Licensed … to love dogs!

As with my first blog of 2012, this, my second, isn’t what I had in mind at all.  It’s better!

I’m delighted to announce that I have now been awarded my Home Dog Boarding license from Aberdeenshire Council.  I am now one of only three approved and licensed home boarders in Aberdeenshire.
Quite an honour.

Gillian Abel, my local Dog Warden, who has been so helpful and supportive, and Neil Cockburn, my own vet to whom I trust implicitly with the care of my girls, carried out the last inspection on Tuesday.  They were both very happy with my home, my levels of safety, security and comfort and general standards of care.  So much so that upon leaving Neil asked when he might be able to book himself in!
It has involved a great deal of thought, work and, in many cases, expense, but it’s been worth it for the dogs’ sakes.  Right from the start I wanted to do this properly and with the welfare of my “guests” paramount.
Dougal, my adorable regular Friday guest leaves at 4.30 this afternoon and my next guest arrives tomorrow at 2.30 which means it’s just my three gorgeous girls and me tonight. I reckon the cork from a bottle of Bolly might be heard reverberating around my newly plastered and decorated walls this evening.

I’d like to say thank you to all my friends and neighbours who have encouraged, supported and helped me promote Love Dogs.  To Anne who helped me with my website, to Yvonne who helped me with my flyers, to everyone who spread the word by distributing my flyers and telling all their doggie friends about me especially Claire and Rosie who never seem to leave their houses without a wad of flyers in their hands and regularly accost people innocently walking their dogs to tell them about me!  To my already burgeoning list of clients who in turn recommend me to their friends.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I couldn’t have done it without you.
Of course, I must thank every single one of my clients over the past 7 months who have entrusted their precious doggies to me, and in particular those who have come back time and time again.  Whether it be for long stays, doggy day care or regular walking I have loved getting to know each and every one of your beloved pets and look forward to watching them develop, mature and grow to ripe old age over the years.
My fantastic neighbours too have been incredibly supportive, always interested to meet new guests and surprisingly tolerant of the cacophany of barking which precede each “walkies”.  Thank you … and sorry!
As if I wasn’t enough in awe of dogs before I began Love Dogs, I certainly am now.  They blow me away.
This is most definitely the time to say also how absolutely amazing my three, truly wonderful girls have been throughout this whole process.  They have accepted, welcomed and (in the vast majority of cases) enjoyed having a vast range of dogs sharing their home, walks … and, most importantly, their Mum.  To them I want to say how much I love them for making this so much easier for me.
They have my unequivocal and devoted love always.

I will receive my license certificate in due course and it will be proudly displayed.  Please ask to see it.

And Neil … you’re welcome any time!