Our Story

Hi! My name is Jennifer, and this is my dog Flower.

"YES I'm real! And this entire site was created because of me :) ..."

 

Along with my amazing partner, Ramsey, we started this site together…though really, Ramsey and I did all the hard work and Flower just looked cute.


How did we get to where we are today?

 

It all started back in September 2009 when I decided to adopt a dog. My first - and only - stop was the Los Angeles County pound in Carson, which was a high-kill shelter euthanizing around 50% of all animal intakes at that time.


Needless to say, knowing that half of the dogs I saw there would likely be put down really tore at my heartstrings. 


Crying and blubbering like I had just finished watching The Notebook, I went inside the pound to ask the desk clerk which dog was “in the most trouble” - a more polite and indirect way of asking “which dog was scheduled to be euthanized next.”


A couple computer clicks later, I was sitting on the ground of a small enclosed area waiting to meet a dog identified as "A4026717" - a sick, scrawny, and malnourished 1-year old Chihuahua-Dachshund mix, who had been brought to the shelter as a stray intake one week prior.

 

 Paperwork for dog "A4026717"

Original paperwork for dog "A4026717"

 

A pound employee came out with the small pup in his arms. He warned me saying the dog was anxious, didn't trust humans, and likely wouldn't approach me. But the moment that dog’s paws touched the ground, she ran straight into my lap. It was one of the most heartwarming moments I’ve ever experienced in my life.


Obviously, I knew right then and there that THIS was my dog.

 

The little pound dog who stole my heart

Hoping to be rescued from the shelter

 

Thirty dollars and one "holding" day later, the sweet Chiweenie was in my car on the way to my apartment. As you can probably guess, that dog was Flower. :)


It might sound like the perfect ending, but life rarely imitates fairy tales. Our first few months together were tough. Being a stray, Flower had a litany of health issues. Sarcoptic mange, dermatitis, alopecia, erythema, pruritus, staph infection - things I didn’t even know how to pronounce, nor what they even meant - were part of our daily lives.

 

 Flower before her treatment

Flower before treatment


For a short time, they made life pretty uncomfortable for Flower. On a few occasions, they even scared the living crap out of me.

 

Imagine seeing a bunch of tapeworms squirming around in your dog's poop one day, and coming to the realization those same worms were the weird unidentified glob-looking things you saw all over the top of the blanket that morning. The same blanket you had slept underneath all last night…yikes.

 

But in the end, it only took about four weeks and a couple hundred dollars before Flower started to look like a normal, healthy dog.

 

Flower after treatment 

Flower after treatment

 

Something I learned early on while trying to protect her skin was that Flower truly enjoyed wearing clothes. Maybe it's from all the attention she gets when dressed up, or maybe it's because clothes give her a feeling of warmth and security - something she never had as a stray. 


Regardless of the reason, once I knew Flower liked clothing, I became a dog apparel shopaholic. I have spent YEARS finding the most adorable outfits for my dog, Flower. Countless hours online searching for clothes that would make heads turn, jaws drop, and people say, “awwwwww...!

 

After losing my job, I decided it was time to turn my obsession into a business. With the help and support of my amazing partner, Ramsey, that's exactly what I did. 


As I’m sure you already figured out, this store - My Dog Flower - is aptly named after my sweet, fashion-forward rescue dog and best canine friend… Flower.

 

So here we are today, a small little family sharing their adorable pet apparel finds with you at prices that won’t make you totally cringe.

 

The pieces you'll find on our site are truly unique - things you'll never find in the big brand name pet stores. Every pet and pet owner has their own style and personality. We believe our apparel can help showcase it! 


With that, I’m really happy you are here, and hope you something uniquely perfect for your best four-legged friend on our site.

❤️❤️❤️