Reigate MEET UP is a Family Affair

We met at midday in The Blue Anchor pub in Reigate town. The pub had a great back garden and it overlooked the cricket ground. It definitely was a lovely place. Luckily there was lots of shade as the weather had suddenly turned very hot. Everyone was chatty and the dogs got on well. Just about every dog there had a relative to greet. There were father and sons, mothers and sons/daughters and litter brothers and sister.

John Twaites helped us choose this venue. John, Karen and their daughter Karina aged eight helped out on the day. Karina, more or less run the raffle and also judged 2 of the fun classes. It was lovely to see Diane and Stuart and their girl Pixie walk in. Diane and Stuart live in Leeds, but where visiting their son and 4-year-old grandson who live in the area, so they all come along. Jennie and Geoff live locally and came along with their youngster Fabio, who is almost a year. Fabio won the ‘Best Hair Do’ competition which was well deserved as his coat was lovely.

Vicky & Greg live nearby in Guildford and they brought their 2 boy Bolognese, Enzo & Dino. Both boys were originally puppies from Deana (but they have grown a little since then). The MEET UPS are often a nice way for people to get together with the breeders of their dogs and meet other ‘doggy relations’.

It was lovely to meet Diana Hillard & Justin with their puppy Roger for the first time at a MEET UP. Interestingly Roger’s mother Leeza was there with Deana and his father Dino was also there with Vicky & Greg. There were also litter brother and sister Clara & Enzo at the MEET UP (different owners). Clara was accompanied by Kahwei & Julian from South Croydon and her brother Enzo was with Vikki & Greg.  Suzanne and Nigel from South East London brought their lovely boy Bengi who was wearing his bandana. Kahwei & Julian’s daughter came  along too. We had two other Bolognese from the same litter, that being John & Karen’s girl Bella and Suzanne’s boy Bengi.

The service was good and the food certainly filled you up! The pub  started to fill up as there was the Champions League football final on in the afternoon. We ran a raffle, everybody got a prize and we also ran 3 fun classes with more prizes, Prettiest Girl (winner Pixie), Handsomest Boy (winner Bengi) and Best Hair Do (winner Fabio). Karina judged the Boy and Hair Do and I must say she took it so seriously and did a really good job. Karina had a real good look at the dogs and chatted to the owners about their dogs. For the Girl competition we found a lady vet who was having lunch with her family luckily she was happy to oblige and we gave her a clap.

We got together for a group photo moving furniture around to make a space in the shade. I brought Lily who is now 12 and her handsome son Harry. Harry was very interested in the girls and the puppies (he just wants to flirt and play). An old friend of mine Polly came with Alfie as she now lives in Horsham. Polly has been to a few Bolognese MEET UPS before as she just likes small white dogs (Alfie is a Maltese cross). I must say that even though it was a hot day the dogs were all good and so were the owners! There was the usual talk about grooming, temperament, tear staining, grooming tools and breeding lines. I counted 11 lovely Bolognese of all different shapes and sizes, plus Alfie. I’m glad Deana came as she had connections to quite a few from the ‘Surrey Set’.

Thanks to John for helping out and for finding this lovely pub, we would definitely go again. Hopefully it will be cooler next time and we can go for a walk in the near by Reigate Park.

Melanie Thomas