Author Archive
Let sleeping dogs lie
We know our dogs like to sleep, even if it is with one eye open! It is worth keeping in mind that dogs should have a calm place to snooze, so that they can have some peaceful time each day.
Autumn has arrived
At last, it's cooler again which I'm sure we're all grateful for. So, now might be a good time to check your dog's stock of coats, jumpers and blankets in case you need to recycle or replace any of them.
Keep ourselves cool as well
While we are making sure that our dogs have cool drinking water available, early and/or late walks and plenty of rest in the shade, we should try to do the same for ourselves. If we don't look after ourselves, we can't look after our dogs!
It’s still sunny!
As the hot summer weather continues, I have found that a few ice cubes in doggy water bowls certainly help the water cool down for a while. And most dogs like ice cubes that have their favourite little treats or pieces of cucumber or carrot, for example, inside.
Sun, sun, sun
The recent heatwaves have been hard to deal with, for dogs and humans! The only way was to walk dogs early in the morning and late in the evening. In between times, cool water (to drink and to paddle in) helped the dogs I was looking after. Games and toys have been useful for short distractions but they all really enjoyed relaxing, dozing and stretched out!
Non-meat and fish dog foods
There are so many alternative foods for dogs who can't, or don't want to, eat meat or fish. The choice of plant and insect-based foods is wider than ever, so interesting to research if you are looking for something different.
After the heatwave
Having had more than a week's heatwave, it's nice to have some cooler weather. It has been interesting to find inventive ways to keep the dogs cool, but some of them can be put on hold until the next heatwave,
The gentle touch
Most dogs enjoy us touching, stroking or gently patting them. While it can relax them or encourage them to play or socialise, we must be mindful that some dogs might also be wary or overwhelmed by too much touching. Part of building a trusting relationship with our dogs is to work out their character and what they do or don't find comfortable.
The zoomies
Does your dog sometimes have a fit of the zoomies? I don't mean the online meeting platform, rather those times when suddenly your dog charges around at top speed. There are a few theories about this behaviour, relieving stress, cooling down or attention-seeking, but I think they're just having fun!
Have a spring sort out!
We all collect dog toys, coats, blankets, leads and other items, so perhaps now is a good time to check what your dog still uses and what could be passed on to other dog owners, animal charities or shops.
My charges
I offer an affordable dog boarding service, and will give you a discounted rate for entrusting more than one dog to my care. 1st dog per day: £20 day care/£25 holiday ...
