Milton Keynes-based pet accessory company Barking Bags managed to sell out of six month’s worth of stock in one night following its successful appearance on BBC One Dragons' Den.

The company managed to secure a £35,000 investment offer from Dragon, Sara Davies, with the prospect of selling its range of dog walking bags across the shopping TV channel networks globally.

Long before Barking Bags appeared on Dragons' Den, however, the company made a promise to work locally and support local charities. Through local networks the company found Milton Keynes businesses to support them with marketing, website design, branding, IT and strategic planning. 

Debbie Greaves, co founder of Barking Bags alongside her husband Rob Angell, said: “Milton Keynes is simply a wonderful place to start a business as there are so many people out there ready to help you. We even had support and encouragement from our local pet shop in Wolverton.”

From the outset they also worked with MK SNAP, a local charity that provides learning opportunities and work-based training for adults with learning difficulties. And of course, what other mascot could MK SNAP have? A big blue dragon.

So, in addition to bagging the support of Sara Davies and her team, Barking Bags has enlisted the help of yet another dragon in the form of MK SNAP’s mascot.

Debbie added: “We are so proud of the team at MK SNAP, who have been packing our bags for the last couple of years. They learn valuable skills and they enjoy supporting a local business too. It is a win -win for everyo

ne.”

The pet accessory business recently won the Best New Business at the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards. 

‘When we got our little dog, Maisie, we realised that we needed some way to carry all the doggie paraphernalia when training her and out and about on our walks. We set about designing a bag that would make walking the dog easier for all responsible dog owners, while not compromising on style.”

Debbie and Rob enlisted the help of fashion design students who came up with creative ideas and the bag was born. The bags were first sold at a Parks Trust event and when they sold out they knew they were onto something. They took them to CRUFTS and were met with genuine enthusiasm. They now produce high quality dog walking bags, in a range of water resistant, unisex fabrics and also high-end luxury leather bags but in response to customer demand, they also produce a vegan friendly range as well. 

If you live or work in Milton Keynes you might be interested to know that Debbie and Rob have also written a Dog Walking Guide to Milton Keynes, with 14 walks covering 52 miles. It sells in many local pet shops and vets.

“We are committed to working with our partners at MK SNAP so with two Dragons on board who knows where things will take us?” added Debbie.

For more information visit: www.barkingbags.co.uk