4 minute read
Man’s best friend
The canine club
Angie Platt set up a dog walking group in Ruthin to give dogs, and their humans, a way to socialise safely after lockdown…
When the first lockdown started those of us with dogs,
especially young dogs or puppies, shared the same concern – how do we keep our dogs socialised in a world where socialising of any form is cancelled!?
Luckily the weather was nice enough to get out daily with the pups after work and introduce them to all the fun sights and smells around us.
Our two puppies turned six months old when the first
lockdown started so they missed out on over five months
of socialising with other dogs as well as humans! So, when restrictions began to relax a little, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get out in the fresh air – in small groups and socially distanced of course. My family were shielding for the first lockdown so it’s fantastic to finally be able to socialise
again, I don’t know who enjoys it more, me or the dogs!
Once restrictions eased in Wales, it was nearing the end of summer and our pups still hadn’t been able to make other four-legged friends! As a human, lockdown was tough enough, and after only recently moving into our village a few months before, it was almost impossible to meet new people.
Living in a rural area, I only expected ten people at the most to respond to my Facebook post, but I was incredibly surprised when we quickly gained hundreds of members! Our first dog walk was August Bank Holiday and we had 29
humans and 30 dogs! We made sure everyone was social distancing throughout and it was so much fun to meet all the dogs, as well as their owners! We did three walks that weekend and “the rest is history”, as the saying goes.
The club is now nearly a year old and has over 600 members. We have run two fun online dog shows to keep the group going and people engaged, as well as creating our own brand of dog bandanas and club t-shirts too!
Last month I received a call from BBC Countryfile to come
onto the show to discuss responsible dog ownership in the countryside. It was so much fun! A handful of club members joined us for filming and it was so lovely to see us all on
TV, especially the dogs who loved the camera and can be seen chasing the drone! It’s so important that dog owners understand the countryside code and respect the areas they walk. It only takes one person to ruin it for everyone, especially around livestock. The wrong end of the lead gets blamed all the time – as dog owners we all have to take responsibility for our own dogs and respect the places we walk.
With the number of dog thefts during lockdown, it is also very important that our Facebook group is a private and monitored group for safety reasons. I’m able to see every member who joins, and the group is open to everyone who has a dog (or four!) in the local area of North Wales for those who want to join in and be involved. It’s also a great place to share updates, photos and get advice, in a safe and nonjudgemental environment.
There’s nothing worse for your wellbeing that feeling isolated and alone, and I think we have all felt a little like that over the last 12 months, so I hope this group helps not only the dogs but the owners too! Exercise is proven to boost your mood as well as keep your body active, and I challenge anyone to not smile when there’s over ten waggy tails running towards them!
I’ve been blown away by the response I’ve had and I really have met some amazing people and their dogs, who I know I’ll be friends with for a very long time. It’s lovely to meet likeminded people and their four-legged friends for a walk and catch up. I can’t thank them all enough for coming along, our walks are my favourite day of the week, and my dogs Millie and Griff love it too! n
Angie Platt started her career as a journalist over 12 years ago and is now a PR and Marketing professional based in North Wales. Angie has worked in the pet media industry for over 7 years and started Clocaenog Dog Club in 2020 during the first lockdown. She loves to go walking with her two dogs Millie and Griff.
