Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Alejandra Avila and Aaron Irmas, the co-founders of PartyAnimal, a California-based company created to make celebrating dogs simpler and more personal. It began with Alejandra wanting to do something special for her dog Maya’s birthday and realizing there was no easy way to bring everything together in one place.

PartyAnimal grew out of that moment. Alejandra leads product development, design, and hands-on creation, while Aaron brings his background in marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship to the business. Together, they built a personalized party experience where dog parents submit a photo of their pup and receive a custom-made celebration delivered in one box.

In this conversation, Alejandra and Aaron talk about building a company as a team, how clearly defined roles helped them grow, and why early feedback from friends, family, and customers shaped the product into what it is today. They also share what it looks like to scale a handmade business, transition fully into ecommerce, and manage the long days that come with fulfilling high volumes of personalized orders.

Giving back sits at the core of PartyAnimal’s mission. As rescue dog parents themselves, they donate 10% of every PartyPack to dog rescue organizations, support adoption efforts by spotlighting dogs in need, and stay personally involved in helping rescues beyond financial contributions.

A thoughtful look at partnership, creativity, and building a business rooted in love for dogs, while using celebration as a way to make a meaningful impact.