Total Dog Magazine

Blog

How to Safely Clip Your Dog’s Nails

For many dog owners this is a subject that makes us shudder with dread. How do we safely cut our dog’s nails without causing them pain, cutting too close to the quick and making our best pals yelp?

Ever done it? Ever done it wrong?

Well, we’re here to help.

Trimming your dogs nails can be a frustrating and unpleasant experience for both you and your pet but it doesn’t have to be – if you go about it the right way.

The key to making this experience more pleasant is to get your dog used to having his feet handled. Most dogs don’t care to much for this and if you can start when your dog is a puppy you’ll have a bit of an advantage. However, even older dogs can learn to love getting a little pedicure every so often.

Before you even get out the nail clippers, though, you’ll want to touch your dogs feet often. Just a little touch at first. If your dog pulls away, don’t push it but keep it up, touching his feet often throughout the day. Eventually he’ll get used to it and you can proceed to holding his paws for longer and longer. Once this seems to be acceptable to him (this could take weeks or even months), it’s time to get the clippers out.

When trimming your dogs nails the big thing to watch out for is that you don’t cut into the quick. This is in the middle of your pets nail and contains nerves and blood vessels so it can really hurt if you cut into it or even too close to it. Depending on your dogs nails, you might be able to hold them up to the light and actually see the darker vein of the quick in the middle.

Start by trimming a little off the end, then a bit more until you see pink in the nail or feel like you might be close to the quick. On dark nails, it’s pretty much impossible to tell so you’ll have to just cut enough to trim down the nail or else you will risk cutting the quick. The edges of the nail might be a bit jagged after this so go ahead and file them down until they are smooth or they might end up catching on something.

You might want to have some styptic powder handy in case you do cut into the quick and hold this on the nail to staunch the bleeding.

How do you know when it’s time for trimming your dogs nails?

Your pets nails should just about touch the floor when he walks so if you hear clicking then the nails have grown too long and it’s time for a trim. This usually needs to be done every 4 to 6 weeks but if your dog does a lot of walking on hard surfaces like pavement and concrete you could go longer as the surfaces themselves will help wear down the nails kind of like a natural nail file!

August 5, 2015
Jail for Gang That Made Over £8k per Week Selling Sick Puppies

Members of an organised gang who are estimated to have made more than £8,000 a week selling sick, diseased and dying puppies have been jailed after one of the RSPCA’s biggest ever investigations into the puppy trade.

The case concluded today and lifted the lid on the trade in puppies, which were being sold for £50 commission each – before many subsequently died or needed lengthy and expensive veterinary treatment due to their poor health.

Paula Wood, James Brady, Louise Colwell, Kenneth Colwell, Thomas Greally and Stacey Greally – all from the Greater Manchester area – admitted a string of animal welfare offences linked to organised crime involving the sale of sick puppies. They were sentenced today (3.8.15) at Oldham Magistrates’ Court.

One puppy sold by Wood and Brady, called Crumpet (right), was so sick that he was put on a drip and had to be fed through a tube in his nose, before he died.

Thomas Greally and Kenneth Colwell were sentenced to 20 weeks in custody, while Brady was given 10 weeks custody. The district judge said the number of puppies Thomas Greally admitted to selling for between £550-£650 meant some weeks he would have made more than £8,000.

Wood – who the district judge said had shown no remorse – was given a 12 week custodial sentence which was suspended for 12 months. She must carry out 250 hours unpaid work during a 12 month community order and also pay £1,000 costs.

Louise Colwell and Stacey Greally – formerly McEwan – was sentenced to 20 weeks custody, which will be suspended for 12 months. She must also carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,000 costs.

All six defendants were banned from keeping dogs for the rest of their lives.

The case against the six defendants was part of a major investigation known as Operation Pagan, which has been led by the RSPCA’s special operations unit.

None of the defendants would reveal where any of the puppies came from. However, they admitted failing to ensure the welfare of the puppies they were selling after numerous witnesses contacted the RSPCA after buying sick puppies from the six who appeared before the court.

It is suspected they had been imported from across Europe and then sold by the defendants as part of an organised business.

Chief inspector Ian Briggs, from the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “This case is hugely significant. It shows the lengths some dealers will go to, making it look like the puppies they are selling have been bred in a homely environment.

“They produce glossy brochures, healthcheck cards and fancy looking ‘pedigree’ documents that aren’t worth the paper they are written on.

“This investigation has shown puppy dealers are becoming increasingly savvy to make their dealings look legitimate. They rent houses and put a smattering of furniture in them to make it look like a family home, from which they peddle these sick puppies.IMG_9537.JPG

“On some occasions that we have been told about, adult dogs would be presented under the false pretence that they were the parents of the puppies being sold.

“It is organised crime and animal suffering on an almost industrial scale.”

Warrants were carried out by Greater Manchester Police, with RSPCA attendance, at properties on Fields New Road, Oldham, and Valentine Street, Failsworth, on 27 November 2013. These followed a number of calls to the RSPCA from members of the public who had bought sick puppies from the addresses, after they had been advertised online.

A total of 39 puppies of unknown origin were seized during warrants including chihuahuas, pomeranians, spaniels, shih tzus and Yorkshire terriers (pictured) that had been kept in purpose built pods at the rear of the addresses.

The court was told that six of the puppies were so sick they had to be put to sleep by a vet, while 65% had congenital defects of some kind.

Other items seized by police during the warrants included approximately £3,500 in cash and a step-by-step guide to selling puppies, which said sellers would receive £50 commission on every sale they made.

Thomas and Stacey Greally and Kenneth Colwell were arrested and interviewed, while Louise Colwell was interviewed at Fields New Road.

Glossy ‘Kennel Registration’ packs (right) found during the warrants showed links to Brady and Louise Colwell’s mother, Wood, who were also selling puppies.

A warrant was subsequently carried out at Owler Lane, Oldham, on 18 December 2013, but no puppies were found.

However, the RSPCA had received many concerned calls from people who had purchased puppies from the address, including Kimberley McDonald, from Stoke-on-Trent, who bought cockerpoo Crumpet from Wood and Brady. Crumpet died just 13 days after Kimberley took him home.

Kimberley said: “On the surface when we arrived to collect Crumpet everything seemed fine. We pulled up outside a lovely semi-detached house which was very clean and the people seemed really in to their dogs.

“But on the journey home Crumpet kept doing this weird snuffling then coughing like a cat does when they have a hair ball. He also kept constantly scratching and had all these little scabs all over him.

“His health carried on deteriorating badly and after lots of vet visits over the coming days, he was admitted to the surgery and after some tests they found out he had parvo.

“Poor Crumpet was put on an intravenous drip and given a plasma transfusion. He also had a tube put into his nose to feed him as he wasn’t eating at all.

“Every time I went to visit Crumpet it was a military operation. I had to have a shower just before I went and as soon as I’d got changed I had up walk straight out of the door without touching anything in the house. I had to put scrubs on when I was there and gloves too so I couldn’t even touch him properly. It was awful.

“All he wanted to do when I was there was curl up in my arms and I spent the whole time I went crying. Losing Crumpet was the worst heartache I’ve ever felt in my life.

“This whole experience has massively affected our lives. Not only did it upset our daughter knowing her lovely new puppy was gone after she had only just bonded with him but at the age of six she also discovered how cruel some human beings can be.”

August 3, 2015
[Video] More Evidence That Dogs Change Lives

A dog can be life changing for those who can’t see as well as those who have seen too much.

August 1, 2015
What is National Dog Adoption Month?

National Dog Adoption Month is running this month and to mark the start of the month long campaign, DogsBlog.com has revealed the top 10 celebrities to bring an adopted dog into their homes.

Read our countdown online at the Daily Express who have kindly supported the launch of the campaign.

Throughout October, and beyond, National Dog Adoption Month hopes to encourage more people to visit DogsBlog.com and consider adopting a dog, while also debunking the myths surrounding dogs in rescues.

With over 6,000 dogs now waiting to be re-homed in rescue centres across the UK, the perfect dog for you is most likely sitting in a rescue centre waiting for you to find them.

Snowy, pictured here, is looking for a new home – find out more @ http://www.dogsblog.com/snowy-36/

National Dog Adoption Month runs until October 31st and is aimed at raising the profile of dog adoption by increasing the awareness of the many rescue dogs across the UK in need of a home.

Kim O’Meara, co-founder of the UK dog adoption site DogsBlog.com said:

“Throughout National Dog Adoption Month we hope to debunk the myths about rescue dogs being all damaged goods. Most dogs end up in care through no fault of their own and there are thousands up and down the country sitting, waiting and hoping for a home to call their own.”

To get involved and help spread the word visit the National Dog Adoption Month site (www.dogadoptionmonth.org) – please share how you’ve helped, we’d love to hear from you and see your links and photographs!

July 30, 2015
What This Dog Does Next is Hilarious

July 30, 2015
Dog Reunited with Owner After Being Given Up a Year Ago Remembers Bond

Imagine having to give your dog up because you lost your job and home, then picture one year later being back on your feet and able to bring your dog back home. Well, just this happened to one man and his dog in Missouri.

The Great Plains SPCA shared the touching moment on their Facebook page saying: “Almost a year ago, this man fell on hard times and lost his job and house and had to give up his best friend, Reece. Things turned around for him recently and he just happened to look on our website and saw Reece was still at our Independence Campus, waiting. We were able to reunite them, and needless to say, they both were ecstatic to be together again. Keeping families together – just one of the reasons ‪#‎whywerescue‬

July 29, 2015
Shocking Video of UPS Driver in California Attacking Small Dog

This video shows an unprovoked attack on a small dog by a UPS deliver in Atascadero, California, at an Alzheimer’s home. The dogs owner, Tim Paulsen, who works at the home, was then attacked himself after he intervened, but sadly not before Patch was violently kicked by the UPS employee.

Patch, named after Patch Adams, regularly interacts with the elderly patients at the home and is a huge hit with them due to his friendly nature.

Speaking about the attack, Mr Paulsen said, “As I went to retrieve the dog the driver then hit me in the chest, dislocating my rib from my sternum, and re-breaking one of my ribs. As a result I have medical bills from Twin Cities ER, and I’m still in a great deal of pain from the incident.”

He continued, “This assault was completely unprovoked. I, nor my dogs, did anything to deserve this attack. The driver threatened to kick me as I tried to calm the situation down. I have been struggling due to the severe pain caused by this attack. Patch has been check by a vet however he has had problems since the incident.”

Mr Paulsen is urging UPS to re-evaluate and re-train their drivers.

After contacting UPS for a comment on the story, they have given the following statement to K9 Magazine, “UPS does not condone this driver’s behavior and we have taken disciplinary action. We have contacted the customer and apologized. This incident is a rare exception and does not reflect the positive customer experience typical of tens of thousands of UPS drivers around the country, many of whom have served the same community for decades.”

When K9 Magazine asked the spokesperson to elaborate on whether this person was still employed buy UPS after the violent attack and what UPS’s policy or procedures were in relation to dogs, we were told “We won’t into any specifics on personnel matters and action that was taken. UPS trains drivers to be cautious when confronted by any dog and to protect themselves when threatened. Many of our drivers have long service on their routes and get to know canine friends. They are alert to unleashed dogs and any animals that may dart in the road or be aggressive as they approach a delivery. But the actions in this instance were inappropriate.”

July 22, 2015
Yorkshire Facility to Breed Beagles for Animal Experiements Given Go-Ahead

British Secretary of State Greg Clark has today announced a decision granting permission to Yorkshire Evergreen to farm thousands of Beagle dogs and other animals for experiments has been reached today. The announcement by Mr Clark overturns the decision of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and contradicts a ruling by the previous Secretary of State who rejected similar unpopular plans for a dog farm on the same site.

Celebrities Brian May, Peter Egan and Mark Radcliffe joined the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) campaign to oppose the controversial plans. Legendary Queen guitarist and Save-Me Trust founder Brian May voiced his disappointment at the ruling, saying “I am sickened to hear that this facility is to go ahead, ignoring the views of the public and local authorities, and condemning these best friends of man to thousands of unethical and unnecessary tests. This is an appalling message for Britain to send out to the world.”

Downton Abbey’s Peter Egan was shocked by the decision, saying “This is a tragedy that will see litter after litter of beagle pups reared for the laboratory, where these gentle animals will be force-fed and killed in crude tests that are of little use to people.”

Grahame Morris MP said “I am extremely disappointed that Yorkshire Evergreen’s plans have been approved. It makes absolutely no sense and is completely out-of-step with the government commitment to reduce the number of animals in experiments. I will do all I can to oppose similar plans and encourage scientists to use cutting-edge alternatives to animal tests.”

Yorkshire Evergreen is owned by US multinational animal supplier Marshall BioResources and has attempted to push through plans for a laboratory breeding facility for four years, appealing multiple rejections. The proposals have caused a public outcry in the local community and across the UK, with tens of thousands of people signing petitions and speaking out in opposition.

Earlier this year, a Yorkshire Evergreen director was convicted of illegally killing and mistreating animals by an Italian court. Marshall BioResources’ Italian facility ‘Green Hill’ was closed and the dogs have been re-homed.

Being small and docile, Beagles are preferred test subjects. Dogs are commonly used for ‘toxicology’ experiments where they may be force-fed chemicals and have toxic substances pumped into their veins which can make them so sick that they die in agony. Almost all individuals are killed at the end of the experiment.

There has been a substantial reduction in dog experiments over the past ten years. Latest statistics show that 3,554 dogs were experimented on in Britain in 2013, down from 5,088 in 2003. The NAVS is concerned that the surge in availability of Beagles could lead to a dramatic increase in dog experimentation.

Science is moving away from using animals with far more advanced alternatives available. In addition, public support for animal experiments has fallen and the government has pledged to reduce the number of animals in experiments.

The plans are liable to disrupt the village and local community, potentially subjecting Grimston locals to sound pollution and damaged verges during building work. Further disruption will be caused as young Beagles are transported off to their fates in laboratories and the facility deals with the delivery of supplies and increased disposal of animal waste.

July 16, 2015
Remember to Check the Pavements to Prevent Dog’s Paws Burning

The weekend is upon us and it can be tempting to spend time outdoors with our four legged friends, don’t forget to check how hot the pavements are before venturing out. You can test by placing the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds or, as the poster below says, find a grassy area to walk if the weather is cooling, but the pavements are still hot.

July 3, 2015
Lack of Training & Socialisation Fuels Dog Attacks on Postal Workers

With dog attacks on postmen and women again in the spotlight, vet charity PDSA believes better dog socialisation*, training and exercise could help combat this startling level of canine aggression.

a well socialised dog is a happy dog

This week, Royal Mail has revealed that eight postal workers are attacked by dogs every day in the UK. It reinforces shock findings from the latest PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, which found that on a weekly basis nearly 250,000 dogs are acting aggressively towards people, and over 600,000** dogs are showing aggression towards other pets.

PDSA vet Vicki Larkham said: “The incidence of aggressive or inappropriate behaviour is a huge concern, and can be caused by a lack of socialisation, training and exercise.

“Our research shows that millions of dogs **aren’t getting off-the-lead exercise outside their home or garden for ten minutes or more, on a daily basis. In fact close to a quarter of a million never go for walks on their lead for ten minutes or more at all **. Boredom and inactivity often contribute to anxiety and destructive behaviour.

“A properly trained and socialised puppy is less likely to act aggressively as it grows up. It’s up to every owner to make sure this happens, but unfortunately, many miss out on this vital part of their dog’s development.”

PDSA’s PAW Report is the largest ever annual assessment of pet wellbeing (having surveyed 21,000 pet owners, veterinary professionals and children in the past four years). Produced in conjunction with YouGov, the latest report exposes a grave lack of understanding about how owners can provide their pets’ essential needs, according to Vicki Larkham:

“We are undoubtedly a nation of animal lovers, with four out of five pet owners stating that owning a pet makes them feel physically or mentally healthier. But anti-social behaviour in dogs continues to create problems, fuelled by a worrying lack of training, socialisation and exercise.”

July 3, 2015
A Pet Owner’s Review: Are Steam Cleaners Really Worth It?

It’s Summer, it’s meant to be sunny isn’t it? We’re all set for a heatwave in the UK apparently but let’s be honest, that’s likely to be followed shortly by rain if the past few months are to be judged.. We’re just being realistic, we have to be prepared for the muddy paw prints don’t we?

Following our review of vacuum cleaners last year paying particular attention to what we as dog owners need, we decided to find out if steam cleaners are really worth the hype, and in some cases, price tag.

With three black coated dogs, including a puppy who has successfully conquered (thankfully) house training, a cat, and husband (who spills but never admits) at home, our house has a heavy footfall daily.

Not only that, we have cream carpets throughout except for two rooms which have hard floors. The carpets, flooring and rugs take the brunt of the paw prints but nevertheless short of attaching clothes to every paw/foot, I knew I needed to try something different and wanted a different option to bleaching constantly but at the same time, wanted something which could kill bacteria. So could a steam cleaner be the answer?

I’ll be honest, I was a little excited to try this. The time I spend cleaning our hard floors means the doors are closed to all and I can put any cheesy music on full blast without worry that I’ll be asked ‘what on earth are you listening to?’ because no one wants to come in and risk being told the floor cleaning task can happily be assigned.

So, on with the reviews. We chose to review three steam cleaners with different price points.

First up…

Name: H20 X5 5in1 Steam Cleaning System

RRP £79.99 (Free P&P)

Pros: Great price, easy to store with great customer service. Speedy start time from switching on to being able to use.

Cons: The cloths which attach to the steam cleaning head weren’t hard wearing enough to cope with our stone floor sadly so they lasted one-two uses each.

Summary:

The H20 X5 mop uses water only (no chemicals) and they say the steam alone will ‘kill up to 99% of bacteria like salmonella and E. coli’ (less on wooden floors). It uses ordinary tap water that it turns into super-heated steam to help sanitise and deodorise.

It comes with a fantastic array of attachments and clothes and with the extra heads and cleaners available, it can be used to clean what felt like virtually everything – Floors, Windows (in its hand held function), Clothes, Curtains and Carpets.

Available in different colours, you can choose from Red, Green, White and there’s currently a Special Pink edition available.

During our review we had an issue with the ball which attaches the head to the cleaner. The ball essentially allows the head to fit into different corners and move with ease. The customer service team acted swiftly to help us resolve and send a replacement, which was fantastic.

The H20 X5 gives lots of flexibility to change it’s use with multiple add on’s available to purchase, including a ‘Pet Kit’ which available to purchase separately for £14.99 and includes: 1 x Red Lint Cloth, 1 x Green Nylon Brush and 5 x Disposable Bonnet Cloths.

Sadly, we found the cloth heads weren’t hardy enough for our tough stone floor which suffers primarily from muddy feet, but we have used repeatedly on windows and once you’ve got used to maneuvering and the weight of holding (it’s heavier to hold than and move up and down on windows versus the light feeling of using on floors) it becomes pretty easy to use.

If you’re looking for something that does it all, this cleaner is worth a look. It has so many cleaning options, if you find just one like we did that saves you time and money in the long run, then it could be worth it to you.

Find out more at ThaneDirect.co.uk

Next up…

Name: Vax Steam Fresh Combi Multifunction

Price: RRP £159.99

At the time of writing, it is currently on special offer (link below) as an online exclusive with additional add-on’s included for £109.99

Pros: Really light to use and quick drying (Vax say it dries in three minutes). Uses a combination of water and a scented detergent which leaves a fresh smell. Great lead length meaning from being plugged in, it could stretch across a fairly large floor space with ease.

Cons: During our review, the pads which attach to the bottom of the cleaning head kept getting caught and folding underneath so corners being cleaned weren’t getting the full benefit of the cleaning session.

Summary:

Winner of a ‘Which? Best Buy’ award for 2014, we were really keen to put this 2-in-1 steam mop and handheld cleaner to the test.

Coming with an array of 10 tools to clean every nook and cranny as a handheld cleaner as well as for hard floors and carpets, it’s clearly designed to give you confidence that whatever the space, whatever the job, it can tackle it.

The refillable container has clearly marked lines for the scented solution and water and it’s really easy to fill, remove and place back in if you need to re-fill before you’ve finished.

For me, I really enjoyed my first few tries varying between wooden floors, where it performed very well, and my tougher stone floor, and I loved the fresh scent from the solution provided with the cleaner.

The pads wore much better than the previous cleaner, with no visible damage which was fantastic, but sadly I couldn’t keep fixing the pads on the cleaner to ensure I managed to get into every corner needed with ease. I can’t say if this is typical, but it was typical of my trial sadly no matter how many times I checked the grip between the cleaner and cleaning pad.

That said, the cleaner does so much more and if you’re looking for something to help you clean all of those hard to reach places, it’s worth investigating.

Find out more at Vax.co.uk

And last but not least…

Name: Shark Sonic Duo – KD450

Price: £179.99

Pros: Lightweight, easy to maneuver with hardy cleaning pads which have stood up to our stone flooring. Good lead length from plug in point for use.

Cons: Not a negative as such, but the solution bottles don’t last many months and would have been great to have larger bottles where possible. Our cleaning solution lasted two months (weekly cleaning), the polishing spray, which is guided by you and how much you use, lasted three months (weekly cleaning) and the rug sprays have lasted approximately 6 months because they’ve been used less, but again how much you use is guided by you. The solution can be bought separately from different retailers varying in prices from £9.99 upwards.

Summary:

The most expensive out of our three cleaners, we were keen to put the Shark Sonic Duo to the test to see if the price tag was worth the end result.

It cleans a range of household surfaces with gusto. Coming with three different colour coded pads – 2 x green for cleaning hard floors, 2 x orange for polishing hard floors and 2 x purple for cleaning carpets/rugs. The solution bottles are colour co-ordinated to match the pads for easiness.

To clean the hard floors you mix the solution with water filling up to the lines marked on the bottle before you replace the bottle into the front of the cleaner. Using on hard floors, the cleaner allows you to use pressing down on the head to scrub the floor almost. Admittedly this took some mastering, holding down and moving, or working out which spots in front needed a little extra attention on one spot before moving onto another, but you find your rhythm.

Once finished, you then remove the bottle, detach the cleaning pads and re-attach new pads to polish spraying the brightening polish solution wherever you wish to then move over with the Sonic Duo.

It advises you leave the floor without walking on for around 24 hours, in our house this just isn’t possible so I try to finish the task just before everyone two legged and four legged heads off to bed to give it a decent amount of time to settle in. The results on our hard floor truly are amazing. Being a dark brown stone, it can easily look dull. The brightening solution transformed it into a shiny, clean looking floor.

As with the floor cleaning you tackle cleaning carpets and rugs in two stages. For us with Christopher house training, and I don’t want to say being slow to catch on fully, but he did have a few accidents when we thought he’d cracked it, this part of the trial was also very much needed at home.

Once you’ve cleared the space from all (cue the cheesy music mentioned in the introduction), you first of all use the Pretreater Solution to spray the area/s needed before you go over it with the cleaner having attached the purple co-ordinated pads to the head. Once completed, you change the solution placing the brighter into the bottle holder at the front of the cleaner and repeat.

The following day once dried the rugs and tested carpet areas smelt clean and fresh.

Overall, this was our favourite cleaner. Although the most expensive with additional solutions needing to be purchased on an ongoing basis, we most definitely saw the benefit in our home with our specific floors with the cleaner. The pads have shown no signs of wear and tear on our hardy floors and I think from the moment I saw the brightened look on our stone floor, I fell in love. From years of cleaning and feeling like I knew it was clean so that was all that mattered, I felt like I actually saw a difference.

Find out more at SharkClean.eu

June 26, 2015
It’s National Bring Your Dog to Work Day – Are You Taking Part?

At K9 Magazine we regularly bring our dogs into the office. Christopher, Mia and Danny are given their weekly tasks of eating lunches, warming feet and reviewing different pet products and they carry them out with gusto.

So are there any downsides to bringing your dog into the office? Well, it depends.

As a puppy, Mia once interrupted an interview we were doing with Hollyoaks/Corrie’s Chris Fountain. The interview took place at an unexpected time so without having the chance to move into a calm, quiet office it took place at lunchtime with colleagues surrounding. Mia, spotting a temporarily unoccupied desk with a yoghurt sitting waiting it’s own to return, ventured up for a quick look. One lick led to another and it was gone, mostly all over the desk and her face, but gone nonetheless. Sitting opposite, with a mixture of shame, embarrassment and amusement, I couldn’t catch my colleagues attention so had to carry on regardless.

But Mia’s not the only one who’s found herself unable to resist the lures of lunches.

A rare moment sharing a bed captured

In her younger days, Chloe arrived in the office to find a colleague arriving for the day ahead with his laptop carrier in hand, sandwiches safely tucked away inside. You would assume a zip might be enough to keep them safe so while chatting in the kitchen about the day ahead, we were all surprised to see Chloe disappear to his office and then re-appear with the sandwiches in tow. Not eaten, to her credit, but still in tow all the same. We’ll never know how she managed to unzip that bag.

Another tale?

Here’s another Chloe corker.

They day started the same. The phone rang in our editor, Ryan’s, office, he answered but wanted to transfer so left his office, where Chloe was sleeping, and went to another room to pick up.

While there, and chatting with a fellow director he heard heavy breathing down the line. Aware it wasn’t who he was speaking to, he carried on regardless all while the cogs were turning to work out what was going on.

Ryan soon realised he hadn’t put the phone down in his office and Chloe, having woken and found herself alone, heard voices but couldn’t see anyone around. With her investigative hat on, she soon discovered the source of the sound after sniffing the handset which Ryan hadn’t replaced.

These stories will remain with us, and with the colleagues who lost, or almost lost, their lunches. This post is dedicated to those memories of sandwiches and yoghurts lost, directors confused by heavy breathing and most of all the dogs who created the memories for us to share. Having been able to spend those extra hours of what we know are relatively short lives, means the world and the benefits dogs bring to our offices daily, we hope is returned to them in the company they share.

Next week, in celebration of Bring Your Dog to Work Day, K9 Magazine’s trio as well as Buster the cat will be reviewing both the Pawsome gift box (for dogs) and the Purrfect gift box (for cats). As they tuck into their treats inside, at least we can say with confidence next week, no lunches will be harmed. Thank you Animal Box!

National Bring Your Dog to Work Day is run by HOWND in aid of London dog charity, All Dogs Matter. To donate, please visit www.bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk

Share your own funny stories of bringing your dog into the office below or share your photos with us on Facebook @K9Mag or Twitter @K9Magazine – we’d love to hear from you!

June 26, 2015
This Dog Deserves an Award for His Dance Skills, Don’t You Think?

Meet Oscar, he probably has more dance moves than you – he definitely has more than me.

June 25, 2015
Do You Know How Much Water Your Dog Should Drink in Warm Weather?

As the weather hots up, Brits show a surprising lack of awareness when it comes to their dog’s hydration and are happy to let them drink water from puddles, the toilet, their bath and even the nation’s favourite brew – tea, with a quarter of pet owners admitting their dog loves a cuppa, but do you know how much water your dog needs to cope with the warm weather?

The survey, carried out by pet product experts at PetSafe®, to raise awareness about the importance of pet hydration, has found that nearly half (45%) of UK dog owners are unclear about how much water to give their dog to drink and that one in five of dog owners (19%) wouldn’t know how to tell if their pet was dehydrated.

Photo Credit: gailf548

Over half (51%) of dog owners believe that panting is a sign of dehydration – a common misconception – panting is a sign that a dog is too hot or anxious. Over three quarters (80%) of a dog’s body is made up of water and so keeping them hydrated is key while the warm weather peaks for Summer.

As a general rule dogs require 80ml of water per kilogram per day however, the amount should be doubled in warmer climates but the pet product manufacturer says that the average water intake for dogs should be approximately 315ml for very dogs (Yorkshire Terriers), to 560ml for small breeds (Westies), to 1.68 litres for medium sized dogs (Springer Spaniels), to approximately 2.5 litres for larger breeds (Labradors).

June 24, 2015
Have You Got Your Copy of K9 Magazine Issue 84?

K9 Magazine’s latest edition (84) is out now – packed full of great features it’s waiting for you to download today.

This month’s edition features The Queen of Surfing as we catch up with Veronica Grey to find out more about her loving rescue dog, Flash Delirium, before she sets off on her travels for Shark Week.

This issue also sees our Puppy Series re-launch to offer advice to new/would be puppy owners about choosing their new puppy. We also take a look back at some of the extraordinary dogs of war with writer Robert Weintraub, and we take a trip to Borneo with a British based organisation trying to change opinion about dogs throughout the region.

Plus, with the growth of the app market we take a look at the 5 best apps all dog owners should know about before we get a taste for the luxury life and find 5 luxury canine must-haves.

With lots more inside, what are you waiting for? Don’t listen to us, click on the cover below and take a look for yourselves selecting to view either the flash or tablet friendly edition!

Let us know what you most liked, we’d love to hear your feedback.

June 18, 2015