Our Story
Our Story · Since 2008
It starts with a dog.
We know that life well. It’s the reason we started Dog is Good.
You probably didn’t expect to plan so much of your life around them. But now you know which restaurants welcome dogs, there’s a blanket permanently covering the back seat, and a walk together can turn your whole day around. They’ve worked their way into your routines, your relationships, and just about every photo on your phone.
Somewhere along the way, life with them became your favorite version of life. That’s the feeling behind Dog is Good. We create clothing and gifts that help you celebrate what your dog means to you, because a love that shapes so much of your life deserves to be part of how you express yourself.
How it all began
Before the brand, there was Zoe.
Before Gila Kurtz became a dog trainer, there was Zoe, an energetic Dalmatian mix who joined the family despite Jon’s initial insistence that they weren’t getting a dog. Gila had gone to meet a litter of puppies and fallen for her. Within days, Jon had, too.
Learning to train Zoe opened an unexpected door for Gila. She discovered that working with dogs brought together her love of animals and her passion for teaching people, and she went on to build a dog training business.
As a professional dog trainer, Gila kept running into the same frustration: finding fashionable clothing that expressed her love of dogs and that she actually wanted to wear. Dogs were a huge part of her life, and she wanted something that felt like her.
In 2008, cofounders Jon and Gila Kurtz launched Dog is Good (DIG). The idea was to create art and messaging that captured what people love about sharing their lives with a dog, including the parts you can really only appreciate if you’ve lived them.
That mix of affection, humor, and perspective has shaped our brand from the beginning.
Our mission
Changing lives one dog at a time.
Dog is Good was created to celebrate the remarkable bond people have with their dogs. Everything we create is a reminder of how great it feels to be with Dog.
A familiar face behind the brand
And then came BOLO.
If you’ve spent time with Dog is Good, you’ve probably met BOLO. She came into our lives as a puppy we raised through Leader Dogs for the Blind, with the understanding that we would eventually say goodbye so she could become someone’s guide dog.
When BOLO received a career change from the program, she came home to us. She instantly became a beloved part of our family and the heart of the Dog is Good brand.
Having her alongside us has kept our work personal. It’s easy to talk about the bond between people and dogs. BOLO gives us daily reasons to appreciate it, even when her contribution to the workday is an upside-down nap.
Read BOLO’s story
Living life with Dog
Made for people who get it.
When we create something, we think about where it will fit into your life. The sweatshirt you grab before taking your dog out on a chilly morning. A mug that belongs on your desk because the message couldn’t be more you. A gift for a friend that says, “I saw this and immediately thought of you.”
We want our designs to feel familiar in that way. To make you laugh, remind you of a dog you love, or put words to something you’ve always felt.
Your dog has their own habits, their own personality, and their own way of making your life better. You’re the one who knows them best. We’re here to help you celebrate that. We're here to celebrate living life with Dog.
Where our story takes us next
BOLO is still our beloved mascot, and these days she shares the job with her younger sister, Emi, a Labrador who has joined the Dog is Good family. Together, they also help with work that means a great deal to us: The BOLO Project. Having experienced how deeply a dog can change someone’s life, Gila founded the nonprofit to bring that connection to teens, helping them build confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of who they are. Dog is Good gives back to The BOLO Project to support that work, carrying the same belief that started our brand into the lives of young people. For us, changing lives one dog at a time means celebrating what dogs bring to our own lives and helping others experience it for themselves.
