Brush Buddy

Happy dogs are dirty dogs. They go to the beach, roust in the sand, swim in the sea, roll in mud, fall in creeks. Then, before your four-legged, tail-wagging, furry friend can go home and pass out in an exhausted heap of bliss, they usually have to get in your car. The dirt and dog-hair deposits that this transportation reality leaves you with are, as any dog owner will tell you, one of the least enjoyable parts of hanging out with man’s best friend. Sand-crusted hair in the backseat, paw prints on the kitchen floor, and soggy patches on the couch are pretty much par for the course in an active dog owner’s life-that is, until now. From Santa Barbarian David Fortson comes the Brush Buddy-a slice of simple, fully functional genius that not only cleans up your hound before he/she hops aboard, but in the process also brings you and your pup closer together.

Part towel, part brush, and part massager, the Brush Buddy idea came to Fortson during a self-described “moment of epiphany on the beaches of Santa Barbara” after he and his dog, Roman, found themselves ready to head home after a long day of sand and saltwater fun. With a clean car, a dirty dog, and no towel or brush in sight, Fortson had one of those necessity-driven “aha!” experiences that give birth to most good inventions. A little over two feet long and 10 inches wide, the Brush Buddy is, on one side, a soft towel perfect for drying off your dog. Flip it over for thousands of soft, 100 percent recycled rubber bristles that massage your beast while also working to brush off hair, dirt, and sand. Even better, thanks to two oven mitt-like hand pockets at either end, the Brush Buddy lets you bear-hug your dog while you do the dirty work-a feature that will make even the most towel-phobic dog wag their tail while getting the rubdown. Also, unlike your dog, the Brush Buddy can be thrown in a washing machine.

4•1•1 The Brush Buddy was launched publicly this week, and retails for $29.95. For info, go to thebrushbuddy.com