The Day a German Shepherd Changed the Pet Industry
“New ways of looking at things create much greater innovation than new ways of doing them. ”
What do a VW Bus, a German Shepherd and a chewy dog toy have in common?
It turns out more than you’d think.
In the late 1960s, Joe Markham owned a small garage in Denver, Colorado.
The business was keeping him busy, but he had a problem.
His German Shepherd, Fritz, had an appetite for chewing things.
Tennis balls, rubber dog bones, and pieces of old leather.
Nothing got past his nose.
One day, while working on a Volkswagen Type Bus, Markham noticed Fritz grab a discarded rubber suspension part from the garage floor.
Instead of destroying it, Fritz became obsessed.
The rubber was extremely durable and when thrown it bounced unpredictably, making it great fun.
Most importantly, Fritz couldn’t destroy it, which kept him coming back for more.
Markham quickly realised he’d stumbled upon something.
Using the VW part as his guide, he protoyped a snowman shaped toy with a hollow centre.
That hollow centre later became a crucial feature: it could be stuffed with treats, keeping any dog entertained for a long time.
He named his new product KONG, reportedly after the toy’s indescturbulity reminded him of King Kong.
Today, KONG toys are used worldwide not just by pet owners, but by trainers, vets and animal shelters.
It’s a wonderful example of the power of paying attention to the unusual.
There are breakthrough ideas that are hiding in plain site.
