Crash Rated! The Ultimate Guide to Dog Car Safety
In this episode, Isabel shares a drink and a chat with Gordon Templeton and Andrew Churley, the guys behind Optimus Gear, makers of a revolutionary dog car harness that is currently the only crash-rated car harness on the market. Born from an incident with Gordon's pup, Nala, the idea for the Defender Harness evolved over seven years. Together, Gordon and his friend and Sales and Marketing Manager, Andrew, share their passion for pet safety with pet parents around the world by providing innovative, top-notch quality products that take vehicular safety very seriously. Watch and learn about the lack of regulation in pet-specific vehicular safety and how dangerous a quick trip to the vet can be for a pet that is improperly restrained. In addition, discover what makes Optimus Gear so different and why they are the best product currently on the market for car safety and dogs.
Listen to Episode #106 Now:
BIO:
Gordon Templeton & Andrew Churley are the duo behind Optimus Gear, top-quality, versatile dog safety harnesses made in Winnipeg. They are passionate about giving dogs and their pet parents the ultimate in peace of mind and security with their Defender harness and its wide range of accessories. Providing an A+ customer experience and ensuring your pet's comfort on every walk, ride, and more, Optimus Gear's one-of-its-kind crash rated dog dog car harness kits are a must-have for conscientious dog lovers. Gordon is a Mechanical Engineer, Husband, Father to two beautiful girls, and most importantly for this bio, dog dad to Nala. Gordon’s self starter personality led him toa 7 year mission of starting Optimus Gear to find an innovative solution to pet safety during travel. Every step of the way he and Nala have tested each product to ensure that they are perfectly modified to fit any lifestyle. Gordon, a black belt in Judo, scratch golfer, and a man who loves walks in the park knows the importance of convivence in every day life and he is so excited to finally be sharing that level of dedication with the world Andrew comes from an everything man background. From a degree in psychology, managing group homes, water park kitchens, day camps, and traveling the world he has landed here at Optimus Gear to add to his passion of helping people and animals. He is a Husband, and a Father to a Newborn Son, he is the Cat dad of the bunch and can’t wait for our new release coming soon! Andrew loves to play Team Handball, and a variety of other sports, and is currently taking in the new life of being a father. He joins Optimus Gear to bring excitement and inspiration to an already excellent product and can’t wait to continue to share it with the world.
Transcript:
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Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets!
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome to Covered In Pet Hair, a boozy show for pet lovers on PetLife Radio.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today, I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with two pet industry entrepreneurs that are raising the standards on pet transport and vesicular safety.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: One of my favorite things to talk about as soon as we come back from these messages from our sponsors.
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Announcer: For more information on how you can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network, visit petliferadio.com/advertise today.
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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And today, I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with pet parents, inventors, entrepreneurs, their adventure seekers, road trippers, coffee lovers and tree drinkers, their world travelers, fitness fanatics, adrenaline junkies.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: One is a black belt in judo and a guitar player.
00:02:04.042 --> 00:02:06.502
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The other is a very poor golfer, apparently.
00:02:06.922 --> 00:02:10.622
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And he was the provincial team handball goalie.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: They were both born and raised in Manitoba, Canada.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Gordon Templeton is husband to Dana, dad to daughters Naomi and Sydney, and dog dad to Nala, who we're gonna hear about.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then there is Andrew Churley, who is husband to Caitlin, dad to a son named August, and cat dad to Scout and Scamp.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: They are the force behind Optimus Gear, a line of crash-tested vehicular restraints for dogs.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome, guys.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so great to have you on the show.
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Gordon Templeton: Well, thanks for having us.
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Andrew Churley: It's great to be here.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: You don't know how excited I got when I got your email being like, we'd like to talk about vehicle safety and dogs, because I'm the person who drives around being like, dogs shouldn't be on their lap, and dog is sticking out of the car, and that person's irresponsible, and that's gonna be an accident waiting to happen.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that's me, my family accepts that about me, but is this a topic that truly is near and dear to my heart?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And we're gonna talk all about it, but before we do that, I wanna introduce our drinking game.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So anybody at home participating in our drinking game, obviously don't be driving, anytime you hear this word right here.
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Announcer: The secret word is Optimus.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Take a drink of whatever you're enjoying, be 21 in the US to partake.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think the drinking age is 18 in Canada, is that right?
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Andrew Churley: 18 or 19, depending on the province.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so be legal wherever you're joining us from.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Never drink and drive and always drink responsibly.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So you all got the memo, you got the assignment, you aced the assignment.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: What are you all drinking tonight?
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Andrew Churley: I'm drinking a gin and tonic from Patent 5 Distilleries.
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Andrew Churley: They're purple blossom gin.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can't get better.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Wow, I love the purple blossom gin.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that.
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Andrew Churley: I even have seconds if I need it.
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Andrew Churley: So, ooh!
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, ooh is right.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: How about you, Gordon?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: What are you joining us with?
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Gordon Templeton: I've got pork Gary Rouge.
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Gordon Templeton: It's a local microbrewery and it's their red ale.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love local wine or beer or something.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers to that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm actually going de-alcoholized today.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you believe this?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Can you believe what the world has come to?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm having a Cabernet Sauvignon premium de-alcoholized wine.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It contains less than one half of one percent alcohol by volume.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: The only reason I'm having this is because I went and bought a bunch to try.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because I'm a mom and sometimes I feel like having a glass of wine, but I don't feel like being tipsy.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I don't feel like being tired the next day.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is just okay.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm not going to lie.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's not my favorite.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I miss the alcohol.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Where the hell did the alcohol go?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But it is tasty for those people that want to have a glass of wine.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It does taste good, but it doesn't have the full experience of a glass of wine.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But here, let's toast to you being here and sharing this mediocre wine with me.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's actually tasty.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I just missed the tannin.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: The stuff that makes red wine wine, like that full-bodiedness, the burn.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, the legs.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: We got no legs here.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: All of that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I miss it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I miss it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But it is a healthier option, I guess.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And my kids probably appreciate that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I always introduce the show with a game.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And today is obviously no different.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want us to kind of ease into this conversation with a general worldview of dogs, specifically dogs.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: We're talking dogs today, because cats belong in carriers.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's just how it goes.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cats are always safest in carriers.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: With dogs, people get more creative because dogs come in all sizes.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So today's game, first game, is called Dogs & Cars Around the World.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's basically a true or false game where I'll tell you some trivia.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: You'll tell me if it's true or false.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's all about mostly regulation, laws, expectations throughout the world, and some extra little things about how driving with your dog might be dangerous.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So are you guys ready to play?
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Andrew Churley: Ready as we'll ever be!
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Alright!
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: This one is like low-hanging fruit.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is illegal in most countries to transport a dog in a closed trunk.
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Andrew Churley: It is illegal to…
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Andrew Churley: That is true.
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Andrew Churley: You cannot do that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: You know what?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I got this from petsthattravel.com.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think it's a UK-based blog.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And they said in most countries.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So this is not actually the case in all countries, though it should be.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Never put your dog or cat or any living breathing creature in a trunk.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you very much.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Alright, next one.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Driving with your dog on your lap or even unrestrained in your back seat can be as distracting as texting or talking on the phone.
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Andrew Churley: True or false?
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Andrew Churley: True.
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Andrew Churley: Definitely true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Definitely true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I completely agree.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I didn't need the good folks at petsthattravel.com to tell me that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can tell you that from watching the people on the roads in El Paso.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But yes, it is true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's just as bad as texting or talking on the phone.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But unfortunately, it's not regulated like those activities are.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Alright, here we go next.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And a lot of it was the United States because they didn't find much about Canada.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Currently, the only US state in which driving with loose pets in a vehicle is an animal cruelty law violation is New Jersey.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
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Gordon Templeton: True.
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Andrew Churley: That is true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, law enforcement officers can stop drivers who fail to transport dogs properly, such as having them on their laps, and they can get fines ranging between $250 and $1,000 in extreme cases, which to me is not even enough, but it's a start, right?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Step one.
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Gordon Templeton: Absolutely.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here's the next one.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: In a few states, the law can be ambiguous whether or not it's allowed to drive with your pet in your lap.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: True or false?
00:08:22.242 --> 00:08:22.802
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Very true.
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Andrew Churley: I'm saying it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is very true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is very true.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's actually false because I said in a few states, but it is almost all states, almost all states have ambiguous laws when it comes to whether or not it is allowed to have your dog on your lap, in the passenger seat, loose in the car, climbing the walls, body completely thrust out of the window.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: There are no specific laws.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Apparently in Nevada, Nevada bans cruel and inhumane methods of transporting animals.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, great, but like you can fight that having your pet in the backseat is not cruel and inhumane and it could still be legal, right?
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Andrew Churley: You could argue that in court at this time.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, it's like, what can I argue in court if I don't have a law degree and I feel like I could win that case?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So like, come on.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Although legislation may not specifically ban drivers from traveling with dogs in their laps, drivers in certain states can be charged under the existing distracted driver laws, true or false?
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Andrew Churley: True, true.
00:09:22.942 --> 00:09:27.122
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, but it's all about the law enforcement officer's kind of perspective.
00:09:27.742 --> 00:09:31.122
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If they even saw the pet by the time they arrived, all that stuff, right?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's like, distracted driver, mediocre at best.
00:09:35.182 --> 00:09:37.082
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here we go, this one you know, I know you know.
00:09:37.242 --> 00:09:43.042
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There is little to no regulation on the quality and efficacy of pet vehicle restraints around the world.
00:09:43.182 --> 00:09:43.562
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And pet restraints can be marketed as crash tested even though they may not have passed the crash test.
00:09:52.542 --> 00:09:52.982
Isabel Alvarez Arata: True.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I didn't know that, I learned that doing research for this show and I learned that on your website.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So if I pick up a harness that says like crash tested, it could mean that it was tested and the product failed but it still made it to my show.
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Gordon Templeton: Yeah, it's like I went to college, I got all D's.
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Andrew Churley: I always use the example that technically you can have a thing of dental floss tied around the dummy dog's neck and tie it to the part of the skin and then I could sell you that as a crash rate.
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Andrew Churley: I mean I paid the money, I did the test, it's now crash-rated dental floss.
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Andrew Churley: I did it, it didn't pass, I didn't say it, I'm sorry, crash-tested, it's crash-tested, I can't say crash-rated, it's crash-tested dental floss.
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Andrew Churley: It doesn't matter how bad the test went at this time because no one is governing it, it's just how it is.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So the words we should be looking for are crash-rated?
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Gordon Templeton: That and or successfully crash-tester.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Got it.
00:10:48.702 --> 00:10:51.402
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, we need to know the outcome of the crash test.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so Gordon, you are the founder of this enterprise.
00:10:56.502 --> 00:11:00.402
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You are the one that came up with the idea to improve what's out there.
00:11:00.782 --> 00:11:04.122
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I know Nala, your dog, had something to do with it.
00:11:04.302 --> 00:11:06.242
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How did she inspire you to do this?
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Gordon Templeton: So Nala is my first dog.
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Gordon Templeton: I got her when I was 25.
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Gordon Templeton: Before that, I was actually allergic, go figure.
00:11:12.822 --> 00:11:14.862
Gordon Templeton: And then, yeah, right?
00:11:14.862 --> 00:11:15.582
Gordon Templeton: And then...
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And at 25, you just stopped being allergic?
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Gordon Templeton: It was like in my early 20s.
00:11:19.782 --> 00:11:22.042
Gordon Templeton: Because I started noticing when I was around dogs more.
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Gordon Templeton: I was actually dating my girlfriend who had a dog.
00:11:24.122 --> 00:11:25.822
Gordon Templeton: And I was like, oh, this could be a problem.
00:11:25.842 --> 00:11:28.422
Gordon Templeton: And then suddenly my eyes weren't itchy and I stopped sniffling.
00:11:28.442 --> 00:11:30.342
Gordon Templeton: And I went, oh, I guess I'm not allergic anymore.
00:11:35.902 --> 00:11:38.282
Gordon Templeton: So yeah, I got her at 25.
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Gordon Templeton: And I mean, I was a new pet owner.
00:11:40.582 --> 00:11:42.202
Gordon Templeton: And I love taking her everywhere.
00:11:42.222 --> 00:11:43.102
Gordon Templeton: She was one of the...
00:11:43.562 --> 00:11:45.722
Gordon Templeton: And anywhere I could go with her, I tried to take her.
00:11:46.062 --> 00:11:49.082
Gordon Templeton: And one day I started driving around and I had to slam on the brakes.
00:11:49.082 --> 00:11:51.722
Gordon Templeton: And she like slid forward and hit the dash.
00:11:51.742 --> 00:11:54.582
Gordon Templeton: I was at a small truck at the time, so she was in the front seat.
00:11:55.262 --> 00:11:59.382
Gordon Templeton: And you look at the situation and go, this is obviously a horrible idea.
00:11:59.402 --> 00:12:00.782
Gordon Templeton: I'm buckled in and she's not.
00:12:00.802 --> 00:12:03.022
Gordon Templeton: And she got hurt.
00:12:03.482 --> 00:12:09.622
Gordon Templeton: And that's what kind of started the whole journey of me looking for products available on the market.
00:12:09.862 --> 00:12:11.882
Gordon Templeton: I really couldn't fit anything that suited my lifestyle.
00:12:11.902 --> 00:12:25.702
Gordon Templeton: I wanted something that I could use in the car, out of the car, and not just have like a single-use set of like a kit that's only good for that because the reality is it's cumbersome and you probably wouldn't use it or, you know, it's more of a hassle.
00:12:26.102 --> 00:12:29.462
Gordon Templeton: So I started looking for things, couldn't find them, came up empty-handed.
00:12:29.742 --> 00:12:31.762
Gordon Templeton: And I'm actually a mechanical engineer.
00:12:32.082 --> 00:12:33.422
Gordon Templeton: And my mom is a pretty good sower.
00:12:34.102 --> 00:12:40.182
Gordon Templeton: So we started brainstorming and kind of came up with our initial product.
00:12:40.202 --> 00:12:42.742
Gordon Templeton: And that's how the whole sort of journey started.
00:12:43.322 --> 00:12:52.302
Gordon Templeton: And initially started with Nala and building something for her that I could use for myself and keeping her and my family and myself safe in the car.
00:12:52.882 --> 00:12:58.002
Gordon Templeton: And then it expanded into being able to accommodate all dogs.
00:12:58.022 --> 00:13:04.062
Gordon Templeton: So taking that initial product and then scaling it larger and smaller for everybody.
00:13:04.362 --> 00:13:09.362
Gordon Templeton: And that's really our main mission now is to, you know, initially was to protect my family and her.
00:13:09.722 --> 00:13:15.982
Gordon Templeton: And it's expanded to protecting all dogs and us trying to save some lives of pets and other people that they travel with.
00:13:16.042 --> 00:13:16.922
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, absolutely.
00:13:16.942 --> 00:13:18.702
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And the people who are driving by them like me.
00:13:20.902 --> 00:13:22.562
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So how do you all know each other?
00:13:22.742 --> 00:13:26.642
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And Andrew, when did you join the team and what is your impression of all this?
00:13:27.842 --> 00:13:32.862
Andrew Churley: So Gordon actually grew up with his best friend as my brother-in-law.
00:13:33.082 --> 00:13:36.742
Andrew Churley: So I was the annoying little brother friend kid who hung around.
00:13:38.202 --> 00:13:40.042
Andrew Churley: He is eight years older than me.
00:13:40.282 --> 00:13:43.382
Andrew Churley: So we grew up knowing each other and I was actually on vacation.
00:13:43.402 --> 00:13:45.222
Andrew Churley: I was in a totally different industry.
00:13:45.562 --> 00:13:47.202
Andrew Churley: I was away in Hawaii on vacation.
00:13:47.222 --> 00:13:49.082
Andrew Churley: He called me up and said, hey, do you want to meet?
00:13:49.102 --> 00:13:52.562
Andrew Churley: I want to run some stuff by you and would love to have you join the team.
00:13:52.582 --> 00:14:01.182
Andrew Churley: So I flew home thinking I'm not going to leave my job and uproot my entire young family's life to do this.
00:14:01.202 --> 00:14:03.222
Andrew Churley: And we had a two-hour meeting that turned into eight hours.
00:14:03.782 --> 00:14:14.502
Andrew Churley: And Gordon just took me to the process, every step of it, the making of every single component, the unbelievable seven-year journey of what has gone into the product.
00:14:14.522 --> 00:14:17.402
Andrew Churley: And I went home and I won't swear, so I'll say fudge.
00:14:17.622 --> 00:14:22.122
Andrew Churley: I went home and said, fudge, sweetie, I think I have to do this.
00:14:22.282 --> 00:14:26.122
Andrew Churley: So I thought about it really hard and I'm fully committed.
00:14:26.362 --> 00:14:33.342
Andrew Churley: Yeah, Gordon's passion just– between the passion and the unbelievable actual tangible thing he created, I couldn't walk away.
00:14:33.362 --> 00:14:43.102
Andrew Churley: It was too great of an opportunity and it's too good of a cause to having a social work background as well, continue to work within the community and help people and save lives.
00:14:43.322 --> 00:14:50.542
Andrew Churley: And every part of it just fit in to a point where I knew I'd regret it forever if I didn't become part of the journey.
00:14:50.562 --> 00:14:52.722
Andrew Churley: And now here we are.
00:14:53.042 --> 00:14:54.062
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's amazing.
00:14:54.082 --> 00:14:54.642
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that.
00:14:54.702 --> 00:14:58.602
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that shared desire to make things better for everybody involved.
00:14:58.622 --> 00:15:04.742
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because this does touch so many of us, pet parents, the pets themselves, the community at large.
00:15:05.122 --> 00:15:10.462
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Have people been more open to your product today versus seven years ago?
00:15:11.102 --> 00:15:14.202
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What are people telling you now, Andrew, about the product?
00:15:14.222 --> 00:15:18.822
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like we are doing a better job of educating, but I feel like there's so much left to be done.
00:15:18.842 --> 00:15:23.162
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I kind of want to get temperature from you on how people see this in Canada.
00:15:23.542 --> 00:15:26.602
Gordon Templeton: Everyone that we've ever showed it to thinks it's a good idea.
00:15:26.922 --> 00:15:32.262
Gordon Templeton: I think the general consensus of opinion is, yes, this makes sense.
00:15:32.862 --> 00:15:45.222
Gordon Templeton: People may or may not have their own reasons for not doing it, whether existing products may be cumbersome or you get some similar reactions to, I'm sure, when human seatbelts were first introduced.
00:15:45.702 --> 00:15:46.842
Gordon Templeton: I don't drive that far.
00:15:47.322 --> 00:15:49.822
Gordon Templeton: I don't get in accidents, I've heard.
00:15:51.902 --> 00:15:53.762
Gordon Templeton: But no one says it's a bad idea.
00:15:53.842 --> 00:15:56.102
Gordon Templeton: Everyone totally understands the merit.
00:15:56.222 --> 00:16:02.242
Gordon Templeton: And typically when you give examples of an analogy of saying, well, okay, it's not…
00:16:02.682 --> 00:16:08.202
Gordon Templeton: You wouldn't go put a cinder block behind you, unrestrained in the backseat and start driving.
00:16:08.422 --> 00:16:12.922
Gordon Templeton: If I did that, you'd say that was ridiculous and what a terrible idea.
00:16:12.962 --> 00:16:14.542
Gordon Templeton: And what are you thinking?
00:16:14.602 --> 00:16:17.262
Gordon Templeton: Put that on the floor, restrain it somehow, put it in the trunk.
00:16:17.622 --> 00:16:25.902
Gordon Templeton: Well, the reality is that your dog is essentially a cinder block that's packaged differently, except it has claws and teeth and you like it a lot more.
00:16:26.182 --> 00:16:27.782
Gordon Templeton: And you love it and you don't want it to get hurt.
00:16:27.802 --> 00:16:32.382
Gordon Templeton: So why wouldn't you restrain that in a method that is appropriate?
00:16:32.642 --> 00:16:37.242
Gordon Templeton: So now that we've got something that can fit that need, people definitely see the merit for it for sure.
00:16:37.362 --> 00:16:37.722
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah.
00:16:37.742 --> 00:16:47.182
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is that what you're seeing, Andrew, too, like in your marketing efforts where people are like already familiar and just looking for the right product or are you having to educate people on the merits of it?
00:16:47.342 --> 00:16:51.722
Andrew Churley: Yeah, I'd say a lot of people have already looked or even tried other products.
00:16:51.822 --> 00:17:00.042
Andrew Churley: You know, maybe they have what we kind of refer to as a distracted driving tether that's going to hold your animal in the right kind of spot where they're not jumping around.
00:17:00.062 --> 00:17:01.982
Andrew Churley: But in the event of a crash, it's not going to hold.
00:17:02.002 --> 00:17:05.522
Andrew Churley: So people are taking steps in some way, shape or form.
00:17:05.722 --> 00:17:07.002
Andrew Churley: But it is that next level.
00:17:07.222 --> 00:17:18.322
Andrew Churley: Funnily enough, what I've really noticed is in my initial, especially marketing efforts and we are, you know, two guys making this and I'll use an example of a friend of mine who I guarantee will listen to this podcast, Jen, shout out.
00:17:18.542 --> 00:17:24.122
Andrew Churley: I told her what I was doing and she burst out laughing and she's like, you're going to make dog harnesses?
00:17:24.142 --> 00:17:24.922
Andrew Churley: Like, what are you talking about?
00:17:25.002 --> 00:17:27.662
Andrew Churley: And then I showed it to her and she's like, there's no way you make this.
00:17:27.922 --> 00:17:33.202
Andrew Churley: Because when you think of a locally made product, and that's the funny thing of how much goes into it.
00:17:33.282 --> 00:17:37.482
Andrew Churley: And we're so proud of what it actually is.
00:17:37.482 --> 00:17:46.442
Andrew Churley: And once people touch it, once people see it and handle it and see how quickly the buckles are to use, those that's another light bulb moment.
00:17:46.582 --> 00:17:48.602
Andrew Churley: So the first step is, I'm doing something.
00:17:49.342 --> 00:17:51.962
Andrew Churley: And then once you get it in your hands, you're like, I'm doing this.
00:17:52.802 --> 00:17:55.882
Andrew Churley: And that's been so reassuring through every step of it.
00:17:56.302 --> 00:18:01.202
Andrew Churley: Initial phone calls, talks with clients, all the way to receiving, expos, the whole shebang.
00:18:01.222 --> 00:18:03.622
Andrew Churley: It's just, the reception has been unbelievable.
00:18:04.362 --> 00:18:08.142
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, that's, it's all about, I guess we don't know what we don't know, right?
00:18:08.162 --> 00:18:13.862
Isabel Alvarez Arata: When it comes to these things, we need to be educated on why this is a better product than what we might find down the street.
00:18:13.882 --> 00:18:15.982
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But we don't know anything about it to begin with.
00:18:16.002 --> 00:18:17.342
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We don't know what questions to ask.
00:18:17.882 --> 00:18:21.122
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I wanted to ask you about Canada's regulations.
00:18:21.142 --> 00:18:25.302
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My sister lives in Spain, and in Spain you have to restrain your dog.
00:18:25.622 --> 00:18:28.622
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think, I assume cats are in carriers as well.
00:18:28.822 --> 00:18:31.722
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You know, she's had this dog for eight years and it's always been that way.
00:18:32.222 --> 00:18:34.102
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What is the regulation in Canada?
00:18:34.242 --> 00:18:35.302
Gordon Templeton: There are no regulations.
00:18:35.322 --> 00:18:48.002
Gordon Templeton: I mean, there are existing laws such as distracted driving, where, you know, a distracted driving tether, which is probably what your sister is using, would keep them out of the front seat, but again, won't withstand any sort of forces in terms of a crash.
00:18:48.402 --> 00:18:50.742
Gordon Templeton: And then driving with an unrestrained load is a law.
00:18:51.162 --> 00:18:57.262
Gordon Templeton: But it's, I think a lot of it is it's hard to enforce when there aren't a lot of solutions for it.
00:18:57.282 --> 00:19:01.622
Gordon Templeton: How do you, how do you enforce the law when, you know, you give me a ticket and it's like, what do you want to use?
00:19:02.122 --> 00:19:04.362
Gordon Templeton: And, you know, if a cop says, I don't even know what's out there.
00:19:04.382 --> 00:19:06.082
Gordon Templeton: Well, that's a pretty hard ticket to give, right?
00:19:06.422 --> 00:19:06.962
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Good point.
00:19:07.202 --> 00:19:16.522
Gordon Templeton: So the regulations essentially fall under those two categories right now, but there's nothing specific in terms of restraining pets in a vehicle explicitly.
00:19:16.722 --> 00:19:21.902
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So it's the same ambiguity that we have here in the US and it's probably province specific as well.
00:19:21.922 --> 00:19:23.542
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is it province specific too or no?
00:19:23.882 --> 00:19:24.382
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Just like not.
00:19:24.402 --> 00:19:29.242
Gordon Templeton: Every province would have their own highway traffic stuff, but essentially it's ambiguous across the country.
00:19:29.882 --> 00:19:30.322
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Perfect.
00:19:30.782 --> 00:19:31.622
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that's what I thought.
00:19:31.642 --> 00:19:33.442
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And that's why I want to dig in more.
00:19:33.462 --> 00:19:34.602
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We're going to take a break here.
00:19:34.602 --> 00:19:40.962
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Let's listen to our sponsors and when we come back, we're going to actually break down what makes this specific product so special.
00:19:41.162 --> 00:19:41.902
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't go anywhere.
00:19:41.922 --> 00:19:44.022
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We'll be right back with Gordon and Andrew.
00:19:47.102 --> 00:19:48.782
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00:20:15.202 --> 00:20:17.062
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00:20:17.362 --> 00:20:21.342
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00:20:37.802 --> 00:20:39.042
Announcer: Let's talk pets.
00:20:39.902 --> 00:20:40.742
Announcer: On PetLife Radio.
00:20:42.222 --> 00:20:43.302
Announcer: petliferadio.com.
00:20:54.002 --> 00:20:55.387
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
00:20:55.387 --> 00:21:09.027
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I'm having a conversation with Gordon and Andrew, the forces behind Optimus Gear, a pet gear, dog gear, specifically designed for vehicular safety and transport.
00:21:09.047 --> 00:21:12.727
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So, I am a big proponent in securing pets.
00:21:12.727 --> 00:21:31.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My cat always travels in a hard shell carrier behind the passenger seat, that is the safest place for a cat on the floor, not on the seat, so that it can tumble off, right underneath the passenger seat, behind the passenger seat, that's where my cat goes.
00:21:31.427 --> 00:21:40.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My dogs, I have never, I will admittedly recognize that I have never used anything crash tested, whether it failed or not, I've never looked for that.
00:21:41.307 --> 00:21:50.827
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I've definitely never used a crash rated product because I didn't realize that that was an option until you all contacted me, so thank you.
00:21:50.847 --> 00:21:54.047
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to learn about the product itself.
00:21:54.047 --> 00:21:58.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We've obviously talked about it took seven years of brainstorming and development.
00:21:58.967 --> 00:22:02.867
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You guys have prioritized quality and safety.
00:22:03.387 --> 00:22:04.907
Isabel Alvarez Arata: None of this happens easily.
00:22:04.927 --> 00:22:08.847
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know from any pet product that you design, a lot goes into it.
00:22:09.267 --> 00:22:14.587
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The final product, we never appreciate just how much thought, effort and investment went into these things.
00:22:15.047 --> 00:22:19.187
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I want you guys to play a game with me that's kind of like Shark Tank inspired.
00:22:19.487 --> 00:22:21.727
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm going to give you two minutes on my clock here.
00:22:22.207 --> 00:22:36.667
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I'm going to ask you to sell me, if I were a shark on Shark Tank, on why you make the best, the only dog restraint that I should ever use.
00:22:37.007 --> 00:22:38.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you ready to play?
00:22:38.167 --> 00:22:39.707
Andrew Churley: I'm ready to play.
00:22:41.827 --> 00:22:43.047
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right, here we go.
00:22:43.067 --> 00:22:44.507
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Three, two, one, go.
00:22:44.967 --> 00:22:48.567
Andrew Churley: When you're looking at different types of harnesses, you're going to see plastic components.
00:22:48.807 --> 00:22:50.507
Andrew Churley: You're going to see really thin webbing.
00:22:50.527 --> 00:22:54.367
Andrew Churley: You're going to see things that just don't look finished, just don't look designed properly.
00:22:54.587 --> 00:22:59.627
Andrew Churley: And that should trigger something in your brain to say, no, that is not going to work.
00:22:59.947 --> 00:23:03.587
Andrew Churley: Well, let me show you the Defender Harness.
00:23:03.727 --> 00:23:09.747
Andrew Churley: You'll notice that each one of our components is custom made by us in a high quality aircraft grade aluminum.
00:23:10.107 --> 00:23:15.187
Andrew Churley: So that any component itself is going to withstand the force of the crashes.
00:23:15.407 --> 00:23:17.907
Andrew Churley: A harness is only as good as its weakest component.
00:23:18.267 --> 00:23:23.967
Andrew Churley: Therefore, if you have a piece of plastic that is going to fail and put your dog at risk.
00:23:24.187 --> 00:23:26.947
Andrew Churley: You absolutely love your dogs.
00:23:27.247 --> 00:23:29.487
Andrew Churley: You want to protect them and you want them to be comfortable.
00:23:29.647 --> 00:23:40.087
Andrew Churley: The Defender Harness is going to allow your dog to sit, lay down, shift their butt around and for even larger breeds, still look out the window without that constant fear of them jumping out.
00:23:40.367 --> 00:23:42.887
Andrew Churley: Now in the event of the crash, they're going to be nice, safe and sound.
00:23:43.227 --> 00:23:45.627
Andrew Churley: We also offer a ton of versatile attachments.
00:23:45.647 --> 00:23:50.067
Andrew Churley: You can use our harness inside the car, outside the car and it's comfortable for walking, running.
00:23:50.227 --> 00:23:53.227
Andrew Churley: And please, if you go anywhere else, you'll come back to us.
00:23:53.827 --> 00:23:56.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Wow, that was one minute and 22 seconds.
00:23:56.827 --> 00:23:57.807
Andrew Churley: Oh, I can keep going.
00:23:59.447 --> 00:24:00.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You want to?
00:24:01.347 --> 00:24:03.187
Andrew Churley: Let's go, tell me more.
00:24:03.187 --> 00:24:12.787
Andrew Churley: One of the best benefits of our harness is that you can go ahead, you're going to put your dog in and because we use a two tether system, you can have your dog connected to your car as well as your leash.
00:24:12.807 --> 00:24:22.787
Andrew Churley: So those dogs that are going to run away, now you can maintain that control so they're not dashing out, whether it be into traffic, into the woods, whatever it is, you are safe, sound protected.
00:24:23.067 --> 00:24:31.247
Andrew Churley: You can take your dog out, we have an active leash that allows you for larger dogs that are pulling to have an elastic effect so you're not receiving the full blunt of their pulls.
00:24:31.507 --> 00:24:39.427
Andrew Churley: We have a towing attachment, so if you want to, we've actually redistributed the weight of the dog carrying a wagon or sleigh.
00:24:39.447 --> 00:24:43.947
Andrew Churley: We put our kids in it and now they're not pulling and having a choke.
00:24:43.967 --> 00:24:46.087
Andrew Churley: It's actually closer to the center of the back.
00:24:46.467 --> 00:24:54.447
Andrew Churley: Every part of your lifestyle, whether it be sedentary, active, anything in between, you're ready to go inside the car, outside the car.
00:24:54.467 --> 00:24:55.447
Andrew Churley: This is the harness for you.
00:24:56.267 --> 00:24:57.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Amazing!
00:24:58.867 --> 00:24:59.987
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I am sold!
00:25:02.127 --> 00:25:04.107
Andrew Churley: That's the only reason you hired him!
00:25:06.307 --> 00:25:09.567
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can understand why he interrupted your vacation in Hawaii for this.
00:25:12.087 --> 00:25:15.267
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I read on your website there are patented buckles.
00:25:15.907 --> 00:25:19.227
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What are they patented to do other than the aluminum?
00:25:19.247 --> 00:25:20.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do they look different?
00:25:20.267 --> 00:25:21.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are they complicated to use?
00:25:21.807 --> 00:25:23.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Tell us about them.
00:25:23.667 --> 00:25:28.667
Gordon Templeton: The whole harness itself has a patent on it just for the design of it as an entire system.
00:25:28.927 --> 00:25:32.907
Gordon Templeton: There really wasn't any hardware available.
00:25:34.247 --> 00:25:44.907
Gordon Templeton: Anything that was out there was either designed for humans, so it's fairly large because it needs to handle fall arrest systems or whatever it is, or it was essentially jewelry-grade where you'd use it on a handbag or whatever it was.
00:25:44.927 --> 00:25:58.447
Gordon Templeton: But there was nothing in between in terms of a full spectrum of hardware like adjusters and buckles and O-rings, D-rings, all these components that existed from a very small size to a very large size as a complete set.
00:25:58.667 --> 00:26:07.727
Gordon Templeton: That's where the initial mission came from or one of the challenges in terms of making it was we had the idea, we had the basic concept, none of the components existed.
00:26:07.947 --> 00:26:18.847
Gordon Templeton: So we had to go make all of the metal components and make the buckles to eventually be used in the system as a whole to make it work.
00:26:18.867 --> 00:26:21.587
Gordon Templeton: So we had the idea but the components themselves didn't exist.
00:26:21.607 --> 00:26:23.407
Gordon Templeton: So we had to go make the components to make the system.
00:26:24.387 --> 00:26:41.067
Gordon Templeton: And then we have an additional omni-link, we call it, connector which is able to connect to our buckles as well as any other standard D-ring, which allows you to then get the full functionality in terms of switching from our harness to our collar to our whatever it may be.
00:26:41.427 --> 00:26:51.567
Gordon Templeton: The system is designed so it's more like Lego, where whatever you're doing, you can attach different components to it to suit your lifestyle– walking, running, towing, whatever it is.
00:26:51.807 --> 00:26:52.407
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Amazing.
00:26:52.507 --> 00:27:00.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I saw this on your website and you also talked about it, Andrew, that it allows you to do kind of the switcheroo in the safest way possible.
00:27:00.427 --> 00:27:03.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So you're taking your dog out, you're not just leaving them untethered.
00:27:03.767 --> 00:27:05.887
Andrew Churley: Yeah, I can kind of take you through it really quickly.
00:27:05.907 --> 00:27:17.147
Andrew Churley: It's just the way that we like to have people– once you have your dog fully integrated into the system and using it, which doesn't take long, it's a new behaviour that we do help people with how to train and things like this.
00:27:17.487 --> 00:27:28.187
Andrew Churley: But once you have that, what you do is you have your dog sit down, you put on our lower tether, which is to the bottom of the harness, closer to your dog's bum, or middle back I should say, it's not that low.
00:27:28.507 --> 00:27:32.147
Andrew Churley: And then the upper tether near the shoulders that comes from the seatbelt.
00:27:32.527 --> 00:27:40.487
Andrew Churley: So whether you want to walk from the front D-ring, whether you want to walk from the shoulder buckle or the lower back buckle, you can always hook your leash up.
00:27:40.567 --> 00:27:43.707
Andrew Churley: And that way, like I said before, you have your two points of contact.
00:27:43.727 --> 00:27:50.547
Andrew Churley: Because it was one of the things that for safety in the car crash, as well as so many dogs run out of the car, it's so dangerous.
00:27:50.927 --> 00:27:56.427
Gordon Templeton: Yeah, so effectively you're able to attach your leash prior to releasing them from the vehicle.
00:27:56.707 --> 00:27:57.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:27:57.407 --> 00:28:00.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And tell me about the crash testing.
00:28:00.587 --> 00:28:01.687
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How does that work?
00:28:01.707 --> 00:28:02.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: What did it look like?
00:28:02.927 --> 00:28:05.727
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Just for those of us who have no idea how this stuff happens.
00:28:06.307 --> 00:28:12.047
Gordon Templeton: So the test that we did, it has the same load conditions as a child seat.
00:28:12.267 --> 00:28:16.487
Gordon Templeton: So it has the same– you're traveling at 50 km an hour and you're coming to a dead stop.
00:28:16.767 --> 00:28:22.947
Gordon Templeton: The test itself is just like you would see in a human crash test, except you have a crash dummy dog.
00:28:23.387 --> 00:28:29.807
Gordon Templeton: So the crash dummy dog is outfitted with our harness and then accelerated quickly to simulate going through a crash scenario.
00:28:30.227 --> 00:28:39.907
Gordon Templeton: And that essentially shows that the harness that you've attached to them and attached to a vehicle can withstand the loads that are incurred during a car crash.
00:28:40.047 --> 00:28:49.627
Andrew Churley: I always point out too that during that testing, we always say 50 km an hour and people are like, oh, we want it to be 100 km an hour way faster, but it is simulating to a dead stop.
00:28:49.847 --> 00:28:52.447
Andrew Churley: So essentially it's hitting a brick wall.
00:28:52.467 --> 00:28:58.827
Andrew Churley: Well, not even a brick wall, because that would have given like a 30,000 layer brick wall and a dead stop.
00:28:58.847 --> 00:29:06.187
Andrew Churley: It's a simulation of a fairly horrific accident and I mean you can only test so far, so we're very happy with it.
00:29:06.647 --> 00:29:08.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, with the results, yes.
00:29:08.267 --> 00:29:11.887
Gordon Templeton: That's the same standard that, like I said, child seats are tested too.
00:29:12.007 --> 00:29:13.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's a huge standard, obviously.
00:29:13.667 --> 00:29:14.767
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, fantastic.
00:29:15.487 --> 00:29:18.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How do the dogs like it?
00:29:18.487 --> 00:29:20.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Obviously I have to ask from their perspective.
00:29:21.547 --> 00:29:23.567
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Does it feel different than a regular harness?
00:29:23.587 --> 00:29:26.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is it just like if your dog's harness trained, they will accept it?
00:29:26.407 --> 00:29:26.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How does it work?
00:29:27.267 --> 00:29:30.067
Andrew Churley: So I actually work with one of our shelters here.
00:29:30.087 --> 00:29:35.427
Andrew Churley: So I take dogs out at least once a week to utilize them within our system for several reasons.
00:29:35.447 --> 00:29:41.027
Andrew Churley: So one, I obviously love dogs, and my wife just had a baby and said if I bring one home, she will kill me.
00:29:41.387 --> 00:29:47.727
Andrew Churley: So I get the benefit of Gordon paying me to go hang out with dogs and film them and try and get these dogs adopted.
00:29:47.847 --> 00:29:52.147
Andrew Churley: But with that, I do have them in our harness every single week, like I said, at least one.
00:29:52.667 --> 00:30:01.267
Andrew Churley: And it is like every other harness in terms of if they have a little bit of anxiety towards it, we can behaviorally train.
00:30:01.387 --> 00:30:05.807
Andrew Churley: I have yet to not have a dog within one day fully using our system.
00:30:05.947 --> 00:30:11.387
Andrew Churley: I am sure that one day there will be a dog that, you know, I have to train for five days or whatever it is.
00:30:11.567 --> 00:30:16.207
Andrew Churley: But I have had virtually zero resistance, certainly none to getting the harness on.
00:30:16.247 --> 00:30:18.887
Andrew Churley: It's comfortable, you know, it's not weighing them down.
00:30:19.387 --> 00:30:25.087
Andrew Churley: We have a beautiful mesh that allows them to breathe, whether it's hot, whether it's cold, it's comfortable.
00:30:25.367 --> 00:30:31.887
Andrew Churley: So, yeah, like I say, not one dog has been resistant to the harness itself and actually the utilization inside of the car.
00:30:32.167 --> 00:30:36.367
Gordon Templeton: The way the system works, it allows them, like we talked about before, they have mobility.
00:30:36.807 --> 00:30:39.687
Gordon Templeton: So they are restrained, but they can still be comfortable.
00:30:39.707 --> 00:30:41.787
Gordon Templeton: They can sit up, they can lie down, they can shift their bum.
00:30:41.967 --> 00:30:47.667
Gordon Templeton: They can perform all the normal safe activities in a vehicle without having free range of the backseat.
00:30:47.927 --> 00:30:51.467
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And without jumping out when the door opens, or if there is a crash.
00:30:51.587 --> 00:30:52.147
Gordon Templeton: Exactly.
00:30:52.427 --> 00:30:55.927
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, my last question is, I could talk about this all day.
00:30:55.947 --> 00:30:58.587
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My last question is, how many pieces are in your system?
00:30:58.607 --> 00:31:00.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And is your system like a one-stop shop?
00:31:00.547 --> 00:31:02.427
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like you don't need another harness if you have this.
00:31:02.687 --> 00:31:06.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You don't need another leash component, or can you use your own leashes?
00:31:06.827 --> 00:31:07.467
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How does that work?
00:31:07.487 --> 00:31:08.987
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How many pieces are in your system?
00:31:09.207 --> 00:31:12.427
Gordon Templeton: So the system comes with– I guess there's a couple questions there.
00:31:12.447 --> 00:31:19.087
Gordon Templeton: So the system comes with the harness, the upper and lower tether, which essentially anchors your dog and the harness in the vehicle.
00:31:19.387 --> 00:31:24.027
Gordon Templeton: And then comes with, depending on which package you purchase, we have different levels.
00:31:24.367 --> 00:31:30.327
Gordon Templeton: We either come with a leash converter, which essentially attaches to our buckles, and then has a D-ring so you can use your own leash.
00:31:30.527 --> 00:31:33.907
Gordon Templeton: We have other packages where we make leashes, collars, etc.
00:31:34.287 --> 00:31:40.307
Gordon Templeton: So when you purchase it in any form, it comes ready to use in the vehicle and out of the vehicle.
00:31:42.247 --> 00:31:48.527
Andrew Churley: Just one very important thing that means a lot to both of us, we do have a if you get in a car accident program.
00:31:49.047 --> 00:31:58.707
Andrew Churley: And we always want to make sure that people know this because the same as a child seat, the same as anything else, if you get in an accident and you've purchased one of our harnesses, please contact us.
00:31:58.727 --> 00:32:00.127
Andrew Churley: We will replace it for free.
00:32:00.427 --> 00:32:06.487
Andrew Churley: The first time, I always say this, if you get in 30,000 accidents, unfortunately we can't do it with a billion harnesses.
00:32:07.227 --> 00:32:12.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You shouldn't be driving after the– please don't drive with your dog or anybody.
00:32:12.027 --> 00:32:14.447
Andrew Churley: It's just so important to us.
00:32:14.687 --> 00:32:16.707
Andrew Churley: Gordon did this to save his own dog.
00:32:16.987 --> 00:32:17.607
Andrew Churley: I'm doing this.
00:32:17.707 --> 00:32:18.667
Andrew Churley: I have my young son.
00:32:18.687 --> 00:32:26.667
Andrew Churley: I love animals and it's such a passion of both of ours that please, please, if you've bought the Defender Harness, if you do get in an accident, we ask for a couple things.
00:32:26.747 --> 00:32:27.807
Andrew Churley: Proof of an accident.
00:32:28.047 --> 00:32:32.567
Andrew Churley: You just send the other one back so we can learn from it as well and keep improving our products over time.
00:32:32.907 --> 00:32:33.767
Andrew Churley: We will honor that.
00:32:33.807 --> 00:32:38.247
Andrew Churley: And it's just so important to us that you know, don't be scared to call us.
00:32:38.567 --> 00:32:43.507
Andrew Churley: There might be damage that you can't see and we want you to be fully protected at all times.
00:32:43.527 --> 00:32:46.707
Andrew Churley: And it's just from the bottom of our hearts, that's why we're doing this.
00:32:46.907 --> 00:32:49.587
Andrew Churley: And we want to make sure that everyone knows that.
00:32:50.427 --> 00:32:52.347
Gordon Templeton: It is similar to a child seat in that way.
00:32:52.367 --> 00:32:54.347
Gordon Templeton: So if you are in an accident, it's finished.
00:32:54.427 --> 00:32:57.787
Gordon Templeton: There may be, like you mentioned, imperceptible damage that you can't see.
00:32:58.047 --> 00:33:00.467
Gordon Templeton: And that's why we encourage you to contact us.
00:33:00.587 --> 00:33:01.147
Gordon Templeton: Don't be scared.
00:33:01.167 --> 00:33:01.447
Andrew Churley: Please.
00:33:03.667 --> 00:33:06.667
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's really helpful for you all to see how it did, right?
00:33:06.687 --> 00:33:10.267
Isabel Alvarez Arata: To debrief the accident, see how the product did.
00:33:10.287 --> 00:33:11.727
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think that's so important.
00:33:12.267 --> 00:33:15.507
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm a Pet First Aid and CPR instructor, and that's what we say.
00:33:15.527 --> 00:33:18.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like, if you ever use these techniques, please debrief us.
00:33:18.667 --> 00:33:26.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Please tell us what happened so that we can either improve our manual, our training, or just it reinforces that we're on the right track.
00:33:26.147 --> 00:33:27.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So definitely do that.
00:33:27.267 --> 00:33:28.387
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Communication is key.
00:33:28.407 --> 00:33:29.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: All right.
00:33:29.127 --> 00:33:31.627
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Where am I ordering this for my sister and for my dog?
00:33:31.867 --> 00:33:37.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And wait, I will say, I will say, I saw on your website you have a range of sizes.
00:33:37.207 --> 00:33:40.667
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that's really important for people because I have a 50-pound dog.
00:33:40.687 --> 00:33:42.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My sister is a 15-pound dog.
00:33:42.587 --> 00:33:45.187
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They both are candidates for this, right?
00:33:45.207 --> 00:33:45.967
Isabel Alvarez Arata: For the Defender.
00:33:46.067 --> 00:33:46.367
Andrew Churley: Yes.
00:33:46.627 --> 00:33:49.747
Andrew Churley: Currently we have a small, medium, large and extra large.
00:33:50.147 --> 00:33:53.047
Andrew Churley: And we're currently working on an extra small.
00:33:53.047 --> 00:33:54.207
Andrew Churley: You kept mentioning cats.
00:33:54.427 --> 00:33:57.487
Andrew Churley: I've been pushing for a cat product because I love my little kitties.
00:33:57.927 --> 00:33:59.007
Andrew Churley: And he's applied.
00:34:04.107 --> 00:34:06.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: My cat is sleeping over here in the corner.
00:34:06.167 --> 00:34:08.187
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I was like, I mean, he would love that.
00:34:08.207 --> 00:34:12.347
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because I think, you know, without any other option, we'll put the cat in the crate.
00:34:12.367 --> 00:34:13.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because there's no other option.
00:34:13.467 --> 00:34:16.927
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I'm sure he would be so happy looking out the window too.
00:34:16.947 --> 00:34:19.687
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cats deserve a little fun on the road trip too.
00:34:19.707 --> 00:34:21.107
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Not just like being in clothes.
00:34:21.127 --> 00:34:22.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So yes, I'm with Andrew.
00:34:22.347 --> 00:34:24.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We need the cat product at some point.
00:34:24.787 --> 00:34:27.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Where are we buying all these?
00:34:28.087 --> 00:34:30.367
Andrew Churley: You can find us at optimusgear.com.
00:34:30.607 --> 00:34:31.447
Andrew Churley: That's our website.
00:34:31.467 --> 00:34:36.107
Andrew Churley: You can also find me doing ridiculous things on our socials.
00:34:36.127 --> 00:34:39.227
Andrew Churley: So Instagram is Optimus Gear Co.
00:34:39.487 --> 00:34:41.207
Andrew Churley: Facebook is Optimus Gear.
00:34:41.467 --> 00:34:52.267
Andrew Churley: We're on X and we have a YouTube channel as well, which is where you can find our how to install videos of all of our products and some more commercials and informational stuff as well.
00:34:52.527 --> 00:34:53.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Amazing!
00:34:53.187 --> 00:34:58.667
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, I want to propose a toast to you guys for revolutionizing such a basic and important pet product.
00:35:00.727 --> 00:35:02.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you guys for joining me.
00:35:02.827 --> 00:35:04.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm so happy you reached out.
00:35:04.447 --> 00:35:07.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I also want to propose a toast to my executive producer, Mark Winter.
00:35:07.547 --> 00:35:13.507
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you, Mark, and to our audience for joining us for these awesome conversations, getting to know awesome players in the pet industry.
00:35:13.527 --> 00:35:15.067
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
00:35:15.307 --> 00:35:18.907
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here's to a life covered in pet hair because there's no better way to live.
00:35:20.267 --> 00:35:26.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: To learn more about Covered In Pet Hair, please visit coveredinpethair.com or petliferadio.com.
00:35:26.127 --> 00:35:35.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And remember to review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe, like on YouTube, all that stuff helps diffuse this to other pet parents just like you.
00:35:35.287 --> 00:35:37.047
Isabel Alvarez Arata:Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.
00:35:37.847 --> 00:35:38.967
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets.
00:35:39.307 --> 00:35:40.767
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