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Pudsey the Britain’s Got Talent Dog

by chris on May 9, 2012

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:

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Dog Beds for Dog TV

by chris on May 2, 2012

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!

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Toy Dogs

by chris on March 7, 2012

This is a term that appears to be spreading very quickly around the world as what could almost be described as a fashion accessory.  The term ‘toy dog’ refers to small breeds of dog such as Chihuahuas, Pugs and Chinese Crested.  These dogs in the past have been average dogs that have never been considered as anything other than a dog, however, in recent years they can be considered by some as a fashion accessory that are carried around in ladies handbags.  This craze was started when Paris Hilton was seen walking with a Chihuahua sticking out of the top of her handbag.  This has led to an outbreak of merchandise for these toy dogs, including high quality dog beds and dog bean bags.

Since then the sale of these dogs have gone through the roof, which sadly can have a negative impact on the dogs’ health and temperament.  This is because breeders were just using their dogs as breeding machines and not trying to breed out health and temperament issues, meaning that a lot of the dogs could have issues that led them to be rehomed.  This resulted in a countless number of small dogs in rescue centres and on free ad sites like Gumtree.  Another problem is that breeders were constantly trying to downsize their dogs as it is thought “the smaller the better” with toy dogs.  This led to a lot of problems with the dogs’ vision and breathing.

Of course there are still responsible breeders of these dogs that breed for quality rather than quantity.  It is relatively simple to pick a responsible breeder by visiting them and seeing the conditions their dogs are kept in.  Also, you might want to look at the condition of the mother because if she looks very weak and immobile then it is likely she is constantly in labour, meaning the breeder is not trying to get quality pups.

Nevertheless, the sale of these toy dogs continues to grow, as well as merchandise like t-shirts and “bling” collars and dog beds.  Most of these dogs are treated like royalty and there isn’t a more regal bed than the Ruff & Barker Dog Bean Bags.  The luxury suede fabric gives it a designer dog bed edge and the dog bean bag filling provides fantastic comfort for the dogs.

Ruff & Barker Dog Bean Bag – From £28.99

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Dog Carriers for Crufts 2012 – What’s On?

by chris on February 29, 2012

Hopefully you all have your dogs prepared for Crufts next week, or if you’re not taking a dog, I hope you’ve got your tickets!  It is taking up 5 halls of the NEC in Birmingham so it is looking to be an enormous and entertaining show for people of all ages and I’d definitely recommend it to all.

I thought I would just do a summary of the different days and things to see at Crufts 2012, hopefully it will save you some time and you won’t have to scout through countless names and stall numbers to find the most popular stands.

Day 1 is toy dog and utility dog day.  This will be Thursday 8th March and the shows are only for these two categories of dogs.  There are a total of five rings on this day, including the main arena.  There is a variety of experience levels in the main arena, from novice to the actual British Open.  These include agility, jumping and even heelwork to music!  There is also a chance for owners to present their dogs in the arena where the judges will decide which dog is the best.  However, if you’re looking to see a cute puppy then the GCDS Ring is where you need to be as there are Puppy Foundation Displays throughout the day.

Day 2 is gundog day.  There are similar shows on this day as there are on day 1, however, today is when the ever famous flyball events are held.  If you are not familiar with flyball, it is a team of dogs and owners that run a course of hurdles with a ball in their mouth and as soon as one dog gets to the end another dog runs the opposite way.  This is carried on until the one team gets all dogs through the course and wins.  This is a very lively event and is always a crowd pleaser!

Day 3 is working and pastoral dog day.  These events are similar to the previous days and the flyball, however these are the later rounds, such as semi-finals.  Flyball is also available for viewing in the YKC (Young Kennel Club) Ring on this day.

Day 4, the final day, is Terrier and Hound day.  On this day the main arena is closed around 3 o clock and the hall to be cleared ready for the best in show dogs – this is the final of every event.  You must have a separate ticket to get into best in show, or be showing yourself!

One of my favourite parts of the show is the Discover Dogs section where there will be over 200 breeds of dog to meet and learn more about.  This is located in hall 3 and will of course be the main attraction of this hall!  I’m sure there will be some puppies there for you all to see!

Of course, it would not be Crufts without the huge variety of stands supplying everything a dog or dog owner needs or wants.  If you have forgotten your show set, no need to worry there is a stall for that.  You could probably be showing at Crufts and come with just your dog and still find all the necessary showing equipment on the stalls around the five halls.  However, that would be a bit risky and irresponsible.  The most important thing is making sure you get your dog there so dog carriers are one of the key pieces of equipment.  Why not get yourself a Lightweight Dog Crate from Purely Pet Beds.  This would make the perfect Labrador dog bed for the day!  Also, this way the weight of the dog doesn’t seem so much for you and your dog can relax and get ready to show off!

Lightweight Pet Transporter – From £19.99

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Dangerous Dogs in the UK

by chris on February 22, 2012

Recently I have been reading articles more regularly involving attacks on people and children by dogs resulting in serious injury or even death for the people and dogs alike.  People will argue that certain breeds of dogs are evil and will attack anything and should be banned, others will argue that it is the upbringing of the dog that determines whether it is violent or not and has nothing to do with the breed.

To an extent, I would disagree with both of those arguments.  This is because I do believe that with some breeds, it is in their nature to defend themselves, whereas other dogs tend not to have to urge to defend as much.  There are four dogs that the UK government decided in 1991 that are unsuitable to be kept as pets due to their violent nature and are therefore illegal to own in this country.  These four dogs are; the Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino and any dog known as a Pitbull type such as the American Pitbull.  Sadly, this is mainly down to the reputation of the breed as they have often been bred for fighting in the past which is unfortunate as I’m sure they can be lovely dogs if they have the correct upbringing.

There are plenty of other dogs that people think should be banned that have attacked adults and children, however these cases are less regular than the attacks from the banned breeds.  Surprisingly, we in the UK have quite loose rules on dog ownership and banned breeds, only having four, whereas in the USA there are 75 breeds that have restrictions on ownership or are banned altogether.  Of course this is different dogs in different states and not the whole country.  So the dog that you have at home could in fact be restricted or banned in some American states!

However, I’m sure your own dog would not be classed as a “dangerous dog” in any country.  Why not show them how much you appreciate them and treat them to a luxury dog bed.  I think the most luxurious dog bed for a loving and loyal dog is the Ruff & Barker® Duvet Dog Bed.  This is due to its high quality, soft fabric supported by the cushiony, fibre interior that will keep your dog warm from the cold floor.

Ruff and Barker Duvet Dog Bed – From £28.99

On the note of banned breeds, these four dogs are possibly the strongest breeds of dog which is why they can overpower humans, ending in tragedy.  Below is a video of a Pitbull breed of dog pulling a car!

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Preparing For Crufts

by chris on February 15, 2012

Crufts is the biggest dog show in the UK and is held once a year at the NEC in Birmingham.  Whether you have a show dog or not, Crufts welcomes all dogs so it is a great day out for the family (and the dog) if you are lucky enough to get tickets!

However, if you are showing a dog for the first time or need a quick reminder on things you need to take then this is the perfect list for you.  I have spoken to a few Crufts veterans and compiled everything you need to enter Crufts with a chance of winning.  Firstly, you need to prepare the dog into showing condition.  This is done by increasing the length of their walks gradually for about a month before the show.  Dependant on the breed you can also a put weight in a backpack on their backs, but obviously this is for larger and stronger breeds.  You can also have hydro sessions to increase muscle and lose that extra bit of weight.  For those of you that don’t know, hydro sessions are basically swimming lessons for dogs.  The dog then needs bathing around 5 days before the show so that their coat is clean but not too soft.  Again, dependant on the breed you can brush them the night before to get unnecessary hairs from their coat and also to trim their nails if they haven’t been done in a while.

Now we move on to show day.  Owners often wear outfits that either match their dogs’ coat or match what their dog is wearing.  So if you have a Rottweiler you may wear a black suit with brown shoes, belt and tie.  It certainly makes you look the part and at Crufts, if you don’t match your dog you’ll probably be the odd one out!  Also you can’t forget your ring clips, which is an emblem to clip on your clothes with a matching image of the breed of dog you have.

Once all this is done you need to get all the essential equipment for your dogs.  The most essential is a show set, as you will be unable to show your dog without it.  Then of course you need all the essentials such as; towels, water bottles, groom accessories, poo bags, bait, toys, tack paws, first aid kit, running shoes, numbers of emergency contacts and credit card if you fancy making the odd purchase while you’re down there.

Another important accessory is their dog carriers to put your dogs in whilst they’re not being shown and of course, they need to be comfortable when in the carrier.  One way of keeping them comfortable would be to provide a Fleecy Bolster Dog Bed Mat to put inside the crate.  This is a fluffy mat with slightly raised sides to give the dog comfort whilst in its crate.  I would say that this product was a necessity for those crate trained dogs at Crufts.

Fleecy Bolster Dog Bed Mat – From £12.79

Finally, what I would say is the most important thing to take to Crufts would be your tickets!   So if you don’t have them yet I’d recommend getting them soon as it’s going to be a great show, not one to miss.  It’s not use preparing all that complex and specialist equipment if you don’t have your tickets.  Oh and remember the dog, too!

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Worship Your Cat

by chris on January 27, 2012

Most of you may not know this, but 90 years ago was the discovery of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen.  This is actually quite a big deal because the discovery of his tomb is what triggered major interest in ancient Egyptian civilisation.  There had been mummies found before him and after him but what was so special about Tutankhamen is that he was the youngest pharaoh ever to have lived.

He was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, and since then there has been the rumour of “the curse of Tutankhamen” as quite a few of the archaeologists died within a few years of the tombs discovery and Carter himself died fairly young at age 65.  The Egyptians were light years ahead of their time in many ways, mainly masonry and metal works.When his body was discovered it was concluded that he was around 17 years of age when he died, meaning he would have inherited the throne at age 9.  Although his reign seems to have little historical importance in ancient Egypt, the reason we all know his name is because of the solid gold death mask that he was buried in.  Here is a picture of this fascinating artefact, I’m sure you all recognise it.

In ancient Egypt cats were seen as god-like creatures and were the first domesticated animal recorded of this time period.  Also, in 1888, an Egyptian farmer found a burial ground of mummified cats that had their own tombs.  The cats were obviously very special to the Egyptians in a different way than they are to us today – they were worshipped!

If your cat is like a little Egyptian god then why not worship it like the Egyptians did!  What better for a king-like cat than a comfortable throne?  Obviously, this won’t be some solid gold throne, but what I can recommend is the Classic Hooded Cat Bed from PurelyPetBeds.  This cat bed proves very popular among our feline friends and I wouldn’t be surprised if the ancient Egyptians had a cat bed similar to this!  Worship you cat and treat them to the Classic Hooded Cat Bed.  Get in now and save 30%.

Classic Hooded Cat Bed – From £11.89

Two happy customers!

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