Kindred Tales | Laura & Coconut | Wild For Dogs
Tell us a bit about Wild for Dogs and how it all started
I’m a sucker for beauty products and have worked in the beauty and wellbeing industry for more than 10 years, recently establishing my own marketing consultancy Foxx & Co. Since becoming vegan my passion really turned towards discovering the best in organic, sustainable and cruelty-free products. So when we first got our puppy Coconut in 2018, I naturally wanted to find her some grooming products that aligned with those values.
I was really shocked to find there wasn’t a single product on the market that answered the need for quality organic products, that were also plastic-free and eco-friendly. So I thought I’d better do something about it - especially since a dog’s skin is even more sensitive than a baby’s.
It was also really important to me that the brand would do something to give back, so I chose Wild At Heart Foundation as our charity partner since the work they do is incredible, and it’s such an honour to be able to support them.
So that was how the brand was born! We launched in January this year and are already gaining great momentum with our amazing online community, and interest from some really exciting stockists.
Tell us about your Coconut and how she came into your life.
After two years of deliberation my partner Stephen and I finally decided we were ready to add a dog to our family unit. My Dad has always had a gang of Schnauzers - a mini, a standard, and two giants - so when a gorgeous little black schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle mix) popped up, we knew she was the one! When we first met her she settled straight away on Stephen’s lap and fell asleep - and not much has changed since, they’re inseparable.
She’s an adorable mixture of affectionate and cuddly, but also mischievous, brave, and unbelievably quick. Nothing makes us happier than watching her sprinting round the common playing with dogs ten times her size, or more embarrassed than when she hustles innocent picnic goers with her puppy dog eyes, and then legs it with their sandwiches.
How does your Coconut fit into your general working day?
She loves to be as involved as she possibly can with the working day; you can’t imagine the number of phone calls I’ve struggled through with her sitting on my head, chewing my hair, or poking me with her nose until I throw her ball!
But really she fits in incredibly well and is so well-behaved - once she’s had her walkies. Pre-lockdown she might come with me to The Ministry in Borough (a dreamy dog-friendly co-working space), but recently she spends most of her days at Stephen’s office - he runs a building firm in London called Redring Property Services, so there’s always plenty of people around to keep her entertained and take her out to the nearby park.
When you’re not working where do you and Coco like to hang out?
We love hanging out on Clapham Common and exploring Battersea Park. Coco is ball crazy, so anywhere she can terrorise people who are trying to enjoy a game of football is ideal.
What essentials do you always have on you when heading out for a dog walk, and what do you carry them in?
I always take my hands-free lead I recently purchased from a brand called Doggie Apparel, I’m obsessed with it. Her pop-up water bowl, and of course, as many balls as possible. Recently we went to Sydney (without Coco sadly) where they’re really strong on plastic-free packaging, so I accumulated a great stash of eco-friendly tote bags to choose from which are now all littered with poo bags and treat crumbs!
What adventures do you have planned with Coco for later this year?
If the travel restrictions allow it, we would love to take Coconut with us over to Italy to visit my dad so she can finally meet him and all the other doggies in the family - I guess technically they’re her aunties! And we are desperate to take her to the beach - so far she operates a strict no-swimming policy, but we know she will love it once she takes the plunge.
