I’m Michael.

I built the first version of this chair for my dog, Ziva, after too many nights watching her pace instead of settle.
It wasn’t meant to be a product. Just something that worked for her.
Then friends started asking if I could make one for their dogs too.
That’s how Outbark began. What started as a backyard setup has grown into
gear we still build and test the same way, here in Australia, with real dogs in
real conditions.

Ziva wouldn’t settle.

Ziva never switched off. One crackle and she was up again. Circling. Watching.
I tried everything. Jackets, blankets, different spots around camp. Nothing stuck.
She’d settle for a minute, then be back on paw patrol.
I’d end up with a cold lap and a dog that couldn’t relax.

The Build

So I built her a place of her own. Not something soft and temporary. Something raised. Solid.
A spot that felt safe, but still close.
The first version came together in the backyard. Steel, fabric, a few adjustments on the fly.
It wasn’t perfect. It didn’t need to be.
It just had to work. 

It worked

She stepped onto it before I’d finished tightening the last screw.
Turned once. Lay down.
Then didn’t move.

No circling. No getting up at every sound.
She slept so hard I checked she was still breathing.
That’s when I knew it worked.

Build the hard way

Every version since has been tested the same way.
Real ground. Uneven, dusty, wet.
Real use. In and out of trucks. Set up. Packed down. Repeat.
Real dogs. The kind that dig, drool, and don’t care how it looks.
If something bends, it’s out.
If it tips, it’s gone.
If they won’t use it, it doesn’t make the cut.
No shortcuts. Just gear that earns its place.

What it’s for

Outbark isn’t about gear for the sake of it.
It’s about making it easier to bring your dog along without the hassle.
Giving them a place that’s theirs. Not your chair. Not the dirt. Not pacing between both.
A spot they trust. Close by. Wherever you are.
Simple idea. Hard to get right.

Still the test

Built and tested in Australia.
That’s still the standard.
If it handles my dog, it’ll handle yours.
See you by the fire. Ziva’s already taken your spot.