Celtic Dog Walker

07/12/2021

Just cause im not a dog walker anymore doesn't mean I'm about to stop walking dogs 😂
Chase joined Winston and I for a very wet and windy beach day!

30/11/2021

Well that's it, last day as a dog walker done! It's been the best the best 4 years of my life, I've met some wonderful people and the best group of dogs ❤🐾
Thank you all so much for everything and be sure to say hello if you see me out with Winston in the park or bring your dogs along to Ruffles 😁

29/11/2021

What are collies bred to do?

Herding.

This is the obvious answer, but what does herding actually involve?

We are seeing more and more Collies in pet homes, but also seeing more people not fully knowing or understanding what collies were bred to do, or what that actually entails.

So what are collies actually bred for?

• To be stimulated by movement, but not just stimulated but also reactive to it as well. As if a small number of sheep are starting to break off from the main flock, the dog has to react and respond to control that movement, keeping the flock as one. This can make living in urban life pretty hard going, when a lot of stuff, cars, people, dogs move.
• To have very acute hearing, collies can work at great distances from their shepherds, the shepherd will use whistles a few fields away and the collie have to be able to listen and respond to cues. Urban environments can be very noisy places, just stop for a couple of seconds and listen. How many things can you hear? Think how overwhelming this could be for a dog, especially one who comes from a traditionally quiet environment.
• To work independently, collies can work at great distances from the shepherd, using their natural instinct to manipulate the movement of sheep.
• To control movement, collies aren’t bred to chase, in fact the opposite they want to manipulate, control and stop movement. They’re are the ultimate control freaks. Bet when your Collie is playing with other dogs, that they aren’t running behind them, but instead generally alongside them, this is your collie herding them. You may also see it with balls, people, children, bikes along with any other items seen daily in urban life.
• To be the other half of your partnership. A collie and their shepherd really are a team, both equally need each other to complete the job, and look after all the sheep in their care. Collies can become very bonded with their person.
• To ignore pretty much everything else but the job, Collies will entirely focus on the job at hand, and will seldom stop to go to the toilet or eat until the task at hand is completed. Which is why some owners can really struggle to get focus and engagement from their collie in the urban environment if their dog has found a job to do. (This could be herding other people, dogs or anything that moves).
• To go from low stimulation to high. On the farm most collies are kept in a kennel of some description. They are brought out to work, where there is loads of stimulation, and at the end of day put back in their kennel, where there is very little. This gives them opportunities to decompress, process the day and switch off. In the home there is generally something going on, so it’s important we help teach our collies to switch off.

All text ©Ellen Greenwood-Sole 2021

29/11/2021

29/11/2021

Crazy boys club 🤪🤪

29/11/2021

So did Winston 🙄😂

29/11/2021

Archie enjoyed a snowy woodthorpe! ❄

29/11/2021

It was Bibsy & Mollys last day Friday 🥺
Luckily we see them lots at woodthorpe park, so like many of my dogs, it's not goodbye forever ❤

25/11/2021

A cold and sunny week ☀️❄
Its my last full week dog walking, have already started to say goodbye to some of my lovely dogs 😭
Alma, Lennie, Digger & Harper have all been a pleasure to walk, I'll miss them all so much but I'm sure I'll bump into them in the park ❤❤

17/11/2021

Chase absolutely did not taste this piece of cake 😂

17/11/2021

Birthday celebrations with cake and frozen sardines 🥳🐟🎂

17/11/2021

Digger inhaling a big chunk of birthday cake 🎂🥳😂

17/11/2021

Blink and the cake is gone 😂

17/11/2021

Its Winston's 5th Birthday 🥳

I assure you he's much more excited than he looks in the photo 😂

I've cut his doggy birthday cake up to share with all his friends today! 🎂

12/11/2021

And now for some videos 😁

12/11/2021

Last set for now!

12/11/2021

🍂🍂

12/11/2021

🐕🐕

12/11/2021

🐾🐾

12/11/2021

Time to share some pictures from the last month 😁 Lennie Labradoodle is back with us until the end of the month! 😍

01/11/2021

Hey guys! This is the wonderful doggy daycare I'm moving to. I'll be there almost every weekend starting this Saturday, then Monday/Thursday/Weekends from Decemeber onwards.

Theyre located near Sneinton Market so Weekend daycare is a great option if you'd like to drop your dog off and go into town to do your Christmas shopping! 🎁

They have a great deal on for weekends through November so get in touch if you'd like to book! If you've not been before you'll need to have an induction visit :)

50% off 🐩 Every weekend in November you can get half price day care AND half price bath and blow dry!

These must be booked in advance 🐶 This weekend November deal will be the ideal opportunity to get your Christmas shopping finished, whilst your dog enjoys some weekend socialising with the Ruffles family ❤️

(Dogs must be booked into daycare to access bath and blow dry) ❤️

28/10/2021

Hello Everyone!
I believe I have contacted all of my current customers individually so it's time to make the official announcement!
At the end of November, after 4 years, I will be closing the business unfortunately.
It has been a pleasure to look after so many wonderful dogs and cats over the years and I'm so lucky to have had the best customers ever ❤
I won't be going far, I've taken up a full time job at Ruffles Doggy Daycare!
Thank you all so much for your support over the years ❤ 🐾

14/10/2021

Dog walking in the UK will always feel a bit tame now I've been walking in the woods here in Romania and regularly finding fresh bear prints 😬😁🐻

29/09/2021

Okay last part for now! Savage Archie 😂

29/09/2021

Pt4.. apparently I taken a lot of photos this month 😂