O....M....G! Don't you just lurve puppies?

                           Some useful tips for New Puppy Owners

 

Owner's of  a new puppy reach day two  of ownership and then start asking themselves the question, “what the hell have I got myself into?”  Owning a puppy is full of new challenges and you are suddenly faced with obnoxious puppy behavior - whining, biting, jumping, chewing, boisterousness and peeing and poohing everywhere, not forgetting the sleepless nights that you will have to go through.

And if you’ve done any research at all, you will know that proper care and training is critical during a puppy’s first few months. The things your puppy experiences now are going to affect him/her for the rest of their lives.  So no pressure, then? By now you are totally overwhelmed with well-intentioned but often incorrect advice from family, friends and tv shows, it  is any wonder a new owner wants to throw in the towel after one week or perhaps sooner.

So here are some bite-sized puppy tips to get you through the next few months, when the sleep deprivation has set in, and you can’t remember the difference between a clicker and a Kong.

Get a crate.  It makes house training incredibly easy and also acclimatises the puppy that going into a crate means safety, security and a place to nestle down for the night. Tip: Cover the cage with a dark cloth. That will guarantee you unbroken sleep as puppy cant see daylight nor can it see you moving around.

Don't buy expensive puppy pads. Buy cot mats called Drynites from the baby section of the supermarket. These are bigger, cheaper, square in size with stick on pads on the back  and  they do the job perfectly.

Start  off your puppy's digestive system the right way by giving it a tablespoon of natural yoghurt every day. Supermarket own brand is just as effective as an expensive brand. It will build up the immune system in your puppy's gut and stop those worrying puppy squits.

Let your puppy sleep in your bedroom, at least for the first few nights. This whole experience is scary for a pup. Remember he has been taken away from a whole group of family and will be very frightened. Don’t make him sleep in the kitchen on his own. Put the crate next to your bed so you can reassure him.

Set a daily routine. House training proceeds more smoothly if your puppy knows what to expect from his day.  Put them straight out once they have eaten breakfast, lunch, dinner but don't expect them to instantly know that they can't pee on the floor. House training is a tortuous proceedure for both dog and owner. (Think of it as training a 2 year old to use a  potty).  Patience is necessary, not a good slap, yelling or kicking . Besides, that traumatises the animal and sets the pattern for future behaviour.

Enroll in a puppy class and a puppy creche. Your pup will learn some basic obedience, but the real benefit of puppy classes is socialization with other puppies and people.  Ask at your local pet shor or the vet's practice.

Make sure everyone is on the same page. Discuss the puppy rules with your whole family. Figure out who will do what and when. Pick one set of training rules and stick with them.

Don’t encourage behavior that you’ll regret when they gets bigger. Jumping up is cute when the  dog weighs six pounds. It won’t be so cute when they reach 160 pounds. Each time they do it, say in a low voice "Down". This sounds like a growl that an alpha dog would do to a puppy.

Get your pup used to being handled from day one, touching feet, nails, tail, ears, mouth, teeth, and belly with love. Let your puppy meet and get squeezed and cuddled by at least, two new (friendly and gentle) people every day. Your vet will thank you because the more the dog is handled, the less chance there is that it will bite the vet.

Groom your dog every day. It only takes a couple of minutes.  Its a good bonding exercise for both you and the pup.

Introduce your pup to all kinds of novel things. People in funny hats. Balloons. Paper streamers.  Remote control cars. Kids playing. Agility equipment. Cats. Car rides. This will stop them from getting scared of strange shapes and noises. Socialize, don’t traumatize. Introduce new experiences slowly and never let your puppy get overwhelmed.

Frozen wet washclothes and baby carrots make great chews for teething puppies. Lots of puppy hide chews and latex rubber rings from a pet shop will also help with those sore gums.

Reward good behaviour, don’t wait for bad behaviour. Praise lavishly and then reward the puppy when you see them doing something you like. Don’t wait until he’s misbehaving to give him attention.

Pick up anything you don’t want destroyed.  If it’s on the floor, it WILL be chewed. Make sure all elextrical flexes are taped over and not trailing. And clear things off coffee tables. Above all, dont leave pills, chocolates, cigarettes or anything else that is easy to pull off the surface.  Your puppy is a furry toddler and will explore everything and anything.

I don't need to remind to get your puppy micro-chipped. It’s your best chance of being reunited with your dog if they ever gets lost. You can get this done  at your vet or local shelter.

Check your puppy’s poohs for the first six months. Disgusting? Yes, I know! But it could save your puppy’s life. If you notice anything like diarrhea or blood, take your puppy to the vet ASAP.

Provide toys. If you provide them with their own toys, they are less likely to chew on yours (ha! Yeah right. It’s worth a shot, though).  Like human kids who would rather play with the box than with the toy that came in it, puppies are usually happier chewing on an empty plastic water bottle than an expensive store-bought toy. Toilet roll inners and old tee shirts that they can rip up and shake vigorously, or play tug of war with, make good play things. If you can stand the noise, then get a toy with a squeaker.

Learn to read your puppie's body language. If you think your puppy needs to go to the toilet, don’t hesitate to plonk them outside! You’d be surprised how often puppies need to go. They don't know how to say so and certainly don't have the ability to keep their legs crossed for many hours. And, please! don't thump them for going where they shouldn't. As a general rule of thumb, the number of hours a puppy can “hold it” is his age in months plus one. So a two month old puppy should be crated for a maximum of three hours at a time (during the day. When they sleep at night, puppies can usually hold it for longer).

Practice separation. As tempting as it is, don’t let your puppy be glued to your side all day. Letting your puppy have time to himself in his crate or room will help prevent separation anxiety ie yelping, screaming, barking, yapping, scratching at the door.

Playing with other dogs in the park, no matter what size is very important. Don't yank the dog away as I have seen many 
owners do. Interaction with other dogs is necessary for the puppy to learn socialisation skills.

Don’t get angry and smack your puppy when it chews on you.  Sometimes painfully. It is NOT aggression. Do not react by yelling, smacking them, rolling him on their back or holding their muzzle shut. This is how they play with others in a pack and it doesn't mean that they will become aggressive in later life.

Don’t use ammonia-based cleaners. Your puppy will think it smells like urine and it will actually encourage them to pee there again. Use an enzymatic cleaner that you can get from a pet shop.

Leave the TV or radio on when you leave your puppy home alone. I usually leave on the news because the talking makes them think there is someone in the home.

Teach good lead manners early. Better to teach your puppy to walk nicely on the lead than to teach your adult dog to stop pulling on the lead. Tip:  Hold the lead so that your arm is at your chest level. This makes the puppy walk alongside you and not zig zagging across you tying you in knots.

 Remember that your puppy is a baby – don’t ask too much of them. Don’t worry about whether they will perform a perfect sit/stay or heel. Plenty of time for that when they are older. Focus on socialization and having fun.

Take lots of pictures. Puppyhood goes by SO fast and you want to be able to look back with nostalgia. One good thing is that a puppy never grows up and says "Oh! Mum! No! and gets embarrassed when you dig up old pictures of it on a fluffy mat to show people.

Be prepared for your pup to become an obnoxious little brat around age 6-12 months. If you thought puppyhood was awful. Wait until adolescence. This is even more challenging than puppyhood. They become the teenager from hell.  I don't mean that they start going to clubs, taking drugs or drinking to oblivion.  They become the doggy version of the worst human teenager that you know.  Disobedient, quarrelsome, irrational, noisy and chasing after joggers and cyclists, deaf to any commands. They will also explore by squeezing into places that have railings or jumping after birds in rivers and ponds, swimming around for ages giving you a heart attack.  Sadly, adolescence is the time that most people have had enough and decide to re-home their dog.  I hope that you will be patient and stick it out.

I know I keep banging on abut this, but during these swelteringly hot days, here is a video to watch and take note, when leaving your dog in the car for "just five minutes."

                http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/video-vet-shows-you-how-hot-it-gets-in-locked-car/


                                        That's it for this month. Have a good August where ever you are.

                                                                              Dawn ("")

 IS YOUR DOG BECOMING A SLAP HEAD?*  (street-speak for Baldie)

Baldness in dogs can be very upsetting for the owner.  To a dog, it makes not one iota of difference. You will never see a dog sitting in front of a mirror fretting about the bald patch on its back. Nor will it refuse to go to the park without wearing a 'hijab'.  But that bald patch can be a symptom of something going on in your pet's system. It could be hormonal, mange, ringworm or just plain old stress.

Stress hair loss
Dogs, like people, can suffer from stress. The causes can vary from  house moving, being left alone for long periods of time, being constantly yelled at, or a death in the family. On the other hand, if your dog is a worrier about the state of the world or why no one smelled his bottom, or is exposed to a high level of stress for a prolonged period of time, they may begin to lose their coat as a result. The coat will begin to grow back normally when the cause of the stress is removed and the dog gets back on an even keel.

Endocrine disorder

Alopecia without an obvious external cause 

Hormonal imbalances leading to conditions such as hyperthyroidism and canine Cushing's disease, can both potentially lead to alopecia in the dog, where the alopecia is an effect rather than a cause of the illness. Both of these illnesses can be potentially serious and do require veterinary intervention, so if you can rule out any of the other potential causes of alopecia in your dog, then its important to go to the vet for testing.

When my dogs show signs of bald patches on their body, I give them a tea spoonful of cod liver or olive oil in their food every day for 3 months, increase the veggie content (supermarket tins of own brand mushy peas and grated carrots), and a good multi vitamin pill, ie Vetzyme or Bob Martin's, plus a daily brush down.  If, after 3 weeks, they are still losing hair then a trip to the vet is recommended as it could be some other health problem that will need treatment with steroids.

Start your dog on a course of Brewer's Yeast available from Holland and Barratt or any other health food shop. I have had good results by using this, not only on the dog, but in helping my own alopecia.

The homeopathic remedy, Sulphur, (available on line from Weleda, Nelson's Pharmacy or Ainsworth's Pharmacy) is another good tip.  Given in the dog's food 3x 2 pills 3 times a day for 3 weeks,  then reduced to 1 tablet three times a day until you notice an improvement,  really makes a huge difference to its coat and you will see results within 3 months.   Make sure you take before and after pictures  as a record of how well the home remedies work.


This 'n that ................................................

O....M.....G! following the news of poisoned food,  now this in Regent's Park!

Photograph by Felix Reimann

Army of snakes ‘capable of crushing small children’ discovered in Regent’s Canal

By Descrier Staff on May 11, 2014 UK

A colony of snakes capable of crushing small children or pets to death have been reported in London.
Around 30 Aesculapian snakes have been seen in buildings and trees near to Regent’s Canal in the capital over the last few weeks, according to the Daily Star.
The reptiles look similar to grass snakes, so they may have been living in the area of a long period dismissed as harmless until the head keeper of reptiles at London Zoo spotted one, and confirmed it to be an Aesculapian snake.
A number of theories have arisen as to how the snakes first arrived at Regent’s Canal, with the animals most likely escaping from captivity. The species prefer mild temperatures and are often found around riverbeds of southern Europe.

Eeeeuw!

Bet you never knew this .........
Dandelions are thriving at the moment. The bright yellow flowers turn into round white seed-heads – that's the thing you blow while making a wish (if all the seeds come off first time, your wish will come true) – and their name comes from the Old French 'dent-de-lion' meaning deep-toothed. But before you chuck them on the compost, don't forget you can eat them: young buds fried in butter taste similar to mushrooms, although we've missed the boat a bit because they're best before the flowers appear. Or try making dandelion wine, cooking up the roots or steaming the leaves. I can tell you that they taste a bit like chicory or endive.

Is it a bird? Is it a bee? Is it a wasp? There is a difference.
A few years ago, the National Trust carried out an online survey of 1,651 adults across the UK, and reported that half of them couldn't tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. So next time you're out and about, why not think about helping the adults by shouting "bee" or "wasp" really loudly when you see one? And please! don't stamp on them because you think it might sting you. They won't unless you disturb it when it is busy nectar collecting.  Wasps, on the other hand, look different to bees and have only one purpose in life and that's to find a jam sandwich and then sting the owner.

Here's your commercial break. Absolutely nothing to do with dogs but it will give you a giggle nonetheless.  (Thanks to Barbara Barbour for this).
 
It's a 43 second commercial and the sponsor isn't identified until the final few seconds. It will give you a chuckle.

                  https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?feature=player_embedded&v=9WoM2bHfr48#t=0 


                                     That's it for this month.

                                               Dawn (..")

HUMAN MEDICINES THAT ARE SAFE TO GIVE YOUR DOG

People  frequently ask me about what human medicines can be safely used on dogs.  I thought it would make a good topic for this month's blog.

What is safe, and what isn't? Good question!

Over the years I have discussed and followed my vet's advice and given my dogs the following human medicines.  Here is a short list of some of the medicines that can be safely given or used on your dog.
   
Aveeno or any other Oatmeal Shampoo. Great to cool down itchy inflamed skin - for especially irritated pets you can do this daily. Then  use it once a week as maintenance.
Antiseptic wipes. Apply directly to affected area. 
Benadryl. Up to 1 mg per pound (half a teaspoon) every 8 hours to treat allergies ie snorting, snuffling, itching, etc. Can also be used as a mild tranquilizer.  This is good stuff to soothe your dog's throat if is coughing and gagging at night.  I also use Tixylix children's cough mixture. If you have neither  of the two cough mixtures mentioned in the store cupboard, then mix a teaspoon of honey with some lazy or fresh lemon and squirt it into the side of the mouth.  (Try and get one of those needle- less syringes from your vet for these sorts of moments).
Cuticura medicated talcum powder.
This works well on red, itchy skin or on any part of the body that is red, irritated or bleeding. Rubbed in gently it really is an "oooh! aaaaah! ummm!" moment for the dog and gives instant relief.  
Vaseline is very  effective for constipation, and easier and often safer to give. The vaseline dose is 1 teaspoon per 10lbs.  (Warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it liquid).      
Preparation H. FOR DOGS ONLY. Apply to an irritated anal area 3 times daily. This works well if your dog has an itchy bottom and does a lot of scooting on the pavement or carpet.
(It also works for humans if you have bags under the eyes. Just thought I would throw in that little snippet of information. Ive used it many times on models and celebs, when I was a make up artist in my previous life!)

 Pets hate medication as much as we do. Here's a cute video of a puppy's reaction to being given something horrible.

                                       www.youtube.com/watch?v=02xpByGj9Yw‎


This and that ..........  MAY DAY! MAY DAY!
Oh! sorry! That was yesterday. This is today. Or maybe it's tomorrow. Maybe you took a turn around the maypole. Maybe you wore a lei all day (that's what they do in Hawaii, where Mayday is called Lei day). May this be a very happy month for all.

                                        PRODUCT SPOT - www.scots-pet.co.uk

1. A pooh bag is a pooh bag, but every so often I get bored with my collection of  boring old black ones, the free supermarket shopping bags punched with holes that seep out if you aren't careful and of course, if you are being really cheap, those thin black ones bought from a market for £1 a thousand that fall apart at the crucial moments of pick up. Yes! you know what I mean? I came across a site on the internet - www.scots-pet.co.uk - that sells pooh bags of every sort. I never knew that there were so many different types. I loved the coloured patterned bags  on rolls and also the biogradable ones like these. They are really good quality at an affordable price.
   
   
   Have a look at the site. You will think of pooh bags in a new light and, like me,  probably become a Pooh bag snob! The site also features some other interesting animal goodies.  Ive bookmarked this one!

                                             Thought for the month!
                "I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult."

                                     *******************************
 Important Notice to all users of Parks and Open Spaces. 
Here is an extract from an email sent to me by Carl Drake of the Metropolitan Police based in Regent's Park.

"I have just been informed that approx two weeks ago, a park user found an ice cream cone containing a bright blue, thick, paste-like substance on the lower slopes of Primrose Hill. In this instance it was removed by a Royal Parks contractor. I would like you all to be aware of the incident as there were three dogs killed by consuming poison in Brent at about the same time. In those cases the poison was described as either a blue tablet or a bright blue paste which was smeared on food and left where dogs could eat it.

The story got a bit of press coverage and another group of dogs were believed to have been poisoned on Hampstead Heath shortly after but it appears that this is not the case. Should you see any bright blue paste on anything in Regent's Park or Primrose Hill please call 999 immediately and stay clear of the item. Newspaper reports believe that the poison in Brent was Methomyl which is highly dangerous to humans."
                               *********************************

 

IT'S FLEA TIME IN THE CITY

Last week we  were told of the arrival of a warm and large yellow disc in the sky. Fearing the unknown, we all stayed indoors until we could be sure of the orb's intentions. It seems to have retreated now, but to be sure, we are all still eyeing the sky suspiciously. Someone suggested that we make a ladder so we can confront it. If you should see it, our advice is to immediately destroy all your clothes (to counter its powers of heat) and then shout loudly at it until it goes away. Stay vigilant, dear readers.

The sun brings out all manner of creepy crawlies and one of them is the dreaded Flea.
Unappealing little creatures  aren't they? but its a good idea to get rid of them as soon as you can.  One flea can lay 1,000 eggs and  before you know it, you have 30,000 of them invading your space.Then it becomes the canine version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Is your dog scratching away, making you feel itchy in the process.  It might be a good idea to run your fingers through its fur to check for flea eggs.  These feel like grits of sand under your fingers. If it is a black piece of grit and goes bloody when you squish it, then its for sure a flea egg.  If you want to be 100% sure that you think your dog may be flea-ridden, then stand it on something white, run a comb through the fur and the residue will fall onto the white surface.  Lots of black bits will definitely be flea eggs.

First thing to do is give your dog a good bath with a flea shampoo (Bob Martins), that you can get from the supermarket or pet shop. Then cut open a pipette of Advantage, Frontline or other flea repellent, part the hair and run the liquid along the dog's neck to the base of the tail.   After that, wash the dog's bedding. Get a can of Bob Martin's home spray flea repellent and spray that along the skirting boards of your home.  That's where they like to live. Kill them off before they can hitch a lift on a hot, furry passing body.

As a form of maintenance,  I always dab some Lavender oil onto my dog's back once a week. Fleas hate the smell and that keeps them at bay.  Sprinkle it on the bedding as well. You can get small bottles of Lavender oil from the chemist or supermarkets. Another effective repellent is garlic powder (from the herbs and spices section in the supermarket), sprinkled on your dogs food.  Your dog may smell like a shish kebab but its better that than an itchy dog.

Eeuw! just writing about it is making me itchy; Im sure you are beginning to itch reading this and before long, we will all be itching.

Watching the cute little goats in Regent's Park Zoo every morning, I thought you would like to see a compilation video of some shouty ones. They don't all plaintively go "baa".

This and that ........ Dogs need to sniff the ground; it's how they keep abreast of current events. The ground is a giant dog newspaper, containing all kinds of late-breaking dog news items, which, if they are especially urgent, are often continued into the next garden, street, tree and lamp post.

That's about it for this month.  Enjoy Easter and don't gorge on too much chocolate.

Dawn (".")

SUPER DOOPER, POOPER SCOOPER!

Before we get onto the subject of dogs feasting on poo, has anyone found the pot of gold?
There have been rainbows aplenty in Regent's Park during the wet, rainy weather, but we have yet to locate the elusive pot. Looks like it's somewhere behind the Lord's Cricket grounds. We'll stop the car  the next time we see it on our way home and have a look. Promise we will share half with you if we find it! Hah!

By popular demand, I am writing again about the reasons for dogs eating poo.  To humans it’s a very disturbing and disgusting habit.  The veterinary term for this is called coprophagia, and it may comfort  you to  know (shudder) that this is quite normal.

Poo eating (coprophagia) is common in many other animals such as rabbits, rodents, pigs, horses and even primates. However, this behavior is considered to be a problem in dogs, as there doesn't seem to be any reason for them to be munching on other dog's doodoos. Puppies, of course, will regularly eat poop and anything else they come across. If this becomes a regular habit then its a problem. To many  dogs this habit usually signals a nutritional deficiency and hero worship if they eat the poo of another dog in the same house. 

Think about a diet change. I  would suggest first trying a quality premium food. If your pet is already eating one, then switch to one of the natural diets such as raw food from Weebox available from the larger supermarkets. Dogs are programmed in the wild to eat raw food and although your pet is domesticated and raised on pellets and pate, some raw food will aid digesion and take away the need to sample another dog's poo. You can also cook your own recipes, but this is often too much trouble if you have a busy life. A diet rich in fat, protein, and fibre and low in carbohydrates can sometimes reduce the tendency.  My dogs adore raw chicken wings. There are no big bones to choke them and it is very, very healthy. Ask any vet? They will agree with me.  A good doggie multivitamin will also help stop the problem.  A probiotic tablet (available from pet stores) will go a long way to aiding digestion and putting an end to that urge to sample someone else's poo.

Altering the flavour can help. Your dog will stop eating poo if it tastes bad. Poo left in the back garden or in your cat’s litter box can be sprinkled with Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper.  That should send them into orbit!

There are a few things that you can add to your dogs food to alter the taste of their poo.  Schwartz Meat tenderizers (from the Herb section of the supermarket), can be added to your dog’s food; this will help with digestion but also make the stool taste horrible. The dose is 1/4 teaspoon per 10 lbs of body weight. Another option is to purchase a product - called Stool repellum - from your local vet  or from the site,  PetVet  on the internet, . It gives poo a taste that your pet will hate.  My personal remedy is to mix in some pumpkin into the food. You can buy this in a tin from the supermarket. For some reason this stops the urge to eat another dog's poo poo.  Pineapple works well too but often the dog will toss it out of the dish so best to puree it and put in a spoonful at each meal and mix it in well. Many dog owners have found that by supplementing  the diet, the coprophagia then stops. My dog stopped once I added vegetables to their food. Buy the supermarket own brands of tinned carrots and mushy peas and add a spoonful to each meal.  I promise you it does work after a few weeks and they love the taste.

Finally, using a citronella spray collar  works quite effectively on dogs that persist in eating the stuff. A citronella spray collar reduces the frequency of coprophagia in dogs and the habit gets broken.This requires the pet owner to be alert and involved, triggering the spray in response to a quick chomp.

Do NOT  punish the dog when you see them gobbling up something unspeakable but distract them instead with a treat or a ball.  If you tell them off, they associate that with bad behaviour and they will eat their own poo to hide it in case they get punished.



And my point is ........
"If you want to test cosmetics, why do it on some poor animal who hasn't done anything? They should use prisoners who have been convicted of murder or rape instead. So, rather than seeing if perfume irritates a bunny rabbit's eyes, they should throw it in a perp's (cop speak) eyes and ask him if it hurts."

Some nice doggy ads:

These are classified ads, that were actually placed in U.K. Newspapers:
FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER.
8 years old,
Hateful little bastard.
Bites!

FREE PUPPIES
1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

FREE PUPPIES.
Mother is a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd.
Father is a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences in a single bound. 

Here is an amusing video clip for all those cat owners.  This is what your bored cat does when you are out at work all day.

That's it for this month.

Dawn ("")

WHAT YOUR DOG WOULD WRITE IF IT KEPT A DIARY.
Dear Diary............

                                                                        
7.30 am  Wonderful walk in the park. Probably the best activity in my life, followed by food and then licking my balls. The gang were all there and we sniffed around together.  Its amazing how you can miss things every day. Diego discovered the most wonderful smell for all of us to try out.

8.45 am  Watched poor Beagle being dragged out of the park by the scruff of its neck. He says he is not allowed to sniff bottoms or anything else as his stupid owner thinks its unhygenic.  For god's sakes, that's what we dogs do.  Poor dog! Definitely going to end up as one of life's social misfits.

8.50 am Caused consternation and loud protests from the humans in the car going home. There were cries of  "Phwoar!  You stink! what did you roll in?"

9.15 am Back home. Jumped out of the car, raced into the house, fell down the stairs in my excitement to get to bowl. Yummy! yummy! Aside from ball chasing, this is my favourite activity of the day.  Oh goody! a toothball as a treat.  Dont you know what a toothball is? Its a biscuit that is as hard as a rock, tastes wonderful and cleans my teeth.  I could eat a whole bag. No probs!

9.20 am  Uh! oh! my owners are showing sadistic tendencies, whispering and spelling out words. For no good reason, I am being dragged to the bathroom for the "water torture". This involves gallons of water being poured on to me and then a burning, foamy chemical called shampoo. What sick mind could invent such a thing.  Only way to feel better is to rush to the bed room and roll all over the bed to dry off. Hah! that'll teach them.

9.35 am  Chased one of those pesky tree rats, (known in our household as "Squiggies"). How dare they frighten off all the garden birds. Im not having it. Burst of frantic yelping and barking soon saw it take off like a rocket.

9.50 am  The household is getting ready to do serious things. My man works  as a graphic designer on the computer - seems to fall asleep a lot in front of it. Didn't feel like following her around. Prefer to doze in my basket.

10.00 am   Had a pee on the kitchen floor. Laziness.  She bellowed at me, grabbed my collar and dragged me to the puddle. "Who did this?" she yelled.  "Whaddya mean, who did it?"  "I did for god's sakes". You would think that I was a terrorist who had blown up the kitchen.

10. 15 am  Opened one eye as she passed me. Oh! boy! she looks cross. She glared at me as she went up the stairs. Uh! oh!  I shall stay put.

12. 00 am  In  a deep sleep; having a very serious dream. Just had that  pit bull terrier, Tyson  by the jugular; the gang were all cheering me on....  doorbell went. Back to bed (yawn!).   Heard a can being opened.  Time to sit by the kitchen door and drool.

1.00 pm  Lunch time for the humans. Lots of delicious smelling things around.  Something might jump off the table.  Time to engage my appealing look.

3.00 pm Oh goody! Lead coming off the door knob. Means "walkies." Good smells. So many designer dogs living in the area. They leave messages for help.  Poo things, cooped up every day.  No toys, no music, no treats, no company. Can't help them.  Im so lucky, (or as my owner sometimes sings,"Im so yukky! yukky! yukky!") to that Kylie Minogue song, "Im so Lucky."

4.00 pm Wonderful walk!  Senses overloadeded with interesting pee mails. Left several of my own. Owner says I have  a bottomless tank. Time for a zzzzzzzz-z. Catch you later, dear diary.

5.00 pm   Awake and refreshed.  Can hear kibble rattling into my dish? Wow! and leftovers.  I am  full and happy. Time to lick my balls and clean my paws.

6.00 pm  That mangy cat from next door is wandering around my garden.  What a half-wit he is?  Same routine everyday.  I chase, he runs like hell.

That's it for today, dear diary, until another day.
**********************************************************************************
We had January in a rainy headlock. Sad to say February looks set to be the same.
Are you caught between the call of the gym, and the call of the comforting January chocolate eclair? You're not the only one. (The eclair wins every time. It's just tastier than the gym. Don't try to fight it.) But don't feel bad, just doing a few ankle rotations and some simple stretches while you're reading this and watching this excellent video, will keep you trim, toned and eager.
 (Cleverest dog food commercial you will ever see, sent to me by my friend, Barbara Barbour. )

                                       http://www.youtube.com/embed/AA56LgpFbSw?rel=0

That's it until the next blog.  Have fun with whatever you are planning to do.

Dawn (-"-)

New year...... new you....... new dog!

Only kidding! You're still the same old you, we're still the same old us, you haven't recycled the dog and we're still in the same old beautiful world. And we wouldn't have it any other way would we?   
                                         Happy new year! 
  

I trust you've recycled your Christmas tree sustainably. You've ironed out the used wrapping paper. You've trimmed the Christmas cards you received to be made into next year's home-made Christmas cards or gift tags. You've looked round at your cupboards and shelves, and thought about having a clear-out.    
And now you and the dog have gone on a diet-and-detox programme to lose those extra pounds gained from over eating.

Here are some basic, common sense rules for helping your furry friend to become svelte and trim again.

Exercising your dog in the morning is far better than midday or at night. By walking your dog in the morning you dog’s metabolism will be primed to burn fat all day long, even when lolling around in its basket.  Walking your dog before breakfast in a fasted state helps to increase the amount of fat calories burned per week. (This also works great for people who would like to lose a few pounds.)
Don’t use people foods as dog treats; instead use healthy dog treats like carrots or celery. These treats can still allow you to reward your dog without adding unnecessary calories. Don’t think your dog will eat carrots. Give it a try; you’ll be surprised. On the other hand, you could end up with a carpet load of spat-out carrot chewings. Sorry about that!
Spend some quality time playing with your dog
Dogs love it if you play a little game of tug or throw the ball down the hall.  Just 10 minutes of your time will make your dog the happiest creature ever.
A little grooming or some stoking/massage
A little brush down to get rid of loose fur, dirt and anything else stuck to the coat will stop your dog from rolling in wet grass or mud the next time you go out.  Dogs roll in dust or anything abrasive when they have itchy skins.

These are a few tips will help your dog to be healthy, happy and look trimmer, so that you can both enjoy the coming months of 2014.

One of those urban myths.......

Did you know that when your dog is circling ready to go poo, it is because it is trying to find south? The position has to be just right. That magnetic force field somehow makes it more comfortable for them. Who knew such things? Personally, I think thats a load of tosh. Just as people don't like to go just anywhere, dogs have to get it right too.


This video is for all my cat owning friends who whinge that I never, ever feature anything about cats. So, specially for you, here's a compilation video titled "You Shall not pass, Dog!"











I hope that if dogs ever take over the world, and they choose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with really good ideas.
 
Until the next blog.

Dawn (")