Carrie’s Companions

25/06/2025

Pangs of guilt because you’ve to go to work, haven’t time for a walk or recovering from illness/injury. You may be going on a day trip or a well earned holiday.

Worrying about whether or not your furry friend will be well cared for in your absence.

How will they cope? Will they settle? Will they get along/make friends?

I totally get it! I’ve felt it several times with my own cats, small furries and now my dog, Willow.

But, what if I told you that your pets’ time with me will be like meeting up with a best friend for a good catch up - good company, plenty of fun (or chill time….thinking of our feline friends here!) and a whole lot of love!

You receive picture/video updates to help you see all is well.

On your return, you find your little best friend a content, happy little bean and suddenly, you realise those feelings of guilt and worry have disappeared.

This is why I do what I do. I genuinely care for the wellbeing of animals and their owners and like to think this comes across in the way I run Carrie’s Companions - with care and compassion.

Drop me a message to see how I can help you and your best friend.

24/06/2025

Uh oh! Guess who found a deer tick (red body, black legs) crawling on her jumper today and hasn’t been able to stop itching and shuddering since?!

Safe to say I have thoroughly checked myself over since coming home but was a stark reminder that I have to check not only myself, but Willow and the pups I walk for ticks.

It’s the time of year and the areas we walk will be rife with different varieties (nice).

Hopefully you find this visual helpful and not give you the heebie jeebies like I’ve been left with today 😳😂

21/06/2025

This made me chuckle….Willow is more the second version than the first 😂

Holy AssButts

20/06/2025

I want to shout from the rooftops how proud I am of Yakki.

She’s a rescue pup, super sweet and gentle natured but takes her time, and rightly so, to warm up to people.

This is only our third walk together. The last two, she has resisted in some places so using a gentle voice, soft chest rubs and some yummy treats, I would coax her along, when she was ready, so we could continue the walk.

This time was very different! She hopped confidently into my van and didn’t resist once for the entire walk! We enjoyed snuggles as we sat and watched the sheep, getting to know each other better over pieces of freshly cooked chicken.

It’s moments like these that really make my job worthwhile - gaining the trust of a cautious pup and watching their confidence blossom.

If you feel your own pup could benefit by becoming my new little bestie, I have an offer running. Drop me a message if you’d like more info!

20/06/2025

Just two crazy young collies enjoying a play date!

Caption it for me 😂

18/06/2025

How lucky am I? Not only do I get to snuggle four beautiful pups but their mum left me the most thoughtful surprise for me today.

Truly grateful and the flowers are now taking pride of place in our living room. The book looks right up my street too so can’t wait to get a little corner of the garden sorted so I can enjoy a quiet read while listening to the birds 🥰

18/06/2025

Willow demonstrating she can be a good girl 😂

My #1 training tip in my tool kit is establish good eye contact (also called focus and attention….probably others too!

Here’s why!

🐕 Without good eye contact, focus on you or attention, your dog isn’t listening to you and easier to succumb to distractions.

🐕 Eye contact is the foundation of all dog training - without it, the rest crumbles.

🐕 Helps strengthen your bond with your dog as you both ‘connect’ to one another.

What does it look like?

🧍 looking in the direction of your dog from a seated/standing position - no scowling, staring, glaring or in the dogs face to make them look at you while invading their space.

🐕 looking towards their owners eyes/face. Without fear, with anticipation/excitement about what’s to come next whether that be a new game (sit/lie down etc), a ‘good boy/good girl’ or a tasty treat.

If you’d like some tips on how to teach this, drop me a message. I’d be happy to help at no cost to you!

18/06/2025

If there’s one piece of advice I could offer dog pawrents who use a harness it would be:

Please choose a Y-shaped harness.

Benefits of a Y-shaped harness:

🐕 Enhanced comfort - The Y-shape distributes pressure across the chest and shoulders rather than concentrating it on the neck or throat, making it more comfortable, especially for dogs that pull or have sensitive necks.

🐕 Improved mobility - The design allows for a full range of motion in the front legs, which is crucial for active dogs or those involved in activities like hiking, running, or agility training. Your dog likes to swim? Some harnesses restrict leg movement and can lead to drowning!

🐕 Reduced risk of injury - By distributing pressure and avoiding restriction of movement, Y-shaped harnesses minimise the risk of neck or shoulder injuries, joint problems, or altered gait.

🐕 Better control - The even pressure distribution allows for better control, especially for dogs that tend to pull on the lead

🐕 Versatility - Y- shaped harnesses come in various designs, sizes, and materials to suit different dog breeds and activities.

🐕 Car Safety - by law, dogs need to be secured in vehicles and a dog seatbelt attached Y-shaped harness is one of the safest methods of travel if you like them to sit on a seat. In the event of an accident, or even harsh breaking/emergency stop, the force is distributed more evenly.

Things to think about when choosing a Y-shaped harness:

🐕 Ensure it fits well. You should be able to get 2/3 fingers, flat, through each strap. Too tight and it could restrict breathing. Too loose, it could rub and cause sores.

🐕 Material - choose something sturdy so it stands the test of time. Check stitching especially around fastenings and lead loops.

🐕 Lead loops - does it have a chest or back loop? Both would be best. Use the back loop to attach a training line or their lead. The chest loop is great for ‘steering’ if you have a double ended training lead.

🐕 Reflective patterns - fantastic for night time walking helping keep your dog safe and seen.

Here’s Willow modelling one of her Y-Shaped harnesses. I’d love to see pictures of your dog modelling theirs 🐕 🥰

17/06/2025

If I could go back and tell myself one thing before I started, it would be….don’t be scared, you’re about to start something MAGICAL.

I’ve told my epiphany moment a few times….sat on a bench overlooking a valley during a particularly tough time and asking the universe “what am I meant to do?!” When a lady with two whippet type dogs walked by. A moment with these dogs melted my worries and when they left, in my head popped “work with animals”.

I did a little research and quizzed my cousin (a successful dog walker based in Blackpool) and decided to offer dog walking and pet care services. I got my canine first aid, DBS and insurance set up and in March 2018 started plugging ‘Carrie’s Companions’.

Starting up in Ripon reminds me so much of those early days - worry if I’ll make it, scared about breaking into a new market/area where there are already so many wonderful pet care service providers, but filled with excitement to meet and work with new people and their beloved pets. It’s truly where my heart is and has been for 7+ years.

I am so grateful to the lady with the whippets, my cousin, my family and friends for sharing my business far and wide, but most importantly my past and present clients who have helped me build and shape a business I absolutely adore - it’s not a job, it’s a way of life.

16/06/2025

“My dog has some issues, will you still walk him/her?”

Let me tell you a little secret I wish all dog owners knew. There’s not one dog on this planet who is absolutely perfect. They may be close, but never 100%.

So, when I’m approached by an anxious client whose gorgeous, bundle of energy lab pulls like a train and has zero recall, or their timid cavapoo who takes time to warm up to people; even the terrier owner who’s sporting a few plasters on their hand after it being mistaken for the ball....I reassure that I will indeed still walk their dog!

Crazy right?!

Well, not really. You see, I love ALL dogs, not just the little angels who walk to heel or recall faster than Usain Bolt.

I love working them out, finding what makes them tick and how I can offer the BEST hour of their day. I watch their body language like a hawk in those early days as we build a mutual trust. Introductions with other dogs depend on personalities and I NEVER rush this!

I have many tricks up my sleeve to help nervous pups, boisterous, bouncing bundles of fun, toy hoggers (and destroyers!) wannabe sled dogs and other doggy related issues.

So if you think your pup (regardless of age!) would benefit from some good fun with friends,
get in touch for a no obligations meet & greet as I’d love to meet you both!