The above took place at Thruxton Race Circuit on a lovely sunny Sunday and we all took part.  The day kicked off with a scooter race over a mile and Oska was out first, followed by Storm.  Storm took 3rd place and Oska 5th – well done the boys!!  Diesel then ran the mile cani-cross with me and Skye had an amble with Ally.

The afternoon was showtime and after much preening Polly entered the ring, was her usual Diva self, and took 3rd place in the Minor Puppy Class 2.   Roo-Bher was in next and took 3rd place in the adult class 7.    Our last class, 13,  was the Open Class for Non KC registered dogs and competition was fierce.  Oska, Diesel, Sky and Shanta all entered, with Diesel  being there to defend his crown for the fourth year running.  The judge announed the winner and yes it was Oska – whooppee , well done Oska!!!  Diesel did get a 3rd and Shanta got a 4th.  Never mind Diesel, there is always next year!!

We all had a truly fun day and went home happy and tired!!

Mike, the Musher, Ally and the team

Many greyhounds are rescued ex-racing dogs. They will have been brought up on a diet specially made to make them into lean running machines. Their diet is likely to have been totally free of additives, and so many greyhounds grow up with a delicate constitution which makes them unable to tolerate a food with additives. The problem with most standard dog foods is that they can contain  a high amount of artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives. Feeding this to a greyhound who is unused to such additives can cause all sorts of problems, from wind and constipation, to sleeplessness, bad behaviour and hyperactivity. A hyperactive greyhound really can be troublesome, so do check the ingredients of your dog food.

The best thing to do is to buy a food specially formulated for greyhounds, such as Supadog Greyhound & Lurcher. This offers the right balance of vitamins and minerals that a greyhound needs. Rescued greyhounds may need a little extra care with their diet and this will have been a consideration in the formulation of a specific greyhound food, so you can rest assured that all your dogs dietary needs are being met.

You can also supplement their diet with raw meat. Dogs love raw meat and they will have no problems digesting it. However you should avoid feeding them raw pork, as pork often contains worms. These are destroyed in the cooking process, but could well be present in the raw meat.

There are certain foods that although fine for humans, can be poisonous to dogs, and with greyhounds often having such sensitive stomachs, extra care should be taken to avoid such foods. Chocolate is extremely dangerous for dogs and can be fatal in small amounts. Gravy made from instant granules is bad for dogs too as it contains too much salt. Grapes and raisins are poisonous to them so be careful when feeding scraps. A slice of cake with raisins in could make a dog very sick indeed.

Keep all medicines out of the way of dogs too, even a small amount of a regular painkiller can cause huge problems with dogs. Also the substance Zylitol is especially harmful to dogs as it can cause liver failure. This can often be found in toothpaste and sugar free mints and gum. Be careful to keep these items out of the reach of your dog.

Allow at least an hour after a meal before you take your greyhound out for a walk. Greyhounds are known for their speeds, and running fast after a meal could cause them problems or result in stomach torsion. Greyhounds are prone to stomach torsion, which is a potentially fatal condition aggravated by exercising too soon after eating. If your greyhound shows any signs of this then it is important to get to a vet quickly. The symptoms are restlessness, retching, a swollen abdomen, difficulty breathing and pale gums.

A complete dry food, like Supacat,  is sufficient for your cat. They are specially formulated to contain everything your cat needs for their dietary well being; everything that is except water. If you feed a dry diet to your cat you need to take extra care that they always have access to fresh water. Make sure when you put their food down that you get into a routine of refilling their water bowl too.

Supacat - With Stay-Clean Technology to help keep teeth clean

You must make sure that you pick a food that is a ‘complete’ diet and not a ‘complementary’ food. Complementary foods are to be served to your cat in addition to other foods, for example a sprinkling of biscuits on top of tinned meat to add texture, or given in between meals as a treat. This type of dry food will not have the necessary nutrients your cat needs, and prolonged feeding of this type of dry food could result in various medical problems and deficiencies for your cat.

You will find there is a whole range of flavours in the Supacat range and you can pick one that best suits your cat. There are diets specifically tailored for kittens or for older cats.

As long as they get plenty of water, cats will thrive on a dry diet. Cats, more so than dogs, seem to particularly enjoy eating crunchy foods. It’s also good for their teeth, helping to keep them strong and healthy and removing plaque and Supacat is a dental cat food, with coated kibbles that are abrasive and help to keep the teeth clean. Do remember, if you’re changing the food you feed your cat, do it gradually.

While I was round at my friend’s house, it was impossible not to notice that her dog was clearly distressed, as he kept dragging his rear on the floor and he wouldn’t leave his behind alone, his anal glands were blocked, and she was panicking trying to make a vets appointment to get them sorted out. It really got me thinking; since we made the gradual change to Burgess Supadog Sensitive premium dog food we haven’t had any problems at all with his! I decided to do some research into this subject. I wanted to know how they become blocked and why, and to help other dog owners that may be experiencing this problem regularly.

Most people never think about their dog’s anal glands until there’s a problem with them. These glands are designed to provide lubrication when a dog passes a stool, and they also give each dog its own unique scent. Find out how these glands work, how to spot when there’s a problem, and how to take care of it.

How They Work

Every dog has two small glands located on either side of its rectal opening. Each gland holds a small amount of a brown and smelly, liquid substance. Whenever your dog ‘goes to the toilet’, these glands receive a small amount of pressure that releases a tiny bit of the fluid along with your dog’s custom  scent.

Gland Problems and Diets

Many dogs never seem to have a problem with their anal glands. However, bacteria can build up in the anal glands if they don’t express properly, and this can lead to an infection. If they are left untreated, the infection can produce an abscess which may eventually rupture through the skin and cause further complications.

Some anal gland problems may be linked to the quality of pet food a dog receives. Inexpensive brands of dog food are often full of cereal fillers that tend to result in soft stools. The soft stool isn’t able to press firmly enough against the dog’s anal glands to provide the necessary pressure to express them, and there the trouble begins. Premium quality dog foods (Burgess Supadog) will help your pet produce firmer, more compact stools that actually help the glands express, so those foods may be a better food choice for your pet. This is one of the many reasons that I would recommend other dog owners to change to the Burgess Supadog range.

Signs That The Glands Are Impacted

If your dog’s anal glands fail to express properly, they may actually become impacted and make your dog very uncomfortable. Watch for these signs:

• Your dog begins scooting or dragging his rear across the floor.
• Your dog keeps licking or chewing near his rectum.
• Your dog’s stools have become soft and mushy.
• You’ll likely notice a foul or “fishy” odour coming from your dog’s rear.

If you notice one or more of these signs, it may be a good idea to take your dog in for a check up with his vet, as it’s a job that is best left to the professionals. Some professional dog groomers can also perform this procedure.

It’s important to only carry out this procedure when a dog is showing signs of  blocked anal glands. Expressing the anal sacs too often can lead to impacted anal glands, and failing to care for them may lead to infection.

Codi absolutely loves a day out, and the reason that we chose the seaside was because we’ve always loved going there and the seaside is a totally different environment to what Codi is used to. The nice flat beaches are great for walking, but there are plenty of hills where we can take him to go exploring.

From previous day trips we know that Codi loves romping around on a sandy beach!  And splashing in the surf! (He’ll go for a paddle, but he’s too much of a softie to go jumping in) He loves the Wind blowing in his hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand is rather intriguing, while his ears perk up when he hears and the cry of gulls! I think we love it as much as he does, and we enjoy spending the day together….regardless of weather.

Most dogs love the beach, and Codi is definitely one of them, and we certainly want to give him the opportunity to enjoy it as much as we do, so there a few ways in which we like to keep him protected prom potential dangers.

• One of the reasons we go to the beach is because of the open space. Probably the most important thig to keep in mind is to keep Codi secure and on a lead at all times, due to his husky instinct/temperament if he got off the lead he wouldn’t come back. He would run and run as far as the coastline would take him.

• The beach and sea are full of alluring smells and if Codi is only an occasional visitor to the beach, these new smells will be totally bewitching. Taking into account sight, sound, and smell, Codi could get overwhelmed by the whole beach thing. It’s wise to have some ground rules before you go. This means doing some training.

• Drinking seawater won’t hurt Codi if he just takes a lap or two. But it’s important that we take plenty of fresh water to the beach, and offer it to him frequently.

• There are dangerous things on the beach – and the tide being the first and foremost. It’s important to always know the tide schedule before we go for a walk on the beach. Knowing the tide schedule is especially important if you’re walking along cliffs or undercut dunes where you wouldn’t be able to escape an incoming tide. One of the easiest ways to get the tide schedule for the day is to look online.

• It’s always important to take a towel to dry Codi off, and to have an emergency first kit in the car, just in case there are any accidents whilst Codi is paddling around in the rock pools.

• We can’t forget to take Codi’s favourite food with us too -which is Burgess Supadog Sensitive – Scottish Salmon and Rice or we would have have one unhappy dog on our hands!
  

Being such an attractive dog, Codi does attract a lot of attention; we literally can’t walk more than a few metres without someone wanting to know more about him. The reaction that we usually get from children is “WOW…Is that a wolf?”  “Snow dog” or “Can I stroke your wolf Mr?” It’s honestly like having Brad Pitt on a lead…He loves the attention!

Here are a few photos from previous outings to the beach:

Are you attenting the London Pet Show 2012?

Wood Green, The Animal Charity invite you and your children to come and listen to the adventures of wise Peggy and her nine friends.  The two chapters presented on both Saturday and Sunday at this years London Pet Show will follow the guinea pigs’ first few days at the Charity and the adventures they have during their quest to find a new family to love them.

Wood Green, The Animals Charity is also offering the opportunity for 10 children at each story time to interact with wise Peggy and her friends whilst they listen to the teacher reading the story.

To be in with a chance of taking part in story time visit the Wood Green stand to register, 10 names will be drawn at random 30 minutes before the story.

For further information about the charity and the opportunities available visit www.woodgreen.org.uk or follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/woodgreentheanimalscharity

Here are a few methods that we have tested with Codi:

Hard toys with “Chew-clean” grooves effectively squeegee clean dog’s teeth and gums as they chew. The large and extra large sizes are bone shaped with hollow interiors designed for holding treats. As dogs try to remove the treats, their teeth and gums are effectively cleaned by the grooves (which can be used with dog toothpaste). Some toys have a diamond braid cotton floss rope which effectively removes food debris and reduces plaque and tartar build up.

Starting a husky off with the brushing practice can take quite a lot of patience! So be prepared!

We just started off with a little toothpaste on the finger and we got Codi to lick it to taste it. Once he had gotten used to the taste, we started to brush his front teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Then when he became used to that, we went ahead and brushed all his teeth. It was just something new to him, that he didn’t understand  at first he didn’t know what was going on or even if it’s a good thing. But he had gradually gotten used to his teeth being brushed, and it is not a hard of a task as it used to be!

In addition to professional cleaning a regular tooth brushing, certain dog treats are formulated to help improve breath. Hard chew toys may also help, see what you vet recommends.

We like to make Codi’s treat time fun, by playing his favourite game “Guess which hand” this is where we get Codi to sit in front of a person holding a treat, and then that person then hides a treat behind their back (swap hands just to make sure the treat has been swapped hands several times making it harder for Codi to guess which hand it is in) The person the pull their hands from behind their backs and Codi then taps which hand he thinks it’s in! Nearly every time he guesses right!

Naughty……

Most of all: most importantly it’s important to keep up with vet exams. Be certain to follow your vet’s recommendations. And remember, what you do at home can really make all the difference.

But…Huskies are notoriously difficult to look after, and this is a big problem for inexperienced dog owners.

Over the past decade there has been a dramatic increase in the number of huskies that have been sent to adoption centres, and it’s a dramatic increase that I fear will only get worse. More and more dogs are being out up for adoption because their owners don’t understand that type of commitment that these dogs need. Although they do look like wolves and are very attractive dogs they aren’t really a pet for the novice. Too many inexperienced dog owners are being sucked in by their looks.

Originally bred to pull sleds for long distances, huskies are high maintenance, and need huge amounts of exercise. Finding the right owners for these dogs is a priority for many rescue centres across the country. Rescue homes are looking for experienced dog owners to help save these wonderful, characters. Rescue centres say that dog owners don’t necessarily have to have experience with a husky/malamute/sled dog but more so the experience of owning a difficult dog, dogs that may have had behavioural problems, or someone who is aware of the time and commitment that you need to put into a dog.

Many dogs wait months or even years for new owners, I just hope that all of the beautiful yet misunderstood dogs will all find a home very soon!

Our family always wanted a dog but we kept putting it off because of family and work commitments. When my dad decided we should get one he decided the husky breed was the one for us, and the whole family could do with the exercise! We had done a lot of research on the husky breed and there is a lot of information on YouTube regarding the pros and cons on taking on such an active dog.

We also wanted to re-home one as we knew from our research that there were lots in freeads and other such publications. It was a sort of fate when we found Codi – My dad got home from work one day and was just browsing the internet thinking “should I or shouldn’t  I get a dog” and there he was, those Ice blue eyes starting out at him from the photo on free ads.

My dad called the number and spoke to the people rehoming him and arranged to go and see him. He looked like a right handful when we met up, straining to get out of the owners car. We met at the owners parent house as they had a big garden, he was just running round the garden Husky style. He finally calmed down and came across to where we were talking and my mum pulled out a treat and told him to sit and give her his paw. To everyones amazement he did and got his treat. The owner had no idea he could do that sort of thing. It turned out that they had rehomed him 4 weeks earlier and he was only 10 months old!! Such an intelligent dog!

That was it, we took him home and have never looked back. He gets plenty of exercise and sleep and I get plenty of exercise but not as much sleep. We’ve had him 4 years now and I can’t imagine life without  the big boy. We go walking in places we would never have visited if we hadn’t got Codi, we’ve even started camping !

As Burgess Pet Care &  Burgess Supadog mention on their website “As long as you have a good understanding of what owning a dog entails and you can give him the love and commitment he requires then you will have a happy and active friend and companion”

Thanks for reading!

-Steph & Codi

As dog owners we’ve always been wary of ticks, as the weather is becoming warmer we regularly add a couple of drops of tick repellent onto the back of his neck, it’s important that it goes on the skin and not his fur, because the skin is where they attach themselves onto and with Codi’s thick fur it can be quite difficult to spot a tick until it has fed and become bloated with blood. We always have flea and tick protection solutions available at home…Just in case, and we’ve always taken him to vets to check him over when we have found one. There has been the odd occasion where we have taken him for walks in areas surrounded by ferns and heather, and he has come home with the odd tick. There is a lot of differing information regarding the removal of ticks, and here are a few that worked for Codi

-Rub the tick in a circular motion and pretend you’re trying to make the tick dizzy. I generally stick with one direction, clockwise. It usually takes less than a minute, so if it’s not working, make sure the body of the tick is moving around. Remember you can’t get dizzy unless you’re actually moving in a circle quickly. I doubt the tick actually gets dizzy, but they sure don’t like something about the movement and they crawl out on their own.

-Another good method that eliminated a chance of leaving part of the tick in the dog is to cover the tick completely in Vaseline; the tick will then suffocate and drop off. After the tick is removed wash the area with a form of antibacterial liquid.

-Removing the tick with sharp pointed tweezers, or specially made tick tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and as close to its embedded mouthparts as you can, If you squeeze the body or head, you risk compressing the guts and salivary glands and could be at risk of expelling more bacteria through their mouth into the dogs body. Don’t twist the tick or turn the tweezers as you pull the tick out. Pull out straight with a quick and steady motion. Twisting can force more bacteria into the dogs body, and may result in the head or more being left in the body. We always find it handy to carry a pair of tweezers around with us when we take Codi out for long walks.

One last thing! Ticks can actually attach themselves to humans too and can cause a bad disease in some cases. Make sure keep your legs covered when walking through bracken, ferns and moorland.

There is plenty of information on the Burgess Supadog website which can help you to care for your dog in the best possible way. You can also download a Care Guide!

Thankyou for reading & good luck with your Flea and Tick control!

-Steph & Codi

All of the family woke up earlier than usual as the news of the heavy down fall soon travelled fast throughout the house, and we began to panic as we thought we would end up snowed in.  Before he’s even got outside Codi and his sixth sense knew that there was something abnormal going off. He began to get more and more excited and as he ran down stairs after my mum shouted ‘wee wees’ he began jumping and scratching up at the door bursting to get outside. He knew what was waiting for him outside! After calming our crazy dog down, we slowly opened the back door, and like a rocket he was out into the white blanket of snow. He began jumping and pouncing and doing laps around the garden, he then ran back inside of the house where we were all stood watching him as if to say “come one everyone! Come and have a look at this!” he then dashed outside again and repeated his jumping, pouncing and running sequence. He then ran back in the house for a second attempt to show the family what the white stuff was that had magically appeared in our garden, It was an extraordinary scene!

We wanted to make the most of the weather so we took him out on a long walk; he loved trekking through the snow and exploring in the fields, he likes to stick his nose in the snow to have a sniff about, he also likes to dig through it and his huge paws help him move better through the snow that a human.  After doing our research surrounding huskies and snow, I discovered that there is such a thing as “Snow Nose”; this is fairly common in Siberians. A snow nose is a reddish or pink marking on a black or liver coloured nose. Snow nose can disappear over warmer months and reappear over the winter months. There is nothing wrong with a snow nose, and it is perfectly acceptable in the Siberians.  After seeking advice from other Husky owners online we were advised not to worry about it, as it is caused by lack of sunlight! Despite the weather yesterday, it is starting to get warmer. So snow nose shouldn’t be a (potential) problem until next winter. There is only reason to worry about it if you see loss of pigment & hair around mouth, eyes, ears, & dry flaky sores as this could be a zinc deficiency.

Here are some pictures from yesterday:

Siberian Huskies are an Arctic Breed (A Northern Breed) Their thick double coat, a coarse outer coat plus a woolly undercoat, insulates and protects them from the harshest weather, They can tolerate temperatures of minus 50-minus 75 degrees below zero. Huskies enjoy the cold weather and they love snow! They’re strong, adventurous, agile and full of energy.

Thankyou to Burgess Supadog Sensitive producing such a great food that Codi loves aswell as keeping him fueled for long walks in the colder weather.