Peak Paws and Claws

28/12/2024

Happy Twixmas everyone 👋 I hope you had a good Christmas
I had a fantastic Christmas, I was especially happy with my squeaky pig present 🐖🎁😁, not sure mum and dad were as happy as I was 😂 (he does squeak quite a lot)
Now we're in that weird in-between time when you don't know what day it is 🤔, which basically means just eat treats and curl up in front of the fire
Anyway, I should wish everyone a Happy New Year 🎊🥳 (in case I forget what day it is again 😅) and remind you that we close at 3pm on New Year's Eve and reopen again on Friday 2nd at 9am.
So, I wish all health and happiness for the New Year and I'll see you all in 2025 🎉, love Ernie xx

21/12/2024

ONLY FOUR MORE SLEEPS TIL CHRISTMAS 🎄🎅🎁🦌, I'm so excited I think I might pop!!!
I've finally wrapped all the presents 🎁🎁, but I have to admit that I haven't managed to write ✍️ any cards (it's really hard to hold a pen in my paw🐾) so instead of lots of individual cards I've made one card with me and Archie on and put it on this post so that I can wish all our fantastic customers and friends the most amazing Christmas.
We are so grateful for your support over the last year (and all the years before that) and for all the lovely cards and gifts that you have given to us. We have the BEST customers ever ❤️.
All that is left for me to do is say, MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄🎅🧑‍🎄🌟🎁 with lots of love from Ernie, Archie, Adam, Sarah, and everyone else at Peak Paws and Claws xx

14/12/2024

Ok everyone, I don't want to panic you but........... it's only ELEVEN DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS 🎄🎁🎅
I'm not ready 😬, are you?
I did start my shopping 🛍️ but I ended up buying things for myself instead (whoops 🤭) so I'm hoping mum and dad will take me somewhere tomorrow, although I know it won't be Meadow Hell 👿(as they call it)
If you're looking for gifts for your furry friends then we have lots of choice and it will save you getting stressed over travelling and parking somewhere else.
I almost forgot, I've put up a photo of our opening times over Christmas and New year so that you can be prepared. If you use our home delivery 🚚 then the last delivery of the year will be Wednesday 18th December and the next delivery after that will be Wednesday 8th January. If you want to take advantage of this week's delivery you can pop in or ring your order through anytime between now and Tuesday afternoon.
Time to write ✍️ my shopping list, I'm sure my mum would like a squeaky ball ⚽ and dad would love a tuggy rope 🪢, and Archie must need at least 4 or 5 bags of treats, what do you think 🤔
See you soon love Ernie xx

07/12/2024

Hello everyone 👋, hope you're ok and ready for the bad weather 💨🌪️☔, it's definitely not very festive 😞 But we keep going, and as it's the Victorian Christmas Market this weekend we've got out all the Christmas stock, toys 🧸, treats 🍪, stockings, bandanas, hats, coats, wreaths, you name it, we've got it 👍, in fact you can probably see from the photo that I'm wishing for quite a few of those goodies 😊 I definitely want a Christmas cracker, some Christmas cookies, and a cuddly sprout (I can feel another letter to Santa coming on 😂)
So, if you feel like braving the weather we're open until 4 pm , unless we get blown away and end up in Oz (hmmm .... I've always wanted a dog called Toto and a pair of ruby slippers 👠😆), anyway, back to what I was saying, we are open and we look forward to seeing you. Right, I'm off now to dress Archie up as a scarecrow and see if I've got any yellow paint for the road 😁, see you soon love Ernie xx

30/11/2024

Happy Saturday 😀, and the last day of November. I'm so excited that it's December tomorrow because I can open the first day of my advent calendar 😋 and the decorations will be up at home 🎄
I might treat mum to one of the fresh wreaths from the shop, they arrived the other day and there's lots to choose from. We've got crosses, wreaths with flowers, bows, holly, and there are different sizes as well.
Prices start from £5.95 going up to £16.95 for the crosses and large wreaths with tartan bows.
We've got our Christmas tree up at the shop ready for tonight's lights switch on 💡🎄, so that's it it's officially CHRISTMAS 🎅🎁🎄🤶🦌, I've even had a quick chat with Santa about my Christmas list (it pays to be prepared 😁)
Time to go to work now so I'll catch up soon love Ernie xx

'schristmas

24/11/2024

Hello everyone 🤗, Sunday afternoon already and still raining 🌧️😞
What a week of weather!!! I think we've had every season, wet, dry, freezing cold 🥶, and ridiculously warm 🥵, I just don't know what to wear 😜
I was getting ready for the switch on of the lights in Matlock yesterday, but sadly they've been postponed, although it's probably a good thing because, even though I'd packed the tree lights away very neatly, the lights were in a big tangle and my little paws 🐾 have really struggled to unknot them.
They're sorted now, so fingers crossed 🤞 for next weekend 🎄
We also thought it would be a good opportunity to get the artificial wreaths out, they really brighten up the front of the shop. The small wreaths are £5.95 and the large wreaths are £9.95, and, in the next couple of weeks we'll be getting the fresh wreaths as well. I'll let you know the prices when we get them.
I'm off now for a ride on a steam train 🚂, I need to get my pyjamas on because it's the Polar express 😁 and I get to meet Santa 🎅.
I'll catch up with you next week and let you know if I'm on Santa's naughty or nice list 😉, love Ernie xx

17/11/2024

Morning, happy Sunday 👋 it's a chilly one but a least it's dry 👍 and it looks like it's going to get colder 🥶 this week.
So I got up early this morning and went out in my dressing gown to feed the birds 🐦🦉🐦‍⬛because with the colder weather coming in we can help to supplement their diet with a variety of foods such as seeds, nuts, suet, and fat balls.
We stock all of these at the shop and they are all loose so you can buy any amount you like, you can even bring your own container 🛍️ if you want to be more eco friendly.
I recommend our special own blend fruit table which contains sunflower hearts, Niger seed, suet, banana chips, and some secret ingredients that I could tell you but I'd have to silence you if I told you (if you know what I mean 😂🤣), this mix is great for all wild birds, ground feeders and those that eat from hanging feeders.
We also have lots of feeders and bird boxes in stock if you want to encourage the birds to your garden.
Now that I've done my bit this morning I'm off to light the log burner 🔥and curl up in front of the tele 📺for the afternoon. My dad's recommended a programme for me to watch, he says it was his favourite when he was a kid (a very long time ago 😁) it's called The Littlest Hobo, not sure if anyone else knows it, but dad says to have the tissues ready 😔.
See you soon love Ernie xx

08/11/2024

Hello 👋 happy Friday everyone, doesn't the weekend come round early. Not that I'm complaining because weekend means longer walks in the woods and by the river 👍
This weekend I'll also be remembering all the members of the armed forces who gave their lives in the line of duty to ensure our freedom 😔
I will be wearing my poppy with pride, as a sign of remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and take a moment to reflect that, whatever you are doing, you're able to do it freely because of the sacrifices made by others.
See you all soon, love Ernie xx

03/11/2024

Hello, I can't believe it's Sunday afternoon already!!! I'll be back at work before I know it 😁 (still got a roast dinner to look forward to first though 😋)
It's been another busy week for me at the shop 😕, a dog's work is never done 😂.
I celebrated Halloween 👻 and did some trick or treating, I then put the last few Halloween toys away in the warehouse for next year and (sorry to mention the C word🎄🎁🎅) I've started getting the Christmas stock on the shelves.
We've also taken delivery of a new brand of frozen raw food from Durham Animal Feeds. The blocks of mince weigh 454g (1lb in old money 😉 if you can remember that far back) and come in beef, chicken, turkey, and duck and all flavours are £2.20 a block.
I did get some time off work and went to the fire station open day today, it was great fun and I even got to try on some of the firefighters gear 👩‍🚒🚒🤣.
So if mum burns the roast tonight I'll know exactly what to do 😜.
Take care, see you soon love Ernie xx nner

25/10/2024

Morning everyone, happy Friday 😀
Are you all ready for the weekend and the clocks going back?
Mum and dad think they're getting an extra hour in bed 🛏️😁 😴, they'd better think again 😂🤣.
It's also Halloween next week, I'm hoping to go out trick or treating this weekend, do you think people will have dog treats as well as chocolates? 🥨🍫
I might dress up as Dracula 🧛 seeing as I've already got the fangs 🦷🦷😂
We've still got a few Halloween toys in the shop and I might get one of the bats 🦇 to add to my costume. I think I'll get the Frankenstein's monster toy for Archie, it will remind him of me because he thinks I'm a little monster🧌😆
Right, time to get the sewing machine out to make my cape, see you soon love Ernie xx

19/10/2024

Afternoon 😊🙌 happy Saturday, and the best thing is that the sun's shining 🌟👍so I'm making the most of it in the garden.
In case anyone thinks I'm skiving, I'm not, today is my day off (I do get one now and again)
I was busy earlier in the week when we had a delivery of new stock 🚚, it took me ages to price it all up (my paws 🐾 can't work the pricing gun very well 😂) but it was worth it because the new treats are delicious 😋. They are also healthy treats, they are all less than 3% fat and grain, gluten, and rawhide free (my mum laughingly said that maybe she should try them as they might help her diet 😁 but if she thinks she's having my treats she's got another think coming 😒)
As you can see there's plenty to choose from, strips, sticks, and training treats and some lovely flavours, duck, chicken, lamb, beef, and salmon.
Taste testing these has been such a chore 🤣😂, but I'm willing to do it for all of you 😁.
I'm going back out to the garden now before it rains again ☔ so I'll love you and leave you, take care, love Ernie xx

14/10/2024

I love Dogs

13/10/2024

Afternoon everyone 👋, I hope you're having a lovely weekend, I've enjoyed mine, I've been chasing balls ⚽and walking by the river🏞️ my favourite kind of weekend ☺️
Have you noticed that it's staying darker in the morning and earlier at night ?😞 I'm not too keen on it, nor is my mum especially because of an incident the other morning!!!!
It wasn't my fault but..... we'd all gone out very early and it was quite dark, I was racing around (as usual) and then my mum's torch died and she didn't see me as I ran towards her 🙈, I'm sure you can have a good guess as to what happened next. Yes, you guessed right, she ended up in a heap on the floor, but at least she broke my fall and gave me a soft landing 😂.
After a few words that I didn't understand 🤬, but apparently my dad did!!!, we managed the rest of the walk without further disaster.
The first thing she did when we got home (after throwing the torch in the bin and saying more of those words 🤬) was to go in the cupboard and get out mine and Archie's flashing collars so that she'll be able to see me hurtling towards her in future.
So, because of this incident, dad has fetched all the flashing and high visibility stock out of the warehouse and put it in the shop (he said it was for the safety of all, dogs and owners, as he doesn't want anyone else to have to hear the words he heard the other morning 🙉😲).
If you need any safety items we have a wide range to choose from, and if it saves one person or dog from hearing bad language, then it's done its job 👍.
Right, I'm off to order my mum a new torch 🔦, see you soon, love Ernie xx

13/10/2024

In a quiet corner of Germany, bags of food are discreetly hung for those in need—the poor, the hungry, and the vulnerable. There are no public displays or fanfare, no cameras or videos to capture the act. It’s simply an unspoken gesture of goodwill and service, done with humility and compassion. This quiet kindness, absent of any need for recognition, serves as a powerful reminder that true generosity often goes unseen, yet its impact is deeply felt.

06/10/2024

Well happy Sunday everyone ☺️🙌, I hope you are all chilled and relaxed today 💆‍♂️.
I am now, but I was a bit stressed last night 😬 when I heard the fireworks 🎇🎆, I'd completely forgotten about the Illuminations and so I hadn't taken my calming tablets!!!! Luckily I have my safe space under the dining table where I can hide.
As of today I'm back on the tablets 💊 in readiness for the next lot of fireworks 👍, I'm also going to take up yoga and meditating to see if that helps to calm me 🧘‍♂️.
If that doesn't work there are plenty of other options at the shop that I can try. We've got anxiety relief drops that can go straight on the tongue, in water, or on food, plug in diffusers, calming sprays and wipes, or (and these appeal to me because they are food based 🤣😋), we've got LickiMats that you can spread with peamutt butter, liver paste, cream cheese or even pureed veg and the act of licking produces hormones that help to calm, or there are calming treats that contain naturally calming ingredients.
Right, I'm off now to practice my downward facing dog (dad says I've got to do it outside because I normally trump when I do this 😩😵‍💫🙈), see you all soon love Ernie xx

05/10/2024

29/09/2024

Hello 👋, sorry I've been quiet but I've been on a little holiday to the seaside 🌊 this weekend 🙌
It was a lovely surprise and as you can see it's been a busy one, I've been running in the fields chasing balls 🏐, I've been playing outside the caravan with a ball ⚽ (see if you can spot it in the photo), and I've been playing on the beach and in the sea with, you've guessed it 😁, a ball 🏀 and my brother of course 👍.
Anyway, we're home now and I've given up on the balls and decided it's time to relax in front of the fire before I go back to work tomorrow.
I think I'll be having a look at all the different balls that we have in stock tomorrow to see what I can add to my collection (I think I get the collecting bug from my mum, but she prefers shoes 👠 I don't know why 🤷‍♂️).
Right, time for tea 🍗,(yum yum), see you all soon love Ernie xx

20/09/2024

Afternoon everyone 👋, I hope you're all good.
I've been working hard this week on updating my knowledge on some of the other animals we cater for at the shop and I've found out that next week is Guinea Pig Awareness week 🐹.
Guinea Pigs are an exotic pet and require a specialist diet to meet all their nutritional requirements, they naturally eat a diet of grasses, plants, vegetables and crops. Our food and treats contain all the goodness that your guinea pigs need, and don't forget they need hay.
I've also added some photos which show what daily and weekly checks you should be doing, I hope these are helpful 👍.
If there is anything we can help you with about your guinea pig please come in and have a chat, we're always happy to help (especially now that I have done my homework 😁)
And finally, did you know that the oldest recorded guinea pig, called Snowball, lived to the ripe old age of 14 years, 10 months, earning it a place in the Guinness Book of Records. WOW!!!
Right, back to the books to see what else I can learn, a dog's work is never done 😂, see you soon love Ernie xx