Passion and purpose

For many entrepreneurs, business begins with a bright idea. For Doglyness co-founder and CEO Anka Hana Sladoljev, it started with something far more personal – a poodle named Hugo and a promise to do better. Not just for him, but for dogs everywhere.

Founded in 2020 by Sladoljev, Doglyness has quickly gained a global reputation for setting new standards in natural dog grooming. The brand’s growth, however, is more than a business success story: “It is the result of a lifelong passion for animals, a clear commitment to sustainability, and an unshakable belief that dogs deserve the very best care, without compromising the health of our planet“, states the young company.

As a child in Croatia, Anka would spend hours reading about animals, dogs, and nature, filling notebooks with sketches of dogs and dreamily planning a future where she could help them—so much so that her mother once took them away, believing her fascination had turned into an obsession. “When I learned to read, I only wanted books about animals and nature,” she recalls. “That passion never left me.”

Years later, caring for her own show dog, Hugo, exposed her to reality: While many grooming products made coats look shiny and smooth, they often contained chemicals that irritated the dog’s skin. Redness, itching, and discomfort became ongoing problems. Frustrated by the lack of truly natural, high-quality grooming products, she noticed that “many conventional formulas created a superficial appearance of health while causing long-term issues like skin irritation and allergies.”

Determined to find a better solution, she soon realized that if she wanted safe, effective, and transparent products for her dog, she would have to create them herself. She spent years researching safe, plant-based ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging alternatives. The result was Doglyness, a brand built around uncompromising quality, ingredient transparency, and true sustainability.  

“Doglyness was built to shatter the myth that high-performance grooming products must come at the cost of health or the environment”, says Sladoljev. Every formula is developed using certified organic, vegan ingredients, verified by the Ecogea Institute and sourced with strict sustainability standards – because “without certification, words are just words,” Sladoljev is convinced. “Our products meet the same quality expectations as the best human cosmetics. Dogs deserve nothing less,” says Sladoljev.  

Today, the Doglyness lineup includes three complete coat care lines—Immortelle, Oats, and Lipa – alongside a range of sprays, repair masks, oils, ointments, and grooming tools, such as shears, brushes, and dog grooming mats. Each product is designed not only to perform at the highest level but also to nurture skin health, prevent irritation, and support long-term coat condition.

From its earliest days, Doglyness has been as much an environmental project as a pet care brand. “We knew we could do better – and we had to,” says Sladoljev. The brand’s award-winning sustainability policies span every part of the business, from eco-friendly packaging to ongoing efforts to reduce waste, energy consumption, and packaging materials.

“Our philosophy is simple. Meet today’s needs without compromising the future. Every decision we make – how we source ingredients, how we manufacture, how we distribute – is viewed through that lens.”

This commitment has earned Doglyness recognition as a sustainability leader in the pet care space, including winning the prestigious Sustainability Award from the Pet Industry Federation for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024. Sladoljev is proud of the fact that the products are manufactured entirely in the EU in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for cosmetic products.

While Doglyness products continue to earn praise from professional groomers and pet owners worldwide, much of the brand’s success comes from the close-knit community it has built. From the start, Sladoljev has prioritized open communication with customers, sharing insights into product development, gathering feedback, and offering support through the Doglyness Family Group on social media.

By bringing pet owners and professionals together to share their experiences, tips, and challenges, Doglyness has become more than just a brand – it’s a platform for education, collaboration, and shared values. This ongoing dialogue has played a critical role in the evolution of the product line, helping the team identify new needs and opportunities for innovation.

For Doglyness, innovation remains a constant. The brand recently launched a new coat therapy line, and plans are also underway for sustainable and stylish grooming apparel.

In just a few years, Doglyness has proven that it’s possible to build a pet care brand that prioritizes health, sustainability, and performance without compromise. As Sladoljev puts it: “We’re not just redefining grooming – we’re redefining what’s possible when passion and purpose come together. Because when we do better for our dogs, we do better for the world.”