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Monday, June 15. 2015
Gun Dogs
A curious thing the English language is it not? When we talk about a gunman we mean a man with a gun, usually a man with a gun that he is quite prepared to use to shoot somebody for whatever reason. Note that we also run the two words, “gun” and “man” together to make one word.
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Friday, May 15. 2015
Your Dog, Lyme Disease and You
What do you know about Lyme disease? If the answer is, “Er, what’s that?” or “Not much,” and you have a dog that you like to exercise in the countryside then you need to know more. It is a very nasty condition which, in the UK mainly affects deer, sheep, rodents, dogs and humans.
Continue reading "Your Dog, Lyme Disease and You" »
Friday, May 8. 2015
Is keeping a dog good for you?
Well, it all depends. It depends on several factors. The negative factors focus mainly on the potential for a dog, like any other animal, to be a source of infections and infestations detrimental to human health.
The positive benefits to human health are perceived to arise from the psychological and emotional aspects of dog ownership. The physical benefits of taking healthy exercise are well recognised.
Overall, the health benefits of dog ownership would seem to outweigh any negative aspects by a considerable margin. Scientists have always shied away from coming down firmly on one side or the other probably due to the paucity of properly controlled research. However scientific opinion does now appear to be swinging towards the positive.
Continue reading "Is keeping a dog good for you?" »
The positive benefits to human health are perceived to arise from the psychological and emotional aspects of dog ownership. The physical benefits of taking healthy exercise are well recognised.
Overall, the health benefits of dog ownership would seem to outweigh any negative aspects by a considerable margin. Scientists have always shied away from coming down firmly on one side or the other probably due to the paucity of properly controlled research. However scientific opinion does now appear to be swinging towards the positive.
Continue reading "Is keeping a dog good for you?" »
Monday, April 13. 2015
Britain’s Dogs Boost Economic Recovery!
A headline you are probably unlikely to see in your morning newspaper? Yes, but maybe you should! Combing the internet seeking a canine connected topic for this month I found many companies who exist to supply all those items that the 21st Century dog owner finds essential to his or her dog’s lifestyle. The first thing that struck me was the sheer number of companies competing for the privilege of supplying those needs. Even restricting the search to the UK still left a surprising number and that’s just on-line suppliers. There are all the local pet shops too.
Continue reading "Britain’s Dogs Boost Economic Recovery!" »
Wednesday, March 4. 2015
Not all Dogs Have Four Legs; The origins of doggy words and phrases!
Have you ever thought about the significance of dogs and dog references in our everyday use of language? It may be peculiar to the English language of course but even then, with English being spoken by such a large part of the world’s population the canine connection is pretty significant. Consider, if you will, these examples in no particular order.
Continue reading "Not all Dogs Have Four Legs; The origins of..." »
Continue reading "Not all Dogs Have Four Legs; The origins of..." »
Tuesday, January 20. 2015
Attacks on Assistance Dogs An Increasing Problem
Dogs have been in the news recently for undesirable reasons, namely an alarmingly high incidence of attacks on guide dogs and other assistance dogs by other dogs. Most people’s reaction to hearing this is likely to be something on the lines of, “That’s appalling! Something needs to be done to stop it!” Fair comment, but what exactly is to be done about it? Well, apparently about half of these attacks occur when the aggressor is actually on a lead. This would indicate that the human handler is either incapable of controlling the dog properly or simply doesn’t care. Assuming the latter category only accounts for a very small minority we are left with lack of training on the part of the handler and probably the dog as well and lack of experience maybe.
Continue reading "Attacks on Assistance Dogs An Increasing Problem" »
Wednesday, January 14. 2015
Dogs 'n' Adders Leaflet
Dogs are occasionally bitten by adders; although the bites are painful they are very rarely fatal. Although widespread throughout the UK adders are a protected species and it is illegal to kill or injure them...
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Continue reading "Dogs 'n' Adders Leaflet" »
Tuesday, December 9. 2014
Do Dogs Understand English (or any other human tongue)?
...Or do they react solely to the tone of voice we use to differentiate between praise, reprimand or command. If you have a dog in your household, you’ll be well aware of how acutely he or she appears to understand those variations. Scientists across the world know that too. Studies and experiments to discover whether dogs understand more than we think they do, or not as the case may be continue and some of their findings are quite fascinating and may be significant.
Continue reading "Do Dogs Understand English (or any other human..." »
Wednesday, December 3. 2014
Stay Safe When Walking the Dog
Being a dog owner carries responsibilities, to our dogs and to other people and most of us take those responsibilities seriously. We take care of our dogs’ needs in terms of food, health and exercise. We always use leads wherever appropriate and take the trouble to clean up after our pets when we’re out and about with them. So, as responsible dog owners we are taking care of our dogs’ health and trying to maintain god relationships with the rest of the population including the many who are not dog owners. Well done us!
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Tuesday, October 28. 2014
Yellow Dog Scheme
Yellow dogs? Oh come on! Who’s ever seen a yellow dog? They come in white, black, all sorts of browns and various combinations of those sorts of colour, but yellow? Well it may come as a surprise if you’ve never heard of the scheme but you may well have seen a yellow dog without realising you have! That sounds surprising but, okay we’ll come clean and reveal that it’s not actually the dogs that are yellow. It’s not a publicity stunt with dogs dyed yellow or anything like that. What is yellow is a ribbon or bandana attached to the dog or its leash.
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Wednesday, September 24. 2014
Adopting a Rescue Dog
Training a puppy from scratch (literally!) can be a great experience. After all they are so cute and loveable at that stage, like most young animals and it is good to train your dog right from puppyhood and establish the relationship between you and the dog early. However, what if you can’t cope with the antics of a very young animal? Your situation may be fine for a dog that is already at least house-trained, but not for a completely untrained puppy.
Thursday, September 4. 2014
Doq quotes and quotes about dogs!
Dog quotes are often shared with us on Facebook and Twitter, and we have stumbled across a few other quotes about dogs at various times when working on this project. Here are some of our favourite canine sayings, phrases and musings by dog lovers, celebrities and people cleverer than us!
Continue reading "Doq quotes and quotes about dogs!" »
Wednesday, September 3. 2014
Children and Dogs Can Be Safe Together
Start by remembering that no animal can be considered 100% safe all of the time. They don’t think and reason the way humans are supposed to. Life is full of risks and learning how to deal with them is part of growing up which, with careful guidance, should begin at an early stage in a child’s life. Children must be taught by their parents the right ways to treat dogs.
In many of the cases that result in horrific news stories the problem could be traced back to human failings. So how can we as responsible parents and dog owners ensure that our children grow up enjoying a happy relationship with our own dogs and avoid unpleasant encounters with of other dogs?
The Kennel Club offers some very sound advice which starts even before a dog or a puppy is introduced to a home with young children. First teach the children that a puppy is definitely not a toy! It is very different to a doll for example. It won’t take kindly to being picked up and cuddled or carried. Kissing it is unhygienic anyway and should be discouraged for that reason alone. The puppy won’t appreciate it anyway! Dressing up the puppy is a big “no-no”.
Teach the children not to encourage a puppy to chase them. Dogs are natural hunters and this behaviour can lead to dangerous situations later. A puppy’s “play-bite” may be amusing but when he’s grown up it won’t be! Don’t encourage it in puppyhood and make sure the children don’t.
The safe and sure way to ensure that these principles are applied and to avoid unpleasant experiences is to follow the golden rule; never leave small children alone with any dog. Children and dogs are unpredictable and an adult needs to be there to intervene if the safety of the children or the welfare of the dog begins to be compromised.
Remember, the dog or puppy needs time to itself to rest and enjoy some peace and quiet, just like you do. Parents might have some trouble remembering those times! When the pup wants to play, he or she will let you know. Incidentally, why do pet food adverts always refer to dogs as “he” and cats as “she?
Children are notoriously short on patience and that is something that parents have to try to instil in them. (Good luck with that!) Puppies are the same but good training can help. Both you and your dog or better still, pup, really should attend dog training classes. That will pay dividends for the whole of your dog’s life.
Some Simple Guidelines for Children
- - Playing rough games with your puppy, like play fighting with each other or provoking the puppy to be protective, can encourage aggressive behaviour later.
- - Unless your puppy makes close face-to-face contact itself, keep your face away from the puppy's face. You may get your face bitten otherwise!
- - Never force attention on your puppy. If you want to play, gently encourage the puppy to join you, but don’t make it if it doesn’t want to. Understand that 'quiet time' with the puppy is important too. It needs some space and peace and quiet as well as play.
- - Be tidy and keep toys and clothes out of reach of the puppy. If you don’t, it will probably steal them then chew them and even swallow small toys just to get attention. You don’t want your puppy to be always at the vet’s having operations to remove things from its insides. It could even die!
- - Always ask for the owner’s permission before you pet or stroke their dog. If the dog is unaccompanied, leave it alone!
Parents: Do remember that, to be legally responsible for a dog outside the home a child must be 10 years old or over.
To find out more, do visit:
Monday, July 28. 2014
Taking your dog on holiday - a dog friendly guide!
It’s holiday time! Being a caring sort of dog owner you want to take your four-legged friend with you so you’ve opted for a holiday in the UK; what people nowadays, when holidays abroad seem to be regarded by many as essential, call a "staycation". But it’s a good call; you’ll avoid all that hassle with airports, passports out of date or left at home and currency exchange.
These islands have lots to offer the holidaymaker even if the weather can be quite interesting at times! You’ve found one or more of the many dog-friendly places to stay using DogFriendlyTogether.co.uk so you’re about ready for the off. Now’s the time to think about one or two factors concerning travels with a canine companion.
UK Holidays usually involve fairly long journeys by car; almost certainly longer than your usual drives. Dogs don’t usually enjoy long car journeys. Dogs are generally active, energetic animals. The long periods of forced inactivity are anathema to them. They get bored easily just like children. Unlike a child however your dog can’t keep asking, “Are we nearly there yet? Every few minutes! He’ll probably just curl up and sulk so at least make sure he can do so in comfort. Provide an extra blanket if it’s not too warm already. Make sure he has a good supply of water. Dogs can get dehydrated very quickly. They get overheated in cars too so ensure there is sufficient ventilation.
Of course all that water going in has to come out sooner or later so make fairly frequent stops for canine comfort breaks: Human ones too if you stop at the right places. While the dog is out of the car give him a reasonable walk to exercise his legs and burn off some accumulated energy.
When you arrive at your destination remember your dog needs to adjust to strange new surroundings just as you do. Dogs take longer to adjust than humans so remember to allow for that. Bringing familiar things from home such as his own bedding and his favourite toys will help enormously and your dog will thank you for it in his own way. Do the same as you would for a small child and you won’t go far wrong.
As soon as you get there, check out the outdoor areas and make sure they are secure enough to let your dog explore properly. He’ll want to do that on his own. Once you are happy that it’s safe to do so, walk the dog around the area so he can get his bearings and help him find the most suitable place to answer his calls of nature. He will need to mark out his new territory of course, in his own way.
Remember, dogs have no concept of “holidays” so being uprooted and taken away for a week or two and then brought back home, can be confusing for them. The suggestions made here should help to minimise the stress on dog and owner. That way you’ll enjoy your well earned break all the more in the company of a contented canine.
These islands have lots to offer the holidaymaker even if the weather can be quite interesting at times! You’ve found one or more of the many dog-friendly places to stay using DogFriendlyTogether.co.uk so you’re about ready for the off. Now’s the time to think about one or two factors concerning travels with a canine companion.
UK Holidays usually involve fairly long journeys by car; almost certainly longer than your usual drives. Dogs don’t usually enjoy long car journeys. Dogs are generally active, energetic animals. The long periods of forced inactivity are anathema to them. They get bored easily just like children. Unlike a child however your dog can’t keep asking, “Are we nearly there yet? Every few minutes! He’ll probably just curl up and sulk so at least make sure he can do so in comfort. Provide an extra blanket if it’s not too warm already. Make sure he has a good supply of water. Dogs can get dehydrated very quickly. They get overheated in cars too so ensure there is sufficient ventilation.
Of course all that water going in has to come out sooner or later so make fairly frequent stops for canine comfort breaks: Human ones too if you stop at the right places. While the dog is out of the car give him a reasonable walk to exercise his legs and burn off some accumulated energy.
When you arrive at your destination remember your dog needs to adjust to strange new surroundings just as you do. Dogs take longer to adjust than humans so remember to allow for that. Bringing familiar things from home such as his own bedding and his favourite toys will help enormously and your dog will thank you for it in his own way. Do the same as you would for a small child and you won’t go far wrong.
As soon as you get there, check out the outdoor areas and make sure they are secure enough to let your dog explore properly. He’ll want to do that on his own. Once you are happy that it’s safe to do so, walk the dog around the area so he can get his bearings and help him find the most suitable place to answer his calls of nature. He will need to mark out his new territory of course, in his own way.
Remember, dogs have no concept of “holidays” so being uprooted and taken away for a week or two and then brought back home, can be confusing for them. The suggestions made here should help to minimise the stress on dog and owner. That way you’ll enjoy your well earned break all the more in the company of a contented canine.
Tuesday, July 8. 2014
DogFriendlyTogether supports Youth In Music 2014 (Wimborne, Dorset)
With so many great dog friendly pubs in Wimborne we were delighted to support Wimborne's Youth in Music event hosted by the Dorset Youth Marching Band.
It was a great day out, with plenty to see and some great local musical talent to listen to. We loved meeting so many friendly dog owners and having the opportunity to let people know about our online directory of dog friendly places. AND we got to dress up too! Can't wait for next years.
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