Creators of the 4 Legged Bodysuit!
In New York City, parks are where dogs and their owners walk, run and meet with friends. Our first Italian Greyhound Rescue, Matisse, came in summer 1998. We went to the park every day. By fall, I learned how much weather affected him. Windy days in September were hard. In chilly October Matisse shivered. By December, Matisse was too cold to go out, even to do his business quickly.
Dog clothes were hard to find and coats didn't fit. They came in 3 generic sizes and only covered the back. Matisse's chest wasn’t covered, and his thin legs were exposed and freezing. What to do?
A costume designer friend and I designed a heavy fleece suit sized and shaped for Matisse. It covered his whole body, including the chest and legs, with a harness opening on the back. The suit stretched sideways, so there was no need for zippers, velcro or buttons. We called it a “Bodysuit”.
Matisse wore his Bodysuit outside for the first time in January. He was warm and protected from the weather. And he was incredibly happy- going for long walks, playing with other dogs, running in the snow. He didn’t notice if it was freezing, windy or snowing.
A friend asked if I could make a Bodysuit for her mini Dachshund, Lucy. I designed suit, cut to Lucy's shape and leg length. She loved it! Lucy and Matisse were the warmest dogs in Riverside Park.
Other owners asked if I could make Bodysuits for their dogs. Like us, they couldn't find clothes that covered enough of the body, fit right, stayed on and were warm. Bodysuits were made for Pugs, Whippets, and even a Teacup Yorkie.
Then, an idea came. Why not start a dog clothing company with fitted clothes sized and shaped for the breed?
In a class for manufacturing and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, students laughed at the idea of a dog clothes line. There wouldn’t be any demand, they said. My teacher, Mary, the head of marketing for a major fashion designer, thought it was a great idea. She showed me how to manufacture clothes in the city- taking me to fabric warehouses, label and tag producers, cutting rooms, sewing companies, and put me in touch with a great pattern maker. Houndz in the Hood was born!
In May 1999, Houndz in the Hood was launched online. By 2000, we made fitted Bodysuits, Overcoats, Raincoats, and Jammies for many different breeds. Customers told us about their needs, so we added Sweaters, Sweatshirts, Lightweight Shirts, Rompers and medium weight fleece bodysuits for fall and spring. In 2007 we started making Hooded Bodysuits as well.
Today, the dog clothes industry is booming. Most clothes are still generically sized, but ours are shaped and sized to the breed. Houndz in the Hood clothes are sewn in NYC and will always be made in the USA. We use the finest fabrics and sewers for clothes that are functional, fashionable and made to last. My Iggys wear Houndz in the Hood clothes, so they have to be the great.
Houndz in the Hood is very proud to be the creators of the 4 legged bodysuit and the first manufacturers of clothes fitted to the breed. We have Matisse and Lucy to thank, because the creation of this company was inspired by them. That is why you will see the icon of a Dachshund and an Italian Greyhound everywhere on our site!
Terri Goodwillie
Houndz in the Hood