How super-pup Thor found fame as face of natural dogs treat brand

A Yorkshire super-pup is set to take the dog treats world by storm, thanks to a marketing campaign created by a Dewsbury man.
Young entrepreneur Harry Wilkinson with his dog, ThorYoung entrepreneur Harry Wilkinson with his dog, Thor
Young entrepreneur Harry Wilkinson with his dog, Thor

Thor is no ordinary pooch. At just over one year old, he has found fame as the "face" of his own brand of natural dog treats.

Unfazed by his newfound stardom, the cheeky pedigree boxer spends his days happily getting up to mischief and generally running rings round his owner, young entrepreneur Harry Wilkinson.

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“Thor is my best friend. We’re pretty much inseparable.” said Harry, aged 27.

Thor kept Harry company during lockdownThor kept Harry company during lockdown
Thor kept Harry company during lockdown

Having grown up with a boxer as much loved family pet, Harry promised himself a long time ago that one day he would have his own.

Having searched for some while, he eventually met up with young pup Thor. Like a bolt of thunder from his namesake Norse god himself, they had an instant connection.

“Even though he was just 12 weeks old, I knew straight away he was the one… the bond was so strong,” Harry said.

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Having Thor around has been a real blessing for Harry, who advises other entrepreneurs in his role in the EBA business group.

“As a single lad living and working alone, I found lockdown tough. It could be very lonely, which impacted me both mentally and physically.

"Having Thor around gave me company, love, loyalty and lots of laughs!”

But that was just the start of the story, as Harry and Thor between them have created a most unusual business partnership.

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“As a conscientious dog owner, I always want the best for my dog,” said Harry.

“After doing my homework I discovered that many of the treats on the market weren’t as healthy or natural as they could be.

"So in the process of looking for an alternative, I discovered that there were more ‘natural’ dog treats out there that had minimal processing involved, which gave me the answer I was looking for.

"I tried them out with Thor and he just loved them. From that point I decided to take my ‘business head’ and develop a business that could provide dog owners with a choice.”

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When it came to developing the brand, it only seemed right to feature Thor, his inspiration.

“I contacted Rushfirth Creative, the Yorkshire branding agency that created our Elite Business Academy brand.

"The creative director, Howard Rushfirth, who lives in Earlsheaton, has loads of experience in branding and has worked with all the big name pet food brands during his career.

"What they came up with absolutely blew my mind. It’s right up there with anything that you’d pick up on any shelf in the country, and Thor really is the face of the brand.”

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Now Harry and Thor have launched the brand, they are looking forward to some really busy times ahead, and to fulfilling their commitment to give back, as Thor’s Natural Dog Treats are official fundraisers for the Dogs Trust, plus they also donate treats to their local shelter.

They have a steadily growing Facebook group dedicated to helping, supporting and advising dog owners on all things from nutrition to exercise.