So here we are on 31st December 2023. And what a year it has been! Where has the year gone? Seriously, where has it gone? It has whizzed by so fast that I am not sure I can remember much of it. It’s been an incredibly tough year for us here at the Dog Lodge. Lots of changes, very unexpected and unpleasant challenges and it has not been kind. Before I focus on the good (I want to remember the year for what good did happen and the acceptance and understanding we did find), I want to acknowledge all those who had a rough year too; I know after talking to many people, 2023 has been an all-ro ..read more

A number of weeks ago, I received news that one of the dogs we have looked after was very poorly. his owners were providing him with palliative care. he sadly had aggressive lymphoma. The dog was Bob, the working cocker spaniel. Bob was there right at the start of the Cambridge Dog Lodge. I would actually say he was one of the founding members! Bob came whilst his family was on holiday in 2013 and it was the start of a beautiful friendship. Bob was exactly what a working cocker should be: active, excited, happy and obedient when out, and the perfect cuddle monster whilst in the house. Lets ..read more

I love puppies. They really are one of the best things about my job. I even love their smell! And no, I am not being odd (though I know many may disagree) they let off a pheromone just like human babies do, leaving us helpless to their power; I always tell people, do not go and see a litter of puppies unless you really are genuine because before you know it you will be bringing one home. Sadly, they don’t stay puppies for very long and before we know it we have a little monster (or mini-T-Rex as we affectionately call them) on our hands. Chewing, biting, yapping, whining, weeing, and pooping ..read more

Today is The Cambridge Dog Lodge 10th anniversary! I can’t quite believe it, if I am honest. I am unsure where the time has gone. Most importantly though it has been a very packed 10 years. I have been putting this off for a while now. I wasn’t really sure what to write. As it has been such a packed 10 years, I wasn’t sure what to include and what to disregard from this. This last 7 months have probably been the hardest too, often wondering if I should continue or go and get a stable, salaried job(I know nothing is stable now, but a girl can dream). And, just looking through my photos, thousa ..read more

So, this morning, I had a billy goats’ gruff moment. I was billy goats gruff and I met a nasty man on a bridge and I am realising he was a troll. What happened was, I was on a bridge and there was no space for him to go past me. He initially stopped but then decided, this big horrible troll of a man, to force me to reverse. I tried to stand my ground, but the more I tried to stand my ground, the more I got upset. And the more it wound me up. I made a bit of a show of myself really and I got out a couple of times and asked him to reverse and I said to him ‘I don’t understand why you wont rever ..read more

I am going to start with a *trigger* warning for this one. I think it is full of love, but it is quite sad. Here at the dog lodge, we have an array of animals who are part of our family. From furry, to feathered, to aquatic, to reptile! And no matter how big or small, each one is loved very much. Last October we got two chinchillas, sisters, called Pumba and Timon. We already had Simba the chinchilla who we have had a few years. These two were 5 months old. They settled in quickly and soon became very relaxed and friendly around us. More importantly, they immediately became part of our family ..read more

We all know losing a pet is hard. It is a huge loss especially when they are integral part of the family. It does not have to be a dog or cat, it can be something smaller such as a hamster or a bird, a reptile or a fish. All our pets play important roles in our every day lives, and it is not until we lose them, that we feel the space they leave behind. I remember after our old Golden Retriever, PoppyW died, I would take a huge step into the kitchen like I was stepping over an invisible wall. Or I would stand at an angle whilst cooking, my feet further away from the oven, I’d lean forward. wh ..read more

This weekend saw the very first breed show for Ren and for me. In all the years of taking care of dogs, I had never taken part in a breed show. So lets just say I was feeling well out of my comfort on the lead up to Saturday. Ren and me had been attending ring craft classes to learn what was expected, and to also make sure Ren was ok walking in a ring and being touched by a stranger/judge. Because after all it is about me and Ren doing something nice and fun together and if Ren didn’t like it, if she completely shut down and became very anxious, then we wasn’t going to continue. So, Saturday ..read more

It has been a really busy couple of weeks and I have not managed to do a blog. I thought it was about time I got back on the blog wagon again and there’s no better way to start than to tell you about the lovely walk we had on Monday. Id arranged a walk with my gorgeous friend Nicola and her lovely cavapoo Dolly, a couple of weeks ago. We have not seen each other for a little while so it was a pleasure to get together with our 4-legged friends for a walk. Nicola is the founder of the charity Reubens Retreat. The charity supports families of complexly poorly children along with families of ch ..read more

This years sees 10 years of the Cambridge Dog Lodge. As part of the anniversary I am introducing new services. Last week was my Pet Bereavement Counselling, this week is all about BIG WALKS. What are BIG WALKS I hear you say? Well, just that! For a while now I have intended to introduce this where we go somewhere a little further a field, and we stay out for longer. We do some lovely walks on 30 minutes and 1 hour walks, but it is nice to change the scenery up a bit, not just for me, but for the dogs too. All the new smells, textures, sights and sounds, are all really good for the dogs well ..read more