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About
On Hitched.co.uk since 2025
Last update: August 2026
Hello and welcome!
Firstly, huge congratulations on planning your special day and thank you for considering my dog wedding chaperone services!
I'm Shelby, I am a qualified veterinary nurse and the proud owner of Healthy Paws, a bespoke wedding dog chaperone service covering Bristol and Somerset!
I have 10 years experience as a qualified veterinary nurse and four years as a professional dog walker. My priority is to bring a calm, caring, and expert touch to your special day by ensuring your dog is my main focus.
Services Offered
I'm here to make sure your dog is wedding-ready and lovingly looked after from start to finish.
My services can include:
- Pre-wedding consultation – via Zoom or in-person meet and greet to get to know you and your dog
- Ongoing communication & support – for peace of mind leading up to the big day
- Collection and transport – safe pick-up and taxi to your venue
- Pre-wedding prep – gentle brush, paw clean, and dressing in any accessories or outfits
- Full chaperone service at your venue – making sure your dog's every need is met, with time for cuddles, photos, and guest interaction.
- Photographer coordination – helping capture beautiful, relaxed moments with your dog by coordinating with your photographer
- Transport to the overnight destination – ensuring a smooth transition after the celebration
- Comfort breaks throughout the day – so your dog stays happy, calm, and content.
I would be delighted to support your day and help you create magical memories with your furry best friend by your side, in the most relaxed way possible.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to check my availability!
I wish you all the best in your wedding planning and I look forward to hearing from you!
Shelby
Some Frequently asked questions:
1. Can you look after more than one dog?
Yes! I’m happy to care for more than one dog, but depending on size and temperament, I may bring an extra handler to ensure safety and follow legal requirements (especially for strong or restricted breeds). My husband and my sister both support with extra dogs as needed.
2. Are you insured?
Yes, I’m fully insured for pet sitting, dog walking, transport, and wedding chaperone services. I’m also trained in as a veterinary nurse and have extensive experience working with dogs of all breeds and temperaments.
3. Can you work with restricted or XL Bully breeds?
Yes, I’m insured to work with XL Bullies and understand the specific legal requirements. A 1:1 handler-to-dog ratio is maintained, and I ensure all safety and licensing conditions are followed.
4. Do you offer meet and greets before the wedding?
Absolutely! A meet and greet is a great way for me to get to know you and your dog(s) ahead of the big day. It helps your dog feel comfortable and allows us to go over your plans in detail.
5. Can you stay overnight with our dog after the wedding?
Yes! I offer both overnight sitting (typically 5pm–10am) and 24-hour stays if you’d like full care before and after your wedding.
6.How do we secure a booking?
Once you’ve confirmed your date, I’ll send over my registration form and T&Cs. I also reccoemnd a meet and greet before hand. A deposit (or the full balance, depending on timing) secures your booking, with the remaining payment due prior to the service.
- Woman-owned
Reviews for Healthy Paws - Dog Wedding Chaperone Service
One of the best wedding decisions we made!
We started with a video call to talk through what our day would look like and what Shelby could offer. We knew we wanted our corgi, Cali, to be part of the wedding, but we also didn’t want to put any pressure on her to ‘do’ anything, particularly as we knew it was going to be a hot day. Shelby immediately put our minds at ease and made it clear that her priority throughout the day would simply be Cali. Whether she needed food, water, a walk, some quiet time or to be taken away from everything completely, Shelby would make sure she got what she needed.
We booked the full day and overnight stay, and Shelby arrived around 9:30am. Cali instantly took a shine to her and pretty much followed her around from that point onwards! She took Cali for a calming walk before the ceremony, got her dressed in her special wedding harness and then brought her out to meet our guests.
We weren’t sure how Cali would react to the music during the ceremony, and the second she started to grumble, Shelby discreetly took her outside before sneaking her back in once the music had finished. She did it so quietly that I didn’t even realise Cali was back in the room until she barked in celebration at the end when everyone started clapping!
Cali stayed with us for a couple of hours for photos and mingling before Shelby took her back to our accommodation, where they chilled together for the rest of the day and overnight until we were ready to take back responsibility the following morning.
Having Shelby there took absolutely all of the pressure off us. We could enjoy our wedding knowing Cali was being looked after, although ‘looked after’ is probably an understatement. At one point Shelby was literally carrying all 14kg of her around to save her little legs!
We honestly couldn’t have asked for anyone better to look after such an important member of our family on such an important day. A massive thank you from both of us, and particularly from Cali!
Fantastic service, providing peace of mind
Wonderful and incredible addition to our day!
Highly recommend!✨
Wedding Dog Chaperone
Would highly recommend.
Thank you lovely ladies!xx
Amazing Service!
It was so special to have Ginny as part of our special day and we couldn’t have done it without Shelby! We had a meet and greet before hand and Ginny warmed to her instantly.
The day of our wedding, Shelby came to our home in the morning and took Ginny for a long walk, brought her to our venue, put her nice harness and bow on and ensured she was presentable. She chaperoned her to greet guests, took her for lots of rest and water breaks, kept her calm and quiet during our ceremony and even helped to bring our rings down the aisle to us! She then kept on hand and removed Ginny when she became restless, she assisted with photographs and then took Ginny back to our home and stayed with her and our cat overnight. She even ensured Ginny had a walk the next morning before we returned.
It was a strange feeling to know someone else was staying in our home with our fur babies but felt we could trust Shelby instantly, she sent us lots photos, gave us updates and left our home clean and tidy.
I can’t recommend Shelby enough, thank you so much! ☺️
Absolute Perfection The Best Dog Sitter and Wedding Chaperone Ever!🐾
Shelby and Ben truly went above and beyond was our wedding day. They not only looked after Pepsi but also was his personal wedding chaperone. She made sure he was perfectly taken care of, kept him calm, and coordinated him flawlessly so he could be a part of our special day and our photos. Having Pepsi there meant the world to us, and it wouldn't have been possible without her professionalism, patience, and genuine love for animals.
10/10, highly recommend!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thoughtful, Caring, and Trustworthy - Highly Recommended
Not only did Shelby take wonderful care of Cookie, but she also washed the dishes while Cookie napped, which she absolutely didn’t have to do. What truly stood out, though, was the handwritten note she left for my 10-year-old daughter, describing how the time was spent with Cookie. That thoughtful gesture meant so much to my daughter and really showed the kind of warmth and attention Shelby brings to her work.
Shelby is reliable, kind, and full of heart — the kind of person you feel lucky to have in your home. I would highly recommend her without any hesitation to anyone looking for someone they can completely trust.
— Anthony
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Meet the team
Hi! - I’m Shelby, the face behind Healthy Paws - your friendly dog walker, pet sitter and wedding chaperone for your four legged guests!
I share my life with my beautiful rescue husky, Nellie. She is the definition of stubborn and sass!
I recently got married in December to my husband, Ben - he’s the calm to my chaos!
I love paddle boarding, walking (obviously!!) and spending time with family and friends.
As a veterinary nurse, caring for animals has always been more than just a job - it’s part of who I am and I love it!
Ben (AKA, my husband) has been part of the team as a part-time dog walker for the past 4 years, and he genuinely falls in love with every dog he meets!
He has such a calm and gentle manner with dogs, especially for those who need a little extra patience and attention.
Ben is also on hand to support with additional dogs or family members dogs who may need sitting at the venue, but aren’t part of the chaperoning service.
And when he’s not busy caring for the dogs, Ben loves photography so you may also spot him capturing some beautiful candid moments throughout the day with his camera!
My twin sister, cristie, supports on weekends when an extra pair of hands is needed. She loves all animals big and small and really enjoys spending quality time - (AKA professional cuddler!)
She is caring, patient and reliable, which makes her the perfect person to help support as a wedding chaperone.
She understands how important it is for couples to know their beloved dogs are being well cared for while they enjoy their special day.
She is such a trusted member of the Healthy Paws team and looks after dogs as if they were her own.
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