When I brought Lola, my adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, into my life, I was excited
about all the adventures we would have together. But I quickly realised how challenging it
was to take her out to restaurants with me. I hated leaving her at home—that wasn’t why I got a
companion! If only there was a website for dog bookings made easy.
I envisioned her being by my side as much as possible, enjoying life’s little
moments together. Sure, I understood there would be times when it made sense to leave her
behind, like during medical appointments or when a place was overly crowded. But meeting
friends for lunch or going for a casual coffee while she sat alone at home? Absolutely not!
Lola loves going out
Lola, especially when she was younger, loved going out. She had that puppy energy and a
real zest for life. Honestly, I think she coined the meaning of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
long before humans did! She didn’t suffer from separation anxiety as much as she had a real
case of “fear of missing out.” And can’t we all relate to that?
Back then, I was working at OpenTable, visiting restaurants and helping them manage
bookings. Naturally, I thought I’d be able to bring Lola with me to many of these venues.
After all, the UK is supposed to be a dog-loving nation, right? Well, wrong! To my dismay,
most places weren’t as dog-friendly as I’d hoped.
Frustrating roadblocks
I quickly ran into some frustrating roadblocks, like:
● Dog-friendly restaurants that only let you sit outside with your dog. Because the
weather is just so consistently pleasant here in the UK, right?
● The ever-present “health and safety” excuse, even though there’s no law stopping
dogs from being allowed inside restaurants. It seemed like a convenient line, but it
wasn’t rooted in fact.
● Confusing online information about which places were truly dog-friendly. Some
venues came up as “dog-friendly” on websites, only for me to arrive and be told
policies had changed, or worse, they had never allowed dogs in the first place!
● And then there were vague responses from Franchisee’s who weren’t sure if dogs were
allowed or not. The uncertainty made planning an outing with Lola unnecessarily
stressful.
There has to be a better way
After dealing with these issues one too many times, I thought, “There has to be a better
way.” I realised other dog parents were likely facing the same frustrations. We want to enjoy
our time with our dogs, not spend hours researching and then risk being turned away. That’s
when the idea for WagIt was born.
WagIt is the UK’s first online booking platform tailored specifically for dog parents. It’s a
one-stop shop where you can easily discover new dog-friendly places and have all the
information you need right at your fingertips before you visit. No more guessing games or
awkward encounters at the front of house.
Hidden benefits
Plus, WagIt has another hidden benefit: It helps your friends like you more! With WagIt, your
friends can easily find dog-friendly spots, so they don’t have to awkwardly ask you to leave
your pup at home. Everyone gets to enjoy time together, and no one feels guilty!
And let’s not forget the venues know you’re coming with your dog (some even want to know
your dog’s name, which is a lovely touch). That means no more awkward “Oh, you brought
your dog, let me seat you at the back” moments when you arrive. It’s all sorted ahead of
time, leaving you free to enjoy your outing stress-free: dog bookings made easy.
And of course, there’s the bonus of saving money on dog sitting—no need to pay someone
to watch your pup when you can bring them along for the fun!
Helping people bond with their dogs
WagIt isn’t just about convenience—it’s about helping people bond with their dogs, making
memories, and finding more joy in the everyday. Whether it’s grabbing a coffee, meeting
friends for lunch, or just discovering a new spot in town, WagIt ensures your dog can be a
part of it all, without any of the guesswork. Dog bookings made easy.
