What's the Story?
It's all about you and your pet.
(And helping homeless pets along the way.)
So what do you do?
Original Sock Pets and Mini Pets are one-of-a-kind custom teddy-bear-style stuffed animals that not only look like your pet, but artfully and masterfully capture their personality as well. They are a delightfully detailed keepsake you can hold and hug!
Portraits and custom portrait items are created based on YOUR ideas, so have fun with it! No "one form fits all" here.
All of the items in the shop are meant to provide you with fun ways to express your love for your unique pets.
And each and every purchase from Original Sock Dogs means a donation to Meowy Matchmakers, a women-run cat rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of cats in need and finding them loving forever homes. The special tag that comes with your custom item notes this donation, making your purchases and gifts even more meaningful.
Ordering is Easy (and fun)!
Who doesn't like to talk about their pet? And I'm here to listen.
Hearing stories about your fur kids and collaborating with you to create your custom pet artwork is the best thing ever. I will work one-on-one with you through email, text and/or chat to make sure you get a charming, full-of-life plush replica, custom portrait or pendant of your pet.
You can share as much info about your pet and as many photos as you like. The more I have to work with, the closer I can get to capturing the unique character of your pet. If you would like to talk with me directly, just hit the chat button or email me at stacey@sockdogs.com. I'd love to hear from you and I'm very quick to respond!
About the Artist
My name is Stacey, and I’ve been making custom plush pets since 2005. Between the experiences I’ve had working for companies like Disney and Hallmark, along with a lifelong passion for character design and love for animals of all kinds, I’ve developed a special process for capturing your pet like no one else can.
Original Sock Dogs began when I created two stuffed dogs from yes, socks, for a shelter fundraiser. After seeing the joyful reaction to them at the event, I decided to keep sewing, keep creating more characters and keep donating to my local rescues. I have expanded from using socks as a primary material and am now using high quality faux fur, wool felt and other fabrics to create stunningly realistic (but super cute) replicas.
Eventually, I had so many requests for custom pieces that I focused my attention on plush lookalikes! I get “pet people”. I’m one myself--with an assortment of rescue dogs and cats and a revolving door of foster animals. (And two human kids, too.)
The love you have for your pet and the grief that comes from losing them is profound. You treasure each moment and memory you have with them. Share those memories and photos with me, and you will receive a keepsake unlike (and better than) any other available. I'll make sure of it!
Want to know more? Check out the article about Original Sock Dogs in The Huffington Post!
About the Shelter
Like a lot of small shelters, they rely on fosters, adopters and donations to make it all happen!
The Inspiration
I met this sweet stray girl while in Taiwan in 2004. I spent an afternoon in Hualien, a small seaside town. I immediately noticed a group of stray dogs running around, and one small, black dog with a limp (her injured paw is the one raised in the photo above) who was being chased by the others. I bent down and called to her, and she cautiously approached me. After five minutes of giving her gentle ear scratches and belly rubs, I reluctantly stood up to follow my guide...but she glued herself to my side for the rest of the time I was walking around. I got her a warm meal from a street vendor and sat with her while she ate it, protecting her from the other dogs. It was physically painful to me to leave her. I literally sobbed the entire way back to my hotel on the train (and I still lose it when I think of her). It was such a helpless feeling not to be able to do more. If hearts really can break, mine did on that day.
So, when I returned to the States I vowed to find a way to help the animals in my own city, in her honor. I will never forget her. (She is probably also the reason why I ended up with three black rescue dogs of my own!)
In early 2005, I started volunteering at my local shelter, and created the first two Original Sock Dogs for their annual fundraiser later that summer. They were a surprise (to me) success, and I decided to continue making the "sock mutts" and later began to take on custom orders.
A portion of every custom plush replica sale has been and will continue to be donated to animal rescue groups in the memory of my angel pup in Taiwan. I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way on this journey, and supported my art and my mission.