Laura (Founder & Creator) and Brutus, on set at the filming of the documentary film Forever Faithful
THE MISSION
SLOPPY CHOPS CO.
Established in 2016, Sloppy Chops Co. was born from the vision of crafting high-quality and customizable products for beloved animal companions. Recognizing the distinct personalities in every animal, our mission is to illuminate their uniqueness through the creation of bespoke items that reflect their individual stories.
As an independently owned small business, Sloppy Chops Co. is committed to delivering exceptional customer service to our valued patrons. More than just a destination for personalized, handmade pet goods, we embody a culture of deep appreciation and devotion to the animals who bring boundless love and enjoyment to our lives.
We sincerely appreciate your role in making this possible.
THE MAKER
Laura Aquilina is the designer and maker behind Sloppy Chops Co., but not without the amazing support of her partner and a menagerie of animals with whom they share their home. Passionate about dog training and behavior, Laura enjoys partaking in various dog sports, including rally, obedience, agility, scentwork and lure coursing. In her spare time, she also loves hiking with the dogs, travel, and participating in endurance sporting events, such as swimming and running.
BUT WHO IS SLOPPY CHOPS?
Charlie, affectionately known as Sloppy Chops, serves as the original muse and driving force behind Sloppy Chops Co. The enduring bond between Laura and Charlie originated in 2006, and over the course of a decade, they embarked on many meaningful journeys together, including multiple cross-country adventures. As anyone familiar with the sacrifices made for love understands, endeavors of true significance often come with challenges, but the rewards make the journey worthwhile.
Following years of travel as a nurse, Charlie and Laura established their home in Colorado and immersed themselves in rescue work. Charlie emerged as an exceptional guide for numerous foster dogs that found their way into the household, each possessing distinct personalities and specific needs. During this time, Laura couldn't help but feel disillusioned by the limited quality and variety in traditional pet shop products. Each foster dog, while under their care, received a new collar and leash set tailored to match their individual temperament. Regrettably, the choices available consistently fell into the realm of mundane and generic, prompting Laura to seek a more diverse and high-quality range of options.
It was in 2015, while fostering a Rottweiler named Brutus, that Laura became inspired and determined enough to begin designing goods that could embody the individual personality, activity level & needs of the very special dogs in her life; from customizing product length, color, width, hole spacing, hardware finish and style, making bespoke goods with love became more than just a hobby, it became a passion.
...And so, in 2016, was born Sloppy Chops Co., inspired by the dog that was the incredible mentor for so many, and taught Laura more than she ever imagined possible about unconditional love, responsible dog ownership & developing a trusting, mutually respectful relationship with your pet.
LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS
Laura (swimmer) and Brutus (in the raft) participating in a fundraising event for Athletes in Tandem
Brutus was a quadruple amputee and the second-known dog in the world to be outfitted with four prothetic limbs. Laura and her husband fostered Brutus for a year and adopted him in 2015
OUR MUSES
Forever grateful for the love, joy, memories and lessons they bring us
BENJAMIN
LAMBERT
WINSTON
2014-2023
BRUTUS
2013-2022
DURCHILITA
2001-2021
CHARLIE
2006-2016
CHESTER
UNKNOWN - 2014
MARLA
UNKNOWN - 2013
BOZ
2007-2012
SAWTOOTH
1994-2008