Bilbo’s Bandanas

25/12/2024

Paper Christmas hat bandanas. Available now in the shop 😆

13/12/2024

🎄🎅🐕🎀☃️💝I’m only doing one Christmas stall this year - Sunday 15th December 730pm at The Puppy Nanny at Contented Canines Training School Christmas party at Glossop North End. Looking forward to seeing the Christmas fancy dress!

18/08/2024

Look at those tweeds. I was surrounded by gorgeous rural threads at today’s stall. Thanks to all who bought a bandana or just had a chat about my old sewing machine

18/06/2024

After just being tripped up and falling to the floor yesterday when a dog darted in front of me from a pavement cafe I could not agree more.

Bilbo’s Bandanas promotes using a short lead for general dog walking, every time

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗜 𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗔 𝗗𝗢𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗥

The dog was being walked on a pavement next to a road....

On a retractable lead

The dog suddenly leapt into the road

Luckily due to my lightning reflexes ⚡ I swerved my car just in time

Thankfully there was no other vehicles coming towards me in the opposite direction. Thankfully as I was able to swerve rather than suddenly brake I avoided the possibility of the car behind colliding with mine

There could have been 1 dead dog, a devastated owner, a traumatized me (and other driver) and two damaged cars. All because someone chose to use a retractable lead next to a road

I'm shaken

The owner got angry with his dog and gave it a big tug with the lead and shouted. I understand the frustration, especially when a dog that usually keeps to the pavement suddenly does the unexpected, but the dog didn't deserve a telling off because the dog was just being a dog

This could have been avoided by clipping the dog onto a short lead

Now I'm not against retractable leads unlike most dog professionals. I do actually think they a few specific and appropriate uses. But we must put safety first and consider others around us

A retractable lead is not the right lead choice while walking along the pavement. If you use the extension of the lead in an open area then you need to carry the retractable lead with you, and attach your dog onto a short lead while you walk to that destination.

PLEASE if you use a retractable lead, you need to do a quick risk assessment. Is the environment an appropriate place to use this lead? What could go wrong? If you are near a road then the answer is no and you could be risking your dog's life

There are people that will be reading this that will think it won't happen to them and that I am being dramatic. Surely nobody thinks it'll happen to their dog? Nobody attaches their dog to a retractable lead, walks near a road and expects their dog to jump into oncoming traffic

I actually know two dogs that lost their lives by being hit by cars due to inappropriate use of a retractable lead. Those people didn't think it would happen to them either.

The truth is this can happen to any dog. Dogs are unpredictable, even he most 'obedient' and well trained dog. The dog I nearly hit today was simply SNIFFING something interesting in the road

No dog is a robot

Dogs get startled

Dogs instincts take over

Don't risk it. Not only is it not fair on your dog to put them at risk like this, it is not fair for road users

05/06/2024

Fill in the Dogs Trust National Dog survey and find out how popular your dogs name is! (From last weekend’s dog walk I know there’s already 3 other Bilbos out there)

We’re calling on all dog lovers to be part of the UK’s biggest dog survey and help us make the world a better place for our four-legged friends. Have your say!

01/06/2024

The new set up; a home from home market stall come car awning. Do you like it?

25/05/2024

Who would have thought that the best afternoon tea I have EVER eaten would be made by a Mountain Rescue crew? Better than Buckingham Palace (and I can actually say this as randomly I went to the Royal Garden Party last week - BP’s catering not a PATCH on )

25/05/2024

Enjoying morning coffee this morning and barn reading last night courtesy of

18/05/2024

14/04/2024

Beautiful sunny and foresty walk today around the edges of and