Our history
Story of a biologist mom and her love for animals
I'm Paola, a graduate in Biology, mother of two children, founder of candyPet, animal and nature lover, and this is my story:
I was born in Argentina and have lived in Spain since 2003. I spent hours and hours as a child in my grandparents' sewing workshop, making clothes for my Barbies.
From a very young age, I've had a passion for animals. That led me to pursue a degree in Biology, and then a master's in Neurosciences and Behavioral Biology.
I continued my education and also obtained the title of Veterinary Assistant.
In 2014, in the middle of my doctorate in Developmental Biology and Genetics,
I decided to change course because what I was doing didn't make me happy.
2014: candyPet is born in Seville
In search of that path to happiness and personal growth, I decided to open a pet accessory store in Seville with my husband, who is my great support.
But I still felt that something was missing, although I didn't know what it was yet.
I am a very restless person; I'm always inventing something. Until one day, I picked up a Martingale collar and thought I could make this myself, and as fate would have it, that same week a friend told me, "Hey, Lidl's sewing machines are on sale, and they're so good!" I got one and decided to use it to make the first Martingale collar.
It took a lot of effort to figure out the patterns, measurements, and find the most effective way to sew them. But with a lot of love and patience, I succeeded.
We displayed the collars in our store, and they were such a success that I started making more and more. We began selling to stores all over Spain.
The first Martingale collars come to light
And that's when I knew... I would create my own brand of pet products, prioritizing quality and safety without neglecting design. We bet everything on this new project, which involved the design and manufacture of Martingale collars, leveraging the knowledge and experience gained from being the third generation in the textile industry.
I needed to dedicate all the time I had to it. So, we closed the physical store and dedicated ourselves exclusively to making the collars.
After making 500 Martingale collars, I was able to save enough to buy the first industrial sewing machine.
And from there, we grew step by step.
Getting started is not always easy
It hasn't all been a bed of roses; there were moments when I wanted to throw in the towel, working long hours from Monday to Sunday, with young children around, and a thousand moves where my industrial machine came with me everywhere (keeping in mind it weighs about 50 kg).
But the conviction that it is possible to start a business in Spain as a woman, mother, and foreigner, not to mention the love for animals that always drives us to create comfortable, safe, and beautiful products, gave us the strength to fight against everything and keep going. Because our pets are part of the family and deserve it.
In the summer of 2020, a key moment arrived: we were able to expand the team. It was a turning point, as it allowed me to stop working from Monday to Sunday and increase collar production while adding more products.
Around October of that same year, after almost 6 years of working from home, we rented our first workshop. It seemed enormous to us, going from a room of less than 10m2 to 30m2!
candyPet all over Europe
We were in our first workshop for about two years, until in 2022 we were again cramped for space. This was because there were 3 of us on the team, lots of material, two machines, a cutting table, and we were managing orders for all of Europe.
Then we took another big leap: we bought our current workshop, which is about 75m2. In it, we have space to put all our stock, the machines, Wally's bed (our Greyhound mix) next to my desk because he comes to work every day since he is the official CandyPet model, and the one who showers the staff with kisses (and fur). We always like to listen to our customers. And thanks to that, we decided to expand our product line by including harnesses, wool collars, poop bag holders, and many more things in the catalog.
candyPet in the US
In 2023, following the strong request of our customers, we decided to design our own line of clothing for greyhounds, due to the difficulty in the market to access clothing specifically designed for galgos, podencos, and whippets, among others. Our customers told us: "everything fits like a sack of potatoes." So we got to work, and while we were at it, we designed clothing and anti-escape 3-point harnesses. It took several months of testing, going to shelters to try everything on many different types of greyhounds. That's why we are very happy that they are a complete success.
At the end of 2023, we reached another milestone that I always wanted to achieve from the beginning: we started selling our products in the US!
On February 17, 2024, candyPet turned 10 years old! 🎂
Thank you for being with us all these years.
We are very proud of everything we have achieved, and of everything that is to come.
Thank you for supporting small businesses like ours to keep going and growing.
Thank you for wanting to give your pet products designed with love, not only beautiful but prioritizing quality and safety.
Paola
Let customers speak for us
El arnés al contrario de la correa todo bien 👌🏻
Es el mejor arnés de 3 puntos que he encontrado hasta la fecha y me he dejado un dineral en otras marcas. Además el precio es súper razonable, la única pena que no lo diseñen en otros colores como negro o camel. Los compraría sin duda alguna
El collar es precioso y le queda perfecto a nuestra mestiza de galgo. Ha sido el regalo que le hemos hecho por su primer cumpleaños. Venía empaquetado muy bien con un plus de olor dulzón que indica el cariño con el que candypet hace su trabajo. Encantada con la compra que además tiene tintes benéficos. Un 10.
Perfecto y supercomodo para mi pequeña Piccola italiana de 4,8kg
Precioso, le queda espectacular. De muy buena calidad y rapidez en el envío.
Por fin he encontrado un arnes que me da tranquilidad para mi galgo italiano de 8 meses, lo atropellaron con 4 meses y ahora mi miedo era poder salir a la calle con seguridad.
Ya es el segundo arnés que compro de las mismas características, para que tenga quita y pon, y la verdad es que es una maravilla, el perro va seguro de que no se escapa y ademas por como esta confeccionado no interfiere para nada en el movimiento natural de sus articulaciones evitando futuras lesiones, un 10 de producto. Es una maravilla tener a personas que se preocupan por hacer las cosas bien para nuestras mascotas.
La verdad es q se equivocaron al enviar el arnés; había pedido el de tres puntos, pero me enviaron el de dos. Me pareció q nuestro perro estaba tan guapo con el antitirones, q me dió pena devolverlo. La calidad de los materiales y el cuidado en la confección es evidente; el color azul, precioso. Estoy valorando, en realidad, el arnés de dos puntos. Le queda muy bonito a Toots.
Me gusta mucho como le queda a mis galgas.La talla XL les queda algo justillo de pecho pero pensé que una talla más ya les quedaría grande. Espero que duren.
Es perfecta para las necesidades de mi perra
Perfecto , justo lo que necesitaba . Muchas gracias
Gracias Paola y a todo el Equipo por siempre estar pensando en cositas bonitas y útiles para nuestros pequeños y pequeñas compañeras de Vida!
Compré hace unos días tres conectores impermeables para poder pasear con mis tres perritas juntas y sin enredarse y tengo que decir que ha sido un acierto!! La calidad es Súper y la comodidad es absoluta!!
Estoy muy satisfecha con mi compra!
Os deseo muchos éxitos en cada proyecto que inicies !!
Gracias por todo vuestro cariño,Paola!!
Hay que perseverar y confiar en los sueños siempre!! 💚🍀🐾
Hasta pronto!
Es perfecto para un galgo, cómodo, ligero y se adapta perfectamente a su cuerpo. 100% recomendable.
Sugerencia: algún color más, sería estupendo!
Bonito, seguro y cómodo. Estaba buscando un arnés para mi perrita que se adaptase bien a ella, ya que se nos escapaba de los otros que tenía por miedos. Este le va genial, se adapta perfectamente y le sujeta bien en todo momento. Además tiene un color precioso.
Buena calidad, el diseño es muy bonito, parece bastante resistente. Excelente presentación y rapidez de entrega.
