In 1996, my dream of owning a house at the lake came true. On a sweltering July day, I grabbed the leashes for my three Shelties and headed for the dock. I was eager for a swim.
While my puppy, Tully, took to the water with ease, my other two dogs—Annie and Reese, both rescues—were not as confident. I didn’t expect them to fall off the dock into the water so quickly, and as I feared, they panicked. I managed to pull them out, and after shaking off the water, they started chasing each other like nothing had happened.
As I stood there waiting for the adrenaline to wear off, I let them explore the dock. I could tell they were curious about the water, but jumping in again was clearly not an option for them.
There was a small patch of land near the dock, so we made our way over to it. That’s when I realized—they liked being in the water, as long as their feet could touch something solid.
On the walk back to the house, I couldn’t shake the thought of them falling in again… and what would happen if no one was there to help them out.
Determined to find a solution, I searched pet stores and marine stores, i asked about some kind of dog boat ramp, only to discover that nothing existed to help dogs safely get out of the water. So I designed my own—a modified ramp that gave dogs a safe way out.
Before long, the neighbors’ dogs were using it too. Boaters would anchor nearby just to watch the dogs take turns jumping off the ramp, racing for a ball, and scrambling back up to the doggydocks®. What started as a personal project quickly became something more.
Years later, someone asked me why I created doggydocks®, and it stopped me in my tracks. I realized I had buried a painful memory—I had lost a dog years earlier to drowning in a pool. Creating this ramp was more than solving a problem… it was part of healing from that experience.
That loss became my mission: to help keep dogs safe around water.
Today, doggydocks® has helped prevent countless accidents, giving dogs a safe way out—and a fun way to play. What started as a necessity for me has become something that brings joy to water-loving dogs everywhere.
Thank you for being part of our journey. If you have any questions, I would truly love to hear from you.
Warm regards,
Theresa Marler
1-844-781-PUPS