Dog Ear

25/11/2023

We’re all set up for Artists Winter Market tomorrow Sunday 11am-4pm 🐾 It will be the first time you can get your hands on our ‘Make Your Own Doy Toy’ kits that come with materials, tutorial and a publication called ‘Make Dog and Mend’ all about being more sustainable with your toys ☺️🐕🥎 Kits come in ‘big gob’ and ‘little gob’ sizes depending on the size of your pet and their play style- andddddd a whole variety of colours of our gorgeous super soft but strong and stretchy fleecy fabric - for £12!! 🎁🎁🎁

16/11/2023

✨ Make Your Own Dog Toy ✨ Kits coming soon! We’ll be selling these at our studio winter market on 26th November 🎁❄️ ⁣
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We’ve designed ‘Big Gob’ and ‘Small Gov’ kits so you can make the perfect size tug toy for your hound. ⁣
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Currently we’re selling these first models for £10 which contain a guide and your materials. If these go well and there’s interest we’re going to publish a new mini publication alongside it about the history of dog toys, and we’ve got a tutorial video coming soon!⁣
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Everything is risograph printed with soya based inks on recycled paper of course and all the material for making is sourced from fleece offcuts (so super soft and stretchy but strong!) - which we have saved from landfill 🍃⁣
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Shall we put these on our online shop??? ⁣

09/07/2023

Our Frankenballs may be sold out on our own site while we have our heads down making a new collection (or three! 👀) but you can pick your doggo up their own unique art toy from the beautiful website, head to www.sticksandsocks.com and check out their huge selection of eco friendly toys, treats and accessories from a lush curated selection of sustainable and small brands 🧡✨🌳🦴🐕

31/05/2023

Put what you love on a plinth.

We’ve been quiet of late as we’re studio plotting, researching, making and finding plinths for our hounds on doggo walks for & Woolf, our endless inspiration.

Swipe for a double trouble shot.

03/04/2023

Spring has sprung and we’re heading to Modern this evening for our 2nd tender tug toy making workshop as part of their access hours programme.

We’ve got spotty style Yayoi Kusama fabric for the toys in an ode to her love of polka dots, and infinity.

We’ll return with more pupdates later! Swipe for a spring Woolfie surprise who has been sniffing the new flowers in the park today before we head into London 🌼 🐶

14/03/2023

Dog Ear @ !! Thank you to everyone who joined us for Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room Access Hours ✨🦮💓 We made super soft rug toys and will be back on 3rd April 6-8pm for round 2 🫶 We made a handy guide to making these unique Kusama inspired tug toys you can pick up too for making at home- maybe we should create little DIY at home packs??? 🤔

09/03/2023

Big news!!! 🐾 We’ll be at TTateModern for their Access Hours opening of 'Kusama In America', 13th March + 3rd April 6-8pm making magical dog tug toys from offcuts of fleece and art blankets (we wonder what artworks these special blankets have touched in transit????) 🦴 🪡 ⁣
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No sewing involved! Super easy, and you can make them into infinity rings like Kusama herself. ⁣
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So lovely, as neurodivergent artists ourselves, to be hosting this space for disabled and neurodiverse visitors to experience the artist Yayoi Kusama’s work created while she lived in New York between 1957 and 1973 and create an ode to Yayoi’s love of doggos.⁣
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Full info:⁣
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“These events are organised and supported by neurodiverse aware Tate staff. Enjoy a quiet gallery environment with additional dedicated quiet zones, limited numbers of people and so very short or no queues, and the opportunity to go through the two installation rooms as many times as you would like.⁣
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These events are open to anyone who may be on the Autistic spectrum, has Tourette syndrome, ADD, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, sensory difficulties or disabilities.⁣
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On Monday 13th March 2023 and Monday 3rd April 2023, join us for an evening of dog toy making with artists Emma Edmondson and Lu Williams, who set up Dog Ear, a place for sculptural dogs toys and contemporary art publishing. Work with Dog Ear to create your own doggo toy sculpture inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s ideas around infinity nets and her love of dogs. Using recycled and off-cut materials, you will take home a handwoven tender tug toy or infinity tug hoop which you can also hide treats in to enrich your hound. There will also be a takeaway ‘how to’ so you can continue to make at home.”⁣
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link below!
you’ll go home with your free toy sculpture for your doggo to tug and hide treats in ✨

26/02/2023

Discovered the wonderful today in Norsey Woods, Billiericay! We needed a coffee and cake after our long walk and the doggos got to eat their pup cakes at home which went down a treat! It was £1 for two mini cakes which were demolished in seconds- see the following evidence. Now we know they’re there we’ll def be going earlier to get their afternoon tea!

22/02/2023

Happy birthday Poly ~ who is 3 today and forever inspires us at Dog Ear. We celebrated with doggo snax, chews and also a meaty walk along the Estuary this morning. 🎂 🐶 🎉 also wore their Poly trousers in celebration of this special day, swipe for a shot of these hand designed beauties!

We took January off for a restful break but now we’re back in the studio and developing some more dog art toys to play with ~ drop incoming!!!

05/01/2023

Starting the new year with something new 🙃🐕 Join us for ‘Make, amend, Dog’ a sewing circle where we’ll be making and repairing dog toys. You’re welcome to bring remnants of old toys or create something entirely new for your hound 🥎🪡🧵 ⁣
We’ll also be sharing our research on dogs play, sustainability and the history of making and mending. ⁣
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Join us at and check out exhibition which explores histories, stories and photographs of bully breed dogs and working classes. ⁣
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We’ll be there 7-9pm on Wednesday 18th Jan ✨ Tickets are free but please book so we can know numbers and how much material to bring 😎 ⁣
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17/12/2022

We’re at the very lush Prittlewell Priory today for Mrs Claus Santa Paws ✨🎄We’ve got limited stock left so if you’re looking to get a Frankenball for a pal or your lovely doggo this xmas come down or DM us to hold stock if you’re on your way ✨ ✨✨

09/12/2022

We’ve sadly taken the decision to postpone our pup quiz that was due to go ahead tonight ☹️⁣
Theres been a mix of had last minute cancellations and a damn flu going around! so we think it’s best to postpone to the new year for a special puppy love edition. ⁣
We’ve put a lot of time into making this quiz super immersive and exciting for both pups and humans- so we’d rather go big or stay home hehe. ⁣
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Refunds will be going out to all those who have booked- thank you for your support! ⁣
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Tickets for the new date will go on sale in Jan. ⁣
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If you’d still like a taste of doggo xmas goodness we’ll be at Prittlewell Priory next weekend Sat 17th December- dressed up for Santa Paws presents Mrs Claus where doggos can have there photos taken with Mrs Claus and get special goodie bags ✨🎄👏⁣
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Hope to see some of you dog lovers there or in the new year! ⁣
Love Emma, Lu, Poly and Woolf 😊🧡🐕

06/12/2022

Who’s coming to our Xmas Pup Quiz this friday then?? Last chance to get your tickets to join us at for 10 rounds of doggo theme questions spanning art, TV, music, history and breed facts 😊⁣
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🎄Friday 9th December 6.30pm - 9.30pm⁣
🎁 Twenty One, Southend-on-sea, SS1 2EH⁣
🧑‍🎄 £5 tickets on the door or via eventbrite link⁣ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dog-ear-xmas-pup-quiz-tickets-466354427647
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prizes for winners and ‘best dressed’ doggos and humans!⁣
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Max 2 dogs per table and max 6 people to a team. ⁣
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Expect doggo treats and make the most of Twenty Ones pizza and bar!

04/12/2022

Our Pup Quiz is this week!!

Book now for your team and doggos and join us Friday for totally-dog-themed quiz fun!

✨🐕Christmas Pup Quiz!🐕✨

🎄Friday 9th December 6.30pm - 9.30pm
🎁 Twenty One, Southend-on-sea, SS1 2EH
🧑‍🎄 £5 tickets on the door or via eventbrite link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dog-ear-xmas-pup-quiz-tickets-466354427647

Join Dog Ear team Emma and Lu for a doggo themed pup quiz, 10 quick fire fun rounds about dogs across art, film and music- with prizes for ‘best dressed’ doggos and humans.

Max 2 dogs per table and max 6 people to a team.

Prizes to be won!

Dog Ear Pup Quiz - a doggo themed quiz evening celebrating Xmas! Test your mutt knowledge and win prizes.

25/11/2022

We created Dog Ear, not only for the love of dogs, but as a reaction to how our culture has embraced cheap throw away items and fast fashion. We care about the environment as much as our doggos and pride ourselves on slow, sustainable making, by hand, in house, in our artist studios 😊⁣
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Over this weekend of sale craziness, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, we’ll be adding one of our ‘Repair Kits for Rebel Doggos’ into each Frankenball order, as a way of saying thank you for sticking with us and shopping small. ⁣
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Our repair kits are for when the inevitable happens, and encourages us to look after and care for what we have. Let’s make do and mend 🪡🧶🐕

22/11/2022

We’re going to be hanging out with Mrs Claus at Prittlewell Priory this weekend for Mrs Claus 🥰🎄🤶 Doggos can have their photos taken, plus treats, goodie bags and an opportunity to pick up a Dog Ear Doggie Bag for christmas gifts 🎁 😌 ✨ Southend Museums Prittlewell Priory

18/11/2022

We’re hosting our first Christmas Pup Quiz on 9th December for dog lovers looking to get into the christmas spirit ❄️ 🐕 ⁣
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We’ll be at 👋 Get your tickets via the link in our bio and join us for questions on dog history, breeds, music and film - plus prizes for humans and hounds! ⁣
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See you there ✨⁣
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13/11/2022

The first of our Winter Fayres + Christmas markets! We’re excited to have a stall at Saturday 26th Nov ❄️🎁 We’ll have brand new super tactile beautiful doggo toys for sale alongside treats- if you love art and you’re stuck for a gift for your hound or hound obsessed human come see us we got you covered ✨👋

05/11/2022

We hope your doggos are getting lots of cuddles and treats tonight 😊💓 ⁣
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We know some dogs are, and rightly so! anxious this time of the year, so we’re re sharing some great tips by ⁣
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Help your dog cope with fireworks 🎉🐶⁣
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🐾 Avoid walks in the dark - to minimise the chance of hearing fireworks outside⁣
🐾 Make a cosy den - under a table or in a corner covered with thick blankets⁣
🐾 Give food stuffed enrichments - these can act as a positive distraction, though worried dogs may ignore food⁣
🐾 Reassure them - however is best for your dog, keep them company⁣
🐾 Play classical music - this has been shown to reduce stress in dogs and can block out the sounds⁣
🐾 Scatter treats for sudden noises - this is useful at home and on walks⁣
🐾 Know you can't reward fear - by comforting your dog you are not reinforcing their fear, it's an emotion⁣
🐾 Close the curtains - to block out the firework lights ⁣
🐾 Use sound therapy for next year - gradual, positive exposure over time can build their coping ability but takes time so it's too late for this year.⁣
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If your dog has a strong negative reaction to the fireworks, seek the help of an accredited behaviourist or trainer to help them with this for the future 💪

21/10/2022

We spent 2 years researching dog toys before launching our Frankenballs earlier this year, here’s some of the worrying info we found out about plastic toys! We also found out ‘biodegrable’ dog poo bags contain 25% virgin plastic! - but that’s for another post 😑😅 You can shop our 100% sustainable toys online today 🐾 your doggo and the environment will thank you 🍃 💚

05/10/2022

Dogs of Los Angeles Contemporary Art Museum- 6/10, good quality dogs, but could be more quantity.

17/09/2022

Dog Ear pack member is part of a panel this Tuesday 20 September as part of .mag Anti-Capitalist Fashion Week to coincide with the release of Tansy E. Hoskins book of the same name. Check link in stories for FREE tickets to check in for a discussion around ~ what does sustainable fashion really look like? How to inspire education, action and mobilisation at a community level.

At Dog Ear we’re constantly thinking about slowness, about hands on making, about knowing the journey of something. Our dog toy sculptures are made from recycled materials and all our packaging is compostable or reusable. We print on recycled paper with soya based inks. We’re thinking about new ways to experience dog toys and have just released repair kits for Frankenballs. These are for rebel doggos, as things break sometimes when they’re well used - and that’s ok. But what can we do instead of throwaway?

Check stories link to come join the discussion.

31/08/2022

Our repair kits for rebel doggos are here! One size fits all gobs, wether you’ve got a little gob Frankenball in need or a spruce up or a big gob Frankenball wanting an outfit change. ⁣
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Sometimes things break, and that’s OK. At Dog Ear we’d like less rubbish in the world, so we’ve made these handy repair kits for our Frankenballs. ⁣
Each Frankenball repair kit contains: ⁣
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2 x Frankenball panels⁣
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1 x leather needle⁣
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1 metre strong thread⁣
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2 x Frankenball round bases⁣
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+ How to repair guide, and of course email us at [email protected] for any extra repair advice 😌 ⁣
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We hope you love and continue making, mending and playing with us 🐕🍃✨

29/08/2022

Calling all rebel doggos!! ⁣
Our Frankenball repair kits drop at 9am this wednesday 🐕😌✨⁣
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It took us a little while to find 100% biodegradable packaging, but now they’re all printed and folding by hand in our studio 🥰⁣
Our repair kits are for when mishaps happen or your doggo just LOVES to get their teeth into toy stitching. ⁣
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We started Dog Ear because we wanted to create an alternative to mainstream dog toys- which often get thrown away after just a few uses. ⁣
Our Frankenballs are made from tough, recycled fabrics and sewn with strong thread- but we know some doggos play harder than others- so we’re also here for you to make do and mend, creating your own new toy in the process! As artists we love this idea of customisation and important making skills, so have included instructions inside each kit. ⁣
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Turn on post alerts so you and your rebel don’t miss out ✂️🪡🧵

28/08/2022

Happy bank holiday weekend from the dog ear team Lu, Poly and Emma (with Woolf in spirit who was at home because she simply does not work weekends 😅💓) 🌼😊💛⁣
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Was so nice to meet people at yesterday, chatting about how we want to change the dog toy market buy being uncompromising when it comes to sustainably sourcing our materials and packaging 🍃 AND how we’re committed to mending and fixing toys- no more throw away plastic!!! ⁣
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We have a few Frankenballs left in our shop AND Rebel Dog Repair kits coming in the week 👀

27/08/2022

It’s today!! Join us and a whole bunch of dog lovers selling merch, there’s dog portraits, organic treats and competitions like ‘fastest hotdog eater’! Poly has signed up for the ‘eleganza extravaganza walk’ and woolf is at home doing the accounts 😅 SWIPE FOR A SURPRISE ITEM WE’LL BE SELLING 👀👀👀
We’ll be here until 3pm!

26/08/2022

Happy International Dog Day to the two bestest gal pals, Poly and Woolf, who inspired us to create Dog Ear 🥰 and of course to all our doggo pals and parents around the world who fill the world with joy! ⁣
We take inspo from our fur children everyday, trying to always come from a place of kindness first, staying curious and remaining playful always 😌💓✨🐕 ⁣
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23/08/2022

We can’t believe how lucky our Frankenball’s are! they get to hang around with super fast and very cool dogs all day. Small Gob Frankenball’s enjoy being thrown across living rooms and gardens, into little dogs mouths. Reports are that they feel as good in doggo mouths as they smell- but you’ll have to sniff yourselves to find out.

04/08/2022

Art and doggo lovers! We’re so excited to be having a stall at this year!! We’ll be selling our Frankenballs and have some new toys in the works (and maybe some DogEar merch 👀) especially for Saturday 27th August!
We’ve got our eye on the best hug competition category ! 🐾 Swipe for studio hugs 🐕 who’s coming??

29/07/2022

Woweee we’re so happy Buckley is enjoying his new small gob Frankenball! Word has it that he’s already been snuggling with it in his doggo bed - a big compliment! Thank you for the kind words ☺️✨💓

19/07/2022

Cool Dog Summer 😎 🐩 💧
We hope you’re keeping cool in the UK with these record-breaking temperatures today- Here are our DIY tips for coping with this heat from Dog Ear CEO’s Poly and Woolf 💧 🐾

18/07/2022

Texture is everything to doggo mouths. We've consulted with dog trainers, nutriotionists and physcologists to find out what makes our hounds tick- and lick, and they use both their noses and mouths to investigate the world around them. Not only do the combinations of textures in our Frankenballs feel good in human hands, they are exciting for dogs to explore and gnaw. Large gob Frankenballs contain 9 textures, from felt to faux fur, leather and upholstery, while our small gob Franknenballs have 5 panels.

Shop now before the collection sells out! 🛒 🎾

12/07/2022

Sometimes our favourite part of an art gallery is the gift shop. We love takeaway art, when artists are generous to the viewer, where you can take something away (not just a cute instagram shot haha). ⁣
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This love of takeaway art helped inspire dog ear- having something to get some and handle, or chew! ⁣
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Our Doggie Bags not only come with a sculpture built for your dogs mouth, but also a publication for humans- because why should doggos get all the fun?⁣
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🦴🖼🦴🖼🦴⁣
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31/03/2022

All our Dog Ear toys are handmade at our HQ and studio in Southend under the watchful doggo eyes of Woolf and Poly. We love coming up with ideas 💡 and making them come to life here. And this is where the Frankenball was born.

The Frankenball is a handstitched sturdy indoor doggo ball made from a variety of recycled materials. Each patch of material on the ball has been handpicked for its interesting textures for your human hands and dog’s mouth to explore. We have stitched the Frankenball together with the strongest of thread and there are raised ridges to grip onto and a sheep smelling interior to entice doggo snouts.

Each one is unique and handmade and hound tested in house by our Dog Ear pack & Woolf who is so analogue she doesn’t have Insta 🐾

29/03/2022

Dedication to dogs runs in the family! Co-founder Lu and their handsome hound Poly dropped off 2 Doggie Bags, one S for little gobs and one L for big gobs at 😎🐾 🌊 ⁣
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Shampaws is a super colourful pet shop and grooming salon run by Lu’s mum Jackie and sister Hannah (and their 5 shih tzu’s ofc) they stock a whole range of unique and boutique pet brands, organic and raw foods- plus Hannah is a trained Dog nutritionist! ⁣
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Jackie provides wonder-cuts for wonder-pups, isn’t Poly GLOWING??!! post shampoo and trim. ⁣
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Swipe to see Poly hanging out with her mum and brother at the weekend + if you’re in Kent mows your chance to pick up a Doggie Bag IRL ☺️ 🐶 🐩 💈

22/03/2022

We’re fans of Good Mad™ over here! thanks for having us of who spoke to us about how we came up with the concept for Dog Ear back in the UKs first lockdown 🐾 our full origin story is on our site too! link in bio 👀 👍✨

20/03/2022

Dogs in the gallery 🐕 🖼 ⁣
We wanted to question 'what is art' if an artist makes it? and 'what would it be like if art in galleries was made for touching?⁣
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Our publication ‘Do Not Touch’ comes with every Frankenball toy and is risograph printed with a special edition of this drawing 👀 🎾

15/03/2022

Workin’ 9 to 5 what a way to earn my chicken 🍗 🐾 🦮 - Poly at work while Lu teaches art.

Did you know, part of our pack is an assistance dog! Poly has been qualified since 2021 to assist co-founder Lu for medical and mental health purposes.

We really know the good mental health benefits of dog ownership and our toys and texts are there to support that. In fact, our first text ‘Do Not Touch’ explores how art and dog can both support positive wellbeing 💓

13/03/2022

Meet the pack: Lu & Poly, Emma & Woolf. We four birthed Dog Ear in 2020: during the UK’s first lockdown, have been working on material tests, with dog behaviourists and spent a lot of time testing (aka trying to rip stuff apart) and launched Feb 2022!
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How did it start? Lu shared a picture of a DIY dog toy on Instagram to amuse their assistance dog Poly. Emma replied with a photo of her hound Woolf playing with an old sculpture of hers. Dog Ear was born, a place for contemporary art publishing & sculptural dog toys & we have been making & playing together ever since. ⁣
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Swipe for some bits sized facts and head to our website for the full lowdown! ⁣
- another fun fact did ya know Poly & Woolf are both named after feminist icons Poly Styrene & Virginia Woolf ? 🐕😍✨⁣
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We like our idols strong round here.⁣
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What’s your dogs playfulness and obedience rating? We be they’ve got some special skills too. Go on, tell us in the comments.

09/03/2022

Yes! It's a zine! ⁣
Our toys come with publications 😌⁣
They come together in a Doggie Bag- proper take away art you see, brain food for dogs and humans 🍔 ⁣
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𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘺? ⁣
One of the things we love about art is that it makes people think. However that's also part of the problem. People sometimes feel like they don't have the right language or experience to comment on art- but we think everyone should feel confident talking about or responding to art!⁣
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So, we write about art (and dogs!) in a way where you can explore art without the dense language you usually get around it. ⁣
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We recomend reading it a few times to dog ear the pages 😁