We invited members of the congregation to attend our wedding, and stay for drinks afterwards. One of them kindly brought along Sadie, this beautiful Parsons Jack Russell terrier, who was rescued less than a year ago. She also wore a large cream bow, which looked even bigger on such a small dog. As the priest announced that the ceremoney was complete the congregation applauded. The little dog joined in, barking loudly, to the delight of all concerned. She then posed patiently for dozens of photos.

her owners work in call center outsourcing, and they work shifts to fit in their dog care responsibilities.

One thing that was really annoying as a dog owner was the fact that so many pubs, bars and restaurants were suddenly off limits.  Here in the UK most catering outlets believe (mistakenly) that it is against the law to allow dogs in restaurants.  This is not true – obviously they should not be roaming around the kitchens sniffing the food, but dogs can accompany their families for an enjoyable meal inside the restaurant.  I mentioned in an earlier article that we met a delightful pug called Betty in an Amsterdam restaurant earlier this year.  Betty’s owner told me that Amsterdam is a very dog friendly city, and they do not have to leave their dog at home when enjoying an evening out.  Who knows – if Betty the Pug applies some anti wrinkle eye cream she might be able to bluff her way in to an English eatery until a similar approach to pet friendly venues prevails in the UK.

We have just come back from a short break in Amsterdam, one of the trips that is easier to take while we do not own a dog.  A few more trips are planned before the happy day when I can adopt another rescue dog!  One surprise on this trip was the fantastic relaxed dog friendly policy that applies over there.  Dog ownership seems to be quite high in Holland, and there were plenty of cute dogs shopping with their owners.  A big surprise for me came one evening when we were dining in a wine bar/restaurant and I realised that the couple at a nearby table had their Pug dog sitting beside them while they ate.  The Pug, named Betty, was only six months old and she was very well behaved. Nobody was bothered by her presence, in fact they probably didn’t notice she was there.  I, of course, went over to meet her and she graciously accepted some chips as a small treat.

I wish we had more restaurants in the UK where dogs are welcom: at present dog owners eating out are made to feel like pariahs as the staff barcode scanner cannot cope with welcoming a dog on the premises.

Until we can adopt another rescue dog, we are looking after friends’ dogs occasiionally if they go on holiday or to weddings. The latest guest is Primrose, shown here in the photo. She is an 11-year old Standard Poodle, a statuesque lady who was actually born in Australia. She came all the way to Sussex last year when her family returned to the UK. Like many older dogs, she is not very playful, but she enjoys walking on the beach and unlike Kevin, she likes going in the sea. Primrose was welcomed to her holiday home with a large juicy lamb bone, to overcome any homesickness.

She really enjoys walking on grass when answering a call of nature, requiring careful choice of
Dansko professional footwear on my part.

Dog friendly places to eat in London are rare, and usually they are pubs or separate rooms in cafes. More often than not, the term ‘dog friendly’ simply means you can eat at an outside table – not much use in January!

Now a new pub/restaurant, The Commander, in Hereford Grove, is in the heart of trendy Notting Hill – London W2. It has been well known as a gastro pub but when it reopens next week there will be a dog friendly bar & restaurant, deli, market area and a butcher on-site. So after sitting down for a nice relaxing meal with your pet, you can buy some delicious sausages for the dog – in case he is hungry again by the time you get home.

I think this is an excellent development and hope other places follow suit. remember when a restaurant would ask your preference -  ’smoking or non-smoking’? Well now the choice could be dogs or no dogs? Would-be dog owners will also get a chance to sit near some lovely well-behaved dogs and if the ask nicely they might be able to give them a tit bit. Read more »

Since we moved to Arundel, West Sussex, we have found plenty of dog friendly pubs as well as shops, and it makes life a lot easier for Mum and Dad. This week we paid our second visit to the Swan Hotel Arundel, where I can go anywhere except the restaurant section. This is fine, as they serve food in the bar as well so we get everything we want. Mum and Dad can have a meal in the pub while I entertain my fans. On Monday we took part in the weekly quiz, of course they hardly knew any answers. While they were struggling, my employment was to distract the other contestants as much as possible!