My name is Bettina Strauss, and I am the creator and owner of House of Hounds, a t-shirt and accessory store for dog lovers by dog lovers, powered by one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted designs.

Dogs have always been a huge part of my life, first personally and then also professionally. I grew up in Germany and after high school studied English language and literature in Munich, then moved to Switzerland where I worked as an assistant director at the theatre of Basel for several years. Inspired by this experience, I studied photography in Munich and went on to become a professional theatre, opera and dance photographer. While working for big theatre and opera houses, I continuously photographed dogs for private and editorial clients. In 2014 my book and perpetual calendar “Mit Hunden durch das Jahr”, ISBN: 978-3-458-36022-3, was published by Suhrkamp/Insel in Germany.

Since moving to Canada, I've been working as a still photographer in the movie industry. Following my passion for interacting and creating with animals, I opened Happy Hound Photography, a professional pet photography studio in Vancouver. With playful vibes all around, my images aim to capture the essence of each dog's spirit and character. Our mission is to celebrate the uplifting and healing energy that dogs bring into the world.

This quest and a desire to share our journey sparked the idea for the House of Hounds Store, which opened in February 2025.

At House of Hounds we focus on creating high-quality graphic designs. The look and feel of our products is fueled by a deep connection to dogs of all shapes and forms. Our creations are based on original pet portraits taken by Happy Hound Photography. With designs focused on visual story telling, each piece is made to promote positivity and enthusiasm around canine beauty, loyalty, and joy. Our t-shirts, hoodies, hats and totes encourage an active lifestyle and a more dog-loving, all-inclusive, animal-friendly world - powered by fresh, captivating visuals.

Thank you for journeying with us. We appreciate your sharing the message and spreading the word!

I hope you enjoy the ride and revel in our goods – brought to you with love from our fur family to yours.