Saving Money on Pets

I have not hidden my thoughts about people rehoming their pets over and over again. Dusty gets a walks either with my husband or myself everyday which lasts about an hour or more. On the weekends, I take him out for a long walk on Saturday and Sunday. During the sailing season, I walk to the Cam Sailing Club which is about 6 miles from my home. I

I think that dogs need to be walked regularly and that people need to be responsible before getting a pet. I saw on one of the selling sites someone was rehoming their puppy when it was 16 weeks old! Most dogs don't go home until 12 weeks old- that is awful! If you don't have time to keep up on all your other activities and are not willing to ship them all over the world with you, don't get one. Dogs are for life, not for Christmas like the Dogs Trust says.

Rant over!

Okay for my tips:

• Don't waste too much on toys and other accessories. Ruddles hardly ever played with any of them. Dusty's never lasted more than 5 mins. 
• Take the dog out frequently, a lot of behavior problems are due to pent up energy. England doesn't really have dog parks as such because they take their dogs out with them. If you are worried about them running off, you just need to train them to walk off a lead. I did this by taking Dusty to footpaths that I knew he could not get too far away and then giving him treats whenever he came back to me. Thetford Forest is a good place. Now we can walk through parks in Cambridge off the lead and he has good recall but that comes from practice!
• If you need help, get a dog trainer. I know this sounds like an expense but if it stops them running off or runing your stuff, I say that is a saving :)
• Train your dog and have patience. Dusty still isn't perfect but he is good and that enables us to go out for walks. If they don't walk perfect, keep trying, Dusty is a joy to walk now, thanks to Jon.
• Get pets insurance. I know many pet owners think it is too much but it has saved us loads of money in the long run. Ruddles was hit by a car and it took care of his scans and treatment. Also last year, Dusty was diagnosed with a congenital cataract and it covered a lot of the costs, the operation was 3,500 pounds itself! Also recently Ruddles was locked in someone's garage by accident, and the insurance would have paid for advertising for him- he is safe now! They do not give you discounts for taking your pet to the vet for regular checkups because that is viewed to be part of owning a pet- insurance is for the things you cannot plan for. Also if you do not keep your pet's vaccinations up, it can invalidate your insurance. But in my experience it has been worth it.
• Shop around for food but choose quality over quantity. I went to a local feed shop and found working dog food. It is about 2 pounds cheaper per bag to what I used to get from a pet store, unless its on offer, but Dusty eats less and his backend movements are better. I would pay more for that.
• I find having a dog, we get out walking through town and parks and this is free. It keeps us both healthy and entertained. 
• If you want a dog but can't give the full attention, offer to pet sit as so many people over here want to travel. You can make a bit of money and get your fill!

Do you have any that I missed?

Saving Money on Pets

I have not hidden my thoughts about people rehoming their pets over and over again. Dusty gets a walks either with my husband or myself everyday which lasts about an hour or more. On the weekends, I take him out for a long walk on Saturday and Sunday. During the sailing season, I walk to the Cam Sailing Club which is about 6 miles from my home. I

 think that dogs need to be walked regularly and that people need to be responsible before getting a pet. I saw on one of the selling sites someone was rehoming their puppy when it was 16 weeks old! Most dogs don't go home until 12 weeks old- that is awful! If you don't have time to keep up on all your other activities and are not willing to ship them all over the world with you, don't get one. Dogs are for life, not for Christmas like the Dogs Trust says.

Rant over!

Okay for my tips:

• Don't waste too much on toys and other accessories. Ruddles hardly ever played with any of them. Dusty's never lasted more than 5 mins. 
• Take the dog out frequently, a lot of behavior problems are due to pent up energy. England doesn't really have dog parks as such because they take their dogs out with them. If you are worried about them running off, you just need to train them to walk off a lead. I did this by taking Dusty to footpaths that I knew he could not get too far away and then giving him treats whenever he came back to me. Thetford Forest is a good place. Now we can walk through parks in Cambridge off the lead and he has good recall but that comes from practice!
• If you need help, get a dog trainer. I know this sounds like an expense but if it stops them running off or runing your stuff, I say that is a saving :)
• Train your dog and have patience. Dusty still isn't perfect but he is good and that enables us to go out for walks. If they don't walk perfect, keep trying, Dusty is a joy to walk now, thanks to Jon.
• Get pets insurance. I know many pet owners think it is too much but it has saved us loads of money in the long run. Ruddles was hit by a car and it took care of his scans and treatment. Also last year, Dusty was diagnosed with a congenital cataract and it covered a lot of the costs, the operation was 3,500 pounds itself! Also recently Ruddles was locked in someone's garage by accident, and the insurance would have paid for advertising for him- he is safe now! They do not give you discounts for taking your pet to the vet for regular checkups because that is viewed to be part of owning a pet- insurance is for the things you cannot plan for. Also if you do not keep your pet's vaccinations up, it can invalidate your insurance. But in my experience it has been worth it.
• Shop around for food but choose quality over quantity. I went to a local feed shop and found working dog food. It is about 2 pounds cheaper per bag to what I used to get from a pet store, unless its on offer, but Dusty eats less and his backend movements are better. I would pay more for that.
• I find having a dog, we get out walking through town and parks and this is free. It keeps us both healthy and entertained. 
• If you want a dog but can't give the full attention, offer to pet sit as so many people over here want to travel. You can make a bit of money and get your fill!

Do you have any that I missed?

Oxfam Walk

Yearly we take part in the Oxfam Walk if t doesn't clash with one of the other events that we do.

It has varying distances so is suitable for anyone who wants to get out. It is a very well organised event.

I was able to bring Dusty with me this year and he really enjoyed it!

Hope to see you there!

Brandon Country Park

Brandon Country Park is a great place for you to take the family including the dog out for a day. It doesn't cost anything to park there unlike High Lodge down the street.

You can bring along picnic and walk or cycle the trails. There is a playground for the children and shop to buy drinks and food. Dogs can be taken off the lead. It is open 7 days a week. There is also a lovely walled garden.

Taking the children out for the day doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg!

Santon Downham

Santon Downham is a great 6 mile walk in the area near the RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall that makes for a nice afternoon out with the family and the dog.

When I did this walk, I was on a guided walk but the link included in this blog takes you to a place where you can print out a map if you go it on your own. Also there are directions so I think you will be set.

You can park at the Forest Office Car park (free) and there should be information about the walk there for you as well. So really this could be a free day out if you pack a picnic.

Great views, nice church, go for it!

Bouddica Way

Jane and I decided we would walk Bouddica Way (Diss to Norwich) as we had not walked any challenges this year and we had heard about this one from our friend Joyce.

It is 36 miles which we split over two days. We walked Diss to Norwich but you can of course do it the other way. My personal opinion when/if I do this again, I would park at Diss (not at the rail station but on the road before the rail parking- you can park for free and easy access to the train). Then I would take the train to Norwich which is only 17 minutes. Then I would walk from Norwich to Diss. The reason why I would do this is because you walk outside of the busy city and into inspiring countryside. The Diss end has a lot of churches and is more picturesque.

Make sure you download the maps both the general walk one and an ordnance one because in some places it is not clearly marked so we did go off track a couple of times.

We stayed at the Barn Lodge in Tasburgh. It was really nicely located and the lady running the place was really nice and served a great breakfast in the morning. She also booked us in at The Countryman for dinner and it was amazing!

Dusty, my dog, came with us. The B&B we stayed allowed well-behaved dogs. Dusty was also allowed to ride the train for free.  So if your dog is fit and young, I would say it is okay to take yours with you.

This was a great walk and I would do it again.

Check out some of my photos here.

Paxton Pitt

Paxton Pitt Nature Reserve is a lovely nature reserve out near St Neots. Its a great place to take the dogs or the children out for a walk. You can look to see what animals you can see and the bugs you will find. Its also a very cheap day out!

Pack a picnic and make it a day.

Wimpole Hall

Wimpole Hall is a beautiful property outside of Cambridge. You can take the dog for walks along the trails around the property.

They also have a working farm and you can buy food from it.

You can go cycling on the three routes that they have. They also have geocoaching there and you are able to rent a GPS from them.

They have events year round.

Definitely a great day out!

Cam Sailing Club

I belong to the Cam Sailing Club because my husband sails. They sail on the River Cam and it is the oldest inland sailing clubs in the country. They have open days on the first weekend of May. It is a great place for the children to come and play and it is a nice weekend getaway with a great group of people. They also train adults and children to sail and there is a wealth of knowledge with this group as many have been members all of their lives. We also have great social events and they are very welcoming. So if you have ever wanted to sail come and see what our club is all about.

Magog Downs

I have heard people asking for areas to take their dog for a walk in an enclosed area so that they can take the dog off the lead. I was driving Dusty around after walking at Wandlebury Park and came across Magog Downs. You can take your dog on some trails on the lead but there are some areas that you can take them and let them off to run around. Just make sure you bring bags to pick up after them if they mess!

Kim's Tearoom

Kim's Tearoom in Saffron Walden and is a great place to stop if you are in Saffron Walden for the day. It is in a Georgian building and has a patio with some tables, perfect on a summer's day. They allow dogs too!

Kim's Tea and Coffee House
5 Hill Street
Saffron Walden
CB10 1EH
01799 513553

Castle Acre

Castle Acre is a rare Norman settlement. It has a Castle, Bailey Gate and Priory.

There is an English Heritage priory located here. The priory is one of the best preserved and dates back to 1090. It is one of the most complete that I have sen so far. On the website there are a few activities you can print out for the children before you go.

I think you could spend a good half of a day here seeing the priory and castle, going around the village, and having lunch in the local pub.

Not too much to organise and a nice place to get away for the day.

Whitby

I am not sure why but we always seem to go to the coast in December. I think it is because ten we can take Dusty and let him loose on the beaches. Most beaches are off limits to dogs from May-September.

This year Jon and I both had a few days left of holiday to use and for whatever reason, I got Whitby in my head, so that is where we headed.

Whitby is about a 4 hour drive from Cambridge. It is located up in Yorkshire and is along the coast. Its a lovely little sleepy coastal town with the river lined with lobster traps.

Whitby was a monastery in the 7th Century and you can see the beautiful Whitby Abbey on top of the hill looking down on the town. The abbey allows dogs on leads and is an English Heritage property. It inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula. You might be surprised to learn that this is also known as the English Gothic capital. At the top of the 199 steps is a church. I thought it was very unique because the pews were like boxes and had names of places on them, worth a visit before or after the abbey.

You can also buy a lucky ducky from the Whitby Lucky Duck shop as recommended to me by Jane. It also asks that if you do win something after buying this duck to let them know and you will be sent a presentation duck.

A lot of the cafes and pubs allow dogs in them which was nice for us as it rained everyday except the last day we were there!

Another attraction is the Magpie Cafe. My friend said that during the summer time there are queues to get into this place but lucky for us, it wasn't as busy in the winter. I have a milk allergy and had decided when I saw the lobster traps here, I had to have some. I asked them if they could make it without butter, and they did, when restaurants do this and make me feel comfortable, I always have to mention them. I do write them and let them know how much it means to me.

I have to mention the lovely cottage that we stayed in whilst we were here. It was an 1th century cottage with steps leading down to the main street. It allowed dogs and was walking distance to everything, we didn't drive at all while we were here. Whitby is also a great launching place to stay in and venture to nearby villages.

Looking to get away, here is a great option!

Blickling Hall

Blicking Hall, a National Trust property, is a great day out in the East Anglian area for children, dogs and history lovers. It is an hours drive from RAF Lakenheath, so try to get there earlier and then you will not be rushed to take it all in.Also pack a lunch! There are facilities there to eat but if you are watching your purse, have your own picnic.

Blicking Hall was the childhood home and birth place of of Anne Boleyn, Henry the VIII's second wife. It is a lovely Jacobean building built in the 17th century.

Another interesting point about this property is that it is rumoured on the anniversary that Anne Boleyn lost her head, her ghost appears carrying the head in her hands.

They also have a display about the people that worked at the hall in the 1930s. It was privately occupied until 1939 and then it was handed over to the National Trust and used as an officers mess during World War II.

There are a number of walks around the property which you can take your dog on a lead. I know Dusty was exhausted when we were finished! There is also a playground so the children can burn off their energy.

A great local property for a last minute trip.

The Punter

The Punter is an old coaching house right across the street from St John's Chophouse. Whilst it is a pub it does do fine dining as well. I ate here for a networking event and it was lovely.

They also accept dogs and children!

Wandlebury Country park

One of the favourite pasttimes the English have is to go out and take walks and since I have Dusty, I have someone to go with. My husband is unable to walk long distances so I like to take Dusty with me. One thing about walking is it costs very little and is perfect for anyone on a tight budget.

Wandlebury Country Park is a great place to take the dog and the children to get them out of the house. I am sure that it is as lovely in the summer as it is in the fall. It only cost me 2 pounds for the parking. There are over 8 miles of trails and is a perfect place for the children to run a muck and have a picnic. The dogs must stay on the lead due to the wildlife but find it is good for socialization for Dusty and he loved the smells along the way.

The country park is on the grounds of the remains of a 5th Century BC Iron Age Hill Fort.

Anyways, this is another inexpensive day out!

Nowton Country Park

Nowton Country Park is a great and free place to take the children that is open all year round.

It has a children's play area, maze and a few different walks that you can take over the 200 acre property. Dogs can be taken there but must on a lead.

It just shows you there is plenty to do without having to take the children to a theme park, all you need to do is pack a picnic and load them in the car!

That is what I love about the English, they appreciate their parks and spend time with their children. So get out there!

Wrest Park

Wrest Park is a lovely property to visit. It is located only an hours drive from Cambridge and a great day out for the children, dogs and art lovers!

If you are an English Heritage member, it is free to visit. There are audio tours to take around with you. It also has a tearoom.

There are a lot of trails which children and dogs can explore. Dogs can be taken to Wrest Park but must be on a lead and cannot go into the house. There is also a playground should the children need to burn off any energy.

Lovely day out, pack a lunch and bring the camera!