Meet the Woman Who Knows Almost Every Dog in Cape Town

Have you been to the Chommies shop yet at 110 Hatfield Street in Cape Town?

Officially it’s a store, where you can come and buy things. But in practice it behaves more like a social club with a very clear membership policy: dogs first.

Humans occasionally forget this and walk in as if they are the VIPs. The dogs correct the situation immediately. They barge through the door, noses lifted, tails ticking like metronomes, conducting a brisk inspection of the premises for friends, admiration and the finest treats in Cape Town. Within seconds the place is alive with greetings, sniffing diplomacy and the general business of being a dog.

Bowls of fresh water appear without ceremony. The treat jar contains the good stuff. There’s a small garden outside for urgent investigations. Meanwhile the humans orbit politely around the main event, examining collars, drinking excellent coffee, occasionally accepting a glass of bubbles, while the dogs run the room exactly as they should.

And standing calmly in the middle of it all is Natasha Kurten, Head of Retail at Chommies.

Spend five minutes watching Natasha at work and you realise she notices everything. A nervous dog hovering near the door. A collar being quietly considered. Someone pretending not to be completely charmed by a leash they did not plan to buy.
She will greet your dog before she greets you. She will almost certainly kneel down for a hug. Possibly a kiss. And if you arrived without your dog, she will insist on seeing photographs immediately.

Because that is what happens at Chommies.

People come in looking for something practical,  a collar, a leash perhaps, and somewhere along the way the conversation becomes something much bigger.

We hear the stories about the rescue dog who refused to leave their side during a difficult year. Another will scroll through their phone to show baby photos…puppy pictures from when the ears were too big and the paws looked like they belonged to someone else entirely. There are tales of heroic beach rescues, of dogs who insist on sleeping diagonally across the bed, and of dogs who have quietly become the emotional centre of an entire household.

As Natasha puts it: 

“It’s dog heaven… and being here makes you feel a little bit like you’re in heaven too. High on happiness.”

Of course, Natasha does not run the shop alone.
Her two dogs - Kingston and Moon - are unofficial but deeply committed members of the Chommies team.

Kingston already holds several titles:
Head of Customer Service
Door Greeter
Mascot
Model
Brand Ambassador

He takes these responsibilities very seriously. Moon, on the other hand, would almost certainly sit somewhere in management. “Keeping everyone in line,” Natasha says.

Which feels accurate. Every dog reveals its personality within seconds, and Moon’s apparently includes a strong sense of order and an intolerance for nonsense.

Natasha herself might appear, at first glance, like she’s simply having the time of her life. She often arrives wearing something with a dog on it,  a T-shirt, a necklace, occasionally both, laughing easily and greeting everyone like an old friend.

She comes across, frankly, like a bit of a cheerful goose. But make no mistake. She runs the shop like a tight ship, and takes it all very, very seriously. 

But, nothing is too much trouble. Everything is possible. Customers arrive intending to buy a collar and somehow leave with gifts for their neighbour’s dog, their sister’s dog, and occasionally a dog they haven’t even met yet. Because in Natasha’s world all dogs deserve to be treated like royalty.

Her role sits somewhere between stylist, host and translator, helping people find the right piece for the right dog.

And she has strong opinions.

The Hands-Free Leads sit firmly at the top of her recommendations.

“They’re a complete game changer,” she says. “My hands are always full, handbag, laptop, groceries. Being able to attach Kingston to me while I carry everything else is ideal.”

Kingston’s favourite colourway is Fezzy, which he pairs with the Kumquat Harness (fully adjustable, brass clips on both sides). Elegant but extremely practical.

Moon, naturally, has different taste. The Popsicle Collar is currently her signature look: bright-edged, cheerful and unapologetic.

Her other top recommendations include the Flower Charms, which Natasha describes simply as “iconic,” and the Le Tou Tou, a tiny leather purse that regularly stops customers mid-sentence.

People expect it to be a poo bag holder. Then they realise it can hold keys, lipstick, AirPods… essentially the entire infrastructure of modern life in miniature leather form.
And the one item Natasha believes people consistently underestimate: Clip on Poo bag holders.

“If you have to pick up poop every day,” she says, “you might as well do it in style.”

It sounds practical, but it is also a strangely perfect summary of the Chommies worldview.
Life with dogs is messy.
So why not make it beautiful.

For someone bringing home a dog for the first time, Natasha has a clear prescription:
Harness
Hands-free lead
Treat bag
Poo bag holder
And a matching keyring

A small system for daily rituals.

Because, as she has learned from watching hundreds of dog owners pass through the store, dogs reshape your life almost immediately.

Your schedule changes.
Your walks become the structure of your day.
You begin to see the world from pavement height.

“These magical companions of ours deserve to look good and be spoiled,” Natasha says.

The House of Chommies Concept Store // 110 Hatfield Street, Gardens, Cape Town

And once you’ve stood inside 110 Hatfield on a busy afternoon, dogs chasing each other through the shop, Gidi laughing near the counter, a couple debating passionately over which collar their dog looks most handsome in… it becomes very difficult to disagree.

Some shops sell objects.
Others sell experiences.
Chommies sells something stranger.
Joy.

Come visit. 

The Chommies Market Stand // Oranjezicht City Farm Market