Different day, different dog 23 - In my dreams 2

I know I have posted a few human doggy type pictures recently, one dog cleaning, the one yesterday of the dog with the food and now today...a dog using the computer.

A lot of people think I spend all day playing with dogs and although this is the best part of the day it is not the be all and end all of it. I have to keep on top of adverts, maintain the website, do my accounts, reply to e-mails, do payroll, keep on top of all the paperwork, writing this blog...etc. So if I could train a dog to do some of it I could do some more playing :)

Different day, different dog 22 - Hot dog and chips anyone???

This is a very civilised version of what my puppy has systematically been doing over the last couple of weeks!!!!

But instead of sitting at a table, looking lovingly down a camera lens he has been stealing anything and everything. None of my previous dogs has ever been like it before, they were settled in their own feeding routine and were satisfied with their offerings!

Kendal, however, is overall very well trained but has not yet learnt to control his urges.
His habit started with stealing cat food, which is kind of understandable as he is fed on a complete dry food. But this then progressed onto sniffing out packaged food, tearing it apart and scoffing the contents all within the 3 minutes it takes to pay for petrol.

Don't get me wrong, he doesn't steal off plates or out of the kid's hands...but it becomes a bit of an issue when it causes his castration to be cancelled. Now, some people will argue that it is merely coincidence...but it looks a little suspicious that he decided to give curry a go for the first time the day before his operation. It was actually quite a comical moment because usually we can't tell that he has stolen something until later when we get a little peckish and find an empty wrapper. But this time there was no hiding it!!! Jenni left him in the car for 2 minutes as she was running inside to grab something, when she got back out apparently there was a korma coloured lion staring back at her over the steering wheel!!!

So...on to the chips...this evening he has been running abut chomping on a raw hide bone given to him to keep him occupied. But I was getting a little worried when he kept coughing, running to the door and generally not being himself. I thought the raw hide had made him thirsty so kindly got him some fresh, cool water. When I looked back over he had stopped coughing, but was now dabbing at the water with his front paw, ears half-pricked and confused look on his face. I assumed that maybe he had coughed up some of his raw hide bone, but on closer inspection there was a chip floating in the water!

Different day, different dog 21 - In my dreams!

This is the stuff dreams are made of!!!! Today, Saturday, we were meant to just be at work for four and a half hours to do a half day slot for Day Care. But we got here at 10:30...and it is now 5:30pm...7 hours later!!!

During the week we clean as we go and do a clean down at the end of the day, but on the weekend we normally end up doing a big deep clean. On top of that we have also been painting. The dogs some times jump up at the walls and at the office windowsill, so they need refreshing occasionally. But today we have been painting the grooming room...."SHOCKING PINK!". All 4 walls were white, but our groomer was having difficulty seeing stray, long hairs on white dogs against the white wall. So as long as we don't get any "shocking pink" dogs in she should be able to see their outline against her new wall. I'm not 100% sure Becky will love her new wall, pink isn't exactly her colour! To make matters worse Jenni managed to get a picture of me painting it, so I can't deny being involved when Becky comes in on Monday.

So....if any one knows how to teach dogs how to do some cleaning (or painting)...please let me know!!!

Different day, different dog 20 - Best friends 2

I know I have already done a Best Friends pic but don't you think this picture is adorable??? Charlie is a very giddy pup, he's just had his first birthday and still runs rings round us at Day Care, especially when he has something that we want back! He can also be very boisterous with the bigger dogs and mischievous...well, whenever he wants really!

But with Kendal he is a totally different dog, he is very soft and gentle around him and I often catch them cuddling together somewhere. Kendal curls up into a ball and snuggles into charlie's tummy fluff. So we now refer to him as Uncle Charlie :)

Different day, different dog 19 - Hiding in the meadow

No particular reason why I posted this picture today....I just like it!!! This is Finlay, our mischievous Beagle. He has earned the nick name of "Goat", due to his weird talent of being able to eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! The mischievous part comes from getting up to lots of naughty things as part of the 3 musketeers...him, Alfie and Kendal. You can sit and watch them collude together before running off and carrying out their plan. The worrying part is that Alfie and Kendal have now carried on with this behaviour even when Finlay is not at Day Care!

If I have time tomorrow I will post a Top 10 of nasty things our dogs have attempted or succeeded eating...Finlay, un-surprisingly, is included in the list!

Different day, different dog 18 - Goodbye Maddie

Just a quickie today to say goodbye to "Maddie Beagle". She was one of 2 Maddie's at our day care and due to her owner changing jobs and moving...she will no longer be part of the More For Paws team :(

She was brilliant at keeping all the teenagers in line and she was a fantastic boost to our dog versus bitches ratio!

We will miss her very much, but she has signed up to be part of Jenni's 50 mile (and 50 dog) walk in March for the PDSA so we don't have to wait too long to see her again.

Good bye Maddie xxx

Different day, different dog 17 - What the dog perhaps hears

Here's something for you to think about....and for Jenni to think about when she is belting out a tune in the car :)

"What the dog perhaps hears" by Lisel Mueller

If an inaudible whistle
blown between our lips,
can send him home to us,
then silence is perhaps
the sound of spiders breathing
and roots mining the earth
it may be asparagus heaving
headfirst, into the light
and the long brown sound
of cracked cups, when it happens.

We would like to ask the dog
if there is a continuous whir
because the child in the house
keeps growing, if the snake
really stretches full length
without a click and the sun
breaks through the clouds without
a decibel of effort,
whether in autumn, when the trees
dry up their wells, there isn't a shudder
too high for us to hear.

What is it like up there
above the shut-off level
of our simple ears?
For us there was no birth cry,
the newborn bird is suddenly here,
the egg broken, the nest alive
and we heard nothing when the world changed

Different day, different dog 16 - London Marathon dog

Jenni has finally got some stuff up in reception for her London Marathon run. It is on April the 17th this year and as previously mentioned., she is doing it on behalf of the PDSA to raise as much money as possible for them :)

I don't think she will be running in a costume like the one above here, but as an alternative she is walking 50 dogs, 50 miles in 1 day to try and bump up how much she raises for the PDSA. To make a donation please visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/moreforpaws

Different dog, different dog 15 - Blooming phone

When I arrived at my Nan's on Friday evening she handed me a small black piece of chewed rubber, with metal on the end of it. She had found her Boodle (Boxer x Poodle) chomping on it and had no idea what it was from. I sat scratching my head for a while before remembering that she has one of the first ever Vodafone mobiles invented...it was my first mobile when I was 12!!! My Nan had to open her handbag, get out her mobile phone pouch, open that and found her aerial was missing....how Baxter had managed to get it with out her noticing I'm not sure.

On my last post I mentioned that during my weekend off my phone did not stop ringing!!! I had staff ringing me up with queries, new customers ringing about grooming and dog walks, existing grooming clients ringing to re-arrange appointments due to the snow, advertising companies ringing to sell me products and I had to sort the rota out and let all my staff know.

So in a way I wish that my phone was chewed up by a dog, things would suddenly become a lot simpler. Well....for about 5 minutes!!! My mobile phone is like a 5th limb to me. I don't got on the Internet on it, I don't listen to music, I don't play games....but with out it my job would be so difficult. Maybe I just need a dummy phone that I can watch get chewed up, so I can feel satisfied for 5 minutes before needing to make my next call :)

Different day, different dog 14 - Dogs on beach

Ok, I know this is technically cheating....posting 2 days late for a 365 day project. But I had no access to the Internet over the weekend. We took a rare weekend off and went down South to visit family. When I say we had the weekend off...my phone did not stop beeping ALL weekend! (which gives me an idea for my next post) There was snow in Barnsley on Saturday and my poor groomer, Becky, had to try and manage picking up our Day Care dogs, getting up to the Centre to do grooming and then get every one back home (plus making sure Niki, our volunteer, also got home safely!).

But between the phone going off I managed to get my puppy, Kendal, down to the beach for the first time. We kept running toward and away from the waves as each one rolled in....but I think that was more because I was doing it than because he was scared.

So this is my first non-photo post, but I think it is worth it :)

Different day, different dog 13 - Best friends

I thought I would post a "feel-good-Friday" picture as we are on the eve of the weekend. This is Murphy and Finlay, 2 of our first few dogs we had on our books. We do not pack walk...but if there are 2 dogs that get on together and are well suited then we say we have a maximum of 1:2 ratio, one crazy member of staff to 2 crazy dogs :)

Murphy and Finlay are both very placid most of the time, but equally mischievous. But this photo just makes me smile...I try and imagine what they are saying to each other trotting along.

Different day, different dog 12 - Pets in need of vets

Thought I would post a pic related to the fact that Jenni has been offered a Golden Bond place in this years London Marathon on behalf of the PDSA :)

We occassionaly get calls from people asking us to take them over to the PDSA in Sheffield, as it is the closest one to Barnsley. They treat animals for free if you are on certain benefits and ask for donations towards the treatment and medication. Being in this business we try to help as many animal charities as we can. We support several local animal rescue charities, but wanted to support the PDSA too as it is a charity used by the people of our community.

Jenni has a target of £1,500 to raise and as well as running the actual marathon she has also arranged to walk 50 dogs, 50 miles....in 1 day!!! She is borrowing our clients and staff members dogs and they are all joining her for one mile each for her hike in and around Barnsley.

Here's some little facts about what the donations could be used for....

£100 - could buy eletric clippers to remove hair before surgery

£50 - could buy film for 100 x-rays

£30- could buy injections to help dogs with arthritis

£20 - could buy a metal plate to fix a broken leg

£10 - could buy special scissors to remive a bandage

£5 - could buy anti-biotics to helpa sick puppy

If you would like to sponsor either the 50 mile walk or the actual marathon itself, please visit www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/moreforpaws Thank you :)

Tips on Doggy Style

I know it gets cold on a night and I (as a human) like to get snug in my PJs...but I've come across DOG PYJAMAS!

Dogs were naturally wild animals and even though they have become domesticated they have not lost their furry coverings; like we did when we descended from apes to humans. A dog is actually very good at regulating their body temperature and manage to maintain an average temperature of 38 degrees Celsius regardless of their environment.

However this can not be taken to either extreme, a dog left in the snow over night without adequate shelter may not survive to the morning. On the other extreme, a dog left in a car on a hot summers day can not keep their temperature low enough and can die from heat stroke.

So if your dog is shivering it is their natural response to being a bit cold and they heat themselves back up. It does not mean rush out and buy some clothing for your pooch! Like I said in my previous Doggy Style post, I am not 100% against all doggy clothing...but PJs????

There is also the small detail of the website selling these stating that they should only be "used under supervision". So not only do you have to be silly enough to buy these PJs, you also have to be silly enough to stay up all night watching that they are not getting themselves tangled in them.

So, science lesson over....lets look at the pyjamas!!!

P.S - How are they going to go to the toilet???? ;-)

Different day, different dog 11 - Poorly pup

I bet you are all saying....aaaawwwww! However, I bet the dog is thinking "I don't want your sympathy I just want to be able to have a good scratch and get on with day to day things, like chasing my tail!"

Well that is how I feel (apart from the "chasing my tail" bit)!!! For the last week I have had my hand in a pot due to a broken bone in my hand. Whilst pet sitting 2 dogs (Smudge and Ted) they ended up pulling my hand straight into a door frame in their excitement to get out the door :(

CONS
- It blooming hurts
- I can't drive
- I'm limited to which dogs I can walk

PROS
- I don't have to drive
- Smudge and Ted are now getting extra training from their owners :)

Different day, different dog 10 - GREED!

Who thought there would be a picture of a dog with a mountain of bones? Well this is not about dogs being greedy, it is about dog walkers being greedy!!!

As I was out walking 2 dogs yesterday I bumped into a lady walking her neighbours dog. She spotted my uniform and got chatting to me about my business and was very interested in the way we ran our company....she was very impressed :)

She mentioned that Leeds City Council had put in place a limit of 4 dogs being walked by one person. Being a dog walker it really interested me and I have been doing some research this morning, looking through the media surrounding this new regulation. From what I have found out (through news stories and speaking to Leeds City Council myself) the public voted that they thought 4 dogs to one person was a good maximum number so that the dogs can be kept under control and there would be less instances of dog fouling. So on February 1st this was put in to place. I felt quite happy about this decision :)

However.....looking even further into it I found that after this was put into place dog walkers in Leeds argued the decision saying it would single-handedly ruin their businesses! This dog walker, Richie Womersley, went on to say that it would reduce his dog walking income by 35% as he walks 6 dogs at a time.

I rang Leeds City Council and they told me about the meetings that have been taking place and the disputes regarding the maximum number of dogs. He also told me that the Council are now thinking about organising a Dog Walking Licence. So the maximum for the public would still be set at 4, but if you are a professional dog walker with insurance and you agree to stick to a Code of Conduct then the limit would be raised back to 6.

I am not afraid to say that....I think this is greedy! Fair enough, 6 is better than 8 or even 10 like this picture of an American dog walker. But still.....6 dogs???? We have our limit set to 2, this keeps them safe, allows us to easily scoop their poop but it also gives the dogs the best amount of attention. If you are walking 6 dogs and one gets loose, are you going to be dragging 5 other dogs behind you trying to catch the runaway. What if a dog becomes injured? How could you carry one dog and safely manage the other 5???

Ok, some of you (especially if there are any of our competition companies reading this) will argue that the dogs love being a part of a group and it socialises the dogs. Well I agree that dogs love interacting with other dogs, but this can be encouraged when meeting fellow dog owners. Alternatively, this is why we offer a Day Care service...we are the only company in Barnsley to have a Day Care CENTRE (rather than filling our house with dogs). This way the dogs can play together in a SECURE environment where there poop can be picked up promptly and it isn't causing a nuisance to the public.

We would be happy to apply fora licence if it came in to force in our borough. It would be an extra bill to pay, but we already abide by all the small print so it would cause us no problems. The benefit to us is that we would then know how the other companies in the area are running their businesses.

There are several dog walkers in the area where I live and work. The majority of them pack walk. Because they walk more dogs at a time it means that they can charge a lower price, but still walk away with more money than us. But am I in this to become a millionaire? NO! Am I in this because I care about dogs and I want them to have a brilliant walk whilst they are alone all day? YES! When myself and my business partner became fully booked on walks we didn't just start walking more dogs at the same time; we took on staff. To look at the amount we charge compared to the amount we pay our staff; it doesn't take a mathematic to see that we don't make a lot of money from these walks.

But we can be confident we are giving a great service! You get what you pay for, all our clients appreciate that we offer a premium service and that is why they prepared to pay slightly more!

Different day, different dog 9 - Happy Valentines

How could I not do a loved up picture on Valentines day? I am sorry to all those pessimists out there that say that Valentines is just a way of bumping up retail sales. This is my first Valentines as a married woman, so I hope I will still be saying this several years down the line. But it has been a nice chance to tell loved ones how you feel....that includes all my dogs too :) We might love some one for so many reasons, but never say them.

I found several pictures of 2 loved up dogs, but I'm fascinated by the bond that can be between a cat and a dog. So many people presume that they are mortal enemies. But my cat Roxy loves doing exactly this to Kendal. Coal, my other cat, isn't quite as loved up as this but he at least copes with living under the same roof as a dog!

So tell your pooch and/or cats that you love them and why.

Kendal....I love you, for being a super big fluff ball that gets excited when I'm happy and cheers me up when I'm sad!

Roxy....I love you, for being the matriarch of our animals and keeping them all in tow and for at least trying to teach Coal how to hunt!

Coal....I love you, for giving me those rare cuddles, they are such a lovely surprise when they happen.

Different day, different dog 8 - Chilling by the pool

I am a winter person.....but I am actually looking forward to the summer coming round. After a long winter walking dogs through the snow my feet are covered in blisters and my hat has taken on the shape of my head.

So I have been sat day dreaming about long summer days, drinking ice cold Cola and chilling by the pool. Which reminded me of this picture...it is Dev, Mel's friend's dog. He came up to see us on our open day and my mother-in-law captured this lovely photo...which I captioned with "chilling by the pool".

So even over the winter our Day Care dogs have been having a dip in the pool, the ball pool :) But hopefully when summer arrives we will be filling them up with water and letting them paddle!

Different day, different dog 7 - True colours shining through

This week our little man Harry (a Westie) came up to Day Care with a funky blue fringe. His owner is a teacher and Harry had been trying to help her mark some work and ended up bumping into the blue high lighter. It got me thinking about the lengths some people go to make their pet a fashion accessory.

I have previously seen dogs with a blue or pink hint to their coats...but this poodle has taken things to the next level! I found an article about Techni-colour Dreamcoats on the Daily Mail website http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1199422/Woof-justice-Meet-pooches-amazing-technicolour-dreamcoats.html Where they said...

As these pictures from Wuhan in central China's Hubei province show, pet owners are taking their beloved dogs to grooming parlours where the poor creatures are not just given a shampoo and cut - but a full-on, multi-coloured fur job.

It is not something I would personally do to Kendal, my Westie, but I can't help but smile at these pictures :o)

Different day, different dog 6 - Size DOESN'T matter

Now, I know that all dogs are part of one big family, but it is hard to think that when looking at this adorable photo :)

BUT...in the dog world, size doesn't always matter! Today we have had Tallie in Day Care for an extra day. She is a gorgeous Doberman that comes in to work on her socialisation skills with other dogs. When she started coming we were told she had failed an Assessment Day in a place a little similar to ours due to her barking. When she came here she did bark at the other dogs, but we gave her lots of time and re-assurance and a pattern quickly emerged. She has this sort of ritual she goes through to be-friend a dog....

Step 1) Bark at the other dog.....A LOT

Step 2) Run away with my tail between my legs

Step 3) Approach the other dog and smell their ears

Step 4) Make the other dog smell my ears

After all these steps have been carried out correctly and in the right order she is then that dogs friend for life! When she comes in on a different day she does not do this with any of her "friends" but if there is some one new in the group she takes them through the ritual.

Tallie used to be very rough with smaller dogs, but over time she has learnt her own strength. Today she has been playing with a Cocker Spaniel puppy called Molly and it has been so nice seeing 2 very different dogs playing together. Every time I threw a toy they both chased to get there first, if Molly was there first Tallie then started chasing her and barking in a playful way. But what was even funnier was if Tallie got to the toy first...Molly strode up, with her chest puffed out and barked and chased Tallie :)

Different day, different dog 5 - Falling in love is like owning a dog

This poem was read at my wedding, not in the ceremony...because like I said in a previous post...I didn't want the day to revolve all around dogs (like the rest of my life!). But when I found this poem I couldn't resist it (the photo is an added bonus).

First of all, it's a big responsibility, especially in a city like New York.

So think long and hard before deciding on love.

On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security: when you're walking down the street late at night and you have a leash on love ain't no one going to mess with you.

Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable. Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.

It lies between you and lives and breathes and makes funny noises.

Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.

It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.

But come home and love is always happy to see you.

It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,

but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time?

No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes. Love leaves you little surprises here and there.

Love needs lots of cleaning up after.

Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.

Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper and swat love on the nose,

not so much to cause pain, just to let love know

Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.

Because love loves exercise.

It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.

It pulls you in several different directions at once,

or winds around and around you until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.

People who have nothing in common but love stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back, again, and again, and again.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.

And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Different day, different dog 4 - Disney dogs

Today you get value for your money (well, you would if I charged money?!?). I am joining up my "Different day, different dog" with a Top 10....hope this brings back some good childhood memories :)

MY personal top 10 Disney dogs...

1. Bolt - He's a great character, but a bit too modern for the likes of me!

2. Goofy - He technically isn't a dog, but he has all the characteristics and I grew up thinking he was....so he's on my list!

3. Percy (the Pug on Pocahontas) - He starts off being a spoilt brat at the start, but then be-friends Pocahontas and Meeko.

4. Napolean & Lafayette (the hounds on Aristocats) - These hounds end up getting one over on Edgar the baddy! My favourite scene is them both trying to drive a side-car :)

5. Max (The sheepdog on Little Mermaid) - Max is the match-maker of the film, he works really hard to get Eric and Ariel together and it works!

6. Pluto - He is Mickey Mouse's best friend and who can blame Mickey....Pluto is adorable and cheeky like any pet dog should be!

7. Slinky (from Toy Story) - ok, so technically he is half dog and half metal spring, but he is Woody's loyal companion and comes to the rescue at several points during the animation.

8. Cooper (from Fox and Hound) - This is a fantastic story about 2 best friends, however they are forced to become enemies but the film has a good ending...but i wont spoil it for you. Cooper is adorable and ultimately faithful to Tod.

9. Lady and the Tramp - These 2 characters had to go together naturally, but yet they are so different. Hands up everyone that has copied the famous spaghetti scene, that is why they have made it up to number 9!

10. My favourite Disney dog/s......101 Dalmations!!!!

Pongo and Purdy are so amazing in both the animated and film version of this story. As a parent I can understand the lengths they go to get their puppies back. Each puppy has its own characteristics, so as a dog lover the film is fantastic! But most of all....watching them all together, especially when they get up to mischief, it reminds me of Day Care :)

They say bad things come in threes....

This was how my day yesterday went....

1) Jenni rang me to say she had found a cat that needed scanning to see if it had a micro-chip so we could return it to its owner. This is quite a common occurrence with dogs as we often find strays and as I am a micro-chip implanter it means I can look up the details for dogs I find. But a cat? How did she know it was lost? Well, it turns out that she had taken it off a distraught lady who had just scraped it off the road :( So I had the un-pleasant job of trying to find a chip when it was hard to tell one body part from another! Un-fortunately I couldn't find a chip, but we notified all the local vets in case some one rang round saying their cat was missing. To be honest, although it would of been difficult, I would of preferred to of found a chip so I could at least put their mind at rest and let them decide what to do with him/her. Our vet has kindly cremated the cat, rather that the council coming to collect it.

2) I damaged my hand a couple of weeks ago whilst I was trying to get out of a client's house I had 2 dog leads in one hand. Both the dogs went separate ways and I also hit my hand on the door frame :( It hurt at the time, but I just thought I had bruised it. However the pain started spreading up my arm and my fingers went numb...time to get myself to the hospital! Turns out I have been walking about with a broken hand for 2 weeks and now have a pot on it to help heal the break. I didn't realise how much it would effect me, so counting down the days will it comes off!

3) Our washing machine broke!!!! This would be a semi-major problem in our house....but at work, words escape me (well, those that are not swear words)! We have 4 walkers out walking dogs in muddy fields every day, our Day Care dogs go in and out all day and need their paws cleaning plus we have the grooming every day. On a Tuesday we have to HUGE Newfoundlands come in to be groomed, luckily this week it was just a brush out rather than a bath! I have half fixed it but I am having to catch up with my machine at home.

I think I got off quite lightly with the last one...could have been worse. But next time my day starts like that I think I will go home, get in to bed and give another day a try. Well, that's a great theory...if it wasn't for all these dogs I love looking after it might be possible!!!

Different day, different dog 3 - "If your dog is fat, you're not getting enough exercise"

Thankfully this is not one of our dogs! I found the saying "If your dog is fat, you're not getting enough exercise"...it makes me conjure up a funny image of the dog and its owner wallowing together :)

I know that with some breeds it is easy for a dog to get over weight...but surely there is something that could of been done before the dog got to this point :( I just don't understand why people think their dog enjoys being like that. I know a lot of people over feed their pets, or feed them the wrong things because they say they love them....but this will ultimately kill them, meaning there is less time to be spent with them.

At Day Care we are hopefully creating an alliance with our vets to combat the issue of over weight pets, I will keep you posted on how it all goes!

Different day, different dog 2 - "I am ready for my close up"

This is Fred, the Flat Coat Retriever :) I love this photo of him grinning at the camera, with his "gorgeous highlights" flowing in the wind (the highlight comment is in reference to the frown I gave Jenni when she showed me the Pet Information sheet she had filled in on their Meet and Greet, not the most precise or professional description....but soooooo accurate)

Different day, different dog 1 - Time to wash my teddy

Whilst surfing the web this evening I came across a blog called "365 - make something every day and change your life". This is similar to the "Take a Photo a Day" project (http://365project.org/) that encourages people to take a photo every day and upload it. This would be a wonderful way to document a year of my life, but there is no way I would be able to keep up with it. So I thought I would do my own take on this...all things related to dogs, some of my own pictures but topped up with others from friends, family, the net, drawings, poems...etc.

I guess it would of worked better starting it on the 1st of January...but my honeymoon got in the way...so I'm only 37 days behind. Please remind me of this when I get to the point of counting down the days till my 365th post :)

Every day I will upload a different dog related item with a title summing it up. So, my first picture had to be of my pup...of course! I think the title describes this picture well...it was Kendal's first bath...but definitely not his last!

The 10 worst things my dogs have rolled in...

All dog-owners at some point have felt that sense of dread when they look over at their dog and they are on their back, wriggling from head to toe with the biggest grin on their face. Well, it's not at that point I feel the dread, it is when I am 6 feet away and the smell is already starting to fill my nostrils...never a good thing when I have to then load the dog into my van ready for their (hopefully short) ride home! Here's the worst things I've caught my dogs rolling in, from the least disgusting first...
1. Rubbish - Ok, I guess this one depends on what is in the rubbish, but generally speaking it isn't too horrific and cleans off quite easily (many culprits for this one)
2. Wee - This is quite common in puppies, but one in particular springs to mind. Jas is a Retriever and she has worked so hard at learning to sit that it has back fired on her. Every time I walk through the door she sits...and then wees on her tail in excitement!
3. Muddy puddle - Jenni and I had Charlie one of our Retrievers out on one of his first walks, it was quite a dry day so I was so surprised that Charlie had managed to find the only puddle in the area, he was black from half of his body down...but not keen on paddling in the clean stream.
4. Dog poo - To some people this might of been higher up on their list, but I deal with dog poo day in, day out. But washing it out of a long coat can be a little gross, even for me (several ill dogs)
5. Stagnant lake soup - Hopefully the name suggests how bad this was...we had harry for a pet sit and took him to Hemsworth Water Park. Walking past what looked like a clean lake; we weren't too fussed when Harry started paddling until we saw the primeval sludge dripping from him. Jenni had to scrub him...twice and he was still a bit whiffy!
6. Fresh cow pats - This was Sam's favourite trick (my previous Westie). Any trip in the country side resulted in a hose down...not just of him but any other dogs that he played with too!
7. Human sick - Another Harry-ism...his old walk I took him on went past take-away units, so on a Monday morning (after a boozy weekend) he would sniff out "pavement pizzas" to roll in. There is something quite disturbing about washing bodily fluids off a dog!
8. Dead crow - Jenni's old dog Snudge found a rotting crow to rub himself in, apparently she wasn't supposed to be out with him as she was grounded...must of been a good cover up!
9. Fox poo - This is one I have come across with a few times with my own personal dogs, but I couldn't help but laugh when Jenni rang to say "Scarf has rolled in something and it is the most putrid smell I have ever smelt". My response was simply "fox poo, you better get scrubbing"
10. Rotting crayfish - Murphy often wanders in and out of the woods where I walk him, one day he wandered in but didn't come out. I just had to follow the smell and found him belly-up in a pile of rotting crayfish (i think that's what they were). I was beyond embarrassed to have to take him home....nothing was budging that smell!!!

If I had found a magical lotion that removed these stenches I would definitely share it on here, but until then I prescribe multiple bathing sessions :)

Tips on Doggy Style

Any one that has come through to this blog purely from the title of this post....SHAME ON YOU! This is a respectable blog, for a respectable company ran by a respectable owner (I wonder at what point did my clients start laughing?)

Being part of the pet industry has introduced me lots of weird and wonderful pet clothes and accessories. So I thought I would share the best and worst of what I have seen...from dog shows, TV programmes, supplier catalogues and of course...the internet. (I can't wait till Halloween to do another of these posts!)

I am not 100% against dog clothing...especially waterproof coats or cosy jumpers for the winter. In fact Kendal ended up in a jumper this winter...my first dog to wear proper clothing (my last dog Sam used to wear neckerchiefs). But to me the key point has to be...does the dog actually enjoy it and/or benefit from it. I don't like to see people wrestling with their dogs to get things on and then battling with them to keep it on :(

Having recently got married I was actually suprised at the amount of people that asked if Kendal was going to be a paige boy...no wonder I ended up dreaming about it! But even though Kendal and all the dogs I borrow every day are my life for 14 hours a day, 6 (sometimes 7) days a week...I HAD to make an exception on my wedding day. Kendal went to stay with his half-brother, Harry, and I enjoyed a whole day of not having to scoop any poop!

But not to spoil the fun here are a couple of wedding attire examples for pooches :)

Bridesmaid pic - www.thepet-boutique.com

Paige boy/best man pic - www.thebridalgowns.org/

Come rain or shine....

.....or GALE FORCE WINDS!!!! This is only a quickie whilst I am drying off and heating up between finishing my walks and starting my drop-offs for Day Care.

The weather here is terrible, roads are shut, trees are down and I keep getting blown all over the place. What makes it worse is that I am one member of staff down today. Jenni has not been out on walks...I need to check her Web History for links to 5 Day Weather Reports as it seems like a fairly big coincidence to me ;-)

Right now I am seeking shelter in the office with Kendal (my pup), Harry (Kendal's brother who comes for an easy day at Day Care) and Alfie (a chocolate Cocker Spaniel who is drying off after his bath....he walks on his ears all day long so needs re-freshing!)

Looking forward to the summer weather...but then I have to worry about our dogs burning and getting heat stroke...by which point I will be waiting for winter to come back round!

It's a dog eat dog world...literally!!!

I have just read the following article on a news site...

"A 39-year-old man has been charged following a dog attack in Loughborough.
The incident took place at about 9.30am on Sunday January 23 in some fields near Pear Tree Lane and Hathern Drive, Loughborough.
A woman was walking her terrier dog in the fields when her dog was approached by two weimaraner dogs and attacked. The terrier died after sustaining serious injuries during the incident.
The man has been charged with having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place and will be appearing at Loughborough Magistrates Court on February 16."

http://www.leics.police.uk/news/4752_man_charged_following_dog_attack_in/

It suprises and saddens me that this is still happening. Yes, man has managed to domesticate the dog...but the fact that they have descended from wild animals with natural instincts should never be forgotten! The Weimaraner breed was naturally bred to be a hunting dog, originally boar, bear and deer and as large game hunting declined they were continued to be used as hunting dogs for smaller animals such as rabbits and foxes. So with 2 Weimaraners and a small terrier...it was obvious who was going to come off worse.

I believe that people should be able to let their dogs off a lead to exercise them. But this should be paired with the ability to control the dogs, especially in a situation like this. When people choose a dog they should be responsible and look into the history of the breed and put work into the dog to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen. Having said that I am a strong believer in not always judging a book by its cover...not every staffie, german shepherd and rottweiler are blood thirsty beasts and on the other side of the argument not every labrador, retriever and spaniel are soft and placid.

This is why at Day Care we have to be very careful when introducing a new dog to the group. They have to pass a series of questions regarding their behaviour and temperament, following that they attend an Assessment Day and are introduced to the group one dog at a time. Even after a successful Assessment Day we are constantly reading the groups behaviour and individual body language...because no-one is immune to having an off day. We have never had any problems and by maintaining our high standards we should never be at the centre of a news story similar to this!

I think I will hold off giving any further judgement on this until there is more information after the court case. I feel very sorry for the Terrier's owner, as having a pet die is bad enough with out having to watch them being attacked :(

To Liverpool and back

Considering this business was originally going to be just me covering just Barnsley....it was strange finding myself and my business partner on our way to Liverpool on Sunday!

A few weeks ago I got a call asking if I could pick up and a puppy from a breeders and deliver it to her, the owner. Having recently got a puppy myself I know the joys a new puppy can bring so happily said yes. When I asked for the post code to where the puppy was going; AA Journey Planner stuttered and spat back a Liverpool address to me! The owner lives in the Isle of Mann and explained that there are only 2 breeders over there and so there is a limited choice in puppies. She had found a German Shepherd cross Collie in Barnsley and had come across our site. She wanted us to take the puppy to the ferry port and drop him off with her daughter who would do the final leg of his first big journey.

I picked Barney up on Sunday morning, it felt strange taking him away from his parents and brother. But I realised that is what I did to Kendal (my westie pup) and now he is so settled and happy. The journey over the Pennines was ok, Barney whined to start with but quickly settled down. But after the Birkenhead Tunnel there was a road closure and we ended up driving round for about half an hour to find the port that was about a mile away!

Poor Barney had been sick in his crate since we had last stopped for him to go to the toilet. So we got him cleaned up just as the lady arrived to pick him up. This was my first "puppy run"...but the client said that a few of her friends were hoping to do the same thing. So hopefully I will get used to handing over the puppies, even though I had managed to already have formed a bond with him in only 2 hours! I am considering applying for my DEFRA license which allows me to transport pets to other EU countries...so I will keep you updated just how far my job takes me from my starting roots of Barnsley!

P.S - Just a quick note to any clients reading this....if you are going to get locked out of your house and need me to give you my copy of your key to get in...please check I am not in Liverpool first...you know who you are :)