The Irish collar collection is for my dad. I know he would be very proud of what we are doing with Kudo the Dog.

My dad was an anti-Internet kind of guy. His thinking was always, don’t put yourself out there for people to see your flaws. Well, I’m full of flaws, and I keep pushing to become a better person. I’m far from perfect, all I can do is learn from my mistakes and grow with my success.

I lost my dad in October 2023. I have been sober since then. I wasn’t drinking much before I lost him, but after watching him suffer, I knew I needed to change. I vowed to quit drinking completely for my dad. I have too much to do in this life to waste my time and energy on alcohol.

My dad was a proud Irishman. He showed off his Irish pride whenever he could. He even wore an Irish kilt to walk me down the aisle.

Dad really loved his dogs and was truly heartbroken when he lost his dog, Dexter. Shortly after my parents lost their home to a fire, Dexter was old and couldn’t handle the stress. My parents stayed with us during that time, and Dexter pretty much stayed on the porch, refusing to come inside. My dad stayed by Dexter’s side, sleeping with him on my front porch.

Dexter was a giant Mastiff, topping the scale at over 200 pounds. He had been showing his age before the displacement, but the stress was too much for him. Dad never left his side, and when the time came, he knew we had to let Dexter go over the rainbow bridge. It broke his heart.

Many people never knew how kind and gentle my dad was under his tough exterior. He loved his family, and the dogs were part of the family. And when my parents moved back home, they welcomed two new dogs into their family. We know he did that to make sure Mom wouldn’t be lonely, and for that, she is grateful.

My dad was my hero. In my eyes, he couldn’t do anything wrong. If I had an idea — even if it was totally out there — he would help me make it happen.

When I was young, I read the book Pierre in the Air. That book made me believe that if I had enough balloons, I could fly. I told my dad I wanted to fly, and he put me in the car. We went around town buying every helium balloon we could find. Store after store, we drained the tanks and filled the van to the brim so I could fly.

When we got home, Dad tied a safety line to me and started tying the balloons on. I never flew, but that day was the beginning of something bigger — Dad never letting me give up on my dreams, no matter how crazy they were.

So I know how proud he would be of me and Kudo the Dog.

Every collar I make brings a smile to my face. Every collar I sell makes a difference through our give-back program. Every time I meet someone who knows our little brand, or I see a dog walking by wearing one of our collars or using one of our leashes, my heart grows. We are making a difference, one small piece at a time.

This Irish collection is in honor of my dad, William James McNerney.

It’s time to embrace our Irish heritage. We are proud to introduce our new line: the Irish Flag, the Celtic Knot, and the Lucky Shamrock.

Dad, this collection is for you. I love you, keep flying high!