Frugal Friday: Canine Kerchiefs and Canine Crunchies by Bow-Wow, Inc.

Little Girls Trying to Make a Big Difference

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with two spirited and charming young ladies, Daviana Englander and Emily Larabee, ages 10 and 11 respectively, who have founded Bow-Wow, Inc. for the sole purpose of raising money to for animal shelters.

Daviana and Emily, founders of Bow-Wow, Inc.

I met with the girls to gather clues as to why the started this venture, what their goals are, how they make their goods and how you can support their effort.

Daviana’s (Davi, for short) and Emily’s mothers had met years ago but the girls only became friends around 2008, when they met playing soccer.  From there the girls have clearly grown to be close friends.  (evidenced by goofy behavior that often arises when girls of 10 and 11 get together for an afternoon of interviews and smoothies – giggles, teeth chattering, talk of Guinea pig tutus, et cetera) Both girls attend school in Cambridge, MA and they share many activities, including swimming, horseback riding and gymnastics, as well as their love of animals and their creative, giving spirit – all key pieces to this puzzle.

About a year ago, Davi and Emily , were bored and wanted something to do.  Davi had recently read an article about the financial hardships that shelters were experiencing due to the economy and the girls got to thinking and decided they were going to do something to help.  They were too young to volunteer, but that didn’t deter them!  The girls decided they would make dog neckerchiefs, cleverly called, Canine Kerchiefs,  to sell so that they could raise money for various shelters – and thus Bow-Wow, Inc. was born.

To make the Canine Kerchiefs, the girls pick out the fabric (which Emily especially loves and I suspect she gets this trait from her mom!), as well as occasionally helping cut the pieces which are then sewn by Hannah, Emily’s mother.  Davi and Emily complete the process of assembling baskets of their Canine Kerchiefs by folding them up very nicely and then adorning each one with a ribbon and tag.  The finished product is very professional and practically gift wrapped for you!

A sampling of the girls' products - find out how to purhcase or win below!

Because the money is being raised to go to animal shelters, local pet stores have allowed them to put their baskets of Canine Kerchiefs out for people to purchase, and you too can support the girls while getting a great gift for just $5! That in itself is a good deal but when you factor in that the girls are donating this money to places like the MSPCA, you’ve got a product and a donation all rolled into one.  This is one of those gifts that give back!

The girls expanded their efforts and decided they wanted to make treats as well, dubbed, Canine Crunchies, that they sell for just $4.  While we sat in the cafe, they came up with a very cute Valentine idea for dogs, which I will of course be featuring on the site as soon as they have some ready. Apparently, the treats are their favorite to make since it is such a hands on project for them and they even make different sized treats to accommodate different sized dogs.  Smart girls!

Emily’s and Davi’s goal is to make a donation to a charity each time they earn $150.  The first charity they have chosen to donate to is the MSPCA and then they will be doing some research and choosing another shelter that they want to support.

It makes sense that Davi and Emily have chosen to donate to help the animals they so obviously love.  They were all smiles as they talked about their own pets.  Between them, they have a cat, a dog, 3 degus and 8 Guinea pigs, many of them rescues from shelters.  Inspiring isn’t it?

The girls' Guinea pigs!

If you want to support their cause, there are a few ways to do so:

• * Locally – they have their items in Animal Spirit, Laundromutt (upstairs in the lounge) and Pet Spa.

• * Online – you can contact them via e-mail to place an order. They have expanded their business to include cotton, flannel and fleece Canine Kerchiefs as well as homemade Canine Crunchies.

• * Additionally – if you have a business, and would like to support their efforts, why not contact them about placing some of their products in your store? 

Eventually, the girls would like to raise enough money to have their own website as well, but for now they are content to try to sell locally and via e-mail.

If you live in the Boston area, you might have even seen their wares – that is how I initially learned about Bow-Wow, Inc.  I was getting dog food from Animal Spirit for my own pup and I saw their display…only you might recognize the girls by their pseudonyms, Ashly and Katy!  When they first started Bow-Wow, Inc, the girls were just at that age where make-believe and figuring out their own identity conspired to make them want to try on a different name for size, so they created adorable displays with their pseudonyms and contact info.  (I’m sure many of us remember that age…I always dressed up in disguises when I was playing detective and often went by, Gloria!)

I was warmed to see how supportive Davi’s and Emily’s moms (Audrey and Hannah, respectively) were about their daughters’ work. They help with the numerous trips to the fabric store, sewing, driving to restock the baskets, and, perhaps most importantly, the emotional support.

Please support this noble and sweet effort! Contact them today to place an order or visit one of the businesses that are generous enough to display their products.  Share this post with friends and colleagues to help Emily and Davi support the animals they so dearly love! (as easy as clicking the orange “+” icon below)

These make terrific gifts for the dogs you own or as a gift for your friends who have dogs. They have seasonal, sports themed and fashionable offerings for any pet. The Canine Kerchiefs are 20″x20″ and will fit most dogs.  (I fold Isabelle’s in half so that it forms a smaller triangle so it is definitely adjustable for those of you with smaller dogs!)

Want to win a Canine Kerchief to give or to keep?

Well, I’m having a Canine Kerchief GiftAway and entering is really easy! 

Three opportunities to enter:

1. leave a comment on this post (equals 1 entry)
2. send a pic of your dog (equals 1 entry)
3. become a member (equals 2 entries!).

Deadline to enter is March 1, 2010 and winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail. (E-mail addresses are not disclosed to third parties!  Please enter with the e-mail address you would like to be notified at if you win.  More info on my Privacy Policy here.) Good luck!!!

Happy gifting!