Me & My Pet: Jenni Falconer

We talk to Jenni Falconer, breakfast show host of Smooth radio, co-founder of Kollo Health, podcaster and marathon runner (Jenni is taking part in this year’s London Marathon on 27 April). Jenni tells us about life with her super cute puggle, Millie, and how she always brings a smile to her face and makes her feel so loved and appreciated!

Firstly, we love Millie! When did you get her, what breed is she—and what was it about her that stole your heart?

I love Millie too. We are all smitten by her. We lost our gorgeous dog, Alfie, in March 2023. He was almost 16 and was by my side his entire life. It crushed me and the house was eerily quiet without him. Alfie was a puggle-half pug, half beagle and I was on some puggle appreciation Facebook pages as well as pugalier ones. (Pugaliers are King Charles spaniels cross pugs.) Anyway, I saw a family had a litter as a result of their 2 dogs being accidentally left unattended and I watched as the pups found homes. There were a couple left at the end and I couldn’t bear it…. we went to visit and fell in love with one of them. A month later, she ended up coming home with us.

Millie is just adorable but she’s not very dog like… She literally squeals with excitement, she physically cuddles you, she jumps like a cat, and ultimately she has switched that light back on in our house which was dimmed after Alfie. Millie is very different to Alfie but there are a few traits that are similar.

We see you love running. Does Millie enjoy running too?

I love running, and Millie loves running with me! She is very quick but runs whilst looking up and watching me. It’s hilarious. It’s like she doesn’t trust me to suddenly stop or turn in a different direction. Millie also has a habit of wanting to dart between my legs which adds a little jeopardy to our runs… she also never ever tires- she has so much energy! 

What is a typical day for you and Millie?

I wake up at 4:30 and Millie gets to pop out for a quick pee, then I leave her to go to work at which stage she decides it’s time to wake Ella. If Ella is not quite up for waking yet, Millie curls up next to her. She stays there for about half an hour and then shares the love by going and waking up James. He buckles and then gets up to give her breakfast! She has a walk with James before he leaves for work, and then I’ll get back to her around lunchtime. We go for a walk and hang out. When I’m working, she has a tendency to want to be on my lap and she’s never far from a tennis ball in case anyone should want to play. 

How does she get on with the rest of the family?

She adores Ella and James. I think she sees Ella as the one who plays with her most – they do tricks and play games in the garden. She also is obsessed with my parents. She’s unsure of strangers and you do have to work for her affection but once you have it, you will know it!

Does she have a best friend?

She has a friend called Cooper that she sees every a often at doggy day care. They apparently chase each other all day and she comes home shattered!

Does Millie have some favourite parks, cafes she likes to go to?

Millie comes with me a lot, especially at weekends. We live near a lot of dog friendly bars, cafes and restaurants. She’s been shopping with us at Battersea Power Station, although I’m not sure that’s necessarily her favourite place to be. She is obsessed with the park and the common-large areas of grass where she can go crazy and run after a tennis ball or football. However, she can’t be trusted near birds or squirrels. If she sees one, she wants to chase them. Alfie was the same. 

What difference has she made to your life and has she taught you any life lessons?

Millie makes us all smile. You can’t get annoyed with her. She lights up the room and she makes you feel very much loved and appreciated. You can’t begrudge taking her for a walk because to her, it’s her favourite time-walking with you. You also can begrudge throwing the ball because she so desperately wants to play with you. These small things can feel like an effort sometimes, but the life lesson is that they are also the highlight of a dog’s day and you can’t stop them from having it. A dog encourages you to get up off the sofa, put your phone down and enjoy quality time with your pet who loves you unconditionally, So, it’s only fair that you give them your time in return. 

Any funny incidents involving Millie?

She’s an impressive and skilled athlete. We had no idea how she was getting out of her cage, so we set up a camera-she literally jumped out. She can jump onto tables and the island in our kitchen. I’ve never seen anything like it from a dog! Sometimes I’m coming in with shopping and she decides she wants a cuddle and just jumps into my arms…You have to be quick and put the shopping down to catch her!! 

She also has a spot in the garden where she can stand and peer over the fence watching the neighbours. They must just see a floating dog head…but she loves saying hello to them. 

Anything you feel particularly strongly about with regard to animal welfare?

Stories of Animal cruelty, animal testing and neglection all break my heart. I love animals and hate the thought of any of them being in pain, in isolation, abandoned, abused or injured. There is still so much to be done to encourage the public to be better when it comes to animal welfare. 

Anywhere you like to travel with Millie? Anywhere you would like to visit with PetsPyjamas?

I am desperate to take Ella to the West coast of Scotland for a holiday. The beaches, the scenery, the opportunities to run are endless, and I know we’d all love it. There are also so many incredible dog friendly hotels across the UK, it’s brilliant that you can have a staycation and include your four-legged friend! A holiday in Britain isn’t the same for us without Millie by our side. 

Lastly, what projects are you working on at the moment? Have you got anything exciting coming up for us to look out for?

Currently I host the Smooth Radio Breakfast show Monday to Friday at 6-10am. I also host RunPod, a podcast about the feel good of running. I also own a health brand, Kollo Health which has 2 multi-award winning liquid supplements, liquid collagen and liquid meno support. I’m also an ambassador for Sweaty Betty and about to take on my 10th London marathon!