I'd Rather Be With My Dog

What I'd Rather Be With My Dog does

I'd Rather Be With My Dog (IRBWMD) is a private, direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand founded in 2016 by musician Doug after he wrote a song inspired by his dog Oggy. The company sells pet-themed apparel and accessories (t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, beanies, hats, and lifestyle accessories) alongside Dave's brand pet food and treats (digestive-friendly, kidney-friendly, 95% premium meats, restricted-diet formulas). Distribution runs primarily through a Shopify-based online store, supplemented by a wholesale program and a custom co-branded "Merch for Rescues" offering where 50% of profits are returned to partner rescue organizations.

The technology stack is deliberately simple and asset-light: a Shopify e-commerce storefront with non-phthalate silk-screen printing performed locally in Holyoke, MA (with secondary production in Atlanta, GA), and pet food/treats manufactured in Chicago, IL using US-sourced ingredients (lamb and venison from New Zealand). Unit prices range from approximately $30–$90 for apparel and $13–$55 for specialty pet nutrition. The go-to-market is cause-driven: 5–10% of monthly sales are donated to rotating animal rescue causes, and time-bound humanitarian collections (e.g., Venezuela Strong, Colorado Strong) donate 100% of profits. Marketing relies on organic social, MailChimp email capture with a 20–25% sign-up incentive, a tiered loyalty program (Canine Club, Fur-Ever Friend, Best in Show), and rotating rescue-of-the-month storytelling.

Customer concentration is low and horizontal. The target base spans dog and cat enthusiasts, cause-driven consumers, and plus-size shoppers (extended sizing up to XXXXL). The customer footprint is global, with shipments reaching China, Indonesia, Russia, and Australia. The firm employs 11–50 people and is headquartered in Chamblee, GA. No external funding rounds, parent companies, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed in the source material, indicating a founder-owned, bootstrapped operating model.

Name

I'd Rather Be With My Dog

Legal name

I'd Rather Be With My Dog

Website

https://idratherbewithmydog.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I'd Rather Be With My Dog (IRBWMD) is a private direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand selling pet-themed apparel and Dave's brand pet food/treats via Shopify, donating 5–10% of monthly sales to animal rescues and running a co-branded Merch for Rescues program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet-Themed Apparel & Pet Products

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

SIC

Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAFACAH

Pet Care & Pet Supplies DTC

Consumer Products & Retail/E-commerce & Marketplaces/Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brand E-commerce

SECONDARYCRAFAEAJ

Pet Supplies Omnichannel

Consumer Products & Retail/E-commerce & Marketplaces/Omnichannel Retail E-commerce

SECONDARYCRALAHAC

Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick)

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Pet Supplies Retail

Keywords

• Dog themed apparel
• Pet themed clothing
• Pet treats and food
• Rescue charity apparel
• Pet lover merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

East Longmeadow

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Apparel Sales: Primary revenue from selling apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tanks, shorts, joggers, beanies, hats, and accessories through the Shopify e-commerce store. Prices range from approximately $30-$90 for apparel items.
2. Pet Food and Treats Sales: Sales of pet food and treats including Dave's brand products for dogs and cats. Treat varieties include Digesti-Bites, digestive-friendly treats, kidney-friendly treats, and various canned dog foods. Treat prices range from $11.99-$54.99.
3. Custom Rescue Merchandise Program: IRBWMD creates custom merchandise for rescue organizations featuring co-branded designs. 50% of profits from rescue merchandise sales are donated back to the rescue organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IRBWMD is a lifestyle brand that designs, produces, and sells dog- and cat-themed apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, tanks, joggers, hats, accessories) along with branded pet food and treats (Dave's brand) through a direct-to-consumer Shopify e-commerce store. The company donates 5-10% of monthly sales to animal rescue organizations and offers cause-driven collections where all profits are donated.

Product overview

I'd Rather Be With My Dog (IRBWMD) is a lifestyle apparel and pet products company built on a rescue mission. The core offering consists of multiple branded apparel collections including the main IRBWMD line (t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, crewnecks), the patriotic Pawtriotic collection, summer sports gear, plus-size options, and headwear/beanies. The company extends its brand into pet nutrition through Dave's specialty pet food and treats, including grain-free and digestive-friendly formulations. IRBWMD operates cause-driven collections like Colorado Strong and Venezuela Strong where all profits are donated to humanitarian efforts. Additional offerings include a loyalty rewards program, wholesale distribution, and a custom Merch for Rescues program that helps animal shelters raise funds through co-branded merchandise. All apparel is silk-screened locally in Holyoke, MA, while pet treats are manufactured in Chicago, IL with US-sourced ingredients (except lamb and venison from New Zealand). The company donates 5-10% of monthly sales to different animal rescues and causes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IRBWMD Apparel Collection Core apparel line featuring t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, crewnecks, sweatshirts, and outerwear in various styles including pigment-dyed, tri-blend, and specialty prints, targeted at dog and cat lovers.
• Tank Tops Collection Best-selling tank tops including ladies racer tanks, unisex tanks, and muscle tanks in various patriotic and pet-themed designs.
• Pawtriotic Collection Patriotic-themed apparel collection featuring American flag designs, varsity styles, and military/tactical themed products including t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, and accessories.
• Summer Sports Collection Athletic and sports-themed apparel featuring team-inspired designs, soccer gear, trucker hats, and summer athletic wear including jerseys, varsity jackets, and performance tops.
• All Cat Collection Feline-focused apparel and accessories featuring cat-themed t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, beanies, and cat food/treats for cat owners.
• Beanies & Hats Collection Headwear collection including beanies, pom beanies, baseball caps, trucker hats, snapback hats, vintage distressed caps, and specialty-themed headwear.
• Shorts & Joggers Collection Bottoms collection featuring unisex joggers, sweatpants, and summer shorts in various pigment-dyed and printed designs.
• Plus Sizes Collection Extended size apparel featuring plus-size hoodies, t-shirts, and specialty items in larger sizing options up to XXXL.
• Accessories Collection Pet and lifestyle accessories including mugs, sherpa blankets, dog bandanas, tennis balls, poop bag dispensers, car magnets, and gift bundles.
• Dog Treats (Dave's Brand) Premium pet treats including Dave's Digesti-Bites, digestive-friendly treats, kidney-friendly treats, and treat samplers made in the USA with quality ingredients.
• Dog Food (Dave's Brand) Specialty dog food including 95% Premium Meats canned food, restricted diet bland formulas, and weight management recipes for dogs with dietary needs.
• Cat Food (Dave's Brand) Cat food products including variety packs of naturally healthy and saucy pate cat food in multiple sizes.
• Venezuela Strong Collection Humanitarian aid collection where all profits are donated to support animals and emergency supplies in Venezuela, featuring t-shirts, tanks, hoodies, and hats.
• Colorado Strong Collection Regional support collection with all profits donated to Colorado animal relief efforts, featuring Colorado-themed t-shirts, hoodies, tanks, and accessories.
• Dave's Pet Treats and Food Line Combined pet nutrition line under the Dave's brand including dog treats (Digesti-Bites, kidney-friendly, digestive-friendly), dog food (95% Premium Meats, restricted diet, weight management), and cat food (variety packs, pate) sourced and produced in the USA.
• Merch for Rescues Program Custom merchandise program for animal rescue organizations where IRBWMD designs and hosts co-branded apparel collections on its site, with 50% of profits from the rescue's collection donated back to the organization.
• Wholesale Distribution Program Wholesale distribution program enabling retailers to purchase IRBWMD apparel and treats at wholesale pricing for resale in physical or online stores, with inquiries directed to the company.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Halfway There RescuecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIRBWMD partnered with Halfway There Rescue in NC in 2023 to launch custom branded merchandise. IRBWMD created 10+ custom apparel items featuring co-branded designs with the rescue's logo. The rescue receives 50% of profits from their collection's sales. Over $500 was donated to the rescue through this partnership.
• Canine Pet RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured rescue partner where adoptable dogs (Dex, Ace, Kye) are showcased on IRBWMD website to help with adoption visibility.
• Peaceful Passings Senior Animal RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular donation recipient and featured as Rescue of the Month multiple times (January 2024, April 2024, February/March 2024).
• Mid Atlantic German Shepherd RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular donation recipient and featured as Rescue of the Month (February & March 2024) and May 2024.
• New England Branch of the American Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation recipient in honor of finding a cure for canine/feline cancer. Featured on Save Dogs page with CEO Doug presenting a donation check.
• Additional Rescue PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple additional rescues: Just Giants Animal Rescue, Capitol Canines, No Stray Left Behind, Home Free Animal Rescue, Atlanta Beagle Rescue, Long Island Bully Rescue, Mr. Mo Project, Australian Cattle Dog Rescue, Friends to the Forlorn, Big Fluffy Dog Rescue, Yorkie911 Rescue, Grey Muzzle Organization, Dakin Humane Society, Jethro's Anipal Sanctuary, Rescued Hearts Northwest, Your Dog's Friend, Stray from the Heart, PAWsitive Action Alliance, Washington Humane Society.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Petco: National pet specialty retailer with growing private-label apparel and treats. Comparable to IRBWMD on selling pet-themed apparel and treats across physical and digital channels, and as a competitor that can leverage scale on both.
• Blue Buffalo (General Mills): Mass-market premium pet food brand owned by General Mills. Comparable to the Dave's brand portion of IRBWMD on natural/positioned pet food and on omni-channel distribution through pet specialty and grocery.
• Chewy: Largest US online pet retailer carrying food, treats, apparel, and accessories across virtually every pet brand. Comparable to IRBWMD on e-commerce-first pet products distribution and on increasingly competing in private-label pet apparel and gifts.

Direct peers

• Life is Good: Cause-driven lifestyle apparel brand with an Optimist mission donating a portion of sales to children's causes. Highly comparable to IRBWMD on cause-marketing model, graphic tee/apparel mix, and Shopify-based DTC + wholesale distribution.
• BARK (BarkBox): Direct-to-consumer pet products company selling toys, treats, and food through subscription and e-commerce. Comparable to IRBWMD on DTC pet products distribution and the treat/food extension, and on building a community-led pet brand.
• The Mountain: Graphic apparel brand known for nature and animal-themed t-shirts. Comparable to IRBWMD on screen-printed graphic tee assortment, mid-market price points, and broad DTC + wholesale distribution.
• Dog is Good: Direct-to-consumer pet-themed apparel and lifestyle brand targeting dog lovers. Closest comparable to IRBWMD on product category, target customer ('dog is good' / 'I'd rather be with my dog' personas), and DTC model.
• Wild One: DTC pet lifestyle brand selling premium pet products (leashes, harnesses, feeders) and human-pet crossover accessories. Comparable to IRBWMD on target customer and pet-anchored lifestyle brand positioning, though more product-design-led.

Emerging players

• Stella & Chewy's: Premium raw and natural pet food brand sold through DTC, pet specialty, and independent retail. Comparable to IRBWMD's Dave's brand pet food on the specialty/natural positioning and omnichannel pet food distribution.
• Happy Howie's: DTC dog treat brand selling healthy, single-ingredient chews. Comparable to the Dave's brand portion of IRBWMD (pet treats sold through the same Shopify storefront) and on US-manufactured, health-positioned treats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dougratner
• Facebookfacebook.com/ratherbewithmydog

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about I'd Rather Be With My Dog