Must Love Dogs

03/05/2024

Beautiful baby Daphne has never been away from home…and with her first holiday being at Must Love Dog’s - my initial statement remains true…she is now at her second home getting to know all her new family members…

At 5 months old, the world is still new and exciting, and for a rather skittish, socially inexperienced baby, I like to let them relax in close proximity with their new pack members…showing them not to be a threat. Those who nap together, pack together…and ultimately love each other…💕

Must Love Dogs is where little dogs feel safe and at home! 💕

If this looks like something you’d love for your special one, simple mail me at [email protected] and let’s connect.

Lots of Love,

Ineke
MLD creator & Hotel Mommy

Must Love Dogs
Specialist in Small Dog Care
Multi Award Winning
~ Since 2010

21/04/2024

Must Love Dogs won our 7th Award this month!

We are exceptionally grateful to be acknowledged as leaders in our field, and for the sacrifices and dedication to our babies over the last 14 years to be recognised by those who have observed and experienced our passion and care - thank you all!

While uploading my latest video to Youtube, I happened upon some old videos of 3 of our earliest TV appearances back in 2011. I was a different woman then, only a girl really and I had different ideas about what looking after dogs meant. I was focussed a lot on the luxuries we as people appreciate - but had not experienced enough to have accumulated wisdom into what the dogs themselves would love. And what would they REALLY love? Dogs value your time, attention, your touch, your kisses, your voice. They love it when you’re happy, when you dance…they love music! They like to be looked at, massaged, acknowledged…they like friends, company, to dig, sniff, bark, nap, unfettered exploration, freshly cooked meals - all of which translate to that often carelessly tossed around word- LOVE!

No TV, no pretty bed, and no carefully placed video cam (where anxious mommies having heart failure because their baby went out for a p*e late at night) - can ever replace relaxing and ‘being’ part of a loving pack, and ultimately trusting the person in their charge to be there for them when they get sick, or when they want to snuggle. Operating in this manner is a huge responsibility - but once you understand this as the key to happiness for dogs, you can never go back, and the sacrifices one makes are fully justified. As I always say, “A gold cage is still a cage…”

My wish that we could all do better for our dogs so many years ago has certainly bore some fruition over a decade later - and many places have followed suit - yay for that! If that was my only contribution to the world - I could certainly hold my head up high knowing I made a difference, so for that I am happy.

We’d love for like-minded individuals and their precious babies to join our MLD Family!

Pop me a mail, and Iet’s make it happen…you deserve peace of mind, and your babies deserve a little adventure! 💕

Lots of love,

Ineke xx
MLD Creator & Hotel Mommy
[email protected]

14/02/2024

May all the special babies out there “get the best of your LOVE” today and ALWAYS! 💗

…And just because we are feeling particularly LOVED up right now - we have a little special running until mid March for two babies or more per stay!

Pop us an email on [email protected] to book and arrange your interview…

Lots of love,

Ineke & Lady Jane (my dance partner & BEST Friend in the world)) 💗

Must Love Dogs
Specialist in Small Dog Care
Multi Award Winning (6 times)
Since 2010

14/12/2023

This beautiful old gent, Napoleon reminds me so much of my Franky who passed away a few years ago…when I looked after him the first time earlier this year, it was as if Franky’s spirit had found it’s way back to me…Napoleon feels like home, he’s blind and deaf, but so happy to be alive…if I’m not in his immediate vicinity he knows, and starts wandering around barking, looking for me…I didn’t think I’d see him again, but here we are, reunited! No matter what, we have so much beauty and love to fall into…always. ❤️

25/08/2023

Who said hanging out in hotel lobbies is boring? At Must Love Dogs…it’s the perfect opportunity for some extra cuddles! When you have dogs in your life…there is no such thing as boring! 🥰🥰🥰

10/01/2022

I share these beautiful memories with you all today as a gift, firstly - to thank all of you for your continued support and trust. And secondly, as a testament to all the babies, your precious dogs - who I’ve had the honour of getting to know and love over the years, my best friends. My family.

These special individuals who I share my life, my bed, and my heart with have been my DNA, my lifeblood, my lessons, my tincture for understanding what is and isn’t important.

We have had fun together, danced together and learned so much about life together. We’ve enjoyed moments in time with each other that no video or amount of carefully curated words could ever express properly - ever.

Walking this world with dogs as my main life players has been humbling, heartbreaking, and the necessary medicine that has healed and taught me more about myself and my heart, than I could ever have learned without them. I have known no other way for so long, and I could never have dreamed as a little girl, eager to grow up and escape my not so wonderful family life, that my healing would come from being of service to dogs.

I had no idea.

This all happened like kismet for me, it was as if with every step of recovery from a not so happy life, I stepped closer to dogs…it became as I became. I owe a debt of gratitude to every awful and wonderful thing I learned through making a life being of service to my favourites, my dogs.

Being a Mommy, a friend, a support and a consummate hostess to all my “guests” at what I now lovingly call a HOMEtel - (get it?) - takes a LOT of effort, passion, focus and dedication if you want it to have any value.

Dedication to giving them all the BEST service, the BEST experience and the BEST I have inside of me. What I do is personal, it’s intimate and it’s a part of my soul.

I want to thank everyone who understands and appreciates my vision, my ethos and the oftentimes eccentric way I manage my time and space, for “getting it.” For “getting” me, and trusting me to do such an important job.

These last two years have seen a rather amazing evolution in the vision I had for MLD, and I believe that after over 11 years of service, I am at point now where I know with greater surety, how I would like to continue this journey, my life.

I will give further updates once I have taken a little brain holiday away from being a Mommy and a caregiver to so many, to fill my depleted cup again, and start anew.

Here’s to a special New Year filled with hidden gifts waiting to be unwrapped, to creating new projects, new perspectives, and new roads to dance along. May this be a year where we all walk boldly in our authenticity and glorious light. Where even where we feel scared, we choose to be brave. Where we shed those tight, uncomfortable skins that no longer serve us. Here’s to us all standing up, shining in our wisdom and the legacy we each came to this earth to leave. I’m ready for that! I hope to meet you all along the way…

I send lots of love your way, and with it, every benefit it brings!

Thank you,

Ineke ❤️

I share these beautiful memories with you all today as a gift, firstly - to thank all of you for your continued support and trust. And secondly, as a testame...

05/09/2021

It feels like forever since I’ve shared some LOVE with you all…because that’s what it is, isn’t it? Love. These videos…these stories. They are quite literally, love in motion!

It certainly hasn’t been an easy time in most of our lives…however the moments of joy have been there! The consideration and care remain constant when it comes to the relationships with all my precious dogs. My babies, my best friends…the ones who know me best…and still love me, regardless…

So, as the sun starts to shine more, and new leaves start pushing through…I feel a tenderness in my heart between me and you.

The way to make things better, is to make yourself better first…and that’s what I’ve been doing - with a little help from my friends!

We send SO MUCH love your way…and hope that our moments together are in some small way of benefit to you!

Keep dancing, drink lots of water…follow the sun - and most importantly - take care of your furry companions with the love and reverence they deserve…always! ❤️

05/07/2021

It's been some time since I've shared with you all, I know. It seems like a lifetime ago. As I flicked through and uploaded all these little gems, I am reminded of a beautiful part of our history. There is a certain longing for what was, sometimes - but also relief in this parting of ways.

In March I had started implementing a new way of doing things at MLD. If I am honest this new way has been organically manifesting for a long time already. Things changed after Leia passed, and then again when I took over my bookings, and once more when I moved into MLD. There has been an awesome amount of changes over this last decade - only now, the unconscious has become conscious. I have the steering wheel firmly in hand. A fresh perspective on how I conduct my business, my life and the rhythm of what I do.

There has been a marked difference in what I see as important now, and what I did a year ago, even last month - it changes all the time. This is good, because it indicates growth, even through times like now, where it may look stagnant to the untrained eye.

Growth isn't about sparkly bells and whistles, or the loudest declarations of virtue. No, I believe that anything of substance and value is oftentimes soft and silent. Unbecoming happens in the shadows of what was before - and is more powerful than anything available to describe it. It just is.

It happens in the spaces between, it happens with focussed intention, discernment, and acceptance of what no longer is, and never will be.

The in-between used to cause me a lot of discomfort and anxiety - however, I have realised that that is only so because black and white are so obvious and simpler to discern between. It's either here or there. What I am finding delight in - is the grey.

Magic manifests in the grey shadows of life - the part where you can't always see - but you know it's right there. You know this because your heart leads the way. You know this, because it isn't easy.

I thank you all for being there with us in the spaces in between and look forward to a new era where the seeds I am planting drink the water of intention and grow into something more special than before.

05/07/2021

It's been some time since I've shared with you all, I know. It seems like a lifetime ago. As I flicked through and uploaded all these little gems, I am reminded of a beautiful part of our history. There is a certain longing for what was, sometimes - but also relief in this parting of ways.

In March I had started implementing a new way of doing things at MLD. If I am honest this new way has been organically manifesting for a long time already. Things changed after Leia passed, and then again when I took over my bookings, and once more when I moved into MLD. There has been an awesome amount of changes over this last decade - only now, the unconscious has become conscious. I have the steering wheel firmly in hand. A fresh perspective on how I conduct my business, my life and the rhythm of what I do.

There has been a marked difference in what I see as important now, and what I did a year ago, even last month - it changes all the time. This is good, because it indicates growth, even through times like now, where it may look stagnant to the untrained eye.

Growth isn't about sparkly bells and whistles, or the loudest declarations of virtue. No, I believe that anything of substance and value is oftentimes soft and silent. Unbecoming happens in the shadows of what was before - and is more powerful than anything available to describe it. It just is.

It happens in the spaces between, it happens with focussed intention, discernment, and acceptance of what no longer is, and never will be.

The in-between used to cause me a lot of discomfort and anxiety - however, I have realised that that is only so because black and white are so obvious and simpler to discern between. It's either here or there. What I am finding delight in - is the grey.

Magic manifests in the grey shadows of life - the part where you can't always see - but you know it's right there. You know this because your heart leads the way. You know this, because it isn't easy.

I thank you all for being there with us in the spaces in between and look forward to a new era where the seeds I am planting drink the water of intention and grow into something more special than before.

06/06/2021

Chilly schmilly! 🙄

There’s SO much love going around here...that it may as well be Summer!

Dog Wisdom goes a little something like this...

1. If it’s cold - run around outside with your friends and play.

Seems to work quite nicely... However I’ll be the videographer for today...just saying! 😉

Featured in this shmoozy little music video are this weekends’ guests.

Yoda & Pepper - The Pekes
Benjamin & Spencer - The Biewers
Jozy- The Pug
Misty & Maya - The Fuzzy Grey baby & the Dashie x
Alaska, Freddy & Henry - The 3 legged Dapple, The Brown Dashie & the Wire-haired Dashie &
Ami - The Jack Russel
..& of course my own dog tribe!

Hope this puts a smile on your dial & spreads a little luuuurve & inspiration!

Lots of love from all of us at Must Love Dogs! 💗💗💗

31/05/2021