Drying muddy dogs: Bark and Beau (Episode 196)

Louise and Michelle chat with Leanne, founder of Bark & Beau, about a surprisingly common canicross problem: drying muddy, wriggly dogs without turning it into a full-body wrestling match. Recorded during a very rainy February, the conversation is instantly relatable for anyone dealing with soaked coats, filthy paws, and that lingering “damp dog towel” smell that never quite leaves the boot of the car.   Leanne shares the story behind Bark & Beau, inspired by Darcy, her bonkers (and much-loved) German Shorthaired Pointer rescue from Benidorm. With a background as a horse trainer specialising in behavioural problems, Leanne brings a calm, practical approach to animal handling and product design. That experience led her to create a microfibre dog towel with hand pockets, allowing owners to hold and dry their dog more securely, with less stress and mess.   Louise and Michelle dig into what makes these towels different from standard bath towels, why microfibre can dry faster and stay fresher, and how a simple addition like a washable carry bag can make life easier for races, walks, and travelling. They also explore the reality of launching a new dog business: starting small, learning from customer feedback (including requests for a bigger size), and building recognition in a saturated market through shows, collaborations, and community connections.   Expect a friendly, practical episode with plenty of muddy-dog honesty, small business inspiration, and ideas for making post-run clean-up quicker, calmer, and a lot less grim.     Timings 0.08 – welcome and why muddy dog towels are a February reality 0.45 – meet Leanne and the Bark & Beau origin story in Cornwall 1.19 – Darcy the German Shorthaired Pointer: energetic, rescued, and the reason the product exists 1.44 – the “wrestling match” problem and why calm handling matters 2.28 – why bath towels fail and how microfibre became the solution 3.34 – how the hand pockets work (and everyone miming it!) 5.22 – making the leap: from horse training to building a home-based business 6.02 – Leanne’s “day job” at Josh’s Chocolate and transferable skills 7.31 – the towel bag: keeping the car boot less grim 8.17 – Louise’s real-world test at a race and feedback about towel sizing 9.56 – launch timeline: prototype in August, launch in November 10.36 – marketing so far: website, socials, dog shows, and plans for more events 11.06 – Crufts visit, collabs (shampoo brands), and talking to people in person 11.57 – how Darcy adapted: calmer routine, less stress for everyone 13.27 – future products: practical only, and where towels fit alongside dog robes 14.56 – biggest challenge: getting recognised and social media unpredictability 16.40 – customer feedback and pet professionals using the towels (walkers + mobile dog wash) 17.22 – canicross chat and Cornwall community shoutout (Little Gecko) 18.14 – Darcy’s rescue story (Benidorm to Cornwall) 20.16 – pricing, colours, and why grey was the starting point 21.48 – why bath towels can hold smell and why microfibre dries faster 23.03 – five-year hopes: bigger shows, recognition, and hearing “I’ve got one — it’s amazing” 24.06 – where to buy + how to tag Bark & Beau and the podcast   www.barkandbeau.co.uk   Bark & Beau is also on Instagram and Facebook   Mentioned event: Purple Gecko (Episode 86)