I’m sure many of you have been keeping up to date on the latest series of Britain’s Got Talent as there are some really great acts on this year. But the one that has got everyone talking is the dog act called Pudsey and Ashleigh. This is a 15 year old girl who has trained her dog, Pudsey to do amazing dancing and tricks along with her.
The duo impressed all of the judges in their audition but they really stepped up their game for the live semi-final where they were given a standing ovation by all four judges. The show’s creator, judge and well-known dog lover, Simon Cowell, said “this is the moment I have been waiting for my entire life”. He also joked that they should breed Pudsey so that he could have the puppy.
There have been dog acts on the show before but none that have had the wow factor and close relationship between trainer and dog that is so evident between Ashleigh and Pudsey. They are one of the favourites to win the show alongside Jonathan and Charlotte, two young opera singers who have amazing voices. This makes to competition tough for Pudsey but I’m sure he can handle a little competition with those moves. You can see the video on the official ITV website or you can see watch a little clip here:
Dog TV is set to hit the whole of the USA after a very successful trial period in San Diego. The aim of dog TV is to stimulate your dogs senses and keep it entertained by what is shown on screen. It is also to be put on when you leave your dog home alone to keep it company. I suppose it’s basically the same as what we humans watch!
With 47 million dog owning homes in the USA it is likely to make the creators a small fortune as they are charging $4.99 per month for the exclusive viewing on digital channels. The TV is said to have relaxing programmes, which involves things like a snail crawling across a screen, and exciting things, like other dogs playing Frisbee.
The producers say that there are going to be no re-runs and no adverts, meaning that Dog TV will be on 24 hours a day to entertain your furry friend.
Now, at that rate I would say it will not be long before Dog TV ventures over to the UK and when it does I envisage that it will have similar success to what it has over in the USA. When it does your dog will need a lovely place to rest while watching their relaxing TV, and what better than the Ruff & Barker Dog Bed Duvet. This dog bed will be your dogs favourite TV spot, just like your favourite arm chair!
After my previous post on Toy Dogs, I thought it would be appropriate to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and tell you the best I can about the giant dog breeds. Now I for one am a huge fan of these giant breeds, my favourites being either the Great Dane or Leonberger. Both are magnificent dogs and absolutely enormous! Most of you are likely to know what a Great Dane looks like, if not, then just picture Scooby Doo. However, it is less likely that you know what a Leonberger looks like so here is a picture of the beautiful boy I met at Crufts:
The woman in that picture is actually standing up… Only joking, but still you can’t appreciate the sheer size of that dog without seeing it in real life and that lady had five of them! Apparently for dog beds they had a memory foam dog mattress!
Giant breeds in general will be the ones that you see in the street and think “Wow, that is a big dog”, however there is actually no breed, characteristic or height that classifies a dog as being a ‘giant dog’, therefore you have the power to make that decision for yourself.
There are a few breeds that are considered as ‘giant’, the most common, other than the ones mentioned, would be the Bernese Mountain Dog, Mastiffs, Wolfhounds and St Bernard. The St Bernard is the largest dog breed in terms of weight, weighing up to 15 stone and more! However, in terms of height, the Irish Wolfhound takes the medal growing up to a minimum of 3 feet at the shoulder. Now that is a giant dog!
You will struggle to find dog beds that are big enough and filled enough to support the huge mass of these giant dog breeds! However, if you are struggling for a giant dog bed then look no further. The Ruff & Barker Extra Large Dog Bed Duvet will be easily big enough to fit any giant dog. So if your giant dog likes to rip up dog beds or you can’t find giant dog beds then that is certainly the product for you!
Tomorrow is the day when people come together as one to celebrate their love for one another by buying their other halves a gift like flowers, jewellery; the list goes on. There are many stories as to how Valentine’s Day was ‘created’ as such, and enquiries about whether there really was a St Valentine.
When most people think of Valentine’s Day they will picture big red hearts, flowers and flying babies that shoot arrows at people to make them fall in love. Truthfully, Valentine’s Day only became a well-renowned holiday after it was written about by poet Geoffrey Chaucer when he was alive. Macys in New York was one of the first department stores to market products especially for Valentine’s Day which was of course followed by many others all over the world.
Quite a few countries in the Middle East have banned Valentine’s Day as a holiday and made it illegal to sell any red items in stores around the time, this is because it is seen as a Christian holiday and is not celebrated in their religions. However, lots of people in these countries still wanted to celebrate it as they saw it as a way to show love to their partners which encouraged to sale of roses and wrapping paper on the black market. Thankfully in most countries Valentine’s Day, or some form of interpretation, is legal and there is no need for the illegal sales of flowers.
Have you ever thought that your pets might feel left out on Valentine’s Day with all the fuss and not understanding why? I know I have and in the past have always got them a little something just to make them happy. There is nothing that I would recommend more than a Classic Oval Dog Bed from Purely Pet Beds as they make a great bed for dogs to settle into and they are even big enough to fit two dogs! That means that while you and your partner are snuggling up on the sofa, your dogs can join in the fun and snuggle together in their new Classic Oval Dog Bed.
If you have anything special planned for Valentine’s Day I’d like to hear what you’re doing and, as always, feel free to upload pictures of your dogs in their new Classic Oval Dog Bed on Valentine’s Day!
Whether you currently own a dog, have owned one in the past, are looking to purchase one in the future or just love them in general then this will interest you. Over the last few years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of puppy farms in the UK. These are not proper breeders who supply the majority of the UK; these are the breeders who are looking to make easy money by selling dogs cheaply.
The dogs used to breed the puppies are kept in horrific conditions and are bred constantly for most of their lives until they are unable to do so, resulting in upsetting consequences. There have been up to 200 breeding dogs found in a single puppy farm in the UK, often kept alone 24 hours a day and in the dark. The puppies, too, are kept in these unfathomable conditions until they are ready to be sold on to pet shops or to dealers. 98% of the puppies bred in puppy farms are sold in pet shops, so if people stopped buying from pet shops then these farms would be dramatically reduced. Unfortunately due to the way these puppies have been brought up they will often have various behavioural or physical difficulties that mean they are often sent to rescue centres or just abandoned.
Even though these puppy farms have been exposed in the media, some people still seem to want to go for the “cheap deal” and even more shockingly the government still allow this to go on. I will not show any pictures of the puppy farms as they can be distressing but if you would like to put a stop to puppy farming then signing this e-petition would be a good start:
It will only take a few seconds of your time and could help thousands of puppies all over the country.
Seeing videos of this made me want to adopt all of the dogs in these farms and give them a nice home with somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep. The first thing that came to my mind was the Orthopaedic Slab Bed by Purely Pet Beds. This bed is specifically designed to soothe the aching joints of older dogs. With carrying puppies their whole lives those girls will certainly need a good lie down on a comfortable dog bed. I would recommend it as a comfortable lie down for any aged dog after a long work or a run on the beach!
If you haven’t already done so, you need to seriously start considering what to get your pet for Christmas. There’s nothing better on Christmas morning than watching your dog trying to rip into a tightly wrapped present filled with whatever you think they will love. If you are struggling for ideas, I am here to help with a few suggestions of very popular dog gifts.
I’m sure you all know what your dog will like the most, whether that be a few tasty treats or a nice new toy for them to chew on all day long. Maybe you could even get them more than one present if you’re feeling really generous!
A good present for dogs that like to chew is a Kong dog toy as they are very durable and are resistant to strong jaws. You can get different types and sizes of Kong toy that will appeal to different breeds and personalities of dogs. My personal favourite is the Kong Classic due to the fact that you can stuff treats into it and have a great time watching your dog try to get them out. It’s fun for you and the dog! They have plenty of stuff available that you can stuff into the Kong, great to leave a dog with while you’re at work.
Another good present is what we used to call a ‘Raggy’. I’m sure you’ve all seen them, the thick pieces of rope with knots at either end, I’m not sure of their technical name but I know they’re available at nearly every pet shop across the UK! They’re really good for interacting with your dog, making them fetch it or playing tug of war which is always fun on Christmas day!
I’d say the number one gift to get your dog this Christmas is a new dog bed for them to curl up in and shelter them from the cold floor in the cold weather. Dog beds are essential for any dog to have a place that they know is their own. If you can see your dog curling up in a little nest then I would recommend the Poi Dog Oval Dog Bed as it has high sided walls and a comfortable, soft pillow on the inside to keep them warm. The outer material is waterproof and the pillow is washable for when the summer comes and they get soaking wet and jump on the bed!
Whichever present you choose for your dog they will be happy with it and most importantly you will enjoy watching them rip it open on Christmas Day!
I was recently sent a photo from a customer of our sister website, Bean Bag Bazaar. We are used to positive feedback from customers telling us how comfortable our products are…for humans. However, this little fella seems to be giving it more use than his owners!
Whopper Giant Bean Bag – £89.99
This dog looks like he’s living a very luxurious and pampered lifestyle and he is aptly named ‘Mr Edgar Schnaaps’. A royal name for the King of the house!
The bean bag that Edgar is sitting on is the Whopper Giant bean bag which is one of the largest products sold by Bean Bag Bazaar. Sadly for Edgar I don’t think he is quite large enough to fulfil the potential of the Whopper Giant bean bag!
If I were to meet Mr Edgar Schnaaps I’d recommend to him a Purely Pet Bed as I think he would get far more enjoyment from a proper dog bed! Personally, I think our Ruff & Barker range would be perfectly suited to his “upper class” doggy lifestyle. This range uses only a luxurious faux suede fabric and a removable washable cover. Seeing as Edgar is a fan of bean-filled products I’d recommend the Ruff & Barker Dog Bean Bags for him to snuggle into.
This would give Edgar the perfect solution as he could have his own private bean bag bed and feel just as pampered as he would in the Whopper. Also, his owners could have their Whopper Giant bean bag back for themselves!
During a recent round of customer research (part of our ongoing product design lifecycle) we carried out a survey of 200 dog owners – asking which breed they would most recommend for families with young children. Because we’re so nice we thought we publish the results here.
Let us know your thoughts and if you’d like to add to the list feel free to suggest a breed in your comments (and tell us why you think they’d be a good choice).
Top Child-Friendly Dog Breeds
Labradors Retrievers
Golden Retrievers
Beagles
Cocker Spaniels
King Charles Spaniels
Shih-tzu
Airedale
Akita
German Shepherd
Miniature Schnauser
Pomaranian
Poodle
Siberian Huskey
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
So there you have it. Hopefully some of you will find it useful
