Why Does My Dog Stand On Me? Unpacking 9 Common Reasons
Why Does My Dog Stand On Me? Unpacking 9 Common Reasons The other morning, I was stood in the kitchen, still half-asleep, waiting for the kettle to boil for that first essential brew. My border terrier, Pip, trotted in from the garden, took one look at my clean walking socks, and promptly planted both muddy […]
Dog Crying in Sleep? Unpacking Their Dreams and When to Worry
From Twitching Whiskers to Sleepy Woofs The other night, the log burner was ticking away and Bess, my trusty Border Terrier, was flat out on the rug. One moment, snoozing peacefully. The next, her paws are going like the clappers, there’s a muffled ‘woof’, and a little whimper. Classic squirrel-chasing dream, no doubt. It’s a […]
What’s All That Licking About? A Look at Why Dogs Clean Each Other’s Ears
The Slobbery Social Ritual Unpacked Picture the scene. You’ve just got back from a blustery walk over the tops, the dogs are knackered, and you’ve finally sat down with a brew. All is peaceful. Then, the sound starts. That rhythmic, slightly wet schlurp, schlurp, schlurp. You look over, and there’s Pip, head tilted, giving Bramble’s […]
Caught with a Cobble? Why Your Dog Eats Rocks and What to Do About It
Why Your Dog Might Be Snacking on Stones There’s nothing quite like a crisp walk in the Peaks, is there? The other day, I was out with my lad near Castleton, soaking it all in, when I heard that awful, unmistakable sound: a crunching, grinding noise that wasn’t boots on the path. I turned round […]
What to Engrave on a Dog Tag: Getting the Essentials Right
That Heart-Stopping Moment The other day, I was out on a particularly drizzly bit of moorland, the kind of day where the clouds are wearing the hills like a hat. I saw a little terrier, trotting along the path with a sense of purpose but not a soul with him. My heart did that familiar […]
How to Wash a Dog Bed: A No-Nonsense Method for a Fresh and Clean Bed
That Telltale Whiff: When You Know It’s Time to Wash the Dog Bed There’s a certain aroma that can only mean one thing. It’s not the pleasant smell of rain on the fells or a Sunday roast in the oven. No, this is the lingering, all-pervading scent of ‘eau de damp dog’ that has slowly […]
Fed Up with Dog Marking in the House? Here’s What to Do.
Is It Scent Marking or Just a Potty Accident? First, we need to be clear on what we’re dealing with. It’s easy to assume your house-trained dog has forgotten their manners, but urine marking is quite different from a full-blown potty accident. Urine Marking is about communication. Your dog is leaving a small calling card, […]
Stop the Dog Raiding the Cat’s Loo: A Practical Plan
Why Is My Dog So Interested in the Cat’s Litter Tray? Right, let’s have a frank chat. I once walked into the utility room to find my terrier, Pip, snout-deep in the cat’s litter tray, looking up at me with what I can only describe as a face of pure, crunchy bliss. The cat, looking […]
Safely Helping Your Underweight Dog Gain Condition
Is Your Dog Looking a Bit Ribby? Here’s How to Help. The other week, after a long yomp up Mam Tor, I looked at my lad Alfie and thought he seemed a bit… tucked up. He’d been off his food for a day or two after a minor tummy bug, and you could just about […]
How to Safely Get Sap Out of Dog Fur
That Sticky Situation: A Dog, a Pine Forest, and a Messy Predicament There’s a certain patch of woodland just outside of Buxton, thick with pine trees, that I swear my dog is magnetically drawn to. The other week, after a particularly enthusiastic session of sniffing and rolling, he trotted back to the car looking pleased […]