Four Rescue Dogs, Two Awards and a Community We Never Dreamed We’d Build

Last week, Jack and I stood in a room full of incredible people at the MK Inspiration Awards.

We were finalists in four categories.

By the end of the evening, Jack had been named Inspiring Athlete of the Year and I had somehow been handed the award for Upcoming Entrepreneur of the Year.

Truthfully?

We’re still not entirely sure how that happened.

Because when we look at Pickles, we don’t see awards.

We see dogs.

We see Fred.

We see Winston.

We see Opal.

We see Shelby.

We see Truffy.

We see hundreds of muddy paws that have crossed our path over the last few years.

We see nervous owners who arrived at their first Canicross session convinced they weren’t runners.

We see rescue dogs who were told they were too much, too difficult or too broken.

We see customers who walked into our little shop looking for pet food and somehow became friends.

And we see a community that has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined.

So while the awards may have our names on them, they don’t belong to us.

They belong to every single one of you.

It All Started With Pets

When we opened Pickles Pet Pantry in November 2022, we had a simple dream.

Create the kind of pet shop we would want to walk into ourselves.

A place built around honesty.

A place built around evidence-based nutrition.

A place where people could ask questions without judgement.

A place where pets always came first.

We never imagined that little pet shop would grow into a multi-award-winning business.

We never imagined launching our own pet food brand, Only in Olney.

We never imagined helping thousands of pets through nutritional support.

And we certainly never imagined standing on a stage collecting awards.

What we did know was that we wanted to make a difference.

Everything else came later.

Then Came Canicross

Like many people, we started Canicross because we wanted to do more with our dogs.

What we discovered was much more than a sport.

We discovered a community.

We discovered friendship.

We discovered confidence.

We discovered purpose.

And we discovered that some of the most incredible journeys happen with a dog attached to the other end of a bungee line.

In January 2025, Pickles Cani Running Club was born.

At the beginning, it was just a handful of humans and dogs meeting up to run together.

Today, it’s a thriving community of more than 60 people and their dogs.

Some members arrived convinced they couldn’t run.

Some arrived worried their dog wasn’t suitable.

Some arrived feeling nervous, anxious or completely out of place.

Today, many of them are helping others take those same first steps.

That’s the magic of Canicross.

Not the medals.

Not the podiums.

The people.

The dogs.

And the confidence they build together.

The Dogs Behind Everything

At the heart of this story are five dogs.

Fred.

Winston.

Opal.

Shelby.

And Truffy.

Every one of them has shaped the journey in some way.

Fred taught us resilience.

Winston taught us never to underestimate what a dog is capable of.

Opal reminds us daily that chaos and brilliance often come as a package deal.

Shelby has shown us what patience, kindness and second chances can achieve.

And Truffy proves that sometimes the smallest dogs have the biggest personalities.

They’re the reason we run.

They’re the reason we coach.

They’re the reason we care so deeply about helping other people build better relationships with their dogs.

And honestly?

They’re probably the real winners of the awards.

Inspiring Athlete of the Year

Watching Jack collect his award was probably my favourite moment of the evening.

Many people see the athlete.

I see the early mornings.

The late nights.

The races.

The coaching.

The family time squeezed into every spare moment.

The person who will stay behind after a session to help someone who is struggling.

The person who genuinely believes every dog and every owner deserves a chance.

As a former 400-metre hurdler, Canicross wasn’t exactly part of the plan.

Yet just two years after discovering the sport, Jack became Midlands Short Course Champion and now competes nationally alongside coaching our growing club.

When accepting the award, he said:

“To be recognised means the world because this isn’t just recognition for me. It’s recognition for my dogs too.

Every one of them is a rescue and they most definitely drag me across the finish line, especially on the days when I’m physically exhausted.

I hope it helps more people discover Canicross because it’s an incredible sport. It changes lives, not just for people but for dogs too.”

And honestly, that’s exactly why he deserved it.

Upcoming Entrepreneur of the Year

Entrepreneur is still a word that feels a little strange to me.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen myself that way.

I’m just someone who loves pets.

Loves people.

Cares far too much.

And somehow ended up building a pet shop, a pet food brand and a Canicross club surrounded by incredible humans and dogs.

The reality behind small business ownership isn’t always glamorous.

There have been challenges.

There have been setbacks.

There have been sleepless nights.

There have been moments where we’ve questioned ourselves and wondered if we were doing enough.

But there have also been customers who became friends.

Club members who became family.

And moments that remind us why we started.

This award belongs as much to our customers, club members, team, family and supporters as it does to me.

Because none of this happens alone.

More Than an Awards Cabinet

Today, Pickles Pet Pantry is a multi-award-winning independent business.

Only in Olney is an award-winning pet food brand.

Pickles Cani Running Club continues to grow every single month.

The awards cabinet is getting fuller.

But the achievements we’re most proud of can’t be displayed on a shelf.

They’re found in the rescue dogs who found confidence.

The owners who found friendship.

The people who discovered they were stronger than they thought.

The customers who trusted us.

The club members who took a chance on us.

And the community that has grown around all of it.

The family who backed my crazy idea of Pickles Pet Pantry.

When people ask what we’re most proud of, it isn’t the awards.

It’s the messages that say:

“Pickles helped me find my confidence.”

“My dog has changed so much since joining.”

“I’ve found my people.”

“You’ve literally changed my life.”

Those are the moments that matter.

Those are the wins we’ll remember.

Thank You

So if you’ve ever walked through our doors, bought a bag of food, joined a Canicross session, cheered someone across a finish line, recommended us to a friend, volunteered your time or simply believed in what we’re building…

Thank you.

These awards aren’t a celebration of Jack and Katie.

They’re a celebration of what happens when a community of dog lovers comes together and decides to dream a little bigger.

They’re a celebration of rescue dogs.

Of second chances.

Of muddy paws.

Of friendship.

Of community.

Of everything Pickles stands for.

And trust us…

We’re only just getting started.

Powered by Paws. Driven by Community.

Want to Join the Pickles Family?

Whether you’re looking for expert nutritional support, award-winning pet food, or you’re curious about trying Canicross with your dog, we’d love to welcome you.

Visit us in store on Olney High Street, browse online at www.picklespetpantry.co.uk, or come and join us one Sunday morning.

You might just discover what we did.

That sometimes the most incredible journeys begin with a dog.