Name: Marie-Josée Lessard
Website: mjleatherwork.com
Location: Ste-Justine-de-Newton, Qc
What kind of Dog Business do you do?
I do handmade leather dog collars, harnesses and leashes, as well as horse bridle and some saddle repairs. Most of my business is dog collars, I offer “ready-to-wear” as well as fully custom made products. I am a one person business so my work is very limited and exclusive. I am now focused on very high quality and fully hand-stitched work, which is a rarity those days.
How did you get into doing dog-related business?
I began with general leatherworking, bags and the like. I moved to the countryside and then I got a dog. I made him a collar of course and offered some for sale on my website and also in a local craft fair. I later develop a specific market for sighthound with the help of a client, who end up being a friend, Nathaly Simard. She have 2 lovely whippets and I created many collar for them. Her dog Ashley is the beautiful dog on my website logo. They even have their own blog.
When did you first realize you are a craftwoman?
A long time ago…Since I was a child I always liked art classes and crafts and at 15 years old I began working with leather with my mom’s tools.
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Liz Bradley is a dog lover who lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband,