Doghouse gets tails wagging with £100,000 funding for canine couture

Doghouse, based in Wiltshire, has received £100,000 to expand its canine couture range.

Doghouse is a destination store providing a range of services for dog owners. As part of her offering, business owner Ruth Warren has designed her own range of dog coats which has been a resounding success.

As well as running a destination store combining a pet shop, dog grooming salon and café, Warren is also masterminding a growing range of own-brand products, with dachshund coats proving a big success.

The funding from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund via SWIG Finance, will go towards expanding the Doghouse workshop in Bradford-on-Avon so it can deal with increasing demand for canine couture.

Warren, who opened her first shop in 2017, said: “I had run a little pet shop for some years, but I felt there was a place in the market for something that was more of an experience.”

So as well as selling quality products that are slightly off the mainstream, such as natural dog foods, she added a dog grooming service and a cafe.

“I thought it would be nice to have one, because I love a decent cup of coffee. If it worked, I thought it would be a good concept to roll out.”

Soon Warren invested in a second location in the desirable Clifton district of Bristol in 2020.

Meanwhile, an unexpected area of growth was identified in the tailoring department.

“My friend was making fleecy coats for dachshunds, and it was like Glastonbury tickets: I’d put them on sale, and they would all go within minutes, with a lengthy waiting list,” said Warren.

“In the end, I offered to buy the business from her and started making them in the workshop. It just grew and grew.”

Warren, herself a life-long lover of dachshunds and owner of shop mascot and social media star Maude, attributes her success to the fact that each coat is made to suit an individual breed’s dimensions.

The workshop also makes own-brand blankets, collars and leads. The South West Investment Fund loan has enabled operations to move into larger premises, which in turn will facilitate the growth of manufacturing to meet existing demand and even move into wholesale production.

SWIG senior business manager Nicola Parker said: “I wanted to support the business as it offers something a bit different, which is why it has grown so successfully.

“Ruth has continued to widen the Doghouse offering with own-brand products, reflecting her awareness of their marketplace. The funding will not only enable future development of the products, it will also support increasing their online presence, including e-commerce and click-and-collect availability.”