Dog is Good, a “dog lifestyle” company for dog lovers in Los Alamitos, was honored last week at the national SCORE awards.
“SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals,” according to the association’s website.
Dog is Good, founded and co-owned by retired U.S. Navy Captain Jon Kurtz and his wife Gila, offers a wide variety of stylish and fun items through nearly 1000 retail stores nationwide and a variety of catalogs and websites. The company’s mission is to “Deliver Dogvergnügen,” a word they created to describe how great one feels when with their dog.
Since inception in 2007, the company’s award-winning products have offered up humorous taglines that are well understood and appreciated by dog lovers. Because the company licenses the brand to several manufacturers, as well as conducting wholesale and retail operations, the broad product mix ranges from puppy pee pads to bar towels to zippered hoodies for women.
The SCORE Awards is an annual event that celebrates the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses. At this event, SCORE recognizes the people and companies that have demonstrated unique vision, innovation and achievement in support of America’s economy and small business community.
According to co-founder and CEO Jon Kurtz, “This is a really great honor.
Kurtz, a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, subsequently served more than 27 years of active duty, and immediately went full time into the business upon retirement. But as a professional dog trainer, it was Gila’s passion for dogs that initially led the couple to recognize a void and a niche in the marketplace that they could fill.
Co-owner and sales director Gila Kurtz had this to say about SCORE’s contribution to the Dog is Good business, “We are really about creating, building and perpetuating a brand, so message is paramount. Leading us through a sort of ‘discovery process’ to articulate what we are really about was the most valuable thing we got from SCORE. One of our mentors, Tom Patty, who has a wealth of experience never told us what to do, but rather got us through a process over time.”
And as Jon Kurtz alluded to in receiving the award, every time the company grows into a new set of problems, there is a SCORE mentor standing by to answer the call.
Primarily still known for their award-winning apparel line, the Dog is Good brand is quickly becoming widely recognized in the pet, gift and home décor markets. They have developed a reputation for generously giving back to animal welfare organizations throughout the United States.
For more information about Dog is Good, visit www.dogisgood.com or contact Gila Kurtz, (562) 735-0219 or gila@dogisgood.com.
