Pet Patrol 365

29/10/2025

After a morning of dog walking in what felt like a monsoon 🌧️🐕, I was soaked through and seriously questioning my life choices…

Then came the sweetest surprise - quite literally! When I dropped one of my pups home, I was greeted with a freshly baked cupcake 🧁 courtesy of Clara, Oliver and their lovely Nanny, Leah. The twins had been busy baking in the kitchen after the park plans became a total washout!

It was the perfect sugar boost to keep me going for the rest of the day - thank you, little chefs! 💛 Sometimes kindness (and cake) really do make everything better.

26/10/2025

The dormice have been found in Eastern Road nature reserve by volunteers who tracked pawprints.

23/10/2025

I couldn’t make it to the signing of ‘Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear’ by Gyles Brandreth at Pooh Corner Hartfield, yesterday.

Thanks to the thoughtfulness of Carole Webster, though, I didn’t miss out — she kindly picked up a copy for me, complete with a personal inscription and a photo!

It’s small acts of kindness like this that quietly remind me what community is all about.

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” — Winnie-the-Pooh

15/10/2025

07/10/2025

03/10/2025

Hi guys. Can you please help with missing cattle.

Here is a post from Ashdown Forest and my replies. Thank you.

I saw this calf on its own on Wednesday in the Millbrook area, by the stream. If you pass the windmill on your left and continue straight ahead (don’t take the left turn toward the first bridge), there’s a middle bridge by the stream to the East, that’s where I saw it. I’ve marked the location on the route I walked that day. I mentioned it to Horizon in the Bushy Willows car park, and wasn’t successful in finding Mr Osbourne. Fingers crossed you find it. 🤞

01/10/2025

Celebrating the life and love of our sweet angel Petra 🌈💔🐾

This is one of the hardest posts to write. Yesterday, we said goodbye to a truly beautiful soul — our sweet Petra. My heart goes out to her family, who are dear friends.

Here is a photo of me with Purdy and Petra back in 2019, along with some pictures of Petra in the woods. She will always hold a special place in our hearts.

As dog walkers, we don’t just look after pets — we love them, cherish them, and protect them as if they were our own. That makes losses like this deeply painful, time and time again. 🥲

Petra will never be forgotten. Ever. I like to imagine her now reunited with her sister Purdy, with my Bramble, and with all the other much-loved dogs who have gone before her — together again, tails wagging and banners flying.

Run free, baby girl. Forever loved. 💜🐾

30/09/2025

What a treat today – spotted an adder enjoying the sunshine at Blackhill around 1pm! 🐍☀️

(And yes – I zoomed in for the photo, I didn’t get too close. Respecting their space is important for them and for us!)

23/09/2025

So basically, all those deep chats I have with the dogs make me a certified emotional genius… move over Einstein, I’ve got paw-sitive intelligence! 🐾🧠 🤣👌

A new study has found that people who talk to their dogs as if they were human companions tend to score higher on measures of emotional intelligence. The research suggests that the ability to assign emotional depth and personality to animals is linked to increased empathy and social awareness in human interactions.

This behavior, often seen as playful or eccentric, may actually reflect an individual’s advanced capacity for emotional connection. Researchers found that participants who frequently conversed with pets were more attuned to subtle social cues and demonstrated greater compassion in relationships.

Experts say that anthropomorphizing pets can serve as emotional training, especially for children and the elderly. It helps create a safe space for emotional expression and bonding. In short, if you talk to your dog like it’s a roommate, science says you might be more emotionally intelligent than the average person.

Source: Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science

22/09/2025

This is Forrest.

Forrest could follow any adventure she wanted. But instead, she chooses walks, happiness and friends with the Active Hound Club.

Be smart.
Be like Forrest. 🐶💛

Zoom into fun — join Forrest and the Active Hound Club today! 🐾✨

👉 Link in comments 👇

19/09/2025

🐾 A heads up if your dog walking on Ashdown Forest this Sunday 21st September, 2025. 🐾

On the Forest this weekend...! 🐎

A fun ride organised by Ashdown Forest Riding Association will take place all day on Sunday 21st September, with two circular routes available to riders. Both routes (6 miles and 10 miles) are shown on the map here.

Participants will be parking horseboxes and trailers in Box car park (off Crowborough Road) from where both routes begin, so we advise other Forest visitors to use other car parks in the area (such as Ellisons Pond, Hollies, Friends and Stonehill) to avoid congestion.

Other riders with Forest permits not participating in the fun ride are advised to park in other designated car parks for horseboxes and trailers. That's Long and Blackhill car parks, as well as Twyford and Broadstone for AFRA members only.

A big thank you to AFRA who are donating funds raised from the ride to support Ashdown Forest!