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We’ve had the pleasure of working with Geoff Thompson, founder of Petiquette Collars, since 2012, and in that time, he’s become a valued part of our extended Charley Chau family, not least because our own gang have been wearing Petiquette Collars now for over fourteen years.
What drew us to Petiquette from the very beginning was a set of metallic gold sighthound collars and leads and a shared belief that dogs deserve better — thoughtful design, exceptional materials, and uncompromising comfort.
We caught up with Geoff to talk about how it all began, and the philosophy that continues to shape Petiquette today.
Anna, Theo & Charley, all smart at the park, stepping out in Petiquette. It's a Petiquette thing but every one of our dogs has their own Petiquette colour. It starts when they are a puppy and then we stick with that colour for them all of their lives, somehow the collar becomes part of their personality - the canine version of Anna Wintour's sunglasses ;-) The gang are wearing: Leather Italian Greyhound Collars, House Collars, with Leather Dog Leads all by Petiquette.
Petiquette Collars didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a special dog named Harry, a moment of frustration, and a flash of inspiration in the early hours of the morning.
Geoff explains: “Harry picked us. limbed up, fell asleep on my lap, and that was it. I’d had Harry for a few years and always thought there was a lack of well-made leather collars that were a bit different. We went through so many cheap collars when he was younger, and then I started making my
own and people would constantly stop me to ask where they were from. Around the same time, I found out I was going to be made redundant. I knew I didn’t want to go back into the same job, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.”
That changed one night.
Way back when ... 2005 - Geoff with Harry as a puppy - the very special dog who inspired Geoff to found Petiquette Collars.
“I woke up with a really clear vision of fully customisable Swarovski collars. Not just fixed designs — I wanted customers to have complete control over how their collar would look. But it wasn’t just about appearance. The most important thing was that they were comfortable for the dog.”
With no formal training, Geoff taught himself leatherwork from scratch.
“Back then, I did everything in my garage. I was dyeing leather myself, with pieces hanging everywhere to dry — my hands were permanently stained. I would sit on the cold concrete, with a piece of rubber on the floor, and hammer each crystal, each rivet by hand.”
“So, there I was working in a garage on a concrete floor with a small heater and single bare light bulb and my partner shouted one night, ‘Your collars are on the telly!’ I came running through, and sure enough, on the Paul O’Grady show, there was Olga, sat on Paul’s desk, wearing one of our Chaos Theory Swarovski collars. I was flabbergasted.”
From humble beginnings on the concrete floor of his garage, Geoff still handcrafts every Petiquette Collar & Lead personally, albeit it today from his much more comfortable workshop!
Craft, materials and making
“I’ve spent years sourcing leather that I’m truly happy with — and I never think of it as ‘done’. Leather is a natural textile, so no hide is ever the same. There are many factors I consider when assessing the suitability of leather for the perfect dog collar but most importantly, it comes down to how comfortable and durable it is for the dog.”
“It’s easy to find leather that looks good. It’s much harder to find leather that performs properly over time — that stays soft, wears well, and is comfortable day in, day out.”
From our own personal experience of choosing Petiquette Collars & Leads for the Charley Chau gang for over 14 years now, we know how beautifully Petiquette's leather wears over time.
"Most collars are made using a single strap of leather, normally bridle leather or split hides. Bridle leather is wonderful but available in very limited colours, and split hides are not usually soft enough for dog collars in my opinion. So I choose to work with Italian Calf Leather which is soft, supple and ensuring, and available in a gorgeous selection of colours.”
Geoff chooses to use fine Italian Calf Leather for Petiquette's Collars and Leads - soft, supple and beautifully enduring.
Geoff’s approach to building a collar is deliberately different.
“All of my buckle collars and leads start with a strap of natural, vegetable tanned leather which acts as the core of the collar. I then wrap it with beautifully soft and supple Italian calf leather and line the collar with another layer of Italian calf leather before I stitch it all together with rot-proof nylon bonded thread and hand trim and finish the leather.”
Geoff is too modest for his own good sometimes so let me step in as a very long-time customer ... the attention to detail in every Petiquette Collar we've either ordered for our own dogs or many thoudsands of our customers' dogs is exceptional. Faultless stitching, satisfyingly smooth edges, sturdy and secure hardware that doesn't catch a dog's coat.
A Petiquette Collar is so satisfying to behold - just as when admiring the detailed workmanship in a particularly well made leather bag or wallet - and the leather leads feel beautiful in hand.
British craftsmanship at its finest - each Petiquette Collar and Lead is made-to-order - cut, carefully wrapped, stitched and finished by hand.
The Petiquette Collection at Charley Chau
Classic Leather Dog Collars by Petiquette
£40.00
Minimum price
£40.00
Maximum price
£55.00
ID Tag Collars / House Collars by Petiquette
£20.00
Regular price
£20.00
Leather Italian Greyhound Dog Collars by Petiquette
£36.00
Minimum price
£36.00
Maximum price
£44.00
Leather Whippet Collars by Petiquette
£38.00
Minimum price
£38.00
Maximum price
£46.00
Leather Greyhound & Lurcher Collars by Petiquette
£44.00
Minimum price
£44.00
Maximum price
£52.00
Leather Puppy Collars by Petiquette
£36.00
Minimum price
£36.00
Maximum price
£40.00
Leather Dog Leads by Petiquette
£50.00
Regular price
£50.00
Charley Chau eGift Card
£50.00
Minimum price
£50.00
Maximum price
£500.00
And then there’s the sparkly crystals – genuine Swarovski crystals to be precise.
Geoff said “I was advised early on to use cheaper alternatives, but I knew exactly what I wanted. Every single crystal is genuine Swarovski and rivet-set by hand — not glued — which makes them incredibly secure. Some of my collars have over 100 crystals, and each one is individually set by hand, by me personally.”
No surprise then that Geoff’s meticulous approach to making Petiquette’s dog collars requires a significant amount of time and every single Petiquette collar or lead is still hand-made to order to each individual customers’ requirements.
“People come to me wanting something specific and that’s where Petiquette really comes into its own. We live in a world of fast everything, but I’ve always believed the finer things are worth waiting for.”
Geoff loves a bit of bling and his Swarovski Crystal embellished Collars have an army of devoted fans. Petiquette's Swarovski Collection is available on the Petiquette website.
A shared approach with Charley Chau
Our collaboration with Geoff began when Christine was searching for beautifully made collars for Charley and Anna in 2012, our first Italian Greyhounds.
One phone call — and two bespoke gold leather Italian Greyhound collars later — a long-standing partnership began.
Geoff: “I loved the fact that we had started up at pretty much the same time, and I thought our positioning and ethos were similar, so I jumped at the chance to work with Charley Chau. We both wanted to make something that exudes quality, is built to last, looks fab-u-lous, and most importantly is loved by dogs."
"It’s not about finding the most affordable materials, it’s about using the materials that will work best for the dog, and constructing something that even non-dog owners will stop and say 'wow!'. It’s a cliche and maybe a touch melodramatic, but our businesses are quite literally built on hard work, a refusal to give up, along with a huge amount of blood, sweat and tears.”
Hnadsome Charley, Christine's first Italian Greyhound, the one we named our company after, in one of his early Petiquette Italian Greyhound Collars with smart coordinating House Collar.
More than "just" a dog collar
Over time, what stands out most to Geoff isn’t just the product — it’s the connection customers have with it.
“I had a customer reach out to me just a couple of weeks back. Her dog has worn our Swarovski collars since she was 1 year old, and is now at 12, and sadly facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. She wanted to thank me
for making sure Poppy was always the sparkliest princess in the neighbourhood, and that her collars have been a real part of who she is as a dog. It’s a message that will stay with me forever and reinforced my sense that I’m not just making a product – when a dog wears Petiquette it creates a feeling which is more than just a beautiful dog collar.”
“Seeing Petiquette collars out in the world still hasn’t lost its impact. Especially when I see them in far flung destinations. It’s genuinely really humbling, and every time I still I still think of Harry — the dog who started it all.”
A dog collar is never just a functional product – it's an integral part in a dog's daily life, and when it's a beautiful collar, it feels seamlessly in tune with their spirit and the moments they share with their humans.
Leather Collars & Leads - handcrafted to order in 18 beautiful colourways
- Each collar and lead is made to order for the perfect fit.
- Fine, Italian Calf Leather available in 18 colourways.
- Rust free, sturdy & secure Stainless Steel hardware.
- Classic Cut collars can be made in any width and any length.
- Sighthound Cut Collars available to fit from tiny Italian Greyhounds to Whippets to large Lurchers and Greyhounds.
- Made to order in any width and any length as required by your dog.
- Coordinating House Collars available.
- Coordinating Leather Leads in various widths and lengths available.
- Made for Charley Chau by Geoff at Petiquette Collars (petiquette-collars.co.uk).
Petiquette at Charley Chau - beautiful leather dog collars and leads in 18 gorgeous colourways.
Useful guide on How to measure for a dog collar >
Meet the Maker: Geoff Thompson, Founder of Petiquette Collars