The Dog and I

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Dorchester
The Dog and I

Natural dog grooming products, gentle and effective. Created from ethically sourced ingredients and Our specific focus is natural dog grooming products.
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We are a family business based in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast. We love the beach and countryside and it inspires me in everything I do. The picture you see on our website home page is our collie Willow and my daughter Maisie at Worbarrow Bay. My vision is to source and create a variety of products with the aim of keeping our dogs fit and healthy, as naturally and holistically as possibl

e. At present you will find we have a small range of products but we are full of ideas and testing out new recipes which we will bring to you as soon as we are happy with them. In this age of speed and convenience I am convinced our dogs suffer the same anxieties and stresses that modern living brings to us all. We can help them in so many ways, we just need to know how.

I am primarily a dog groomer but with a love of all things dog! I retrained some 3 years ago but am a life long dog owner. When I'm not working I try my hand at agility with my collie Willow. We are not especially good but its the taking part :) We also have 2 beautiful springer spaniels, Ollie and Ziggy.

My mission is to source beautiful and useful gifts and products. To make my dog and human customers happy and just generally make the dog owning world a pawsome place to be !

06/12/2024

Where to start! Some of you may know that I have 2 businesses, this is now my second business, the main one being where I teach all things soap and skincare products from the making through to setting up and growing a business. Long story short - that is taking up the larger chunk of my time and over the past year it has been getting harder and harder to juggle the two, meaning I had to make some difficult decisions which have had to be sooner than I planned.

I was not going to announce this until the New Year but the run up to Christmas has been crazy to say the least and I am completely out of all soaps and have just 2 small salves left and 1 large so I have also had to pull the Christmas Gift sets. Anyone going on the website will see there is not a lot left!

Soap is time consuming to make and label in large quantities and it also requires a curing time so there was no possibility of restocking which leads to me to the following announcement.

The website will be shutting on Sunday night. I have no soap bars left, just 1 x 60g Soothing Salve left and 2 x 15g Soothing Salve.

Off the top of my head there are about 10 or 15 shampoo and detanglers left. Nose and paw balms are still ok at the moment. Canine colognes are all gone.

What is happening moving forwards? If you asked me a week ago I said I was shutting up shop. But this has been a part of my life since 2016 and I am not sure I am ready to walk away completely but if I continue it will look very different and very streamlined. Probably not in a format you would have expected but everything evolves and part of running your own business is making sure it works for you. 😁 Watch this space on that, I do have an idea that I am enthusiastic about. I will make some decisions in the New Year when I have had a rest and feel a bit more sane!

I think that covers everything, whatever I end up doing, can I just say the biggest thank you to all of you for the purchases, the support, everything. Honestly, it has been an incredible rollercoaster, I have met so many wonderful, like minded business owners, made friends for life, learnt so much. This business enabled me to leave (escape) my very stressful day job in the police and it gave me the skills and expertise to start The Soap Coach (it also also completely funded that business, allowed me to rent a business premises, get PR in national press, a glossy magazine and more - and all when I was well over the age of 40. I even have a YouTube channel - who knew that would happen 😂).

It has been life changing to be honest - I kid you not. Hence why I am reluctant to completely walk away. Those of you who have been for me many years will know it was down to learning to groom my lovely spaniels, Ollie and Ziggy, that this venture even started at all. In fact those dogs have a lot to answer for, it is because of them I qualified as a dog groomer, started these 2 businesses and am now a certified business strategist! I have a lot to thank them for albeit we sadly lost them a few years back. Dogs are brilliant aren't they!

I have waffled so much here but part of me just wanted to share all this and say if you have a dream and there is any way at all you can go for it then do so. Age is not a barrier and everything can be learnt. I am going to stop now - if you are still with me at this point well done 😂.

I will let you know what I decide the future will hold in the new year.

Merry Christmas.
Keri

31/10/2024

Just 3 days to go until the 15% early bird offer ends for all 4 gift sets.
Who will you buy for?
Choose from
The Curly Coat Care Kit
The Ultimate Spa Kit
The Nose, Paws & Sores Kit or
The Canine Soap Kit
Something for all coat types and gentle on your pocket too.
No need to do anything - discounts already live on the website.

29/10/2024

Who doesn't love a clean dog and this year I have some fantastic gift sets on the website with a WHOPPING 15% off until Sunday 3rd November?

I know it is early but early birds get the worm or in this case the fab gift set! The discount is auto applied so you just need to hop over to the website, grab your gift and I will do the rest. 🐦‍⬛🪱

27/10/2024

This is Bert as a kitten! Yes I know this account is all things dog but it is and Bert is an important member of the team 😅

What does Bert do? Well, he helps Willow check in the stock deliveries, sits in the empty boxes to make sure they are empty, acts as a lap warmer when I am at my desk ( normally getting in the way at the same time) and also checks the outgoing orders as I pack them from his vantage point on the packing table. He even has a blanket on there to sit on. Yes he is quite spoilt!!

I do get a fair few messages asking if my products are suitable for cats. Unfortunately they are not as most essential oils are not safe for them. Bert is happy to hear that as he wouldn't appreciate being bathed!!!!!

25/10/2024

20% off all gift sets until 03.11.24 for early birds 🐦 🐦‍⬛
The Curly Coat Care kit is for owners of the harder to manage curly or longer coat breed of dogs.

Includes CockerPoo, Labradoodle, Shih Tzu, Poodles and more.

All gift boxes are packaged as shown in a brown kraft card box with wood filler. The front of the box has the message as shown on each product image. A handy 'How to Use' insert card is included.

Set Contains

200ml Conditioning Shampoo

200ml Tame Those Tangles ,

100g Dog Soap for grubby muzzles and paws.(selected at random or please specify at checkout)

PLUS a FREE 15g mini Winter Salve which is a 2 in 1 travel size product for dry skin, bikes, stings, cuts, grazes and more.

This is a fab gift set and great value too 👍☺️

23/10/2024

Need gifts for dog owners this Christmas?
Great news -the Christmas Gift sets are live and there is a 15% early bird discount on them until 3rd November or if stocks run out.
I know that sounds a bit odd but the truth is I have limited time as a one person band running two businesses plus 3 out of the 4 gift sets contain a free Winter Salve of which there are no more once they are gone!
Lets recap - there are 4 brilliant sets and they are great value too.
⭐Curly Coat Care Kit for great for cockerpoos, labradoodles - anything poodle crossed or breeds such as Shihtzu, Lhaso Apso and more.
⭐Canine Spa Kit, a super useful generic bath time set for all breeds.
⭐Canine Soap Kit Perfect for mud and fox poo lovers. Great for spot washes, mucky muzzles etc.
⭐Nose, Paws & Sore Kit, a great value set for all dog owners containing a large nose/paw balm, a large soothing salve and a free mini winter skin salve. A must have in any canine first aid kit.
You can see all the sets on the home page of my website and the 15% discount code is automatically applied at the check out. But come 3rd November it will be disappearing so do grab your gifts now.

17/10/2024

Mini soaps are not my usual jam but these were for a one off trade order.
I don't sell them as singles but if you order 60 or 70 or so at a minimum I will oblige 😆
They are a bit fiddly but do make great little gifts. I don't keep them in stock however, so made to order only and they require a cure time so if you are eying them up for client gifts or similar they do need to be ordered in the next few days really 😉

15/10/2024

Exciting 😀 The 2024 gift sets are coming soon.😃

There will be 4 in total and something for everyone.

Watch this space or make sure you are on my email list as there will be early bird prices 🐦

And also limited numbers.

Got to be in it to win it 😆

18/09/2024

The little pot of magic that is Soothing Salve starts out life as a bunch of herbs infused in Sweet Almond Oil.

I LOVE this product and it has even been recommended by a vet when a steroid cream didn't work ( and yes it worked).

I can't make rash promises about what this salve does, there are no clinical trials, none of those '99% of people say this' statements but there are a tonne of reviews on the website and it is worth keeping a pot in your canine first aid kit. saying

If you have tried it and love it please share your experiences with us in the comments. 😊

11/09/2024

I really don't like making them 😕

They are a pain to get the ropes lined up correctly.

The h**p rope I buy seems to go out of stock for a pastime, and they are a general PITA 😅

But you like them, they are good value therefore I will keep making them 👍

26/08/2024

It's National Dog Day and it wouldn't be right not to give a little shout out to the nation's dogs.

These 3 have been a huge part of my life and the two nutty spanners on the right, although sadly no longer with us, are how all this got started.

If I hadn't gone on a dog grooming taster day to help me keep on top of their clipping needs I would never have gone on to do the full course, become a qualified dog groomer, learn to make soap and other products, start the Dog and I business and then later start my other business The Soap Coach! Mad!!

If your dog inspired your business do share all the details - I would love to know - and tag your account too so we can share the love.

12/08/2024

Just spotted this and it struck a chord. So true. 4 years and 4.5 years for the spaniels and I still think about them all the time 💜

18/07/2024

BIG HALF PRICE CLEARANCE SALE.
A few hours ago I sent the following email! It has been very busy on the shop since and I have been cleared out of all but the Earth soaps, I have one Breeze body butter left. There are a fair few shampoo and conditioner bars left and some moisture bars. Thank you to everyone who snapped up a bargain. The post man is going to be shocked when he picks up tomorrow 🤣

Hello hello lovely people

Big changes require big email titles and there is a lot going on here at TD&I HQ.

Those of you who have been with me for years will know I always used to sell just products for dogs! That went really well and everything was (and is) super popular for which I am very grateful.

Last year I decided to introduce a range of products for outdoor loving humans. Full transparency - that has gone less well and I know why, everyone who buys from me generally spoils their dog rotten and wants the best for them. It would seem you are less likely to buy handmade goodies for yourself which makes a lot of sense, plus, if I am honest I haven't put a lot of effort into shouting about them as there is only one of me and I have 2 businesses!

With that in mind I have made a decision to go back to what I am best known for and discontinue all the human products - I teach a lot of business 'stuff' and should have known this was a bad idea but it is all a learning curve as they say 😂.

What that means for you is a whole raft of half price bargains. 50% off ALL the human products, soaps, body butters, shampoo bars, conditioner bars and in shower moisturiser bars! Once they are gone they are gone never to return so stock up now. They will all keep well! You don't need to do anything except add to basket - it will automatically do the discount for you. This will not work with any other discount code however. Most things are in stock but there are only a few of each , it won't let you purchase if the product isn't in stock.

11/07/2024

Plopping neat shampoo on a dogs back and trying to rub it in evenly all is not great it has to be said and it is also not cost effective.
This is a trick I learnt in grooming school and another trick is to leave your dogs head until last.
Water on the head is the most common reason for a dog shaking so do it last and you reduce the risk of you ending up like a drowned rat!
My shampoo is super gentle, can be diluted up to 18:1 and is suitable for sensitive skins too. With aloe and oatmeal.

04/07/2024

Lavender soap on a ropes re back in stock! I only have 10 of them at the moment but they are on the website.

Slightly hectic first week back across both businesses but I think I am on top of everything 😅

New around here ? This is dog soap not people soap although you will find some good stuff on there for you too 👍

30/06/2024

We are back in sunny Dorset after our epic Scottish Highlands road trip. It didn't disappoint and even the weather pretty much held out for us. We were so lucky.

Here are a few stats for anyone who may be interested!!

Miles travelled 1903

Midge bites - Mr S 5. Me 0 - we were so fortunate as I know it is the height of midge season.

Ticks - Willow 1 - again, pretty good considering and my trusty tick remover made light work of it.

Friends made by Willow - a lot - she is pretty good at it now she is an old girl lol.

Rainy days - just 1 out of 12 with the odd misting in between!

Highlights - it has to be the puffins - again, we were so incredibly lucky to see some at close quarters.

Lowlights, a hotel we paid £30 at for Willow to stay just one night that claims to be dog friendly but in reality was barely dog tolerant - appropriate review written!

There is so much more but I will reflect and come back to you at a later date with some nuggets that I think you may find useful if you decide to ever do anything similar with your dog.

All that needs to be said is that the website has reopened and it is business as usual now. The next post day will be tomorrow.

14/06/2024

Last orders shout out before the website closes until Saturday 29th June.

We are all off on our holibobs on a road trip with Willow on chief navigation duties!!! I see that a fair amount of rain is forecast 'up north' where we are headed so it is a good thing I have my waterproofs ready to pack!!

If you need to stock up beforehand, my final post office visit will be tomorrow morning (Saturday).

In the meantime wish the cats and my plants luck as the kids are in charge while we are away! They are adult so I am sure it will be fine but I know the cats are going to miss the constant topping up of their food bowl on demand during the day!

What is it about cats and not eating the last 5 biscuits in the bowl but requiring a top up 😂

As always, thank you for supporting my small business.

Keri

13/06/2024

Drum roll.....the Zest in shower moisture bars are back in stock 🙌
Not sure what this actually is?? Genius is the answer 🤣 If you are a bit lazy like me, then read on!!

First things first, this one is for humans not dogs!!

How to Use Your Moisturising Bar?

This product is suitable as either a leave on or rinse off product.

My preferred option is to have a shower (or bath) as usual, then switch the shower off or step out of the bath and rub your lotion bar directly on to wet skin. Then, after a minute or two, pat skin dry with a towel.

Alternatively, you can step away from the water flow, rub your lotion bar directly on to wet skin and leave it to soak in for a minute before rinsing under the shower or in the bath.

Voila...no other moisurising needed. 👌

Please ensure you keep your bar dry between uses to maximise it's longevity.

Pairs well with the Zest Soap Bar.

Address

33 Great Cranford Streey
Dorchester
DT13SQ

Website

https://thedogandi.co.uk/

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Who doesn't love a clean dog and this year I have some fantastic gift sets on the website with a WHOPPING 15% off until Sunday 3rd November? I know it is early but early birds get the worm or in this case the fab gift set! The discount is auto applied so you just need to hop over to the website, grab your gift and I will do the rest. 🐦‍⬛🪱

20% off all gift sets until 03.11.24 for early birds 🐦 🐦‍⬛ The Curly Coat Care kit is for owners of the harder to manage curly or longer coat breed of dogs. Includes CockerPoo, Labradoodle, Shih Tzu, Poodles and more. All gift boxes are packaged as shown in a brown kraft card box with wood filler. The front of the box has the message as shown on each product image. A handy 'How to Use' insert card is included. Set Contains 200ml Conditioning Shampoo 200ml Tame Those Tangles , 100g Dog Soap for grubby muzzles and paws.(selected at random or please specify at checkout) PLUS a FREE 15g mini Winter Salve which is a 2 in 1 travel size product for dry skin, bikes, stings, cuts, grazes and more. This is a fab gift set and great value too 👍☺️ #naturaldogcare #naturaldog #handmadedog #dogownergift

Mini soaps are not my usual jam but these were for a one off trade order. I don't sell them as singles but if you order 60 or 70 or so at a minimum I will oblige 😆 They are a bit fiddly but do make great little gifts. I don't keep them in stock however, so made to order only and they require a cure time so if you are eying them up for client gifts or similar they do need to be ordered in the next few days really 😉

👉Comb through daily with a wide tooth comb. 👉Ensure the comb teeth reach down to the skin, not just the top layer of coat. 👉Use a detangler to make the job easier ( whatever friends/family may say dogs left to their own devices would not manage in the wild with a coat type like this!) 👉When bathing, use a conditioning shampoo. 👉Use a soap bar for mucky beards and muzzles. It is much easier to manoeuvre. 👉Pat and squeeze dry, don't rub the coat as that will cause matting. 👉Discuss the best coat length for your dog with your groomer. Much will depend on your lifestyle and the time you have to maintain the coat between grooms. Feel smug that you don't have to do the walk of shame out of the groomers with a shaved dog 👌

The little pot of magic that is Soothing Salve starts out life as a bunch of herbs infused in Sweet Almond Oil. I LOVE this product and it has even been recommended by a vet when a steroid cream didn't work ( and yes it worked). I can't make rash promises about what this salve does, there are no clinical trials, none of those '99% of people say this' statements but there are a tonne of reviews on the website and it is worth keeping a pot in your canine first aid kit. #Just saying If you have tried it and love it please share your experiences with us in the comments. 😊

I really don't like making them 😕 They are a pain to get the ropes lined up correctly. The hemp rope I buy seems to go out of stock for a pastime, and they are a general PITA 😅 But you like them, they are good value therefore I will keep making them 👍 #dogsoap #soapfordogs #plasticfreedogproducts #dogbath #naturaldoguk

Plopping neat shampoo on a dogs back and trying to rub it in evenly all is not great it has to be said and it is also not cost effective. This is a trick I learnt in grooming school and another trick is to leave your dogs head until last. Water on the head is the most common reason for a dog shaking so do it last and you reduce the risk of you ending up like a drowned rat! My shampoo is super gentle, can be diluted up to 18:1 and is suitable for sensitive skins too. With aloe and oatmeal.

Today I made... 👉 Lavender soap on a ropes 👉 Large and small paw balms 👉 Zest conditioner bars 👉 Zest moisturising bars Then had to have a bath to recover !!!!

This is such a simple tip but I do this all the time and it makes life SO much easier. If you have a bog snorkler then sorry, no it won't help you much 😂 Thankfully Willow is a bit more ladylike these days.

The last 10 years have been a crazy roller coaster for me and much of it driven by a desire to reduce my plastic use so here goes 😉 2014 As a somewhat stressed police officer I retrained as a dog groomer. City & Guilds 2 and 3 completed. This enabled me to reduce my hours at work and work from home which made family life a little easier. 2015 Keen to use less plastic and chemicals I learnt how to make soap including soap for dogs! That raised a few eyebrows 😂 2016 The Dog and I was born. I didn't start off with dedicated dog grooming products but very quickly niched down. The business grew and dog soap was and still is my most popular product 2019 I started teaching how to make soap and @thesoapcoach was created 2024 The Soap Coach is now my bigger business but it still has the same values around using less plastic in our lives. I just wanted to share how much things can change in a relatively short space of time and you are never too old. I was 44 10 years ago😉 Hopefully that will help someone out today 😀

I am so grateful to have frozen instead of mud 🎉😄

A day of making up nose and paw balms Want your own branded balms? That is no problem. You can either have them unlabelled ( I will let you know what you need to include on the labels) or I can ask my printer to help with incorporating your logo into a design. There is a design fee for this and a minimum order of 100 tins but it makes a great client gift or something to add to your range. ☺️ #nosebalm #pawbalm #naturaldogproducts