About Us

Heart SOULution is a Calgary, Alberta based company that has assembled a team of premier designers, manufacturers, clinics advisors, and marketers to create a high quality, safe, and durable line of products for cats and dogs of all ages.

Founded in 2006, Heart SOULution works with veterinarians and animal behaviourists top develop innovative products that address different behavioural and physiological needs. Heart SOULution is the first company to introduce a holistic product that allows your pet to have reduced stress and anxiety while they are on their own.

Here is a recent interview I did that helps explain much more about Heart SOULution.  

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in North Wales, and grew up in Kelowna BC. When I was a teenager, I made the move to Calgary and have been in this great city ever since. My many titles include mother, wife, dog-mom, entrepreneur - and more recently: business school graduate!

Q. When did your love affair with dogs start?

My love affair with animals began when I was very young. Dogs were my favourite, however I had a soft spot for anything fluffy. I remember finding a deceased bird in the playground when I was in grade 2, and promptly spent my recess and lunch digging a burial hole to give that bird a proper send off. Not much has changed since then. I am still very sensitive and my heart still aches for the abandoned, sick, and broken whether they are animals or people.

Q. Tell us about your company Heart SOULution by Tulipiddy INC.

Heart SOULution designs and manufactures holistic therapeutic textile products, all of which incorporate simulated heartbeat technology to help soothe and comfort your dog or cat. Our most recent and very popular product is the Penny Pouch, which is an ultra-soft, warm and cozy pouch-style blanket. The Penny Pouch can be used as a bed, mat, crate or throw blanket, and are for dogs who love to burrow or cuddle. Our signature denim mats are also very popular for calming puppies and active dogs.

Our products are designed to ease anxiety and promote comfort. Thunderstorms, fireworks, car rides, vet appointments or unfamiliar situations are all common anxiety provoking events for many dogs. Realistic heartbeat pulsing has a dramatic calming effect on dogs as they instinctively calm down when in the presence of another beating heart.

The products can also provide comfort for dogs that are generally nervous, or who are experiencing a change in living arrangements such as in the case of newly homed rescue dogs and puppies. 

Q. Where did the idea or inspiration come from to start or create this product?

In 2005, my son and I walked into a Calgary shelter and fell in love with a white ball of fluff, Sushi, a 3-year-old Bichon-Cocker spaniel. She had been abused and was extremely timid, and had been living at the shelter nearly a year when we adopted her. She melted my heart and quite honestly, I wanted to be her hero - I thought my love would fix all of her problems. While having a stable loving home did help Sushi somewhat, she remained very fearful and anxious, hiding under the bed for much of those early days.

We tried every anxiety-reducing product on the market and sought medical treatments to help her. I was determined to find a solution - I knew something had to work. One day I was holding Sushi and I felt her body go into a state of complete relaxation.  I realized that she was likely responding the way a baby would when picked up – feeling safe by our closeness and the sound of my own heartbeat.   

That’s when I began to think,  “How do I mimic me?”

I spent the next eight months researching even more products and pushing myself to think outside the box. During this time I connected with a small company that develops vibrational devices. I was looking for a device that would mimic a heartbeat as well as send off a mild vibration. I also needed this device to be mathematically formulated to match a dog’s heartbeat. The palpitation was a challenge to match in a device and it took a lot of communicating back and forth with the manufacturer to come up with the right formula. 

But we knew almost immediately when we discovered the proper beats because Sushi was able to relax when we placed the device safely in her crate with her. Success!

The three months following, our signature denim mats were created and we have never looked back.

Sushi’s life changed. We began to take her on car rides, vet check-ups, and grooming appointments; things that up until that point were not possible without extreme anxiety. Most importantly, hiding under the bed was a thing of the past.

When friends and family heard about my creation, they were curious if it would help their dogs as well. I began to receive requests for the product, and I happily sent some samples out. All the feedback that came back to me was extremely positive. One comment that stood out for me was when a friend enthusiastically said, “This is amazing! Think of all the dogs this could help!”

This comment fuelled me. I knew I couldn’t save every dog in the world, but I could certainly make a product that could help be a part of that change. Sushi inspired a product that would become a source of comfort for many dogs. My goal is that this becomes a comfort to millions of dogs.

Q. Thoughts on the past seven years?

The past few years I have discovered that a business is an extension of who you are, and that my products are an absolute extension of who I am – heart centered and compassionate. I am grateful that I was able to see my sensitive nature as a strength that I could tap into and create from. Sushi brought this experience to me. I thought I would be her hero, but as it turns out, she was actually mine.

My heart is in these products. I may not be able to change the world, but through these products I can literally share my heart with millions of dogs, people and pets.