Inventions in Everything: The Doggy Dust Cover

There’s a big market for products like flea collars that address the needs of dog owners who want to prevent their pets from picking up fleas and ticks when they’re outside. There’s an even bigger market for dog clothing for pet owners who would like their dogs to make style statements.

What if there were an invention that combined these two product categories? In theory, the inventor behind such an invention could benefit by claiming a small share of both markets.

As it happens, there is such an invention, although its inventor didn’t quite realize its full potential! In September 1963, inventor Seroun Kesh of Detroit, Michigan was awarded U.S. Patent 3,150,641 for his invention “Dust Cover For Dog”. Here’s a colorized depiction of the patent’s illustrations:

In the patent, Kesh describes the problems of pet owners he believed his innovation would solve:

It is well-known to animal lovers that dogs and cats harbor fleas and other pests and that the attempt to eradicate such pests oftentimes poses quite a problem. Efficient powders and sprays are now on the market for eliminating these pests, but their effective application and retention leaves much to be desired.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device, which will greatly assist the animal owner, in the effective application and retention of such pesticides on the animal, for a period of time sufficient to do the work required.

Another object of the invention is to provide an animal covering of the character indicated, which will protect the clothing, rugs, furniture of the owner from damage, while the animal is being treated for fleas and the like.

If you look at the patent illustrations, it’s pretty clear Kesh has not invented a dust cover for a dog so much as a full body suit for a canine companion. One that could not only be used for his stated purpose of keeping flea powder off the pet owner’s furnishings, but could also work like a raincoat in keeping water and dirt off the dog, or even block fleas and ticks from being able to latch onto the dog. Add a fashionable pattern to the dog’s body suit and the potential to make bank from the inventions was certainly in place, as a simple search for dog bodysuits on Amazon makes clear!

Including the flea suits and recovery suits for dogs, which are reasonably priced in today’s market. Kesh’s basic concept for his invention is a proven success.

That success includes another capability of the invention described in the patent. That strange tube on the dog’s back near the tail has a specific function:

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is constructed and arranged, so that it may be used to help rapidly dry the animal’s fur after a bath, by the simple expedient of attaching thereto the hot air exhaust end of a hair dryer device, whereby to permit the hot air to reach all parts of the animal’s body.

That aspect of the invention can be found in today’s dog drying bag, which works just like Kesh’s concept.

It’s not often the IIE team comes across an invention that, at first glance, appears to be destined for the annals of odd and unsuccessful inventions, but which after a bit of shopping research, we find is genuinely successful and is the inspiration for many products available in today’s marketplace. The Doggy Dust Cover, and its modern descendants, is a rare exception to the rule!

Inventions in Everything: The Archives

The IIE team has gone to the dogs before, but only for just a handful of inventions. Here’s that short list!

• Inventions in Everything: Toilets for Dogs
• Inventions in Everything: The Silliest Illustration Ever in a U.S. Patent?
• Inventions in Everything: Keeping Dog Time
• Inventions in Everything: Texting Your Dog a Treat