WHO IS DOON?

Doon was too tall for his cage. Four months old on the second tier at a raucous pet shop. The noise of sixty dogs was exhausting. A small room, just DOON, my wife Gayle and I and in five minutes DOON gave the interview of his life. A gorgeous little long-legged boxer pup.

We paid for him, took him outside and he blinked in the unfamiliar sun. DOON has always been a good dog. Leave a piece of liverwurst on the kitchen counter and he will sit in front of it,never daring to jump and grab it. DOON is an Irish name and one night, very late, I decided to start a company and use him as the logo, the voice, the presence, and the inspiration. Certain things happened with DOON. Firstly I immediately did a drawing of his head for our logo. I did several further drawings but it is the first one we use. His drawn head seems to ignite a reaction when handed over on a business card, and for some reason he is never forgotten. My own name is forgettable, but when I mention DOON, the Boxer Dog, there is an instant recollection. It is not lost on me that this is the power of a successful logo. It seems unjust, somehow, to refer to him as a brand and I never see him that way. But that is what he is building.

I walk DOON every day, along with his half sister, Willow, camera always with me. On the odd occasion I left the camera behind, anticipating a quick bathroom outing, I missed a good picture. This has become so commonplace — a great picture appears if I don’t have the camera — that I do not take him outdoors for two minutes leaving the camera behind.

I don’t know what he understands, and therein, of course, is his beauty. In the car, a short daily trip is part of his life, he sits dead center in the back seat, looking over my right shoulder straight out at the road ahead. Should I be sitting at my computer and mutter, ” I think I better get them out for a bit” he is instantly up, recognizing a word or tone of voice.

Boxers need exercise, he gets his, and then sleeps to let me work.

DOON began to grow as a personality that spoke for my design work and my photography. It became a no-brainer to start DOONSHOTS, DOONPHOTO, DOONGLASS, (for the surface patterns on glass) DOONCARDS,  (the networking cards for young people) and here is DOONTALK.

It has taken on a life of its own and I try and manage it. I feel he deserves a great deal, for being an amazing animal and companion. I hope I am up to the task. I intend to be. I have great dreams for DOON and he is blissfully unaware. Who could ask for a better boss? I know we will go far. We will reach into communities and their tiny concerns or large firms, their personal lives, where we are permitted or invited, we will be alert for opportunities to help, to bring pleasure, and to share who we are. Thank you DOON. We hope to hear that often.

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