Your Dog February 2022

NEWS. CHAT. INTERVIEWS. PICTURES. COMPETITIONS. Talking dogs RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS CONCERN OVER BRITAIN’S HOMELESS PETS Mars Petcare’s first-ever State of Pet Homelessness Index has revealed an estimated 1.1 million dogs and cats in the UK are currently living in shelters or on the street. The research, undertaken in partnership with an advisory board of leading animal welfare experts, found that almost two thirds (61 per cent) of pet owners are worried there will be more homeless pets post-pandemic than ever before. Potential barriers to rehoming a dog or cat, such as prohibitive rental agreements, stigmas attached to adopting certain breeds, and negative perceptions of rescue animals and strays, are also highlighted in the report. Based on data from more than 200 local and global sources, the Index includes nine countries —…

news HOUND-UP A TALL ORDER FOR SAMSON! IT worker Kyle Barrett searched high and low for his missing St Bernard — but nothigh enough, because the 32-year-old, from Lymm, Cheshire, eventually spotted 60kg Samson standing on the roof of his mum’s single-storey home. It’s thought the two-year-old dog, who was eventually coaxed down to safety, climbed onto the roof via an adjoining garage. HEARTBROKEN COUPLE APPEAL FOR RETURN OF STOLEN RESCUE DOG A couple who’d driven 2,361 miles to adopt a dog rescued from a Swedish puppy farm were devastated when the rare Russian Bolonka was stolen from their van in Kent. Michael Fox, 31, and Johanna Kerwien, 27, from Grays, Essex, had parked at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Dartford but returned to find thieves had smashed their way into…

BE INSPIRED! Make this the year you get out with your pet and discover just what amazing dog walks Britain has to offer. To get you in the mood, here are 10 of the best to inspire you. Our pick of the best dog walks for 2022 Taking your dog for a walk not only provides your four-legged friend with physical and mental enrichment, it can improve your own fitness, and boost your well-being. It allows you to access amazing views, and experience sights you can only see on foot. All that, and it also strengthens your bond with your dog. Here, walking expert and dog-lover Andrew White, host of ‘Walks Around Britain’, highlights 10 walks around the country that you and your dog can enjoy this year. Andrew is a Get…

YOUR RESCUE DOG New series Day by day The first three days, three weeks, and three months are milestones in the rehoming of a rescue dog. In this new series, Toni Shelbourne advises on how to settle your dog in during these key periods. We often talk about the three-day, three-week, and three-month milestones when referring to the time it takes a rescue dog to settle in a new home. It’s a useful guide to understanding the emotions and challenges a newly adopted dog can experience. As dog guardians, you can avoid many pitfalls by understanding the physical, mental, and emotional strain that occurs during rehoming. Your shiny new dog, especially if he has come from a kennel environment or travelled many miles (sometimes for days) to get to your home, will…

INSIDE EXPERIENCE It is often a good plan to only allow access to a small part of the house at first. Make this an area that isn’t in a main thoroughfare, where your dog can relax and have access to water. Above all, he needs time to process his surroundings and then rest and recuperate. Keep everything low-key, calm, and quiet. There will be time later to introduce him to the rest of the house, pets, and visitors. “Keep everything low-key, calm, and quiet.” Image: Paula Jones. TOP TIP! Consistency is key — it’s important for any dog, but especially so for a rescue dog who may have experienced very little in his life.…

IT’S A VET’S LIFE! February 2022  Canine cancer No dog owner wants to hear those words, yet what are the treatment options for patients? Vicky Payne explains. Every day there seem to be adverts on the TV reminding us that one in two people will get cancer in their lifetimes. Despite vast amounts of research and fundraising, this has increased from one in three when I was a child, but this is a consequence of people living longer, and better early detection of cancers. The good news is that more people than ever before will either be cured of their cancer or be able to live with it. But what about our dogs? Owners are always worried that lumps and mysterious symptoms in their dogs may be signs of cancer,…