Our first ever Blooming Hound Sunday Social at the wonderful Mornin' Duck Café felt like the beginning of something special.
It was the moment our Yorkshire community came together in person to meet the people behind the brand, discover our new products, enjoy a slow Sunday morning and celebrate the dogs who inspired all of this. From the moment we arrived at the Mornin' Duck Café to the final tidy up, the whole day felt warm, uplifting and full of those small moments that remind us what Blooming Hound is truly about.
Setting the Scene at Mornin' Duck Café
The team arrived early, wrapped up against the very Yorkshire morning, ready to bring every corner of the café to life. Olivia, our Hounder and the heart behind Blooming Hound, welcomed each person and each dog with her usual calm cheer. She spoke proudly about the brand, answered questions about our debut collection The Sower’s Tale and made sure everyone felt part of the day.
Jayne, our in-house designer, guided visitors through the prints, colours and materials behind the collection and helped with sizing throughout the morning. Sean greeted every hound as they arrived, offered treats, prepared puppuccinos and supported families during try-ons. Anthony, Olivia’s dad, helped set up displays, the projector, screens and furniture, keeping everything running smoothly. Enya and her brilliant team at Mornin' Duck ensured the café was warm, bright and filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee from the moment the doors opened.
We created a full product display including a rack of leads, a complete sizing ladder of dog harnesses, a collar station (all UK-made products from The Sower’s Tale) and a dedicated goodie bag table for the dogs. A projector and screen played photography from our first professional brand photoshoot on Ilkley Moor. The space filled with colour, texture and natural light and it instantly felt like the perfect place to welcome our first visitors.
Welcoming Our First Visitors and Their Try-Ons
It wasn’t long before Mavis the Cocker Spaniel trotted in with a tail wag that set the tone for the whole day. Visitors found cosy corners throughout the café, grabbed a drink, admired the displays and wandered over to meet the team. The steady flow of people carried a familiar Yorkshire warmth and meant everyone had room to settle in and enjoy the morning.
Harness try-ons began straight away. Dogs lined up to explore our mix-and-match options which lets you personalise your dog’s look by switching front and back panels. Many visitors chose matching sets while others mixed prints which is exactly why we created The Walker Duo and The Adventure Duo. These bundles save 20 percent when buying collars and leads or harnesses and leads together. You can explore the full range on our bundles page.
Every dog left with a goodie bag and the puppuccinos were a definite favourite. There were a few light hearted moments too. Charlie the Alsatian delivered a grand series of barks to make his presence known and Milo the Labrador left his signature on a brick column which everyone agreed was his way of checking in. A handful of dogs arrived with such confidence that the whole café paused for a moment to admire them.
As people stayed and chatted, many asked thoughtful questions about our materials, the story behind Blooming Hound and the inspiration for The Sower’s Tale. Several visitors took photographs of their dogs in harnesses and collars, which felt like a lovely early glimpse of the community we hope to continue growing.
A Dog Friendly Yorkshire Café That Felt Like Home
Mornin' Duck proved to be the perfect venue for our first in-person event. The café is bright, homely and incredibly dog friendly which was one of the main reasons we chose it. Being located within The Mallard at Moorthorpe Train Station adds real character, with large windows, comfortable armchairs and a gentle sense of movement from the platform outside.
Enya and her team created the warmest welcome with homemade cakes, fresh coffee, herbal teas and thoughtful touches for the occasion. Treat jars sat on the counter, handwritten signs decorated the space and the furniture was arranged with our four legged guests in mind. Visitors repeatedly commented on how comfortable the café felt and how easy it was to relax there with their dogs.
The People Who Brought the Day to Life
We were genuinely moved by the support from friends, customers and local businesses. Kirsty and Courtney from Canine Capabilities, who also walk Olivia’s dog Betsy and Sean’s dog Lyla, promoted the event heavily which made a noticeable difference to attendance. They left with a few Blooming Hound treats for their own dogs.
Our local pet shop Able K9 generously provided treats for the goodie bags and shared the event on their social channels. Vets for Pets displayed flyers and encouraged their customers to stop by. David at Hilltop Brewery Tap, one of the most dog friendly pubs in Yorkshire, shared our event with his regulars and local groups. Sean’s friend Henry and his partner Chloe, two of our earliest Instagram supporters, joined us for cake and coffee and left with a matching collar and lead for their rescue dog Sandy.
All of this support reminded us why community matters so deeply to Blooming Hound. Yorkshire has always felt like a place that values craftsmanship, honest work, local creativity and good people. These values sit at the heart of everything we do.
Closing the Day with Real Yorkshire Gratitude
As the final visitors drifted out, Olivia and Sean’s families helped with the tidy up and Enya and the café team gave the space a final sweep. When the last box was packed away, it struck us that this first event had delivered everything we hoped for. We left with new connections, genuine feedback, fresh ideas and a renewed confidence that people believe in what we are building.
We are already planning the next Sunday Social and our website is now live where you can explore our collars, leads and UK made dog harnesses from our debut collection The Sower’s Tale.
This was more than a launch event. It was the beginning of a community. A Yorkshire community that values quality, heritage, nature, craftsmanship and the simple joy of sharing life with dogs.
Onwards and upwards. The adventure continues.
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