Puppies are cute and lovely, but it can be a real challenge to bring them up to be lovely dogs. Puppies jump, hang, bite, destroy, run away, empty bins and make-up bags, chew on shoes, trainers and plug sockets, the list goes on. Of course, all puppies are different, therefore some people will remember these days fondly; others will remember how stressful and tiring it was; but most will...
Read moreDogs + Easter Weekend = Walkies
Easter Weekend is a wonderful time to spend some quality moments with your family and friends, but when planning your weekend why not include your furry friend. Go for a walk in your nearest dog friendly park, chose a pub where dogs are welcome and and take some extra time for a good play of fetch or tug of war, maybe that could be their...
Read morePaws for thought with Chirag
I don’t easily get overwhelmed with shyness. It did happen once before, way more than a decade ago, whilst working for a well-known Private Member’s Club. There, I met Kylie Minogue, and whilst I thought I was super cool, telling her where she could find a...
Read moreTrying out the Odin with Bernard
As some of you have asked, we are going to start trying out the other branded products we sell online so you can see what we think. These products will then get the "Oli & Bernard Approved" Stamp. See our latest video below to see how Bernard got on with The Odin.....
Read more#AlwaysBeButternut, what did you think?
So as many of you already know (if you are following us on Social Media) we've trialled the food prepared and delivered by Butternut Box (sounds like a fashionable Californian trend diet) for a few weeks and we loved it. So we though who else would be best to ask but you guys...
Read moreToilet Training, get "it" right.
When we first think about getting a puppy, we think about the cuddles and all the fun stuff. However after a couple of days in our home we start scratching our heads and wonder how can such a small thing wee and poo so much. Where does it all come from? Then getting that little terror toilet trained becomes our new first priority.
Some dogs will be clean within a couple of weeks; some will take...
#BRINGYOURDOGTOWORKDAY 2016
In just over a week, June 24th sees 'Bring Your Dog To Work' Day return. Hooray!
#BringYourDogToWorkDay is an annual nationwide event that raises money for charities dedicated to making a difference to the welfare of dogs.
Last year, businesses from across the UK (including vet surgeries, pet product manufacturers, investment firms, national energy companies, estate agents, private jet charters and...
Read more4 of my favourite Dog-Friendly Coffee Shops in South London
Machine is not a coffee shop (well that’s a good start), It's a coffee shop and a bike shop. Now, I agree this is not a new concept (Look Mum No Hands opened in 2010 and a few others since), but this coffee/bike-repair/anything-bike-related shop is one of my favourite spots to grab a coffee on-the-go or to stay...
Read more**Book To Read** - Clever Dog
Sarah Whitehead is probably one of the most qualified Dog (and cat) Behaviourists in Europe; and the UK’s most respected Behaviourist. Sarah wrote a few books, however my favourite one is Clever Dog. Clever Dog is the compilation of some of the Behavioural Cases Sarah’s dealt with over her 25 years of experience.
There are a few things I like about this book; firstly, it’s very accessible to everyone (very little Dog Training and Behavioural jargon). Secondly...
Read more5 Central London Dog-Friendly Shops
Sometimes it feels like london isn't such a dog friendly city, especially when it comes to doing everyday things such as shopping, but here are a few shops that welcome our best friends as long as they are on their best behaviour, and why wouldn't they be?! Over time I'll let you know about other dog friendly places but here are 5 to start us off...
Read moreWhat do we teach our dogs, whilst not meaning to?
Us humans, don't always see the world the ways dogs do. A big part of my job is to translate dogs' behaviour to their humans, as well as clarifying how dogs perceive our (sometimes strange) own behaviours. Here are three examples of common human/dog miscommunication....
Read moreI've seen this face before.
Have you ever wondered how your dog recognises you?
Can he recognise you because of the way you sound, the way you smell, the way you look; or maybe of all the above? Then read on...
Dealing With Fear In Dogs
We too often assume that dogs can think and feel as we do, but they don’t. Dogs don’t think Right vs. Wrong, they think Safe vs. Dangerous, and so if something feels unsafe to them (scary), they will defend themselves, try to get that scary thing to move away, or at least move away from the situation......
Read moreWhat wouldn’t we do for our dogs?!
We care for them, play with them, feed them the best food we can afford, train them, hug them, make them feel safe, take them to the vet when they are poorly. We have dog-sitters, dog-walkers, dog trainers; the list goes on......
Read moreRemember remember the 5th Of November (is coming up soon)
I know it’s still only September, but now is a good time to start thinking about how you can help your dog if he is scared of fireworks.
The Do’s:
Allow your dog to find a safe space around your home, if your dog is happy in his crate, that’s a good place to start. If it’s under the sofa, so be it. Dogs like small spaces. Make sure...
Hollywood & Dogs
Uggie from the wonderful 2011 Black & White, silent movie The Artist died early August. This was very sad news indeed, but it made me want to have another look at some old pictures of Hollywood stars and their dogs from as early as 1916 to the 20s, 30s and up to the 60’s. I have, on one of my shelves at home, a wonderful book called Hollywood Dogs; here are a few...
Read moreDriving With Dogs
If your dog becomes anxious when traveling by car, he might show signs of stress such as panting, drooling or even vomiting. This is not fun for you, but even less fun for your dog. Very often the first experience a puppy has of a car journey is the day he leaves his mum and littermates; and the second, his first trip to the vet. So is it any wonder he finds stepping into this large noisy thing stressful?...
Read moreDog Poo, how bad can it be? Really?
Believe it or not, dog mess is also damaging to local wildlife and the environment. I asked my friend Henry Glynn, Government Ecologist/Environmental Warden why and how. He says: “The high levels of nitrogen in dog mess can physically damage and kill plants causing “nitrogen burn” and ...
Read moreHappy Dog, by Flying Lemming
Food Guarding - How Do I know?
Food guarding is a type of resource guarding,, and it can appear in any dogs, at any time in their life. It is important to react quickly if it happens with your dog. As always I think prevention is key, and some simple positive reinforcement exercises can be done to prevent this kind of problem from happening.
Some clients ask, how do I know if my dog is guarding his food?...
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