My name is Zoe and I am the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Dogmatic (UK) Ltd and this is our story.
The first dog was Kizzy, a Dobermann my parents bought when I was 3 years old. She slept on my bed as did all our dogs – they have always been a huge part of the family.
I remember….
I always wanted to be a Vet, I worked as a Veterinary Nurse in two Practices but soon realised it wasn’t for me.
Our lives always revolved around dogs – I enjoyed training them for obedience, agility and then got into some fun shows- now called Companion Shows (used to be Exemption Shows).
It is always wonderful to work and train and bond with your dog.
Mum was going in and out of Hospital for back operations and was really struggling to walk, let alone hold the dogs. We had 3 Dobes who weighed anything from early 30s to 40kgs each so would be strong on the lead.
We had tried harnesses and found they pulled even more – as with any sled dog – even continuing to pull when the straps had made their skin raw. We tried other products/headcollars but they rode up into the eyes, came off and were not doing what we needed them to do.
Mum started working with some ideas and designed a Headcollar. We were getting prototypes made for our dogs and we would trial them and then alter as we improved the design. Through the basis of trial and error, we perfected the design and used it on our Dobes. The reason we chose the black Leather product with brass fittings was simply because it suited the Dobermanns’ colouring so well.
To our complete delight, we realised we had built the product we had been searching for.
I was training, exercising and showing the Dobes – and had been doing that since my teens competing at Championship Shows around the UK and Crufts since 1995. Championship Shows can attract up to 10,000 dogs over 3-4 days and there are shows across the country most weekends. Trying to navigate car parks, the showground, finding the ring, often with multiple dogs, your bags etc., meant we needed good control of our dogs and the Dogmatic Headcollar gave us that control and made a huge difference to our lives.
Exercising got easier, training got better and our Dobermanns began winning at Championship Show level and qualifying for Crufts.
Through continued training our best boy Tommy began to show so well. In order to become a Champion, he would need to win three Challenge Certificates, Tommy won eight becoming the Top Dobermann in the UK 2000 which was a huge achievement and I have wonderful memories of running him around the ring to win the Working Groups at Southern Counties (later taking Reserve Best in Show) and Windsor Championship Shows.
We have met some lovely people over the years although competition sometimes brings a different vibe 😉
We also bred a litter with our Dobermann Evie and Tommy and due to complications had to hand rear the litter of 9. We kept a girl who we named Leila who also won at Championship Shows and got 2nd place at Crufts.
Word of mouth grew around the shows and exhibitors were asking after the Dogmatic Headcollar. We began taking measurements and taking orders.
It was the perfect space to get our hands on all the different breeds represented and we measured many examples of both male and female exhibits. This allowed us to perfect ten different sizes across the breeds so everybody could enjoy the benefits of the Dogmatic Headcollar.
We put our heart and souls into a design that would help so many people whilst walking and training their dogs.
We were taking orders for the next show, finding suppliers who could meet the growing demand even though at this stage there was no advertising in place, just pure word of mouth.
I remember placing our first advert – receiving the first phone calls, having to stop on the way home from work to buy some jiffy bags, sending customers hand written notes – so exciting but also scary!
Designing packaging, designing and placing adverts in magazines. Being stopped in the street, at the park, at the Vets etc., word of mouth was driving the demand.
Making the decision – going part time with work to start building up what looked like a possible business. The excitement, the risk. Taking the first phone calls, asking about card payments! Fulfilling the first orders.
Being able to source PCW (Padded Cushioned Webbing) as a fabric alternative which gave far superior comfort for both dog and owner in a variety of colours with our unique pattern to make certain breeds of dog look friendly and approachable.
We felt it was so important that not only was the design working but ensuring it was comfortable for the dog and that the materials we used were top quality, soft, padded, safe and secure.
As sales increased we introduced collars and leads in both the Leather and the PCW ranges.
Over the years we lost our Dobermanns but had fallen in love with the Italian Spinone and had Kofi who became our new mascot and model for the Dogmatic.
We lost our wonderful boy, Kofi, at the age of 12 years, his son Archie at almost 11 and Archie’s Son Norman at 11 and ¾ years and we also had Bertie who was Kofi’s Great, Grand Nephew (Archie’s Cousin and Norman’s Second Cousin) and was a good friend for Norman and a link to our Boys. We had Freddie and his Niece Gracie who are both from Poland and were the best of friends. Having now lost Freddie, Gracie is keeping us busy with her antics both at home and in the ring.
We have enjoyed wins with our Spinoni over the years and I was so proud to win First at Crufts 2024 with Gracie, who has just turned three and has won 3 Reserve CC’s and is qualified for Crufts for life.
Celebrating our Jubilee year we are so proud of being able to help so many Customers and their dogs enjoy their walks together.
It is wonderful to hear how the Dogmatic has helped Customers, changing their walking experience and even their lives.
We have heard from rescues where dogs have been able to be rehomed, where owners have been able to keep their dogs as they can now walk them and manage them on the lead.
We are proud to be the Headcollar of choice by Birmingham Dogs Home. They have endorsed the Dogmatic and use it in their kennels and recently added the range to their retail area.
We supply Rescues – Battersea, The Dogs Trust, RSPCA to name a few and it is wonderful to know the Dogmatic is helping and making a difference.
Owners have been able to keep their dogs and still exercise them despite their disabilities. Dogs are more comfortable and able to enjoy more walks, meaning they can socialise more as they are under control.
It still brings such a smile to my face to come across dogs wearing the Dogmatic and see how well they are now walking.
In our Jubilee year having started from such humble beginnings, it gives us great pleasure to now see the Dogmatic Range being supplied Worldwide.
Without dogs in our lives, we would not have had the opportunity to help so many others. Our dogs have always been paramount – being the faces of the brand – even now.
