Let’s be honest, when a dog is happy and content, and also worn out, they will sleep for hours, oblivious to anything that is going on around them. Burglars could come in and empty the house around them and they wouldn’t know. However to get your dog into that state means plenty of exercise and long walks, both good for physical and mental stimulation. So what happens when you can’t be there for your dog and give them the time, attention and exercise the need? Well one of two things. Either you put the dog in kennels which is usually distressing for both dog and owner, or you give us a call at Friends for Pets and ask for our help. If it is a question that your days just got much longer for a brief period of time, meaning you have to leave home earlier in the day and arrive back much later, then our dog walking services are ideal for you as we can deal with the day’s domestic necessities (dog wise) allowing you to return to a friendly but tired wagging tail.

Of course if you have to go away for a few days, then again you have some options. We can send one of our dog walkers to your home morning and evening to give your dog a good and tiring walk, or alternatively you could consider boarding your dog with one of our team. Instead of being cooped up in a strange kennel your dog will stay indoors with the company that they deserve and will help them while you are away. We all believe that while we are away all our beloved dogs do is sit and pine, waiting for our return, when the brutal truth is that they will be happy to play with anyone who wants to show them some attention and give them a biscuit! So if you’d like to know more about us, do get in touch – you’ll find we all have one thing in common very quickly, we love dogs!

This is the time of year for Wimbledon and so we thought you would appreciate the video we have included with the post, though of course we are not promoting the bank…… We liked this video as it is clear the dogs, as well as the two tennis stars, are having a great time. However it does raise the serious point of what to do if you are unable to look after your dog for a while. After all while we can cope with staving off boredom by reading a book or watching a film, a dog can’t, instead relying on mental stimulation from a good walk with plenty of nice interesting smells, and a good run around to promote long snoozes with plenty of paw twitching and imaginary rabbit chasing. However if you live alone, there is no guarantee you will always be able to look after your dog. So what is the solution for short-term problems?

Well here at Friends for Pets we have been offering an established dog walking service as a result of a number of varying circumstances, and for varying lengths of time. We understand that unless it is a pre-booked hospital appointment, you can’t plan ahead for being ill, and often you can’t plan for a change in work commitments. As a consequence we often advise our clients get to know us in advance and, more importantly, your dog gets to know us as well. What we have found is a great idea is for potential clients to book a one-off dog walking session and that allows everyone to get introduced and for us to learn all about your dog’s (dogs’) foibles and character. That way if you are unfortunately taken unwell, you know your dog will be in safe hands with someone they know and like. So if that makes sense to you, why not give us a call at Friends for Pets and let’s meet – we might even bring a ball or two with us too….https://www.facebook.com/ASBBank/videos/vb.341865911020/10152479992771021/?type=2&theater

It takes a dog lover to understand why we are prepared to invest so much in our dogs. By that we don’t mean just financially, but emotionally and for their well-being. Because we are given so much unconditional love by our dogs, we want to know that whatever the event, they will be perfectly well looked after and you can avoid any unnecessary stress. Here at Friends for Pets we have compiled a list of the five most common times when our services have been called into action:

• Illness – whether it is planned surgery or you have an accident and break your leg, your dog won’t understand the difference, but if they don’t get their usual daily exercise, then they will likely begin to get distressed at being cooped up all day. As we all know, dogs need both mental and physical stimulation or else they get bored. There is a well-known expression and that is ‘a happy dog is a tired dog’, and that is difficult to argue against. Here at Friends for Pets we are just a phonecall away whether it is an emergency, or you want to plan ahead.
• Work commitments – sometimes work demands you attend a conference or meeting at the other end of the country. It makes no sense to upset the dog by putting them in kennels just for one night when they can relax more in familiar surroundings. Here at friends for pets, we can offer you our dog walking service for an evening walk and a morning walk to take the pressure off you. Of course if you don’t like the thought of your dog being alone at night, we can also offer you our boarding services where your dog would stay in the home of one of our dog walkers, not in a cold strange kennel.
• Family occasions – let’s be honest, not everyone loves a dog and if you have a family celebration to attend, sometimes taking the dog with you isn’t on the cards. Instead of causing disharmony among relatives (it doesn’t usually take much for many of us!), why not arrange for one of our dog walkers to pop round and do the daily duties in your absence? Your dog gets to stay in familiar surroundings and you get to go off safe in the knowledge your dog will be well cared for in your absence.
• We all need a holiday sometimes and often we also want guaranteed sun with that holiday. Well that can only mean going abroad and leaving your ‘best friend’ behind. Some we know will opt for kennels, but many of our clients at Friends for Pets opt for one of two options – wither using our dog walking service twice daily until your return, or our home dog boarding service where your dog will stay with one of our dog walkers in their own home. Either way it is a win-win situation for your dog as they avoid the stress of being cooped up in a kennel surrounded by other strange dogs, while your home still keeps the trusty guard dog in situ if so desired!
• Moving home isn’t just stressful for us humans. No. It is also a stressful time for dogs as they can sense that something is changing, but they don’t know what. Some dogs get so stressed that they actually run away, which is not what you need while you are moving. To avoid this situation arising, you can ask us at Friends for Pets if one of our dog walkers could look after your dog in their home while the move takes place. That way there is an element of consistency for the dog and you don’t have to worry about keeping the front door closed all the time while you are trying to load up the removal van.

  Of course there are other reasons for needing someone to come and carry out dog walking services, so why not give us a call at Friends for Pets and introduce yourself to one of our dog walkers, so that your dog won’t have to meet a complete stranger if you ever find yourself in need of our services.