Walking The Dog
Walking The Dog is a Belgian animation studio founded in 1999 that finances, co-produces, and executes 2D/3D animated feature films, series, and shorts. It serves as the Belgian co-production partner for international animation projects, working with distributors, broadcasters, and co-producers across Europe and North America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersGenk, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Walking The Dog does
Walking The Dog is a privately held Belgian animation studio and production company founded in 1999 by Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben, headquartered in Brussels with an additional studio in Genk. The company operates three integrated activities: (1) financing and co-financing national and international animated features; (2) producing and co-producing animated projects, typically serving as the Belgian co-producer in multi-party international consortia; and (3) production design, pipelining, and execution of 2D and/or 3D animation within its own fully equipped in-house studios. Its portfolio spans animated feature films (The Triplets of Belleville 2003, The Secret of Kells 2009, Richard the Stork 2017, Where is Anne Frank 2021, Fox and Hare Save the Forest 2024, A Magnificent Life 2025), television series (Fox & Hare, Mironins, Kika & Bob, Royals Next Door), and short films. Notable proprietary techniques include a hybrid 2D animation method combining static backgrounds with animated figures, and a custom miniature model (Hinterhaus) used to create camera-recorded scenery with overlaid drawn animation.
The business model is B2B and project-based. Revenue derives primarily from one-time licensing arrangements on individual productions (co-production shares, broadcaster pre-sales, sales-agent distribution deals) supplemented by financing and co-financing income. Customers are international film distributors and sales agents (Sony Pictures Classics, UDI, MK2, Indie Sales), European broadcasters, and a recurring network of co-production partners across Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Canada, and other European jurisdictions. The company's go-to-market is sales-led, anchored by participation in major animation festivals (Annecy, Berlinale, Cannes, Cartoon Movie) and industry press coverage. Pricing for individual projects is bespoke and not publicly disclosed. The studio is differentiated by two Academy Award nominations (Triplets of Belleville, Secret of Kells), a Cannes 2021 official selection (Where is Anne Frank), and recurring access to top-tier European auteur directors including Sylvain Chomet and Ari Folman. Operating headcount is in the 1-10 range, and the firm has no disclosed institutional investors, subsidiaries, or M&A activity.
Walking The Dog firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Walking The Dog
- Legal name
- Walking The Dog
- Website
- https://walkingthedog.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Walking The Dog is a Belgian animation studio founded in 1999 that finances, co-produces, and executes 2D/3D animated feature films, series, and shorts. It serves as the Belgian co-production partner for international animation projects, working with distributors, broadcasters, and co-producers across Europe and North America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Walking The Dog is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Genk
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Walking The Dog business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Animated Feature Film Production: Production and co-production of national and international animated feature films, working with international co-producers, distributors, and sales agents to bring projects to theatrical and festival release.
- Animated Series Production: Production of animated television series for broadcasters, including international co-productions with European broadcasters.
- Short Film Production: Production of animated short films, many of which receive festival recognition and awards.
- Financing and Co-financing: Financing and co-financing national and international animated features as part of multi-party production arrangements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
Walking The Dog product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Walking The Dog is an independent animation production company that finances, co-finances, and produces national and international animated feature films, television series, and short films. The company operates fully equipped in-house animation studios in Brussels and Genk for 2D and 3D animation production design, pipelining, and execution. It serves as a Belgian co-production partner for international animated projects distributed by major sales agents and distributors.
Product overview
Walking The Dog is an independent animation production company and studio based in Brussels and Genk, Belgium. The company operates three core activities: (1) financing and co-financing national and international animated features, (2) producing or co-producing animated projects, and (3) providing production design, pipelining and execution of 2D and/or 3D animation through their own fully equipped CGI studios. Their product portfolio encompasses animated feature films (such as A Magnificent Life, Fox and Hare Save the Forest, The Triplettes of Belleville, The Secret of Kells, Richard the Stork, Charlotte, Where is Anne Frank), animated television series (Fox & Hare, Mironins, Huggleboo, Doopie, Kika&Bob, Picknick with Cake, Royals Next Door), and animated short films (Le Crepuscule, Voltaire, Nuru, Djiveuvolti, I Love Hooligans). The company was founded in 1999 by producers Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben (Toon) and serves as Belgian co-production partner for international animated projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Animated Feature Film Production Financing and co-financing national and international animated feature films, including producing or co-producing projects from development through delivery for theatrical and festival release.
- Animation Studio Services Production design, pipelining, and execution of 2D and/or 3D animation projects within Walking The Dog's own fully equipped animation studios in Brussels and Genk.
- Co-Production Services Producing or co-producing national and international animated projects, typically serving as Belgian co-production partner for European and international feature films.
- Animated Television Series Production Production of animated series for broadcasters, including Fox & Hare (ages 0-6), Mironins, Huggleboo, Doopie, Kika & Bob I & II, Picknick with Cake, and Royals Next Door, including international co-productions with European broadcasters.
- Animated Short Film Production Production of animated short films including Richard the Stork, Le Crepuscule (3D animated loop), Voltaire, Nuru, Djiveuvolti, I Love Hooligans, and The Lion and the Ape, many of which receive festival recognition and awards.
Companies that use Walking The Dog
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Walking The Dog technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Walking The Dog partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
32 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Off WorldminorRelated company founded by Eric Goossens in 1995, specializing in high-end commercials for international market and documentary production since 2003
- anim.beminorAssociation of Belgian animation producers; Eric Goossens is founding member and vice chairman
- Doghouse Films (Luxembourg)coreCo-producer on Fox and Hare Save the Forest and other projects
- Submarine (Netherlands)coreDutch animation studio co-producer on multiple projects including Fox and Hare series
- What The Prod (France)coreLead producer for A Magnificent Life (Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol)
- Picture Box / Mediawan (France)coreCo-producer for A Magnificent Life
- Bidibul Productions (Luxembourg)coreCo-producer for A Magnificent Life
- Hutong Productions (France)coreCo-producer for Smeccheria or The Confidences of a Cheat
- Aparté Film (Romania)coreCo-producer for Smeccheria or The Confidences of a Cheat
- Need Productions (Belgium)coreDirector/producer for Melvile
- Special Touch Studios (France)coreCo-producer for Melvile
- Unité Centrale (Canada)coreCo-producer for Melvile
- La Fabrique d'Images (Luxembourg)coreCo-producer for Melvile
- Monster Entertainment (Ireland)coreProducer for OUTFOXED!
- KHLim (Katholische Hogeschool Limburg)minorEric Goossens is lecturer at Media Arts Design Faculty of KHLim
- Les Armateurs (France)coreKey co-producer on multiple films including The Triplets of Belleville, The Secret of Kells
- Vivi Film (Belgium)coreFrequent co-producer on animated features
- Cartoon Saloon (Ireland)coreCo-producer on The Secret of Kells
- Eurocopa (France)coreCo-producer on A Monster in Paris, Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart
- France 3 Cinéma (France)coreCo-producer on multiple feature films
- Knudsen&Streuber Medienmanufaktur (Germany)coreCo-producer on Richard the Stork and Richard the Stork 2
- Ulysses Filmproduktion (Germany)coreCo-producer on Richard the Stork
- Melusine Production (Luxembourg)coreFrequent co-producer on multiple projects
- Den Siste Skilling (Norway)coreCo-producer on Richard the Stork and Richard the Stork 2
- Purple Whale Films (Belgium)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- Samsa Film (Luxembourg)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- Submarine Amsterdam (Netherlands)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- Bridgit Folman Film Gang (Israel)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- Le Pacte (France)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- Magellan Films (Belgium)coreCo-producer on Where is Anne Frank
- SeriousFilm (Netherlands)coreCo-producer on Le Crepuscule and other projects
- Purple Whale Films, Samsa Film, Submarine, Bridgit Folman Film Gang, Le Pacte, Doghouse Films, Magellan FilmscoreFull co-production consortium for Where is Anne Frank
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Walking The Dog competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cartoon Saloon: Irish independent animation studio comparable to Walking The Dog in scale, business model (B2B co-producer of auteur-driven 2D animated features), and prestige positioning; Cartoon Saloon was Walking The Dog's co-producer on The Secret of Kells.
- What The Prod: French animation production house and lead producer of Walking The Dog's A Magnificent Life (2025); comparable boutique independent feature animation producer with auteur director relationships.
- Melusine Productions: Luxembourg-based animation production company and recurring Walking The Dog co-producer (Richard the Stork series, Where is Anne Frank); comparable European co-production studio operating in family animation.
- Doghouse Films: Luxembourg-based animation producer and recurring Walking The Dog co-producer (Fox and Hare Save the Forest, Where is Anne Frank); similar small-scale European animation production model.
- Submarine: Dutch independent animation studio that co-produced Fox and Hare Save the Forest and Where is Anne Frank with Walking The Dog; similar boutique-scale European 2D/3D animation production model.
- Bidibul Productions: Luxembourg independent animation producer and co-producer of A Magnificent Life; comparable European co-production studio with similar B2B project-financing model.
- Vivi Film: Belgian independent animation production company and frequent Walking The Dog co-producer; directly comparable national boutique studio serving the same Belgian/European co-production ecosystem.
- Les Armateurs: French independent animation production house and frequent Walking The Dog co-producer on The Triplets of Belleville and The Secret of Kells; comparable European boutique model focused on 2D auteur features.
Broad incumbents
- Aardman Animations: UK-based, much larger stop-motion and CG animation studio famous for auteur-driven features (Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run); comparable on prestige auteur-animation positioning but operates at substantially greater scale and with deeper owned-IP franchises.
- Xilam Animation: Larger French independent animation studio producing both 2D and 3D animated series and features for global broadcasters; operates in the same European animation market as Walking The Dog but at significantly greater scale and with owned-IP franchises.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Walking The Dog social profiles
Digital presenceWalking The Dog financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Walking The Dog leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Walking The Dog funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Walking The Dog M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Walking The Dog
What does Walking The Dog do?
Walking The Dog is an independent animation production company that finances, co-finances, and produces national and international animated feature films, television series, and short films. The company operates fully equipped in-house animation studios in Brussels and Genk for 2D and 3D animation production design, pipelining, and execution. It serves as a Belgian co-production partner for international animated projects distributed by major sales agents and distributors.
Is Walking The Dog a public or private company?
Walking The Dog is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Walking The Dog founded?
Walking The Dog was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Walking The Dog based?
Walking The Dog is headquartered in Genk, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Walking The Dog make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Animated Feature Film Production is the primary driver. The others are animated Series Production, short Film Production and financing and Co-financing.
Who are Walking The Dog's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cartoon Saloon, What The Prod, Melusine Productions, Doghouse Films, Submarine, Bidibul Productions, Vivi Film and Les Armateurs. Broad incumbents are Aardman Animations and Xilam Animation.
Does Walking The Dog have an API?
No public API is recorded for Walking The Dog.