Finchley Dog Walker

15/10/2026

We talk quite a lot about exercise, walks and keeping dogs occupied.

But being able to switch off afterwards matters too.

A good walk doesn't have to leave a dog physically exhausted. There's sniffing, exploring, making choices and taking in everything going on around them.

And then, sometimes, the best activity is absolutely nothing.

Judging by these two, that part has been taken very seriously.

Does your dog come home from a walk ready for a snooze, or are they immediately asking what we're doing next?

13/10/2026

Apparently we've recruited two new stage hands.

One is closely supervising the construction work.

The other appears to be standing back and questioning whether anyone actually did a proper risk assessment.

Neither has offered to do any actual lifting.

Payment expectations are apparently quite high and mostly involve treats.

I don't think we'll get much work out of them.

What job would your dog be absolutely convinced they were qualified to do?

13/10/2026

13/10/2026

Anyone know a good roofer?

The office roof's leaking, the carpet's covered in leaves, and my colleague seems more interested in sniffing around than helping with the repairs.

Still, I wouldn't swap my office for anything.

At least the ventilation's good!

11/10/2026

LOOK RIGHT, they said.

So we did.

Nobody mentioned the enormous bird on the other side of the road.

I'm not entirely sure whether this counts as wildlife spotting, but it certainly made our walk a little more interesting
I suspect the dogs were more interested in whatever had walked past the lamppost earlier.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve come across on a dog walk?

10/10/2026

There is a perfectly good path.
Naturally, nobody is particularly interested.

One thing I like about autumn walks is how much there is for dogs to investigate. New smells, fallen leaves, bits of woodland and apparently extremely important information around every tree stump.

A walk doesn't always need to be about how far we travel.

Sometimes giving a dog time to sniff, explore and make a few choices is a big part of the walk too.
Although judging by these two, whatever was happening over there was considerably more interesting than anything I had planned.

What stops your dog in their tracks on a walk?

08/10/2026

If your dog struggles with fireworks, the best time to think about Bonfire Night isn't Bonfire Night.

It's now.

One useful thing you can do this week is notice where your dog goes when they want some peace.

Their bed? Under a table? Behind the sofa? Upstairs? Somewhere you wouldn't have chosen for them at all?

Dogs often tell us where they feel comfortable if we give them the choice.

Rather than deciding where their "safe place" ought to be, notice where they already choose to settle. You can then start making that area comfortable and easy to access before fireworks become a regular feature of the evenings.

We can't make every bang disappear, but we can make home feel as predictable and safe as possible.

Where does your dog choose to go when they want to get away from everything?

08/10/2026

Worth reading

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07/10/2026

One of the dangers of house sitting...
When the best kebab shop is almost next door.

Absolutely no willpower was demonstrated this evening.

Mixed meat and chips. Job done.

I may need to add “distance from nearest kebab shop” to my house-sitting assessment form.