BARRY Harris has always had a passion for animals and making them feel like part of the family.
Fifteen years ago he spotted a gap in the market for high quality pet care services in Wirral and decided to launch his own pet care and training academy.
Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Barry tells us about Happy Hounds and its four branches of the business – dog daycare, training classes, 1:1 behaviour consultations and home boarding.
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Barry started Happy Hounds 15 years ago
What’s the name of the business?
Happy Hounds Pet Care and Happy Hounds Training Academy
What’s the address?
Unit 3 Tarran Way South,
Moreton,
Wirral,
CH46 4TP
Are you the owner/manager?
I’m the owner. Our manager is Bethany Richmond.
When did you open the business?
I opened in 2010.
Has it always been in the same location?
We started off working from home in Frankby Grove, Greasby.
Barry believes dogs bring so much joy to people's lives
Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?
I now live in Hope, Wrexham but lived in Wirral roughly 35 years.
Tell me a bit about your business. What do you do?
We operate a professional and friendly dog daycare, training and home boarding service. Our focus is on providing a safe, fun and enriching environment for dogs while offering owners complete peace of mind.
What services do you provide?
We offer dog daycare, training classes, 1:1 behaviour consultations and home boarding services. Our daycare caters to dogs of all ages and temperaments, ensuring they have the chance to socialise, play and relax in a safe secure space. Our training academy focuses on positive reinforcement techniques, tailored to each dog and owner’s needs.
Why did you decide to open your own business?
I’ve always had a deep passion for dogs and their well-being. After years of working with animals and seeing the gap in high quality pet care services in Wirral, we decided to create a business that provides a professional yet personal approach to dog care and training.
Animals are treated like one of the family at Happy Hounds
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What’s your business background?
I started my career working in various dog training roles and studying animal behaviour. Over time, I gained extensive experience in training dogs with behavioural challenges. Combining my knowledge of dog psychology and business management, I was inspired to establish Happy Hounds in 2010.
Why this type of business?
Dogs bring so much joy to people’s lives and I wanted to give back by ensuring they are cared for and understood in the best possible way. Providing high-quality training and care not only benefits the dogs but strengthens the bond between pets and their owners.
Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?
We were open before the pandemic and remained operational in a limited capacity during it. We have a lot of blue light clients that still needed our services while they continue to support people during the pandemic. The pandemic was challenging, especially with lockdown restrictions impacting our daycare and training sessions. However, we adapted by offering virtual training consultations and ensuring our home boarding service met safety guidelines. Thankfully, we’ve bounced back strongly since.
Happy Hounds offers dog daycare and training academies
What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?
Our emphasis on positive reinforcement and creating a home-away-from-home experience for dogs sets us apart. We treat every dog as an individual, tailoring their care and training to their unique needs. Additionally, our team is highly skilled, passionate and committed to excellence in every aspect of dog care. I am an award-winning trainer and won KCAI Dog Trainer of the Year and North West Dog Trainer of the Year, and our daycare has won Best Doggy Daycare Merseyside five years running.
Why do loyal customers return to your business?
Our clients know that their dogs are treated like family. They value the personal connection we build with them and their pets, our professionalism and the high standard of care we consistently provide.
What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?
We are focused on expanding our training classes and adding more enrichment activities to our daycare services. We’re also looking to offer workshops for dog owners to learn more about canine behaviour and strengthen their relationships with their pets.
