Fluffy Butt, new pet-care line that won't bum you out (pun intended)

By ALMA J. BUELVA

IT'S not everyday that one comes across a product with the word butt in its name. So, from the get-go, Fluffy Butt, a new local pet-care line, caught our attention.

Fluffy Butt has two products for dogs: Coco Loco, a food supplement and also a deep conditioner, and Shoo Flea which, as the name suggests, is a tick repellant.

​Coco Loco is made from cold-pressed and human-grade Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). Its promise is that when regularly added on dogs' meals, their appetite and digestion will improve. Coco Loco can also be part of a dog's vanity kit as paw pads moisturizer and skin and coat conditioner.

Shoo Flea is an anti-tick and flea solution based on natural essential oils. To do its job, the Shoo Flea must go where the dog goes so it can drive the bugs away. A dog protectively sprayed with Shoo Flea, especially before it steps out of the house, is shielded from the bloodsuckers. 

Fluffy Butt made its online market debut almost four months ago and while it's new, VCO-based and anti-parasitic pet products are not. However, one thing Fluffy Butt has going for it is a sweet story behind its conception which we believe resonates with its young market made up of millennial dog lovers.

LOGAN, the Welsh Corgi, is the inspiration, model and "ambassadog" behind Fluffy Butt. (Photo from Ruth Carino)

THE CORGI INITIATIVE
It might be instantly obvious to some that Fluffy Butt's logo is that of a corgi's posterior. Yup, those bootylicious buttocks that have become the hallmark of corgi's awesomeness are front and center in Fluffy Butt's story.

Logan, a Pembroke Welsh corgi of relative Instagram fame, is the inspiration and image model of Fluffy Butt. His owner, Ruth Carino and her partner chemist formulated Coco Loco and Shoo Flea initially just for Logan who, by default, was the test subject.

“I started Fluffy Butt to create my own natural pet-care products that I (can) regularly use on Logan because those are either not easily available or I'm not happy with what I find in the local market,” Ruth told MetroPets.

Literally a pet project, Fluffy Butt's first month of online sales performed better than Ruth expected and continues to do even better, said Ruth. She attributes Fluffy Butt's encouraging start mainly to Coco Loco's and Shoo Flea's effectiveness, which is something she and Logan could attest to.

“I drew from my own experience as a pawrent to create only what I would use for Logan,” Ruth said, adding that doing so makes it easier for her to walk the talk. 

For Shoo Flea, Ruth said they made sure it would smell pleasant for both humans and pets without compromising effectiveness.

“Some brands may have just been rebottled human mosquito repellant. Some forget that animals have a keener sense of smell so strong scents may cause them discomfort,” she said.

A bottle of Shoo Flea contains a mixture of natural essential oils with no artificial fragrances, but is good enough to repel fleas and ticks for worry-free outdoor walks and play dates. For our own little test, we took one of our canine product reviewers, a Chihuahua, to the home of a recently rescued puppy still being treated for tick infestation. The residents have reported seeing occasional ticks crawling even in areas the puppy had not been to. Sprayed with Shoo Flea beforehand, our Chihuahua survived the visit with no “hitchhiker” on him. It's interesting to note that while the Chihuahua attracted no ticks, his human companion found two in her clothes!

Meanwhile, the jury is still out on Coco Loco as we don't expect to see results overnight. Ruth said she has customers who swear by Coco Loco in boosting their dogs' appetites. 

Fluffy Butt suggests two ways to use Coco Loco:
AS FOOD SUPPLEMENT: Add 1-3 pumps every other meal, and gradually increase to 3-6
pumps every meal, depending on the size of the dog. Monitor the dog's poop: reduce the VCO quantity if it becomes too soft. 
AS DEEP CONDITIONER: Apply all over the fur and paw pads and let it sit for 30-60 minutes before shampooing and rinsing the dog thoroughly. 

“We’ve consistently received positive feedback about how Coco Loco has helped the fur and skin condition of dogs, especially those recovering from allergies or hot spots,” said Ruth.

Shoo Flea is available in 100mL bottle (P230) and 300mL refill (P600). Coco Loco comes in 250mL bottle (P250).

SPECIAL NOTE. Coco Loco and Shoo Flea ship to customers with a friendly message from Fluffy Butt. (Photo from Ruth Carino)

GET SOCIAL
Fluffy Butt thrives on social media. It is where Ruth sells and reaches out to customers with the help of Logan as brand ambassadog.

“I get in touch with customers to see how our products helped their dogs...It always warms my heart when I see dog owners worry less because their dogs are using Shoo Flea and are eating well because of Coco Loco.

“Through social media, customers are able to consult me too and I’m happy to give whatever advice I can share from being a hands-on furmom pretty much my entire life.

“Clients always appreciate sincerity and genuine concern for their own furbabies. In our almost four months of operations, we already have significant number of return clients, and I’d like to think that speaks volumes about their loyalty to Fluffy Butt,” said Ruth.

Though business has been brisk right away, Ruth said she needs to keep Fluffy Butt at the scale that it is in right now because she also keeps a day job as project development manager at AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts. 

“Fluffy Butt is not here just to make money – we are here out of genuine concern for pet dogs. All our products are and will be well-researched and well-tested. Everyone just wants a healthy, happy pet and we want exactly that. We want to share what works for Logan in case it helps others, too.

Fluffy Butt products are bottled at home, not mass produced. The humor in the brand is not lost on us, but it's a new name that could be worth your trust.

ALSO READ:
Pawpular Pet: Logan the Welsh Corgi