An 11-year-old girl from Yorktown Heights is helping to pets dress to impress by running a company out of her home.
Like many girls her age, Annabelle Cutney spends her summer break outside playing with her pup, Bailey.
"I love my dog so much," Cutney said. "She's just really special to me."
Unlike other kids her age, however, Cutney uses her spare time to make our furry friends look their best through her shop Belles and Whistles Collar Co.
"When I'm making my collars, I feel at peace," she said. "It is therapeutic, but then I also feel like I'm doing something good."
It all started in the summer of 2025, when Cutney signed up for a camp called "Busy Girls." It specifically focused on teaching young girls how to start a business, as well as about the excitement of entrepreneurship.
"Originally, I was going to do a skincare brand, but that didn't really work," she said. "So, they were giving lists of what you could do for it. Then, my mom [and I] found pet care, and we thought, 'What do dog owners need?' We [then] thought of collars, because you can't walk your dog without a collar."
Cutney officially launched her business online just one month later and made sure that her collars are both stylish and functional.
"Really, I just want them to be cute and comfortable for the dog," she said. " I know a lot of dogs are sensitive to certain types of collars, especially if [the dog] doesn't have a lot of hair and it could rub off. So, I made sure to use a material where the collar can't hurt it."
Those little details have made Cutney's collars a hit both online and at local pet fairs across the Hudson Valley, proving that one is never too young to start achieving one's dreams.
"Usually, they'll be amazed that I'm only like 11 years old and they'll be like, 'Oh my God,'" Cutney said. "I remember there was this one couple [at a fair]. They were like, 'You look really young,' and I was like, 'Yeah,' and just kind of explained my business. They [asked], 'Are these good materials for dogs?' I was like, 'Yeah,' and they were like, ‘That's amazing that you do that.’ I feel like that's such a good way to start off...It feels good. I feel successful in a way."
Eventually, Cutney plans to sell the collars at local stores throughout the region.
"My friend's [dog] had one on, and her dog groomer saw them," Cutney said. "She asked us to put them in [her business], but I thought it was kind of too early for that, because I'm probably going to make changes to it."
Until that time comes, however, Cutney's collars can be purchased at local pet fairs throughout the region or on her website.
For updates on upcoming events and appearances, follow her Instagram page.
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