Our story

Let's be honest about what this is.

I'm not here to save the world. I make chewable rubber toys of whoever's been hogging the news, and I sell them to people whose dogs appreciate some honky goodness to chew on.

The idea started in 2021 as a bit of a joke - peak COVID, a few too many lockdown beers, and a certain orange geezer on telly 24/7. By the end of the night the idea had legs: a chewable rubber Trump for your dog. A few weeks later I had 1,000 of them stacked in my bedroom and no option but to sell.

Here's the part I'll be frank about: I've got a finance degree and a day job to go with it. I could've gone back to uni and maybe tried my hand at a masters. Instead I figured the fastest way to actually learn how a business works is to build a stupid one and make every mistake personally. Turns out experience really is the best teacher — mostly because of the bank account damage.

I also don't have a political bone to pick. My honest take is that I judge things on whether they're a good idea, none of this 'left' or 'right' nonsense — and a rubber world leader your dog can chew on is objectively a very good idea. Some shops have told me get ****ed, assuming I was taking a side. Meanwhile I've sold plenty of toys to people who don't even own a dog but love Trump. Make of that what you will. I just make the toys.

So no — we're not solving quantum mechanics over here. We're making durable latex parodies of powerful people and giving your dog something safe to sink its teeth into. If that makes you laugh, you're my kind of customer.

— Seb, Vice-Chewman

The questions you're too polite to ask

Do you hate Trump?

No. I don't hate any of them. I judge ideas on merit, not team colours — and a chewable world leader is, objectively, a great idea. The toys aren't a statement. They're toys.

Is this a political thing?

Only if your dog has strong opinions. We caricature whoever's dominating the news. Today it's Trump, Putin, Kim and Elon. Tomorrow, someone you haven't heard of yet.

Why dog toys, of all things?

Because it is extremely difficult to get stressed looking at a computer screen when you are in the business of selling chewable world leaders that make fart noises.

Are you proud of this?

I was definitely proud the first few stores that came onboard, and when I sold my first 1,000 units; purely because I didn't think I could do it. I'm happy I backed myself.

What's next?

More faces. Ideally anyone's — your boss, your ex, your mate who won't stop talking about crypto. A custom toy of whoever your dog deserves. Long way to go, but that's the dream.

How a bad idea got out of hand

  1. 2021 — A few beers, one bad idea

    Trump's on the telly too much. A chewable version is born.

  2. 1,000 in the bedroom

    Ordered way too many. No choice but to become a salesman.

  3. The Trump Man of Sydney

    Madi at Pets Point, Elizabeth Bay took the first punt (@shoppetspoint).

  4. The text that made it real

    A shop messaged to say they were selling out — and reordered. That's the moment it stopped being a joke.

  5. The cabinet grew

    Putin, Kim and Elon joined the line-up.

  6. 36 stores, 3 countries

    And counting.

  7. Next: everyone

    Custom toys of whoever you like. Watch this space.

The receipts

Where it began — the very first 3D model.
Where it began — the very first 3D model.
1,000 of them. One bedroom.
1,000 of them. One bedroom.
The cabinet, doing the rounds.
The cabinet, doing the rounds.
The real product testers.
The real product testers.

Right — go on, have a look.

Shop the chewers