Dakota

25/05/2026

It makes a lovely change to care for chickens and Hugo the very handsome cat today. I received lots of cuddles! 🐔🐈

25/05/2026

25/05/2026

Hot Weather Policy 🌞
With your dog’s best interests at heart, their safety, health, and wellbeing will always come first!
As the warmer weather arrives, walks may need to be adapted or cancelled depending on the temperature. Every adjustment will be tailored to your specific dog's age, breed, and health.

How we stay cool:
Early bird strolls: Moving walks to the cooler early morning hours.
Short & sweet: Reducing walk times to prevent over-exhaustion.
Slow pacing: Keeping things relaxed with plenty of sniffing and rest.
Shade hunting: Heading straight for woodland areas and canopy cover.

🚨 On extreme heat days:
When the risk of heatstroke is too high, standard walks will be cancelled. I will prioritise dogs who are home alone by offering:

Quick toilet breaks: Short relief stops on grass and shaded areas.
Indoor enrichment: Brain games and mental stimulation to burn energy safely.
Water play: Splash fun in the shade for those who love it! 💦
Please note: I understand this may cause some inconvenience, but your dog's welfare is my absolute priority. Thank you all so much for your understanding and support! ❤️

22/05/2026

Recognising signs of heat stress 🥵☀️🐶

A dog starting to overheat (heat stress) will show early warning signs. Keep a close eye out for:

🟡 Heavy Panting 👅
🟡 Seeking Shade ⛱️
🟡 Excessive Drooling 🤤
🟡 Drinking Fresh Water Constantly 💦
🟡 Damp Paw Prints (sweating from the paws)
🐾

If you notice these early signs, act quickly to help them regulate their temperature:

Move indoors or into a cool, air-conditioned room.
Offer fresh water (but don't force them to drink).
Keep them calm and still to avoid generating more body heat.
Use cooling tools like electric fans, cooling mats, or a damp towel for them to lay on.

To Prevent overheating entirely we can swap midday walk for early morning or late evening walks when the pavement and air are much cooler!

‼️ Signs of Heatstroke (Emergency Veterinary Attention Needed!)
Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency. If you see any of these severe symptoms, contact a vet immediately:

🔴 Dark Red Gums & Tongue *
🔴 Confusion, Disorientation, or Stumbling
🔴 Vomiting or Diarrhea *
🔴 Weakness, Extreme Lethargy, or Collapse
🔴 Severe Dehydration

⚠️ Which Dogs Are Most At Risk?
While all dogs can overheat, some are much more susceptible due to:

Flat-Faced Breeds struggle to cool themselves efficiently through panting.

Thick or Double Coats: Breeds with heavy coats trap heat easily.

Age: Puppies and elderly dogs can’t regulate their body temperature as effectively.

Underlying Health Conditions: Dogs with heart or respiratory issues are at a much higher risk.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/health/heatstroke

21/05/2026

Wow, it has been so warm today—all the tongues were out! 👅☀️ I made sure we stayed in the woods for the majority of the day to keep everyone nice and cool in the shade.
We had so much fun today:
Gus made a new friend who was just as keen to play as he was! 🐾
Hunter, Max, Charlie, Cookie, and Ozzy enjoyed a wonderful "sniffari" walk exploring the deeper woods. 👃🍂
Branch had a blast playing "hunt the ball"—those who play together stay together, and he definitely has those instincts. 🥎

20/05/2026

Wonderful Wednesday with Cooper, Milo and Frankie🐾🐶

19/05/2026

Another fantastic day out with Gus, Charlie, Max, Cooper, and Branch all did incredibly well and were a complete pleasure to walk. It’s always a joy spending time with these wonderful pups! 🍃🪾🐶🐾

18/05/2026

Great morning with Cooper, Branch, and Frankie!
Cooper wasn’t ready to go home at all today—he wanted to stay out and play! 🤪
Branch absolutely loved having some free time exploring the woods 🌳🌳🌳 and little Frankie actually disturbed a fox! Luckily, Frankie was completely unaware of his new wild friend. 😂

We also bumped into Big Cooper, which was a lovely surprise! ❤️

15/05/2026

🐾 Welcome to the pack, Spud! 🐾

The handsome Spud joined us this Friday for an ad hoc walk (and I absolutely love his name!). I only met him on Wednesday for his meet and greet, so he did absolutely fantastic for his first time out. He hopped right into the van with a little help and was such a lovely boy the whole way. He thoroughly enjoyed getting some attention and meeting the other dogs at the woods! 🌳

Meanwhile, Monty, Jetta, and Frankie were good as gold, and Gus had a blast playing with my little tribe (apart from Twig, of course!). 🐶✨

14/05/2026

From sunshine to sudden downpours, we saw it all today. Poor Cookie and Ozzy definitely got the worst of the rain, but they didn’t seem to mind—especially since they got a cozy towel rub-down as soon as we got back!

Joey had a bit of a fashion crisis; we started with the coat, but he decided 'all-natural' was the way to go halfway through. It was also so lovely to watch Joey and Gus playing together—watching their friendship grow is the best part of the job.

And of course, Max, Charlie, and Hunter were gold stars as always! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

13/05/2026

These two have such a great rhythm together—lots of wrestling, racing, and wagging tails.
They played incredibly well together, keeping the energy high and the vibes positive.
They got a little adventurous and wandered a bit further ahead than I usually like. But the moment I called, Joey turned on a dime and came right back and Gus followed. 💙