Happy Pet, Happy Home, NI

08/07/2025

Our last couple of months with our guests, all of them repeat and regular clients (how lucky are we) - some just for a half hour garden visit, some for the odd daycare session, and some for their holidays. Love them all 💙🐾

25/05/2025

What a beautiful week ☀️ we made the most of garden time in before the return to normal Norn Iron weather ☔

We had visits from Cisco the 13 year old cocker spaniel who became a firm fave in our house, she is such a wee dote. Beautiful Hermione had her holidays with us and has also cemented her place in the clan, she is so well-mannered and gentle and an absolute credit to her adoptive mum, after a bad start to life on a puppy farm, this little lady is absolutely thriving.

They went home and we welcomed wee Arnold back for his holidays, absolutely love him. Everywhere I go he follows and watches, my wee shadow. Gorgeous Misty is here for a short stay and Bobby is loving the playtime, they have a lovely play style together that just clicks and it's great to watch, she's also like our wee therapy dog and we are all getting lots of cuddles.

And we had the absolute honour of taking beautiful little Cuisle to her mum and dad's wedding yesterday, she got to see them going into the chapel and joined them for photos after, she was the bestest girl. It's not something we do often but we are happy to do this for dogs that are boarding with us, Cuisle is a little dream guest.

We also had our wee regular Rafa here for daycare, and Ralphy boy back for a sleepover. These fellas just come in, look for Bobby, run about the garden, make themselves at home and we love how comfortable and content they are. Beautiful little Bella joined us for a morning adventure to the waterfall.

Visits to Rocky the handsome mini schnauzer pup, Millie the titchy tiny lab-collie-cocker pup and her big sister Riley the cockapoo, Zia the stunning Vizsla, big gorgeous Murphy the lab-cross who we adore, Charlie the Crosskennan Lane Sanctuary resident, Arthur the warrior cat, and Lola and Ziggy the adorable posing pair who melt our hearts.

It's a nice kind of busy, a great mix of dogs in our world who are brilliant company for each other and for us.

And big congrats to Tilly and Lola who won the giveaway basket full of toys 🎉

17/05/2025

CURRENT CLIENTS: send us your dates for next year!

We've been getting lots of enquiries for next year, happy to say that we are now able to take some bookings for home boarding with us - only for current clients at this time (sorry about this, I get so many new enquiries every day that I have to say no to - we just don't have the capacity for new clients right now. We are so very lucky to have a great group of dogs who come to us regularly and repeatedly, which is the ideal scenario as we can help them out last minute or in emergencies and know that they just slot right into our family life here).

Our availability will remain limited next year, as we're at a stage where we have a good balance and are able to focus on family life and the kids. We're both retired now and having this wee business is really a part-time hobby job, a way for me to have extra company when I am at home most of the time, but it's still a responsibility that we all take very seriously. Looking after someone's dog is a 24/7 job - it's not hard work, it's the best job ever, (especially as the dogs who come to us now are truly part of the family when they are here, so settled and content), it's a lovely way of life, but it is full-on as we never really switch off - making sure that the dogs are safe, secure, happy, fulfilled and comfortable.

So to continue to make sure we have a good balance of days and weeks off, we will have dates blocked out for family time. We aren't intending to have any dogs boarding over school holidays, so that we can make the most of the time off with the kids. However, as you guys know, we do try to be as accommodating as possible for our regulars, so please do send us through any enquiries and we will always do our best 💙🐾

16/05/2025

Update from the last few weeks. We've been quiet and just enjoying the sunshine ☀️

Visitors to us: wee Alfie (11 years old mini Yorkie) for his holiday, Cuisle for some wedding photo practice posing, big Todd for daycare, wee Rafa for daycare, Ralphy the mini schnauzer for his holiday, big Murphy for a mini-break, wee Alfie-bestie-dachshund for a sleepover, miss Marley the beautiful cockapoo for her holiday, and now little Hermione (Westie) and Cisco (13 year old cocker) have arrived for a stay with us.

We had visits to: Rocky, Zia and Abbie, Millie and Riley, and wee Charlie up at Crosskennan Lane. We couldn't get to him this past week with the timings and the heat but we'll see him again next week.

We wouldn't ever want to risk the dog's safety in the heat, so it's been early morning or late evening strolls, which has been lovely as we get the sunsets 😍. We've mostly just been chilling at home and splashing about in the garden, bliss 🫶🏼

12/05/2025

Thank you to whoever nominated us for this again this year, it's lovely to hear the nice comments that people make in the nomination form 🥰

Highlighting the dedication and commitment of those working within the local pet sector.  In 2025 we will honouring local pet businesses in Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Scotland - shining a light on the best in each area.

07/05/2025

HELP WANTED 🙏

This is Charlie 💙🐾

Charlie is currently living up at Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary, a charity we support monthly, who care for so many animals and do so much good in the world.

Charlie's background story is heartbreaking. He is 10 years old, and he was surrendered just before Christmas - his family had apparently decided they didn't want him anymore and took him to be euthanised 😱. Thankfully, a very kind lady stopped this from happening, and Charlie ended up at Crosskennan. An appeal was put out for a long-term foster, the dream being that Charlie can find a home to live out his golden years in peace and comfort.

Crosskennan recently decided that Charlie will stay at the sanctuary, as they simply couldn't find the right home for him. He is an elderly gent, he has been traumatised by being abandoned by his family, his fur had been badly neglected and he needed vet treatment - Crosskennan have provided for all of these needs and think he would benefit from the company of some human friends - experienced and confident dog walkers, who can take him out of the sanctuary for a walk occasionally, for a change of scenery and to help continue with his training.

Charlie walks beautifully. He prances, he sniffs, he is a happy little chap so long as he isn't being unnecessarily fussed over - he reminds me a lot of our Lola! If any of my dog walking friends would be able to volunteer in a similar way, the sanctuary would love to hear from you 🙏

Maybe wee Charlie can still live in hope that a long-term foster will come forward to offer him his forever home. The Sanctuary is a safe place for him where he is clearly adored, but a 10 year old dog who has grown up in a family home would ideally live out his days with a family, and this what the Sanctuary would love to happen for Charlie 🥹

If you'd like to donate items of use to Crosskennan, we will be visiting Charlie a couple of times a week and are happy to act as a drop-off point and deliver the goods. Their list of items to be accepted are:

Animal food - Pedigree Markies, Pedigree Dental Sticks, Dreamies, Royal Canin Pet Food, fresh fruit and veg (apples, carrots, etc)

Hay, shavings

Bedding - Sheets, duvet covers, blankets

Towels

Items for selling, eg unwanted gifts

Your time! Volunteers are welcome and appreciated

Your money! The charity relies on donations from the public, it's not government funded, and as you can imagine, it's not cheap to look after 150 animals per day. You can set up a monthly donation like we do, it's so easy to do, or make a one-off donation.

Email them at [email protected] to offer your help, or go on to the website to set up a donation 💙🐾

Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary

29/04/2025

Feels like Summer ☀️

We had a great Easter break, time away with the kids and dogs, lots of catch ups with family and friends, refreshed and ready to get back to the dogs. And what a lovely bunch of dogs...

New pup Millie has joined the clan for puppy visits 🥹 cannot cope with her cuteness. And her gorgeous big sister Riley is doing so well with her 🫶🏼

Visits to Rocky, Murphy, and Peaches, love them all 💙🩷

And visits from the mini schnauzers - sisters Tilly and Lola, and wee Ralphy popped in to say hi before his upcoming holiday. We also had golden oldie Charlie here for a sleepover, princess Nala joined us on Rosie's Ramble for charity before her sleepover, Rafa our regular daycare dude, and of course Bobby and Lola 💙🩷

Few wee meets and greets and trials going on for future bookings and we're loving life. Sunshine, blue skies and lovely dogs, what could be better 🐾

14/04/2025

Happy Easter Holidays 🐣🐰

We're just rounding off a lovely week, ready for a mini-break away with the kids and our own dogs, and saying a sad farewell to Summer 2025. Those few days of sunshine were wonderful ☀️

Wee Alfie is going home today, I am going to miss this wee man sooooo much, we all will. Thankfully we will see him again soon 🥰. We got the chance to head to a couple of hotels last week for overnights, celebrating a few different things including Happy Pet, Happy Home being 2 years old 🎉 so on Alfie's last week with us he got to live it up in The Rabbit and also he came up the north coast with John, me and Bobby to stay at The Bushmills Inn. We got some beach visits, pub visits, lovely coastal walks and some sightseeing done.

Visits this week from: Rafa for daycare 💙 Tilly and Lola for a sleepover 🩷

Visits to: Abbie, Zia, Rocky (who got to meet his fellow mini schnauzers Tilly & Lola), Murphy and wee Thor 💙

It was our last walk with Thor last week, we have had so many lovely walks with the big man, we will miss him and we hope to bump into him sometime in the future, he is such a lovely dog 🥰

Signing off for a couple of weeks now to enjoy Easter break with the kids, Bobby and Lola. Have a great break everyone 🥂

05/04/2025

Happy Season is here ☀️💙
I do love the blue skies, warmer weather, dry days... Such a mood lifter, especially when in the company of such lovely dogs.

Our Lola loves the sun, whether lying out in the back garden for a snooze, or finding the patch on the carpet where the sun shines through the window. Bobby also loves being outside on a dry day, so we've the back doors open constantly, fresh air coming in, dogs pottering around, bliss....

Visits over the past couple of weeks from:
Big Todd, lover boy, the big black lab who thinks he is a lap dog 💙 Rafa (cavachon) on his daycare session each week, makes himself at home and so full of play and confidence 💙 Arnold the pug who we all want to kidnap and keep, he has the most adorable wee character quirks and we just love him 💙 Alfie the dachshund is still here and has settled the best, his mummy would be so proud, he's got a couple of fun adventures coming up next week to round off his stay 💙 Mac Attack, the French Bulldog, we've known him since a pup, hard to believe we first met him 7/8 years ago, those ears 😍

Visits to:
Zia the Vizsla pup, all healed and happy after her spay and raring to go 💙 Rocky the miniature schnauzer pup, freshly groomed and looking grown up, handsome wee dude 💙 Murphy the handsome lab cross and Ollie the chocolate lab, neighbours and besties, loving life 💙 beautiful Peaches, the golden retriever, love to see this girl and walking with her feels like therapy for the soul 💙 Thor our wee Frenchie mate, knows the road he wants to take and has a wee bum wiggle along the way 🫶🏼

We've quite a quiet month ahead, with the kids being off for Easter, we are looking forward to a bit of family time. Plan to visit some dog-friendly places over the next wee while so will post some reviews and recommendations if we find anywhere worth a visit. Enjoy the blue skies and the start of the good weather ☀️