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goDog Packaging Design

Role

Brand Designer, Packaging Design Specialist

Project type

Packaging Design

A major focus of the goDog rebrand was reinventing its packaging to better suit the brand’s uniquely shaped, often irregular dog toys. I led the dieline development for over a dozen SKUs—engineering custom, quirky shapes that complemented the form of each product while improving shelf impact, structural integrity, and sustainability.

These dielines were designed to:

Flow with the natural contours of each toy

Stand out against a sea of rectangular backer cards

Comply with retailer planogram requirements

Minimize material waste and avoid plastic wherever possible—favoring recyclable chipboard and corrugate

This structural innovation helped differentiate goDog at shelf level, aligning with both consumer expectations and internal sustainability goals.

In addition to dieline creation, I laid out the artwork for most packaging designs, applying the new branding system across form factors. This included placing illustrations, color blocks, and redesigned brand elements (like the Chew Guard seal) in a way that was consistent, fun, and retail-ready. I also handled production setup and file prep for manufacturing.

The final packaging system reflects a thoughtful blend of function and visual design—one that’s playful, durable, and unmistakably goDog.

A retail mock-up of a variety of goDog toys with new branding.

goDog Retail Pegboard Mock-Up

To showcase the updated goDog branding and packaging in a retail context, I photographed, masked, and retouched 18 goDog toys in Photoshop. I designed a custom retail endcap header with the new brand voice and visual identity, and used AI to generate a realistic retail pegboard background. Each toy was mocked up to accurate relative scale and positioned with visual balance and clarity.

I hand-painted shadows and highlights to ensure dimensionality and realism, refining edges and lighting for a seamless composite. This mock-up was used to demonstrate the shelf impact of the rebrand and the effectiveness of the dielines I developed—illustrating how the packaging system enhances visibility, storytelling, and shopability across a wide range of toy shapes and materials.

Dieline Design: Roller & Trickster

As part of the goDog rebrand, I developed over over a dozen original dielines from scratch to help the packaging stand out in a saturated market of rectangular backer cards. My goal was to engineer quirky, ownable shapes that were both visually distinctive and structurally sound—while adhering to sustainability goals.

For the triangular dog ball, I created a triangular carton with a die-cut window, carefully calculating angles and flap construction to ensure structural integrity and efficient production. For the interlocking yellow ring toy, I solved the challenge of packaging two connected components by creating a single-piece chipboard hanger that stacked and contained both toys securely—minimizing material waste and reducing cost.

These dielines delivered strong brand differentiation, practical shelf impact, and sustainable design solutions—all while staying true to the bold, playful aesthetic of the goDog brand.

Two book pages showcasing a blade shaped dog toy in packaging and a circular barbell shaped toy in packaging

Dieline Design: Flyer & Looper

These packaging solutions pushed creative problem-solving to the forefront. Each dieline was engineered to use the least amount of sustainable chipboard possible while still securing unusually shaped toys and allowing for strong shelf presence—whether hung or binned.

For the Flyer (pink blade-shaped toy), the challenge was its length and non-uniform shape. I created a flowing dieline that hugged the toy’s curves, securing it with strategically folded tabs and a single piece of tape—resulting in a sleek silhouette where the toy itself takes center stage.

For the Looper (orange barbell-shaped toy), I used the interior negative space to place the branding and hang tag. I wrapped the dieline around the tube arms with minimal material, securing it with just one taped tab. Both designs exceed structural requirements, resisting bending or folding in transit or on display—delivering sustainability and standout design.

Dieline Design: Backer Cards & Hang Tags

Brand-forward dielines that balance form, function, and sustainability

I developed the hang cards and tags for goDog’s flagship plush toy line, choosing a distinctive silhouette that breaks away from industry-standard rectangles to create a recognizable brand moment on shelf. These became the foundational templates for the rebranded packaging system, with graphics laid out to accommodate branding, callouts, and illustrations in a clean and eye-catching hierarchy.

For the Bounceez collection (right), I designed dielines using e-flute corrugate—an eco-friendly material strong enough to support the weight of large, heavy TPR toys. I created a rounded top shape that flows with the toys’ forms, ensuring strong on-shelf presence whether in bins or hung vertically on a planogram. This system aligned with goDog’s playful aesthetic while meeting structural, branding, and sustainability goals.

goDog branded packaging for dog toys, including hang tags and backer cards for both plush and TPR toys.

A collection of 7 bouncy ball-type toys for dogs and white rounded prototype hang card packaging.

goDog Bounceez Collection Dieline Prototypes

Used e-flute to create a cohesive collection of dielines for the Bounceez collection for goDog toys. Each product echos the rounded top dieline and seamlessly fits around the toys. The e-flute is strong enough to hold these heavy TPR toys.

goDog Roller Dieline Prototype

I worked with only chipboard and e-flute corrugate to create sturdy and sustainable dielines for the entire new line of goDog toys. I mocked them up, testing their strength and shelf appeal.

A prototype of the triangular chipboard box.

Paper dieline prototype for goDog Looper toy.

goDog Looper Dieline Prototype

Initially ideated the packaging for various goDog toys with bristol board, refining the shapes and closures before moving onto sturdier materials. This one was developed rather quickly.

goDog Flyer Dieline Prototype

There was a lot of trial and error in creating an effective dieline for this toy. I tried to use gravity to secure the toy initially, but it took too many materials and the toy was too easily removable from the packaging. I eventually went around the toy instead of on top or botom, and used the same tab closures I developed for the Looper to secure around the handles of the toy.

A paper prototype on the pink blade shaped Flyer goDog toy.

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goDog Packaging Design

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