Paired paws

Concept

Paws stems from my own guilt over leaving my Goldendoodle, Huckleberry Finn, at home alone. My love for Huckleberry and his happiness, coupled with the dog breed illustrations style I developed, lead me to drawing on the two to solve a problem.

Paired Paws’ main objective is to create a viable platform for dog owners to connect for shared yard play dates. Through education, market research, and personas the look will be curated to the tastes of educated, sensitive, tech savvy pet owners living in cities.

Paired Paws is a community dedicated to connecting dogs with canine companions.

“Pairing Paws when you can’t play”

Challenge

Develop a strategy that utilizes private yards for off leash playdates for dogs. Gauge viability, market interest, and user types. Develop a platform in which owners can match their dog’s play style and personality for a successful playdate. Consider all possible problems that could arise during dog playdates in a privately owned yard and translate this to information needed in a dog’s profile.

Solution

Paired Paws was born not only from my personal need, but from the growing need in Seattle as a city, and dog owners everywhere. Paired Paws creates opportunities for people with a yard, with a dog, with both, or without either.

The logo was designed to fit the pet marketplace by using a bright and friendly orange with a rounded typeface. A border collie was chosen as the mascot of Paired Paws for its recognizable look, endless need of stimulation, and friendly ears.

The illustration style is meant for use in app and print. Users select a dog breed icon to represent their dog’s breed. If one is not available to fit their needs, they have the option to upload a photo and have a custom icon generated. Additionally, users will be given the opportunity to order merchandise with their dog illustration including mugs, calendars, cards, wrapping paper, etc.

Timeframe: 12 Weeks

Role: Concept, Research, Logo Design, Illustration, UX and Mobile App Design

Tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Sketch, Marvel

Deliverables:
Breed Illustrations, Research, Interviews (Rover and Play Doggie Daycare), Logo, User Personas, Whiteboarding, Dog Profile in App

Is it healthy to own a dog? Emotionally and physically? 

Studies have shown that interacting with a dog not only lowers a person’s blood pressure, but can cause a release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and feelings of love, in both humans and dogs.

Exposure to pet dander and the microbes that pets carry into the home from the outdoors is suggested to improve babies’ developing immune systems. Research has also found that children who grow up with dogs experience a reduced risk of allergies.

Studies have shown that owning a dog is scientifically proven to be healthy emotionally and physically.

Is it healthy to own a dog? Emotionally and physically? 

Studies have shown that interacting with a dog not only lowers a person’s blood pressure, but can cause a release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and feelings of love, in both humans and dogs.

Exposure to pet dander and the microbes that pets carry into the home from the outdoors is suggested to improve babies’ developing immune systems. Research has also found that children who grow up with dogs experience a reduced risk of allergies.

Studies have shown that owning a dog is scientifically proven to be healthy emotionally and physically.

Is playtime with other dogs important? 

Socialization is important to the overall well-being of your dog because it will provide them with the ability to develop skills to cope with new experiences in a positive way, therefore reducing your dog’s stress and improving their mental health.

Socialization is a lifetime journey. Though the foundation for your dog’s behavior is laid during the first few months, responsible pet owners reinforce social skills and continually expose their dog to new social experiences throughout the dog’s entire life.

A bored dog is a bad dog.

Veterinary experts agree that dogs need about 30 minutes per day of brisk cardiovascular exercise. 

Dogs need time to be pack animals, to find their place within their circle of friends, and to learn more about being a dog.

Do dog owners feel guilty leaving their pets at home alone? 

Experts agree that dogs get lonely when they spend much of their time alone because they are pack animals. Descended from wolves, who live and work in groups, dogs are social beings, and we have become their pack members. If they are deprived of companions—both canine and human—they suffer.

In a 2000 person study 75% said they felt guilty leaving their dog at home while they went to work. Dogs are a part of the family more than ever, it’s natural for owners to empathize with a family member.

Animal behaviorists agree that dogs need environmental stimulation and companionship, just as humans do.

More and more dog owners are willing to spend the money on dog walkers or daycare for their pets.

Do dog owners feel guilty leaving their pets at home alone? 

Experts agree that dogs get lonely when they spend much of their time alone because they are pack animals. Descended from wolves, who live and work in groups, dogs are social beings, and we have become their pack members. If they are deprived of companions—both canine and human—they suffer.

In a 2000 person study 75% said they felt guilty leaving their dog at home while they went to work. Dogs are a part of the family more than ever, it’s natural for owners to empathize with a family member.

Animal behaviorists agree that dogs need environmental stimulation and companionship, just as humans do.

More and more dog owners are willing to spend the money on dog walkers or daycare for their pets.

Seattle dog owner behavior proved the need for more OLAs

In 2015 Seattle Parks and Recreation took an online survey of about 4000 dogs owners to get insight into the habits of Seattle dog owners. It’s clear that Seattle dog owners prefer off leash play time, and they are willing to break the leash law to give their dogs the chance to run and play.

The only concrete proposals the new OLA plan of 2016 offers is writing more tickets for people with off-leash dogs in areas where they should be leashed and restricting the number of dogs that dog walkers can bring into OLAs.

Unfortunately the city is not addressing Seattle’s lack of adequate OLAs.  

Paired Paws User Types

Depending on the user’s situation there would be lots of opportunity for arrangements to be made to secure a sitter to supervise your dogs play dates.

If you have a yard and a dog, but no sitter Paired Paws would work with you to find a sitter to look after your pups. If you work from home, are a stay at home parent, or are retired and have a yard you’ll have opprotunities to be a sitter/host if you have a dog of your own or not. 

Our aim is to provide companionship and a stimulating environment for your dog. In order to provide a safe environment supervision is essential.

A Paired Paws user could participate in a combination of ways to suite their needs.

Paired Paws Dog Profile Section in App

The dog profile section in Paired Paws is very robust. Much like online dating, the more the owner fills out about their dog, the better the algorithm is able to generate matches. Aside from the usual information an owner will enter (age, breed, sex, weight), the most important information dog owners enter to yield a good match is as follows:

Plays Well With:

Dog sizes represented by illustrative icons ranging from 0-15, 16-40, 42-100, and 101+ pounds.

Play Preferences:

Broken down by percentages of how much they like to wrestle, sleep, fetch, and play with toys. This quickly gauges if the dog is looking for a physical playmate or more of an emotional companion.

Behavior:

The behavior section hits on habits that a dog might have that will affect neighbors, the host’s yard or property. These address chewing, escaping, digging, and barking. Motivation indicates how the host will be able to interact with the dog. Commands let the host clearly understand what the dog does and doesn’t know. Finally there is a text entry option to fill out anxiety or fears.