The Founders showcases the inspiring journeys of visionary entrepreneurs who turned ideas into thriving businesses. Dive into captivating stories and insightful interviews with founders and CEOs, as they share their challenges, triumphs, and industry insights in this ongoing series.
Dogs are a man's best friend — and Dog Friendly Co., an online-based dog apparel brand founded by Sydney siblings Sandra Abade and Luka Maric, seeks to blend style and function for friends around the world.
“We're a premium lifestyle brand, so we're designed to elevate the lives of both dogs and owners,” Abade tells Azzet. After starting with its flagship customised dog harnesses, the company now offers products like beds, hoodies, and chew toys, and boasts customers like Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton.
The Australian pet supply market has been growing rapidly; IBIS World has projected A$4.1 billion in revenue in 2025. In 2022, 69% of Australian households reported owning a pet, with dogs the most popular choice.
Starting off on the right paw
The idea for Dog Friendly Co. began with Abade’s own dog, Carlos. In 2019, Abade was unable to find a harness that would fit a dog of Carlos’ size. “I was looking for something that looked good, was practical and really good quality, and I was really struggling.”
As a longtime dog lover, Abade had already forged connections with other dog owners in her community. When she brought a prototype of a new harness to the dog park, “it just happened to spark people's curiosity instantly,” Maric tells Azzet.
“It all started with us creating this design, trialling it within our own circle of friends, and the demand just grew,” says Abade.
At the time, Abade worked in Qantas’ airport operations division, while Maric was in marketing. Their different skillsets helped the business start strong, Abade says. “It’s also nice to have someone to bounce things off as well, and not do it on your own.”
One early growth experience was optimising the brand’s inventory stock. “We oversold a lot in the beginning, because we weren't as experienced when it came to inventory management,” according to Abade. Now, she says, the company has learned to prioritise stock and order timing. “When it comes to inventory, it's something that is at the forefront of everything we do.”
Dog-friendly design
A major gap in the market that the siblings noticed was a lack of regulation or quality guarantees in pet products. When designing Dog Friendly Co.’s new line of dog beds, they were determined to ensure a high level of orthopedic support when other brands might not. “There are a lot of claims out there around orthopedic beds, but when you look deeper into it, they're not really giving any sort of support to the dog,” says Abade.
“We want to be known as the company that really looks after your pets. We want to see dogs happier and healthier because they shop with us.”
“The other part that really sets us apart in the design world is we also like to look at the style and trends that are happening,” says Abade. The brand includes limited-edition products and colour ranges, similar to a clothing company.
However, copycat products have emerged. In January, Abade was sent a TikTok video showing Kmart selling a similar-looking customised dog harness for a fraction of the price. Dog Friendly Co. started receiving Facebook comments complaining about low-quality products, only for customers to realise they had bought from a copycat brand.
“We stand by our quality,” says Maric, but “it can get worrisome, because sometimes customers think they're purchasing your brand when they're actually not.”
A paw-sitive future
Dog Friendly Co. will hold its first adoption event on Bondi Beach next month, in partnership with Sydney pet rescue organisation Maggie’s Rescue. According to Abade and Maric, their longstanding support of Maggie’s Rescue has already helped to increase adoptions from the organisation.
“When we donate, we create customised harnesses for them that say ‘adopt me’ on the side patches. It's doubled their adoption rates,” Abade says, “because foster carers who are temporary carers to these dogs that need adopting are going out and about using this harness.”
“We're also pushing really hard to expand into retail within Australia particularly,” says Abade. Dog Friendly Co. started expanding into retail in New Zealand in 2024, and its products are now carried by Auckland-based retailer Petdirect.
Dog Friendly Co. sees an opportunity to transform pet supply shopping in Australia. "Going to a pet store is kind of like going to Bunnings. It doesn't really have any sort of personality behind it, or flair.”
“We're trying to get that message across to some of the bigger pet retailers in Australia, to let them know that there is a new way of doing things.”
The siblings also plan to expand the brand into the United States. “The whole point of e-commerce is the fact that it can be global from day one,” Maric says. “So why not just try and get it out to as much people as possible?”
