Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Hoppa is hopping with happiness

Us Brits can’t get enough of our four legged friends. They are our closest companions and we love to turn to our dogs for comfort.

So it’s always upsetting to think that a dog may be suffering. They seem so innocent and helpless; they don’t deserve any pain or discomfort.

The very sight of Hoppa, a four year old dog from Israel, could bring a tear to any dog lover’s eye. He was born with no front legs and has struggled over the years.

But the good news is; Hoppa has just been fitted with a prosthetic harness which consists of wheels instead of legs that enable him to move around as quickly as he likes.

With these developments, fingers crossed other dogs in a similar situation will get help soon too.

Dogs fighting crime

They never cease to amaze me.

Because aside from providing unconditional companionship and love to us humans, dogs can help to fight crime too.
Sniffer dogs are trained to detect explosives, drugs and blood. And they are able to do this even when certain scents are masked by other smells.

A sniffer dog’s sense of smell is 2000 times more sensitive than that of humans. This was displayed once, when a sniffer dog alerted police to a lady who had tried to smuggle drugs into a prison, by hiding them in her bra and smearing them with coffee pepper and Vicks Vapo-rub. The dog couldn’t be fooled by this lady.

Whenever I hear facts like this, it always makes me question; how on earth would we survive without our trusty dogs?

Travelling with your dog

Sometimes I think he has a better time than most humans.

My dog Bobby is always off on his travels – jet setting all over the world! He has been micro chipped, injected and he has his own doggy passport. So last night, he went off to France for a few weeks.

It’s a long drive to get there, taking about 12 hours altogether, but Bobby is a seasoned pro when it comes to long journeys and he actually really enjoys them.

If you want your dog to be a good traveller, it’s best to get them used to it when they are still a puppy. If you take them on regular trips in the car, they will become

Bobby loves travelling in the car

Always keep them in the back of the car. If they attempt to jump onto the front seat, tell them to get into the back immediately. That way, they will begin to learn that the front is not for them.

Of course you will need to stop regularly in order to let them stretch their legs and go to the toilet. It is also important to let them have a drink and maybe something to eat each time you stop too. You don’t want them to become dehydrated. There are even doggy travel bowls available which can be folded up after use, to ensure that your dog travels lightly.

The most important thing to do is to keep your dog comfortable throughout the journey. And if they are trained correctly, your dog will soon become your favourite travel companion.

A loyal friend

On my way to work today, I saw a lady with a guide dog.

Being a dog lover, I have always been fascinated by guide dogs and the work that they do. And this morning, once again, I was so impressed and humbled by how vital these animals are to the blind and partially sighted.

The lady I saw was making her way through a city centre during rush hour. She was crossing an extremely busy road. But she knew she could trust her furry friend to keep her safe. And that is precisely why us dog lovers are so fond of our pets.

These dogs are highly trained and sensitive and they really know what they are looking out for. It’s amazing that they are so focussed on their job and they never get distracted. In fact, most office workers could probably learn a thing or two from them!

Puppy fat

‘The diet starts on Monday’.

These words seem to echo around every office in the country. In fact, us humans are slightly obsessed by diets and exercise plans.

But we’re not suffering alone, because pet obesity in the UK is a growing problem according to a survey by PDSA.

According to the survey, ‘tubby’ pets are now seen as normal, and many owners even think that their chubby dogs are more cute and cuddly than their healthier counterparts.

But, just like humans, pets who are overweight will suffer from health issues and they may have their life expectancy cut short.

It’s worth checking with the vet what your dog’s ideal weight is. If you find out that they are slightly overweight, then get advice on the best diet for your dog.

And definitely don’t wait until Monday.

Overcoming those obstacles

If your dog is anything like mine, when they’re out on a walk, it’s a challenge to even get them to walk the right way around a lamppost.

The result is a very confused dog pulling away at a lead which is wrapped several times around the post.

But it seems, this is not a problem Kenny Spottiswoode has had to deal with. Because his four year old dog Nike recently won the Pedigree Highland Agility Stakes final held at the Scottish Game Fair in Scone.

The Dundee trainer has been training and competing with dogs for almost ten years and he says that the secret to dog agility and training is to have lots of fun. He says that the best way to train is by doing two training sessions a week for five minutes at a time.

Kenny also stressed that the most important thing is to create a strong bond with your dog so that they enjoy the training.

Nike was required to tackle an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels and seesaws during the competition. It sounds like a big challenge to me. I think me and my dog will start off by mastering that lamppost.

Feeling hot, hot, hot

As the weather hots up this summer, the ice-cream vans are out in force. But before we run out and order that 99 with a flake, it’s really important to make sure that our dogs are kept hydrated.

It’s all very well us humans going out and enjoying the weather, but spare a thought for your four legged friend whilst you’re out sunning yourself.

There have been a few dog deaths recently as a result of careless people leaving them in cars. And it has even been reported that two police dogs have died after being left in a hot vehicle outside the force headquarters.

Lessons must be learnt from this. So before you run off to that ice-cream van, just make sure that your furry friend is in a cool, comfortable place, with plenty of water. Then you can sit back, relax and enjoy that 99…perhaps even with an extra flake!

The importance of Service Lifts

People are generally negligent when it comes to looking after their pets – especially dogs – and don’t go that extra bit to look after their pet dog from every angle.

Many people think this is not even needed as dogs are only animals. This, of course is wrong and every step should be taken to ensure your pets and well looked after and nothing day in day out should be and object of harm from any aspect of the animal.

One area where many people lack are in large corporate buildings where dogs are not allowed in the service lifts and so, make them run up and down 30 floors many times in one day.

Some may argue (just to get away with it) it’s good exercise but we know this is not the case.

My main point today is that it’s against the law and against animal rights that your pet is not looked after too well.

One way to solve this issue it to install service lifts that are specially made and designed for dogs and other similar animals. By doing so, you will not only follow the law and make animal rights people happy, you will also look after the being of your pet.

Keep you dog warm for the winter

There are many instances of stories and situations where many pets have been known to have died.

From amongst these, there are two instances which appear frequently:

1. Pets and Animals are left in a vehicle in the hot summer months for a couple of hours. As the heat continues to increase, it becomes a bit too much for the Animal by which it takes their life.
2. In the cold winter months, home animals and pets are left out the house or in a very cold room where, as above, becomes a bit too cold for their beings to handle and thus, they face the same fate as above.

Keep your dog away from slugs

Slugs and snails are common in the UK thanks to our unfortunately climate, but not only are these pests a garden nightmare they can also cause a potentially fatal disease for your dog.

If your dogs eats slugs or snails, either deliberately or accidentally, then you should be careful.  They can carry a lungworm infection that leads to angiostrongylosis, the potentially fatal disease.

A vet in Southend, Mr Richardson, said:

“It is something that is more of an emerging condition.  We are seeing more of it than we used to. It has become a bigger problem in the South East because the climate here is a bit warmer which helps the slugs and snails do well.”

Symptoms Read the rest of this entry »