Who is behind Hedgerow Hounds
Who started Hedgerow Hounds, and where did it all begin?
Hello, I am Caroline, the founder of Hedgerow Hounds and here is the tale of how it all began.
From my earliest memories, dogs have been the love of my life.
The dogs that I shared my childhood with were my constant companions, best friends, and a source of pure joy. I cannot find a single photo of me as a child that does not feature a dog.
They include my first childhood Collie named Penny, as well as Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, and Cavaliers, all very different characters, but all very loved.
The moment I left home, I collected two puppies of my very own, and a 40-year love affair with the Labrador retriever began.
Despite the school careers advisor suggesting I should become a secretary, there was only ever going to be one career for me, which would involve being outside and working with dogs and horses. Believe me, I would have made an appalling secretary and not lasted a day!
Whilst working on a smallholding caring for horses, sheep, and cattle, I came across an extraordinary homoeopathic vet called Chris Day. He would appear with his “magic” wooden box full of remedies and acupuncture needles, and the results he would get were, on occasion, nothing short of miraculous. I listened to his every word about herbs, homoeopathy, osteopathy, nutrition, and holistic health and absorbed it like a sponge.
A seed was sown in my mind, and my pathway became clear. I was blessed to have him as my vet for many years, and he started me on a lifelong journey learning about natural healthcare for our pets and ourselves.
The dream was to become a sports massage therapist, treating horses, dogs, and people. My journey in that particular field started in the year 2000, and in those days, you had to qualify in human sports massage before you were accepted onto a course for animals.
After qualifying in human massage, I enrolled on an equine sports massage diploma, which was one of the very few in the UK at that time, and then later found the equivalent in canine therapy, which involved many trips back and forth to Exmoor in Somerset for around three years until I completed both courses.
I went on to study other modalities in holistic health and advanced clinical massage, and I still practice today, despite the herbs taking over somewhat in recent years.
Due to having horses, my dogs have been very fortunate in that they have access to fields and open spaces in which to wander and have the freedom to engage in natural behaviour.
They explored certain areas, picking at grasses, foraging blackberries, nipping the tops out of the herbs, and occasionally digging up roots to chew on. I also noticed that what was of interest to them varied with the changing seasons.
They are out with me in all weathers and experience many different sensations underfoot, such as mud, snow, frost, parched hard ground, stubble fields, and woodland tracks. One will pick up a scent on the breeze of a smelly fox that has trotted by in the early hours, while another inspects a twig on the ground with such intensity that their nose runs, and they seem to zone out for a while. The changing daylight hours also have an impact on them, as it does on us.
I realised just how lucky the dogs were to have free access to these plants and interact with nature, and how fortunate I was to observe their behaviour on a daily and seasonal basis.
I wanted all dogs to benefit from the gifts that Mother Nature has to offer, so with that in mind, Hedgerow Hounds was born. I got together with a holistic vet and veterinary herbalist to create the herbal blends that are available today. The blends are still made by hand in small batches, and a lot of love and knowledge go into every single one. If your dog needs more support, I offer consultations and can make bespoke blends.
I have around 30 years of experience feeding dogs both a raw and home cooked diets, and have written a couple of canine nutrition diploma courses.
More recently, I have concentrated on creating and planting enrichment gardens for dogs, which involve planting dog-safe herbs and adding in sensory areas such as aroma and texture underfoot. I published my first book on this topic in 2025, which can be found on Amazon or the Hedgerow Hounds website.
You don`t need to have a field or even a large garden to create a fantastic enrichment area; in fact, I designed one a couple of years ago in a small courtyard using pots and planters, which worked extremely well.
The aim of this book is to get you thinking on a deeper level about what your dog is doing when they are interacting with the space around them, what is happening when they sniff an object, walk over different textures on the ground, and how you can share more ways to experience nature with your dog. It is not just about the how but equally the why.
Hopefully, I can guide you in creating a space that your dog loves, and as a huge bonus, you get bitten by the herb bug and welcome these incredible plants into your life.
I work alongside a number of other canine professionals in different fields, so if at any point I cannot help or I feel there is someone much more specialised in a specific area that would benefit you and your pet, I will happily give details of those I trust and know are qualified to assist.
I look forward to connecting with you and helping your beautiful dog holistically.