Muddy feet and dirty paws

Today we visited ‘The Green’ in  Caerleon - a delightful coffee shop with excellent old fashioned homemade treats including tea with scones jam and cream for just £5 and should you fancy dessert it’s just £2!   I also mention ‘The Green’ because it epitomizes the welsh ability to offer a warm welcome to dogs. A fact highlighted in the article  Exploring North Wales with your dog.

The owners here set down a bowl of water and a bowl of chicken for our dog, Milo!  He was well pleased and had a doggy ice cream for afters!  A notice board also states that you don’t need clean paws and  manicured nails as muddy feet and dirty paws make no difference

It also links with history for ‘The Green’ was formerly ‘The Drovers Arms’ and started life hundreds of years ago as a watering hole for drovers bringing their cattle from West Wales to London. It is interesting to learn that the cattle were shod for their journey and Gavin Plumley writes about the drovers canine companions who were much loved and proved faithful and tough and he says ‘ Having reached the market, they simply turned on their paws and ran. Returning to Wales by means of their nose alone, they would be found slumped by the hearth, days before the master stepped through the farmhouse door.’

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The Welsh love affair with a faithful dog and a possible reason for their warm welcome also lies in the much loved folk story of Gelert.

According to legend, the stone monument in the field near Beddgelert marks the resting place of 'Gelert', the faithful hound of the medieval Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great.

The story of Gelert

The story, as written on the tombstone reads:

"In the 13th century Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, ‘The Faithful Hound’, who was unaccountably absent.

On Llewelyn's return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. The prince alarmed hastened to find his son, and saw the infant's cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood.

The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound's side, thinking it had killed his heir. The dog's dying yell was answered by a child's cry.

Llewelyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby lay the body of a mighty wolf which Gelert had slain. The prince filled with remorse is said never to have smiled again. He buried Gelert here".

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And while on the subject of Wales and its doggy welcome some news about a new venture a few miles away  …

A new Luxury Dog Hotel

Just a few miles away in Cwmbran a new luxury dog hotel has opened its doors.  Here pampered pooches can be assured of  five star treatment.  It is known as the Cwtch Animal Homestay

Images John Myers -Wales on line