Business & professional
I
N a little less than a year an independent dog care
service has won two major awards – one local and
one national – expanded into new premises and
recruited a team of four.
Emily Walden started Happy Hounds professional
dog care with her partner, Chris Williams, after
leaving the world of commercial property surveying.
She wanted not only a more ‘outdoors-ey’ job, but
also a business of her own which she could develop.
Chris is responsible for the website and within
a week of it going live Emily had her first client; in
a month she was at full capacity, walking dogs for
clients in and around Winchester.
Dog boarding, doggy day care for owners who
travel up to London regularly – these are just part
of what she does, having expanded into a barn at
Chilcomb, which has become a full-on doggy day
care centre and food shop.
“Dog owners often have busy lives and hold fulltime jobs. Many worry that their time is limited for
looking after a much-loved pet. We understand
that and believe that it shouldn’t stop individuals or
families having a wonderful four-legged companion,”
explained Emily.
“We care for dogs, whether it’s for one day a
week or every day. Some clients want walking and
exercise, others seek boarding for a break. We
collect dogs free of charge for walks. They get
exercise and socialise with other canine friends!”
Hands down award
winner for hounds
TOP: Bark of approval: Sophia Sward and Emily Walden at
the doggy day care centre.
ABOVE: Winchester Business Excellence Awards, l to r: guest
speaker champion rally driver Penn