Better Tether Transcript
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Meet Ed Yoder, he’s an active tinkerer, who loves his dog Toby. He’s also a guy who likes to get things done, like mowing the lawn. But, his pet stake in the yard, always seemed to be in the way and slowing things down.
Inventor: Ed
It was always an aggravating thing, that you know, I gotta pull the stake out to mow. Most of the time, I wouldn’t pull the stake out or I’d take it out and have to put it back in… I wanted a pet stake different than any other pet stake. I went to the local tractor place to try to find one. The girl there taking care of that section, I told her I wanted a pet stake that’s below ground, so that I don’t stumble over it and she said, well if you think you’re so smart, why don’t you invent one? That’s all she needed to say!
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Ed wants a new kind of dog tether. You know, one that he doesn’t need to yank out every time that he has to go mow the grass.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Since people have owned dogs, there’s been a need to tether them outside for exercise and for other doggy type activities when we’re busy. The point is, we don’t want our furry friends to run away, get hit by cars, or end up in our neighbor’s yard. Our mission is to create a better tether device for Ed and his dog Toby.
Jason, Creationeer
I absolutely relate to it, in fact, I’ve actually hit a stake in the backyard with my lawnmower. I actually hit it with my wheel, instead of the blade.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Jason got the nod for Ed’s idea. His team had to invent a pet stake that was easy to use, cost effective to make and appealing to consumers.
Narrator: Jason, Creationeer
Through our process, we decided,well we’ll marry up a bowl with a standard stake that you’re familiar with, everyone has seen in the store. So, we went along with something that is already manufactured for use in simplicity and cost savings.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
The team came up with the design that takes a standard pet stake and surrounds it with a cone that has a hole in the bottom for drainage and you screw it down in the ground, so someone can mow over it.
Dan, Licensing
Originally, we presented this product to Fuzz-Butt Marketing and Fuzz-Butt came back… They were kind of lukewarm, so, so that led us to eventually present the product to Hugs [Pet Products] several weeks later and as soon as Hugs saw the item, they were ready to move on it, right away.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
During our meeting with the Hugs Pet company, an executive said, “What about food and water?”
Dan, Licensing
One of the big problems that dogs have when they’re tied up or tethered up, is, they knock their water bowl over and they knock their food bowl over. I had the distinct pleasure of going back to Jason and his team and letting him know that, hey we have to go back to the drawing board and start over.
Inventor: Ed
It really doesn’t matter what I think, [because] the whole things is, that it’s accepted on the market and it sells.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
So, the team had to go back to work and redesign Ed’s idea to not only solve his problem, but also resolve the food and water problem.
Jason, Creationeer
Someone said, well whenever you put the stake through the bowl, there’s a hole in the bottom of the bowl and all of the water will drain out. We said, well it’s not a water bowl, it’s just to hold the stake to keep you from running over it with your lawnmower. And then we were like, wait a minute…
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
The answer was right under their noses. The cone was redesigned in the shape of a two sided dog bowl that screws into the ground. The world’s first humane dog bowl tether had been invented! Before we sent the design to Hugs, we, of course, had to properly test it.
Jason, Creationeer
Hey Clay.
Clay
Hey, what’s up?
Jason, Creationeer
I need your help with something.
Clay
Okay
Jason, Creationeer
We’re working on a project called the Better Tether.
Clay
Okay
Jason, Creationeer
And, when we thought about testing this, we said, how are we going to test this and try to get into the head of a dog. That’s where you come in.
Clay
Really?
Jason, Creationeer
Really…. I will see you outside….
Jason, Creationeer
Okay Clay, so here’s the deal. We’ve got you dressed up on a beautiful sunny day. You can spend your afternoon outside. Got a dog bowl. I have a leash strapped to a regular old tether that everybody has at home. I will hook you up. Ok.
Clay
Thank you.
Jason, Creationeer
And, we have this costume.
Clay
Yeah, well, I have…
Jason, Creationeer
Dogs don’t have thumbs.
Clay
Nooooo
Jason, Creationeer
We have to… We’ve gotta keep it real. I don’t want you unhooking yourself.
Clay
You know, technically speaking, a dog has the option of going to the bathroom at any time that they want.
Jason, Creationeer
Ha, well, you have that option as well. Well good luck, and a… Happy Testing! Just be a dog Clay, just be a dog.
Clay
Okay. This is a… Hey, ah, my water fell over already. Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (much like barking)
Clay
What are you looking at?
Jason, Creationeer
Okay Clay, time for phase two. You look like a thirsty puppy. Clay, Clay, come on boy. Come on boy. Are you okay? … Ready for a drink, I bet, huh? What do you think of that? Okay…
Jason, Creationeer
He was definitely relieved when I came out with the Better Tether. He was thirsty. I gave him a new bowl that wouldn’t spill. Filled it up with nice cold water. He’s a happy puppy.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Ed’s idea went into production with Hugs and it was ready for the store shelves!
Dan, Licensing
Jason’s team did a great job of taking Ed’s original problem, Hugs’ feedback, and incorporating them all into a final design.
Inventor: Ed
I thought to myself, Oh My God, somebody likes it.
Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
With the Better Tether on its’ way to becoming a success, we invited Ed to Inventionland for a special treat.
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Well there you go, you saw it on paper and now it’s for real.
Inventor: Ed
I couldn’t have done it better myself. Haha
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Clover (George calls dog over) – Come here girl. Good girl. Yeah, you know what goes into that bowl, don’t you? Let’s see what we’ve got here. Oh wait, hold on, I think this might be for you (George hands Ed a rolled up piece of paper<)/p>
Inventor: Ed
Oh, is that right? Haha. Is it something that I could eat?
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
It’s a nice little surprise… It’s your first royalty check Ed!
Inventor: Ed
Wow, that is surprising!
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
Congratulations.
Inventor: Ed
$11,000!
George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison
For us, that is a really rewarding experience. And in Ed’s situation, what’s particularly rewarding, he had some people that didn’t believe in his idea. But, he did it. He pulled it off and I’m glad that we could help him do that.
Inventor: Ed
I will tell you. That’s a great feeling. I’m really proud that I invented a more humane way to tie up your pet outside. I know that I’m the last chapter of the book and that’s good to know that. It’s mostly, that I could make a little mark. Just a small man like me, could make a little mark in life.
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