If you've got a dog who sprints to find something the moment you walk through the door, you'll know exactly what I mean. It doesn't matter how long you've been gone. Five minutes to put the bins out. Three hours at work. The result is the same - you open the door and they're already zooming off to find a toy, a sock, a random bit of cardboard, anything  - and presenting it to you with the energy of someone who has been waiting their whole life for this moment. Peanut (one of

When someone gets in touch with Dottie PAWS, the first thing I say is always the same: before we do anything, let's have a proper meet. Not a quick hello or a five-minute handover on the doorstep. A real conversation about your dog, their history, what they love, what worries them and what a good walk looks like for them. So what actually happens at a meet and greet? Before we meet, I'll send you a pre-meet form. One of the most important things for me to understand initially

If you follow Dottie PAWS, you’ll know that finding the right environment for dogs who don’t thrive in busy, unpredictable spaces is something I think about a lot. So when I discovered Woofing Woods, I had a feeling it was going to be something a bit special and I wasn’t wrong. What Is Woofing Woods? Woofing Woods is a private hire woodland space. When you book a session, the entire space is yours - 4.57 acres of secure woodland to explore at your own pace.  Think of it like

I’ve made no secret that at Dottie PAWs we love a scent game and this is one is one of my favourites. They’re a good option when you can’t fit in a longer walk, maybe your dog (or you) are recovering or they just need a different type of exercise and mental stimulation ticks the boxes. Why sniffing is more than just a nice-to-have Before I get into the actual game, can I just say something about sniffing as it gets a bit underestimated. We tend to think that a tired dog equal

I'll be honest, the first time I heard about hiring a private dog field, I wasn't really sure if it might be a bit underwhelming! And then I actually tried one. And now I genuinely think they're one of the most underrated things in dog ownership. What even is a private dog field? The basic idea is simple: a fully enclosed, secure space that's just yours for up to an hour. There are no other dogs or strangers appearing from nowhere. It's just you, your dog, and whatever they d

There's a big difference between a place that allows dogs and a place that really welcomes them. You generally know it when you first walk in. Dog-friendly can sometimes just mean there's a water bowl somewhere and if you're lucky it's got clean water in it. Dog- comfortable  means your dog's genuinely part of things and also the staff are pleased to see them. We are really lucky in Ilkley to have so many bars, shops and restaurants that are dog friendly. I'd recommend ha

When I first heard someone describe Dottie as "reactive," I thought they were being polite. What they really meant, I assumed, was that she was aggressive. Badly behaved. A problem dog. Turns out I was completely wrong. And honestly, I wish someone had explained what reactive actually means years earlier. Would've saved me a lot of stress and a fair bit of unnecessary guilt. What reactive doesn't mean Let's start with what reactive doesn't mean. It doesn't mean your dog's ag

(And a few enrichment ideas that cost nothing) When people think about exercising their dog, they often picture long walks, distance covered, or a dog that comes home tired enough to collapse on the floor. Physical movement matters, of course. But for many dogs, especially those who are sensitive, nervous, reactive or easily overstimulated, what really helps them feel settled isn’t more walking. It’s more thinking. This is where enrichment comes in. Enrichment does not have t

Owning a sensitive or reactive dog doesn’t just affect the dog, it affects the person holding the lead. It feels like every walk requires planning. Choosing the right time - yep I'm often the one out at 6am! Scanning the horizon for other dogs, runners, or people wearing an odd looking hat. Watching body language constantly. Making decisions before situations unfold. By the time you've changed your route for the tenth time to dodge a possible incident, it ends up not just

People often ask how Dottie PAWS began. The short answer is because of one very clever and lovable, but slightly crazy dog called Dottie. The longer answer is realising that not all dogs need the same kind of care. Dottie came into our lives in March 2020 at the beginning of lockdown. Like many of us, at that time, our world was quite different. There were few cars on the road, no visitors to our home, the parks were empty - outside was very quiet. As life opened back up, it