Our Story
How a Lifelong Passion for Dogs Became a New Standard in Pet Care
Doglyness was founded by Anka Hana Sladoljev out of a lifelong passion for dogs and a commitment to transparency, quality, and care without compromise. Born from personal experience, professional expertise, and years of research, Doglyness was created to raise the standard of dog grooming—through certified formulations, thoughtful ingredients, and respect for canine skin health. This is the story of how a personal need became a purpose-driven brand, built on trust, clarity, and responsibility.
From a young age, dogs were never just companions to Anka—they were her world. She grew up in a family where dogs were deeply loved and always considered equal members of the household. Over the years, she welcomed many dogs into her life, each one shaping her understanding of dogs in a unique way. Grooming, coat care, and skin health became a lifelong fascination, beginning with her poodle Amadeus and deepening years later with her second poodle, Hugo. What started as love gradually grew into devotion, learning, and a deep desire to truly understand what dogs need to thrive.
As Anka’s grooming skills deepened, so did a critical realization: many pet grooming products were formulated for immediate cosmetic effect rather than long-term skin health. Hugo’s reactions—itching, redness, persistent sensitivity—made this impossible to ignore. Everything changed when Anka began removing not only sulphate-based shampoos, but also other ingredients she came to recognize as disruptive to the skin. Over time, she observed how certain formulations created ongoing imbalance instead of supporting the skin’s natural function. During that time, her partner, based in Canada, brought her a human organic shampoo with a clean, simple ingredient list—fully certified and transparently labeled. Out of necessity and curiosity, Anka began using it on Hugo. The results were unmistakable: his skin calmed, irritation disappeared, and balance was restored.
That experience became a defining turning point. It confirmed what Anka had already begun to understand through hands-on grooming and research—when formulations are thoughtfully designed, gentle, and independently certified, the skin has the ability to recover and regulate itself. It also revealed a clear gap across the European market and globally: there were no dog grooming products available that met those same standards—no fully verified, organic options with ingredient transparency she could genuinely trust. This realization marked the beginning of deeper research, education, and formulation work—and ultimately, the foundation of Doglyness. Over time, Anka identified additional ingredients that repeatedly disrupted the skin rather than supporting it—what she describes as chaos on the skin. Speaking openly about these ingredients has sometimes drawn criticism, but transparency has always mattered more than approval. Her intention has never been to provoke, but to inform—because many common skin issues could be avoided by respecting the skin instead of compromising it.
Despite frequent “natural” claims on labels, true transparency remained rare. Certifications were missing, ingredient lists were vague, and trust was difficult to establish. There were simply no products Anka could fully rely on—and that gap between appearance and reality became the driving force behind Doglyness.
Anka Hana Sladoljev—our Founder—and beautiful Hugo
From Personal Need to Purpose
In 2018, Anka began developing what would eventually become Doglyness—testing formulations, studying cosmetic chemistry, completing professional courses, and consulting experts, while immersing herself deeply in ingredient science, certification standards, and sustainable production.
Alongside this process, she openly shared her journey online through her private Instagram account, CoolPoodles, documenting experiments, challenges, discoveries, and hard truths about the pet care industry. Her transparency and refusal to oversimplify earned trust—long before Doglyness officially existed.
When the global pandemic began, the brand entered a defining phase. Anka assumed full responsibility for bringing Doglyness to life, carrying the creative, scientific, and strategic direction forward. It was not the easiest path—but it was the most transparent and intentional one.
Hugo, wearing his custom-tailored Doglyness Immortelle suit
Raising the Standard
Doglyness was built on a simple but demanding principle:
If a product isn’t transparent, independently certified, and genuinely well-formulated, it isn’t good enough.
Every Doglyness formula is developed with certified organic and natural ingredients, independently verified by the Ecogea Institute, and created to meet the standards of high-end natural human cosmetics—rather than those of conventional pet grooming products. Ingredient origin, processing, and function matter; nothing is included without clear purpose.
This philosophy extends beyond formulation. From packaging decisions to manufacturing partners, every choice is evaluated through the lens of performance, responsibility, and long-term impact.
Why Doglyness Exists Today
Doglyness is not about trends, shortcuts, or loud claims.
It exists for dog owners and professionals who want clarity, quality, and care they can trust.
For Anka, this brand is deeply personal. It is the result of years of learning, questioning, refining, and choosing a more transparent path. At its core, Doglyness is about honoring dogs as sensitive, complex beings—and treating their skin and coats with the same respect we expect for ourselves.
Doglyness is for those who believe that better products create better outcomes—for dogs, for people, and for the world we share.
A Note from Anka
Doglyness was never meant to be just a brand. It’s a standard I wished existed when I was searching for answers for my own dog.
If you’re here—whether as a dog owner or a professional groomer—I’m grateful. Your trust matters, and I don’t take it lightly.
With care and intention,
Anka Hana Sladoljev
Founder & CEO, Doglyness
Read the message from our founder.
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