Always Dog Friendly

Always Dog Friendly Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Always Dog Friendly, Digital creator, Reading.

🐾 Sniffing out the best dog-friendly places across the UK – from cosy stays and scenic days out to beaches, pubs and cafés 🐕 Plus honest reviews of tried-and-tested treats, gear and everyday essentials for life with your pup 🐶

🐶⚓️ Postcards from Brixham - a few snaps from a sunny Sunday in South Devon ☀️📸 A few weeks ago on our way home from , o...
10/06/2026

🐶⚓️ Postcards from Brixham - a few snaps from a sunny Sunday in South Devon ☀️📸

A few weeks ago on our way home from , on a complete whim we decided to make a stop in the lovely little town of Brixham 🇬🇧  it oozes British seaside vibes, and we ended up spending a lovely couple of hours wandering around with the dogs 🐾🐕

I'd never been to Brixham before, but Si used to holiday here as a child, so it was nice to finally see it for myself. If you've never been, think colourful fishing boats ⚓️ little independent shops 🛍️ ice cream by the harbour 🍦 and plenty of interesting smells & people-watching opportunities for 👀🐶

If you fancy a trip to Brixham with your pooch, I'd recommend avoiding the middle of the day during the school holidays - especially if your dog is reactive 🐕 We visited on a sunny Sunday before the summer rush arrived, and it was busy enough then - so I imagine it gets pretty packed once schools break up! 🚸 A couple of other things worth knowing:

• 🐾 Not everywhere on the waterfront is as dog-friendly as it first appears, so check the rules before settling down for lunch
• ☀️ On hot days, aim for an early morning or late afternoon visit
• ⏰ A couple of hours is enough time to explore the harbour, browse the shops and stop for something to eat 😋

Speaking of food... We ended up having lunch at right on the harbour, and honestly, the oysters were incredible! 🦪 Si had a fresh crab baguette, I had the smoked salmon salad, and the dogs tried some 'Ocean Pinks' 🦐 Olive inhaled hers and immediately started asking for more. Errol took one bite, spat it out, and made it very clear that he'd rather stick to his treats instead 🦴😂 The boy has a refined palate, obviously!

Overall, we'd definitely go back 🐾 Maybe not in the school hols, but for a sunny harbour-side mooch, an ice cream and some excellent seafood? Absolutely ⚓️🦪

Have you visited Brixham with your dog? 📌 Save this post for future travels! And let me know your favourite Devonshire dog-friendly spots below 👇

09/06/2026

🐶📣 Exciting news for dog owners... Years is now available in Pets at Home 🙌🏼🛒

Previously, was only available via subscription, but you can now pick it up in your Pets at Home stores nationwide, too! 🐾

As many of you know, have been enjoying Years for a few months now, so we're pleased to see it become even more accessible. It's also the highest-rated dog food in the UK according to ⭐

As people who travel with their dogs A LOT, it's really reassuring to know that if we ever don't pack enough food, accidentally mix up a delivery date, or simply run short, we can pop into and pick up a food they're already used to eating 🙌🏼 For Errol especially, that's a big deal. With his sensitive tummy, we'd much rather avoid having to suddenly switch him onto something completely different while we're away 🏕🐶

Plus, if you've been curious about trying Years with your pup, but weren't sure about committing to a full subscription, this is a really easy way to give it a go 👍🏼 And if you'd like to sign up for a subscription afterwards, you can use our code OLIVEANDERROLYEARS for:

• 🎁 A FREE Plaque Guard worth £19.95 with your 7-day trial
• 💸 15% off your first box after your trial

Have you spotted Years in your local Pets at Home yet? Let us know below 👀👇

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06/06/2026

🐕🚣🏼‍♀️ Shorely this beats sitting on a crowded beach all afternoon?! 🌊🐶

Want the location? 📍 Watch to the end for details 😉

One of the things we love most about taking the dogs with us kayaking 🐕 is that it gives us access to places we'd never normally see from land. Quiet coves, hidden beaches and beautiful stretches of coastline that feel completely different when viewed from the water 🌊

The Optimal 2-person kayak from has opened up a whole new way for the four of us to explore together - and I have a feeling it's only the start of our adventures! 🛶💦

A few things we've learned about kayaking with dogs so far:

• 🦺 Life jackets are non-negotiable for us - Olive and Errol always wear their buoyancy aids, even though Errol is a strong swimmer. Water conditions can change quickly, and it gives us much greater peace of mind if anything unexpected happens!
• ☀️ Don't forget sun protection - Dogs can get sunburnt too, particularly on lighter-coloured noses and thinner-coated areas. We always apply a dog-safe waterproof sunscreen to Errol's snout before heading out.
• 🌊 Start on calm water - This trip was helped enormously by the fact the sea was incredibly calm. It's much easier for dogs to build confidence when they're not dealing with waves, wakes or strong currents.
• 🐾 Give them plenty of grip - One thing we really liked about the Sandbanks kayak was the textured surface, which helped stop the dogs sliding around constantly.
• 💧 Expect to get wet - Even if your dogs stay onboard, they'll somehow manage to bring half the ocean back into the kayak with them! 😂
• ⏱️ Keep early trips short and positive - We'd much rather finish while the dogs are still enjoying themselves than push them beyond their comfort zone.

We're still learning ourselves, but it's been brilliant finding a way for Simon, and I to all get out on the water together 💦🐕🛶

Have you ever tried kayaking or paddleboarding with your dog? I'd love to hear any tips or lessons you've picked up along the way 👇

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22/05/2026

🐶🦴 Why does dog eating ASMR sound absolutely disgusting… yet also weirdly satisfying?! 🎧😂

Today’s soundtrack: Errol aggressively crunching his way through some Chicken Feet! We decided to try these after seeing a post from talking about the benefits of chicken feet as a natural treat 👀🐾 Somehow the sound of tiny little bones being cronched to pieces becomes acceptable when it’s your dog doing it 🤢🤣

These chicken feet went down VERY well with 🐶 They’re a simple natural chew with lots of nutritional benefits too, which made me curious to give them a try:

• 💪 Naturally contains collagen, glucosamine & chondroitin – often linked to joint support
• 🦷 Crunchy texture – which may help support dental health and gum stimulation
• 🌱 Minimally processed – just air-dried chicken feet with no artificial additives
• 🔥 Lower calorie than many longer-lasting natural chews
• 🐕 Fully digestible for most dogs, unlike some harder chews and bones

Sitting in the sunshine, crunching on some healthy snacks, was the perfect way to calm the dogs down after their beach antics in Loe Bar. But I’ll stop talking and let the cronching do the rest 🎧🐾 Are you pro or anti dog eating ASMR?! 👇

🐶🎓 Grade 1: officially complete 🎓🐶 This week, Errol officially graduated from Grade 1 training with … and honestly, I co...
21/05/2026

🐶🎓 Grade 1: officially complete 🎓🐶

This week, Errol officially graduated from Grade 1 training with … and honestly, I could not be prouder of him 🥹🐾

These photos are from his final “Tunnel of Temptation” challenge — the last test before graduation. The goal sounds simple: put your dog on a place bed, walk 50m away through a path full of distractions, then call them back to you. But in reality… it was SO much harder than that 💪🏼 Between Errol and I were treats scattered on the floor, an open jar of peanut butter, balls, tug toys, other dogs waiting nearby, and even Stephen — the giant soft toy you can spot in the background 😂🐻

The challenge wasn’t just the recall itself. First, he had to stay calmly on his place bed while I walked away from him with my back turned, trusting that he’d hold position until released. Then, when I finally called him, he had to ignore every single temptation and choose to come straight back to me. And to add even more pressure… Errol was first up 😅

I was SO nervous watching him leave the place bed. In the first few photos, you can actually see him lowering his head towards the peanut butter and treats, and I genuinely thought we were about to fail at the first hurdle 😂 But then he listened, focused, and charged straight through every distraction to get back to me. Honestly, seeing him choose me over all of that felt really emotional 🥹

We’ve been training with Wicked Waggles every Tuesday evening since the end of January, doing weekly classes, homework exercises and filling in a training diary — and the progress we’ve seen in Errol has been incredible 💪🏼 Not only can he now hold a solid place command and recall brilliantly in most situations, but our loose lead walking has improved massively too. Walks feel calmer, easier and so much more enjoyable now, which makes such a difference day to day.

We’ve both learned so much through this process, and we genuinely can’t thank Klaudia enough for all of her help, support and advice along the way 💚 Still lots to work on, always… but this felt like a really special milestone for us 🐾

Grade 2 next 👀🎓

14/05/2026

🐕🚣🏼‍♀️ Water way to spend a sunny afternoon with the dogs! 🌊🐶

Ever wondered how inflatable kayaks actually work in real life…? 🛶 And whether they’re sturdy enough for two adults, two dogs (with pretty sharp claws) and a dry bag full of gear? 👀🌊

After our last Reel, loads of people messaged asking how we managed to fit us and the pups into the Optimal 2-person kayak from — so here’s a closer look at the setup, inflation and assembly process from our first trip out with it at Mothecombe in Devon 🏕️

We’ve tried paddleboarding and kayaking with Olive and Errol individually before, but never found a way for us to all be on the water together, until now 🌊 The main reason this setup worked so much better for us is simply the size and stability of the kayak. It comfortably fit 2 adults, 2 medium-sized dogs (well, maybe Errol is slightly bigger than “medium” 😂) and 1 dry bag with camera gear, drinks and beach bits.

A few useful specs/details for anyone considering one:

• 📏 It's 14ft / 427cm long and 35in / 89cm wide
• ⚖️ Has a max load capacity of 280kg
• 💪 Drop-stitch construction with V-shaped hull for added rigidity and stability
• 🌊 Inflates to 10–12 PSI, so feels much more solid than expected from an inflatable kayak
• 🪑 Includes 2x removable deluxe padded seats with back support
• 🛶 Includes paddles, dual-action pump, removable skeg, repair kit and wheelie carry bag
• 🚗 Packs down far smaller than a hard-shell kayak, so much easier for travelling and staycations
• ⏱️ Took us around 20mins to unpack, inflate and assemble fully for our first go
• 🐾 The textured rubber surface gave the dogs loads of grip and stopped them sliding around constantly
• 🌊 The drain plug made life much easier after two soggy pups repeatedly climbed back onboard with half the ocean 😂

Really grateful to have been this kayak from — excited to get plenty more practice in with the dogs over the summer ☀️

Got a question about our set-up, or kayaking with dogs? Drop a comment below or send over a DM 👇🏼

12/05/2026

🐶🥩 People always say “bet they eat you out of house and home”… Yep, they do, but specifically this cupboard! 🐕🤣

Can you believe this entire shelf is ONE month of fresh food for our two very energetic Australian Shepherds, ?! But the bit that's most surprising is that it’s fresh dog food that lives in the cupboard. Not the fridge, not the freezer… the cupboard!

The Cupboard Fresh™ meals from are made with real ingredients, tailored to each dog individually, and don’t contain artificial preservatives ✅️ Errol’s recipes are adjusted to avoid chicken because his stomach is much happier without it, while Olive happily chows down on whatever she's given 😉

Before Years, we'd tried frozen fresh food and raw feeding, but between losing half the freezer space and constantly having to remember to defrost everything overnight, it just became hard work 🤦🏼‍♀️ So being able to feed the dogs healthy, fresh food without completely sacrificing the freezer to dog food has made life SO much easier (and leaves more room for ice cream!) 🙃

If you’ve been curious about trying Years, you can use our code OLIVEANDERROLYEARS for a 7-day trial, and bag yourself a FREE Plaque Guard worth £19.95 too 🦷

If you give it a try, let us know how your pup gets on – we love hearing your experiences 🐾👇

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