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Online book reading event for dogs

I've received notification of an interesting online event you may want to take part in:

ACTOR TAYE DIGGS HOSTS A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND VIRTUAL BOOK READING EVENT . . . FOR DOGS!

Real Dogs and Their Owners Invited to Enjoy a Good Dose of

 Canine Common Sense from 20 Celebrated “Paw-thors”

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Save your pennies in a doggy bank

Don’t give the dog a bone, give him a coin!

Forget your usual piggy bank and get yourself a Doggy Bank!  Fully jointed, this adorable hound will excitedly gobble and chomp his way through coins deposited in his food bowl until they magically disappear.  In reality, they’ve dropped into his money box base.  It’s a great, fun way to save for that rainy day.

What’s more, Hawkin have taken the dog theme to heart and they’re trying to raise as much money as they can for Dogs Trust.  Founded in 1891, Dogs Trust is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. Its mission is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. 

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Springer pups join the Cancer & Bio-detection Dogs team

A bright future is predicted for dog stars as Springer pups join the Cancer &  Bio-detection Dogs team
Two working Springer Spaniels with star quality have been donated to the charity Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs where they’ll shine as pioneers sniffing out human disease.
The dynamic pups have been gifted to the charity by Working Springer Spaniel breeder, Enid Lake from the Isle of Skye and presented to the Charity by international broadcaster and writer on astronomy, space and science, Heather Couper. The pups have been appropriately named Rigel (after one of the brightest stars in the sky) and Sirius (the Dog Star), and the sky’s the limit for what these dogs can achieve.
Heather trained as a scientist and has spent the past 20 years working entirely in the media. She has hosted two

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All canine creatures great and small

I've had a fantastic time today finding out about the dog sport of Schutzhund with the Leicestershire Schutzhund Club. I'm researching an article for Dogs Monthly, and recording interviews for DogCast Radio too. I was offered the chance to be the "helper" - the one who wears the glove. I jumped at the chance, and although as you can see in the first photo the force of lovely German Shepherd Susie's jump surprised me at first, all she wanted to do was play tug of war with the glove. If the glove is thrown on the floor, the dog picks up the glove and ignores the person who has thrown it on the floor. It's just like a game of tug you might play with your dog with a rope toy.

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The restorative power of baked potato

It's four days after Star's TPLO surgery for a ruptured cruciate ligament now, and it's been a rough four days for us all, but especially Star. She doesn't take pain well, and I don't blame her if I'm honest. She is normally such a cheerful dog and it's been upsetting to see her spirits and her tail down for so long. She refused to drink until yesterday, so we've been dosing her with water using a syringe from a bottle of children's medicine. She has objected to the procedure, but eventually resigned herself to it.

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Dog strollers and emotional revelations

We wanted to get out and about recently to enjoy the good weather we were lucky enough to have in the UK, but we had a problem. How could we take Star out and about when she is only able to use three legs? Since her cruciate ligament rupture she has been completely lame in her hind right leg. Then we remembered the stroller we bought when she was a tiny puppy. We ordered it before we even brought Star home as we suspected she would never manage to keep up with or cover the distances that Buddy does. We were wrong; once she was about ten months old she has had no problem keeping pace with our Labrador. She did use the stroller when she was little, and we brought it back out to save

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Runner has canine trainer for London Marathon

POUNDS FOR HOUNDS!

Local lady recruits her Dogs Trust Roden canine companion as personal trainer in run up to London Marathon

 

 

Lorna Crawford is all set to run the Virgin London Marathon on April 25th 2010 to raise money for Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity. Her intensive sixteen week training regime is rather unique as her devoted training partner is Axel, an old Dogs Trust Roden resident!

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Stressful statistics

I'm amazed - and horrified - at the statistics below:

 
Are we really a nation of animal lovers?
A quarter give their pets away when they move home
 

While our beloved pets are always said to be an integral part of the family, almost a quarter of people (24%) admit to getting rid of their pet when they move home.

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Update on Star - the news isn't good

Unfortunately, the news about Star is not good. She has ruptured her cruciate ligament and will need surgery. After her x-ray we had a difficult conversation with a very nice surgeon who took us through all the options. The good news is that he can give her a functioning knee joint again. The bad news is that it will be a long, slow recovery, and she will have to take things extremely steady over the summer. There could be complications like post-op infections, or problems with the cartilage in the joint, plus the cruciate in the other leg may rupture at some point too.

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A wags to riches story

A ‘PUPPY DOG TAIL’ OF WAGS TO RICHES
Puppy stolen from Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre now resides in grand castle

It’s a tale that should belong in a story book; a puppy that starts his life homeless is taken in by an animal charity only to be stolen in the dead of night by thieves. The puppy is then found on the other side of the country after mysteriously managing to escape from his captors and is then rehomed by a kind family who live in a fairy tale castle.

The puppy in question is Munchie, a lovely Lurcher who was stolen along with his sister from Dogs Trust Evesham Rehoming Centre back in October 2009. Five

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Sharing

273 - dog parkour and dog news discussion

Dog trainer Emma Hendy explains how Dog Parkour can help your bond with your dog, and give you both a new mindset. Julie gives her opinion on some dog news stories which caught her attention.

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.