Dogs Allowed

Summary

Dogs Allowed was established by the husband of Bubble Enterprises’ co-director Belinda Barnard in 2017 as a break-even business providing a safe, enclosed dog exercising area in the community. Dogs Allowed is a dedicated green space in which dogs can enjoy quality time off lead, giving pets and owners the opportunity to spend time outdoors in a secure, non-threatening environment.

Challenges

There are around nine million pet dogs across the UK, all of which need exercise to stay healthy. Taking a dog for a walk on the lead or a run in an open space should present an opportunity for exercise and fun – but for some dogs and their owners, the opposite is true.

Reactive or fearful dogs, aggressive dogs, puppies or elderly dogs and those looked after by charities may all struggle when exercising in a conventional way – especially off lead in an area popular with dog owners. Having a safe, enclosed area in which to exercise dogs removes the threats associated with conventional exercising, meaning both pets and their carers can feel at ease.

Dogs Allowed was established with the following objectives:

To create a safe and secure area for dogs to exercise

Reduce stress and anxiety for dogs and their owners

To provide an affordable facility for use by the community and charities

The process

The idea of an enclosed, secure dog exercising area came to Belinda through her own experiences of dog ownership. Exercising her reactive dogs was a source of anxiety – the dogs’ behaviour meant they were restricted to walks on the lead and unable to enjoy running and playing freely.

Belinda was also aware that friends and acquaintances found themselves in the same predicament, and she identified a need for the creation of a safe space. Using her own land, Belinda sectioned off a field and had tall, secure fencing installed. She created a set of rules around behaviour, session times and prices, and ensured that the business was legally sound and fully insured.

In 2017, Dogs Allowed welcomed its first customers, who were able to rent the space for an hour at a nominal fee. Word soon spread and the space became popular within the community as an area for both regular and one-off exercise sessions, giving dogs and their owners a safe space to enjoy quality time in the open air.

Outcomes

The goal of Dogs Allowed was to create a facility for the local dog-owning community to spend time exercising their pets without the anxiety and stress they would experience with more conventional activities. For just a small fee, dog owners and carers can access the space as often as like, to exercise, train and play with their pets at Dogs Allowed.

The space is used by members of the community as well as attracting users from further afield – even European families who have brought their dog on holiday. Charities including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust also use the area to exercise and train dogs in their care, help rehabilitate animals in need.

After just two short years, Dogs Allowed is branching out into other communities, relieving the stress and anxiety many dog owners experience when exercising their pets and helping make dog ownership as enjoyable as it should be.

Contact Dogs Allowed

Should you wish to make use of this service call Mike on 07899 731581