Shout About Pets

If left to their own devices your dog would probably choose to sleep curled up on your bed or as second best stretched out across the couch. Obviously for most of us this is not an option and rightly so. Sharing a bed with a dog can cause problems. They can become very territorial about it and start to get jealous about sharing their luxury dog bed with anyone else. Plus disturbing a dog in a deep slumber by moving in the bed or trying to simply get out of it can be a dangerous thing to do. I’ve known people to get a nasty nip or worse from a dog that has been woken in this way.

Read more…

I was just today chatting to a friend about dog walking and the powerful effects it can have not only on your physical health but your mental health also.  My friend’s mother has been very ill and her father has been caring for her throughout.  To give her dad some respite my friend will go over and stay with her mum while her dad takes their dog for a walk.  She says he go rambling with the dog for about an hour and comes back refreshed and rejuvenated.

Read more…

Before I had a dog I was blissfully unaware about dog’s anal glands however after my shih tzu’s arrival and a spate of dogsitting my sister’s basset hound I know about them all too well! 

Anal glands are two glands positioned at 5.00pm and 7.00pm on either side of the opening to the rectum.  They act as a kind of calling card to other dogs and it is these glands that dogs sniff when greeting each other. When a dog defecates then the anal gland is activated and your dogs distinctive scent is left also.

Read more…

The best time to start teaching children about how to handle dogs safely is when they are very young.  Make sure you reinforce this often as the child grows up so that they remain safe.  Here are the do’s and don’ts you need to instil in your children: Read more…

You may be gearing up to some spooky festive celebration with Halloween coming up on the horizon but for your dog it can be more of a fright night than you may have intended.  Although dogs will enjoy the increased attention that the Halloween visitors and festivities will bring they will also feel a huge amount of tension and anxiety as their quiet evening is disrupted by ghouls and witches knocking at the door and shouting, ‘Trick or Treat?’  Your dogs anxiety levels might reach an all time peak if your then squeeze him into a puppy vampire suit!

Read more…

Dogs are notorious for have less than pleasant smelling breath.  As they loving look into your eyes and panting away after a run around the garden you’d be forgiven for wrinkling your nose as he breathes all over you.  However dogs can suffer from halitosis – yes, it’s true!  Not all unpleasant whiffs coming from your pooch’s mouth are normal.  If there is a consistently bad odour coming from your dog’s mouth then there may be a more sinister reason than good old dog breath.

Read more…

I got my shih tzu, Tashi, as a little puppy and enthusiastically began training him.  He very quickly learnt to sit, stay and fetch and was very reactive to my commands.  I used treats initially to incentivise his good behaviour and then began to mix in simple praise.

Read more…

There is a growing campaign against dog owners who systematically allow their dogs to foul public areas such as parks, country lanes and pavements and rightly so.  It amazes me that people think it’s perfectly justified to leave dog muck littered around these days.  We all know the dangers of toxoplasmosis and other bacteria that is carried in dog faeces.  If you don’t it can be dangerous for pregnant women, small children and some bacteria can cause blindness.  In areas where children play it is imperative that you keep it clear of dog mess.

Read more…

Like it or loathe it the market for dog fashion and accessories is simply booming!  There is an amazing amount of clothes, scarves, hats and upmarket collars and leads available ranging from the practical and economic to the designer and premium priced.  Should you go running out the kit your pooch out with the latest fashions or is this in fact a no no for the well-being of your dog?

Well, there are some good reasons for buying your dog a coat for example.  Not all breeds are designed to withstand cold damp weather and can get a chill when out and about in the winter months.  My own dog is a Shih Tzu and I used to find that after his trip to the groomers he would be quite shivery without his full coat.  I’ve learnt that to avoid sniffles its best if I put a coat on him for a few days to allow him to acclimatise! 

On another practical level in wet and muddy weather a coat can protect your dogs against the elements and it also makes it easier to keep him clean.  There are some excellent waterproof coats available from most pet stores that are well worth the investment. 

In terms of whether your dog appreciates being clothed is another matter.  My dog is quite happy and I have been known to put him in a gimmicky T-Shirt at Christmas which he accepted with good grace and got into the spirit of things without a grumble! 

Whether you’re bringing a puppy home for the first time or moving house with your existing dog it can be a traumatic experience for the animal and you need to act sensitively to ensure they settle in quickly.  Animals are not great fans of change and for a dog much is based around scent. When you move home or when a puppy leaves its litter there will a mass of new and strange scents.  Sights and sounds will be different and may unnerve them too. 

Read more…