The Alexandria company's modular dog play system earns recognition for adaptable, commercial-grade design trusted in more than 12,000 facilities worldwide

ALEXANDRIA, VA / ACCESS Newswire / August 7, 2026 / Puppy Playground, the maker of modular dog playground equipment used in more than 12,000 facilities worldwide, has been named Versatile Product of the Year in the 2026 Pet Innovation Awards.

The award, presented by the Independent Innovation Awards, recognizes products across the pet care industry for creativity, usability, safety, and real-world impact. Puppy Playground took its category for one idea it has refined since 1994. Play equipment should bend to fit the dog and the space, not the other way around.

Every piece connects through the company's Bone Connector system. Staff set each ramp, stair, tabletop, or platform onto hidden plastic connectors that lock them together. The pieces release in seconds. A full layout can come apart, get cleaned, and go back together as something new in minutes, which is exactly what a busy daycare floor needs when turnover and sanitation never let up.

The equipment is molded from commercial-grade polyethylene, with rounded edges, non-slip surfaces, and non-porous finishes that resist bacteria and withstand years of weather and daily use. The system is made to order in the USA and scales from the Mini Series for puppies and small dogs to the PRO Series for large breeds.

Because the Mini and PRO lines share the same connectors, a facility can start with a few pieces and expand to dozens without replacing what it already owns.

The company's story goes back to 1988, when the Bessette family bought a run-down boarding kennel in Ormond Beach. Six years in, they had traced most of the behavior problems they saw to two causes: too much unspent energy and too little socialization. The group play areas they built to solve both became the foundation of the business Puppy Playground is today.

About Puppy Playground

Puppy Playground has designed and manufactured commercial-grade dog playground equipment since 1994. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the company builds modular, made-in-USA play systems that support exercise, confidence, and socialization for dogs in daycares, boarding facilities, shelters, and homes worldwide. Learn more at Puppy Playground.

Media Contact Information:

Jennifer Villa
MJI Marketing Agency
jennifer@mjimarketing.com
mjimarketing.com

SOURCE: Puppy Playground