I love this article by the Dogs Trust on how to find a good dog walker. I've listed the main points below and you can find the full details…

Our dogs are like family but we don't always think about their diet.  Feeding your dog the right food can help keep them healthy for years to come.  A bad diet can have a negative affect, not just on their health and weight but also on their behaviour.

If you have a dog, you have probably heard of Alabama Rot.  It is a horrible disease that causes skin lesions, vomiting and acute kidney failure. There have been a number of new cases confirmed so far this year in Devon, the New Forest, Hampshire and closer to home in Berkshire. It is important to remember though that while Alabama Rot is a well publicised disease, it is still very rare.  There have been 241 confirmed cases since 2012.

I have tried to make good use of my time during lockdown and have completed a diploma in canine behaviour and training. It was such a good course and I learnt a lot. I'm super proud to have achieved a distinction with 100% in all modules.

All dogs, regardless of age and levels of activity can injure themselves.  If your dog is showing any signs of limping/stiffness, difficulty in walking upstairs/getting into a car, pain during or after exercise, a reluctance to play etc, then they may benefit from seeing a McTimoney Chiropractor.

If you fancy a holiday with your dog this year, then I would highly recommend Widget's Farm Luxury Cabin near Bath.  We stayed here between Christmas and New Year and had a fabulous time. 

Do you know what to do if you find a stray dog or if yours goes missing?  I have noticed a huge increase in the number of dogs posted on social media that are lost or found and thought this article from the Blue Cross was really helpful.

Firework season is here once again!  The loud bangs and pretty lights are fun for us but many dogs find the noise and light flashes very frightening.  You can find some great tips here to help your dog get through ths tricky time.

To celebrate National Dog Day, I thought I would share this fun guide to understanding your dogs body language.  It offers a great visual overview of common dog behaviours and expressions and the meaning behind them.

Happy National Dog Day!

The Doggy Walker is a year old today!  I want to say a massive thank you to all my lovely customers and everyone that has supported me.  The year has flown by, I've learnt so much and had a huge amount of fun along the way!

Summer is finally here so it's really important to keep our dogs cool on hot days.  During my walks, I can't always avoid the midday sun but I will try to keep to shaded areas, places the dogs can swim and avoid too much playing and running around.  I have plenty of water on board my van and will also double check water bowls when I drop your dog back home.  My van is fully ventilated but I will still keep the time spent in the van to a minimum.

Apologies if this blog causes it to rain for the rest of the summer!

I continually strive to offer the best service to my two and four legged customers and as with any job you can never know too much and there are always new things to learn!  So on Saturday I attended a brilliant dog walker workshop with Jo Cottrell at Dog Trouble.

After having to make an emergency dash to the vets this week after finding one of my lovely doggy customers at his home surrounded by empty packets of raisins, I thought it would be a good opportunity to remind you all that raisins, currants and grapes are highly poisonous to dogs and can be fatal even in small doses.  Luckily the little pup has pulled through and will hopefully be fighting fit and back walking with the doggy walker pack next week!  You can find more details on common dog poisons and what you need to do if you suspect your dog has been poisoned here.

Did you know as of April 2016 it will be compulsory to have your dog microchipped and you face a £500 fine for not complying? Microchipping your dog gives them the best chance of being identified and returned to you if they become lost or stolen and it’s a simple and quick procedure carried out by your vet. You can find more details on the Pet Log website.

Halloween and Bonfire Night can be a very frightening time for dogs.  This is a great artice from The Kennel Club with lots of advice to help you minimise your dogs stress levels and keep them safe.

Gilda is a lovely Rottie mix from Romania.  She had a tough start in life but is adjusting well to life in the UK and loves to love people.  Gilda is currently in foster with friends of mine and is looking for a family to call her own.  Can you help?

Today we had Lucy the Beagle join us on our dog walks in Wargrave.  What a sweet girl.  Luka and Arielle adored her and so did I - we hope she comes and visits us again soon!  You can check out the photos of Lucy on my website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

Do you have a hectic lifestyle?  Are you finding it tough to find the time and energy to give your beloved pooch the attention and physical exercise they need?
Are you going on holiday?  Do you need a trusted house and dog sitter?

This is a great article from the RSPCA about the importance of not leaving your precious pooch in the car, even for short periods.  If the temperature is 22 degrees outside, your car will reach an unbearable 47 degrees in less than an hour.  You can also find good advice from Thames Valley Police on what action to take if you see a dog locked in a car on a hot day.

Running is a great way of depleting a dogs mental and physical energy so if you have a high energy dog please give me a call.