Bunker The Ridgeback

Our dog, Bunker, is not only a member of our family, but a main source of inspiration for Rhoback.

Born the same year as the company, Bunker is known to Crave Activity. He is always up for the next adventure, tongue out, with a smile on his face. His positivity and love for activity have been the ethos of Rhoback since day one.

When we first designed the Rhoback logo, we wanted it to be a sleek representation of man’s best friend, using Bunker’s silhouette.

Bunker’s breed, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, is known as “the lion hunter” in its origin country of Zimbabwe for its fearless instincts – enough to fend off a lion. We knew we’d need to harness this mentality when starting Rhoback.

And like most Ridgebacks, Bunker has an unmistakable “ridge” that runs down his back. We incorporated Bunker’s ridge as a design element on our products – represented by the two vertical stripes on the backs of all Rhoback products.

Back in 2017 when we hit the road to sell our first products out of the back of our camper, Bunker was with us every step of the way. Bunk would greet potential customers, and we’d simultaneously share the brand with them. Bunker effortlessly became our best ambassador, making friends with everyone he met.

Today, Bunker attends nearly every meeting at our Charlottesville HQ (there’s a dog bed in every conference room). Like dogs do, he lights up every room (and Zoom) with his presence and sprints up and down the halls with excitement when team members walk in.

While we have yet to see the killer instincts in Bunker his breed is known for, we also have yet to see a lion anywhere near HQ, so he must be doing his job.

While Bunker has been represented in the ethos of the brand and in every Rhoback logo since day one, we’re excited to finally release a polo shirt inspired by his breed: The Ridgeback.

We believe what Bunker means to us is what millions of other dogs and pets mean to their owners. We’re forever thankful for Bunker’s impact on our lives and his legacy will always carry on with the brand through his positivity, fearlessness, and passion to #craveactivity.

-Kristina Loftus

Cofounder & Bunker's Mom