October 2013 dog videos

One of the less pleasant aspects of dog ownership is that they are prone to picking up unwanted guests like fleas, ticks and worms, but at least there is helpful information on hand on how to deal with them. In this month's issue we look at fleas. Other health related topics are a video on the uses of Hawthorn (Cretaegus) and another on the VMD's Product Information Database which tells you all you need to know about veterinary drugs.

On a practical front, we look further at dogs and air travel and at how pets can be affected by grief and loss when another dog passes away.

If you're looking for more information in relation to dog activities, we offer further videos on a couple of appropriate topics. In our Ringcraft series we look at handling techniques and in our Teaching TD Rally series, we look at spirals.

Finally, we find out from studies undertaken into wolves whether there is truth in the idea that we have to be the "alpha".

Medivet Pinner

Today we visited with Reena Patel and her colleagues at Medivet Pinner, who very kindly allowed us to film their day.

We got some great footage of some consultations, and also some procedures in theatre which was very interesting, and will make for some great articles.

We filmed a few topics with Reena while we were there, and look forward to bringing these to you in the coming months. We also hope to return to Pinner in the not-too-distant future to capture some more great footage.

Thanks very much Reena and co, it was an honour and privilege to spend the day with you all!

'Ello 'ello 'ello!

Today we visited Stevenage Police Station to interview Sergeant Ian Blundell and Sarah Sheldrick about the Dogwatch scheme.

'Borrowed' from the Met Police, this scheme is aimed at getting the local community, and in particular dog walkers, involved in making their area a safer place.

Stevenage is now the largest such scheme, with over 2,000 local people signed up. Anecdotal evidence has shown that people involved in the scheme are more likely to report suspicious activity to the police. We look forward to bringing you these articles soon.

Filming Nina

At last we had our first opportunity to film Nina Bondarenko, not for the website this time but filming her seminar for a new DVD.

Nina was talking about various different training methods and demonstrating using the attendee's own dogs, which were allowed to come along.

We're a fan of Nina's work, and hope to film her for the magazine sooner rather than later... fingers crossed!

September 2013 dog videos

There are many tricks that are lots of fun to teach your dog but surely getting them to tidy their toys away has to be one of the more useful ones. Find out how in Teaching tricks - Tidy toys away. Other useful information can be found in the first of the series of videos about air travel for dogs, what to take into account and how to find a good company to help you with this. For this, see the video Pet Air UK.

In September's issue we have more to offer in our ongoing series': Ringcraft - Showing Dogs, Herbs - Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis), Wild Wolves in the UK and Support during grief and pet loss. We also learn about how the VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate) deal with reports of adverse reactions to drugs.

Finally we look at Dog Poo Wormeries, how to turn your dog's waste into something a little more useful. We really do cover everything!

Disc Dogs

Today we visited with Chiara Zorzetto, an italian dog trainer living in the UK. Chiara competes in and trains in a sport called Disc Dog, quite unknown in the UK but big in the United States and also played on the continent.

Chiara took us through a potted history of the sport, and also gave us a demonstration of the freestyle and also distance flavours of the Disc Dog sport with Enja the Border Collie.

We thank Chiara for their time and will look forward to bringing you these articles soon.

August 2013 Issue

If you're looking for something fun to do with your dog, had you ever considered watching them launch themselves into a swimming pool?  Perhaps not, but that's just what the sport of dockdogs offers.  See our video Dock dogs.  For those looking for something a little more traditional, we bring another in our series on Ringcraft, this time looking at Movement Ringcraft - Movement.

As Promised in the July blog, August brings another video on the work of Fire Investigation Dogs and we meet CC and Reqs.  We also learn more about the work of the VMD and how their Accreditation Retailer Scheme can help us to buy pet medicine online safely.

Reactive Dog expert Brenda Aloff shows us how to use Eye Contact and Impulse Control techniques to help with problems of dog aggression and we learn how Reiki can be used for heart problems:Reiki - for Heart Problems.

Following the loss of much beloved "office" dog, Lady, we've found Belinda Johnston's advice on dealing with Grief and Pet Loss particularly helpful. We bring the second of Belinda's videos this month.

On a happier topic, having visited the UK Wolf Conservation Trust site in Reading, we have some lovely footage of their wolves as well as hearing about the great work of the Trust.

On the ball

Today we visited the Hot Shots Flyball club near Watford, to film an article for our 'Activities with dogs' section.

We interviewed Team Captain Richie, who has been training in Flyball for the past 6 years. He gave us a great introduction to the sport, and showed us how to teach a dog to do the box and the set of four jumps. We got to see the whole team in action who are currently completing the whole course with four dogs at around 19 seconds.

We look forward to bringing you these articles in the coming editions.

The last ever 3-day UK Dunbar Seminar?

This weekend we spent 3 days filming the brilliant Dr Ian Dunbar as he delivered what is possibly his last ever 3-day seminar in the UK.

This filming is for a forthcoming DVD of the seminar to be created and distributed by Dog & Bone, we will keep you updated as to the release of this DVD later this year.

Here's the Splash!

Today we visited Dock Dogs during their set up for the All About Dogs in Southend, Essex. It was a sweltering day, perfect for the sport of dogs jumping into the water. There was definitely an expectation of some owners following suit!

We filmed the UK & European Manager Robert Kemeny and he told us all about this up-and-coming sport, which originated in America. We got some good footage including office dog Sandy having a go too.

We look forward to bringing you this article in the coming months.

July 2013 dog videos are live

July brings the usual mix of practical advice and general interest. We’re continuing with a number of series of videos which are proving popular.  Trevor Pearman brings us the last of his grooming videos and we learn about scissoring. Brenda Aloff brings us helpful advice on training reactive dogs. Rob Fellows demonstrates how Reiki can be used to help with arthritis. If we are looking for fun activities with dogs, Roxanne McDonald, our Ringcraft expert, teaches us about standing and stacking and we learn about “Call Front” in Talking Dogs Rally. To help us to prepare for sadder times, Belinda Johnston describes the wide range of symptoms of grief we might expect when we lose our beloved pet.

We also begin two new topics. Nikki Harvey gives us an overview of the work of Fire Investigation Dogs. We also learn about the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the body that oversees veterinary medicine. Over next few weeks, we will learn more about the word of the VMD and how they can help us to make informed decisions about our pet’s health.

Saying goodbye

Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to our office dog 'Lady' on Wednesday. At the age of 15 and 8 months, her body had given up and she went peacefully off to sleep at the vets. I wrote this to her while thinking through everything that we had been through together.


Dear my little Lady,

I want to thank you for what you have given me throughout your 15 years and 8 months. I still remember just how excited I was when I first saw you, I chased the postman down the street when he delivered the developed photos that I had taken of you and your litter mates. Originally called 'Whisper' we soon changed that to 'Lady' (that turned out to be a very sensible decision!)

In your prime you knew (and would respond to) over 70 commands, including sneezing on command and wrapping yourself up in a blanket. You were my best friend and my excuse to not do my homework.

You appeared on Japanese TV, were 'Miss June' in Dogs Today calendar 2002 and competed at Crufts in agility, flyball and obedience. You gained a 3rd in agility, winning out of elementary and gaining me a trophy. Your claim to fame was beating a particularly good poodle in a Helter Skelter! Despite you fouling in the agility ring at some shows, we persevered, teaching me to cope with embarrassment and frustration.

You have enjoyed eating your way through life, impressively finishing off a plate of gammon for 14 people! 

You have been my 'old faithful' for many years. I have you since before my 'first kiss' all the way through to happily married life.

The world will be a quieter place without you, but my heart will feel that bit emptier without you resting your head on the bottom step waiting for me to come downstairs.

I hope there is plenty to eat and there aren't too many doors to be the wrong side of wherever it is you are going. I will find you again one day when it is my turn.

Love you little Lady xxx

Puppy grooming

Today we returned to film Trevor Pearman at his grooming parlour to film him and his poodle puppy Lacey.

Trevor told us about the importance of early grooming for pups to help them get used to process, particularly for those breeds that will need grooming often. We got to see the process, and while we were there took the opportunity to film Trevor about being a groomer for our series about dog-related professions.

We look forward to bringing you these articles soon.

Fleas, Ticks and mating dogs

We've had a rather unusual Saturday today, firstly we spent an hour finding out about the life cycles of ticks and fleas, then this afternoon we filmed two dogs mating!

Vet Tanya Leslie from Merial gave us some surprisingly interesting information about fleas and ticks and Flea Allergic Dermatitis (FAD). The life cycles of these little blood suckers are quite extraordinary, for example, did you know that the tick 'quests' by standing on a leaf and waving their front legs around. When they sense a vibration or shadow or a change in CO2 level, or temperature change, they reach out and grab hold!

This afternoon we filmed a mating at a local breeders, we plan to film an article about what is involved in mating and breeding dogs soon so thought we would get the practical footage while we could.

Treating Your Dog for Fleas

Following our recent visit to Nick Thompson, we thought we'd bring you some information about fleas while we're waiting for his video to go live.

All dogs, pedigrees and cross breeds, can get fleas. Flea infection can not only make your dog uncomfortable but it can be a nuisance to people too. It is vital that you take preventative measures if you wish to avoid getting an infestation in your home. The reproduction cycle of the flea is exceedingly difficult to break, and infection can give your dog such distressing problems as dermatitis, allergic reactions or large sores. Humans too can be afflicted with these symptoms.

Traditional vets recommend regular dog flea treatments to prevent your dog becoming infested. The PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) gives advice on how and how often to treat for fleas here.

Nick recommends a mixture of garlic and ginger which can make dogs 'taste bad' to fleas and can reduce the chance of them becoming infested. You can sign up to our free newsletter to find out when this video goes live.

Flea eggs can drop off your dog and be deposited on carpets, furniture and bedding. So be sure to hoover carpets and launder your dog΄s basket regularly. Central heating means that your home can provide year-round warmth which means fleas can thrive at any time of year and damp conditions combined with humidity will only encourage fleas to multiply.

Dogs can also pick up fleas from other dogs, so while you may be scrupulous in keeping up flea treatments for your dog, other dog-owners may be less so. Be sure to reduce the risk of infestation when your dog is in social situations.

There are obvious tell-tale indicators that your dog is infected if he has been unfortunate enough to catch fleas. He will be scratching frequently, particularly behind the ears, and will probably have black flecks, known as “flea dirt”, showing clearly on his skin. The skin may also be red and inflamed. It is possible that you will see actual fleas, though this is rather less likely.

If you notice any of these signs, take your dog to the vet as soon as possible, they can advise you as to which commercially available products are safe and effective.

Basics for Home Vet Care

As the temperature is rising and more people are getting out and about with their dogs, we have heard of a number of cases recently where animals have needed medical attention in an emergency. It is important to 'expect the unexpected' and be prepared for any emergencies.

Our video 'Canine First Aid Kit' explains some of the medical supplies you might want to keep handy, these can be bought from online stores such as as All Vet Supply.

Sophie Flux from Animal Aiders explains some useful Basic Health Checks that you can perform regularly to make sure your dog is healthy.

Should your dog cut or injure himself, unfortunately they can be notoriously difficult to bandage, our video shows a general methods for Bandaging Paws. Dressings can be damaged, and dogs can be persistent in chewing or licking bandages. Apart from the standard gauze and tape, there are lots of options for protecting animal injuries. Consider a product that stops bleeding without fabric by encouraging clotting. And don't forget antibacterial sprays and antibiotic ointments. In addition, if your pet has ever been given an anti-licking collar after surgery, keep it in case you need to reuse it.

As well as medical products, it's also useful to have close by some emergency contact information. First of all, make sure you have numbers for your veterinarian, a backup vet, and any 24-hour vet facilities in your area. And have information numbers like the ASPCA pet poison control line on the list so you don't waste precious time looking them up online should an emergency occur.

June 2013 is live

Gosh, May's been a busy month. We’ve been out and about in the good weather and doing lots of filming for future issues.

This month we look at some fun activities you can undertake with your dog. We offer the first in a series of videos about ringcraft by experienced Ringcraft teacher, Roxanne McDonald and we learn what to expect in a first Talking Dog’s Rally lesson, an activity based on American "Rally-O" Obedience.

We also look at some products which you can purchase for your dog which might be described as “Interactive dog toys” in our “Interactive games for good behaviour” video. There might be times, however, when our dog is not a source of fun but of embarrassment or frustration. We offer advice from leading dog behaviourists on some common areas of concern. Ian Dunbar tells us how to deal with inappropriate sexual behaviour and, in the first of a series of videos, Brenda Aloff tells us what to do about an aggressive or “reactive” dog.

There's more practical grooming advice from Trevor Pearman in his video on clipping and another inspirational video about Treo, the world’s bravest dog. Finally, on a sad but necessary topic, Belinda Johnston, a vet who specialises in bereavement, describes what euthanasia entails to help to prepare us for the day we might have to face some painful decisions.

Irish Red And White Setters

Today we filmed with Gemma Hawkins and her two bitches, and also her friend who brought their male round. In line with our other breed videos we asked all the questions we think potential new dog owners should know, and look forward to bringing these to you soon!

What to do with dog poo?

Another interesting article today, this time about Dog Poo Wormerys. We spoke to Earth Essentials, who make this fantastic product.

Instead of your normal way of disposing of your dogs excrement, why not consider recycling it into a fertiliser for your geraniums? That's exactly what you can do with the Dog Poo Wormery, and this article talks you through the basics. We look forward to bringing this article to you shortly.

Air travel for dogs

We love new and interesting topics, and today we filmed Bob Ghandour of Pet Air UK, a company that specialises in travelling pets on behalf of owners, all over the world.

They are experts in this field, and very happy to chat to people about what needs doing and when, and also costs.

We filmed a number of topics covering the whole subject, and look forward to bringing these to you soon.