How the Love of Two Puppies Created Pawfect Pals

You know our products. You know our designs. Now meet the woman behind it all: Kyla!

Pawfect Pals products are known for being bright and beautiful, yet the inspiration for it came after Kyla experienced some dark days. Personal challenges and the loss of loved ones, both humans and pets, had her feeling down. At times, it felt like the world was crumbling around her. There was only one place she thought to turn.

"The one thing I could rely on to support me and to make me feel loved was my dogs."

One night, while lying on the lounge with her pups and boyfriend (now husband), Ryan, Kyla started thinking about how special the relationship is between humans and their dogs.

"I imagined all the people out there just like us. The ones who know the true, unconditional love dogs bring to our lives is worthy of celebration. I turned to Ryan, told him what I was thinking, and said 'I want to create something for them'."

It wasn't long before Kyla and Ryan came up with a plan to make affordable, thoughtfully-designed dog accessories inspired by the love and friendship embodied in our pets.

Still, there was a lot of work to be done! They spent the next year testing materials and printing methods to ensure the beautiful designs Kyla had created could be brought to life at the highest possible standard.

"We decided that while our products should be affordable, we weren't willing to compromise on quality. It was important that everyone who supported us could trust our products to keep their dogs safe, secure and happy."

The same amount of attention is put into every design. From custom colouring everything from the lead clips to the harness piping, to spending hours meeting new dogs and researching ideas, Kyla spends a lot of time making sure Pawfect Pals stands out.

"From the start, we made a point of being different from the rest. I don’t like creating designs that don't feel unique, so I spend months exploring and testing colour palettes and creating mood boards that feature artwork from around the world, as well as cool drawings I see online, before bringing it all together to make something truly special.

"When I am creating designs, I think of the dogs who will wear them as fur-babies. I imagine all the different pawsonalities that will be complemented by a certain creature, object, or colour palette, and work to create a design I know pet owners will see their pups or cats reflected in."

Pawfect Pals launched in 2017, and it wasn't long before Kyla was shipping products to like-minded people who fell in love with the brand. Now, she calls everyone who connects with Pawfect Pals "family".

"There's a quote that goes, 'I care about 10 people in the world, and about 632 dogs (that I've never met) on Instagram'. That feels pretty true to me!

"We didn't create Pawfect Pals because we thought it would be easy. We did it because we love dogs. We know that dogs are family members and deserve to be loved.

"When you spoil your dog with a Pawfect Pals accessory, we want to hear from you. We want to see your dog wearing it. We burst with happiness if we see a dog out and about wearing our gear, because it means getting to see our products become part of a much-loved dog’s life, and that makes us happy.

"Whether you're the human to one of our AmbassaDOGs, or a one-off customer, we will always care about your dog and rejoice in the love and friendship you share. That's why we think of all of you as family."

Speaking of family, Kyla and Ryan have two pups of their own - Yogi Bear and Lilo.

Yogi Bear is a four-year-old Toy Cavoodle who went from the naughtiest pup around ("he stole and ate a whole Easter bunny out of my sister's cupboard!") to the most chill dog on the block.

The Don't Worry, Don't Hurry range was inspired by Yogi's easygoing attitude, as his spirit animal is definitely a sloth. You'll also find him out at the beach in Shell Yeah, "because the relaxed vibe of turtles suits him pawfectly!"

Mini Cavoodle Lilo is his younger sister. A rare dog who loves pats more than food, she's the sweetest little girl we know. The soft pink tones of the You Give me Butterflies range were chosen because of how good they look on her, while Sunshine on my Mind is a reference to Lilo's ability to light up a room.

Four years have passed since Pawfect Pals entered the world, and Kyla's love for what she does has only grown stronger in that time. When she's not designing, or creating fun and engaging social media content, she's responding to customer messages alongside Ryan and her sister-in-law, Christie.

"It's important to us to be helping customers personally. We acknowledge the care people are showing for their pets when they reach out to ask a question or get some advice, and we want them to feel cared for in return."

So what does the future hold?

"We want to create more offerings that suit the individual needs of all our four-legged friends. That means more designs, more sizes, and some brand new types of products! Ultimately, we want our loyal customers to have a wardrobe of Pawfect Pals products suitable for all their pet's needs.

"I also can't wait until pet events start up again, and we can get back out there, meeting the pups and humans who helped make our dream a reality."