christina

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7 Nov 2019

Ruby and Lola – Lewes over firework week!

What’s in a bark? What does it mean? If only we knew, some barks humans know instinctively and naturally act on, I’m hungry, I want to play! If we did know all of the barks, we’d have known exactly what Ruby and Lola were trying to tell us during firework week in Lewes, although I think we had a pretty good idea none the less.

An unknown fact to us was that Lewes is the capital of fireworks in the UK, and this became very evident during the week that we looked after these two beautiful dogs. Fireworks would go off in the middle of the afternoon, at all times of night up to 2 am and then again at 6 am!! Who knew people would let fireworks off at these random times?

Both Ruby and Lola are petrified of fireworks which meant we had to sleep on the settee next to them all night to keep them calm. Petsafe says that a series of yelps says: “I’m hurting!” “I’m really scared”, this is in response to severe fear and pain and this was the response of Ruby the spaniel, and Lola the labrador to fireworks. So anyone that says dogs don’t mind fireworks is very very wrong!

But apart from this couple of noisy bang filled evenings, which was not the dogs’ fault, looking after these two wonderful dogs was a pleasure. We went on some lovely walks on the Sussex hills and we also took the dogs to see my elderly Dad which he and they thoroughly enjoyed.

These two dogs are great friends and play beautifully together most of the time, except where balls are involved, as spaniel Ruby thinks they all belong to her! We’d happily look after these two dogs again any time.

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21 Oct 2019

Philippe and Gertie and the walking ropes!

We recently had the joy of looking after two german miniature schnauzer terriers in the South of France. These two intelligent dogs are excellent guard dogs letting you know as soon as there is someone anywhere near the house! They like to sit and look out down the driveway to ensure that no one comes into the grounds at all. They don’t bark unless someone is there so that’s a great way of knowing if someone is in the grounds around the house.

Philippe is quite a strong-willed little dog and likes to let you know that he’d like his walk at exactly four-thirty, he will bark at this time to ensure you know it’s now walk time! And he then likes to have his supper directly after his walk followed by rough and tumble play with Gertie. Then time for a cuddle with the humans in front of the TV, and a scratch around the ears and under the chin off course.

Gentle little Gertie can be quite timid and one needs to ensure that she gets to eat her food and Philippe doesn’t steal it! Both dogs love their walks, so after discovering that their leads were nowhere to be found we made two walking ropes from our car tow ropes! The dogs didn’t seem to mind in the slightest and were tired out afterwards, probably due to the extra weight of the tow ropes and the lovely long walks through the beautiful vines and countryside surrounding the house. Although it’s a quiet area there are still cars around so we needed to walk them on leads or ropes in this case!

We thoroughly enjoyed looking after these two beautiful, gentle little dogs in their wonderful home near Draguignan in Provence for the long weekend, our only complaint is that it was too short! We would happily look after them again at any time.

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7 Oct 2019

Strolling with dogs

Photo by Andrii Podilnyk on Unsplash

It’s a well-known fact that walking with a dog will prolong your life. If however, like us you don’t own a furry friend, then there are multiple ways to get the benefits vicariously. Try Barking mad dog care to have someone else’s pets to stay with you in your own home as we did for over 10 years. We’ve found that this to be a great way to learn all about different breeds of dogs. However, some owners, don’t like this particular service as they don’t ever get to meet the dog carer, but it’s safe to say that everyone who embarks on Barkingmad.uk.com doggy daycare is a dog lover. They back you up all the way too, so if you don’t know everything there is to know about pets this is a great way to get hands-on learning.

Or you can offer to walk your neighbor’s dog, especially if they are elderly or infirm and would greatly appreciate the extra help. If your neighbors don’t have an available pet, try borrowmydoggy.com which connects dog owners with trusted local people who would love to look after their dog, a win, win all around. And if you’re free to travel around the country then Trustedhousesitters.com, Nomador.com, Trustmypetsitter.com and a multitude of other sites offer a list of homes where the owners are looking for someone to stay in their home and care for their pets whilst they are on holiday.  The majority of these options will not pay you, so if you’re looking for a paid career change then this is not it! But it’s a great way to see the world and look after animals at the same time, we have found this to be a greatly enjoyable way to see parts of the UK, and are planning to go further afield in the future, so why don’t you give it a go? 

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1 Oct 2019

Magical Animal Accessories

Pets and pet accessories are becoming more and more popular every day. From pet portraits and professional photography to special presents for your pet family member. Your dog can even have special treats delivered monthly by companies like biscuiteers.com and dotcomgiftshop.com. If you’ve gone doggy mad then you can accessorise your garden with a Dachshund garden seat, or personalise your china with your dogs smiling face!

For accessories and more try thegreatgiftcompany.co.uk or gettingpersonal.co.uk or mungoandmaud.com to name a few. Makers of collars and leads have grown in the past few years and there are so many companies that I can’t possibly list them all. You can choose from collars decorates with beads, made from high-quality leather, rope, chain and more, your choices are endless, the only limitation is your wallet. 

I recently visited the summer Fete for Waltham St Lawrence and Shurlock Row, which many dogs attended, with agility shows, party trick skills shows, best pooch, best rescue dog, most appealing eyes, the dog most like it’s owner and more.  And there were some superb decorative collars to buy, as shown in the picture, plus many other accessories, this is fast becoming the trend. Try Gorgiepaws.com for beautiful leather collars designed by a young girl in Australia, and some of the money made from each sale is donated to the SPCA charity which can’t be bad. Look for collars that are comfortable for your pet as well as stylish. As for leads personally, I’d recommend getting a chain one as I’ve seen too many dogs bite right through a leather or cloth lead, or get tangled in extendable leads. I recently also read that a number of people have lost fingers with extendable leads too so possibly best to steer clear and go for a long-lasting chain. Whatever you choose to get just enjoy your pet and have some fun as they do. 

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25 Sep 2019

Woof o’clock time!

Photo by James Baldwin on Unsplash

Our pets are an integral part of our families and it’s now abundantly clear that marketers are making full use of this. Manufacturers want to sell us dog ice creams, dog champagne – Pawsecco from petpavillion.co.uk, dog beer from woofandbrew.com and snuffle-dogbeer.com to name a few – who knew?! Apparently, in this disconnected digital world, people are looking for positive connections and animals can provide it!

In Seattle, USA, they have started a dogs happy hour where dog owners can take their dogs along to bars, hotels, and restaurants and give them non-alcoholic drinks whilst they are there. And what starts in American often soon migrates across so the pond so just take a look for dog beers in your local pub the next time you’re there! It’s now woof o’clock time!

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9 Sep 2019

Fast and faster Bella and Daisy

Well, these two little whirlwind dogs keep you on your toes and fit and healthy too. Running up and down hills is their favourite past-time and the newer the place and steeper the hills the better it is! Undaunted by steep slopes, Bella at 10 years old is fit, healthy and stoic, nothing much bothers this little dog, she loves to smile when you tickle her tummy and is affectionate, companionable to other dogs as well as humans and is a fabulous all-round dog we have become very fond of. Daisy, Bella’s pup is a different nature, she is energetic and loves to run everywhere but always keeps her mum insight. She loves a good stroke when you’re watching the TV at night and will sit for hours without moving for this delight. She has eyes one could melt in the colour of dark and dreamy chocolate. With soft silky fur, she picks up burrs everywhere so a nightly de-burring is always in order! They both love dirty, smelly, green water! The dirtier and smellier the better! So a bath is often in order too. Both are fed on a raw meat diet and have around two hours walk a day which seems to keep them healthy, happy, energetic and a joy to behold.

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18 Aug 2019

Barking friendly work places!


Photo by Nick Turner on Unsplash

Has the world gone barking mad? Or has the world finally recognised the value of animals? Personally, I’d like to think that at long last animals are being recognised for the valuable contribution they make to our society.

As a little girl, I used to get so upset by other children throwing stones at animals and often got myself into trouble by standing in front of the stones!

Now let’s hope times have truly changed, as more and more workplaces are accepting dogs or creating dog-friendly environments. Millennials it appears are not only increasingly vegan but they also value having dogs in the office!

So if you want to create a dog-friendly office then here are some tips:

  1. Consult your employees – see how many are in favor and address the concerns of those who are not. Ensure no-one is allergic or phobic.
  2. Research – talk to other companies that have introduced a dog-friendly policy. Find out how many of your employees have dogs they can bring?
  3. Get the board-on-board and ensure everyone agrees and backs you up.
  4. Define numbers – how many dogs are allowed per day and which days?
  5. Allocate areas – animals need to know their barriers and where they can go to relax, refresh, smell and communicate with other dogs, and be alone!
  6. Ensure everyone knows the benefits – it’s been shown that animals increase productivity in the workplace.
  7. Join Pets at work alliance they are there to help.
  8. Ensure that the dogs that are brought into the office are content, enjoy the experience and get enough exercise, perhaps a group of employees could walk them at lunchtime if it’s cool enough.

If you do the research and define the areas you too can reap the barking-friendly office benefits. And don’t forget to follow us and let us know how you get on.

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15 Jun 2019

The Rise of the top dog


Tamara Bellis

The British are animal lovers and in the past few years dog ownership seems to be ‘on trend’. And with this trend comes caring for your pet with the best food, beds, and attire. A few clever British companies have linked to this trend and are making accessories for dogs.

One such company is Ruby Rufus makers of cashmere for dogs! I’ve always wanted cashmere myself as I know it’s super warm and comfortable too. Businesswoman Ruby Rufus Isaacs started designing a collection of cashmere jumpers chihuahua’s to keep them cosy. Her friends liked them and wanted some too and when Pets pajamas online pet boutique saw them they wanted to stock them. Now stocked in Elphicks and many other luxury stores Ruby Rufus cashmere has been seen on many notable dogs including Kylie Jenner’s greyhound Bambi from Italy and Marc Jacobs dog Neville a staffy. Instagram-famous dog Tuna with over 2 m followers, loves this brand and with his tiny body and short coat he’s definitely in need of something to keep him warm. You can see him wearing Ruby’s designs at tunameltsmyheart.com. Ruby’s sweaters have become the very thing you want your little treasure to be seen in, for warmth and comfort.

Some people buy loads of jumpers so they can dress their pet differently each day, others just buy one practical cable knit. Her designs work for small and bigger dogs too.
Like us, Ruby borrows dogs as she also travels a great deal. We’ll certainly be on the lookout for stylishly dressed dogs. If you want your dog to be stylish and the ‘top-dog’ then check out

instagram.com/rubyrufus.

ipet photo

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10 Jun 2019

British Blue Moo

I’m a rare British blue,
But really who knew?
I’m pampered and spoiled,
Whilst my owners do toil,
I just like to sleep all day,
On the bed or the stairs,
The garden is my place to play,
But I also like to snore and sigh,
Until the clouds, all go by,
I wake up for some food,
But only if I’m in the mood,
For a scratch under the chin,
And that’s just where you should begin,
And you should continue to stroke
Until with my paw, I will poke,
Or nip gently at your hand,
I’m gentle and soft,
Pretty with beautiful eyes too,
I’m Morrissey Morrissey Morgan or Moo to you

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3 Jun 2019

It’s a cat’s life!

Amber in the vegetable garden

‘Oh, what a hard life’ cats lead, going from one meal to another via sleeping, prowling and stalking! Certainly, tabby cats Amber and Poppy like a good dinner served on time, followed by a role in the sun on the cement path, to scratch their back and then a lovely sleep in the sun lounge on the chair. It is said humans have superior intelligence, really seems to me that a cat is more intelligent! Who works all day to put a meal on the table for the cat and our families – that’ll be us, humans, then! Who labors in the garden making it habitable for family and animals – again us humans! Who eats and sleeps all day – why the cat!

Cats are intelligent and know who’s their owner and who’s not, it’s taken Poppy and Amber a few days to get accustomed to us and bear their tummies to be tickled and their neck to be scratched. They also will come and sit on our knees at night too and relax and purr.

These two tabbies are a pleasure, very easy to look after. Their only unendearing trait is bringing in various creatures from the garden. We’ve had half eaten mice and a living slow worm who was not particularly happy with being brought into the kitchen but was unharmed so we were able to return it to the garden – they are a protected species in the UK after all.
We’d happily look after Poppy and Amber again any time in the future.

And the icing on the cake is that it’s near to my Dad in Burwash so I’ve been able to spend quality time with him too. What more can one ask for?

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