Table of contents for March 2023 in Your Dog

Welcome, There is lots to look forward to for dog lovers in March. For starters, over the past few weeks, you’ll have noticed that mornings and evenings are getting lighter, meaning more quality time for you and your dog and the opportunity for you both to witness the emergence of new life and growth as we head into spring. Of course, the icing on the cake is when the clocks go forward at the end of March and we can, hopefully, ditch the thermals! Another great thing about March is Crufts. The world’s greatest dog show runs from March 9 – 12 at the NEC, in Birmingham. With a packed schedule of all things dog-related, this year it will showcase the first full programme of events since before the pandemic.…

● AMERICA: California is the first state in the US to ban cruel and unnecessary toxicity testing for pesticides, chemical substances, and other products on cats and dogs, after Governor Gavin Newsom signed several measures, including Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 879, the PET (Prohibiting Extraneous Testing) Act. ● CHILE: A kind-hearted train driver in Santiago went to extraordinary lengths to rescue a stray dog on the line. Instead of calling authorised personnel to remove the dog, he stopped the train, descended onto the tracks and lifted the dog to safety himself. He then apologised over the public address system but added that he couldn’t run over the dog. His announcement was met with applause from the train’s passengers.…

Send us a picture and tell us all about your dog; share your views on what’s happening in the dog world and the ups and downs of dog ownership; what do you think of our features and content and what would you like to see more of? This is the place to be if you want to reach out to other Your Dog readers and the magazine team to share your love of everything dog. Get in touch! Catching up on the gossip! I rescued a wee dog from Cyprus two years ago and she really gelled with my dog-sitter’s dog, among others. While out on a walk one day, my dog-sitter took the photographs (right), which show both dogs in absolute sync with each other; we wondered what they…

“…make yourself comfortable with your dog beside you…” March may be the month that heralds the arrival of spring but it can still be a bit chilly! That’s the perfect time to make yourself comfortable in a nice, warm sitting room with your dog beside you and a good book on your lap — what could be better? Check out these dog-themed reads… A DOG DAY by Walter Emanuel with illustrations by Cecil Aldin ● Price: £8.99 hardback. ● Published by: Souvenir Press. ● Available from: All good book shops and online retailers. This is a new edition of a canine classic (first published in 1902), featuring a day in the life of a naughty but lovable terrier, as told by the dog himself. Our hero gets up to all…

A young Labrador’s vision has been saved, thanks to the combined expertise of ophthalmology teams at two leading veterinary specialists. Linnaeus-owned London Veterinary Specialists and Hertfordshire-based Davies joined forces to successfully remove a fast-growing melanoma from Connie’s right eye. “The mass was approximately 10mm in diameter and due to the rate at which it was growing, we needed to perform surgery promptly to save Connie’s eye,” explained ophthalmologist Ioannis Tzouganakis. Connie underwent a microsurgical procedure under general anaesthetic to remove the mass before the site was repaired with a corneal transplant (xenograft), which was stitched onto the surface of the eye using hair-thin sutures. Connie’s owner, Pip Allen, from London, added: “Ioannis not only saved Connie’s eye, but we honestly cannot tell there has been such a huge surgical intervention.…

Right from the start, scent plays a very important part in your dog’s life. Research even suggests that puppies begin developing and using their sense of smell while still in the womb. Certainly, they are born with it and, blind and deaf until two or three weeks old, they use smell along with touch to help them find their mother and her milk. As the pups grow, so too does the importance of scent, becoming a huge part of how they experience the world; if vision is our primary sense, smell is certainly your dog’s. So, it’s well worth taking a closer look at how his nose works, and thinking about ways in which you can help him enjoy his fantastic super-sense to the utmost. “The nostrils (or nares) can…

COMING SOON… NEW TITLES ADDED EVERY MONTH WITH NO ADDED COST! BECOME A MEMBER TODAY FOR JUST £2.50 A MONTH. WHAT’S INCLUDED? ● Full access to all our dog books and Collections — read any title instantly on your phone, tablet, laptop or computer. ● Get every new (monthly) issue of Your Dog, plus access the full library with over 70 issues of Your Dog! ● Every new title or Collection is included as part of your membership at no extra cost. ● Perfect for dog lovers, readers, and owners who want trusted, authoritative dog advice. ● Complete puppy guide for new owners. ● Discounts and offers on over 250 dog-friendly places to stay and online shopping, helping you SAVE all year round. ● Available at the same price worldwide. WWW.YOURDOG.CO.UK/MAR23…

1 TO GIVE AWAY LOWER-FAT FOOD BUNDLE Fish4Dogs is offering one lucky reader the chance to win £250-worth of its products. Carrying extra pounds can have a negative effect on your dog’s health, so feeding a healthier, lower-calorie diet could be worth considering. Fish4Dogs food and treats use only fish as the protein source. Fish is a highly palatable, exceptionally high-quality protein, low in saturated fats and sugars, so may be a suitable lower-fat alternative to some food and treats produced from meat proteins. Our winner’s prize will include cans from the Finest complementary cans range. ● For more information, visit www.fish4dogs.com 6 TO GIVE AWAY PUPPY BEDS WITH HEATPADS The SnuggleSafe Cosy Puppy Bed comes with an energy-saving heatpad, offering warm comfort to your pup for up to 10…

● STATS NAME NORTHUMBERLAND AS UK DOG THEFT HOTSPOT Research from home security company ADT has revealed Northumberland as the UK’s dog theft hotspot. The data, compiled from police forces across the country, showed that the region has recorded 437 stolen dogs since 2017. Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, Gwent in South Wales is one of the safest areas in the country for dogs, with no thefts recorded by Gwent Police over the last five years. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the most commonly stolen breed, according to the figures. ● TAKING THE BISCUIT An innovative pet-care app, which makes it easier and more rewarding for owners to improve their dog’s health and well-being, is celebrating its first birthday. Biscuit Pet Care has enabled UK owners to…

Demand for the Scottish SPCA’s Pet Aid initiative, which supports owners struggling to care for their animals, has skyrocketed due to the continuing cost-of-living crisis. The scheme provides essential supplies through a network of food banks across most of Scotland. In addition, the charity has seen calls to its helpline from struggling owners treble compared to the previous year. “On top of this, we have seen a 77 per cent increase in people calling to rehome an animal, an 84 per cent increase in the number of people our helpline is giving advice to, and a 24 per cent increase in people assisted directly by a visit from the SSPCA,” explained the charity’s CEO Kirsteen Campbell. “To help combat this increase, the number of foodbanks/community larders working with Pet Aid…

ABOUT VICKY Holistic vet Vicky Payne BVetMed MRCVS is based in East Sussex, and qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2001. She uses a range of complementary therapies alongside conventional medicine and surgery. “I have a lot of working gundog clients, so the autumn and winter see a steady procession of spaniels and Labradors with eye injuries…” Every vet has their favourite cases to treat — and ones they would rather avoid! I’m afraid that at university I was bored to sleep by slides of retinal problems, and injured eyes made me a little squeamish, but since getting involved in breeding dogs and handling many injured eyes, they are no longer my Achilles heel! I have a lot of working gundog clients, so the autumn and winter see a…

DID YOU KNOW? There are currently 1,100 working Hearing Dog partnerships across the UK. Over its 40 years, Hearing Dogs has matched 2,500 dogs with deaf partners and has over 3,000 volunteers. DID YOU KNOW? The puppies start their training at eight weeks of age and will graduate at around 16 months old. They work through their Puppy Stars — a series of Hearing Dogs awards which monitor their progress in obedience, behaviour, and social skills. Training is reward-based using treats or a favourite toy. Being able to hear plays a role in every part of our existence, from the pleasure of listening to music or birdsong to keeping us safe from danger. The charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People trains dogs to alert deaf adults and children to a…

Fast and furious flyball, creative but precise heelwork to music, the heart-warming Kennel Club Hero Dog Award and, of course, the unique buzz of Best in Show, this year’s Crufts is set to be a canine extravaganza to remember. Bursting with all things dog-related, the event will run over four days, from March 9 – 12 at the NEC, Birmingham, and showcase the first full programme of events since before the pandemic. Here’s a taste of what canine enthusiasts can look forward to at this year’s show… IN THE SPOTLIGHT Crufts 2023 Best in Show judge Stuart Mallard is approved to award Challenge Certificates in 71 breeds across five of the seven groups. When he’s not judging dogs in countries as far afield as South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong,…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Keep one eye on your dog and the other on your property and possessions, thanks to leading home security company EZVIZ’s latest affordable yet feature-packed camera. The EZVIZ EB3 battery security camera boasts crystal-clear 2K resolution, smart human motion detection, colour night vision, active defence with a siren and strobe light, customisable voice alerts, and two-way talk for scaring off intruders or instructing delivery drivers. An integrated PIR sensor can distinguish people from pets or even a flurry of leaves, notifying a connected mobile device of any significant activity. This weather-resistant camera can be easily managed via the EZVIZ App, on site or remotely, and offers its users the option to store recordings on a local microSD card of up to 256GB or subscribe to the EZVIZ…

TONI SHELBOURNE has over three decades of experience working with dogs and wild canids. She is an animal behaviourist (full member of INTODogs and ICAN), a Tellington TTouch instructor, real dog yoga instructor, and author. She lives in Oxfordshire. For more information, visit www.tonishelbourne.co.uk It’s not uncommon for dogs to reactive negatively to strangers. Your dog may be a rescue who in the past has had a scary experience around humans; many lockdown puppies didn’t have the benefit of seeing other humans outside of their core family to accustom them to outsiders; or your dog may have become frightened or overwhelmed by a visitor’s behaviour. There are many things that can go wrong and frighten a young, impressionable dog, so take care if you know your dog is cautious. SIGNS OF WARINESS…

SPONSORED BY THE EXPERT PANEL HEALTH VET PRESCRIBED Q Is it OK to give my dog paracetamol? VICKY SAYS: Paracetamol should only be used in dogs under veterinary supervision to ensure it is given at a safe and effective dose. Vets may prescribe paracetamol to reduce fevers, as supplementary pain control after surgery, or for dogs with long-term painful conditions. Paracetamol is toxic to dogs if given in excess and can cause kidney, liver, and blood problems. Dogs prescribed long-term paracetamol will need regular blood tests. DID YOU KNOW? Dew claws are found on the inside of your dog’s front legs. A few breeds also have dew claws on their back legs. HEALTH GET IT NAILED! Q My dog has very long claws, despite him having them trimmed by my groomer…

WHAT’S INCLUDED? ● Full access to all our dog books and Collections — read any title instantly on your phone, tablet, laptop or computer. ● Get every new (monthly) issue of Your Dog, plus access the full library with over 70 issues of Your Dog! ● Every new title or Collection is included as part of your membership at no extra cost. ● Perfect for dog lovers, readers, and owners who want trusted, authoritative dog advice. ● Complete puppy guide for new owners. ● Discounts and offers on over 250 dog-friendly places to stay and online shopping, helping you SAVE all year round. ● Available at the same price worldwide. FIND OUT MORE: WWW.YOURDOG.CO.UK/MAR23…