Newsletter

Welcome to our first newsletter.

What's new here at LC&M.

You may be wondering why have suddenly decided to write a newsletter. Well it has been a strange year so far, more of which you will hear later in the newsletter but the truth is I totally lost my confidence with social media. So I signed up to do a course to help me overcome my hesitancy to communicate with people. 

Rachel Spencer has been a huge influence when it comes down to promoting Leo Charley and Me. She has been pivotal in a lot of my successes, she has become a friend and mentor, so I signed up to do her "Be Bold Bootcamp" to get back my focus and mojo.

It involves working with some amazing pet business women who all support each other and they have encouraged me to stop being a chicken and write a bit about what has been happening here at LC&M HQ over the last few months. I am hoping it will become a regular feature going out to my mailing list amd it will be available to read here on the website.  

I am aiming to keep you up to date with new products and special offers as we go through the seasons plus discount codes for readers. So watch this space.

 

              

 

Leo's health and reactivity

2022 has been a tough year for Leo due to struggles with his health and reactivity. His well being has had to be my focus so the business has taken a bit of a back seat.

In February he started crying and yelping for no obvious reason. He had initially cracked a claw and we thought that it was the cause of his pain so when it had healed and he was still unhappy it prompted a vet check.

They couldn't find anything wrong so we were referred to and orthopaedic vet who did X-rays under sedation as he thought Leo may have a hip problem but this revealed a much worse issue. 

Leo has a congenital spinal deformity where an extra piece of bone is attached to his spine and is pressing down on the spinal cord. He was born with it so must have been coping with pain all his life.

A neurological specialist vet then did an MRI under general anaesthetic. I can honestly say I've never been so stressed. I sat outside the animal hospital for 7 hours unable to even consider leaving poor Leo there overnight so as soon as he was able to walk  after the procedure we came home.

Sadly the MRI revealed another issue. He has bulging disc in his back exactly under the bony deformity which in effect causes his spinal cord to be pinched.

It certainly explains his pain and also his reactivity!

Anyway after months of medication, physio and hydrotherapy he is almost back to being his normal bouncy self. We've had a few scares along the way but at the moment he is pain free and back to joining me in the sewing workshop.

Restricting his exercise and getting him to swallow tablets have been huge challenges. So we have been playing games, making scent trails and hiding treats and toys for him to find around the garden and house.

I've also had to become an expert in finding ways to get Leo to take medicine!

If you'd like to read my top 5 tips for getting medication into your dog click the link below which will take you to my latest blog

5 ways to get medicine inside your dog!

 

What's been happening in October.

This month we were so happy to see our Autumn accessories featured in Your Dog magazine. They are all limited edition so if you want to grab yours whilst stocks last, here is a sneaky 10% discount code for you to use at the checkout.

Discount code YOURDOG10

    

We have also featured in Woman and Home Feel Good You magazine in an article about coping with empty nest syndrome. It was lovely to read about how other women coped when their children flew the nest. I filled our empty nest with dogs and haven't looked back!!

The eagle eyed among you might have spotted our famous Christmas Pudding collar, bandana, bow and lead in the new TV drama "This England" being sported the dog actor playing Dilyn the Downing Street Dog.

I must admit when the wardrobe department from Sky Atlantic contacted me asking if I could make more of the Christmas accessories that Dilyn wore at the election, I really though it was a wind up. But they wanted the dog to look authentic so I made them a set and here we are almost 3 years later and my hand made dog accessories are on TV!

 

National Twin With Your Dog Day is coming soon!

December 1st will be our second #twinwithyourdogday

We can't wait! All our summer and autumn collections have matching scrunchies and bucket hats so it's easy to twin!

We've also started making our Christmas twinning accessories which you can see in Edition Dog Magazine very soon.

There is going to be a monthly competition where anyone sending us a photo where they are twinning with their dogs will be put into a prize draw and can win some of our handmade accessories. 

To enter our 'Twin Wins' competition all you need to do is send me the photo you wish to enter via email or social media. Your photo will be entered into the draw and a new winner will be chosen each month. Names will be attached to a dog chew and the chew chosen by Leo or Charley will be selected as the prize winner.

Here are Kate and Gertie perfectly matching wearing their Strawberry Fields Forever accessories. Don’t they look fab! 

Send your photos to kimmymakes@gmail.com or message us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at Leo Charley and Me.

I hope you have enjoyed catching up with our news, see you in November!

Bye for now

Leo Charley and Kim xxx