28/06/2026
People often ask us why we opened K9 Retreat, and the answer has always been very simple… Major. ❤️
Major was our ex-police dog, adopted from West Midlands Police when he was 10 years old. We were told he didn't like swimming… but they couldn't have been more wrong! In true spaniel fashion, he loved swimming almost as much as food, and anyone who knew him knows that's saying something. 🐾
Swimming was his happy place. Despite developing various health problems as he got older, he continued to enjoy the water right up until his condition took a turn for the worse. He passed away at the incredible age of 14 and a half,but his love for swimming never faded.
For years, I searched for somewhere just like K9 Retreat – somewhere private, calm, warm and dog-focused. But the places I found were either too far away or weren't heated, meaning they just weren't suitable for him. That's when the dream started.
Sadly, Major never got the chance to see K9 Retreat become a reality, or to take a single swim here himself. That will always be one of my biggest regrets.
Everything we have created is inspired by Major and the joy that swimming brought him. This pool is his legacy, and we feel incredibly lucky that we can now give so many other dogs the happiness, freedom and comfort that the water gave him.
Every wagging tail that runs through our doors, every nervous dog that finds confidence in the pool, and every smile we see reminds us why we started this journey.
This place exists because of one very special dog.
I only wish you had made it long enough to swim here just once, my beautiful boy. Every splash, every happy dog and every memory made here is for you. You left us far too soon, but your legacy lives on in every dog that dives into this pool.
Forever our Major. ❤️🐾🌈