Ken and Roni Di Lull American entrepreneurs Country: USA

1. American Entrepreneurs Who Created Doggles
2. Multiple Uses and Popularity

American Entrepreneurs Who Created Doggles

Ken and Roni Di Lullo are American entrepreneurs who came up with the idea and launched into production protective goggles for dogs, known as 'Doggles'. Originally intended to be a fashionable accessory for dogs, it turned out that the goggles found practical and even medical applications. The curious idea came to Ken and Roni when they noticed how their dog squinted in the sun. Their experiments with sunglasses for humans and sports goggles led to the development of a pair of goggles that fit perfectly on a dog's head. They currently run their company, 'Doggles Company', in North Carolina. 'Doggles' are made from tinted polycarbonate with UV protection and are secured to the dog's head with elastic straps. Despite initially being listed as one of the "most useless inventions in the world", 'Doggles' also ranked 6th on the list of 11 ideas that were not supposed to work but instead brought in millions (the list was compiled by the MSN Money website). By 2004, 'Doggles' were being sold in 4,500 stores in 16 countries, and soon after, prescription lenses were also made available. In 2004, Linda Cunningham, in charge of organizing equipment packages for US military dogs in Iraq, came across 'Doggles' and thought they would be useful for protecting the dogs from the sun, dust, and sand. After contacting 'Doggles Company', she arranged for the shipment of approximately 120 pairs of dog goggles to Iraq, and on July 30, 2005, 'Doggles' were featured in a segment on dog gear in the CNN morning news program, 'Saturday Morning News'.

Multiple Uses and Popularity

In March 2007, the British newspaper 'Metro' shared a story about a dog suffering from a rare autoimmune disease that prevented its eyes from producing tears. The owner, Diana Stephens, purchased a pair of 'Doggles' for her pet, which helped protect the dog's eyes from drying out and inflammation. Another interesting case of dog goggles usage was discussed in 2009. Veterinarian Pete Wedderburn reported in the 'Daily Telegraph' blog about a terrier with ophthalmological problems, where tiny shards remained in the dog's eyes, causing it to squirm, growl, and bark in bright sunlight. Initially, the veterinarian thought it was an exacerbation of arthritis. When they realized the root cause, a pair of 'Doggles' was ordered for the dog, but the terrier refused to wear them. Eventually, the owner discovered that the dog took a liking to a baseball cap specially designed for dogs, which also protected its eyes from bright light, and the dog behaved calmly. Ken and Roni Di Lullo found their niche in the market. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) data from 2011-2012, 62% of American households have a pet, which translates to approximately 72.9 million pet owners.