The DogCast Radio blog

I was invited onto the Radio 5 breakfast show this morning to discuss whether dogs should be sleeping on their owner's bed. This is the second time I've been asked on to talk about this issue, and it's one that rumbles around and erupts into the news every so often. Interestingly, the latest survey in the UK has found that almost double the amount of dog owners in Scotland share their bed with a pet than the rest of us further south, and I think it's possibly because the weather up there is slightly cooler.

If you're in the Shropshire, UK, area the following may well be of interest to you:

At the RSPCA Gonsal Farm, Dorrington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
SY5 7ET.

 
17 July 2011
Car Boot Sale. Gonsal Show Field. Gates open at 0830.
Micro - chipping service available for dogs and cats £15,( includes administration fee).
Centre open to public at 11am

04 Sept 2011

We've had some lovely long weekends during May thanks to Easter, May Day and the royal wedding, and we've made the most of it, getting out and about with our dogs. Thinking back over May they've had some very different experiences. We've all climbed to the top of the Stiperstones, where the air is clear and the view breath-taking, but we've also gone underground. When we visited the Snailbeach Mine, I had no idea they would be so dog friendly, but they assured us that as long as the dogs were happy, they were welcome to accompany us into the mine.

So off we set - Buddy and Star trotting along beside us,

I saw two different faces of dog ownership today, and it made me wonder how we can sometimes get it so wrong.
 

If you look at the photo that accompanies this post, you'll see that apparently dogs are both allowed and not allowed into this bank.

I noticed this because I passed this bank in the past and noticed the sign saying dogs were allowed. I was impressed, and thought what a sensible decision to let dogs in. After all there's no food preparation or eating areas, no products on shelves for dogs to sniff or nibble at. So when I passed the bank again today and noticed the other sign that said dogs weren't allowed I was very

On 7th May there's a fun dog show at Plumpton College - that link will tell you more detail about the event. The college is in East Sussex in the UK, and the show is in aid of Lowland Search and Rescue Dogs and Plumpton College charitable Trust.  If you attend that or any other doggy event, we'd love to see photos of what you get up to.

Here's the latest news from amazing surf dog Ricochet:
 

SURF DOG RICOCHET KICKS OFF "RAISE AWARENESS WEDNESDAYS" AS SHE ACHIEVES NEW MILESTONES - 20,000 FANS ON FACEBOOK
& $75,000 IN DONATIONS!

It isn't often you get the offer of something completely free these days, so if you fancy some free training and behaviour advice from expert Debbie Connolly here's how you can get just that:

From status symbol to a child’s best friend – get to know the real ‘nanny’ dog

Animal behaviourist, Debbie Connolly, has campaigned for many years to improve dog breeding practices and the responsibilities of pet ownership and is currently doing talks and seminars at UK shows about pet and child safety. 

As consultant to several animal rescues, she is very aware of the problems facing the bull breeds and rotties due to over breeding from back yard breeders -

If you've listened to Episode 115 of DogCast Radio you'll have heard Karen Litzinger's interview about adopting older dogs, where she talked movingly and with great joy about her own dog Tika whom she adopted at the age of 11. I've had some sad news from Karen today that Tika has died. She was 14, and you can read about what happened in Karen's own words here. I hope Karen takes comfort from the fact that she gave Tika a wonderfully loving and fulfilling home in her last few years.

Karen is a pet loss counselor and if you are grieving for

I recently interviewed Ben Walton who is a Canine Orthopaedic Clinical Research Assistant at the University of LIverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital. He is currently researching into the way osteoarthritis in dogs is treated. I was fascinated with how the research is being carried out and how feedback is being gathered, and the interview will be featured in our April show.