Meet Matt, Dave, Winston & Buddy

Meet the Owner

Every month we talk to one of our favourite dog owners about their four-legged friend/s and ask for their top dog friendly recommendations – places to stay, places to eat and places to go. Today, we’re joined by Matt & Dave … and Winston & Buddy, of course. We love following their adventures on Instagram and TikTok and we hope you enjoy finding out a little bit more about them.

Where and when did you first meet your fur babies?

Winston was from a breeder in Leicester. We picked him up six days before Christmas in 2016 and it was love at first sight. Looking back, he was an amazing puppy. Other than a little nibble on a skirting board and dining table, he settled into our family with ease. He’s got such a huge personality for such a little dog (I think that’s true of all pugs) that it’s hard not to be obsessed once you meet him.

Buddy was from a breeder in Wales, who we picked up last March, shortly after lockdown was announced. It was definitely a harder experience, especially as a lockdown pup as we were all in the house together with minimal chance to have some ‘time out’. Socialisation was also harder, and we’re still working on Buddy being a nice calm boy when we have guests over to the house, something he just wasn’t exposed to for many months.

The pair get on great, but Buddy has always loved Winston more. When we got Buddy at eight weeks, he was the same size as our fully grown pug, and then proceeded to gain a kilo a week in weight. At first Winston rejected his love, but when you grow at that rate – what’s a pug to do but give in.

Winston is still definitely the boss of the pair, which is funny that someone so little is in charge!

What are Winston & Buddy’s favourite things to do?

Both of them just love being with us, in whatever we get up to. Whilst being wildly different breeds, they have a similar ‘rhythm’, neither doing well in heat, both being very chilled when it’s time to settle, both being content with a brisk walk or a 8 km hike. It means that we didn’t have to differ our lifestyle drastically to accommodate a different breed.

What Winston really loves is a chill on the sofa or bed, eating snacks and pretending he’s one of the adults/humans. On walks, you often see him walking alongside the humans, rather than running through the bushes. Occasionally he likes to wind up his much larger ‘little’ brother, which is equal parts funny and ridiculous.

Buddy LOVES to play with dogs. He’s very social, which was a big change for us, especially from Winston who is more content with the humans than the hounds. We send Buddy off to an awesome Doggy Daycare three days a week near us called Ruby’s Rambles, where he has access to 100 acres of farmland and lots of playmates. It’s great socialisation and he always comes back exhausted.

What is their favourite dog/puppy product to play with?

Buddy is quite destructive with toys (better that than my possessions, I guess) so anything hard wearing. We often invest in ECO toys so we can dispose of the remains with less environmental impact!

Winston is less fussed by toys, but is fairly obsessed with his little fluffy white blood cell, a sort of education aid/toy from a company called Giant Microbes. I took one home from work one day when he was a pup and he instantly bonded with it. We’re on our fifth now as he kills them with love. The eyes are usually the first to go.

What difference does having dogs make to your life?

A lot, but all positive. Firstly, it’s all I talk about so it means I’m never short of conversation. Secondly, it forces structure to my day, be it getting out of bed, going out for a walk, etc. – something super helpful in lockdown as well as giving me reasons to go ‘explore’. We have the ordinance survey map app on my phone, so I’m always exploring new walks to keep the boys interested. Thirdly, the companionship is unrivalled. Buddy is the best walking partner, and Winston is unrivalled at sofa snuggles.

Do you like to travel with your dogs?

Absolutely. We had plans to take them to Italy (Lake Como) and Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen) this summer, as there is something magical about seeing your dog in the environment they were bred for – like Buddy in the Swiss mountains. COVID got the better of those plans – so we are deferring that road trip until 2022! Instead, we’ve managed some weekend breaks, and have another planned in November which I’m very excited for.

City, coast or countryside. Any preference?

We live in the countryside in Hertfordshire, and I think it’s absolutely gorgeous. If I had to pick one, it would be my preference. I work in London, and have the option to bring the dogs to work, which can be fun (especially for a giant breed on the London Underground).

What makes the perfect dog friendly destination for you?

Somewhere that recognises that your dog is part of your family, and is equipped with that in mind. Buddy is quite big, and still growing, so having a bit of space to roam is important. We generally like somewhere quiet, with nice walks and a cosy interior to relax after a long day. A wood burner and hot tub are the icing on the cake.

Favourite dog friendly place to stay:

It would have to be Rowley Farm Holidays in Worcestershire. We stayed shortly after they opened in 2020, in  a gap between lockdowns, and it was amazing. Clare and the family are probably the best hosts we’ve come across, along with the benefit of beautiful accommodation and it being situated on a working farm. We returned this year with a couple of friends and had such a lovely time relaxing. Having a glass of prosecco in the wood fired hot tub is hard to beat. I think it’s going to need to be an annual thing.

Favourite dog friendly place to eat:

We have a couple of local pubs that do great grub and are dog friendly. The Red Lion in Digswell is one, as well as The Cowper Arms near Hertford. The cocktails at The Cowper Arms are always a treat too. Both have nice walks in the area, and make great places to dump the car, go for a walk, then hit the pub for a nice Sunday lunch!

Favourite dog friendly place to go:

With Winston, we’ve actually been to a few pop up pug cafés in London which have been so much fun. They tend to do them for a variety of small breeds, and it’s a great few hours to watch fifty pugs run round a café/restaurant whilst owners and enthusiasts who may not have the opportunity to own one get to enjoy the chaos. We attached a GoPro to Winston’s back at the last one and the footage was hilarious. He terrorised people with snacks and even ran behind the bar in search of food.

With Buddy, I enjoy a trip to Hampstead Heath. I’m fortunate to be in a WhatsApp group of over 100 people who own Bernese Mountain Dogs in and around North London. We hold regular meetups and seeing 20+ Berners charging round Hampstead is definitely a sight. The sense of community amongst the owners is great, so catching up in person is always a treat.

We know that you sometimes take Winston and Buddy to work with you. Do you have any tips for doggy parents returning to the office who may want to take their pups in for the first time?

Taking Winston or Buddy to work is one of the best things about my job. They love the adventure, getting involved with Dad, and my team absolutely love having them about.

If it’s your first time doing it, I’d advise some test runs before the big day, especially if they’ll be going on a new mode of transport for the first time. I did a practice run with Buddy last September, and then had to wait another 8 months for the office to reopen.

I’d also advise that first time being on a ‘quiet day’ where you’re not running from meeting to meeting, recognising your goal for the day is getting your pup through it without an accident!

Plan your route to work if you need to use public transport. I take Buddy on a different route than Winston, as I want bigger underground carriages and more lifts to help move him about. Make sure you include a five minute walk from that public transport to your office door, so they can have that final wee before entering the building to avoid accidents and a yellow card. Block out time for lunchtime toilet breaks too.

Lastly, I’d recommend identifying someone upfront to be your helper – for when you need the toilet, or need to get food. If it’s anything like my office, there are some places that are out of bounds for dogs. Having someone look after your pup whilst you answer a call to nature or get some food/drink is really important, and it’s a lot less stressful if you have that sorted before you even arrive to work.

You’re our TikTok hero. How do you come up with such creative videos and how easy is it to get the dogs to ‘play ball’?

Awwww shucks! Thanks!

The art of TikTok is to ‘steal with pride’ and then look for an opportunity to go one further. I tell myself the secret is to spend hours scrolling through to see what people are posting, what trends are funny and what sounds seem popular. That usually gives you a great starting point. I try to take those sounds/videos and apply real life to it. That usually resonates with people, which gets a reaction, and in turn, gets views.

I actually save some sounds and come back to them weeks later when I’ve had inspiration. Today, I got asked six times if Buddy was a Saint Bernard – and there just so happens to be a sound doing the rounds which refers to mistaken identity. After quickly jumping on YouTube to find a clip of ‘Beethoven’, I’d made a new TikTok.

As for playing ball, both our boys are divas in front of the camera. They’ve both got great sit/wait commands – so if I’ve got the treats, they’ve got the spotlight.

Where else can we find you online, Matt?

You can find us on TikTok @winston_and_buddy and on Instagram @winston_and_buddy.

Thank you, Matt!