Burgess Pet Care

So this bank holiday weekend our family decided that we would have a day, and what better place that to go for a day out that the sea side? And of course Codi would have to come with us!

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:

80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease due to lack of brushing. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish its pleasure and ability to eat. Bacteria that develop can infect the heart, kidney, liver and brain. Really bad breath is usually a sign of gum disease.

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.

As a husky owner I am saddend to hear that over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of huskies being sent to rescue centres up and down the country. It’s obvious why people are so attracted to huskies, they really are one of the most attractive breeds around…(Okay I might be a bit biased) They are fluffy and cuddly and look absolutely adorable!

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

While it was bad news for the majority of people who were badly hit by the snow yesterday, it was fantastic news for Codi! Our garden was transformed into a scene from Narnia and he couldn’t contain his excitement.

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.

The other day I was walking Codi through my local park, the sun was beaming down on me and the birds were out chirping, and it was a great feeling knowing that spring was finally here, but along with the nice weather comes an abundance of floral blossoms and there’s also a thick presence of pollen. As well as setting off your allergies, it can also affect your pet! Your pets can suffer from seasonal allergies just like humans. Flowers are blooming and the trees are getting green, the beginning of spring is a beautiful sight but the colourful blooms can mean a lot of sneezing and itching.

In this week’s Diary of a Supadog I’ll be discussing the things that myself and my family are going to do to protect Codi from allergies. After doing some research I’ve come up with a few tips on how you can protect your dog from those dreaded pollen attacks!

Firstly things to look for are:
• Low grade fevers
• You may begin to notice they’re sneezing a lot
• If they don’t feel good they will tend to lay around more
• They can start to paw their face when their eyes become dry and sore.
• They can also begin with a nasty cough

It’s important to catch these symptoms at an early stage and to get your pet help quickly because they can be prone to bad sinus infections, they can also scratch their eyes so much corneal ulcers can form and then it becomes a far more serious problem.

Here’s my checklist of things to do that can help prepare Codi for the arrival of the warm weather:
• We need to ensure that his flea and tick protection is up to date.
• We need to make sure his first aid kit is up to date because especially because he’s prone to mishaps and injuries when he’s out walking. Dogs are different from humans and they need their own kind of first aid kit.

• Our spring planting needs to be pet-friendly, some flowering plants, bulbs and shrubs can be toxic so to ensure Codi isn’t in danger it’s important that we find out about potential poisonous plants that can be found in our garden.

Click Here For A Full List

• As I discussed in my previous dog diary post Codi’s thick coat takes a lot of grooming, but this season his coat is going to malt even more because he’s beginning to lose his thicker winter coat, so I think a trip to the grooming salon is in order to get him prepared for the warmer weather.
• There’s no better time to have a cleanup of Codi’s gear. Spring cleaning is a great time to replace Codi’s bedding, toys, bowls and grooming tools. It’s also a great time to stock up with a new supply of Burgess Supadog Sensitive- British Lamb and Rice that he loves!

The arrival of spring is a great time for all of us, but even more so for Codi and becuase we’ve taken time out to do our research we can now ensure that Codi is protected and that he can enjoy playing outdoors to the maximum and following these steps will make the transition to warmer weather a smooth one!

Dog’s are amazing animals. They are friendly and loving, able to learn new tricks and behaviours, and will keep you company whenever you want. But we need to remember that they are dogs and not humans, and they can be prone to misbehaving. There will be times when dogs will misbehave, and the more badly they behave, the more frustrating it can be, so I thought behaviour could be the theme of this week’s dog diary.

Codi is an all around well behaved dog because we have worked hard with him from the very beginning. We’ve developed a close relationship and because of this we have been able to prevent any major behaviour problems. But due to his ‘husky temperament’ he can sometimes be very stubborn when he decides to take that extra couple of seconds do what he’s told, and he sometimes likes to push the boundaries when he thinks he’s the alpha male of the house.

This week I experienced a particular interesting moment with Codi. When he was told to “lie down” after he was begging for food, he lay directly in front of my mum and kept putting his paw on her foot, my mum then responded back to him by placing her hand on top his paw. I thought this was quite unusual and I was intrigued as to why she responded like that. She then explained that when he puts his paw on top of your foot, it’s a sign that he thinks he’s the top dog or leader of the pack, so when she responds by putting her hand on his paw it’s a reminder that he isn’t the alpha male.

This scenario got me thinking about the ways in which we cope with Codi when he starts to misbehave.
Firstly, I think that it’s important that he has a daily routine because consistency and structure helps to promote good behaviour, we then reward good behaviour with a reward. We also find that the more exercise Codi gets the less naughty he’s likely to be because he’s completely worn out!

The only major problem we used to have was when Codi was younger; he had a big chewing problem. He would chew everything! I recall one time my sister had spent a lot of money on a book for university and it was posted through the letter box, we came home to find it had been ripped into a million pieces! His personal favourites were shoes and with my mum, dad and two sisters he had a great selection to choose from. We cured this problem by firstly attaching an outside letterbox, so that straight away prevented any temptation. We then began hiding dog treats in his toys, this method keeps him occupied and stimulated and ever since we introduced it he hasn’t chewed anything!

When he has been naughty we find that commanding him to “lay” works because again this is a sign of submission. Occasionally we found that Codi would sometimes come up to us and would just stare at us in a dominant kind of way, like he was the alpha male. We found that keeping eye contact with him until he turned his head away is a sign of submission and this tells him that he’s not the leader of the pack.

We also used to find it stressful when we used to walk him because he would pull; now we use a harness that prevents him from pulling too much and he walks lovely! Even when we attach a different lead he still walks nicely. We’re still not confident enough to let him off the lead because we know that with his husky instinct he will be far too tempted to run away, but were taking small steps by gradually giving him that extra bit of trust when it comes down to letting him off the leash. When other dogs approach him we usually get him to sit until they’ve passed, and again we reward him with a small treat.

One thing that we have NO intention of stopping Codi doing is digging holes in the back garden because this is what huskies naturally do, out in the wild they use these holes to keep warm. Codi likes to dig and bury and we did plenty of research around this area and knew what we were letting ourselves in for when we first got him.

Because we gave Codi so much time and attention at the beginning of our relationship, we have been able to prevent any major problems happening and make the minor issues pretty easy to take care of.

This week I’m sure quite a few people have noticed the change in the weather. It’s becoming brighter and warmer and it finally feels like spring is on its way! But spring is not just the season for a rise in temperature; it’s the season of shredding for Codi! And this can only mean one thing…

Attack of the fur ball!

…When Codi sheds his fur it can be very hard work.  When Siberian Huskies shed they REALLY do shed! Unlike short-haired breeds of Dogs which shed constantly, Siberians shed copiously twice a year generally in spring and autumn. They have a complete makeover (hair-wise) and they literally blow out their coat.

We spend A LOT of time grooming Codi, as I’ve mentioned in previous diary post, he’ll quite happily lay there because he loves being brushed, but this week our family feel like the brushing is a never ending cycle. Where does all of this hair come from? The other day, after an hour of laying there without a care in the world, I managed to brush around 2 carrier bags full of hair out of him…Yes!.. Literally…2 carrier bags FULL!

Before we got Codi, our sofa was immaculate, now it’s covered in tufts of thick grey hairs because it’s his favourite spot to curl up and relax. He usually has two positions, he can compact himself into the smallest ball possible minimizing the spread of hair.

OR if he’s feeling that extra bit wilful he’ll spread himself out into the position we like to call the “I’m going to get a bit more comfortable” pose,  this pose ensures that every inch of the sofa is covered.

As we’ve had Codi for a number of years now we’ve gotten used to the fact that most of time our home will covered in hair. We can sweep up and then straight after do another round with the brush, because it seems to magically re appear out of nowhere. On the other hand Codi’s shedding is not always a bad thing, as we tend to brush him in the back garden, birds LOVE to use his hair for their nests, so it keep their eggs nice and warm.

It’s important to remember that for a healthy coat ALL dogs should be fed on a high quality dog food and ever since we changed Codi’s food to Burgess Supadog Sensitive-Scottish Salmon and Rice the condition of his coat has improved. Out of all the products we’ve tried Codi on, this is definitely his favourite, he can’t get enough! This product is fantastic and it makes dinner time an exciting time.

We know that we’ve got a while to yet before he stops malting, but thanks to Burgess Pet Care, when his new coat comes through his coat is going to be a sight worth seeing, and we can’t wait to see the full benefits of Supadog Scottish Salmon and Rice in action! Yes, it can be hard work having a husky and the mess that comes along with one, but in our opinion it’s such a small price to pay for having such an amazing companion that’s bursting with so much energy and personality!

It’s Steph here giving you the latest update of the adventures (and mainly mischief ) Codi has been involved in this week. It’s been a busy week for Codi with plenty of exercise (and we all know what plenty of exercise means a hungry dog) and what better way to get a husky exercising? Dog scootering! And it’s not only fun for the Codi, but for the rider too!

Codi is bursting with energy and he loves to run and pull, and dog scootering is the perfect sport for him. Codi is harnessed onto the scooter, this makes him work harder than with just a standard lead, this gives him more freedom which is always good to see, and it’s great that we don’t have to control him by tugging on the lead.

How we Introduced Codi to Scootering

The first time we introduced the scooter to Codi was after he was 1 and when he was in his prime. Firstly it was important for us as the owners to get used to how the scooter rides and to generally get a feel for it so we were confident enough to ride. Then we began with the small steps to get Codi used to it, we then started with small trips and we found that someone running beside him really encourage him to get running. He loved his first lesson!

Now, It takes no encouragement at all, he’s like PRO

So as a special treat we decided to take Codi to the Trans Pennine Trail this weekend, the long and straight paths are a perfect location. We fitted his harness (after 5 minutes of an over excited jumping Codi, we managed to calm him down) we were ready to go, and after a few backwards looks from Codi as if to say “Come on! What are we waiting for” my dad let out a great big “Hike” and in a split second he was off bombing down the path like a lightning bolt. It was fantastic to see him run so fast, and so free. Huskies love working in teams but seeing Codi pulling my dad along really did show the bond between a man and his dog.

When Codi got home he tucked into a nice bowl of his new favourite dog food, Burgess Supadog -Scottish Salmon and Rice and accompanied by a big bowl of water, I can safely say he was one tired Dog!

Last week I introduced you to Codi my blue eyed stunner of a Siberian Husky. His favourite things in the world are long walks and big cuddles. He’s not allowed on the sofa but when he jumps and places his head on my lap, it’s easy to resist giving him a telling off. He also loves it when his thick and shiny coat gets a good brushing, and will quite happily lay there for hours on end getting pampered.

We think he is beautiful but he does have one slight drawback… flatulence! Codi’s wind problem sometimes can clear a room! I mentioned this to a colleague recently and they suggested I give Supadog Sensitive a try. So we did…

We were excited to see what Codi (and his extremely high standards) thought of it and before we could even manage to open the bag Codi was sniffing around at the scent he’d picked up.

We started Codi off on the Scottish Salmon and Rice by mixing a small amount into the food that he was already on. It’s important to make a gradual transaction to avoid any stomach upset. Before we managed to get the Supadog kibble into the original dog food Codi had his nose in the bowl, he loved the smell and the taste and literally couldn’t wait!

We are now looking forward to see the physical change in Codi after a few months of changing to Supadog Sensitive, and we hope that Codi continues to stay happy with this food. We also hope it can help cure some of his smellier moments!

The Vitamins and nutrients are guaranteed to improve his overall wellbeing, which is great for us as dog owners as well as Codi, We look forward to giving his lovelier, shinier and healthier coat a regular and good grooming!

Hi, my name is Steph, and I’m the latest member of the Burgess Pet Care online marketing team.  I’m a huge animal lover and the proud owner of a 5 year old Siberian husky named Codi.  Siberian huskies’ are renowned for their huge personalities and Codi is no exception. He spends a large amount of time playing (most of the time getting up to mischief) being groomed (Oh! to have the life of a dog!) and begging for dog treats. Puppy dog eyes are surely familiar to anyone who owns a dog!

Making a Dog a new addition the family wasn’t a decision that could be made over night, as there are so many things that we needed to take into consideration first. For example, would we able to give the dog plenty of exercise? Could we figure out a schedule around our working lives so that the dog wouldn’t be left alone for long periods of time? We knew from past experience that a new dog would need time to settle in to our home and we wanted to ensure the experience was completely stress-free.  Fortunately for my family there is someone at home during the day, so we could be confident that our new four legged friend would not be left for prolonged periods of time.

After a lot of planning we decided that we wanted to rescue a Siberian husky, as there are many huskies that are abandoned or given away because people don’t realise how much hard work goes into looking after them. As a family we are very familiar with dogs and felt confident that this breed was right for us.

Huskies like being part of a pack and this is what we love about this particular breed of dog; being part of the pack means being part of the family. Huskies need loads of exercise as they are big dogs but this is fine because all of my family are extremely active and love going on long walks and runs all over Yorkshire. This ensures that we have plenty of time and energy as a family to exercise such a high maintenance dog.

After doing our research into the huskie’s behaviour we discovered that they make ‘scrapes’ which are shallow holes that they dig in the wild to keep themselves warm. We had to prepare ourselves for Codi doing this in our garden, so we expected holes to be dug out all over the place! We also had to take into consideration the cost of owning such a breed; we wanted to get him micro chipped and had to think about the cost of vets bills, food, toys and grooming.

When we rescued Codi he was just over a year old, and he was quite a reserved and quiet dog. We expected it to take quite a while for him settle into our family, but it was surprising that it only took a few days for him to feel comfortable. Before long we had a content and happy companion.

Codi has been with us for four years now and is a real part of the family. We get up to some fantastic adventures and every week I will update you with some of the highlights.

So for this week “Goodbye” from myself and Codi!