Pet shows are exciting for any dedicated pet owner. It is a time when you can show off all of the skills you have been teaching your dog. Let the world see how amazing they are, how gorgeous they look and what they are truly capable of. But, it can be daunting for the animal. So, what steps can you take to ensure your dog is ready for its first show?

Firstly, leading up to the show, you should take some time to finalise their training. Ensure they have all the tricks you want them to showcase perfected. This can help to prevent any embarrassment. You should also practice these tricks in front of other dogs to see how your pet copes with distractions from an audience.

In the days leading up to the show, you want to give your dog a full doggie makeover. Send them to the best groomers in your area to ensure they are looking their best. This will help them to wow the judges and feel ready for what they are about to face.

We all love a treat, some of us even enjoy baking our own treats. But what about spoiling our dogs with a specially made treat? Sometimes pet shop treats can be disappointing, so why not make your own! Here are some things you can consider as a treat for your family loved dog!

Please note – all of these should be given to your dog in consideration as may cause obesity and other health problems.

Doggie Cake
One food item that you can make for your dog is a dog-friendly cake! These are the perfect little treat for a dog on their birthday or any other special occasion. You should complete lots of research to ensure you are making a cake with all ingredients that are safe for dogs! One of the best ways to decorate this cake is using peanut butter and dog biscuits.

Chicken
We all know that dogs love chicken, with most of their dry and wet dog food being chicken flavoured. Well, as a small treat you can give them bitesize pieces of actual chicken to enjoy.

Cheese
Another food item that you can give to dogs is cheese. This should be given in consideration as can cause health problems. But dogs love cheese, it will be a great way to encourage them to do more tricks and learn new skills.

Fresh Fruit
Finally, fresh fruit is a great choice for a treat for dogs. Some fruits should not be eaten by dogs as they can be poisonous, for example, grapes. But other fruits like apples are an amazing healthy treat for dogs to enjoy.

So, take some time and make your dog some other treats. Don’t always go for the store brought treats. Even some foods around your home will be perfect to treat your dog with.

Owning a dog changes your day to day life in ways that you would never have considered. That is why today, we are going to share with you some of our tips for becoming a responsible dog owner. In our eyes, there aren’t good and bad owners, just responsible and irresponsible, if you want the best for your dog, be responsible.

How To Become A Responsible Dog Owner

1- Look At Your Lifestyle
Before you even choose a breed and purchase a dog, you need to look at your own current lifestyle. Consider what changes you are happy to make to your own lifestyle due to owning a dog. Look at what hobbies you have, what your working hours are etc. Chose a dog breed that will fit around these commitments is key for you to be responsible.

2- Choosing A Breed
When choosing a breed, you need to ensure you have conducted in-depth research. You want to know as much about the breed as possible. Knowing if they will suit your lifestyle. Knowing how much energy they have, how many walks they’ll need. What their living costs are like if they’re affordable for you. All of these need to be considered when choosing a breed of dog for your family. It’s with no surprise some breeds will be more suitable than others.

3- Train Your Dog
Once you have brought your dog home, one of the best ways to be a responsible owner is by offering your dog the training they need. Teaching them simple commands like sit, returning to their name. These will all help you when looking after your pet.

4- Regular Check-Ups
This is one area a lot of dog owners fall short in. Schedule your dog regular checkups to be a responsible owner. These may cost you a small fee, but it is better to know that your dog is healthy than not. These checkups will help vets to spot any issues before they become serious.

When you head out to the pet store to buy pet food you’ll likely see two different kinds, normal dog food and organic dog food. Now, we all would normally go for normal dog food as it is slightly cheaper. But today we are going to tell you why you should be paying more for organic dog food in pet stores near me.

Feeding your dog organic dog food offers them more benefits than feeding them normal dog food. Organic dog food is about more than just filling your dog up to cure their hunger. It is about offering them health benefits through the processed food they are eating.

Some of the main health benefits that feeding your dog organic food can offer include the opportunity for them to live a longer life, reducing digestive disorders, keeping their skin and coat healthy, and helping to prevent the development of serious diseases like cancer. So, don’t limit your dogs’ healthy life over a few extra pennies in your pocket.

Everyone knows that walking their pet dogs is important, but do we know the real reasons as to why. It is not all about the toilet breaks, there is so much more. Today, we are going to share with you some more reasons why you should walk your dog.

Socialisation
Taking your dog on regular walks allows them to socialise with other dogs. Meaning they will become a more sociable dog, who is able to interact with other dogs safely.

Training
Walking your dog also gives you an excellent opportunity for training exercises. For example, the recall command where your dog returns to you when their name is called. There is another opportunity to teach them to sit and stay at the roadside to keep them safe by the road.

Health
There are many health benefits which come alongside walking your dog. The main example is becoming overweight. Regular walks can help prevent this from happening.

If you have a dog that is strong and difficult to handle on a simple leash, you may want to consider trying a harness instead.

A harness will not only benefit your dog but it will help you too. When a string dog pulls too much on a simple leash that attaches to their neck collar can cause unnecessary strain on their neck, and can be hard for you to hold and handle.

A good harness should fit comfortably around your dog, fitting around and under each front leg, and around their abdomen. Using a harness provides you with more control and provides more comfort to your excited pooch when out for their daily walks.

You can get advice on the right harness for your dog by heading to your dog’s vets or at your local pet store where you can try them on you dog and see what works best for them.

As a dog owner, you will have realised how quickly your pet become part of the family. They have their own personality and particular behaviour traits. If you start to notice some obvious changes to their behaviour, it could be more serious than you think.

When dogs become unwell, they are unable to communicate how they feel, so as their owner it is hard to determine the severity of it. Some behaviour changes to look out for are increased lethargy, poor appetite and even aggressiveness.

You should always seek advice from your vets in regards to any behavioural changes and let the vet determine what is the cause. Leaving a serious illness untreated can lead to death. It is always better to get your dog’s health checked out, even if it turns out to be nothing serious.

On top of monitoring your dog’s behaviour, remember to stay on top of their yearly vaccinations and annual health check to keep them in top health.