Kudo the Dog came to life during one of the hardest seasons of my life.

As one life ended, another began. I miss Kudo every single day. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. But at the same time, something beautiful came from that loss. We built something that honors the love we have for our dogs, and every time I see one wearing our gear, I’m reminded why we started.

First Friday was one of those moments.

Brad and I were in our usual spot up on the hill overlooking the band and the crowd below. From a distance, we spotted a young Golden Retriever. Right away, we could tell she wasn’t a show Golden—she was a field retriever. She was running, playing, and living life to the fullest. We sat there watching her, laughing about her endless energy because it reminded us so much of Luke.

Later that evening, she wandered up near our tent. Brad struck up a conversation with her family about field retrievers and everything we’ve learned from having Luke.

Then they said something that instantly made us smile.

“Oh, we already have one of your collars—and we love it.”

Because of Summer’s long golden coat, you could barely see the collar at first. But when we looked closer, it told a story. It was dirty from swimming, stained from rolling in the dirt, and showed all the signs of a dog who spends her days chasing adventures. Yet it was still doing exactly what it was made to do. It was strong, functional, and ready for whatever adventure Summer found next.

And honestly… isn’t that what it’s all about?

Our collars aren’t meant to stay clean in a drawer. They’re meant to be worn through muddy trails, lake swims, long hikes, and everyday adventures with our best friends.

That night, Summer got a new collar. This one featured beautiful honey bees and was personalized with her name and phone number—just in case one of those adventures ever takes her a little farther than planned.

As the evening continued, we ran into another family who was already using one of our custom collars. They shared a story about their dog, Willis, who decided one day that he was off on an adventure of his own.

Like any dog owner, they were worried and wanted him home as quickly as possible. But they also told us they had a little extra peace of mind knowing his collar had his name and their phone number engraved on it. Thankfully, Willis’s adventure only lasted a couple of hours before he made it safely home.

Then there was another moment that stayed with us.

A man was walking by our booth, and you could tell immediately that he loved dogs. We made eye contact, and I could see the strain in his eyes. He gave us a small smile and quietly said, “I wish I needed a collar. I just lost my pup.”

There was a tear in his eye.

Brad and I looked at each other, smiled back through our own tears, and simply said, “We understand.”

There wasn’t anything else that needed to be said.

If you’ve loved a dog, you know that kind of loss. It’s a pain that’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it. In that brief exchange, we were simply three people who understood what it means to love a dog so deeply that losing them leaves a hole in your heart.

Stories like these mean more than people probably realize.

There are countless collars out there to choose from, and we never take it for granted that families choose ours. Every order, every conversation, and every dog wearing one of our collars reminds us why we keep showing up.

Last night was especially meaningful for another reason.

For months, I’ve had this big idea stuck in my head. (Brad will tell you I always have another crazy idea.) I’ve been wanting a small, portable laser that would let us personalize collars right at our booth.

This was the first time we made it happen.

There couldn’t have been a better night to launch it than First Friday, just one day before the Fourth of July.

Sadly, more dogs go missing on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year. Fireworks scare even the most confident dogs, and in a split second they can end up farther from home than anyone expected.

If adding a dog’s name and phone number to a collar helps even one family bring their best friend home safely, then every late night, every big idea, and every challenge along the way has been worth it.

Kudo the Dog may have come to life during a time of loss, but every story we hear reminds us that his legacy continues. It lives in dogs like Summer, in happy endings like Willis’s, and even in quiet moments shared with a stranger who simply missed his best friend.

And for that, we’ll always be grateful.