All the Dogs

Since 2018, All the Dogs on Church Street in West Chester, PA has been a staple store of K-9 lovers. From day one, Owner, Becky Hoffman, and Operations Maven, Cori Hoffman, set forth with a vision of offering quality crafted treats, gear, skincare, and toys to support the well-being of not only our beloved dogs, but also our community and planet alike. We spoke with Becky Hoffman to discuss what makes “All the Dogs” so special and here’s what she had to share about making a positive impact on the health and happiness of our beloved K-9, friends.

All the Dogs West Chester | A Quaint Boutique for Dog Lovers

Note: All Images Property of All the Dogs

What year did you open All the Dogs?

April 25th, 2018. We just celebrated our 4 year anniversary! 

What made you decide that the heart of West Chester was the right place to open your shop?

We (Becky & Cori) are both from West Chester. Becky was born and raised in here. Becky was living in the borough and she has dogs and she was wondering why there were no little dog shops in town. She just saw a need to have a little shop for people that live in town (or visiting) and be able to walk to. Especially since our location is towards the end of town where we are, a little bit outside the downtown area, it’s very residential.We are just so very happy that we are still able to be here, especially since 2020 (the pandemic closures). 

What type of items do you specialize in carrying?

As far as our treats, we are pretty picky. So we try and source locally, we try and source organic, minimal ingredients with human grade ingredients. So really wholesome and nutritious ingredients for the dogs. We have a line from Philadelphia, a line from West Chester, we have a line from Malvern, we have a line from Bucks County. So that is really important to us to support other local businesses. And the same thing for our toys. Again, things that are safe and non toxic, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and made in the USA. We try and do all that as much as possible. Same for (the dog) skincare, supplements and again try and keep it all organic, with no harsh chemicals. Basically our little tagline when we first opened was ‘If it’s good for the planet, it’s good for the dog’. 

What are your personal favorite items that you carry in the store?

So I’m a huge fan of the West Paw Company. They are a Bozeman, Montanna company. They have been around for several decades now. Everything is made in Bozeman, nothing is outsourced. And they use recycled materials. So they are actually saving plastics from the ocean, they are reusing water bottles. Because they are using them in the materials to make their toys, which I’m a huge proponent of. And they have a ‘love it guarantee’. So if you are not happy, no questions asked, they will replace it or refund it. And they are just awesome to work with. I knew about them way before the shop opened, and I’ve had them in my life with my other dogs forever and they last and they are durable and they represent everything I believe in. And now purchasing from them, they are just super kind and really easy to work with. Yeah, they are probably my favorite. We have even gotten feedback from people saying they thought they would need to replace a toy and they did. It was super easy (the replace or refund). I just wish there were more companies like that. 

What made you decide to make buying only treats locally with human quality ingredients as your shop standard?

Just our experience is having dogs in our lives. And having dogs that have so many different sensitivities to different things. So every dog that I’ve ever had in my life seems to have a challenge with food in some way or another. So for both of us (Becky and I), I cook for my dog, she (Becky) cooks for her dog. We don’t give them processed dog food. Just because we have had issues. And you hear about recalls, again it’s just something (people have to think about). And our customers appreciate that. So having options where they don’t have to spend 10 minutes reading all the ingredients (to see what their dog might be allergic to), oh there is 1 and 2 and 3 different things (my dog is allergic to in this food or treat). And especially with the local folks, we know where the it’s coming from. We know where the chicken farms or the beef farms are, and that is super important. And knock on wood we haven’t ever had a recall issue for us (and the brands we carry).

Do you partner with any dog organizations to help connect humans with their dog?

So we have supported them (rescues), but I wouldn’t say we are partners, we are more supporters. But we have definitely made donations to varying organizations. The one we have given a lot to over the years is The Animal House Project, and it means a lot to us. They basically are a Chester County based organization, and their mission is to keep companion animals in homes and out of shelters. Meaning, if people have fallen on hard times, where often times (owners) have to make decisions ‘do I feed myself or feed my dog’ or they can’t afford veterinary care. So a lot of animals end up in shelters because their people can’t take care of them. So The Animal House Project collects food, and supplies and things from people and they do food pantry days for people who cannot afford to feed their animals. And they also have veternairans who donate services. They are just a phenomenal organization. And a lot of people don’t know about this organization. But we have also done donations to All for Paws, and other local shelters. 

What excites you about the future of West Chester in the next 5 to 10 years?

So I’m from West Chester, but I moved out when I was 18. I’m in my 40’s now. So for me, it’s just incredible to see the amount of development that has/is happening. Especially over the last year, seeing little places pop up. The energy here (in West Chester) just feels good. You know, business owners support one another, and this is a really great community. And I’m noticing a lot more tourists lately. And I find that to be very interesting, because I never really thought of West Chester being a destination place, but we get a lot of people visiting from varying places. Like their kids are here for a sporting event, or from the college, or weddings. 

Any closing thoughts you’d like to share?

Dogs are welcome! We get a lot of people are still trying the figure out where dogs can go in town. All are welcome! We joke that the kids can stay outside, but the dogs are welcome inside. (All paws are welcome! )And I have to say on Friday’s when the weather is warmer, that’s probably one of our busiest days, (customers) afterwork with their dogs, which is pretty cool.