Our Story

Bev Nodrick was fed-up. She was standing in the pet aisle at the local discount dollar store, staring at a range of dog-toy options that were clearly destined to be torn apart within the first five minutes of meeting their canine playmates: flimsy construction, too many things dangling, overstuffed, impersonal, uninspired.

Bev decided that instead of spending her money on a regular rotation of disposable junk, she’d get a lot more value for herself (and for Pavlov, her dog) if she simply made the toys herself. She wanted something that would last for at least an hour.

Bev is no stranger to toy-making. She’s been creating hand-made dolls, crafts and sewing projects for over 60 years. Faced with the challenge of making toys for non-humans, she started investigating materials that were designed to be tough – materials originally made for workwear. She patterned out a simple character shape that was easy to assemble and hard to shred apart. She fired up her sewing machine and took the time to ensure the pieces were stitched together with durable seams and rounded surfaces that resisted the endless gnawing of dog-jaws.

When Pavlov met her first prototype, they were instant friends.

Four months later, and they were still friends. Bev knew there would be no more toys from the dollar store, and she suspected that other dogs could benefit from more long-term playmates as well.

Bev Nodrick is based in Calgary, Alberta. She has 3 kids, 7 grandkids, and her sewing machine growls like a hotrod.