hi, we're hot dog.

A matching apparel brand for hot dogs & their people.

the story

a note from Maggie

hot dog started, like most good things, with a dog.

Specifically: Pepper. My partner in crime, my reason to leave the apartment, the small four-legged creature who somehow turned every walk in New York into the highlight of my day. Anyone who loves an animal the way I love Pepper knows the feeling. They’re not a pet, exactly. They’re family. They’re the friend who’s always down. They’re the best part of getting dressed in the morning, because now there are two of you, and it’s a whole thing.

I’ve always loved expressing myself through clothes. The little joy of a really good outfit, the way a soft fabric or a particular silhouette can make an ordinary Tuesday feel like something. And at some point it hit me: I wanted to bring Pepper into that. Not in a costume way. Not in a gimmick way. In a we match because we go together way.

So I set out to make the pieces I wanted to exist. Real clothes, beautifully made, for both of us. Soft on skin, soft on fur, designed with the same care whether it’s going on a person or a pup.

what we believe

Matching should feel chic, not costume-y. Our pieces are designed as real clothes first. Considered fits, fabrics that actually feel good, details that hold up. The fact that they match is the quiet magic, not the punchline.

Dogs are people too. Or close enough. Their pieces get the same fabric, the same care, the same eye for detail as ours. No corner-cutting because “the dog won’t notice.” Your dog notices everything.

Style is a love language. Dressing up your dog isn’t vanity, it’s affection made visible. It’s saying you’re with me, you’re mine, we’re in this together. That deserves to look beautiful.

designed in new york

hot dog is designed in a small studio in NYC, where the dogs run the sidewalks and every coffee shop is unofficially pet-friendly. Our pieces are produced by a trusted partner in South Korea, a country known for its exceptional knitwear craftsmanship. We’re a tiny team building something we hope feels personal, because it is.

2% of every sale goes to dogs in need

We donate 2% of every sale to Muddy Paws Rescue, an NYC dog rescue close to our hearts. Pepper came to us through a small rescue that brought her up from Kentucky in the fall of 2025, so this work is personal. Because every dog deserves someone to match with.

about Muddy Paws Rescue

Muddy Paws Rescue is a foster-based dog rescue operating in New York City, with a mission of building and supporting a thriving pack of dog-loving humans dedicated to ending unnecessary euthanasia of companion pups. Founded in 2016, Muddy Paws has helped more than 10,000 puppies and dogs find loving homes. Partnering with open-intake shelter partners in New York and across the country, Muddy Paws works with a foster network of more than 2,000 homes, and practices a conversation-based, open adoption model to save more than 1,000 lives each year. Operating out of their Hell’s Kitchen HQ, Muddy Paws has cultivated a reputation over the last decade for being a beacon of responsible and progressive lifesaving work.

For more about Muddy Paws Rescue, visit muddypawsrescue.org.

Thanks for being here.

xx Maggie