Beast of Bodmin Moor Slimmed Down To Be Free

Border cross Lakeland terrier Bilbo managed to get himself free by slimming down after three weeks stuck down a rabbit hole at Bodmin Moor.


Bilbo vanished during a walk on Bodmin Moor near his home in Dobwalls, South East Cornwall, on November 7. The family were convinced he was stuck down the hole but plastered the village with "lost" posters just in case he had escaped and was on the loose.


Mrs Harwood added: "He looked so skinny and sorry for himself when I first saw him. He was caked in bog mud and had trouble breathing. Luckily he is gaining weight and is nearly back to his full health now. We are just so grateful to have him home. It really is a miracle he survived."




For full story here.

Surf is up for Cornish Dog

Fancy trying a new sport with your dog?  How about surfing in the Cornish Waves?

Mango a two year old Labrador from Newquay in Cornwall has taken up surfing with her owner.

This video shows the duo in action at Crantock Beach, Newquay.

Not sure this sport with your dogs is for the faint hearted, but great to give you and your dog some exercise out in the beautiful Cornish coast.

I don't think I will be trying this soon as the water is very cold at the moment, though my partner is keen to get Jem on his Kayack... watch this space for footage when it happens!

This time of year... means Garden Centre visits!

There is nothing I like better at this time of year (the run up to Christmas) is to visit garden centres to 'perv' over the Christmas Decorations and Gifts.  

I found visiting garden centres with Jem has really helped her as a puppy to condition her to people, different smells, noises and most of all Christmas Decs!


Below are some Garden Centres that we have checked out that allow dogs to shop with us... 


Carnon Downs Garden Centre, near Truro are very dog friendly! They even allow dogs in their cafe so you can enjoy a sneaky mince pie & coffee while you browse!  I do remember visiting there last summer, when there was a dog shut in hot car in the car park - which I was concerned about.  I reported it to the centre and they could not do enough to find the owner and get the dog released.  Lucky the dog was ok!


Wyevale Lelant Garden Centre, near Hayle allow dogs to walk around their garden centre.  Dogs are only allowed in the outside part of the cafe so not any good in the cold or wet weather. A small pet shop area is in the garden centre which sells food, toys, beds etc. 


Chacewater Garden Centre, near Truro allows dogs to walk around the garden centre and has limited areas in the cafe which allows your best friend. The centre includes a Pet Shop with food, toys, beds etc.


Penventon Nursery, Lanner allow dogs in both their garden centre & cafe.


All of these have a lovely Christmas and gift offerings.... gives you a real sense of Christmas which is just around the corner!!!


If you have been to a garden centre in Cornwall that allow dogs - let us know and we can add them to our list.


Happy Christmas Garden Shopping with your dogs!

Lazy afternoon at Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth

Gyllyngvase Beach is the largest beach in Falmouth, it is simply beautiful.  Being  a sandy, crescent-shaped beach with shallow rock pools at low tide it creates a lovely place for dogs to enjoy the seaside.

I don't think there is a anything better about going for a lovely windy walk along the beach and then to find somewhere to have a lovely hot drink.

Next to the beach, well nearly on it is the Gylly Beach Cafe.  Dogs are allowed in the outside area where there are tables, chairs and a small covered area. Offering a bowl of fresh bowl of water much needed for the tired dog after running around the beach.  

The hot chocolate I had there was lovely but I have to say it was quite chilly sitting outside, so a lovely place on a warmer day.

Winter beach walking with our best friends just blows away all those cobwebs!

Note, that the beach is closed to dogs during the peak season from spring to autumn.
The beach has toilet facilities, car park and disabled access.

No to Pet Dogs at the Eden Project

Having been at the Eden Project this week for meetings I thought it would be helpful to report on how dog friendly it is as its one of the top tourist spots for Cornwall.  It is a lovely place to visit, and boasts spectacular views.

Eden has a no dog policy other than guide dogs (with a badge, and ideally a harness and jacket). It encourages visitors to put their dogs in local kennels for day care (they will provide you with a list if you contact them direct).

Being Eden they do try to help and have come up with a Dog Shade Parking area which is a great idea, giving a small amount of cars some shade for their dogs.  There is also water available. However you are still encouraged to check on your dog regularly and to leave your windows open.  


I personally think its a great idea and feel touched that Eden has been that considerate to dog owners, however I would not feel comfortable to leave my dog for any length of time.  There is so much to see at Eden I would recommend to leave your best friend either at home or in a day care kennels if you are on holiday.


Thanks Eden for being considerate to us dog owners, but for me I would not recommend taking pet dogs to Eden.

North Devon Dog Friendly Holiday

Had a lovely few days away in Devon, Jem came with us for her birthday treat so we was desperate to find some dog friendly places to go.

Dog Friendly Accommodation
We stayed at the Woolacombe Holiday Park, Twitchen House, North Devon in the Caravan Holiday Homes.  The park was very dog friendly, dogs were allowed everywhere on the lead.  The caravan was clean, comfortable and even came with dog beds (small & large).  There was public footpaths really close so ideal for a lovely morning/evening walk right through to Woolacombe. To walk all the way it is quite a hill/cliff to walk down/up but plenty of room on the path to have your dog on the lead with you (there are livestock roaming).  Very beautiful walk but not for the unfit.


All the staff were very friendly and informative.  I would highly recommend this holiday park from the experience we had.




Great Devon Dog Walks
Saunton Sands, is a really nice beach of 3miles of sand.  The beach is dog zoned so you can always enjoy a walk with your best friend. There is a parking charge of £3, no matter how long you go for - so make sure you make the most of it!  There are cafes, surf shops there but we didn't go in to them.   


Woolacombe Bay is again a great beach for walking the dogs there is so much space for them to run free, again it is dog zoned so make sure you are in the correct area.  Parking is much better than at Saunton Sands you can decide how long you want to be there and either pay in the car park or there are spaces available.


We had a drink at the Boardwalk Restaurant who allow dogs in their bar and outside.  However the bar area is very small, it would of been better if the weather was nicer and we could of sat outside so we didn't feel so squashed in.  

Tarr Steps, Dulverton, Exmoor is a beautiful place for a dog walk.  The river was a lovely refreshing place for Jem to cool down and the Tarr Steps were beautiful to look at.  There is a pub there but we didn't go in but it did look very nice.  Some of the walk did involve walking with livestock in the same fields.  The picture is of Jem sat on the Tarr Steps.




Atlantic Village 
On the way back we decided to stop off at Atlantic Village, Bideford, Devon for some bargain shopping..  I would recommend never taking a dog there, they are not dog friendly.  They will not even allow you to sit outside with your dog while having a drink at a cafe.  Most of the shops are undercover and do not allow dogs near them, the security staff were patrolling regularly moving anyone with a dog on.  This was not a nice experience so we quickly left as did most of the people on holiday with their dogs.  
They do allow guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs on site.


Clovelly
We went to Clovelly for the day, dogs are allowed in on a lead.  Its such a beautiful place and you feel very welcome with your dogs.  Its a steep walk down on cobbled streets but the views are really worth it.  I would really recommend this for a doggie day out in Devon.  Its a great place to socialise your dog with Donkeys, Jem had never seen one before - it took a little while to get used to them but by the end of the trip she was fine!
We had lunch at the New Inn which welcomed dogs in their bar and also had a beer garden with water available for the dogs, we had a very nice food too.


We had a lovely time away with Jem, holidays are great fun for dogs as well as us.

Dog Dies From Falling over Cornish Cliff

After just coming home from a dog holiday (full blog will be updated soon) my heart can only go out to the news I came back to that a dog had died from falling from a cliff in Cornwall. Full story here.


I know accidents happen but please when visiting the seaside with your dog make sure you take extra care around the cliffs.


Jem really surprised me a few weeks ago, being an well trained dog I thought I could trust her but she saw a cat across the road and ran right across the road with me shouting at her to come back.  I was very lucky that there was not any traffic around but it really taught me a lesson that nature takes over sometimes and we can't always be in control.


Enjoy your time with your dog but always be careful.

Cornwall's Top Dog 2011 Competition

Just came across this Cornish dog competition, thought it might be of interest.

Atlantic FM have teamed up with Cornwall Farmers, and Purina Beta Dog Food to give a chance to prove  that your canine companion is the best in Cornwall - and bag some great prizes too.

You can enter your dog online here. All you need is their name, cute photo, and a few details telling them why you believe he or she should be the Top Dog 2011.

The panel of judges will whittle the nominations down to 10, and these will be put to the public vote - whichever gets the most, win's the prestigious title of being Cornwall's Top Dog 2011.

The closing date is midday on the 18th May 2011.

If you decide to enter... good luck!

Blue sea in the Cornish dog friendly woods

We enjoyed a trip to Tehidy Country Park today.  The park is in West Cornwall, with 250 acres of woodlands ready to be explored by both two and four legs.  It is free to park and to explore the Country Park.

Jem simply loves the dog friendly woods and was going crazy as she scented a squirrel running up a tree.  The views were beautiful today, the bluebells are so vibrant they look like a blue sea with trees floating in them.

Some of the walks in the woods take you close to Tehidy Park Golf Course where you can watch people playing parts of their round of golf.  There are also seats and some picnic areas along some of the walks.

There are a few entrances to the woods each of them have good parking, however it can get busy at weekends especially in good weather.

Dogs are not now allowed in the wildlife areas around the lakes, but apart from that you are free to explore.  There are some circular walks which are explained on the car park maps which range from 1km for easy walks.

There is a cafe and toilets close to the wildlife areas close to the lakes for refreshments.  I have not been to the cafe yet so cannot comment on how 'dog' friendly they are.

Jem always comes back from the walk in these woods foaming from the mouth from all of those yummy smells and ready for a good sleep after all that running around.

I would really recommend a visit to these Cornish woods, they are dog friendly (apart from the Lakes) and the views are stunning, especially the bluebells (get there soon to see them at their best as the ferns are starting to grow over them).

Gwinear Companion Dog Show

Yesterday Jem and I went along to Gwinear Agricultural Show at Connor Downs, Cornwall.

The show was full of dogs & horses, (my loves in life) along with domestic and craft tents and food including a hog roast (food is also another love in my life!).

Its a great place to bring your dog for socialising, there is so much to see...bouncy castles, horses, carriages, lots of people & other dogs etc.

Though the dog show started on time it took so long to get through the pedigree classes.  Claire Bulter the judge seemed very nice, I heard alot of comments from mum's with children entering the show that she was very supportive and helpful to their children, giving them great confidence in handling their four legged friends.

Funniest part of the show was in the child handler class where dogs really misbehaved, a couple wriggled out of their collars leaving the poor kids holding an empty lead in the middle of the ring.  Dogs are the best!

I was really pleased that Jem clinched 4th in Best Condition Bitch, out of a very strong field.  She also won two 1st one in Fastest Bonio Eater (no surprise for a hungry Labrador!) & the other in Best Trick.  Happy Days!

The show in all was very dog friendly, it was mostly a family atmosphere with dogs being the centre of attention!  The crowd was very supportive to all in the show.  Most of all the dogs looked in great condition and like they really enjoyed themselves.