Monster Mutts
Toys that are good for your dog and the planet.
Both our dogs and the planet deserve what's best, don't they?
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More often than not dog toys are not made to catch the attention of dogs but rather their owners, who purchase them. While they are fun at first, most dogs become quickly bored of some toys if they're not what they love.
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It's also common for dog toys to be ruined within a few hours, if a new toy is purchased every day not only does it quickly become expensive, but there is also a lot of waste.
Every year, an estimated 634 million dog toys end up in our landfills, which is equivalent to 40,500 tons of waste.
I wanted to design a dog toy that was durable and sustainable. To understand the effect of disposing of these toys and their CO2 impact during their entire life cycle, I disabled a multi-part dog toy and calculated emissions. The emission per dog toy ended up being around 1.6 lbs., which might not seem like a lot but once you take in how many might have been produced it adds up quickly.
I then began to sketch ideas based on limiting materials and thinking about the product's end of life so that ultimately there would be less waste.
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I narrowed down my initial sketches to four designs then refined them.
I decided to move forward with a customizable dog toy that contained edible parts so that there would be no waste. I developed different "body" options as well as possible add-ons.
I did a lot of research into materials that were both sustainable and durable so at there would be less waste. I decided on Himalayan Dog Chews, Bully Sticks, and several hemp options because they are very durable and produce low carbon emissions during manufacturing and end of life.
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I then began to create prototypes first from clay and paper to figure out sizing then lastly with silicone to figure out the final material.
I also did form studies for the bottom of some of the toys. I chose the X option because it would allow enough space for fingers to pull through the additions for the toy. Both the circles would make the form too flimsy and make it easy for the dog to chew from the middle making the treat fall out from the sides. The X shape would make it more attractive for the dog to try and get the treat out once they eat the sides.
For the final models, I 3D modeled molds where I poured the silicone. I added sliders so that there would be channels to put the additions through.
I then sketched packaging and created prototypes. Having different dog types might encourage owners to want to find their dog breed and buy the toy (similar to Coke bottles and names). I also wanted to keep the design very minimal reflecting the use of minimal and sustainable materials. Ideally, this would be printed directly onto the cardboard with either black or white ink. Having few colors also allows the toy to pop and doesn't compete for attention.
Then I assembled the toys along with the packaging and add-ons.
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About:
Senior Product Development Studio Project.