Wolf & I Co. Blog | Adventures Of The Wolf Pack

Dogs and Defenders go together like 4x4's and dirt roads, and here at Wolf & I Co. we love a good dog out exploring in a Defender so when we came across Leo having the time of his life with his hoomans, Ruth and Callum, we had to find out more!

Ruth, Callum & Leo are based in the UK with Europe at their fingertips. We chatted with Ruth to learn more about their recent offroad adventures, their set up for camping with dogs and to get an insight into what their future travel plans hold...

Well we've both always been big on the outdoors - you could always find me out on a hike somewhere before I met Callum, and he was always off camping somewhere. We both have a passion for travelling and love setting pins all over the world to one day visit - getting to do this using our 4x4s just brought it all together for us. Stick a roof tent on top and it becomes our house on wheels.. Leo is just along for the ride!

Leo the Golden Retriever adventures in a Landrover Defender

Why did you choose a Golden?

So when I was a kid I remember playing in a field somewhere with my family when a big, happy, fluffy dog came waddling up to me with a ball in their mouth, just looking for a fuss! I remember thinking how beautiful the dog was and how happy and friendly they were! It stuck in my mind and when I was old enough, sure enough I got myself a little cute bundle of goldenness.

How did you come up with the name?

I actually came up with the name Leo before I met him. I can't remember why Leo was the name I chose but when I went to see him for the first time I knew he was the Leo I was looking for. Callum likes to say it's because backwards it stands for 'Overland, Explore and Love’.

What’s Leo’s personality and how old?

Leo can be summed up in four words... Food. Zoomies. Stealing socks!

He is currently 2-and-a-bit years old and he's a super squishy, loving and happy doggo, who loves the outdoors just as much as we do.

What does Leo get up to on a day to day basis?

He usually acts as our 6am alarm clock, before taking us downstairs for his breakfast and a quick zoom around the garden chasing birds. We always manage to get out on a big walk somewhere, whether it's the woods nearby or on a beach further afield. He loves to sniff around and just do general dog things!

Leo wears his Alpine Wolf Collar on his dog friendly adventures across Europe

Why do you love Defenders and what do you love about them?

Being the Toyota owner in the fam I'll leave this one to Callum...

It's the most iconic and well known 4x4 vehicle in the entire world and no matter where you are in the world, there's always someone willing to help you out... I think the community is huge and a very passionate one! I think this is why I really love having my Defender and getting to meet people from all over the world with it!

Does Leo love the Defender more than the Toyota?

Hmmm, comfort? No breakdowns? All the time… I would have to say Leo is a firm Toyota lover in this instance hahaha!

What epic trips do you have planned with Leo?

We really want to take an overlanding trip to Morocco with lots of friends this year - Leo included! We're also thinking of heading to Norway which I think Leo would love as making snow angles is one of his many passions in life.

We really want him to be with us wherever we go! Our long term goal is to get ourselves to Australia so this is something we'd need to think hard about as we'd definitely want Leo to come with us.

Do you always take Leo on every trip?

Pretty much yes, he comes with us wherever we go! Come rain or shine he will be there... We've had many nights in the tent with him soaking wet and covered in mud. 

What’s the best place you’ve ever camped?

A Greek Island called Milos. We came across an old abandoned mine right on a beach and surrounded by cliffs and caves. It was a magical place and the sky was full of stars! A super memorable beach to set up camp for sure... We also got stuck on the island so that was fun but also another story. 

Dog friendly camping is the best

What’s the best country you’ve visited in the Defender?

Again we would have to say Greece! It's the furthest the Defender has ever travelled and we really loved how pretty much any road we were on was a bit like being off road! Also, we got to camp on a beach almost every single night - something we don't get to do back at home!

Best 4wd/offroad track?

In the UK we both would agree on Strata Florida in Wales as it's one of the longest ones we have and is a nice drive with lots of river crossings.

Fave dog friendly National Park?

Snowdonia!

What’s your favourite season to travel in?

It depends where we want to go - but usually around October/November time because the weather is usually still pretty good and the leaves look pretty! It's also a lot quieter than peak summer season in Europe.

How have you set up the Defender for Leo? Any special place?

Leo's special place is stealing the spot Callum is supposed to sleep hahah!

We always bring him into the roof tent with us as he loves to snuggle up in the night. We also have a large padded bed in the back of the Defender, which is where he goes when we are driving. He loves it because he can look out the front window with us and rest his head on the cubby box.

How do you keep Leo entertained on the road?

He's a pretty chilled dog when we are travelling! He usually sleeps whilst we are driving and we stop for lots of pee breaks. We always try to find places that Leo can roam freely/with good walking trails, so he can have a good explore and enjoy the outdoors with us. If we find somewhere with a lake/ocean then it's a bonus as he loves to swim and it wears him out for the evening.

Dogs on holidays are always having fun!

How do you maintain his daily routine? Exercise/food etc.

When we are home he usually gets a little walk in the morning before anything, followed by 2 meals a day (and lots of treats) then a big walk in the afternoon/evening... nothing exciting! If we are on the road that tends to change a lot but we still make sure he gets some exercise in and isn't stuck in the truck for too long.

What do you love about bringing Leo on the road with you?

I love that he becomes a part of the memories and he gets to share the adventure with us! Leo is at his happiest when he gets to be in the great outdoors and that fills us with so much joy to see! I love knowing he's getting all these experiences out of life and seeing the world one adventure at a time.

What do you love about dogs?

They give unconditional love and comfort to us and I know having a loyal companion has helped me through so many bad days. I just think dogs are so precious and too kind for this world!

Who are your favourite YouTubers with Defenders?

We love watching GrizzlyNbear, Johnny the Butterfly and Yakoverland to name a few! There's so many great YouTubers out there, we love seeing it all!

Slow roadin' and ready to travel the world with a dog!

How can we follow your adventures?

For now we mainly use Instagram to post about our adventures (and many breakdowns) but this year we are preparing to hit up YouTube for ourselves!

How did you hear about Wolf & I Co.?

We discovered each other through social media, sharing our same passions and love for dogs, adventure and Defenders!

What do you like about your Wolf & I Co. gear?

It's so well made and looks awesome! I really love how sturdy everything is, and knowing nothing is going to break or cause an accident to Leo is very reassuring. I love that everything is designed with adventure in mind and really suits being in the great outdoors with our little adventure buddy.

Anything else we should know?

Just that we love your gear! Leo wears the Wolf Pack Harness and the Alpine Wolf Tactical Collar

If you'd like to kit your dog out just like Leo, view the range of Dog Harness Adventure & Travel Packs

Want to follow Ruth and Callum's adventures? Check them out on instagram @ruthmoorcroft @callum_wallis_otter and subscribe for more epic adventures sent direct to your inbox!