Woodland Paws

19/01/2025

Looking to expand our team 💚

Role: Dog Walker
Salary: 17½ hours per week (£12.21 per hour ) + Pension + Holiday + Company vehicle/ or vehicle allowance
Hours: Monday - Friday: 9am - 12.30pm
Location: Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland/Newcastle border
Start Date: 1st February

Professional dog walker required.

Woodland Paws are looking for a reliable, hardworking and professional member to join our team of dog walkers. The job will mainly consist of offering group walks within our catchment area.

The role:
- Safe care and handling of adult dogs and puppies
- Pick-ups and drop offs within our catchment area of Holystone to Darras Hall
- A strong understanding of customer needs
- One Morning walk
-Professional care of the area you walk (picking up dog mess, closing gates to fields etc.)
-Courteous approach to the general public, horse riders, dog walkers etc.
-Good time keeping

Applicant:
Due to the nature of this role we would require you to have a good knowledge and experience of dogs; their behaviour, body language, plus how to keep them safe, comfortable and happy whilst out on walks, this is not taking a few dogs to a field! Basic dog knowledge isn't enough, we're looking for people who are passionate, and interested in continuous learning about what we consider our furry family.

The correct applicant must have a full and clean driving license with a sensible and safe approach to driving. A company vehicle will be provided, or if you have your own suitable van, a vehicle allowance is available. A geographical knowledge of our catchment area would also be an advantage.

You should be in good physical condition as the job requires 3+ miles walking per day plus dog handling, often large breeds.

Be presentable and courteous.

To apply for this role, please send your application and cv to: [email protected]

12/01/2025

If i had one wish, it would be that we got longer with our furry kids.

Last weekend, I got a message to say little Nala had been rushed to the emergency vets, after losing the ability to use her back legs, she was in for an MRI and had surgery the following day to sort a ruptured disc and a blood clot. A couple of stressful days later, Nala came home, as she was too stressed recoving at the vets. Back home with her family, she had all the cuddles, and the best bedside treatment after her ordeal. Nala, although still had no use of her back legs, dragged herself to her sisters bed in the night, where she fell asleep one last time :'( She just wanted to be home.

She was just a baby, she was only 3! She had so many butt wiggles left in her!

Nala, and her baby sister Zoey joined us 2 and a half years ago, what an absolute delight! We had lots of Frenchies on our books, but Nala was a whirlwind! Absolutely wild! I don't think i've ever seen a little dog run as fast as she did.

When we picked her up, she would get so excited, the noises she made were unbelievable, and she was hilariously excited. I could never be firm to do a wait whilst we harnessed her up as her whole body would just be wiggling so much :) Her excitment was infectious, and Zoey, even though she outgrew her A LOT, she would join in with the body wiggles, and create her own daft sounds.

Nala was like a little bullet, and would spend the whole walk, zooming around, running as fast as she could, everywhere. In the warmer months she was a nightmare, you couldn't stop her! She could and would run and keep up with the labs, almost flying across the ground she would run so fast :)

Although a tiny weeny dot, nothing would stop her doing what the big dogs did, from getting in the water to zooming through the long grass, she would always have a good go at jumping in the van with her sister too.

She was just the funniest little bean you know,looking through the pictures you can just see excitment and cheek! We're going to miss her so so much, but her squeals of excitment and her full body wiggle will be with us forever.

Love you little girl, see you soon ###

20/11/2024

Snow hunting has begun!

Who has snow? And where 😍❄️🌨️

19/11/2024

Another tough one! :'(

When you think, it just can't get harder it does. :( I am so so forever greatful that I get to have all these amazing beings in my life, no matter how short it may be.

There is that snippet a child said to a vet:

"People are born so that they learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The four year old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long."

Sheba was an absolute sweetheart, (to her family and her friends) go forbid if you were a postman or an intruder lol!

Sheba was our friends dog, so not only was she part of the WP gang she was there outside of 'work' too. We met her when she was home for the first time, and settled in, she was so tiny, I remember her Dad bringing her round to meet us so vividly, a cheeky monkey, with sass and character, but god she was sweet.

She absolutely joined walks when she could, and caused havoc, but no matter how silly, and how much of a monkey she was, she was still the sweetest girl.

As she grew up, her family had put a lot of time into making sure she was good as gold, and she was! If there were other dogs coming, or other people, you knew she was bomb proof and would just trot on by, being the best girlie she was, even though she was a big bad Rottweiller, who loved a good dip in some stinky water!

When Dipsy joined the family, as Sheba's mum said, she was his mum, his best friend, and his companion, they had such a bond, and Dipsy wouldn't ever be without her, she was his protector, and of course he could then show how big and clever and strong he was with a sister like Sheebs. He;s a little lost soul without her, and I wish I could tell him how Sheebs is still there for him. Even thought he definitely did her head in at times! :)

Mum and Dad would always message me if she had a bit of an ailement, usually she'd eaten something funny, or done too much the day before, so when I got a message saying they were concerned, and had booked a vet appointment, of course I was worried. She'll be alright, She always is, she's a tough cookie, hard as nails! She had her troubles, with her dodgy legs, and squiffy tum, but never really poorly. Ahhhhh it's Sheebs she'll be grand, I thought!

But she wasn't :'( My poor girlie, was taken in feeling really quite sorry for herself. After a quick scan, the vets confirmed that she had so much cancer :( She had been hard as nails, and had been just hiding how she was underneath, until she couldn't :( There was no time to say 'see you soon' and she didn't get to go home to say bye to her Dipsy.

But she was pain free, and she was so so loved! By all her family ! (They're a big one, with lots and lots of love!)

I know you'll be back, you've got unfinished things, including beef with those pesky delivery drivers and postmen!

What i'd give to smush her again! I love you sweetheart xx

31/10/2024

Maddie Moo, Moo's, Moo Moo, Mads!

Maddie joined us 2½ years ago, when I got a message asking if we had space for a well well behaved older gal, of course I said yes!

I went to meet Maddie, and took her for her first walk. She was very well behaved and although older, she still had plenty of spanielling left in her bones. She spanield her way all around our favourite walk, in and out the trees, and showed me she still had it!

It quickly became apparent that Maddie was actually a tinker, and when you picked her up, she'd either be hiding upstairs in one of the childrens beds, or on mum and dads if the door was open :) It was then a case of carrying her to the door, not because she needed it, but because it became the routine :) Then once out the door, she'd wiggle her butt sideways to the van :) Maddie moved downstairs as her arthritis progressed, and you had to be quick, or once that door opened she would dart up stairs for a quick bed pitstop, and of course a tummy rub.

Kate and Maddie were the perfect match, they could be "arthritis ladies together" and go as slow or as speedy as the day let them :) They could have plenty of pit stops and cuddles, the only difference being, was when Maddie had enough Kate would carry her! They had a special bond from the start those two :)

Maddie used the old lady card when she couldn't be bothered with this group photos nonsense, she started off sitting at the edge, and if they took too long she'd be away, or she'd just sit and lie wheilst the rest posed for their pictures.

The girl was very independant, and didn't need the other dogs for company, even the lovely Mr Dillon, who liked Maddie was given the heehaw if he got too romantic! She would decide where and which way and for how long we were walking, and the others didn't mind. As often Maddie would take us on a route we'd not been before.

Ealier this year, I took Maddie and our litte group for a trip to Gosforth Park, to do an easy walk. Maddie was OFF! a new lease of life, she took us very speedily round the big loop, we even encountered a Badger! I thought she'd been eating the blue smarties for breakfast, I coudln't believe it!

Even her most recent walk, we headed somewhere different, and she even took her self for a little swim, and 'Maddie tootled' around at a good speed. So when I got a message to say she wasn't too well, and then to say the next day was going to be her last, I was just so taken a back. Maddie's mum said we could go and visit to say our goodbyes , and so we all went round, and had cuddles in the garden, told her how wonderful she was, and basked in the sunshine, telling her how wonderful it would be when she could run and run through the tree's again.

I'm sure if we had known you when you were younger, you would have been Maddie Mischief. Until we see each other again Mad's ###

31/10/2024

Honey Bun! Honey Pot! Hon hon!

We always find it exceptionally hard losing our doggo's, the ones that don't live with us, but the ones we still love so much. But I know, that it's so so much harder for their families.

My heart really does ache for Ben and Lois, who lost little Winnie so unexpectedly and to then lose Honey, 3 weeks later, is just so so so sad. :'( Poor Honey had Lymphoma, and had clearly hidden it for so long, as she was such a happy, healthy little thing!

Honey, Winnie's mum, but also the matriarch of that little tribe, and she kept Winnie and Ernie in check! My little snorties.

Honey taught me so much about not just frenchies, but also the other dogs we walk, they all resepcted her, and not just because her, and her sidekicks were little rascals in the van, but because she was the lady in charge. Ernie and Winnie protected her, from any mortal enemies we may come across on our walks, but quickly dropped those duties if there were treats on the go!

I remember one of our very early walks, we were walking along Prestwick Carr, Honey and Winnie were good as gold, ok they were a bit shouty in the van, but once you were out they were diamonds. They were good to be off lead walking past people, as they were just so easy. Here I am chatting to a nice bloke, and Honey decides, that's enough chatting, and started biting his feet! Thank goodness frenchies have terrible mouths! Hhaha! From that moment on, little madam was on lead, I later found out it was her thing, attacking mens feet :/ but not her dad's of course :)

She was such a funny little girl, with her wiggly butt, and her happy snorts. If she needed a rest on a walk she would splay out on her tummy, for ultimate rest, protected by her bouncers of course!

Honey was such a sweetheart, in her older years, and especially in the summer, Honey would be quite happy relaxing in the garden whilst Winnie and Ernie came out to burn some energy off, other days, even at Mum and Dad's request, Honey would not want to stay home, and miss out, and so she would come and the trio would be at large!

Honey, Winnie, Ernie, HWE, will always be HWE, cause they just are the trio, they are the little snorty gang!

I know Winnie will be pleased Honey is up there with her, but I also know they're going to getting up to mischief and cheering Ernie on from the sidelines!

It really isn't going to be the same with just little Ern, but I know he's already being spoilt so rotten he doesn't have time to wonder when his sisters might come back :'(

See you soon little Honey Bun! ###

31/10/2024

Oh Sweet Murph's! Murphy Durphy!

I don't think we ever had a walk, where he couldn't be bothered, or was grumpy, or didn't give it his all!

Murph's joined us in 2017!! 7 years we had the pleasure of this sweetness! I still can't quite believe that I won't see his little face again.

When I first popped round to meet Murph, I remember thinking that was the quickest, easiest meet and greet I've ever done :) He started walks with us straight away, and slotted straight in.

He was a typical lad, with his knackers, 🙈 He loved the ladies, and the lads! But we quickly got him settled in to enjoying our explorations, and adventures. On the face of it, Murphs loved his walks, and would dip in and out to say hello, but mostly liked to just do his thing. :) The easiest boy, he met all our staff, and showed them all the way, the best walks, and of course, being light in colour, where to find the thickest, clartiest mud.

As Murph's got older, he came and stayed with us for holidays, and it was his first sleepover I was introduced to the real Murph, the snuggle monster, the toy carrier, the lovable sweet little loon, and the sensitive soul who did just need a cuddle sometimes.

Last year at 12 years old, Murphy underwent a splenectomy, he recovered like a youngster, and was very quickly back on walks with a "dunno what you're talking about, i'm absolutely fine" look about him, and he was. Earlier this year Murphy developed a bit of a limp, it didn't slow him down, he just adjusted his gait to compensate and still gave his all on every walk, Jogging a long with his poorly leg.
just out of kilter.

He did slow down one week, and so a vet visit was booked, and it was the worst news. He was given just a few weeks, and some extra strong painkillers.

In true Murphy fashion, with some extra meds on board, he came out, as if nothing was wrong. Murphy loved his walks with his pals, so after discussions with his dad we agree'd that it was best to keep going until he didn't want to. We all got to see our
Murphy over the next 3 weeks, and yet he continued to look wondferul! Best he had in a while., running, happy, posing for his photo's and having a lovely time with his buddies.

One day 5 weeks later Murphy had a dicky tum, he was still happy, so we continued his scheduled walks. On the Thursday, we were heading back to van, and Murphy told me "i'll be ok" , of course that threw me, he knew! We dropped him off, he went and got micky mouse toy and waved us off from the door one last time, tail wagging, and happy. And that's how i'll always remember our Murphs. :'(

Until we see you again kiddo! I'm sure you've not stopped since you got up there! ###x

29/10/2024

Last week was a rough week :( We've made it through thanks to all the gang helping cheer us up and make us laugh, and just be still with us when we've needed cuddles.

We are so incredibly lucky to have such wonderful furry friends in our lives, but my goodness it's so hard.

😭🌈🐾

07/10/2024

Give your furry children and extra tight squeeze tonight ... :'(

I can't even begin to understand how or why, in just 2 weeks I'm here again, saying goodbye, and remembering another part of the family.

My sweet little Winnie Woo..... I feel robbed.... again.... :(

Winnie was 8, she of course, had been given the best 8 years, but there were so many more to be had. So many more cheeky smiles, so many more moments of being an absolute terror, so many more rolling in the mud, the sandy paths, and the wet grass.

Poor little Winnie got so poorly, so fast, and there wasn't time for anyone to say 'see you soon'.

Winnie joined the Woodland Paws family, along with her mum Honey in September 2020, it's only been 4 years ? and yet it feels like they've been here for ever!

A little shy to start, Honey and Winnie stuck together and had each others backs... my goodness they were horrors in the van. As soon as they were out, they were so very sweet, and tootled along all innocent and good as gold, but goodness me, that van was theirs!! Eeek! untill..... you only took one, and then, good as gold. They were a formidable force.

Ernie, the little brother, appeared on the scene a year later, and the girls taught him all the tricks of the trade ;)

It's hard to describe the Winnie we knew, she was funny, she was cheeky, she was naughty, she was greedy, but she was either with Honey or with Ernie. They came as a package deal! HWE! There were very rare occasions when just Winnie would come out, but when she did, you got a glimmer of the real her, the so so sweet, the shy, the loving, the extra playful. The Winnie!

Winnie loved her sweeties. Which always made for the best smiley picture! Which did help when they needed to be on their best behaviour for their mum and dads wedding :) Where they made the best photo's :)

I took little Ern out today to try occupy him and have a run around with his friends, he's going to miss his sister, and his best bud so much. Honey had a day with mum and dad, but she told me as soon as I walked through the door this morning about her Winnie. :'( I feel the heartbreak for Winnie's human's but I also feel it for who she's left behind, and seeing them hurting makes it so much worse.

We're all going to miss you so much Winnie, and it's not going to be the same without you here, waddling along with your little b***y shake next to Honey, or wrestling with Ernie, or your stop, drop and throw your self for a roll about.

We'll see you again sweetness. ###x

01/10/2024

A must read for fellow dog owners!!

A question though? An easy one... How many of you make yourself a cuppa in the morning? ☕

22/09/2024

I don't want to be here again so soon, our poor Beano Bear, B!

I remember when we took on Daisy, Dillon, Minnie and of course our Beano from Sarah, I went for a walk with them all to meet them all and see who they all were for when they moved over, and Beano came with a warning lol.

She was the craziest wildest hooligan I’d come across, zero issues, the softest sweetest girl, but boy was she wild! I remember watching her zooming around this field, thick with mud, zooming and zooming, all by herself thinking, oh my goodness! But by god was she funny, I mean…. I don’t think there has ever in the history of all our walks where Beano didn’t get absolutely filthy! She definitely identified as a chocolate lab, sometimes a black lab, but never a cream white lab!

Zooming was her thing, and being one of the OG’s she taught everyone the art of just being full of life and zooming her way through it!

She was brilliant at sitting for group pictures, then being oh so bored, and looking anywhere but the camera, and would smile all throughout her walks, and then pretend she couldn’t for her snapshot of the day.

If there was a ball to play with, B would cheat at the back jumping on her front feet, let’s go lets go let’s go, her unwavering enthusiasm!!

Beano was always excited and ready for her walk, but if she could have a few more minutes in the sunshine spot she’d found, whether it was on the landing, in her little humans’ bedroom, or in fact on her mam and dad’s bed, whilst we looked through house, calling for her then she absolutely would, kisses and a cuddles were a requirement before you could get on your way, then, she’d beat you out the door to get to the van ready for her adventure of the day.

She was so funny, and so incredibly easy, stick her with anyone, human or dog, and she’d just be the best girl, (apart from always caking herself head to toe, but that was a given).

As she got older, and slightly more-wiseish, a little, her knees that she’d abused with all her zooming, and silliness and playing, got a little fragile, and she needed ‘that op’ we all dread where recovery time and being still for the best part of 2 months is required….. B bossed it, just, but did have an odd haircut, for such a long time, that needed a bit of sun-cream in the summer months! One less bit to get dirty haha However what it did mean though, was that extra medication was required mid-day, so we were on duty, with the help of Baby Bell! If we forgot one day, Beano wouldn’t have!

B was lucky that her mum and dad were teachers, and so school summer holidays were the absolute best, there would always be a tale of some mischief she’d got up to.

19th of July, we had our last walk, and B broke up for School holidays! We didn’t know then, that would be our last walk. Beano had a wonderful summer, but just as she was due to come back to school, got very poorly. No amount of tests or treatments could help her, and on Friday, when I was asked to do some visits for her, as she had eventually been discharged from hospital, I couldn’t have begun to imagine where our Beano bear had gone, she was so poorly, we sat, and we chatted, and we cuddled as she slept, and dreamed of zooming through the mud now doubt, but not even Baby Bell could help coax her to eat. I’m always so incredibly grateful when mums and dads entrust us with their furry children, and we have the absolute best time, rain, shine, snow, whatever, we still have a lovely time, and whilst it hurts so much, I am ever more grateful that when this journey comes to an end, that we can be there to say thank you for all the laughs, and funny times, and cuddles, and smiles, and the hardest part, which is always “I’ll see you soon sweetheart”

There is a picture of Beano, with her Christmas hat on, with a big cheesy smile that Reece took, we all had such a laugh, and it will forever be one of my all-time favourite photo’s!

We love you B ###

20/08/2024

These came through on our staff group chat today! Safe to say we were all rolling about laughing!!

Credit to photographer Reece!
Toby for pushing the trolley, Iz and Jas, and Baz for getting in the trolley, and Cooper and Spud for pretending they knew these bunch of crazies!

27/07/2024

If you're going on holiday and need a magazine, grab Magazine July edition, spot some famous faces ☺️ Some photo's taken by yours truly too 😍 Also a lovely 4 PAGE spread about a functional character 😁

18/07/2024

Last few walks for some before school holidays start, and it's starting to feel a bit more like summer 🌞😁

14/07/2024

It's been quite a week! In no particular order:
🐾 Baby Shnitz joined the team
😍 Aslan fell asleep on my knee when we did some Zoopharmy
🙈 A v**e blew my tyre up
📚 arrived
🚐 Kate's van broke, so it got a bit busy
🍖We ran a workshop at

07/07/2024

Find yourself a dog walker, who instead of relaxing at the weekend, enrols in anything dog related education :)

Today Dog Law Seminar with Specialist Trevor Cooper!

13/06/2024