Today is the 5th November and here in the UK we all know what that means… fireworks, bonfires etc.

Lots of loud bangs, noises, flashes and screeches throughout the night into the early hours. It might be enjoyable for some of us humans, but for the dogs and animals it is sheer terror. I have a friend who’s dog is that frightened of the bangs it has to have a sedative from the vet, poor thing.

It might be my imagination but I’m sure the supermarkets started selling goodies for tonight many months ago. The reason why I think this is because when I’ve been walking my little Westie in the evening all of a sudden a loud bang or flash appears from behind a house or building. Unfortunately these bangs went off yesterday evening and our Westie dog Mitzi stopped dead in her tracks and froze. I tried to coax her along but she wasn’t having any of it. I ended up carrying her home! That’s right, carrying her! The bang made me jump, so I don’t know how it must of affected our Westies ears.

So tonight of all nights in the UK, please oh please ensure that your dogs, cats and pets are kept indoors at all times. If you are going out to a party, try leaving the radio or TV on as to blank out the noise outside so it won’t affect your pet.

Our West Highland Terrier dog (Mitzi) loves nothing better than a good long walk as you can see by the photo of our dog above.

Despite her being such a small little dog, she has certainly got a lot of stamina. Should you be climbing the largest hill, she will be at your side. Should you be running as fast as you can go, she will be at your side. Should you be near any water such as a lake or by the sea, then she isn’t at your side!

Recently whilst we were taking a long walk in a nearby country park, Mitzi was enjoying herself, playing chase, barking at the ducks then running away (honestly), when all of a sudden we heard a splash. Within seconds of our backs being turned she went straight into one of the shallow lakes. Luckily we were able to grab her collar and haul her out, however if she would of swum the opposite way we would of had to go in the green slimly, stinking lake after her… not a nice thought.

From what we can gather our Westie (who is afraid of any water outdoors, such as ponds, lakes etc) must of thought that the green slime which was resting on top of the water, was grass. She must of run straight into the lake thinking it was grass – poor thing. Thankfully Mitzi jumped into the shallow lake and not the deep one nearby.

Here is a picture below of how she looked after the ‘incident in the lake’! Needless to say, she stunk to high heaven so she had to endure a doggy pampering session which involved nice smelling dog shampoo when we returned home.

As you can see in the photo above of Mitzi the Westie, she is out on one of her many walks during the day.

Westies are inquisitive little dogs and should you venture out anywhere without them, you will sure know about it. In Mitzi’s case if we go to put our shoes or coats on she either yelps like a baby (just so that we know she is there) or she will nibble at your shoes until you look at her!

Many people often wonder how much exercise they should give a dog and it is a difficult question to answer. Depending on the breed of dog they may need more or less exercise. In Mitzi’s case she usually has one good walk in the morning (anywhere between 30-1hr), in the afternoon (40mins or so) and just after tea (around 1hr). Basically it all depends on every individuals life style for example some dog owners may work shifts or start later in the day etc. The main thing to remember is that your dog does get regular walks throughout the day, even if they are short walks, the main thing is that they are going out of the house and experiencing different smells, socialising with people and their dogs.

As mentioned in a previous post we recently took Mitzi to Wales with us in a rented cottage and she absolutely loved it. Due to the amount of hills and beach walks we did, as soon as we returned to the accommodation she always had her well deserved snack and drink waiting then she would just curl up in a ball and sleep and sleep and sleep some more!

If you are worried that you might not be giving your dog enough walks, why don’t you ask a neighbour to walk your pet if you are away long hours at a time? I’m sure they would jump at the chance. You dog will love you for it.

Here in the UK on the 5th November people gather to commemorate the capture of Guy Fawkes with bonfires and fireworks. On this particular night throughout Britain the majority of families and friends have a bonfire party, which involves lots of noise, louds bangs etc.

I remember bonfire night when I was a child, the families on our street would all attend the same firework display in one of the neighbours back gardens, there would be hot food, kids with sparklers in their hands etc, all stood watching the pretty fireworks blasting off into the night sky. One person from each family would run back to their house to make sure their dog was still safe and comfortable inside the house away from all the commotion outside. However, these days it does seem completely different. Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy watching the colorful fireworks etc but the fireworks which they sell in the shops these days are not about lovely pretty colours anymore, they are about how loud they can go off.

If the fireworks what they sell frighten the life out of us and make us literally jump out of our skin, what about the poor animals? How do you think they go on? To them it must be terrible, frightening and scary. We all know the rules about ensuring all your pets are inside the house on bonfire night, but there are ways to help them remain a little calmer whilst all the noise is going off outside. Below you will find an extract from the RSPCA’s website which gives some excellent tips on caring for your dog on this particular night of the year:

(source RSPCA)
Dogs
Exercise your dog during the day.
Never walk your dog while fireworks are being let off.
As with cats, keep your dog indoors, close the curtains and play music or turn on the television to drown out the noise.
Let your dog hide if it wants to take refuge under furniture or in a corner.
Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and tag and is microchipped in case it bolts and becomes lost.

If your dog is particularly prone to becoming very distressed, discuss sedatives with your vet.

This year, as in the previous 7 years, we shall be staying in the house with Mitzi the Westie and keeping her out of harms way. Usually a couple of days after 5th November people are still letting off their leftover fireworks so it is wise to follow the same advice which the RSPCA offer. If you love your dog / animals then stay with them on this particular night – inside the house.

When you decide that you and your family need a break from the day to day routine of things you probably end up booking a nice holiday or a few days away somewhere? Do you ever take your dog with you or do you put him / her in a local kennels?

If I’m totally honest my family and I have never put Mitzi in a kennels, not because we don’t trust them, we have just been lucky to have family or friends who will mind her if we decide to go on a vacation somewhere.

In the UK, Wales and Scotland I’m pleased to say that after a lot of research on the internet, more and more hotels are welcoming families with their dogs. Usually have to pay a small supplement and ensure that your dog does not do any damage or soil the room you are in. I’ve also noticed that due to the financial crisis which seems to be happening all over the globe, more and more people are either taking less holidays or they are staying in their own country rather than flying. Which is good on one way, especially for your little dog!

It is far more cheaper (and rewarding) to take your dog to a ‘dog friendly hotel’. Your dog will be under less stress as it will be close to you and your family and I’m certain it will love the new environment and beautiful new surroundings just like you!

So before you automatically book you dog into a kennels if you are planning a holiday, just do a little bit more research on the internet and see if you can find a dog friendly hotel, I’m certain you will find one that is suitable.

Recently my family and I rented a beautiful cottage in Anglesey (Wales) for a few days. I found this cottage whilst browsing the web. The thing what jumped out at me was that they allowed one dog in the rented cottage as long as it was on good behaviour so-to-speak! This was perfect for us. If I’m honesty, I did have a little nagging doubt about whether the cottage would smell ‘doggy’ due to previous tenants staying before us. However, as soon as I opened the cottage door all I could smell was a clean, fresh and welcoming cottage, no doggy smells or anything. The owners even had a couple of dog bowls waiting in the kitchen for Mitzi! This is something I would definitely recommend if you are planning a journey soon.

If you have any ‘dog friendly hotels’ or ‘dog friendly cottages’ you would like to recommend then just get in touch or leave your comments.

Have you every wondered why dogs eat grass?

Some individuals say that dogs eat grass if they have an upset stomach or are general feeling unwell as the grass makes the dogs vomit not long afterwards. But others say that their dogs just enjoys eating it.

I know a few dogs who eat grass quite regular and they seem perfectly fit and healthy. However if my Westie’s stomach is making a gurgling noise I know that when I take her out for a walk she will head straight to the grass and will munch away at if there is no tomorrow. Within 10 – 30 minutes of eating the grass she will vomit, after this she always seems to perk up.

Do not be alarmed if you dog does eat grass (unless they have eaten it from an area where you think it may be contaminated in which case take it to the nearest vet immediately), it appears to be normal canine behaviour. As previously mentioned never allow your dog to eat grass in an area which you have not been to before because you do not know what has been put on the grass ie fertiliser, weed killer etc as this can potentially harm your dog.

Some veterinarians say that a dog eating grass is not a sign off illness, but a case of the dog just like the taste, which I think could be partly true. However, if your dog is showing other signs of being unwell then it is always best to get a second opinion and leave nothing to chance.

If you are thinking about treating your dog to some Westie clothing then have a look at the one’s below – we thought they were rather cute indeed.

If you wish to purchase any of the items, just click on the photograph and it will take you directly to the online shop.

We are definitely going to purchase this Christmas jumper for our little Westie.

Recently my family and I stayed at a lovely little cottage in Wales. At this particular cottage we were allowed to take dogs, so naturally as planned, we took our beloved little West Highland Terrier dog Mitzi with us.

After 30 minutes of arriving at the cottage, Mitzi went straight into the kitchen and had a pee on the kitchen floor. This was a very odd thing for our Westie to do, especially as she is very well trained and would normally make a crying or barking noise if she wanted to go out. We put it down to new territory and a strange environment.

However the following evening we noticed that our Westie has done another wee at the top of the landing/stairs. We couldn’t tell her off because she could of done it hours ago and she would of forgot what she had done by then. The conclusion we came to was that because of the different smells in the carpets which only our Westie could smell (they may of been other dogs there at some time or other before us), she must of been marking her territory. Luckily she didn’t do any more peeing in the house that weekend!

If your dog is already house trained and suddenly it starts to pee in your house you have to ask the following questions:

1. Is it because you’ve fitted new carpet in the house?

2. Is it because you’ve changed your dog’s bed?

3. Has anything been going on in the house which would change your dogs daily routine? ie left for longer hours by itself because of working situations etc?

After doing a lot of reading in dog books and on the internet regarding dogs peeing in the house, it basically comes down to changes happening around the dog. However, what is stated on quite a lot of websites is that you dog may have a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). For more information regarding a UTI in dogs click here on Wikipedia.

If dog does continue to pee in the house then do take him/her to the vet without delay as they may have UTI’s or worse so it is vital that you get your dog checked out. It is better to be safe than sorry especially as your dog cannot tell you what it’s feeling like.

If you are the owner of a West Highland Terrier dog or any other breed of dog and you are the person who takes the dog out for its regular walk then read on.

I am amazed at the amount of dog owners who are extremely frightened of their beloved pooch meeting other dogs. When dogs pass each other in the street it’s only natural that your dog will want to go and have a sniff or at least look at the other dog passing by. However some dog owners drag their poor dog to their side and then put it on the short leash so their dog cannot go and meet it’s new friend.

Whatever you do, do not automatically drag your dog away when you see another one approaching! Your dog will pick up on your nervousness and this can then cause problems with your pet. If a responsible owner has a dog that is fierce and nasty it will no doubt already have a muzzle on so don’t panic yourself and the dog!

Our little Westie dog Mitzi seems to be able to pick up on whether the dog approaching is friendly or not. How she does it I do not know. If she wants to meet the dog she goes just in front of me, if she’s not sure she will go to my left and walk close to my leg.

As you can see by the photographs of Mitzi the Westie she certainly loves meeting new dogs, both big and small!

How does your dog interact with other dogs? Feel free to send us your stories and pictures of your dog(s).