Todd Schram tried everything. Calming chews, thunder shirts, diffusers, long walks, background music—none of it kept his dog from losing it the minute he stepped out the door. One day, mostly out of frustration, he left a pile of laundry on the dog bed. It helped. Not enough, but enough to notice.
He started thinking about presence. Not sound, not smell, but shape—someone in the room. Or something that looked like someone. Something that looked like him.
He mocked up the first version using an old Halloween decoration and a hoodie. The dog curled up next to it like it was a person. That was enough to keep going. He started searching for manufacturers that could help make a real version—one that was soft, huggable, human-shaped, and easy to inflate. He wanted something pet-safe, sturdy enough to stay upright, and neutral-looking. It had to look like someone you’d trust. He called it Gerty.
Gerty is an inflatable figure that looks like a seated human. The arms form a soft U-shape, like a hug. The face is calm and cartoonish. The body is wide enough for a medium-sized dog to curl up next to. The inside has three separate air chambers—head and torso, legs, and arms—so the shape stays stable. Owners are told to dress it in a worn shirt or hoodie so the dog smells something familiar. Some even recommend talking to it before you leave, so the dog associates it with you.
It doesn’t move. It doesn’t make noise. It’s just there. You can leave it on the couch or beside the dog bed. You can move it from room to room. Some people put it in the passenger seat of their car.
Gerty is made from soft-touch vinyl. The material is phthalate-free and can be wiped clean. Each unit ships folded with a set of instructions and a small repair patch. Packaging is simple—a printed box that holds the figure, a user guide, and sometimes a small insert with care tips. The company runs on a direct-to-consumer model, shipping orders through its website and a few online retailers. Manufacturing is handled through overseas suppliers, but everything ships from within the U.S.
Schram runs the company himself. He comes from a background in hospitality tech and used to run a bar software startup. Gerty is smaller, stranger, and simpler. It’s one product. No electronics. No claims. Just something shaped like someone to help dogs stay calm.
It’s not meant to be a toy. It’s not meant to replace training. It’s just meant to sit there and be quiet, so your dog isn’t alone.
