The DogCast Radio blog

It's certainly cold in the UK currently and there's advice from Dogs Trust's Roden Centre on keeping your dog happy and healthy over winter:

OH DOGGY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE!
Dogs Trust Roden issues advice to keep dogs happy and healthy this winter

As Britain continues to endure a cold and icy snap, our four-legged friends need a little extra care and warmth to ensure they cope with the wintery conditions.

Christmas is a great time of year for getting together and sharing that holiday spirit. But do make sure that your dog has as much fun as you do. Here's some advice from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons:
 
Include veterinary care in Christmas plans,’ advises the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Sometime over the weekend of 13th/14th November my daughter and I saw the John Lewis Christmas advert on television. We both had the same reaction, that it was not right - or even Christmassy - to show the dog in the advert stuck out in the snow in an old-fashioned, doorless kennel. Then the program we were watching came back on and we forgot about it. When I went onto the Internet on the following Monday morning, the doggy circles in which I move were awash with people complaining about the advert - the inadequate shelter, the isolation of the dog - and it was clear that I was not the only one who hadn't liked this advert. Many people were advocating contacting

Just had this from Dogs Trust:
 
DOGS TRUST COMMENDS NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY ON COMMITMENT TO COMPULSORY MICROCHIPPING

Animal welfare charity Dogs Trust, which has a Rehoming Centre in Ballymena, has welcomed an announcement that the Committee stage of the Dogs (Amendment) Bill has been completed by the Northern Ireland Assembly. If passed, the Bill will make it compulsory for all Northern Irish dogs to be microchipped.

Dogs do not belong in shops, and no scrupulous breeder would send their pups to a shop. But did you know that iconic London shop Harrods does sell dogs? Here's information about a protest to highlight this issue:

A coalition of anti puppy farming groups [1] will be staging a protest over the sale of puppies at world-famous store, Harrods on Saturday 4th December 2010. A petition [2] will be given to Harrods during the protest.

I took this photo when we visited the beach after Buddy's venture into the doggy olympics.

It was a scene that made me smile then, and it does now. I like the feeling of solidarity - everyone's at the beach, even the dog, as evidenced by the scoop bag. I like the feeling it gives me of kicking off my shoes and having a run through the waves with my dog, having fun. And I love the fact that the family are being responsible, clearing up after their dog.

The John Lewis Christmas advert contains scenes that many dog lovers have found offensive. I started a Facebook page which 1000 people joined in the first twenty four hours, and there is a petition too which within a day had over 1000 signatures.
 
John Lewis ignored us, then they fobbed us off then they misled us. This is the email that was sent to me, it is this wording which caused a story to run in my local paper which was picked up by the Telegraph (who did not contact me) :

The John Lewis Christmas ad issue rages on. There are over 1000 people on the Stop the John Lewis Christmas Ad Facebook page and nearly 700 on the petition objecting to the advert. I'm still currently waiting for a phone call from the PR dept to tell me what their reaction is.
 
I have had an email from them which was just a standard one sent out to many people:

There seems to be so much unhappiness about the John Lewis advert that we have created a Facebook page called Stop the John Lewis Christmas Ad. If you're on Facebook please do visit that page and watch the advert; and if you feel moved, complain to John Lewis. This ad from a very well UK department shop is sending out a dreadful message about the conditions in which it's acceptable to keep a dog.

Have you seen the John Lewis Christmas advert? If you have, did your heart sink at the scene where the dog was left outside in the snow with just a fairly ramshackle kennel for shelter? If so and you'd like to complain, you can email John Lewis to register your views. Apparently John Lewis have said they are aware of the problem, but of course, the more complaints they receive, the more urgently they will sort things out.