Warm(er) weather!!

The ground has been slippy and frozen solid for so long, I had almost forgotten what it was like to walk normally i.e. not be watching where every single footstep is being placed for fear of a broken limb!

I eventually got winter tyres put on my van, just in time for the weather to go above 10 degrees! Oh well, at least I should be a bit more prepared for next winter.
Two lovely walks today, up in Drymen and the other around Drumclog Moor with all great dogs that just love the walks!
Isn’t this photo of Rocco hysterical? It does look like a big cigar………

Jude


It is with a very heavy heart that I’m writing this.

Jude became unwell around a week ago, and unfortunately was diagnosed with a massive tumour, from which he didn’t recover. He was
eighteen months old.
I can’t describe all the things that I loved about Jude – his boundless enthusiasm, his great joy to see me (he used to bounce about 5 feet in the air), the way he found every bit of dirt, bog, and muck that were to be had on our walks, his great love for my dog Ivy. He was my poster boy for getting into the van (a lead was never, ever needed!) and he absolutely adored our walks together. He was such a pleasure, and I’m finding it very difficult to imagine our walks without him. He never strayed, you never needed to “check” his behaviour, he was always just boisterous, loving, friendly, funny, dependable Jude. Ivy won’t know who to play with, and I know there will never be another quite like him. My heartfelt sympathy goes to his owners, who I know loved him very much.

Bye, bye my big boy, I will miss you so much.

A warm welcome to our newest member – Rusty!

I haven’t posted my blog properly for a couple of weeks – sorry! Between the snow (so fed up with it now!) and trying to get organised for Christmas I have just been so busy!

Most of my dogs are now back to their normal walks after the Festive break, so as long as that snow stays away everything should be back to normal!
Today, I welcomed a new pack member – Rusty the Cocker Spaniel. He jumped into the van (always like when that happens!!), travelled really well, was off lead within 5 minutes of starting the walk and got on great with all the other dogs. He came back to me instantly that I called him (perfect), and he comes from a loving and caring home , so I know that we are going to get on just great! Welcome Rusty!

A warm welcome to our newest member – Poppy!

On a very cold day, I welcomed a new member into the pack – Poppy (the black lab with the ears flapping!)

She was so friendly it was impossible to get a photo of her on her own, she was always surrounded by other dogs!
Poppy surprised me by leaping straight into the van, and she travelled really well. Normally with a new dog I will keep them on the lead for a while (in some cases a number of walks!) but I knew with Poppy that she was going to be great – and I wasn’t disappointed.
She ran, played and interacted well with all the other dogs and had a blast chasing Buddy (the brown cocker in the picture) on the moor at full pelt. The first time I called on her she instantly ran back to me – perfect!
Poppy is a beautiful girl with a lovely nature and she comes from a loving and caring home – my favourite kind of dog! Welcome Poppy – you and I are going to get on just brilliantly!

Juno goes home….

Juno has been on her holidays with me for the last ten days, while her owners were “tying the knot”. Congratulations to Noori and Stuart!

Juno has been the perfect house guest – she LOVES her walks, gets on so well with Holly & Ivy, my kids adore her (me too!!) and she has the sweetest nature. She has had some great (if very snowy!) walks – at Mugdock Country Park (when I could get there), up at Drymen and at Queen’s view.
I have really loved having Juno to stay, she is such a great dog. I am going to miss her so much…

Who can spot Coco?

Out on a very cold moor first thing this morning with Holly & Ivy, Rudi & Sheulie, Kellie, Herbie and Coco.

All the dogs are in this photo, but Coco with her pure white coat has vanished!!
My van slipped and slid all the way up to Mugdock Country Park today, and it was so worth it when we got there. The scenery was breath-taking, the sun was shining, the snow was beautiful and best of all I had the place to myself!! (Don’t think anyone else was mad enough to attempt the single track snow covered road!!)

Beautiful Day!

If only every day were like today – you could walk forever when the conditions are this great.

Two fantastic walks today – the first at Mugdock with Holly & Ivy, Rudi & Sheulie, Kellie, Herbie, Lucy and new boy Max (who is still a little unsure!).
This afternoon was out at Drymen for a change of scene with Rio, Laddie & Meg, Kellie, Riley, Jude, Buddy and Skye.
The scenery today was breathtaking – I am so lucky to have a job that I love with the best dogs ever!!

The rain never came….!

A great morning walk with Holly, Ivy and Boris (the Vizsla), Herbie (the lab), Kellie (the spaniel), Vito (the wolf) and Coco (the maltese cross). Vito and Boris did enjoy a fair amount of “rough” play, but at least it kept Vito out of the mud!

This afternoon I walked with Skye, Buddy, Jude, Zola, Riley, Kellie and new girl Rio who had a breakthrough today by just bouncing into the van – yeah!
Most dogs are a little strange with the van to start with, but it isn’t long before they realise that they are going on a great walk – and then I can hardly get the van door open as they are desperate to get in!!

Look at the top of this photo…….SUNSHINE!

There’s something I haven’t seen for a while, the sunshine – which made a welcome return today! It was so cold this morning that I had to scrape the van windows, but this is the most perfect day for dog walking…..it is days like today that I forget to stop!

A great morning walk with Holly & Ivy, Rudi & Sheulie, Monty, Lucy, Coco and Kellie and we met my friend Rona and her two dogs so there was quite a pack of us!
My black labs are on holiday this week, so a quieter afternoon walk with Skye, Jude, Buddy, Kellie and Riley…..I love days like today and hope the sun stays for a wee while.

Two Rhodesian Ridgebacks!

An uneventful, if wet, morning walk and then up to Drymen this afternoon for a change of scene (and trying to escape the rain!!).

No joy as was pouring with rain the whole time but we all still enjoyed our walk, but never passed a single person.
It was the first walk that my two Ridgebacks have been on together and they loved playing with each other! Between trying to get them both to stay still long enough for a photo, and the heavy rain, this was the best photo there was…..Zola normally hates the rain, but today Rio took her mind off it!

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Testimonials

Wild Side Walks is simply the best dog walking business there is. Jacqui is outstanding in every way and both our dogs are in extremely good hands. They are safe, well cared for and have a great time every time they’ve been out with Jacqui. Our dogs have been with Jacqui for years. In all this time, they’ve been reliably walked in beautiful places. There’s never been a day when we’ve been let down. I would not entrust our dogs to anyone else.

Shireen Davies

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