818 --> 00:27:33.098
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Right.
00:27:33.098 --> 00:27:48.858
Kirsten Brand: But we generally turn around orders outside of the massive holiday time in like three or four days, business days, work much later hours and bring in a staff going into the Fourth of July and try to turn everything around in two days, three days there.
00:27:48.878 --> 00:27:54.158
Kirsten Brand: And we work six days, well, seven days a week because we do work on six days but not a full day.
00:27:54.258 --> 00:27:59.158
Kirsten Brand: So we would love if everybody started planning in May for the Fourth of July.
00:27:59.178 --> 00:28:02.618
Kirsten Brand: But some people behind us until a week before or two weeks before.
00:28:03.118 --> 00:28:06.018
Kirsten Brand: So we offer different shipping options at that point in time.
00:28:06.578 --> 00:28:10.398
Kirsten Brand: Generally, we're just standard mail postal service to keep costs down.
00:28:10.698 --> 00:28:17.258
Kirsten Brand: But going into Fourth of July, we're like, hey, if you want to overnight it, we will get you to the top of the list and do it.
00:28:17.578 --> 00:28:27.258
Kirsten Brand: You know, for a cost, but people do because they understand the longer that their dog can get used to it, the easier it is on them and the dog.
00:28:27.658 --> 00:28:28.038
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Awesome.
00:28:28.058 --> 00:28:28.378
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:28:28.398 --> 00:28:30.758
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So where can my audience learn more about the product?
00:28:30.758 --> 00:28:35.538
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And do you have any helpful tips for them when they acclimate their pet to the product?
00:28:35.658 --> 00:28:37.738
Kirsten Brand: We're at pawnix.com.
00:28:37.758 --> 00:28:40.018
Kirsten Brand: That's pawnix.com.
00:28:40.038 --> 00:28:51.358
Kirsten Brand: We have a lot of information, content, blogs, we have good reviews on TrustPilot, we're on the social medias, and all of our handles are PawNix ANC.
00:28:51.378 --> 00:28:54.118
Kirsten Brand: And good tips.
00:28:54.438 --> 00:28:56.298
Kirsten Brand: So we love treat training.
00:28:56.698 --> 00:29:08.438
Kirsten Brand: We love slow introductions to the headset, give a couple treats, then, you know, let them wear it for a little while, give a couple more treats, get to the point where you can play a little music, give a little more treats.
00:29:08.458 --> 00:29:21.738
Kirsten Brand: And this is all great to do before any loud event comes, because they associate it with, like, getting treats and love from you, instead of, like, ooh, the loud event is here, now it's gonna be scary helmet time.
00:29:22.078 --> 00:29:46.718
Kirsten Brand: And when people have done that, and they've done treat training before, and their dogs get to realize that I don't hear the sound the same way, and it's like, now I hear this, we get so many written letters and emails about, oh, my dog will now ask for the pawnix when they know a thunderstorm is coming, or something's going on, and there's a loud noise outside, and they go to where the pawnix is.
00:29:46.918 --> 00:29:53.078
Kirsten Brand: So they get to know the benefit real quick, as long as you give a little love in advance.
00:29:53.538 --> 00:29:54.218
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:29:54.358 --> 00:30:16.218
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm a big believer in doing things slowly with dogs, acclimating them slowly, so I muzzle trained a dog a few years ago before she passed away, and we used pouches through the muzzle, and it was so much easier than having to force her down and pin her down and put it on, and she wore it happily on walks because she associated the walks with the muzzle.
00:30:16.258 --> 00:30:32.678
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Once we had properly introduced it, I've seen dogs wear goggles for motorcycle rides or for having their head out the window in the car, which I prefer dogs be harnessed in the car, but if you're going to let your dog have its head out the window, nice goggles are a good idea.
00:30:32.898 --> 00:30:43.538
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think that every day we're getting more feedback from the dogs themselves that these things are possible and they will accept these things, but we just have to train them, introduce them and train them properly.
00:30:44.038 --> 00:30:49.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that you have guidance for your customers on that because it's not always the easiest thing to do.
00:30:49.878 --> 00:30:53.878
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You don't know where to start, so the fact that you have some kind of guide is great.
00:30:54.178 --> 00:30:57.638
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think one of the biggest things is don't give up after the first time.
00:30:58.098 --> 00:31:05.738
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Just like if you're harnessed training a cat, they're going to flop, they're going to hate it the first day, but little by little, they start getting used to it.
00:31:05.938 --> 00:31:10.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's just like if you put a bra on a baby, they're going to be like, what is this?
00:31:10.938 --> 00:31:16.538
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It takes time, trust us wearing bras, that it takes time to acclimate to a lot of things for humans too.
00:31:16.558 --> 00:31:17.498
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Pets are no different.
00:31:17.778 --> 00:31:20.218
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I just want to propose a toast to you, Kirsten.
00:31:20.238 --> 00:31:23.838
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you so much for being my guest and for this awesome conversation.
00:31:24.118 --> 00:31:24.538
Kirsten Brand: Thank you.
00:31:24.558 --> 00:31:26.198
Kirsten Brand: This was a very fun show.
00:31:26.518 --> 00:31:27.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm so happy to hear that.
00:31:27.878 --> 00:31:28.598
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I try.
00:31:28.618 --> 00:31:34.438
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I really enjoy it, so I hope that my enjoying my guest translates through the screen and through the radio.
00:31:34.738 --> 00:31:38.178
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I also want to propose a toast to our executive producer, Mark Winter.
00:31:38.198 --> 00:31:38.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you, Mark.
00:31:38.878 --> 00:31:42.858
Isabel Alvarez Arata: He's the radio guru who gets this out to all the podcasting platforms.
00:31:43.218 --> 00:31:47.738
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And of course, to my audience, thank you for joining me for these awesome conversations.
00:31:48.118 --> 00:31:51.358
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here's to a life covered in pet hair, because there's no better way to live.
00:31:53.238 --> 00:31:58.538
Isabel Alvarez Arata: To learn more about covered in pet hair, please visit coveredinpethair.com or petliferadio.com.
00:31:59.438 --> 00:32:04.058
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thanks for watching and please rate the podcast so that it gets out to more people.
00:32:04.218 --> 00:32:05.918
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will see you next time, thanks again.
00:32:06.898 --> 00:32:12.958
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets, every week on demand, only on petliferadio.com.