Two Lewes dogs help sniff out canine-friendly places across district for new guide

Owner David Osborne said his pets Cleo (a wire fox terrier) and Bonnie (a brindle lurcher) have been investigating pubs, cafés, shops, holiday lets, secure dog fields and walks in the area to help compile a free online guide.

People can view this guide to ‘dog-friendly Lewes’ at lewesdogs.co.uk.

David, who lives in Lewes with the two dogs, said: “Every dog owner knows the moment of hovering in a doorway wondering if you’re allowed in. I wanted one place that answered that for Lewes, and Cleo and Bonnie were very keen to help with the research, especially in pubs with a fire.

“It’s a hobby, not a business. Listings are free, nobody pays for a review, and if we haven’t been somewhere yet, the page says so.”

David said there are 194 places on Lewes Dogs and said that he, Bonnie and Cleo have checked 186 of them.

He said: “Some of the numbers surprised me. Of the 39 dog-friendly pubs, 28 have a garden and 25 have a fire, but only 16 put a water bowl out. Of the 32 dog walks (covering 314km), 20 start at a railway station.”

David said each place gets a line from each dog as well. For example, Cleo’s verdict on one pub is: “A huge log fire, and I know exactly where the floor in front of it is.”

David added that nobody pays to be listed and said the guide’s figures ‘give a dog’s-eye view’ of Lewes.

The site also keeps a calendar of dog-friendly events and lists ten bonfire and fireworks nights within 15km of Lewes.