Know_yourself

Travis and Carlton are two average guys trying to make it big—except they’re terrible at everything. When a random idea to start a dog-walking business falls into their laps, they realize they’ve found their true calling: scamming their way to success.

At first, they just fake it till they make it—offering "premium dog services" they know nothing about, from overpriced spa treatments to fake dog yoga. But as their business grows, so does their web of lies, and soon they’re pretending to be everything from pet psychic consultants to high-end dog trainers. Each scam is more ridiculous than the last, but somehow they manage to convince clients that they’re experts.

Their latest adventure? A secret underground dog fashion show with elite canine influencers, where the stakes are higher than a poodle’s coiffed hair. But things quickly spiral out of control when their lies get tangled up with actual dangerous (and even illegal) schemes—dog food recalls, fake adoption agencies, and a money-laundering operation disguised as a pet fashion line.

Travis and Carlton find themselves knee-deep in scams, misfit pets, and hilarious situations where the only thing they’re truly good at is getting out of sticky situations… just in time for their next big (and absurd) con.

"Paws, Furs, and Other Scams" is a wild, laugh-out-loud journey through a world of low-level cons, bad decisions, and two friends who will do anything for a quick buck—even if it means fooling the entire city one scam at a time.

Paws, Furs, and Other Scams

It started, as most disasters do, with an email.

"HGTV Presents: Ruff Reno — Your Pup Has Been Selected!"

Travis read it twice. Then a third time. Then out loud, slowly, like he was explaining tax law to a child.

You've been chosen as one of this season's celebrity designers on Ruff Reno: Dog House Edition! Each week, you and a partner will renovate custom doghouses for rescue pups in need — all while competing for the Golden Bone Wrench trophy and a year's supply of organic caulking chews."

Carlton blinked. "What the hell is caulking chew?"

Travis shrugged. "I assume something for fixing baseboards and teeth?"

Buttermilk, meanwhile, was already strutting into her studio — a.k.a. the linen closet — to pull out her favorite tiny hardhat and a mood board labeled "Rustic Luxury Meets Mid-Bark Modern."

On Set: The Madness Begins

The show was filmed in a large warehouse converted into a miniature construction site. There were saws. There were snacks. There was a surprisingly aggressive golden retriever wearing a headset named Sheila, who barked out instructions like a drill sergeant on espresso.

"Team Buttermilk!" she barked. "You're paired with Brick Beefcake. He's got TV experience, muscle mass, and rage issues. Good luck!"

Travis froze. "Brick Beefcake? No. No no no. He's the one who drop-kicked a coffee table on live television because it was 'emotionally weak.'"

Carlton groaned. "This guy's whole aesthetic is 'Home Gym for Alpha Dogs.'"

Right on cue, Brick Beefcake arrived in a pickup truck shaped like a dumbbell, wearing sunglasses, a sleeveless hoodie, and a gold chain that said "SQUAT."

He flexed. "Heard you were the artsy dog. I'm the sweaty one. Let's make some magic, Meatball."

Brick chuckled. "That your name? Meatball?"

Buttermilk slapped him across the face with a paint roller dipped in lilac.

Buttermilk's Vision:

Eco-friendly flooring made from recycled tennis balls

Waterfall dispenser for filtered bone broth

Mirror ceiling for "self-woofirmation"

A neon sign that said "LIVE, BARK, LIFT"

"She wants serenity," Travis explained to the camera.

"He wants to turn it into a motivational kennel prison," Carlton added.

Meanwhile, Brick hammered things that didn't need hammering. He installed five punching bags. He called a hot tub guy for a "puppy plunge pool with jets set to 'Hydro Smash.'"

The Passive-Aggressive Build Montage

Buttermilk installed bamboo paneling. Brick spray-painted it black and screamed "WE NEED EDGE."

Buttermilk sewed custom cushions. Brick replaced them with tires filled with jerky.

Buttermilk added subtle lighting with Himalayan salt lamp sconces. Brick replaced the bulbs with strobe lights. Then tried to turn the doghouse into a nightclub called "Club Bark."

The Executive Judges Visit

1. Lady Marzipan, a snooty Afghan hound with a tiny monocle.

2. Chef Gouda, a corgi who only judges things he can nap in.

3. An iguana named Dave who may not have known where he was.

Lady Marzipan sniffed the air. "Why does it smell like protein farts and conflict?"

Chef Gouda yawned. "This place needs more… umami."

Dave just licked a wall and nodded solemnly.

And the glitter cannon in the corner?

Chapter 13: The Dog House Makeover Showdown