Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) - The final chapter.

It's been a busy week and firstly we'd like to thank everyone who has read our posts - we hope you found them helpful!

Puppy Awareness Week may have drawn to a close now, but we urge you to keep on learning. You can truly never know too much about dogs/your breed. A dogs life can span 10 - 15 years, or more. You can't expect to learn everything you'll need in that time, in just 1 week. Owning a dog teaches you something new each day you're with them, whether it's from an educational point of view, or they simply teach you how to have a little more kindness and compassion.

Dogs will teach you how to kick back and relax, how to jump up and play, how to be delighted by the every day things we humans seem to pass by. I don't necessarily recommend you stop and smell everything your dog does, but taking some time to 'smell the roses' never hurt anybody. And you can sure bet your dog will find you some lovely ones!

Your dog will show you real loyalty and teach you a new language, dogs don't have words because they don't need them, anything that can't be said with a tilt of the head, a well placed paw or the use of their expressive eyes, isn't worth hearing sometimes anyway, is it?

We hope you've had a 'ball' this week and will continue to learn about your very best friend, your dog.

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) - Part 5

Did you take that deep breath we mentioned last time? If not don't worry, puppy training really isn't all that bad... The time and patience you put in will be rewarded ten fold the first time you really need your dog to do something and lo and behold she/he does it! Plus the sense of pride you'll get when you puppy learns something new is always nice ;)

To begin with your puppy really only needs the basics - house training and simple commands like 'sit', 'stay', 'down', 'heel' and 'come' - commands like these are not only impressive and stimulating, but essential in keeping your puppy safe, especially later on when you take them out and about. We started teaching Lola 'sit' and 'down' a while ago, to get an idea of what to expect you can check out this video! :)

'Drop'/'leave' is also a worthwhile command for puppies, as many tiny mouths like to chew and they often like to chew things they really shouldn't. There's a long list of unsafe foods/plants that they'll love having a go at, so prevention is better than a cure! Another thing to consider is loose wires, if your puppy chews them sure your appliance will need repairs or to be be replaced, but your puppy may come off needing to be 'repaired' too... and I'm sure you don't even want to think of having to 'replace' them! So take extra care to make sure all wires and cables are firmly out of the reach of tiny teeth. Don't forget appliances that come and go, things like hoovers need to be turned off at the socket or unplugged when not in use, even turning your back on them for 30 seconds to answer the phone could result in a burnt tongue, or a lot worse...

Now puppy is home you'll want to make an appointment for their vaccinations, worming and micro chipping, plus a general health check to make sure everything is as it should be. It's a great time to ask for any advice from your vet and start building a good relationship with them, so don't be afraid to ask questions, they should be happy to help you. It's also time to get puppy settled, keeping the first few days calm and quiet is helpful. it might be hard to say 'no' to say excited relatives/friends, but your pup needs his/her time to settle, the move is a big change and can be a little daunting for even the most confident puppy.

Tomorrow - is your pup a star? Find out with Pup Idol, part of PAW thanks to the Kennel Club!

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) - Part 4

So you've done all the leg work, researched your breed, made your choices, found your breeder, saved your pennies, puppy proofed and talked to your family. You're ready for your puppy. Or are you?

Like preparing for a baby there's a fair bit of kit you're going to need! You're going to need everything from bowls, food, toys and a bed, a crate, to a carrier to transport your puppy home in, a lead and collar, blankets, puppy training pads and maybe an experienced friend on hand, should you need some advice. Don't forget things like pet gates, for puppy proofing and cable covers to keep little teeth safely away from wires! When you get your puppy the breeder should have included a small bag of the food he/she has weaned your puppy on to. Cross tapering on to a food of your choice over a period of 1 - 2 weeks is always best to avoid upset tummies! Food is an important part of your puppies life, so taking some extra care and choosing the best food you can is priceless in preparing your dogs body for a healthy life.

Our crate!

(Ours is from the Croft website, it's an Alpine cage in pink)

Now you've got all you need, found your perfect breeder, gone to see some puppies they have available. You have a furry multi pup whirlwind of cuteness dashing around your feet, so how the heck do you choose which bundle of love to take home?

I have to answer this with a story - When you go to see a litter, it's likely you'll have seen a picture of the litter and whether you admit it or not you're probably going to be leaning towards 1 or 2 pups based off the photo. I did it, with my first Chihuahua, Buffy. I went with 2 of her litter mates in mind, when we got there however 1 was far too timid for us and the other I didn't click with. I never looked twice at Buffy in the picture, but as soon as I picked her up something clicked and I knew she was 'the one' for me.

Buffy's Litter 

(You can see her easily, she's the only one with a mask lol!)

If you can put looks aside, there will absolutely be one puppy who grabs your heart and is not going to let go. If none of the puppies do that then don't be afraid to walk away, you owe it to yourself and to that puppy too, it could be perfect for someone else. There will be other litters. Buffy's markings/colouring may not have jumped out at me but her personality did and I think she's as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than any of her litter mates ever could be.
Love isn't fur deep!

At this point you'll have a puppy! Congratulations :)
If you thought choosing your puppy was a labour of love, you best take a deep breath, because tomorrow comes the training...

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S Sorry this post went up a little late - we had a busy morning having our new fence put up! We'll post all about it in a few days! :)

Puppy Farming ePetition! (PAW)

It's a campaign close to the hearts of many and it's backed by millions, it's the fight to end the cruel practice of 'Puppy Farming'. The KC, amongst others, are pushing for an end to hundreds of thousands of dogs' suffering. They can't do it alone though, they need your support! So we urge you to sign here and help convince the UK Government to take puppy farming more seriously. If 100,000 people sign it then it will go forward to be debated in the House of Commons! So if you haven't already signed please take 2 seconds to add your name to the list of people who are backing this campaign.

By signing you're not only helping end suffering, you're also helping educate people and by spreading the word so much heartache could be avoided. If more people know about the horrors that go on and what to look out for, imagine how many people would be able to spot a 'farmed' puppy and report it. That puppy would then be removed, looked after and the farm shut down. As for the farmer, they'd get everything they deserve. Without public knowledge though things will continue and so many young puppies will be born into an endless cycle of over breeding and abuse. Please do your part and spread the word, share the petition any way you can and help put a stop to puppy farming, forever.

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) - Part 3

Last time we looked at choosing your breed, well what if you've not been around that many breeds of dog? Or what if you like the sound of a slightly more unusual breed of dog, that you've never even heard of before? Well all is not lost!

Sometimes you might want something a little bit different, or come across a breed that seems suitable for you, but you've never heard of it, so then what do you do? Well the best thing is to go along to dog shows, there's no better way to meet your chosen breed in person and meet people who not only own and love the breed but will also know more than their fair share about it too.

If you have 1 or 2 breeds in mind you can go along to any of the hundreds of breed specific shows held countrywide, or if you have a longer list of dog breeds to choose from you, especially unusual ones, you could consider going along to something like Discover Dogs! Going along to these kind of events is a great way to get any questions you might have answered. It's also a good place to start looking around for the right breeder for you, after all the right breeder will bring you the right pup. A bad breeder may not bring a bad pup but they will most likely bring a pup with poor health and a bad start in life. The wrong breeder could be selling you fur covered heart ache, while the right breeder could sell you love on 4 paws.

You can find some superb breeders through the KC's Assured Breeder Scheme. A good breeder will be willing to go the extra mile for you, in terms of matching you with a suitable puppy, advising you on temperament, giving you advice on how to care for them and much more. A lot of breeders will give you a 'puppy pack' which will give you things such a a blanket that smells of mummy doggy to help settle your new puppy and bits such as the food your pup has been weaned on to. To avoid upset tummies it's always best to cross taper them on to the food of your choice after a week or 2 of having them. A caring breeder will be on hand and many like to stay in touch and keep up to speed with their puppies!

There's no rush to get a puppy, they'll be with you for years, all being well, so take your time finding the right one. A lot of top breeders will have waiting lists, sometimes a litter or 2 in advance! Don't let this discourage you though, it just means people are prepared to queue for their puppies... They obviously have something worth the wait!

We'll continue tomorrow with what to do once you've made your final decision on a breed and a breeder!

So until then,
Enjoy your Puppy Awareness Week,
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) - Part 2

As promised in our last post, we're back! This will be the first in a short series of information and advice based posts, in honour of Puppy Awareness Week! We'll be covering 1 or 2 different aspects of dog ownership every day, so be sure to check back :)

Ready then? Here we go...

Are you ready for a puppy?
One of the key things in preventing rising numbers in dog shelters, is evaluating how suitable your life is for a puppy/dog. So many people get a dog to then find they can't afford it, can't cope or as some people in rented properties can find, simply aren't allowed one.

Only if you have the time and money for a puppy should you consider getting one. Consider your family situation, if a (human) baby comes along unplanned, will the puppy pay for it by losing its new home? Money sadly plays a huge part of a lot of dogs ending up in shelters, so look at your bank balance before looking at a litter! Aside from the initial cost of the puppy and obvious expenses like food, toys, puppy vaccinations, yearly boosters, micro chipping, spaying/neutering etc, you could also run into unexpected costs with things like illnesses.

Your puppy/dog getting ill  isn't something anyone wants to imagine but every eventuality should be prepared for! When you buy a puppy you take out an unspoken moral contract, a silent agreement to love, protect and care for your puppy, for as long as he/she lives. Pet insurance is often the best way forward for those of us who aren't heir's to a throne or empire.

There's also things like exercising your puppy, taking time to play with them and training them to consider. A puppy brings a lot of love to your life, but it will need a lot of attention and work in return. The reward will outweigh any effort on your part though, so it's worth putting your best foot forward and going in with your sleeves rolled up. Whether you're new at this or not, puppy training classes are a great way to get some expert help and provide your puppy with invaluable early experiences and socialisation.

The second most important part of preparing for a puppy is making sure you get the right dog for you. Forget Mr/Mrs Right, it's your perfect pup that you want to find! The first thing to decide is if you want a pedigree or a cross and if there are any breeds that stand out to you. Older dogs have as many benefits as puppies and may be easier on first time owners, so don't rule out the golden oldies, they still have a lot of loyalty and love to give. Then take into account you have over 210 breeds to choose from and you will begin to realise it's a decision worth taking some time over...

A good thing to do is to make a 'short list', single out 3 - 5 breeds you have some love for, then research those breeds until you could do an exam on them. Different breeds have different requirements, so you need to be looking for one that will suit the kind of life you live.

If you think a cross breed or an older dog could steal your heart, try taking a look at a dog who needs a hero willing to give them a second chance. Charities like Oldies Club, Blue Cross, RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home do amazing jobs and could have your best friend waiting for you!

Next time we'll be giving our views and ideas on how to meet your chosen breed in person before you buy and all about finding the right breeder for you, so be sure to check back tomorrow!

We hope you're enjoying Puppy Awareness Week so far,
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) and Pup Aid - Part 1

Today marks the beginning of the Kennel Club's first annual Puppy Awareness Week (PAW; 12th - 18th September) where they're aiming to spread not only love, but knowledge, about our tiny furry friends.

The aim is to give both existing and potential owners as much information as possible, including training tips and to spread the word on the fight to end Puppy Farming. Every dog started its life as a puppy and every experienced owner started out as a nervous novice, so the KC wants to help make those first steps a little easier and get new owners on the path towards being a loving, informed, responsible carer for generations of dogs to come.

Seeing as it's Puppy Awareness Week, we'll be doing a week of posts - We'll post daily segments on all the different aspects of puppy ownership throughout the week and we'll also be covering Pup Aid later in this post. We will cover everything from the exciting side of puppy ownership - choosing and researching your breed, getting ready for your puppy, bringing them home - to the heartbreaking side most people think they'll never see - the cruelty of puppy farmers and how you can help. There's a lot to say, so lets jump right in...

We'll cover everything we can think of for the happy side of PAW over the next few days, however sometimes things don't go the way we'd like and that needs attention too! The KC, coupled with everyone behind Pupaid, including Marc Abraham - TV vet and author of 'Vet on Call', are leading the fight against Puppy Farming. They're bringing knowledge to those who need it most - the people buying the puppies.

The second annual Pup Aid is being described as a 'boutique music festival and celebrity judged charity dog show'. Celebs such as actress and Strictly Come Dancing star Ali Bastian will be judging the dog show and there will be a whole host of live bands! It will be held on the last day of PAW (18th September) at Stanmer House near Brighton, Sussex. Be sure to grab your tickets before they're gone!

The message is to get involved in Puppy Awareness Week however you can, whether you donate by buying one of the KC's fabulous badges (we have ours!) or you go along to Pupaid to support the cause and do some sneaky celeb spotting!

Whatever you do we hope you'll get behind our dogs and celebrate all things puppy. It might be obvious with our 5 girls that puppies have been a huge part of our lives here over the past few years and will continue to be, however it has to be said Puppy Farming is an issue close to our heart, to find out why and to get more info about the issue, you can take a look at the full story behind getting Buffy here.

Have a wonderful Puppy Awareness Week,
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S To see how Scruffts and Pup Aid will be combined, you might want to have a look at this. :)