Indice dei contenuti per April 2023 in Your Dog

Going on holiday with your dog could be the best thing you do this year, so if you haven’t started making plans yet, now is the time! New places and activities to experience and explore, lots of fresh air, fun, and healthy exercise, and one-to-one time with your canine best friend all add up to a memorable break — a time when you can build the bonds between you and return home feeling relaxed and invigorated! This issue, we have lots to help make the task of holiday planning easier. For starters, if you’d really like to get back in touch with nature, have you considered camping, glamping, or caravanning? Check out six dog-friendly sites we’ve discovered around the country on page 16. Our ‘Holiday homework’ feature (page 43) focuses…

We’re not quite sure if we should be saying congratulations or commiserations to Peggy, an endearing cross-breed, who has been crowned the UK’s ugliest dog. Following an extensive search for aesthetically challenged canines, the five-year-old dog has emerged as the clear winner of photography company ParrotPrint.com nationwide contest. The runt of an accidental litter, Peggy waited six months before finding her forever home with Holly Middleton, from East Yorkshire. Now, the Pug X Chinese Crested Dog’s hairless body and lolling tongue have not only impressed the judges but captured the hearts of a nation. “We think Peggy is beautiful, both inside and out, and wouldn’t change her for the world,” said Holly, whose precious pet enjoyed a pamper session at a luxury canine spa as part of her prize. “Being…

A robotic dog is being used to gather data about species diversity at one of Britain’s foremost stately homes. The Oxford Robotics Institute and Oxford Biology are using robo-dog ‘Spot’ to test an ecosystem monitoring programme at Oxfordshire’s Blenheim Palace, a Unesco World Heritage site. The two partners are also working to create a 3D digital model of the grand country house linked to climatic, environmental, and building fabric monitoring devices, to help predict the potential impacts of climate change. With its grand state rooms, countless steps, fields, ancient woodlands, parkland, cafes, and courtyards, Blenheim Palace — the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill — offers the perfect ‘living laboratory’ for this pilot project. So far, Spot has been coping well with the palace’s challenging and diverse environment.…

In memory of Kaiser This is my girl, Kaiser, who sadly had to be put to sleep in January. She was a happy, very much-loved dog and ever since puppyhood she had enjoyed long walks with the many doggy friends she had made over the years. She loved going to the beach, running into the water for a good soak, and chasing a ball. She was such a family dog and often joined us on family days out with my nieces and nephews, running alongside them. But she loved nothing more than being at home in her own garden basking in the sunshine. She was an amazing big sister to her Jack Russell brother, Benny, who misses her so much. She got me through some sad times over the years;…

“We didn’t want to leave Charlie behind — he’d never been in kennels and we didn’t want him to have to be, when he could join us on holiday instead,” said Caroline Davies, from Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire. Consequently, eight-year-old Charlie has become a veteran of family holidays, and in the past has accompanied the Davies family abroad to Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg. “He’s loved being with us, and especially adored running around on the French beaches,” recalled Caroline. “On the whole travelling abroad was fairly straightforward, apart from the homeward leg from Belgium, which was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Finding a vet who could complete the paperwork and give the medications was difficult, and when we did track one down, he was only open for 11 hours…

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Aged an amazing 30 years and 266 days, as of February 1, Bobi from Portugal has been named the world’s oldest dog by Guinness World Records. The Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese guarding breed, has not only broken the record as the oldest living dog, but is the oldest ever. Bobi’s age has been verified by his local vet’s and a pet database authorised by the Portuguese Government and a national veterinary body. Owner Leonel Costa was eight years old when Bobi was born on May 11, 1992, on the family farm in the village of Conqueiros. According to Leonel, his calm and sociable dog loves being petted and enjoys playing with the four cats he lives with. The family believes the secret to Bobi’s long life is the fact…

CANINE CHARITIES TO BENEFIT FROM GENEROUS DONATION The Dorwest Herbs Foundation has donated £6,000 to a further five animal charities. Launched in 2018, the foundation helps dogs and cats in need of care, health, and quality of life improvement, as well as trained assistance, rescue, and medical support dogs. The herbal pet-care experts donate 10 per cent of profit from every sale of their special Foundation products, Keeper’s Mix and Keeper’s Mix Sensitive. This year, the charities that will benefit are Dorset Search Dogs (pictured), Lucky’s Legacy Rescue, Dogs On The Streets (DOTS), Forever Hounds Trust, and The Cinnamon Trust. ● For more information on the Dorwest Foundation, visit www.dorwest.com/foundation NEW CLUB FOR OLDER CANINES A club has been launched to support dogs in their twilight years by tackling the…

● AUSTRALIA: Eve the Kelpie, from the Capree Stud in Newbridge, New South Wales, sold at auction for $49,000 — a record sum for the breed in Australia — and she’s not yet two years old. The well-bred black and tan bitch’s bloodline goes back 50 years to some of breeder Chris Stapleton’s original dogs. Eve’s fit physique, pedigree bloodlines, and unique ability to work with cattle, sheep, and goats attracted buyers, smashing the previous record of $35,200. Demand for working dogs in Australia has increased post-pandemic due to fewer workers and skills shortages across agriculture. ● AMERICA: Eight-year-old Coonhound Dylan survived after being trapped in an 18-inch storm drainpipe without food or water for a week. It took firefighters, police officers, public works employees, electricity workers, local people, and…

One in three owners are unaware dog fouling in a public place is breaking the law, according to a study by Compare the market’s pet insurance team. Thirty-two per cent of owners hadn’t realised they could receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of up to £100, or a fine of £1,000 if prosecuted, for not picking up after their dog. The research revealed Glasgow as the worst place in the UK for dog fouling, with 10,657 complaints reported to the council in the last five years. Northumberland, Manchester, and Belfast also fared badly. Glasgow again tops the list for the area where owners are most likely to receive an FPN for dog fouling, with 24 per cent of complaints leading to owners receiving a notice — that’s an average of…

Dog-lover Dave Mathewson is a familiar face to fans of ‘Bangers & Cash’, a behind the scenes documentary about Mathewsons, a North Yorkshire classic car auction business renowned for its expertise in vintage vehicle sales. ‘Bangers & Cash’ first appeared on our screens in 2019; a seventh series is now screening on UKTV, and last year a spin-off, ‘Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics’, debuted. Mathewsons, in Thornton Le Dale, is a family affair with dad Derek at the helm, and sons Dave and Paul running day-to-day operations. Other family members also work there and their four-legged friends are regularly seen on the programme. Dogs and cars may seem a hazardous mix — but Dave has managed to create a dog-friendly workplace with a dog pen for safety and comfort. “We…

“There’s only one Franky!” laughed Hollie Griffin, when asked to describe her once-in-a-lifetime dog. “I know everyone thinks their dog is special but Franky is the most loving, intelligent, placid, and well-behaved dog you could ever wish to meet.” The construction project manager, 38, and her partner, Justin Phillimore, 39, have owned their nine-year-old Jack Russell Terrier since he was a puppy. Hollie says that Franky was in excellent health until 2019 when a routine vet check changed everything. “While we were on holiday seeing family in Cornwall, we took Franky for an anal gland appointment,” recalled Hollie, who lives in Didsbury, Manchester. “The vet spotted early signs of cataracts in one eye but suggested we left it for the time being.” In August 2020, the couple noticed Franky was…

NATURAL AND NUTRITIOUS Fast-growing Scottish pet food company Wilsons has added four new varieties of premium treats to its range of cold pressed and raw dog food. Boasting wholesome, natural ingredients, these tempting treats are perfect for training and rewarding your dog, while helping to support his overall health. Wilsons’ nutritious treats feature quality protein to support muscle and tissue repair, omega 3 and 6, and immune support. As part of the company’s ‘planet positive’ approach, its pouches are 100 per cent plastic-free and made from a biobased, renewable, compostable, and biodegradable plant-based material. ● Key feature: The range is 100 per cent natural and contains zero additives or preservatives. ● Varieties: Baltic Sprats, Beef Jerky, Chicken Jerky, and Pigs’ Ears. ● Price: £4.39 (100g pouch or two pigs’ ears). ●…

The team at a West African-based animal charity pulled out all the stops to save a brave and friendly little dog with an injury so horrific, they feared she wouldn’t survive. Sniper was rushed into The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust’s veterinary centre suffering from a serious machete wound, which had displaced a huge fragment of her skull, causing bleeding into her eye. With the injury just above and between her eyes and so close to her brain, it really was touch and go whether she would pull through. To make matters worse, Sniper was also extremely dehydrated and lethargic — and heavily pregnant. “We honestly didn’t know if we would be able to save her life, but we did everything we could to try,” explained Emily Elgar, a long-term…

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has renewed its calls for greater enforcement around irresponsible dog breeding, a clamp down on unregulated canine fertility clinics, and a ban on importing dogs with cropped ears, following two shocking TV documentaries. The hard-hitting BBC ‘Panorama’ and ‘Disclosure’ investigations revealed the links between organised crime and the breeding of dogs with extreme features. BVA senior vice president Justine Shotton said: “This investigation is a wake up call to government to take urgent action.” The BVA is urging people to report concerns arounds dogs with cropped ears and unregulated fertility clinics to their local government authority, while a template letter imploring the government to ensure the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill progresses through parliament, can be downloaded at www.bva.co.uk/take-action/kept-animals-bill and sent to your MP.…

As memories of a very cold winter subside, many of us will be considering booking a fun holiday with our dogs. If you’ve never tried camping, glamping, or caravanning, it’s well worth thinking about as there really is something to suit every taste and budget. Here are six great options to help kickstart your search. NATIONWIDE BEST OF BRITISH The Best of British website includes a huge number of the UK’s very best campsites, touring caravan sites, and holiday parks. Best of British is approaching its 30th anniversary, and consists of an elite group of handpicked, prestigious, privately owned parks, which promise outstanding customer service. All but one of the parks are dog friendly, and there is a huge variety of locations and accommodation, from shepherds’ huts to safari tents,…

“Rally can make for a fun and interesting challenge for dogs and handlers.” I recently heard someone say that dog training is for life, not just classes. How right they are! It is easy to become complacent after completing puppy foundation classes or canine good citizen sessions and your dog has settled into relatively consistent behaviours. However, training remains important throughout our dogs’ lives. It allows us to ‘proof’ and improve behaviours that might have become a little less consistent. Training means that we can continue to build and strengthen our relationships with our dogs as well as skills for everyday life. Positive training can also challenge our dogs physically and mentally, helping them to have interesting and happy lives with us. “I love the precision of obedience work and…

In October 1888 the Whitechapel district of London was in the grip of fear. A series of brutal murders had shocked the community — even those inhabitants accustomed to the depravity and criminal activity rife in the area. The first of what became known as the ‘Whitechapel murders’ took place in April 1888, and during August and September events escalated, with five further victims being killed and horribly mutilated, leading to understandable panic. This was further whipped up by extensive and lurid newspaper coverage, and after a letter received by the Central News Agency and signed ‘Jack the Ripper’ threatened more murders, there was rioting and attacks on any individual who might be a suspect. The press was scathing in its criticism of the police’s apparent inability to either identify…

SPONSORED BY TRAINING A GOOD START Q When deciding on where to take my puppy for training, what qualifications, if any, should I look out for and expect the dog trainer to have? Ronald James, Cumbria. TONY SAYS: This is an excellent question. Unfortunately, the dog training industry still needs to be regulated and there needs to be a recognised standard. Currently, anyone can call themselves a dog trainer. A good dog trainer will have a knowledge of canine behaviour and be aware of the latest research on how dogs learn. Years ago in classes, dogs were often dragged around on choke chains and physically punished if they barked or failed to respond. Fortunately, times have moved on, and we have learned more effective and kinder ways to train and…