Written by Carly Freestone | 20th February 2019
If like us here at Michael Graham you love having a dog, you probably love a weekend walk in the countryside followed by a meal and a drink somewhere dog-friendly. The majority of village pubs welcome well-behaved dogs and a jar of bone-shaped biscuits on the bar and a water bowl used to pass muster.
The Fuzzy Duck in Armscote, Warwickshire goes one step further and provides blankets and beds too, but now it’s not unheard of to see a dog friendly meal on the menu.
The Flight Deck Café at Turweston Aerodrome in Northamptonshire is on the first floor of the Tower building and enjoys gorgeous views of the lake and runway. The brunch they serve there is the perfect end to a weekend walk and your dog will love it too - for just £2 they can demolish their own plate of scrambled eggs and sausage.
Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire opened their doors to dogs for the first time last year and the Stables courtyard is fully stocked with goody bags of treats. Always one paw ahead, London has a selection of swanky dog-friendly restaurants.
A short walk from Harrods, Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge serves afternoon tea in their elegant drawing room where your furry friend will smack their chops at the Doggy Afternoon Tea menu - meatloaf, biscuits and ice-cream to finish.
As well as dog-friendly restaurants, there are plenty of dog-friendly hotels in the UK too - we explored a few of them in a previous blog. But if you have to leave your four legged family member behind, why not treat them to a holiday of their own? Leading provider of luxury breaks for dogs, The Paw Seasons has dog-hotels in the Cotswolds, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire and offers a bespoke service for each dog.
More mature guests can snooze on the sofa and enjoy gentle strolls, whilst younger, bouncier clientele, can kick up their heels on twice daily walks in the countryside. Whatever their age, pets are guaranteed home from home luxuries with even the opportunity to add in a spa-like experience with a wash and blow-dry or a grooming session. The Paw Seasons even offers a shuttle service from home to hotel. Make no mistake, your pet will be having as good a time on their holiday as you are on yours.
On a more serious note, at the moment people can cross the Channel with their dogs without quarantine using a pet passport, for which they need a microchip and a rabies vaccination. But what will happen to pet passports after Brexit? If Britain leaves the EU on March 29th 2019 without a Brexit deal, pet passports issued in the UK will not be valid for travel to the EU. According to the government's advice for pet-owners, the scale of checks required in a no-deal scenario will depend on which category the UK falls into.
The government is pressing to become a "listed" third country when the UK leaves the EU, which it says would avoid "burdensome" changes to requirements. If you plan to travel with your pet after March 29th using a UK-issued pet passport, you should speak to your local vet. They will be able to help you understand the impact of Brexit and ensure you’re compliant with EU Pet Travel Regulations.
Make our day and send us a picture of your dog! Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and for town and country properties to buy or to rent, head to our website at michaelgraham.co.uk.