KITCHEN TABLE TALENT
We celebrate the home-grown entrepreneurs who have turned their hobby into a thriving business
We celebrate entrepreneurs who have turned their hobby into a business. This month: the dog hotel
barking mad is what some might say, if they saw Rebecca Linnell’s life from afar – four children and three foster children ranging in age from one to 15, two turkeys, ten chickens and a house full of canines. She is, you’ll be relieved to hear, not mad, just mad about dogs – a passion that led her to launch her dream business, The Country Dog Hotel, in 2016.
Now, the farmhouse she shares with her partner Mike, in Somerset’s Quantock Hills, plays host to hundreds of four-legged guests each year and is quickly becoming the nation’s most in-demand doghouse, with owners travelling from far and wide to deliver their beloved pets for a stint in the country. “We can’t believe how popular it is,” Rebecca says. “We’re always full. We’ve had people come down from Birmingham just to drop off their dogs because this is the only place they’ll leave them.”
Cushiony beds laid enticingly beside the Aga, fresh homemade biscuits and 800 acres of rolling green in which guests can enjoy regular scenic walks make this the canine equivalent of an exclusive boutique escape – and, owing to its high-end signage, people often mistake it for a luxury B&B. But this is no accident. Rebecca, who previously worked in kennels owned by her ex-husband’s family, saw a gap in the market for an upmarket alternative – and devised a destination she thought would appeal to a more discerning clientele. “People’s dogs are an extension of their family, so they want them to stay in a secure home when they go away,” she explains.
Having worked in recruitment and sales, as well as a rescue centre in Thailand, Rebecca certainly had the necessary knowhow to launch the business. But, despite having had the initial idea years ago, she lacked the confidence to put her ideas into action. Separating from her husband in 2015 gave her the push she needed. “I never thought I’d be able to do it,” she remembers. “But I wanted to be a good role model for my children and provide an income for my family without relying on anyone else.” With plenty of encouragement from her new partner Mike, she dipped a toe in the water, tentatively placing an advert on Facebook. Immediately, enquiries began to roll in, and haven’t stopped – in the two years since launching, Rebecca has welcomed more than 400 dogs: “They all have such different personalities – it’s like meeting new people each week.” Current residents include a pair of playful terriers, a cuddly cockapoo and an elderly Labrador curled up on the living-room floor, who looks on with bemusement each time the pups dart in, demanding attention.
“This is the OAPS’ room,” Rebecca laughs. “The older dogs chill out here while the young ones run around.” It may, at times, seem (and sound) chaotic, with barking and howling and the patter of tiny paws, but it’s organised chaos. “Organisation is key,” Rebecca says, as an energetic spaniel scuttles over, asking for affection – something Rebecca gives out in oodles, whether to the foster children she’s been sharing her home with for six years, her two rescue dogs or her countless cherished guests. “The key to success,” she continues, “is to put in the hours – and running a business like this really is a lifestyle choice. We’re on seven days a week and sometimes work from 6am to 12am without stopping. It’s fantastic, but it never stops – emails, social media updates, walking and feeding need doing, even at the weekend.”
Rebecca’s dedication was made particularly evident when she entered Enterprise Nation’s Festival of Female Entrepreneurs and made it to the final – this involved pitching to five discerning judges and an audience of 400: “I was shaking. It was the most nerve-wracking yet amazing thing I’ve ever done.” Since then, The Country Dog Hotel’s reputation has somewhat preceded it. A beautiful, functional website helps drive interest, too – Rebecca has poured a lot of effort into ensuring the business has an aesthetically appropriate online presence. “Lots of kennel websites look a bit tacky, but you’re selling to the person, not the dog, so we wanted something higher end.” The one thing the website lacked, however, as pointed out by one of the Enterprise Nation judges, was images of its elusive owner. “I don’t like having my picture taken!” Rebecca laughs, “but the judge told me it was really important to make my website personable.” So, despite initial hesitation, she now proudly graces the business’s
many social media feeds, posting regular updates about current guests and daily activities.
With confidence at an all-time high, plans to expand are vast. “The last couple of years were start up; this year is scale up,” Rebecca says. She and Mike have plans to launch a spa, dog running sessions and even country dog weddings: “A lot of customers drop their dogs here while they attend ceremonies, so we decided to make it part of the service.” Rather than canine nuptials, it involves transporting a doggy guest to a celebration to pose for photos with the other attendees before being taken back to the hotel. “I love weddings,” muses Rebecca, “so to go to one and be with a dog is the best thing.”
The pair marvel at how rapidly their lives have changed in such a short space of time – the business has grown so quickly that Mike has given up his teaching job. And, as if life wasn’t hectic enough, last year the couple also had their first child together, Harry. Ever the astute businesswoman, Rebecca went back to work three days afterwards. “She was writing emails in hospital when waiting to give birth,” remembers Mike. All the children are fully invested in The Country Dog Hotel – accompanying Mike on dog walks or helping Rebecca bake her signature biscuits: “We want to make things as homely as possible for our guests.”
With the doors thrown open, a summer breeze washes over the now sleeping Labrador, exhausted from excursions across the fields, while the more energetic dogs hurtle around the garden. Soon, the children will get back from school, no doubt to be greeted by wagging tails. This may be a hotel, but it’s also a happy, if hectic, home.