I’m Back! A New Chapter for That Dog Shop

Well... hello! 👋

If you've found your way here after following my journey with Oh My Dog, you might be wondering what on earth I'm up to now.

And if you're new here... welcome! Grab a brew, get comfy and let me introduce myself properly.

I'm Lucy, the founder of That Dog Shop and the creator of our very own dog wear brand, Westwood Dog Co.

For the last five years, a huge part of my life has been spent inside a little shop on Dyer Lane in the heart of Beverley.

And what a five years it was.

From nothing to more than I ever dreamed of...

Back in 2021, I took a leap of faith and opened Oh My Dog.

What began as an idea and a whole lot of determination grew into a multi-award-winning independent business that became a huge part of my life.

I poured absolutely everything into that little shop.

The early mornings. The late nights. The deliveries. The displays. The stock ordering. The events. The social media. The conversations with customers. The dogs popping in for a treat. 🥹🐶

There were definitely some days where I wondered what on earth I'd got myself into... but I wouldn't change a second of it.

The shop was built from nothing and became more than I could ever have imagined.

And from the very beginning, I always had a plan.

The five-year plan

The physical shop was always my five-year plan.

I wanted to give it everything I had, build something I could be proud of and see just how far I could take it.

Somehow, I reached those five years having achieved more than I ever dreamed possible.

Oh My Dog became a multi-award-winning business, supported by the most incredible customers and community, and I genuinely feel so proud of everything it became.

But reaching that point also made me realise something important.

Sometimes, achieving your goal doesn't mean you have to keep holding onto it forever.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is recognise that a chapter has reached its natural end and be brave enough to start a new one.

So, after five incredible years, I handed the shop over to another family-run business to continue the Oh My Dog legacy.

And honestly?

That felt pretty special..... pretty scary and emotional for me, but special!

Because I didn't want Oh My Dog to simply disappear.

I wanted it to continue in the hands of people who understood independent business, family and community.

And now it can continue its story... while I finally get the chance to focus on mine.

Because That Dog Shop was always there...

While running Oh My Dog, I had also been quietly building something behind the scenes.

That Dog Shop.

The website. The online shop. The TikTok Shop.

A couple of years ago, I knew I wanted to create an online space that could eventually become its own thing. Somewhere I could sell our own Westwood Dog Co collections alongside a carefully curated selection of toys and accessories.

But if you've ever run a physical shop, you'll know exactly what happened next...

There was never enough time. 😂

That Dog Shop was there. It was growing. It was ticking along in the background. 

But it never got the time, energy or attention that I truly wanted to give it because, quite simply, Oh My Dog needed me.

And it deserved me.

So, for the past five years, I've been juggling more things than I probably care to admit, while That Dog Shop patiently waited in the wings.

Well...

The time has finally come.

Hello, new chapter! 👋

I'm now able to properly focus on That Dog Shop and everything I originally hoped it could become.

The website and our TikTok Shop will be home to Westwood Dog Co, alongside a carefully curated selection of toys and accessories that I genuinely love and think you and your dogs will too.

And, for the first time, I can really give our own brand the time and attention it deserves.

Westwood Dog Co is where my heart is.

What started as a collection of dog accessories has grown into something I genuinely believe has huge potential.

I want to invest more time into designing and developing new collections. I want to build the Westwood Dog Co community. I want more meet-ups, more adventures and more opportunities to bring together the wonderful people and dogs who have supported us along the way.

And I also have my sights set on introducing Westwood Dog Co to other independent shops around the UK.

Which feels slightly terrifying to write down... but also VERY exciting. 😂

Because that's the thing about starting something new.

You never quite know where it might take you.

It feels a little bit like coming home

In many ways, this new chapter takes me right back to where I started.

Back to an idea.

Back to an online shop.

Back to taking a chance on something I believe in.

Except this time, I'm taking everything I've learned over the past five years with me.

The good bits.

The mistakes.

The lessons.

The confidence I didn't have when I first opened that little shop in Beverley.

And, most importantly, the incredible people I've met along the way.

So, if you're one of the people who supported Oh My Dog from the very beginning...

Thank you.

If you ever visited the shop, bought something online, stopped me in the street to tell me you loved what I was doing, shared a post, brought your dog in to say hello or supported me in any other way...

Thank you.

And if you're new here?

Well, I think you've arrived at a pretty exciting time. 😁

This isn't a goodbye to everything that came before.

It's a thank you.

A thank you for helping me build something I never could have imagined.

And now...

I'm back.

Back online. Back creating. Back building.

And I honestly cannot wait to see where this next chapter takes us.

Welcome to That Dog Shop.

Welcome to the next chapter of Westwood Dog Co.

Let's see where we can take it. 🐾

Lots of woof,

Lucy & Lily x

 

*Pic is the only recent one I have of Lily and I, mental note to take more pictures!