A Note From Our Founder
Over the past several days, we’ve been listening closely to feedback about our recent marketing campaign in New York City. I want to thank the customers who cared enough to reach out and share their perspectives with us in thoughtful ways.
I know that for many people, this wasn’t just about a piece of advertising. It felt personal, and it hurt and I want to acknowledge that first. The last thing we would ever want is for anyone in the dog community to feel disrespected, dismissed, or excluded because of something we put into the world. Honesty is part of our name for a reason. Sometimes that means saying plainly: we got this wrong and we are truly sorry.
Our goal was to celebrate dogs of all shapes and appearances and to be a little self-deprecating about our own food, which many people joke “isn’t the prettiest”. I truly regret that it ended up missing the mark in an uncomfortable and unintended way for some in our community. Once it became clear how the campaign was being received, we took action to remove all advertising from New York City.
Where We Missed the Mark
Through our conversations with breeders, exhibitors, and longtime customers, we came to understand that the campaign did more than cause hurt for some people. It unintentionally reinforced a common misconception about canine conformation: that it prioritizes appearance over health. That framing isn’t accurate, and I’m deeply sorry that our message contributed to it.
Context and timing mattered here. We chose to run a campaign that played on the idea of “prettiness” during Westminster week, a moment when the dog world is focused on structure, soundness, temperament, and the generations of careful breeding that support healthy, functional dogs.
Ethical conformation is not about looks alone. It exists to preserve health, temperament, and function over generations, and it reflects an extraordinary level of care and responsibility. By leaning on that contrast at that moment, we made the wrong choice. It added to a narrative that events like Westminster are about appearance, rather than the health and longevity they are meant to uphold.
Why This Matters to Me
I’ve lived with and loved purebred dogs for twenty-five years. My own Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rowan, is an AKC Champion, and over the years my family has included dogs from ethical breeders and rescues alike. I know firsthand the care, responsibility, and lifelong commitment that go into responsible breeding, showing, and stewarding healthy dogs, and I would never want our work to make anyone feel that they or the dogs they love were being criticized or diminished.
Our Commitment Going Forward
In addition to ending the campaign in New York, we’re taking a hard look at how this message was framed and how it intersected with a moment that carries real meaning for the dog community.
Going forward, we’ll be more thoughtful about how timing and context shape the ways our messages can be received, especially during moments that matter deeply to the dog world. We’re committed to making sure our future campaigns are fully inclusive.
We remain deeply committed to celebrating all dogs and respecting the many ways people responsibly care for them—through breeding, showing, competing, rescuing, training, and loving them as family.
This experience reinforced something we already believe: when you have a voice in the dog world, you also have a responsibility to use it carefully. We take that responsibility seriously, and we will continue to hold ourselves to that standard and always strive to act in ways that are deserving of your support.
With appreciation,
Lucy Postins
Founder & Chief Integrity Officer
