A DOG owner who had to hunt for a food which would not upset her puppy’s stomach ended up creating a brand of her own.

Claire Addiscott set up the pet food brand Addiscotts after doing extensive research into what her Weimaraner pup, Delta, could eat.

“She was a beautiful blue eyed bundle of fun and a welcome addition to our family, but in the first year she started having tummy troubles,” she said.

“We spent a year trying different brands within our price range but success was very hit and miss, generic food just didn’t seem right for her and it was very trial and error. By now we had decided to get another puppy, her cousin, so it became even more important to find the right food for them both.

“We started doing research into what was actually on the listings and what the ingredients meant and I was shocked at what could be classed as a hypoallergenic premium dog food but still have such poor grade food content. Don’t get me wrong, there were some amazing dog foods out there but they just weren’t in our budget.”

She sourced food from a company in Lancashire which she now sells under the Addiscotts name.

Much of the food is dispatched straight to the customer by the producer, but the Verwood-based business also delivers locally free of charge.

The range consists of 10 meat and fish dishes, containing vegetables and botanical ingredients. They are blended with sweet potato, which Claire

“We put a lot of time and effort into considering the very best recipes for dogs and work closely with vets and nutritionists to create nutritionally complete signature dishes,” she said.

Although dogs thrive on a meaty diet, around 20-30 per cent of their diet should come from plants, she said.

The other ingredients are blended with sweet potato, which she says improves the immune system and satisfies dogs’ hunger for longer. Options include lamb and mint, salmon and asparagus and angus beef and carrot.

The company was included in last year’s Small Business Saturday 100 – a list of businesses highlighted in the run-up to the national Small Business Saturday event.As well as selling and promoting the products, Claire says she spends a lot of time communicating with potential customers. “Half the job for me is about educating people and helping them make the right choice for their animal’s health,” she said.

“More and more people are becoming more conscious of what their dogs are fed rather than just buying things from the supermarket or buying brands they recognise.”

Claire, who has two grown-up children, has fitted the business around raising her 11-year-old daughter. “There are so many of us these days that need a financial income but want to be there to support our family as they grow too and when customers support these businesses, they are making a real difference,” she said.

“I think we’re all a lot more conscious of and willing to support locally when we’re given the opportunity.”