Puppy Sleep Training: Final Post for this Puppy Week Here's your plan for puppy bedtime success: Cozy Crate Setup: Use a crate (highly...

Bringing Home Your New Puppy The big day has arrived - you're bringing your new family member home! While it's an exciting time, it's crucial to approach it with a calm and prepared mindset. Here's a guide to make your puppy's homecoming a pawsitive experience: Timing is Everything: Bring your pup home early in the morning. This gives you a full day to help them settle in before bedtime. Evening arrivals can lead to sleepless nights for everyone! Keep Calm and Puppy On: Your

So you have decided what breed of dog you want, you have found a breeder (see yesterday's post), you are thinking about whether you want a boy or a girl, and if there is a particular colour you are looking for. And now you are on your way to see the pups for the first time. REMEMBER - pups give off pheromones like babies. It’s a special scent that says ‘love me’ ‘take me home’ ‘you can’t leave without me’. I’m not kidding, they really do. So you must prepare yourself to say n

When you're finding the right breeder there is a lot to consider, but hopefully this post will help! Here are some questions that you can ask a breeder even before you see the pups: How old is the mum? How many litters has she had, when did she have her first litter? If mum is under 2 years old, or was when she had her first litter, it is a big no. The mum needs to be over 2 to have given her body time to mature. You could also ask is it their (the human's) first litter they

Are you thinking of getting a puppy? If you are definitely going for it, or if it's something you've been thinking about for a while, make sure you follow my posts this coming week as we are going to be talking all about puppies! https://calendly.com/thecambridgedoglodge/initial_guidance_session https://calendly.com/thecambridgedoglodge/one-off-puppy-guidance

Dog Owners, Let's Talk About Extension Leads We've all seen them, and maybe you've used one - those retractable dog leads that seem so convenient. But as a pet expert and safety advocate, I want to share some important information about why these leads might not be the best choice for your furry friend. The Hidden Dangers of Extension Leads: Lack of Control: Ever tried to grip one of these handles tightly? It's not easy, especially if your dog decides to bolt. If it slips o

This week I am dedicating it as Puppy Week! So to kick things off, I want to share with you my insights into owning and caring for puppies, of all shapes and sizes. The two on the above photos are Willow and Barney. They are two of our current dogs. Willow is a cross poodle/bichon/cavalier and Barney is a collie. By time either of these dogs came into our lives, I thought I knew a lot about dogs. I'd cared for puppies, I had trained them and I had lived with them. We made a p

I love puppies. They really are one of the best things about my job. I even love their smell! And no, I am not being odd (though I know many may disagree) they let off a pheromone just like human babies do, leaving us helpless to their power; I always tell people, do not go and see a litter of puppies unless you really are genuine because before you know it you will be bringing one home. Sadly, they don’t stay puppies for very long and before we know it we have a little monst

We all know losing a pet is hard. It is a huge loss especially when they are integral part of the family. It does not have to be a dog or cat, it can be something smaller such as a hamster or a bird, a reptile or a fish. All our pets play important roles in our every day lives, and it is not until we lose them, that we feel the space they leave behind. I remember after our old Golden Retriever, PoppyW died, I would take a huge step into the kitchen like I was stepping over an

Ok, before I continue I want to point out this will be a very photo heavy post because these two are so photogenic and we had fun! And I want to share the views. Also, that me and Vicky had stated only a few days before we would NEVER go on a cruise. But then we went on one. Ok, it's not a cruise cruise, but it was still a cruise. We needed another adventure to go on with the puppies and low and behold there was canal boat trips being advertised for the school holidays that w

This weekend saw the very first breed show for Ren and for me. In all the years of taking care of dogs, I had never taken part in a breed show. So lets just say I was feeling well out of my comfort on the lead up to Saturday. Ren and me had been attending ring craft classes to learn what was expected, and to also make sure Ren was ok walking in a ring and being touched by a stranger/judge. Because after all it is about me and Ren doing something nice and fun together and if R

It has been a really busy couple of weeks and I have not managed to do a blog. I thought it was about time I got back on the blog wagon again and there’s no better way to start than to tell you about the lovely walk we had on Monday. Id arranged a walk with my gorgeous friend Nicola and her lovely cavapoo Dolly, a couple of weeks ago. We have not seen each other for a little while so it was a pleasure to get together with our 4-legged friends for a walk. Nicola is the founder

For the past 6 weeks, Ren and I have attended a puppy class. Despite having dogs all my life (and I mean right from when I was a baby, not just as an adult) I have never attended a puppy class. So I decided when we knew we would be gaining a new addition to our family, that I would take her to a puppy class. It was easier to do because my good friend and colleague Scott Foley, ran a class, so I asked him if had any space. Even we hadn't had that access to a class, we would ha

As I sit here, totally and utterly distracted by Ren. It's not difficult if I am honest. She fascinates me. Obviously having a new puppy is very distracting. You would think I would be used to it by now what with my own dogs and my clients’ puppies, but no, each one grabs me just as much as the last one. And Ren is no exception. I find myself just staring at her – if she could talk she would tell me to stop! I watch her learning all the new things, see her sniffing the air ta