Cats-dogs.co.uk | Pet Advice

There is a great new website dedicated to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

www.cavaliermatters.org is a beautifully illustrated website, providing easy to read and understand information for Cavalier Pet Folk. The site helps to decode the technical and scientific jargon surrounding the health problems associated with the Cavalier Kind Charles Spaniel breed through plain English, amusing sketches and charming anecdotes. The content is written and illustrated in a thoughtful and simple layout with tips and advice plainly identified, using cartoons of owls and birds.

Tania Ledger conceived the idea for this site when she first heard about Syringomyelia (sm) on the BBC documentary “Pedigree Dogs Exposed”. She was shocked and appalled that dogs are bred into a terrible life of pain. Her Cavaliers, Molly and Dougall, were both diagnosed later with this and other serious health issues.

As well as the basic content, it has the website has two further objectives. Firstly, To help to raise funds for research and rescue through the sale of items helpful to cavaliers in their daily lives. Secondly, to raise awareness of the issues surrounding this breed and to campaign against puppy farming and poor breed and breeding standards set by the Kennel Club. There are currently two active  petitions running on the site.

A report on the  impact of pet illness and death on their owners’ work attendance has estimated that British businesses are losing £18 million a year in lost workforce hours due to staff taking ‘pet sick leave’ either to look after their sick animal or to grieve because their pet has died.

The research, by insurance comapny LV reveals that one in ten dog or cat owners interviewed (11%) said they had stayed at home to nurse a sick pet, while 11% had stayed off work because they were so upset after their pet had died. This translates into 1.1 million pet owners who called in sick last year because their dog or cat was ill or had died, each taking an average of 2.4 days off.

Rather than admit the truth to their employer, nearly a quarter of those who took time off for their pet (24%), told their boss they were staying off work due to their own ill health.

LV= have a pet insurance policy, which includes free bereavement counselling for the pet owner as standard. LV= is also one of the few insurers that will insure older cats and dogs, with no maximum age limit.

Belinda Hall, counselling services manager at Medicals Direct Group, which runs the helpline on behalf of LV=, said: “The pet bereavement counselling service is designed to assist pet owners come to terms with the loss of their animal. Callers can access the service at any time of the day or night and their call is completely confidential.”

UrbanPup.com, the Northern Ireland online retailer who specialise in high fashion dog clothes and accessories, are an official partner to “Legally Blonde the Musical”.

Denis Kelly, Managing Director of UrbanPup.com says, “We provided our favourite and most fashionable pink dog clothes to dress the Chihuahua star of the show, Bruiser for the Legally Blonde pre-launch publicity photos. The pink sweater and diamante collar & lead proved to be a great hit and UrbanPup.com now exclusively supply the Legally Blonde Bruiser outfit.”

He continued: “UrbanPup.com is one of the official partners to the show and all dog outfits and accessories will be supplied by us for the entire run in the West End.”

The show tells the tale of college girl Elle Woods and her Chihuahua Bruiser as they head to Harvard Law School to win back Elle’s man, Warner. Elle and Warner are played by popular stars Sheridan Smith and Duncan James. A great cast and a great production have tantalised and captivated the West End audiences. At the gala night opening, Legally Blonde has received rave reviews from the critics.

“We are thrilled to be associated with such a successful West End Musical and have enjoyed Legally Blonde the Musical and seeing how well Bruiser performs in his UrbanPup.com dog clothes.” Says Denis.

Check out the range here.

Farmers this year are more likely to adopt a “shoot first, ask questions later” policy to sheep chasing, a top Cumbria dog trainer has warned. As the lambing season gets underway, Ingrid Grayling of Penrith says that demand from dog owners for anti-chasing courses has increased significantly.

It follows recent reports of dogs being shot and killed because they were worrying livestock in parts of the UK where lambing begins earlier. As Cumbria’s season prepares to get into full swing, says Ingrid, owners fear that their pets will be next in the firing line if they chase sheep.

“Farmers are entitled to act if they see an uncontrolled dog pursuing animals on their land - and they are defending not just their livestock, but also their livelihood,” said Ingrid. “With the increasing financial pressures being put on farming enterprises, they can’t be blamed for trying to prevent their sheep being savaged or killed.”

“Increasingly, this means having a zero tolerance approach to dogs running wild, even if the owners are present and frantically trying to recall their pets,” she added.

Ingrid says that this year she is using her own flock of sheep to cure dogs of their sheep-chasing habits which could put them into the farmer’s firing line.

She defends her use of electric collars for training, and says that they are the kindest and most efficient way of achieving a remedy which will last the dog’s entire life.

After just one 90-minute session, claims Ingrid, most dogs can then be safely taken in the presence of sheep without fear of them being overcome by an instinct for the chase:

“It’s just an exciting game for the dog when it sees a flock fleeing in fright, and few would actually go as far as attacking a sheep,” she says.  “But the farmer doesn’t know whether the game will end in bloodshed or simply a field-full of distressed stock - and some will prefer to act first and ask questions later.”

Conventional training rarely work for sheep-chasing, explained Ingrid. The crime is often committed a long way from the owner, and the dog is unlikely to understand why it is later being reprimanded.

The remotely-controlled electric collars she uses deliver a brief jolt the second the dog begins to chase - usually bringing the it to a complete standstill, says Ingrid.

It is then summoned back to the owner, lavished with praise, and given a small doggy treat.

Most dogs, said Ingrid, learn extremely quickly - and maintains that her methods are much kinder and more effective than metering out a pointless punishment when the dog is retrieved.

As one of the UK’s best-known trainers, Ingrid is currently working with the University of Leicester in a research study into the use of electric training collars.

More information on the training courses run by Ingrid Grayling is available from 01931 715282, or see her website at www.ingrid-grayling.com.

When you see the ‘Puppies for Sale’ sign in your local pet shop it is important that you know how to care for the animal and diet is essential for the well-being of your dog. An increasing number of pets for sale have been brought up on a poor diet and when you purchase a pet you must know about their dietary requirements in order to help them back to health. This post focuses specifically on dogs but the main point of the piece is that all pet owners must do their research before taking ownership of a pet.

It has recently been reported that the obesity levels of dogs in the UK has reached epidemic proportions. It seems that Britons are feeding their pets an atrocious diet of junk food. Fatty foods, such as cheese, chips and crisps, are being given to dogs as treats but they are creating severe health problems in our Dogs. Pets are increasingly suffering from diseases associated with obesity in humans. Malaise, asthma, diabetes and heart disease are becoming more and more common amongst our household pets. Some owners are even feeding dogs chocolate, which can cause fatal heart attacks for our canine brothers.

There have been recent calls for pet owners who over-feed their pets to be prosecuted under the Cruelty to Animals Act (1876). Like humans, good health is the result of a balanced diet. Here are some tips when considering your dog’s diet.

Milk is a fantastic source of Calcium but beware. A dog only needs a moderate amount of milk and therefore milk should never substitute water in a dog’s diet as this may cause severe diarrhoea. Puppies and pregnant dogs do need extra calcium in their diet but this can be added to their diet by other foods such as, green vegetables and fish. If you do give your dog fish make sure that it is cooked thoroughly as the consumption of raw fish has been attributed to vitamin deficiencies in dogs. A further result is possible abnormal posture, loss of appetite, weakness, and even seizure.

The protein content that is recommended for dogs is 20-30 percent. You should include protein-rich foods such as Chicken, Lamb, and Salmon. Dog’s also need fats and oils in their diet for taste and for digestive reasons. Egg’s are also an excellent source of protein but any foods which contain raw eggs should be avoided as this may lead to Dermatitis, loss of hair and poor growth in your pet.

Carbohydrates are also important to provide energy and fibre to improve the digestive capacity of the dog.

Dogs, like humans, should be fed at scheduled times at regular intervals. If you do give your dog treats be careful. Keep a check on what treats you are giving your dog and adjust their ‘standard’ diet accordingly. Don’t feed your dog table scraps, as it will result in the dog developing the bad habit of begging. Remember a Dog is smaller than a human. One chip is the equivalent of a whole portion of chips.

Pet shop dog-food is an easy way to provide your dog with the nutrients that it requires, but be sure to buy high-quality dog food that is appropriate for your dog’s weight, breed and age.

This advice is not all-encompassing but it provides a good framework for ensuring that your dog is receiving its essential nutrients without becoming obese. The important message is that, like humans, Dogs need a balanced diet in order to lead happy healthy lives but always remember that dogs are not humans and react differently to certain foods.

Puchi have just announced their sale.  In addition to the usual seasonal sale items with up to 50% off,  there is at least 20% of all non sale items.

Finally, to make your dog really happy there is a free box of treats with every order placed when using the voucher code - AFF108

Click here or on the banner below.