'I put love into my leads' - city man making woven leads for dogs

The Old Lakenham youth worker has always loved dogs and has used that love to create a side hustle loved by fellow dog lovers across the city.

Andrew Bruce, 35, produces beautiful handmade leads and collars for pooches of all shapes and sizes.

All of the collars are commission only as they are made to fit dogs necks perfectly (Image: Andrew Bruce)

The company is called Lucy’s Leads, named after him and his wife’s rescue Patterdale terrier Lucy.

He said: “I love making things, and I really love dogs - that’s how myself and my wife Catherine fell in love – we are just huge fans of dogs.

“Making the leads started as a hobby in the first lockdown and I sold them to family and friends.”

To begin with the collars and leads were made from cord but Andrew found it to be uncomfortable for the owner to grip so he played around and now makes sturdy collars and leads from recycled cotton.

The small crafty business is inspired by Andrew and Catherine's tiny six year old rescue Patterdale terrier Lucy (Image: Andrew Bruce)

He said: “I make them using a macrame technique called square knotting – which is tying certain knots over and over again to get to the desired length.”

He adds a looped handle so it’s really secure.

He said: “Owners who use my leads have things like Golden Retrievers and Springer Spaniels and the product holds up well and doesn’t hurt their owners' hands so I think they are really good.”

Andrew has spent a lot of time making sure his products are perfect for dogs – and as such customers cannot just buy a collar, they are commission-only so that he can make them the exact size to fit the dogs' neck.

The leads take Andrew about an hour to make and are available in a number of different colours (Image: Andrew Bruce)

He said: “I do this because I enjoy it and I put love into everything I make.

“And I will continue to make them for as long as people enjoy them.”

Andrew sells his products through Instagram @_lucysleads but can also be found at craft fairs this winter.

The collars are thick so for dogs that are walked without a harness, they are much more comfortable to wear (Image: Andrew Bruce)

As we head towards the festive season Andrew wants to remind people to shop small and local as much as possible.

He said: “The products are nicer and it’s more personal.

“It Is also far better for the environment as most small businesses in Norwich are very eco-conscious.”