Revealing Rivendell

As we enter the Spring, I get a little excited. I can't help but think of the long Summer evenings ideal for long strolls followed by a refreshing drink at the local. Granted, I may be a little premature in allowing my thought pattern to think that far ahead, but once January has passed that is all I can seem to think about and I know my pooch is thinking the same. We no longer have to run around the block to be in by 16.00 as it turns pitch black or wait until gone 08.00 in the morning to head for a spin down to the beach.

On holiday in Pembrokeshire sounds great without thinking about it too much, but when you are able to bring your best friend on holiday and stay with your friends too, doesn't it make it sound perfect?

All our Woof Guide and Coastal Cottages team live, work and breathe in Pembrokeshire and can advise you on anything that will make your stay more relaxing and your dog's stay as exciting and as adventurous as it possibly can be.


Introduce Rivendell. Located in an idyllic setting in the rural village of St Florence, South Pembrokeshire. A perfect spot for gentle strolls and playing ball in the garden and just when you thought you may not be able to squeeze in a pint or two, cue The Sun Inn. Kick back, relax and enjoy our fresh Pembrokeshire air.

Something a little further afield for a mid morning treat and only a 10 minute drive from St Florence, Carew shall appear. Carew Castle is one of Pembrokeshire's most popular landmarks and is most certainly worth a visit, (with your dog of course)! Whilst you are there take the time to stroll around the mile long walk alongside the Pond making the most of the fantastic photo opportunities and appreciating the outstanding beauty.

For more details on this walk paw here please.

After your walk around Carew Castle head for the Carew Inn across the road for a light lunch and refreshing beverage. Your pooch of course shall be looked after with a bowl or two of cool water as he rests in the beer garden on a sunny day or by the fire in the bar on a not so good day!

Rivendell is an ideal location for your stay with us in Pembrokeshire and has so much to offer the furry friends of the family. Take a look at full details on Rivendell by viewing here.

Snow is Falling...

I have come to the conclusion that my dog loves the white snow more than myself. On Tuesday morning when we had our first snowfall my dog was the first to make his paw prints in the snow whilst Drizzle (my cat) watched reluctantly from the kitchen.
As snow only comes around for us in Pembrokeshire once in a blue moon, we tend to get very excited when we wake up and the white fairies have sparkled their dust over the land, snow looks so pretty when unspoilt. I stress 'when unspoilt' as it can get to look rather dirty once a few cars and lorries have turned it to a horrible dirty brown at the side of the road.
Back to Jed and Drizzle. Jed is a maniac in the snow, dancing around the garden letting out the occasional 'this is so much fun' bark and chasing Drizzle around in circles.
Drizzle has never actually seen snow before and so for her this is proved to be one terrifying experience. You can almost see the clogs working behind her little eyes, 'What the devil is all that white fluffy stuff covering my scratching post?' It was so funny to watch though, as Drizzle was doing her very best to avoid every inch of the white stuff, Jed comes bounding along, Drizzle scarpers and Jed begins tormenting her in the bushes! You would have thought that that would have resolved her fear (or made it ten times worse), but as the snow returns this morning, Drizzle took one look and skips back into the house. I suppose it must feel like walking on water to cats really.
And that's another thing, do your dogs always feel the need to eat snow? Jed is terrible. It is fun throwing snowballs at him though and watching him dive to catch it, but is eating snow really good for our best friend?
After doing a little research this afternoon, there is such a term known as 'snow poisoning'. This is simply when a dog that is dying of thirst, is surrounded by snow. The problem is that eating the snow doesn't equal drinking water, not by a long stretch! When you think about it, snow melts down to very little water and so wouldn't provide our pooch with hardly any liquid at all. I suppose that the moral of that story, is always make sure a nice bowl of water is on hand!
I hope you are all enjoying the snow as much as Jed and I, taking plenty of snaps of the white blanket covering the countryside, as we never knwo when it shall return!

Do you walk your dog when it's raining?

I came into work this morning and what a great surprise. It was gloomy, grey and raining. The clouds looking like they were ready to let rip a massive quantity of rain drops, I suppose you could compare them to a pregnant lady waiting to drop. Oh joy!

The state of the weather then sparked my thoughts to the following topic, 'How many people actually still take their dog for a walk even if it was raining?'

Now I'm not talking drizzle (that's the name of my cat too),or light, misty rain, I mean absolutely tipping it down, soaking wet rain where you only have to step onto your doorstep and your hair look as though you have just jumped out of the shower. My dog, the gorgeous Jed only has to hear it raining and think, 'Great, that's my walk out of the window this morning!'

But when you think about it, your cat is the mostly likely domestic pet to hide inside out of the rain because they don't like water.

Dogs, given half a chance bound out of the door, roll in the grass and shake as the tiptoe back into the kitchen pleased with themselves that you now have to chase them around in circles to wipe their paws so they don't get mud on the cream carpets! You can tell I'm talking from experience can't you?!

But Jed knows the drill. Out he trots for a wee and a breath of fresh air, door opens and in he treads and stands like a very good, well trained boy as I wipe him over with his doggie towel. Not likely! Jed gets as far as the door opening and rockets straight into the living room, where he knows that mum has just that second put the hoover away. Typical , but he does make me giggle. As he has got older his character just gets funnier and funnier. He is one wise fella!

I think he is teaching my little cat a few tricks too...

Enter Drizzle. A fairly small, slight pussycat with patterns of grey, brown and black all over, with a dove white belly and pricked ears. Drizzle, such a pretty, friendly fur ball, gracefully parading around her home ready to spot the next sucker munching on something tasty. Of course, Jed has beaten her to it and has already claimed the prime seat in the house awaiting any falling crumbs for him to lap up. Well, so he believes, until...

Drizzle. This little madam isn't fazed by Jed's presence as she has figured out that as she is so small she can afford to launch herself onto the chair and sit on the lap of her victim, getting closer than the spotty nosed pooch. But somehow Jed's pitiful, sorry eyes always wins the choccie biscuit!

Honestly, in the mornings I am lucky if I get to munch half of my piece of toast because I am surrounded by the zoo! But our home would be lost without them, they carry such a respected presence.

Freshwater West Beach, Pembrokeshire

I always find that taking my pooch for a trip down the beach during the Winter months is so much more enjoyable than battling with the crowds during the height of the Summer season. Of course I have no objection whatsoever with the many people that visit Pembrokeshire in the Summer it's just that you can find your dog will never get any peace.

My dog will always manage to find the man with the camera trying to take a 'beach' shot of his little children in the sea. In swoops Jed ball in mouth, tail wagging, ears pricked and a spring in his step as he bounds into the sea. Cue glare from Dad.

But that just wouldn't happen in the Winter. I know it does sound like I may be stating the obvious here, but the only other people you will come across, are other lovely people wanting some peace and quiet to let their dogs run wild along the sand and splashing in the sea and the occasional surfer dude, but they just please themselves.

I recently took Jed down to his favourite beach, Freshwater West and it was as unspoilt and as refreshing as ever. Freshwater West is a fantastic beach to visit all year round for dogs, as it carries no horrible restrictions and has a long stretch of golden sand, plenty of sand dunes, rock pools and a clean sea for a doggie dip. If you are coming to Pembrokeshire with Coastal, then I would most certainly recommend this beach to visit. For me, having a water-loving dog at home allows me to venture to the beach everyday if I liked and knew that my dog would be absolutely delighted to accompany me.

There is nothing like wrapping up cosy warm as you feel the brisk air manage to catch only your face as you gently stroll across soft sand, splashing your wellies in the sea and watching your four legged friend have the time of his life.

A dog is for life, not just for Christmas

I thought that it would be quite appropriate today to turn our attention to the slogan 'A dog is for life not just for Christmas.'

This slogan has more truth and honesty in 9 words than a glitzy magazine has from cover to cover. The UK's National Canine Defence League really excelled themselves when they introduced this back in 1978 as it is widely quoted and respected. Widely quoted yes, but respected? I am not so sure...

I think people are still forgetting that cute little puppies get bigger, grow more hair and mature into a handsome dog, and with the dog's maturity the love and attention from their owners begins to fade. The little puppy that their children craved when they were little has suddenly become 'not so cute' and 'not so wanted'.

It is such a shame, I love my dog just as much, if not more now that he has matured than ever before, and right from a puppy he has remained a permanent fixture, loved and cared for, our family pet.

But when you think about it, that may be one of the top 3 excuses for pets becoming abandoned, but it certainly isn't all of them. The dog ruins and bites the furniture, the dog isn't good with children, we have moved flat and there are no pets allowed. Must I continue?

I am not saying that in some cases there aren't genuine reasons for people that may no longer be able to home their pet, it's just that excuses are casually thrown around at the expectation that 'good' people like Dog's Trust will come along and pick up the pieces, It's just not fair. All I can say at this point, is thank god for people like Dog's Trust!

I really don't want to seem as though I am having a rant before the festive season, but I think it is about time that people truly took notice of flipping good slogans like 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas' and have the confidence to shout it from the rooftops.

So, if you do find yourself being greeted with an excited wee and fluffy ears wrapped in a little pink bow this Christmas, look after your pooch, they will be your best friend, most loyal companion and beach buddy all year round.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Do Dogs Look Like Their Owners?

Have you ever wondered whether the never-ending conundrum, 'do dogs look like their owners' have any sort back bone? I have, and so has my colleague Sarah W.
Back in March when we both attending Crufts on behalf of The Woof Guide team, as you can imagine we were surrounded by large quantities of various breeds of dogs from British Bulldogs to Great Dane's and their owners. After four days of being surrounded by all shapes and sizes, we drew up the following conclusion, IT IS MOST DEFINITELY TRUE! Dogs do look like their owners.
I thought that I would do a little bit of research on the topic today and to see whether we had any support on the matter, and I was very surprised to discover how many stories and studies supported the diagnosis, including a study investigated by the yanks who make it 'official'- dogs do look like their owners.
But hold on a second, surely like myself, if you have a dog with a bit of a mixture a 'mongrel' if you will, such as my pooch Jed (collie cross springer spaniel), when I took him home as a pup I didn't really know what he would end up looking like. So how does that work?
Well it doesn't. In that respect the theory could be described as 'going to the dogs' so to speak, but when people select a purebred dog they are certainly 'barking up the right tree'.

As I cannot really compare myself to Jed, I thought I would show you all a picture of the very, highly attractive breed that Sarah W believes most resembles myself, a Curly Coated Retriever...

I chose an image of a puppy due to it's high rated 'cute' factor!

As for Sarah, I'm thinking an Irish Setter...?

Obviously I do appreciate that you may or not know what Sarah or myself for that matter look like to offer an opinion!

I am beginning to think that I may try this game at home over Christmas at some point, you know keep the family mood lightened and laughter rife!

Well, on that note I think I best stop there whilst I still have a job, as before you know it I will have teamed each member of the office with a random breed of dog and bound to end up offending some body (not intentionally of course) along the way!

Let's Go Walkies!

I would like to turn your attention to another of our fantastic dog friendly properties located North of the County in Newport.

I recently popped into Ol y Don to have a look around before their Christmas bookings set in, and today I thought that the property deserved a mention, as I felt it to be an ideal, dog friendly property with many desired amenities on it's doorstep, and simply perfect for your pooch during your stay with us in Pembrokeshire.

Ol y Don is ideal for many dog personalities, whether they enjoy playing in the garden chasing butterflies, taking a refreshing dip in the water or taking a stroll around the local town in the evenings.

To the rear of the property beyond the immediate garden (also dog friendly), your dog can enjoy exploring 1.5 acres of green grass, all enclosed and safe to play. By taking a short walk to the left of the property you will be led to the sheltered, dog friendly Newport Parrog, with the alternative dog friendly Newport Sands only a short distance away.

Within the historic town of Newport you will spot dog friendly pub and restaurant The Castle Hotel who boast a varied and ever changing menu during the year. Just up the road and well worth a visit is popular Fronlas Cafe, they welcome your dog all year round and serve delightful home cooked meals. Newport town is only a 5 minute walk from your property.

If you feel that your pooch deserves an energetic break away in the coming months at dog friendly Ol y Don, then please view further details of the property on the website, by taking a quick look through our featured cottage on the home page.