We love and spoil our Dogs in Nottingham
December and January were busy months for Barking Mad Nottingham. We dropped off lots of holidaying dogs for their Christmas & New Year breaks and recruited several new host volunteers that are looking forward to their four-legged lodgers in the coming months.
In December we attended a charity event hosted by Jerry Green Dog Rescue called Santapaws at Wollaton Hall, where we met lots of lovely people and their dogs all dressed in their best Christmas outfits, ready to visit Santa Paws and tell him what good doggies they had been. We held a treat catching competition. The winner received a Christmas hamper full of goodies. We also met 3 lovely ladies that are now part of our Host community and excited to support Barking Mad in providing home from home Dog boarding.
Good doggies with Santapaws
Also in December we had a Christmas party for all of our current hosts, we had a delicious meal at the Tee House Restaurant at Hucknall golf course. It was lovely to get all of the hosts together so they could meet each over and share their Barking Mad experiences.
Good Food = Happy Hosts
In January we went to meet the local football team we have sponsored, Heanor Juniors Football Club. Their new away shirts with our Logo on look great. We wish them the best of luck for the rest of the season. They are a very talented and determined team, so we have no doubt they are going have a good year.
Barking Mad about Football
We have also been reviewing an innovative new product called Furbo, it alerts you if your dog is barking and lets you see and talk to your pooch whilst you are out. It is a fantastic product, my gorgeous cockerpoo Lola has definitely enjoyed me testing it, especially the treats I dispense to her when I am demonstrating it to my customers. Here’s a review and video that shows the product in use. Barking Mad Video Review of Furbo
Dates for your diary
31St March 2019 – We are going on a short walk with our current hosts and are inviting anyone that is interested in meeting us and understanding more about joining our host community. If you are interested please like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BarkingMadDogCareNottingham.com/ to see more details closer to the event. Or email me on donna.cotton@barkingmad.uk.com
Siesta Doggy Holidays
Over the last four weeks in the middle of our scorching summer, here at Barking Mad Nottingham we have been very busy arranging lots of dog boarding holidays. Thank goodness to the aircon in my Barking Mad car! I’ve been able to keep it cool whilst transporting our four-legged holiday makers to their destinations. Our five-star pet sitting service starts from the second we pick them up. Our holidaying dogs have had a few changes to their routines, by being walked first thing in a morning and last thing at night to avoid the heat. During the hottest part of the day they have been taking a Siesta inside whilst being cooled by a fan. It’s a dog’s life! But, why not? They are on holiday too and it’s what I like to do on holiday! Don’t you?
Holiday of cuddles
We had a fantastic day on the 5th Aug at Colliers Wood Dog Show at Moorgreen/Greasley where we met lots of new people. Despite it being one of the hottest days this year the turnout was great. There was plenty of water bowls being refilled to keep all the doggies cool. To my delight best in show was a super cute Cockerpoo. Two of my lovely host families came along to talk about the joys of being a Barking Mad host. We had the pleasure of meeting the lovely June Layton the chairman of the Greasley Parish Council and her husband Lionel who are both true dog lovers. We also raised money for Dogs for Good towards the next puppy Barking Mad plan to buy.
Colliers Wood Talking Dogs
We attended Beauvale Priory Beer Festival on Sunday 26th August for the Fun Dog Show. Unfortunately, the rain was so heavy the turn out wasn’t great. The Organisers One Paw at a Time did a great job and managed to do pull together a shorter contest before we went home to get warm and dry in front of the log fire.
Myself and Nicola from Barking Mad Derby attended Bardills Garden Centre Gardening Club to give a short talk about being a Barking Mad host and all about the Dogs for Good charity. Thank you to the lovely Pam Bardill for inviting us, for the delicious food and organising the raffle that raised £85 for Dogs for Good
Also this month I gave a short talks at the Killarney Park coffee morning, Lapwings W.I. Linby & Papplewick Nottingham meeting and a Slimming World meeting. We also had great fun at Wollaton park taking photos for our annual newsletter.
Wollaton Hall Photo shoot
This month I have registered several new host families and lots of new customers with super cute doggies. See below a photo of Barbara and Andrew one of my new host families with their first Four legged lodger Rolo. They are an adorable couple that love being outdoors gardening and walking, so dog sitting for Barking Mad is going to fit into their lives perfectly.
Whats next……
On the 1st of September we will be attending Pappfest 2018 in Papplewick Nottingham a local family friendly charity event with live music, stalls and refreshments. Plus, a fun dog show, that Barking Mad Nottingham are going to help judge.
On the 9th of September from 2pm we will have a stall at Lady Bay Pub dog show. Barking Mad Nottingham are sponsoring the Best in class.
And on Saturday 22nd September we will have a stall at the Dog show at The Bowman Pub in Hucknall from 11am to 5pm.
We hope to see you at one of these events so we can tell you all about the Barking Mad tailor-made dog holiday care, the perfect alternative to dog kennels and how you could be involved by joining our community of hosts.
To find out more about Barking Mad Nottingham click HERE
Barking Mad opens its new Nottingham VIP dog care service – July 2018
Donna Cotton’s Barking Mad VIP Doggy car
My first month as the owner of Barking Mad Nottingham the new local pet sitter has been a thoroughly enjoyable and productive month. I am excited to announce that my Barking Mad car has arrived ready for 1st class doggy travel, I’ve had bookings for several summer dog sitting holidays and even some for Christmas! Dare I say that word in the middle of our Mediterranean summer?
In my first week I had a stand at a Brooke Farm Fun Day and Dog Show in Linby Nottingham, where I raised money for the Dogs for Good charity by selling dog soft toys and a guess the number of dog biscuits competition. It was a beautiful sunny day, so there were plenty of splash pools to keep all the doggies cool. My gorgeous Cockerpoo Lola came 3rd in the waggiest tail! This event gave me a good opportunity to speak to local dog lovers about the Barking Mad tailormade dog sitting service and volunteer host opportunities.
Also, this month myself and my lovely Lola (my Head of Marketing!) have visited dog groomers, vet practices, local coffee shops e.g Beauvale Priory, local groups, community centres and churches in Papplewick, Huckall, Ravenshead, West Bridgford and Lady Bay to introduce ourselves and raise awareness of Barking Mad Nottingham as a perfect alternative to kennels. We have met lots of lovely new people and sooooo many cute dogs. We have also been out marketing locally posting flyers whilst out walking with Lola and her friends, Nelson and Ollie. Over the next month we will be out and about in Kimberley, Greasley, Eastwood, Long Eaton, Bramcote and surrounding areas and at some point will be holding a coffee morning to share more information about what it is like to be a volunteer host for Barking Mad.
Postie Dogs Lola & Ollie helping spread the word about Barking Mad Nottingham
Splash Time at Brooke Farm Linby
On the Friday 27th of July the lovely Pam from our local Garden Centre – Bardills Toton has invited me to give a talk about Barking Mad and ‘Dogs for Good’ at their Gardening Club supper.
We will be at Colliers Wood Companion dog show in Moorgreen Broxtowe on the Sunday the 5th of August 2018, where I will be raising money for Dogs for Good by selling home made dog treats and lots of other fun activities. This will be another good chance to raise awareness about Barking Mad Dog Holiday care now available in Nottingham whilst meeting more new fantastic furry friends and like minded dog lovers.
To find out more about Barking Mad Nottingham click HERE
