Innehållsförteckning för July 2023 från Your Dog

It hardly seems possible that Your Dog Magazine was launched nearly 30 years ago! But it was, and quite quickly established itself as Britain’s best-selling dog magazine — the practical, advice-driven monthly that helped owners to get the most out of life with their pets, and to keep up-to-date with all the latest trends and developments in the dog world. Some of those dog owners have been reading the magazine since it was first published — and continue to do so — but we’ve also welcomed a whole new generation of puppy parents into the fold. The world has changed dramatically in the last few years and that includes for us and our pets. At Your Dog we like to keep abreast of dog owners’ changing views and preferences, which…

Owners wanting to thank their canine companions for boosting their mental health or confidence are being encouraged to enter a prestigious national award. Pet food brand Vet’s Kitchen is on the lookout for tales of everyday heroism from owners whose dogs make them feel better, or who have proven their worth as part of their family or community. Dogs like last year’s Woof and Well Award winner Polo, who impressed the judges with his role as a Pets As Therapy dog visiting schools in the Bedford area. Gillian Thompson, who adopted the Labradoodle in 2011 when he was 20 months old, said: “The magic of Polo works time and time again and I am incredibly proud of him.” Gold, silver, and bronze medals, along with a year’s supply of Vet’s…

DOG DATA Analysis from insurer PetPlan has found that English Springer Spaniels grow the most from puppy phase to adulthood, followed by Golden Retrievers and Weimaraners, while Border Collies grow the least. The Royal Kennel Club has hailed a new law prohibiting the use of remote electric shock collars in England as an“historic moment for animal welfare”. Westminster’s announcement follows a 10-year campaign to #BanShockCollars in England — 13 years after the‘cruel’ training devices were outlawed in Wales. The UK’s largest canine welfare organisation estimates that up to half a million dogs stand to benefit from the ban on shock collars, which can deliver electric shocks to a dog’s neck via a remote control for up to 11 seconds at a time and from as far away as two miles.…

You can either fill in the form online (see below) or complete it here and post it to us at: Your Dog Magazine, Reader Survey, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH. Don’t forget the stamp! WIN! UK ONLY £100 AMAZON VOUCHER Everyone who takes part in our reader survey will be automatically entered into our prize draw. The lucky winner will be picked at random after the closing date of July 15, 2023. • For full competition terms and conditions, visit www.warnersgroup.co.uk/competition-terms Q Simply rate the listed content on how useful you find the features on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being not useful and 10 being very useful. Q Are there any topics or features you would like to see more of? Q…

Founded in 1951, The Peak District National Park was the first of the UK’s 15 national parks and covers an area of 555 square miles (1,438 sq km). It lies in the centre of England, north of the Midlands, and covers parts of the counties of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire. With 1,600 miles of public rights of way, the park is also the southern starting point of The Pennine Way, Britain’s oldest and most well-known, long-distance walking trail. The park’s highest point is Kinder Scout at 2,086m and the name Peak comes not from a mountain but is thought to have derived from Pecsaetan, an Anglo-Saxon tribe. The Peak District is home to Bakewell, famous for its tart, and the pagan custom of well-dressing. Gilly Seddon and her husband,…

Katrina Leskanich is best known as the voice of Katrina and the Waves, the 80s pop band that hit the charts with ‘Walking on Sunshine’. They achieved further success when, representing the UK, they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997 with ‘Love Shine A Light’. Of Ukrainian descent but born in Kansas, Katrina’s father served in the United States Air Force and her family regularly moved from base to base before settling in the UK in 1976. Katrina currently lives in London with wife and manager Sher Harper and their Toy Poodle, Peggy Lee. The original Peggy Lee featured in ‘Peggy Lee Loves London — My London Guide’ (2013) while the adventures of her namesake (Peggy Lee II), who also has her own dedicated Instagram page, are published in…

SPONSORED BY THE EXPERT PANEL TAMSIN DURSTON is a canine behaviour officer in Dogs Trust’s canine behaviour and research team. TONY CRUSE is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers. VICKY PAYNE BVetMed, MRCVS is a holistic vet based in East Sussex. HOLLY MASH BVSc, MRCVS specialises in herbal medicine, acupuncture, and nutrition. JOANNE ANGUS LCGI is a founder member of the Guild of Master Groomers. JOHN BURNS BVMS, MRCVS is a vet, and founder of feed company Burns Pet Nutrition. STEPHEN JENKINSON is access adviser to Your Dog, the Kennel Club, and local councils. GENERAL CARE HOW MANY IS TOO MANY? Q How many dogs can you safely walk together? Your Dog reader, via email. TONY SAYS: In the UK, no…

This month’s cover star is four-year-old Labrador Xylia. “Xylia loves cuddles, food, and training,” says owner Elizabeth Stratford, from Littlehampton, West Sussex. “She enjoys playing with her toys, chewing a tennis ball, and running through long grass or playing with other dogs on the beach. She does not like baths, cats, or having to stay in her bed during human mealtimes! “Xylia was training to be a Canine Partners dog (www.caninepartners.org. uk) and made it all the way to advanced training, but sadly is a bit spooked by loud noises so was rehomed with me last year. She enjoys coming to Arundel Cathedral, where I work, and attending choir practice (which I take). She gently patrols up and down to check the children haven’t dropped any music. If they have,…

A London-based animal welfare charity stepped in to help a desperate owner worried about her dog’s welfare while she underwent a major operation. Mayhew’s Pet Refuge programme cared for Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Major, during Alisa French’s complex surgery for painful bilateral osteoarthritis. The 50-year-old single mum, whose two children have special needs, was faced with either cancelling her procedure or parting with her beloved 12-year-old dog. But following an impassioned social media plea, Alisa, from Bromley, found out about the charity’s programme, which supports pet owners facing an unexpected temporary change in their personal circumstances who have limited or no means of arranging help to look after their dog or cat. “Knowing Major would be safe and well, receiving expert care and support meant I could stop worrying and focus…

• AMERICA: A poodle-cross was finally found 500ft below ground by cavers two months after she went missing. Thirteen-year-old Abby was too weak to wag her tail or even whimper when she was discovered — skinny, filthy, and curled up in the mud — by Gerry Keene and Rick Haley, who led a 90-minute mission to bring her back to the surface. Owner Jeff Bohnert, of Perryville, Missouri, had given up hope of seeing his dog again after she disappeared in the Tom Moore Caves, south of St Louis. • TURKEY: Dobermann Sila not only survived for 28 days in the rubble of her Hatay home following the country’s devastating earthquake but she gave birth to three healthy puppies — thanks to a big bag of dog food left in…

Late last year I popped into work on my day off to drop in a urine sample for a friend’s dog. On the prep table was a very small dog with an even smaller puppy. The dog, a Chihuahua, weighed just 2kg and the puppy was the size of my thumb. I had things to do, but I just had to stay and help with the caesarean this little girl needed to deliver her two other teeny babies. All three fitted into the palm of my hand; they were smaller than newborn kittens! Dogs come in a bigger range of shapes and sizes than any other mammal. A tea break trawl through the Guinness World Records finds that the shortest dog is a Chihuahua who is just 3.8 inches tall,…

The first thing you see when looking at a dog is his skin and coat — a window into his overall health. Dogs vary dramatically in their coat types, length, colour, and texture. Some breeds even come in hairless varieties, such as the Xoloitzcuintli, the Mexican Hairless dog. Whether your dog is long or short-haired, sleek or shaggy, his coat health is entirely linked to the health of his skin. In turn, his skin can be a good indicator of his internal health too. Here is some essential skin knowledge and some of your most frequently asked skin questions to help you care for your dog’s skin and coat, and support his health and appearance. THE IMPORTANCE OF SKIN Skin provides a critical first line of defence for our dogs…

Send us a picture and tell us all about your dog; share your views on what’s happening in the dog world and the ups and downs of dog ownership; what do you think of our features and content and what would you like to see more of? This is the place to be if you want to reach out to other Your Dog readers and the magazine team to share your love of everything dog. Get in touch! Brave Bryn This is my Border Collie Bryn. He is seven years old and has been disabled since the age of three after breaking his back in an accident. Up until then he was a typical Border Collie. He loved meeting people and treating them as long lost friends; he was energetic,…

“You can work with their skills, qualities, and attributes in a constructive, active, and fun way…” Typically biddable, friendly, and outgoing, many gundogs make perfect active family members, although often with an inherent desire to carry items around. Gundogs might also have a little more interest in the local wildlife (especially the feathered variety) than many other dogs have. If, like me, you live with spaniels, you might rarely have a matching pair of shoes given their propensity to carry them around and deposit them in less-than-ideal places! Gundogs have an inherent skill set, the result of years of careful selective breeding. You can work with their skills and attributes in a constructive, active, and fun way, even away from the shooting field. So, what should you expect from your…

HOW TO GET YOUR PET ON THESE PAGES! It couldn’t be easier — simply email your high-resolution images to gallery@yourdog.co.uk, including your dog’s name, breed, and address, and your daytime telephone number. Alternatively, you can share your images on social media at www.facebook.com/yourdogmagazine Please note, we don’t accept pics of dogs playing with sticks or wearing extreme clothing.…

A small Hertfordshire charity has raised a record amount in just a week to help a starving bull breed puppy with illegally cropped ears who’d been used for baiting or fighting. Ten-month-old Rex was surrendered to Buntingford-based RATS Animal Rescue on the brink of death. The painfully thin pup was rushed to a local animal hospital, where he received round-the-clock care for a bloated stomach, chronic vomiting, excreting blood, and suspected bite marks. Poor Rex had been so hungry, he’d eaten plastic and string. RATS set up a JustGiving page with the aim of raising £5,000 towards the cost of his treatment. But kind-hearted supporters not only smashed this target within a few days, but the total raised currently stands at more than £13,600. “When Rex arrived, he was in…