Dog lover Laurie Stephens always wanted to find a way to help the animal rescue community. Rather than start a nonprofit, she wanted to sell goods that would attract and benefit consumers while supporting the community. In 2020, she launched Love Dog Republic and its flagship subscription box. Whereas most canine subscription boxes focus on toys and treats for dogs, Stephens wanted to show “dog moms” a little love, too.
“I thought, ‘Somebody needs to bring kind of a fresh eye to this whole dog-mom box thing,’” she says. “Because there are dog moms that… would like to be a little bit more surprised every three months when they get their boxes.”
Love Dog Republic takes a more luxe approach, and Stephens touts inclusions such as a water bottle that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker (with dog walking in mind), spa products, candles, coffee mugs, tumblers, totes and beach towels. There are also items for dogs, from collars and leashes to bowties and bandanas. Each box brings its own variety of goodies. “It’s a labor of love, actually, and it’s important to me that aesthetically they’re really pleasing when you open them, and that all of the products go well together,” Stephens says.
In addition to its standard four subscription boxes a year ($69.99 each), Love Dog Republic offers themed boxes (seasonal and holiday), retails its accessories online and at Little O’s, and participates in pop-ups at O.H.S.O. brewery.
