Is CoyoteVest Still in Business? Shark Tank Update

Every year, countless small dogs and cats fall victim to predators in suburban and urban neighborhoods across the United States.

When Paul and Pamela Mott pitched CoyoteVest on Shark Tank, they weren’t just selling a pet accessory, they were pitching a literal suit of armor designed to prevent devastating heartbreak.

Looking like a cross between a punk-rock jacket and a porcupine, the CoyoteVest immediately captured the attention of viewers, even if the Sharks themselves were skeptical about its mainstream appeal.

The Bottom Line (Executive Summary)

• They Survived the Tank: CoyoteVest did not secure a deal on Shark Tank. The Sharks felt the product was too niche to scale into a massive enterprise.
• Profitable and Growing: Despite leaving empty-handed, CoyoteVest crossed $2 million in lifetime sales, proving the Sharks wrong about market demand.
• Current Status: The company is alive and thriving. They recently secured new trademarks in 2025, expanded into independent retail stores, and broadened their product line to include armor for cats and specialized accessories to deter birds of prey.

What is CoyoteVest?

CoyoteVest is protective body armor designed for small dogs and cats to defend against attacks from coyotes, aggressive dogs, and birds of prey. The vest utilizes stab-resistant Kevlar and features hard plastic spikes along the back and neck to deter predators and give owners time to intervene.

The core concept behind the product is simple but highly engineered. A predator, such as a coyote, typically attacks a small animal by grabbing it by the neck or the back. The CoyoteVest interrupts this exact strike zone.

The vest itself is constructed from Kevlar, the same material used by law enforcement for bulletproof vests, meaning sharp canine teeth cannot easily puncture the fabric.

Surrounding the collar and running down the torso are rows of menacing, chrome-colored spikes. While they look dangerous, these spikes are made from a hard, durable plastic.

They are rigid enough to irritate a predator’s mouth and force them to release their bite, but they are not designed to lethally wound the attacking animal. The entire system is built to buy the pet owner a few crucial seconds to react, scream, or physically step in before a fatal injury occurs.

Industry	Founder(s)	Core Product	Retail Price	Target Audience
Pet Accessories & Safety	Paul and Pamela Mott	Pet Body Armor	~$99.95 – $119.95	Owners of small dogs/cats in predator-prone areas

The Founder(s) Behind CoyoteVest

Paul and Pamela Mott never intended to enter the pet apparel industry. The creation of CoyoteVest stems entirely from a sudden, tragic loss.

In 2015, Paul took his small dog, Buffy, to a local dog park in San Diego, California. The park was a familiar, seemingly safe environment. While Paul was walking Buffy off her leash, he heard a sudden yelp.

He turned around to find that a coyote had snatched Buffy in its jaws. By the time Paul could react, the coyote had fled into the surrounding brush. Buffy was never seen again.

The grief of losing a pet in such a violent, helpless manner drove Paul to find a solution. He realized that coyotes were becoming increasingly comfortable in suburban spaces, meaning traditional fences and standard leashes were no longer enough to guarantee safety.

Paul began researching predator behavior obsessively. He read academic biology papers, consulted with local veterinarians, and even purchased a coyote skull to study exactly how their jaws hinge and where their teeth apply the most pressure during an attack.

Through this research, the Motts discovered that the neck and the back are the primary targets. Paul, Pamela, and co-founder Nicole Mellom set up a small manufacturing space in California and began prototyping a vest that could protect those specific vulnerabilities.

Their mission was clear: create something lightweight enough for a small dog to run around in comfortably, but tough enough to stop a coyote’s teeth. After sourcing DuPont Kevlar and designing the plastic spikes, CoyoteVest was officially born.

CoyoteVest’s Shark Tank Pitch & Deal

Paul and Pamela Mott walked into the Shark Tank during Season 10, bringing a couple of adorable, spike-covered dogs with them. The visual was immediately striking.

The Sharks laughed at the “Mad Max” aesthetic, but the mood shifted as soon as Paul recounted the tragic story of Buffy.

The founders were seeking an investment to help bring their manufacturing costs down and scale their inventory to meet growing demand. They had built a modest factory in California, but they were running into operational bottlenecks.

The financials were respectable for a young, bootstrapped company. The vests cost roughly $30 to manufacture and retailed for around $120.

Paul reported that they had generated $570,000 in total lifetime revenue over their first two years, with $260,000 of that coming from the most recent year. All of their sales were direct-to-consumer through their website.

However, the Sharks quickly zeroed in on the valuation and the market size.

Season / Episode	Initial Ask & Valuation	Sharks Present	Notable Offers	Final On-Air Deal
Season 10, Episode 22	$250,000 for 10% ($2.5M Valuation)	Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John	None	No Deal

Robert Herjavec appreciated the product but stated point-blank that not every good product translates into a massive, investable business. He felt the target demographic was just too small.

Mark Cuban echoed this sentiment, expressing concern that relying solely on website sales limited their growth potential.

Kevin O’Leary, true to form, attacked the valuation. He pointed out that asking for $250,000 at a $2.5 million valuation for a company making $260,000 a year simply did not make mathematical sense to him. He argued the profit margins didn’t justify the equity ask.

Lori Greiner and Daymond John also passed, noting that the business was still in a highly risky stage of development.

Without a single offer on the table, Paul and Pamela thanked the Sharks and walked out of the Tank.

Did the CoyoteVest Deal Actually Close?

Because no Shark offered a deal on the show, there was no off-camera due diligence process to navigate. CoyoteVest left the stage with zero outside funding, but more importantly, Paul and Pamela kept 100% of their equity.

However, as is common with memorable Shark Tank pitches, the company experienced the massive “Shark Tank Effect.” The exposure to millions of viewers served as an incredible, free national commercial.

Immediately after the episode aired, orders flooded their website. Dog owners living near canyons, wooded areas, and even urban parks realized this was the exact product they had been looking for.

The exposure propelled their sales from $260,000 a year to $570,000 in the months directly following the broadcast.

CoyoteVest After Shark Tank: The Current Update

As of today, CoyoteVest is highly successful and operating as a masterclass in niche marketing. Paul and Pamela Mott proved that you do not need a Shark’s capital to build a sustainable, multi-million-dollar consumer brand.

Today, the company offers a robust lineup of protective gear. Beyond the original dog vest, they have introduced:

• CoyoteWhiskers: Brightly colored, stiff nylon bristles that attach to the top of the vest with Velcro. These are designed to confuse predators and irritate their eyes or snout before they can even clamp down.
• The HawkShield: A brilliant add-on for owners worried about birds of prey. It is an extra pad of Kevlar that attaches to the back of the vest. If an owl or hawk swoops down and grabs the dog, the bird’s talons will sink into the HawkShield. As the bird tries to fly away, the shield simply breaks away from the vest, leaving the dog safely on the ground.
• SpikeVest for Cats: Adapting their cordura fabric and spike design for feline mobility.

The company also expanded its footprint beyond purely direct-to-consumer sales online. While they never signed a massive big-box retail contract like Petco or PetSmart, they took a smarter, highly targeted approach.

CoyoteVest is now stocked in dozens of independent, mom-and-pop pet stores across the United States, specifically focusing on regions with high coyote populations (such as Southern California, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest).

On the corporate side, the company continues to protect its intellectual property. According to public records, CoyoteVest filed for the “SPIKEVEST” trademark, which was officially registered and approved by the USPTO in February 2025. This legal maneuver helps them combat cheap knock-offs attempting to steal their designs on platforms like Amazon.

The brand has also embedded itself in pop culture. Their distinct vests have been featured in major publications like National Geographic and Popular Mechanics, and have even made on-screen appearances in shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Paris in Love.

What is the Net Worth and Valuation of CoyoteVest?

When Paul and Pamela asked for a $2.5 million valuation in 2019, Kevin O’Leary called it wildly overpriced. Seven years later, the math tells a different story.

Following their television appearance, the company rapidly scaled its annual revenue past the $1 million mark. By mid-2024, verified industry reports indicated that CoyoteVest had surpassed $2 million in lifetime revenue.

Factoring in their steady growth, their new product lines, and their continued relevance, their lifetime sales are now tracking significantly higher.

Given that they manufacture their own patented products, control their direct-to-consumer pipeline, and maintain high profit margins (costing $30 to make and selling for over $100), the business is highly lucrative.

While private companies do not disclose exact EBITDA, a standard consumer goods multiple of 2x to 3x on their annual revenue places CoyoteVest’s 2026 valuation comfortably between $2.5 million and $4 million.

The Motts successfully grew into the exact valuation they pitched to the Sharks, doing so while retaining total ownership of their brand. Consequently, Paul and Pamela Mott’s estimated net worth derived from the business is easily in the multi-millions.

Is CoyoteVest Still in Business?

Yes, absolutely. CoyoteVest is fully operational. Their website remains highly active, featuring hundreds of verified buyer reviews praising the product’s durability.

They actively process shipments across the country, handle returns through modern e-commerce systems, and continually update their sizing charts and “How-To” video guides.

They remain an independent, family-owned entity based in San Diego, California, still manufacturing key components in the USA to support local jobs.

Where to Buy CoyoteVest & Essential Accessories?

If you are a pet owner dealing with neighborhood predators, securing a CoyoteVest is straightforward.

1. The Official Website: The absolute best place to purchase their gear is directly through coyotevest.com. Buying direct ensures you are getting genuine Kevlar products and not cheap, unsafe knock-offs. The website also provides a comprehensive sizing guide, which is critical because a protective vest must fit snugly to function properly.

2. Independent Retailers: The company lists its current retail partners at the bottom of its homepage. If you live in a region with heavy coyote activity, check your local independent pet boutiques. Purchasing in-store allows you to try the vest on your dog before buying.

When buying, consider the add-ons: The base vest is excellent for bite protection, but the ecosystem of accessories makes it formidable. If you have hawks in your area, the HawkShield ($20-$30 add-on) is essential. For maximum visual deterrence, adding the CoyoteWhiskers makes your pet look larger and significantly more difficult to approach.

By ignoring the Sharks and trusting their research, Paul and Pamela Mott turned a heartbreaking tragedy into a company that is actively saving the lives of pets every single day.