Today’s guest on All My Children Wear Fur Coats is Debra LoFranco, Inventor, Founder and CEO of Scratch Square and De’Vora, an online marketplace and community for pet products. The motto for the organization is kindness, love and community – something we all need a little more of these days. All of their products are eco-friendly and pet-friendly. The term DeVora means a person of beauty, wit, superior intelligence and a kind heart. DeVoras are wonderful friends and parents.
Debra left the corporate world as a marketing executive to launch Scratch Square and De’Vora. She was inspired by her dog Trevor, who had a bad experience with nail trimming. Debra took him to the groomer for his regular nail trims. After a while, the groomer reported that Trevor had not had a good visit with them and requested that further trims be done under sedation. Not only was the nail trimming at the groomer’s causing Trevor anxiety, Debra was now very concerned about how he had been treated and his future health and wellness.
After doing a lot of research and learning about the negative effects that long nails can cause for dogs, Debra started working on her prototype for the future Scratch Square. Debra discovered that when a dog’s nails are too long they create an unnatural angle for the foot. This can cause unequal pressure on the toes and it can cause the nail beds to become sore and tender. Long nails can also split, much like a hangnail on a person. So, if you see that your dog’s nails are touching the ground or if you can hear them clicking, then likely it is time for a trim. See a health risks video here.
For those that have tried home trimming of nails, you know that some dogs can be very reactive. Some don’t like to have their paws handled. Others have had a negative experience that they remember and may resist having their nails trimmed. If you have tried a nail grinder as an alternative to traditional nail cutters, you may have discovered your dog is afraid of the sound or vibration. Nail trimming at my house is a real experience that generally takes two well-loved pet parents to accomplish. Some of my dogs are fine with a quick trim. Others refuse to allow you to trim their nails at all. I admit, I have accidentally cut the quick and my dogs have never forgiven me. For some, I can successfully use a nail grinder and others are terrified of the noise.
Scratch Square is designed to address all of these concerns. Scratch Square serves as an emery board for pets, igniting their curiosity and activeness. It will file your pet’s nails and save you the stress of nail clipping or grinding. Simply put a treat inside and let your pet scramble for it. The graded surface of the toy will gently and automatically file their nails without inflicting any pain on your pet. You can view their video on how it works here. They also have a version for cats and you can see the video here.
Thank you to Debra and her team for their innovative products. We wish you success.
