This has to be up there as one of the best holidays we’ve had with Freya and Frankie in the UK. We decided to explore the West Wales Pembrokeshire coastline, somewhere we’d not previously visited, and chose the Cardigan Bay area. We discovered Cwtch, a cottage formed from an old grainstore, which looked perfectly placed. […] The post Frankie goes to Cardigan Bay appeared first on Freya the Cockapoo ..read more

Our Elite Plus Pod with patio, barbecue and hot tub heated by wood stove (neither were used) This is a little different to Frankie’s normal review. I’d decided to challenge myself to plan a holiday for just me, Freya and Frankie. Initially, I searched for small group holidays with your dog, but there was nothing out there. Then realised as I’m allergic to dogs, it wouldn’t work anyway. I chose Anglesey as I know the island quite well, googled and discovered Brynteg Glamping. It appeared ideal and so I reserved one of the pods as it was lockable and secure! Brynteg Glamping – image courtesy of ..read more

We’ve always been fairly constant with Freya and Frankie’s diet and exercise regime. In their lifetimes, their daily food brand changed only once to Pooch & Mutt chicken and superblend*. I loved everything about the company’s ethics, quality of products, and importantly, that they are all produced in the UK. It may look like boring, dry kibble to us, but Freya and Frankie absolutely love it; they wolf it down as you can see, with Freya making sure every trace is accounted for. Frankie needs her special bowl to slow down her scoffing! *This is not intended as a promotion, purely our food o ..read more

Updated in April 2024: Nestled in the hills on the Bodnant Estate in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, Ty Ucha’r Ffordd is a cosy stone cottage with fabulous views across to Snowdonia. If you’re looking for a tranquil, rural retreat for you and your dog, this is the perfect place. Along with compact but comfortable accommodation, you also have access to the miles of private woodland paths winding through the Estate. Ty Uchar Ffordd cottage with plenty of private parking on the left The Paw Award Everyone knows we dogs normally have four paws, so to get a five paw award is super special. Four is an ext ..read more

When I asked “How far can I walk my puppy?” of several people, I received conflicting answers. A friend kindly sent me the following image which illustrated just how long it takes for a dog’s growth plates to close. This made me determined to stick to the 5 minute rule until she reached 12 months, to ensure I gave Freya the best possible chance of being free from joint issues in the future. However, one vet specialising in orthopaedic surgery, published a blog contradicting everything we have been led to believe. Does this means I may be able to forgive myself when I over exercised a three mon ..read more

Spayed females commonly mark their territory with urine, but Frankie (AKA Francesca) is a little different to most. Her marking is possessively personal and never ceases to make us smile on our walks. While Freya saunters along with prolonged sniffing, randomly leaving messages and marking territory, Frankie waits patiently behind her, has a good sniff, and then squirts a little of her urine over the top. Frankie looking sheepish over-marking Freya’s urine This led to my usual online investigation to discover whether this was normal behaviour. However, I couldn’t find any articles which relat ..read more

With a saving of around £50 every six weeks*, for me grooming my own cockapoo was a no brainer, however this wasn’t my initial driver. Freya has only been professionally groomed once; the groomer’s idea of a teddy cut certainly wasn’t mine and this experience was enough for me to take up the grooming challenge, along with the clippers. * X2 now with Freya’s sister Frankie! It wasn’t the first time I’d taken up the gauntlet where hair chopping was concerned; with four children it was a massive cost saving to learn basic cutting – no bowl on the head for my tinies. Freya at six monthsGrooming yo ..read more

The Bike & Boot has stunning views across the bay if you’re lucky enough to have a sea view. The Bike & Boot in Scarborough was founded by Simon Kershaw and Simon Rhatigan, well-known entrepreneurs with an impressive track record in the catering and hospitality industry. In September 2023, they opened its sister hotel of the same name in the Peak District (later addition: the Peak District Hotel won The Times ‘Best Places to Stay: Cheap & Chic Hotel of the Year 2024’. I stayed for a few days in December with a girlfriend to walk, talk and generally catch up, taking time out of our ..read more

Spayed females commonly mark their territory with urine, but Frankie (AKA Francesca) is a little different to most. Her marking is possessively personal and never ceases to make us smile on our walks. While Freya saunters along with prolonged sniffing, randomly leaving messages and marking territory, Frankie waits patiently behind her, has a good sniff, and then squirts a little of her urine over the top. Frankie looking sheepish over-marking Freya’s urine This led to my usual online investigation to discover whether this was normal behaviour. However, I couldn’t find any articles which relat ..read more

Honestly, Freya has to be the queen of firsts. How on earth, on a cold February day, did she manage to find wet tar to trot through and arrive home with four paws coated in the treacly black stuff? Well in fairness, we do live on a new housing estate which is still part building site, but even so we have no idea where she picked it up. Luckily, Frankie was tar-free, probably due to the fact if there’s any grass to be found this is her pawfall of choice. Naturally, I’m straight on Google as had no idea of the best way to go about cleaning the tar off Freya’s paws. As always – and anyone who ha ..read more