About Us

 

American Dog was inspired by our amazing mascot, Gracie, a mix of Kelpie, Jack Russell and Shepard. Gracie was a surprise, the unintentional byproduct of a chance meeting between an indoor pet and an outdoor working farm dog. Her original owners worked for a Colorado-based design and manufacturing company. The company, Stryker By Design, known for manufacturing tactical products, fitness equipment, fashion bags, and outdoor gear and has been owned and operated by four women - Hayley Clark-Johnson, Tina Johnson, Tasha Hunsaker and Tina Anderson - for nearly two decades. After meeting Gracie, Tina J and Hayley decided to adopt her and shortly thereafter, the entire staff at Stryker became her family too.

 

Gracie spent her days at Stryker integrating herself with the company by picking up a toy, walking over to someone, and goading them into playing for a few minutes before moving onto the next person. Like clockwork. Working the crowd. The ladies soon came up with a brilliant idea, to channel the talent and resources at Stryker into making toys. Just for Gracie. Just for fun. Without a thought that it could become a business, the first few toys were made. They were top quality, made with the same tough material Stryker’s other products are made of; highly durable, military-grade fabrics and materials. They were clever, sometimes funny, and always designed for play between dog and people in mind. And they were made not for mass production and distribution, but for Gracie.

 

In 2014 American Dog was born and dedicated to designing and manufacturing 100% USA-made dog toys and accessories to share with you and your pups. Our dog toys and accessories are hand-produced on a daily basis by people who still believe in the American dream. A dream that keeps Americans working, keeps money in the US and stimulates our economy.

 

Our promise is to continue to build high quality dog toys that are a ton of fun to play with and that help strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners. We believe that all dogs deserve toys that can be interactively played with for hours. At American Dog, we stress the importance of playing with your dog, not letting the toy be a babysitter and be chewed on. The toys are made for aggressive players but not for aggressive chewers.

 

Today, Gracie’s owners still design her toys, and people like her original owners assemble them in their homes. Just like all products made by Stryker, the owners of American Dog are committed to proudly displaying a “Made in the USA” tag on all their products, forever. Not just some of the products, not just until it becomes inconvenient, not just until demand hits a certain point. Made in the USA: All products, always. American Dog isn’t seeking to make the cheapest toy. But for a few dollars more, dog owners can have the best toy. By remaining committed to its time-tested manufacturing process, American Dog is building trust. Once customers try American Dog products, they become lifelong customers.

 

Our Vision

American Dog will continue to make USA-made toys with an eye for good design. Every toy made will be designed to be a source of shared fun between dog and owner. Gracie’s Giveback will continue to help ensure that every dog has the opportunity to play. By creating high-quality toys that last, American Dog will build the trust that makes first-time customers lifelong customers. After the experience of playing with American Dog toys with their pets, those lifelong customers will become brand ambassadors, sharing with their friends and family the difference between buying and using a cheap toy and owning and enjoying a high-quality product. American Dog will continue to be successful because when each toy is wrapped and shipped, the excited pup on the receiving end isn’t getting a toy that was made for mass production: Every toy that ships is a toy that was originally made for Gracie.