Dogs
How Long Can a Dog Be in a Crate? A Plain-English Answer
From Peak District Puddles to Crate Conundrums The rain was doing that classic Peak District thing – coming down sideways – and I was staring at a brand-new puppy crate in the middle of the kitchen. Next to it, a small, furry creature was methodically un-stuffing a cushion, looking utterly pleased with his work. That’s […]
Why Your Dog is Gagging But Not Throwing Up: A Practical Look at the Causes
That Awful Sound in the Middle of the Night It’s a sound that can jolt you out of the deepest sleep. A horrible, hacking, gagging noise from the dog’s bed that has you fumbling for the light switch, heart pounding. You expect to find a puddle of sick to clean up, but instead, your dog […]
How Much Wet Food Should My Dog Get? Getting Portions Right
Figuring Out Your Dog’s Dinner The rain was lashing against the kitchen window, a proper Peak District welcome. Inside, my collie, Bess, was staring at me with those ‘is it dinner time yet?’ eyes. I was staring at a new tin of dog food, utterly baffled by the chart on the back. A dog of […]
Why is My Lad Suddenly So Clingy? A Practical Look at Needy Dogs
From Independent to Inseparable: What’s Going On? It was a Tuesday. A particularly damp and dreary Peak District Tuesday, the kind where the clouds seem to be sitting on the roof. I was trying to get a bit of work done, but my concentration was shot. Not by the rain drumming on the window, but […]
A Step-by-Step Method: How to Clean Dog Vomit from Carpet (For Fresh and Dried Stains)
The Unmistakable Sound of Carpet Calamity There are few sounds that can jolt a dog owner from a deep sleep, or make them leap from the sofa, quite like the pre-vomit ‘heave-ho’. You know the one. That guttural, rhythmic churning that signals imminent doom for the nearest patch of carpet. It’s a moment of pure, […]
How to Safely Get Mats Out of Dog Hair
That Sinking Feeling: Finding a Nasty Mat in Your Dog’s Fur There’s nothing quite like that feeling, is there? You’re giving your dog a proper fuss after a long, muddy stomp through the fields, and your fingers snag on it: a solid, tangled clump of fur. A proper, stubborn mat. My heart always sinks a […]
How Long Does It Take a Dog to Digest Food? An Owner’s Complete Guide
How Long Does It Take a Dog to Digest Food? A Plain English Guide The other day, I was out on the moors with the dogs. Fern, my hyperactive Spaniel, was doing her usual zig-zagging, while Buster, my Labrador who operates on the principle that all food is *his* food eventually, was sniffing out a […]
Why Does My Dog Have Eye Boogers? A Complete Guide to Causes, Types, and Safe Cleaning
What Are Dog Eye Boogers, Anyway? (And Are They Normal?) The other morning, I nearly tripped over Buster, my food-obsessed Lab, who was performing his usual door-stop impression by the kettle. I glanced down and saw it: a proper, Grade-A bit of crusty gunk in the corner of his eye. For a split second, the […]
Why Is My Dog’s Teeth Chattering? A Plain-English Guide
That Odd Clacking Sound: Unpacking Why Your Dog’s Teeth are Chattering It’s a funny old sound, isn’t it? That rapid-fire clack-clack-clack of your dog’s jaw going like the clappers. I first heard it from Fern, my live-wire Spaniel, after a particularly bracing yomp up Mam Tor. She was soaked, happy, and her jaw was going […]
Why Is My Dog Being Sick After Drinking Water? A Practical Guide
Right Then, Let’s Talk About Puddles on the Kitchen Floor The other day, we got back from a proper yomp up Mam Tor. Fern, my whirlwind of a Spaniel, made a beeline for the water bowl and drank like she was trying to empty a reservoir. Thirty seconds later… whoosh. A perfect, crystal-clear puddle appeared […]