One Of The Biggest Milestones For Urban Tails So Far

When I started Urban Tails, I never imagined professional dog trainers from across the UK would one day be recommending my products.

Urban Tails began after my diagnosis of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis completely changing the direction I thought my life was heading in. At the beginning, I was simply looking for something creative to focus on and pass the time as a full time job wasn't an option. I experimented with lots of different things including candles, crochet and learning to sew. Somebody originally suggested I try making pet treats, but with heat sensitivity caused by Multiple Sclerosis, working in a hot kitchen environment was never going to be the right fit for me. Instead, the idea evolved into handmade pet accessories, and slowly Urban Tails began to take shape into the business it is today.

So being awarded TDTS Recommended Product status honestly feels like one of the biggest milestones Urban Tails has achieved so far.

Over a three-week independent testing period, members of The Dog Trainer School tested Urban Tails collars and bows with a wide variety of dogs in everyday situations including walks, training classes and home life - with Sooty even testing how well the collar and bow worked after rolling in something particularly smelly.

The products were assessed on:

• Comfort
• Practicality
• Quality
• Value for money
• Overall confidence in recommending them to clients

And the feedback was incredibly positive.

Testers consistently praised the quality of the materials, attention to detail and the balance between style and practicality. Many commented on how lightweight and comfortable the collars felt for everyday wear, while the bows added personality without compromising comfort.

Perhaps the most surreal part of the whole experience was hearing professionals within the dog industry speak so positively about products I still make by hand myself.

One of the loveliest parts of running Urban Tails is knowing that something I made at my sewing machine becomes part of somebody else’s memories with their dog - the muddy walks, birthdays, holidays, puppy stages and everyday routines.

That never really stops feeling special.

One result that meant a huge amount to me was that 96.7% of testers said they would confidently recommend Urban Tails products to another dog trainer or client, comfortably exceeding the threshold needed to achieve TDTS Recommended status.

Some of the feedback included:

“Comfy, practical, amazing quality and all in fabulous designs.”

“The quality is amazing - the fabric is beautiful and the inside of the collar is so soft and smooth. You can tell a lot of care has gone into making it.”

“A beautiful collar and bow that really stood out on my dog. We received so many lovely compliments from people saying how handsome he looked.”

I also really appreciated that the testing process included constructive feedback as well as positives. Suggestions such as reducing movement of the bows on some collars and making adjustments slightly easier are all things that help small businesses continue improving and developing products further.

Because the bows are designed to fit a variety of collar styles and widths, finding the right balance between flexibility and stability is really important. Some of the feedback has already given me ideas to experiment with, including testing different elastic options while still making sure the bows remain secure and practical for everyday wear.

From my own experience using the collars with my dogs, I’ve also found that the slightly firmer adjustment helps the collars stay securely fitted once in place during walks and everyday use.

I think sometimes people assume business success always has to mean huge teams, overnight growth or going viral online.

But honestly, this felt like success to me.

Not because of a title or badge, but because professionals trusted, tested and genuinely valued something I created from scratch during a period of life where I had absolutely no idea what my future would look like.

For a small handmade business, that means everything.

And of course, a huge thank you has to go to everyone who has supported Urban Tails so far - customers, followers, testers and all the dogs who proudly wore their collars and bows during the trial ♡

This month’s post is part of the Caninine Marketing Support Blog Circle, where small businesses share their experiences, advice and stories around a shared topic.

You can continue around the blog circle below to discover more business success stories from other small business owners with Hoof and Paws.