Stunt Puppy
Indigenous Design Series
In 2021, Minnesota-based dog gear retailer Stunt Puppy sent out a survey to its customers asking what patterns and designs they’d like to see on collars. The most common response: “Native American designs.”
Stunt Puppy wanted to satisfy customers without appropriating designs from Indigenous cultures, so they enlisted Chippewa-Cree graphic designer and illustrator Kaylene Big Knife and Diné interdisciplinary artist Dakota Mace to each create their own collar line. They also promised to donate portion of the collar sales to Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue, in honor of the reservation dogs — a.k.a. rez dogs — that are such an integral part of Indigenous communities.
As lead copywriter with Stunt Puppy, I wrote email, product page, and landing page copy for the project — including Q&A features with Kaylene and Dakota to help tell their stories as artists and dog lovers.
Credit for all photos: Stunt Puppy
Product Detail Pages
Chippewa Cree graphic designer and illustrator Kaylene Big Knife is the lighthearted, joyful personality behind the Rocky Boy Pop collars in Stunt Puppy’s Indigenous Design Series. Her designs use bold lines and vibrant colors to bring to life everything that inspires her: the Ojibwe woodlands style, her home on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, Cree language revitalization and all of the rez dogs in her life.
Meet the Artist: Kaylene Big Knife
Diné interdisciplinary artist Dakota Mace is the contemplative, dedicated mind behind the Łééchąą Yázhí (Puppy) collars in Stunt Puppy’s Indigenous Design Series. Her work is deeply connected to her origins: she explores Diné history, beliefs, community and identity through a variety of processes, including alternative photography, weaving — and now, dog collar designs.
Meet the Artist:
Dakota Mace
Email design and layout credit: Stunt Puppy, Matt Palmer