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Business & Tech

Critter Corner: Local Entrepreneur Collars Market

Blocky dogs are a passion

The general term blocky dog describes medium- to giant-sized dogs with large blocky heads and thick necks; think of pit bulls on the smaller side and mastiffs or American bulldogs on the larger. Specifically, however, Blocky Dogs trademarked collars are the brainchild of local entrepreneur Rebecca Reed. These specially designed collars reflect her life experience with American bulldogs.

“Safety is always first,” Reed says. Safety has several aspects: the collar must be wide enough not to choke or bite into the neck, and strong enough to withstand the force of a muscular dog running at full tilt. With some neck sizes of 27 inches or larger, it is also important to get one that fits.

The collar must be a viable restraint in keeping an animal out of traffic or from presenting itself as a possible threat. It’s cute when a puppy is frisky, like in the old Coppertone advertisements, or when a poodle yipps at the garbage men stealing the trash, but it is not laughing matter when the dog involved weighs as much as – or more than – a person. Blocky dogs also like to gambol and play, but their actions are often misinterpreted by the public.

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As the proud owner/guardian of several highly trained American bulldogs, Reed works hard to dispel stereotypes. On a personal level this means that her dogs are well trained and channel their energies by being therapy dogs or in competitions of skill and talent. Challenging stereotypical images is reflected in her collars.

Because she custom makes the collars before putting on the Blocky Dogs logo, Reed has turned down orders she feels are detrimental to the breed. There are no spikes or skull and crossbones emblazoned. For example, her therapy dog wore a collar inspired by the playful colors of Gymboree. This broke the ice with kids and adults who would often strike up conversations, rather than turning away.

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There are playful collars and working collars, too. Blocky Dogs outfits many police, law enforcement and military K-9 departments. The quality and workmanship shows through in both the fanciful and serious collars. Reed labors under the intelligent gaze of Gangbusters Buster-Beaumont and T’aerra-Zona, and under a wall full of trophies and ribbons. Not all the photos are of her dogs, either. There are smiling children and folks in nursing homes.

She has autographs of singers and actors with blocky dogs, too. Her biggest claim to fame was Holly Hunter’s dog in Saving Grace wearing Blocky Dogs. With more and more exposure, Reed says people have come up to her and said “That’s a Blocky Dogs collar, isn’t it?”

Although her exact technique is confidential and the logo trademarked, there is a lot of basic quality fabrication involved in the making of a collar that fits perfectly and does the job well. The fittings are stainless and brass. The material is a washable nylon. The prongs go through grommets that are not only crimped into place but further reinforced with a heat melt sealing. For the collar to fit properly, two widths are available. “A collar should fit easily between the top of the shoulder and the base of the ears; it should not look or feel like a neck brace,” Reed states.

Reed’s dogs have helped her break into the male-dominated world of large breeds, but the quality of her collars has taken the local Blocky Dogs product into 28 different countries. This is an international success story built on firsthand experience, love and respect of blocky dogs. Visit with Reed at many of the local events like the Paws for a Cause Adopt-a-thon, or contact her via the Blocky Dogs site.

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