BAYDOG: Putting people (and pets) first

Barton O’Brien, a Naval Academy graduate, had just spent eight years in the Marines as a pilot and was working on Wall Street when he had an epiphany: His future was not in finance. So, he made a decision that changed his life: He quit his job and got a puppy.

“The very first thing I did was pick up Walter,” says Barton, before he and his new pup relocated to Annapolis, MD. Barton was ready to tackle something entrepreneurial and his new companion offered just the idea. Struggling to manage all of Walter’s essentials while on trips to the dog park, Barton developed the Pack-N-Go Bag. The cleverly constructed bag easily attaches to any leash and solves three problems at once by dispensing poop bags, storing treats, and carrying a dog’s favorite slobbery fetch ball.

Today, Barton’s company BAYDOG has dramatically expanded its line, offering highly functional products for dogs, like harnesses, lifejackets, and college-branded fleeces. Barton understood for BAYDOG to succeed, he needed to do something to distinguish his brand in the highly competitive pet supply market. “What drives [pet store owners] crazy is someone coming into their store, finding an awesome product, and instead of buying it, taking a picture on their phone, then looking it up [online],” says Barton.

So, he focused on building relationships with brick-and-mortar retailers, promising to always go above and beyond as a supplier. Further, BAYDOG isn’t sold on any third party web platforms, ensuring his retailers never get undercut.

Barton then turned to FedEx for support. After dealing with markups and issues at large fulfillment centers that “only cared about getting stuff out the door,” BAYDOG switched to FedEx Ground^® and learned how to package their products more efficiently. “[We look for] the most efficient way to ship it and the most efficient packaging, and that's almost always going to be FedEx Ground,” says Barton.

“We were literally saving tens of thousands of dollars in shipping by switching.” Barton credits his FedEx representative, Gary, for helping with this transition. “[Gary] stops by all the time. He's great, he answers any questions we have, and [responds to] all our concerns.” Saving money on shipping has also allowed the company to take their logistics and fulfillment in-house, and for Barton, that means better, more personalized customer service.

As for his background in the Marines, Barton credits his experience for his willingness to venture into new territory and for his ability to navigate complex, unfamiliar situations. “Having that resilient mindset and the skill set to pivot and be flexible to meet the situation is what entrepreneurship is about,” he says. “That’s why I think a lot of veterans do well as entrepreneurs.”

As a 2023 FedEx^® Small Business Grant program winner, Barton is looking forward to using his prize money to make BAYDOG’s products even better—and to continue working toward his goal of being a leader in licensed college pet apparel.

Small Business Grant Contest winner BayDog

Keep dreaming and doing. There’s more ahead.

The FedEx Small Business Grants Program helped entrepreneurs grow for 12 years. It’s retiring,
but our support for small businesses isn’t. Find other ways to compete and win.

The FedEx Small Business Grants Program helped entrepreneurs grow for 12 years. It’s retiring, but our support for small businesses isn’t. Find other ways to compete and win.