Small Business Spotlight: Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique

Several weeks ago as I looked into my drawer where I store all of Alaska’s accessories such as collars, leashes, bandanas, apparel, harnesses, bows and bowties, I came to the realization that Alaska’s accessory collection had grown exponentially thanks to gifts from friends and family, winning giveaways on social media, modeling for different pet accessory businesses, and blowing away money on things I just couldn’t resist passing up. If you’re on the same crazy dog lady wavelength as I am, you can relate! Otherwise, you’d just call me C R A Z Y! 🙂

So I’ve decided to put together a Small Business Spotlight Series on the blog focusing on talented pet accessory/gear businesses that I’ve had the chance to interview and put their products to the test! This is pretty exciting as I’ve never reviewed pet accessories before, but will hopefully be interesting for my readers who are looking for unique, handmade and functional fashion statements while supporting small businesses that are often overlooked and under-appreciated.

With introductions aside, I’m thrilled to present Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique!

About

Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique was created by Olivia Hogan, a passionate animal lover who has always wanted to own her own business. She combined both passions into a store for pets after falling in love with sewing and making accessories for her own dog, George.

Product Offerings

Fleece Rope Toys are available in 3 sizes: large (70+lbs), medium (40+lbs), and small (40-lbs); 3 colors (Blue and Grey Twist, Red Plaid Pup, Yellow Grey Twist)

Bow Ties are available in 3 Sizes (Large, Medium, Small); 5 Colors (Black Arrows, Spring Flowers, Puppy Prints, Under the Sea, Ocean Splash)

Collars are available in 3 Sizes (Large 1″, Medium 1/2″, Small 5/8″); 5 Colors (Black Arrows, Spring Flowers, Puppy Prints, Under the Sea, Ocean Splash)

Price Point

Toys: $3.86

Bow ties: $4.32

Collars: $12.48

Materials and Production

Fleece is used for toys; collars are made with fabric, plastic buckles, plastic tri-glide pieces, and metal D-rings; and fabric and velcro are used to make the bow ties. All accessories are handmade with a sewing machine, with the exception of the fleece rope toys. For the toys, Olivia takes strips of fleece and braids them to make a strong thick tie that can withstand strong pulling and tugging.

Our Review

As a model for Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique, we received a fleece rope toy, collar and bow tie of our choice. I chose a toy in Yellow Twist, a collar in Under the Sea, and a bow tie in Black Arrows.

The collar is there.. just buried in Alaska’s fluff factor! 🙂

We received our items in the mail 2-3 weeks later. Because everything is made to order, it may take a while for the owner to make and ship the products to you. However, you cannot rush quality so the wait was not a problem for me.

Alaska loves the fleece rope toy; it is the perfect size for her and extremely durable for bouts of tug-of-war considering it is made of pure fleece. I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy it is made and holds up to heavy chewing, tossing, and tugging.

The collar and bow tie look lovely on Alaska. The collar resembles a classic denim fabric and the black arrows bow tie stands out against her white fur. The size fits seamlessly and is 100% resizable to allow room for growth. The bow tie is attached to the collar by a thin, black elastic that slides onto the collar. It stays in place and does not twist or fall awkwardly in place.

A better look at the denim collar.

Further Thoughts

Because Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique is very new to the pet business landscape, it does not have much fabric variety at the moment. What I would like to see in the near future are collars made out of webbing to which fabric is sewed on, for sturdier longer-lasting collars. The collars that are offered now are only made with fabric, so they can be quite flimsy. Another nice touch would be metal hardware for the buckles to add a more sophisticated look to the products. The good thing is that Olivia has assured me that these are definitely in the works to be added to the shop once it earns more sales. The last suggestion I have would be better packaging for the products – something that I always look forward to (like getting a fancy wrapped-up present in the mail).

The price point is very affordable, and on the lower range of boutique pet accessories. This is a huge plus considering all products are handmade in the home, rather than machine-made in a large factory like many mainstream pet accessories.

The best part is that Olivia is very accommodating and quick to respond to questions and comments. Her love for her work is evident in her products, and I look forward to ordering from Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique again in the near future!

Stay Social!

If you enjoyed everything you read in this post, be sure to learn more about Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique on Instagram @ruff_n_fluff_boutique, Twitter @RuffnFluff and Facebook @Ruff ‘n’ Fluff Boutique.

Happy Shopping! 🙂