Joe Markham uses PetKORE to extend his KONG legacy: full analysis
Joe Markham, the inventor behind the original KONG toy, is back in the spotlight through a Pet Age “Five Questions” profile that highlights his current focus: PetKORE, a newer enrichment and grooming brand aimed at dogs, horses, and zoo animals. While the source item is framed as a personality-driven interview, the larger business story is that one of the pet industry’s best-known product founders is trying to build a second act around safety-focused enrichment in categories he believes have been overlooked. (petage.com)
That positioning builds on Markham’s long history in the category. Pet Age has previously described KONG as a pioneering force in dog toys, tracing the product back to Markham’s efforts in the 1970s to give his dog Fritz a safer chewing outlet than rocks and sticks. In a 2025 Pet Age report on PetKORE’s launch, Markham said he had shifted his development efforts toward underserved markets, especially larger dogs, equine products, and zoo-animal enrichment. (petage.com)
The product details help explain the strategy. Pet Age reported that PetKORE’s early lineup includes the FloTek Ball and FloTek Tug, which use grooves and a center opening intended to make fetch easier and reduce choking risk, as well as the KOREflex Ball and Ball & Tail for large breeds, plus the GroomRaker deshedding tool for grooming. The publication also said the products are made in the U.S. with globally sourced materials, primarily natural rubber, and are patented or patent pending. On its website, PetKORE says its products are “vet-approved” and designed with airflow channels, flexible construction, and durable materials to lower the risk of choking or tooth damage. (petage.com)
There’s also a commercial angle. Pet Age reported that Markham and his family’s KSP LLC are focused on product development, production, and brand management, while seeking outside support for sales, distribution, and planning. That effort appears to have quickly translated into a market partnership: Pet Age later reported that Coastal Pet Products partnered with Markham in early 2025 around the PetKORE line. (petage.com)
Independent commentary on the interview itself was limited, but the broader industry reaction has been clear enough: Markham still carries substantial credibility in enrichment and toy design. PetKORE’s own brand materials lean heavily on that legacy, describing him as the creator of KONG and the holder of 70-plus patents. Even where that claim comes from the company itself, it helps explain why retailers and distributors may give the brand an early look despite entering a crowded toy market. (petkore.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the significance isn’t celebrity founder nostalgia. It’s that enrichment remains one of the more practical intersections of behavior, preventive care, and pet-parent guidance, and companies are increasingly trying to build products around safety and species-specific use cases rather than generic play. Large-breed dogs, heavy chewers, and animals in equine or zoological settings can present different risk profiles and husbandry needs, so better-designed tools may support conversations around supervised play, oral safety, boredom reduction, and stress management. The caveat is that “vet-approved” is a marketing claim, not a regulatory standard, so clinics will still want to evaluate product design, durability, and appropriateness case by case. (petkore.com)
What to watch: The next step is whether PetKORE can turn founder recognition into sustained veterinary, specialty-retail, and distributor adoption. Key signals will include broader distribution, more visible clinical endorsements or field use, and whether the company continues expanding its portfolio for large dogs, horses, and zoo animals through 2026. (petage.com)