I’ve teamed up with James Wellbeloved to bring you a post about National Walking Month and my dog’s favourite outdoor spots to explore. (Admittedly, Monty isn’t a huge adventurer, but there are lots of outdoor spots he likes to enjoy.)
Monty, The Spirit Dog…
Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted my own dog. My parents weren’t keen on the idea – although ironically they added a dog to their family as soon as I left for university – which meant that I had to wait until I was an adult to get my first dog. (I begged and begged, but there was no budging them.)
When The Gamer Bloke and I were about to move into our third home together, we decided to take a leap of faith and add a dog to our small family. Boy was the puppy we picked worth the wait! After searching for what felt like months, we found a litter of Springer Jack puppies (Springer Spaniel x Jack Russell) and had the pick of the litter. I’ll never know why we picked Monty, it just felt like we were drawn to him for some reason.
He was so much smaller than the photos made him look. He could fit in my two cupped hands. What we loved about him from the moment we met him was how unique he was – he had two different coloured eyes, one brown and one blue, which my research has shown means he’s a ‘spirit dog’ who indigenous tribes believe can see both worlds, this world and the afterlife. I love this idea.
Monty loves to camp…
Within four weeks of getting Monty, we took him on his first outdoor adventure, on a family camping trip to Dorset. He loved being outside. He loved playing with other dogs, particularly my cousin’s puppy who was the same age as him – although it got a little hairy when she sat on top of him.
We spent the week taking Monty on short walks – his legs were too short for long ones yet – and spent time playing on the beach with him. He loves going camping; he has such a fantastic time away. In the day time, he goes on walks with us, exploring the Jurassic Coast, finding little gems to explore. In the evenings, he curls up on my lap while we sit around a campfire, 30 of us huddled together, playing games and toasting marshmallows.
Monty is a beach lover…
Another place Monty loves to go to is the beach. Funnily enough, he’s not a big swimmer – he’s not a fan of getting wet – but he loves the beach. Particularly long stretches of sandy beach in Cornwall where he can run and play and be free.
We are always mindful about where we let Monty off of his lead – I often worry about roads and cars – but the beach is the ideal place for him to have some freedom. He’s safe and can play without us worrying about him.
Keeping Monty healthy and happy
While it’s all well and good taking Monty on adventurers, I am well aware of the importance of keeping him healthy at the same time. Monty’s parents were working dogs which means that he naturally has high amounts of energy and is built to be lean but muscular. While Monty would not make a good working dog – he’s more of a lap dog and is rather pampered – he does need lots of exercise, which means he also requires a high-quality diet.
When we first got Monty, the vets explained the importance of having a grain-free diet and suggested that we feed him a brand like James Wellbeloved, who offer a grain free dog food. They told us that this kind of high-quality food ensures that Monty would get all of the vitamins and nutrients that he would need. We chose James Wellbeloved as we were told by our vet that it would ensure that Monty got the very best diet possible, plus it’s free from unnecessary additives.
Monty is part of the family, and so we like to ensure that we feed him the best diet possible. We always make sure that we have access to healthy meals, so why shouldn’t he?
This month is National Walking Month, which means it’s the ideal time to re-assess your dog’s diet, to ensure that as well as going on lots of lovely walks with your dog, that you’re also feeding them the very best diet possible.
*This post was written in collaboration with James Wellbeloved, but all views are my own.
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