Meet Dougal

Who is Dougal?

Dougal is Mat's rescued Old English Sheepdog and teeone's unofficial head of product sniffing.

The real Dougal provides the personality, appearance and inspiration. The online Dougal uses artificial intelligence to help customers understand teeone's products, services and ordering options.

We thought that made more sense than using a completely ordinary chatbot. After all, nobody wants to ask a grey box about embroidery when they could ask a large, shaggy sheepdog instead.

Dougal has spent enough time around teeone to know his T-shirts from his polo shirts, his embroidery from his printing and his hi-vis jackets from his hoodies. His job is to make finding information on our website quicker, friendlier and much less formal.

He will do his best to answer your questions, recommend useful pages and point you towards products that could suit your requirements.

He cannot physically pack your order, operate an embroidery machine or answer the telephone. This is probably for the best.

Dougal's rescue story

Before becoming the face of teeone's AI assistant, Dougal was a dog in need of a home.

Mat rescued Dougal and welcomed him into the family, giving him the security, care and endless supply of attention that every dog deserves. Dougal quickly made himself at home and has been supervising Mat ever since.

As anyone who has lived with an Old English Sheepdog will know, they are difficult to ignore. Dougal's enormous personality, distinctive appearance and habit of being involved in everything made him an obvious choice when teeone needed a character for its AI assistant.

Dougal's online personality is based on the real dog: friendly, inquisitive, occasionally stubborn, easily distracted by food and always keen to investigate something new.

We do not invent details about Dougal's life before he was rescued. What matters is that he was given a second chance and is now a much-loved member of the family.

What is an Old English Sheepdog?

The Old English Sheepdog is a large British herding breed famous for its long, shaggy coat, distinctive walk and friendly personality.

They are sometimes known as Bobtails, a nickname associated with the breed's traditionally short tail. Despite the name, the Old English Sheepdog is not one of the oldest British dog breeds. It developed as a working dog used to help move and manage livestock.

Old English Sheepdogs are commonly known for being:

• Intelligent and quick to learn
• Friendly and sociable
• Loyal to their families
• Playful, even when fully grown
• Large, strong and energetic
• Covered in a remarkable amount of hair
• Surprisingly capable of occupying an entire sofa

Why is Dougal the teeone AI assistant?

teeone is a people-focused business, and we wanted our AI assistant to feel approachable rather than cold or overly technical.

Dougal represents the qualities we want the assistant to have. He is friendly, persistent, curious and always ready to sniff out an answer.

There is another practical reason: Old English Sheepdogs were bred to keep track of things and help move them in the right direction. Dougal now applies those instincts to customers who have become lost somewhere between thousands of products, numerous clothing brands and several different garment decoration methods.

His digital counterpart can access approved information from the teeone website. This allows him to help customers explore products, compare options and understand how personalised clothing is created.

He is still learning, though, and even the cleverest sheepdog occasionally follows the wrong scent.

Who can ask Dougal for help?

Dougal can help individual customers as well as people buying clothing for businesses, tradespeople, schools and colleges, sports teams, clubs and societies, charities, events, staff uniforms, promotional campaigns, clothing brands, merchandise ranges and trade or reseller customers.

You can ask a broad question such as: "What is the best way to customise work polos?"

You can also provide more detail: "I need 25 black polo shirts for a plumbing company. I want our logo on the left chest and names added to each shirt. What should I choose?"

The more useful information you provide, the better chance Dougal has of following the correct scent.

What Dougal cannot do

Dougal specialises in teeone.

He can answer questions using information available from teeone's website and approved teeone knowledge. He is not a general-purpose search engine and does not browse unrelated websites looking for answers.

Dougal cannot reliably help with subjects that have nothing to do with teeone, its products or its services. This includes general news, legal advice, medical advice, veterinary advice, financial advice and questions about why your own dog has just eaten a sock.

He also cannot make binding promises about stock, production, delivery or whether a particular product will be suitable. Those details may need to be confirmed by the teeone team.

Dougal may occasionally misunderstand a question or provide an incorrect answer. Important product, pricing and ordering information should always be confirmed using the relevant teeone page or by contacting the team.

How to get the best answer from Dougal

You will usually get a better answer by including: what the clothing will be used for, the type of garment you need, your approximate quantity, your preferred colour, whether you want printing or embroidery, where the design should appear, your required date, your budget where relevant, and any special requirements.

For example: "We need 50 navy T-shirts for a charity event next month. We want a small logo on the front and a larger design on the back. What printing method should we consider?"

That gives Dougal considerably more to work with than: "Shirts?"

Although he will still try.

What can Dougal help with?

Tell Dougal what the clothing is for, how many people need it and whether you have a preferred style, budget or colour. He can then point you towards relevant products and website sections.

• Finding the right clothing: Explore teeone's extensive range of customisable clothing and accessories — personalised T-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies, jackets, workwear, hi-vis, hats, bags and products from leading garment brands.
• Printing and embroidery: Not sure which customisation method you need? Dougal can explain high-definition embroidery, screen printing, direct-to-garment and direct-to-film printing, appliqué, 3D puff embroidery and more.
• Workwear and uniforms: Personalised clothing for construction and trades, hospitality, retail, offices, warehouses, schools, sports clubs, charities, events and staff uniforms.
• Artwork guidance: File formats, raster versus vector, embroidery digitisation, logo positioning, sizing, colours, fonts and approvals. You do not need to be a graphic designer to order from teeone.
• Prices, quantities and ordering: Product prices, customisation charges, quantity discounts, VAT, sizes, colours, availability and how to place an order. The product page and checkout are always the final source of current pricing.
• Fast and urgent orders: Need something quickly? Dougal can direct you towards fast-dispatch products and explain the turnaround information displayed on the website.
• Trade garment services: Garment printing, embroidery, transfers, patches, finishing and fulfilment for trade customers. For complex requirements, Dougal can point you to the trade team.
• Ethical and sustainable options: Dougal can help locate information about teeone's ethical and sustainable garment options, sourcing policies and relevant product choices.

Frequently asked questions about Dougal

Is Dougal a real dog?

Yes. Dougal is founder Mat's real Old English Sheepdog. The AI assistant on the teeone website is inspired by his appearance and personality.

What breed is Dougal?

Dougal is an Old English Sheepdog, a large British herding breed known for its shaggy coat, intelligence and friendly character.

Was Dougal rescued?

Yes. Dougal was rescued by teeone founder Mat and became a much-loved member of the family.

Why did teeone create an AI dog?

We wanted the teeone AI assistant to feel friendly, memorable and approachable. Dougal was already an important part of the teeone family and had the perfect personality for the role.

Is Dougal really answering my questions?

The online Dougal is an artificial intelligence assistant. His answers are generated using approved information about teeone, its products, services and website. The real Dougal contributes mainly through inspiration, moral support and occasional barking.

What can I ask Dougal?

You can ask Dougal about teeone products, clothing brands, printing, embroidery, artwork, sizing, pricing, ordering, dispatch, delivery, guarantees and other information available through teeone. You can also ask Dougal questions about himself and his role at teeone.

Can Dougal recommend a product?

Dougal can suggest products or categories based on the information you provide. His suggestions are intended to help you explore the website rather than replace professional advice from the teeone team.

Can Dougal tell me which printing method to use?

He can explain the available methods and suggest which options may be worth considering. The final recommendation may depend on your artwork, garment, quantity and required finish.

Can Dougal check live stock and prices?

Dougal can direct you towards relevant product information, but the product page and checkout should be treated as the final source for current stock, pricing and availability.

Can Dougal browse the internet?

No. Dougal is focused on teeone and works from teeone's website and approved information sources. He cannot search the wider internet for unrelated information.

Can Dougal give veterinary advice?

No. Despite being a dog, Dougal is not a vet. Speak to a qualified veterinary professional when you need advice about an animal's health or welfare.

Can I speak to a human instead?

Of course. Dougal can direct you towards teeone's contact options whenever your question needs help from a person.

Does Dougal like Scooby Snacks?

Dougal has never knowingly refused one.