about
The founder
The latter part of 2021 saw the establishment of Hounds & Heritage Weddings, which emerged after the decision to separate from a nine-year-old pet care enterprise, with the primary objective of focusing exclusively on weddings.
Hounds & Heritage is currently independently owned and operated by Jemma Cox, who has 12 years of experience in pet care and 6 years of experience in wedding events.
It is my primary goal to provide a service that feels like you are simply dropping your dogs off to a close friend or a distant family member. This is the same regardless of whether your booking is with me or one of the members of my team.
Equality is truly important to me and to the rest of the team. Everyone is welcome, regardless of breed or size. I have gained a profound understanding of dogs through my own ownership and extensive experience working with them.
I have come to the realisation that their unique characteristics are the essence of their character. Additionally, certain breeds require a more gentle and softer approach than others, which is precisely the purpose of the familiarisation meetings I provide.
Choosing someone to look after your dogs can sometimes be as difficult as choosing which nursery or school your children are going to go to. Even once you've chosen, it takes a couple of visits for you to really become comfortable, and I recognise that that process doesn't just happen overnight.
my mission
"to encapsulate the true meaning of family.."
jemma cox
Like many other pet care professionals, I have grown up around dogs since I was a young girl.
No matter where we went, whether it was to the Lake District camping, Scotland caravaning, or McDonalds for a McFlurry and some chicken nuggets, we always had our dogs with us for the adventure.
Despite my love for dogs and my inclination towards working in an outdoor setting, I never anticipated pursuing a career in the field of pet care, let alone as a full-time occupation. I guess, I just never thought it was possible.
Nonetheless, my journey into the pet care industry began in North Yorkshire at the age of 16, prior to my relocation to Scotland in January 2020.
Initially, the services that I offered were primarily focused on the general aspect of pet care, comprising of; Private/Group Walks, Day-care, Dog Sitting, and Boarding.
As my family grew, I made modifications to the services I offered, allowing me to continue in the industry I loved, while also witnessing my children's growth through some of their most precious moments.
I am lucky enough to have three young children; Esmé, five, Elliott, two, and Rosalie, newborn, as well as our dogs; Loki, five, and Elene, one.
As a result of being raised with dogs since their early childhood, my children have been taught to show respect towards them, including refraining from pulling their tails or inflicting pain upon them.
Steven (my husband) and I were married in October 2021 in Luss, Loch Lomond, which is my favourite place.
We were fortunate enough to have Loki, our beloved Springer Spaniel, in attendance for the ceremony, despite his health due to undergoing a biopsy three days prior to the big day.
Unfortunately, Loki wasn't well enough at the time for me to feel comfortable pushing him to wait longer for photos with us after the ceremony, so he was taken back to the lodges to rest. Consequently, we don't have photographs with him as a newly married couple.
Looking back on it now, we wish someone had made this a priority on the day, above other things. It can be easy to lose sight of the professional perspective when your emotions are focused on your family pet.
It is my primary goal to provide a service that feels like you are simply dropping your dogs off to a close friend or a distant family member. This is the same regardless of whether your booking is with me or one of the members of my team.
Equality is truly important to me and to the rest of the team. Everyone is welcome, regardless of breed or size. I have gained a profound understanding of dogs through my own ownership and extensive experience working with them.
I have come to the realisation that their unique characteristics are the essence of their character. Additionally, certain breeds require a more gentle and softer approach than others, which is precisely the purpose of the familiarisation meetings I provide.
Choosing someone to look after your dogs can sometimes be as difficult as choosing which nursery or school your children are going to go to. Even once you've chosen, it takes a couple of visits for you to really become comfortable, and I recognise that that process doesn't just happen overnight.
"to encapsulate the true meaning of family"
my mission
THE NUMBERS
Averaging three meetings per client. A mixture of Dog Walks, and Home Visits.
3500+
Combined experience in the Pet Care & Hospitality Industry.
11+
180+
weddings completed
Since starting full-time Wedding Chaperoning back in August 2021.
