Four months since she arrived here, Lula has settled in very well.  Every morning she leaves her crate and runs upstairs to jump on to the bed and rub noses with me, then she lies on the bed for just a few minutes. Next she scampers downstairs into the back garden to wake all the other dogs in the neighbourhood – and the humans. After this she waits patiently in an armchair for me to get ready and at 8.30 we go for her first – and best – walk of the day, where she plays with other dogs. Near our house is an open space, reasonably secure, which is a magnet for local dogs and their owners. We all arrive at the same time, so that the dogs can play together and get some good exercise. Up to fifteen different dogs usually show up, of various breeds and sizes. They are well socialised and not aggressive – this is a godsend, and I know we are very lucky.

Sometimes Lula likes to play ball, and she retrieves it very well.  But she is often outrun by a smaller dog like the Jack Russell shown in the picture.  The short-legged dogs just seem to run faster for some strange reason!  There is a well-used footpath running through the field and lots of passers-by enjoy the sight of dogs playing.  the best times are when a group of dogs plays chase and they run huge circuits around the open space, accompanied by excited barking from Lula!

After half an hour of sniffing, rolling in foxes’ smells and chasing each other, the dogs have had plenty of exercise and their Mums and Dads need to go to work.  We all go our separate ways to feed our four-legged friends and prepare for the day ahead. The dogs go home to sleep and recharge their batteries ready for their next walk.

people in all the developed countries are getting steadily fatter, and it seems as if the public health campaigns can do nothing to reverse this trend. Unfortunately dog owners are now visiting this modern epidemic on their pets, with catastrophic effects on their dogs’ health. They are literally killing their best friends with kindness, as an overweight dog gets similar health complications to humans. Diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and arthritis are just some of the ailmenst associated with excess weight in dogs. Next time you visit the vet, pop your dog on the scales and check his weight. If you can’t do that, then feel along your dog’s tum. You should be able to feel the ribs easily. If not, then it is time to cut out some treats and pump up the exercise routine.

Here is a Dog friendly guest house in the Yorkshire Dales with nine delightful en suite bedrooms, in the heart of an excellent walking area. The house – Eastfield lodge -is just minutes from the market square in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. This pretty small town is seens as a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The area has dozens of beautiful walks, quaint stone-built villages and numerous places of historical and cultural interest.

Accommodation
The atmosphere is warm and informal. Every morning you will be able to choose a hearty home cooked breakfast, and in the evening an informal homecooked dinner. Or you can eat in a local pub or restaurant.

There is Private parking, drying room, secure storage for bikes, box cutter, wifi, digital flatscreen TV with DVD in each bedroom. Double, twin, triple rooms, plus a family room. All en suite bedrooms are newly refurbished. Prices – approx. £72 per double or twin. Well behaved owners and their dogs are welcome to stay at the lodge and explore the area together.

http://www.eastfieldlodge.co.uk/

Sherbet, the Wheaten Terrier who lives near my house, has showns no signs of losing his urge to meet and mate with every female dog in our town.  His enthusiasm for the ladies meant that he had to stay on the lead all the time, which is a shame.  Before his hormones took over, Sherbet walked well off the lead along the river bank with his family.  They are not interested in breeding any pups from Sherbet, so the desision to neuter him was taken.  My husband and Sherbet’s ‘Dad’  were pretty squeamish about the procedure, so his Mum took him to the vet on Thursday.  The op. went well, and Sherbet was full of beans again by Saturday. I know this because I took him for a walk and his vigour was undiminished.  It’s important to remember that there is plenty of Testosterone flowing round his body for six weeks after being neutered.  When we adopted Kevin he had been neutered at the rescue centre. Two weeks later we visited some friend who are great fans of Vegas vacations. We were mortified when he tried to ‘hump’ their male Black Labrador!

If the Obamas do decide to adopt a Portuguese Water dog this spring, the new pet has an exciting life to look forward to. There will always be someone willing to walk him – if Malia and Sasha are busy doing their homework there are dozens of staff on hand who will be only too pleased to take the First Dog for a walk.  This breed appears to be favourite after advice from Ted Kennedy, who has two Portuguese Water Dogs of his own and he thinks they sould be well adapted to life in the Oval Office.  these are not a breed of dog likely to climb on the stereo cabinet or misbehave in other ways, so they can be trusted when disinguished visitors are in the building.

Dog Games to Play Indoors

During the cold, rainy or snowy winters, we and our pets may start to go a little stir-crazy. While for some, a walk in the rain with a healthy dog may be invigorating, for others it not so enticing. So if you just don’t relish getting wet, or your dog’s health is not the best, here are some games that can be played indoors.

Some of you may have been told never to play tug of war with a dog. The fear is that it might make a dog aggressive or aggravate any possessive tendencies. Other trainers feel that there is nothing wrong with the game, as long as you follow certain rules: 1)The tug toy you used should be long enough to prevent accidental bites. A thick rope with knots in the middle is good. Read more »