Our Story
Dina was the first Dachshund in the family, a beautiful natured, standard shaded red. Mum always had fond memories of her time with Dina and Great Grandma Margret as a child, and hoped she could one day have a dachshund of her own. Growing up with many lovely dogs it always felt right to have a dog at home. When the time was right, and I was 11, we collected Chesney, our first miniature daxie. We couldn’t leave his little brother behind so they came back from Wales to their new home as Cumberland Sausages in the Lakes. Rusty went to my grandparents, at first, my tough as boots grandad said he “wasn’t going to be walking that tiny thing” but they soon became inseparable and Rusty was often found lying at his feet by the fire. A year later we got poppy as a companion to Chesney and then came Dylan, and Rosie a few years on.
Photo: Dina with Great Grandma Margret & her sister Sarah (Tainey)
After University I moved back to the Lakes and back into the family home. Our once young pups had started to turn silver and sadly our Poppy was the first to cross the rainbow bridge at 13 after a few years of diabetes. Chesney then followed a couple of years later at 15 and then his brother Rusty at 16.
In 2019, when I was moving out, I came home from work to find mum too excited to keep the secret that she had found me the perfect first home gift- my Ralph. As true to my love of dachshunds he could have only ever been one but I loved the look and character of a wire haired. I only had 2 days in my new home without him and he will never not be the best present I will ever receive.
Photo: Ralph and dani
Having more senior dogs at home mum worried about Rose growing up in a home with 3 other dogs to have no companions, so Ruby joined the pack in 2019. A boisterous wire haired who loves to spend her days watching the sheep from the garden. We have often wondered if she's not part burmese mountain dog because she could sit for hours in the snow and rain as long as she is outside. Ralph has always been a little sensitive and known, perhaps not so affectionately, among the locals as “the Tasmanian devil”. As we have worked on his reactivity he has grown more confident with Ruby by his side for walks. He likes to have his space at home but enjoys days at the grandparents curled up with the girls while the shop is open.
Photo: A Young Rose and Christine
We have both been fortunate to live and work in the village we grew up in and have now been able to open a small shop too. Having worked together for many years we are now a mother and daughter partnership working together to create a bijou business for dogs.
Someone once said 'that dog is your life' - so here we are making that dream a reality.
We love our little dogs so much we had always hoped of opening a small dog boutique in the village we have always called home. We've had our eye on this location for several years and jumped at the chance when it became available.
Photo: Ralph's first day in his furever home
We may be little by name and nature, but we certainly welcome dogs of all sizes!
