MOST dog owners will agree, it’s never fun leaving your pooch behind at home, but some dog free outings simply cannot be helped.

Going to work, the supermarket shop and doctors' appointments are just some of the times our loved ones can’t join us, making it important to know the local haunts where wagging tails are in fact welcome.

The first rule is to never assume dogs are allowed. Just because we love their company, doesn’t mean everyone else does (mad, I know). There’s nothing worse than arriving somewhere, dog in tow, to be sent away with your tail between your legs. Equally, it’s just as frustrating when you find yourself somewhere you unknowingly could’ve had your dog with you, but you grudgingly left them at home.

It’s tricky finding dog-friendly places to visit, and I don’t just mean places that have the right sticker on the door and tolerate them, but instead, those that genuinely love to have canine customers through their doors.

One of my go-to stops in Wantage is the Bay Tree Café on Newbury Street. Yummy homemade cakes aside, it’s a lovely environment with space for dogs to join without getting under anyone’s feet. When popping in with a pooch this week, it was lovely to see a worn out golden retriever with his owners, enjoying a post-walk cuppa at the next table.

If my dog could talk though, I’m sure she’d claim her favourite stop to be nearby Buzz Café on Mill Street.

Not only does this place live up to its name with a real buzz about it, the dogs are spoilt rotten and treated with a freshly cooked juicy sausage from pooch loving owner, Karen. Well, only if they sit nicely of course.

When it comes to dog friendly set-ups though, the villages do it best. In beautiful Ardington, you’ll find The Grocer Chef, a popular tearoom and village store. When coming from Wantage, you have the added bonus of incorporating a lovely two mile walk along a delightful footpath with nearby woodland to explore too.

We’re always greeted here with big smiles and the dogs are given lots of fuss and treats by the friendly staff.

Water bowls are scattered in the garden and what’s more, you’ll find a hose and an array of towels outside to clean off muddy paws after a good old ramble!

What more could you ask for?