Thursday 21 June 2012

Coming a Full Circle

It has been four years since Heads up For Tails (HUFT) was born and even if we could have imagined the twists, turns, shapes and forms that it went through, in the course of these past years we doubt if we could have still kept up!

The founder of HUFT, Rashi has always been surrounded by dogs and cannot remember a time when she did not absolutely love their presence. Even as a child, she spent a lot of times with her furry pets and though she always wanted to (and still does) establish a shelter for abandoned dogs, a business that caters to dogs and their owners was not something she ever planned to do.

After finishing school, Rashi went on to get a degree in business management at the London School of Economics and thereon worked in the corporate sector for a while. But that did not make quite fit her creative temperament. Also, although she had spent time with dogs all her life, it was only after her marriage that Rashi understood the responsibilities of taking care of one’s own dog. Sara, the adorable Labrador taught Rashi what a big responsibility it is to look after a dog. And with this experience, came the realization that the state of pet stores in India is awful.

Dogs are family; dogs are best friends. They are children and companions and so many other things and you do not just want a standard bed or a standard bowl for them, do you? You want them to have beds that they can snuggle in and you want them in the right colour and made of the right material. You want collars that are comfortable and beautiful and you want a thousand other things that are worthy of your little (or huge) ball of fur.

Thus, in the summer of 2008, Heads Up For Tails was born as a small, online business that catered to dogs with a limited range of products. The products were exciting and well-received by the customers but the online store presented limited opportunities for growth since e-commerce was not as popular back then as it is now. So HUFT got itself a cozy kiosk at Select City Walk Mall in Saket, New Delhi and here, we began to grow. In an almost vertical learning-incline (believe me, we cannot call it a curve when the learning is THAT steep!), HUFT understood merchandising, product development, marketing and a thousand other things that go into making a business work for its customers.
Over the years, HUFT has continued to stride ahead in developing products that have been loved and appreciated. For that too, HUFT is thankful to its customers who have come to our store and then come back again, repeatedly so that the business is now secondary to the relationships that we have built with people and their adorable pets. Now, after four years of 16 hours-a-day shifts, chasing seemingly impossible deadlines and to-do lists that never seem to end, Rashi’s ideas are beginning to come together in a beautiful circle. Difficult though the work has been, it has also been rewarding and enriching and at HUFT, we do sincerely wish there were more hours to the day so that we could get more done!

HUFT is a small yet strong business that has its roots firmly planted in its excellent knowledge about and passion for products that cater to dogs. In this near future, HUFT is returning to its original business plan of an online store where you, the customer can browse through an incredible variety of products for your beloved pet.
We warmly welcome you to our online portal and promise that our products combined with your love, will keep your pooch’s tail always wagging! 

Friday 1 June 2012

Sasha's story by Rashi Sanon Narang

A few months ago, my car almost hit a tiny puppy who zipped across the road. Luckily, she escaped unhurt. To be double sure, I picked her up, and took her to a vet to be examined. After getting a green signal that all was well, I just didn't have the heart to leave her back on the road.
She was dirty, smelly and infested with fleas. I took her home, cleaned her up, and after a meal of warm milk- she settled on to my lap and slept!
We named her Sasha.

Sasha was absolutely adorable and everyone who saw her fell in love with her! She had these sparkling eyes like buttons, and was a feisty and playful little thing with a mind of her own.
Unfortunately, I couldn't keep her and we had to find a home for her.

After several calls and messages to friends and family, Tandrali Kuli from Friendicoes found a foster home until we were able to find a permanent home for Sasha.
We sent Sasha to Neetu Aggarwal in Gurgaon.

Within a few weeks, Neetu fell totally in love with Sasha and decided to keep her :)

We just heard from Neetu recently. Sasha is all grown up- pretty, strong, cuddly and the best pet ever!
Here are some of her recent photos:


Cuddle time with her family!
Sleep time!
Pretty pretty Sasha!

I'd like to thank Neetu for opening her heart and home for an Indian Dog. They do make fabulous pets, and I hope that she will inspire you to maybe adopt one too! Also, a big thank you to Tandrali for working tirelessly to find homes for homeless pets. I'd also like to thank my friend- Tanya Lugani, and my cousin- Anita Chopra, both for keeping Sasha at their homes while we found a home for her!