Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Marley and Me dog film

Yesterday I went to see Marley & Me, a film for dog lovers starring a golden Labrador called Marley, Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

I’m afraid I was most disappointed.  If you haven’t seen the film yet, you may not want to read on as this does contain spoilers. Read the rest of this entry »

Bedding for puppies

Recently, we’ve been talking about responsible dog breeders and how they should flea and worm their puppies before they leave to go to their new home.  However, although these are important health considerations there are other factors to consider too. Read the rest of this entry »

Tougher treatment for dog owners

How much tougher should we be on those who neglect their dogs or neglect our streets?

In recent articles, we’ve talked about how a DNA dog database is being put together in Germany to identify dogs and how wardens are getting tough on those Read the rest of this entry »

Worm the puppies

Worming is a vital part of a puppy’s growing up.  It may surprise and even horrify you, but puppies are usually born with worms.  A responsible dog breeder will be aware of what worming requirements are needed for a growing puppy.  They should be wormed every 2 weeks whilst in the litter and again when they leave the litter.  After that, the new owner should Read the rest of this entry »

Flea the puppies

There are a lot of irresponsible dog breeders out there and if you are purchasing a puppy, be sure that you check the dog breeder has flea sprayed the puppies as the last thing you want to have when you have a new puppy is a load of fleas moving into your house at the same time! Read the rest of this entry »

Where did Gumbo go?

You might remember all the furore over the Kennel Club, pedigree dogs and Crufts over the last year.  One thing I did mention a while ago is how the media were discussing the apparent hypocrisy that the BBC seemed to be showing when Eastenders featured a St Bernard, one of the breeds they wanted banned from Crufts, called Gumbo.

Gumbo was abandoned to Bradley in the soap, who was non-too keen until Gumbo won a dog show and some prize money.  The show then showed Bradley receiving a phone call from someone wanting to use Gumbo as a stud dog.

There was lots of media coverage over the hypocrisy and the BBC defended itself admirably, however, I note that Gumbo has not appeared for some time.  Did I miss an episode, did someone take Gumbo, did the BBC remove him or what happened?

Watch out for bean bag dog toys

Yesterday, I discussed cheap dog toys – or rather, the lack thereof.  A lady emailed me and mentioned that she purchases cheap children’s toys for her dog, as they are generally of the same quality and don’t have loose parts that dogs or children could choke on.  This is a good point, but there is something I feel needs to be highlighted.

Yes, I agree there are a lot of toys that can be used for either dogs or children, however, there is one point that we need to watch for.  I avoid any children’s toys that feel to have beans in the bottom (usually to make the toy stand up) or anywhere else for that matter.  Dogs have teeth and although children are just as capable of pulling a toy apart, if they do so, they usually cry when the beans come out and an adult is never far away (or shouldn’t be) to clear up.  Not so with dogs.  Dogs won’t cry, are often alone and will usually try to eat anything that looks edible.  So avoid any toys with beans anywhere in them and if they are meant for older children, don’t leave the dog alone with them.

Where did cheap dog toys go?

The other day I was on a bit of a rant about brightly coloured dog treats, and today it seems my mood has not really changed.

Dog toys are not cheap.  I used to be able to pick up dog toys for £1 or £2 from the market but no longer.  Now, even the toys on the market are expensive and only 50p or so less than if they were bought from the top notch pet shops in the high street or industrial estate.  I am not entirely sure why this is the case, where exactly did all the cheap dog toys go to?

I do not mind paying for a more expensive dog toy, but they seldom last any longer than the cheap ones and to be honest, my dog just likes having new things (much like her mum ) so I’d rather buy cheaper and more often than spend £5 on a toy she’s bored of in a day or two.  Bring back cheap dog toys!

Beware of staining dog food

My dog loves the brightly coloured dog treats and chews that are made from rawhide.  You know the type, they come in weird and wonderful shapes and sizes, like miniature bones, chickens, burgers and even kebabs!

The problem, however, as I soon found in just a few months of owning a dog is that the colour the companies use can stain.  This stain is not only unsightly when it gets all over the carpet and nicely cleaned floor, but also stains the dog’s mouth.  In some cases, this might not be such a huge deal but my dog is beige and white, so a bright red or green mouth can be difficult to turn back to its initial glorious white in a hurry.  Mind you, she does look funny!

It does make me think though, what sort of colouring or flavourings are going into this treat food?  Is my dog likely to be hyper as children do with these things?

Dogs and dining tables do not mix

Last weekend, I visited a friend that I haven’t seen for some time.  She and her partner own a bulldog, which I hate.  It’s not that I hate bulldogs you understand, in fact I quite like them and even considered purchasing one once, but it’s her bulldog I don’t like.

The dog has been ruined by its owners.  I tried to sit down to drink a cup of tea with my friend, which proved impossible because the dog would insist on trying to jump all over me.  My friend made some meagre attempt to get the dog away but it is perfectly apparent who the leader of the pack is in that household – and it is not human.

But the thing that really gets me is actually the brand new oak dining table that she has recently purchased.  It is absolutely gorgeous – as dining tables go – and yet she still allows the dog to eat at the table.  Yes, I did actually say that – the dog sits and eats at the table.

Anyway, to get on with my story, my friend was complaining about the dog and how she was so misbehaved.  The dog had jumped up on this brand new oak dining table (you can see here the type I mean) and so the table was now scratched.  My friend was seriously perplexed about how and why this could have happened.  Try bringing your dog up properly, training her properly and not letting her sit at the table in the first place!