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Graeme Sims: The man who can speak dog

We've just got home from a highly enjoyable visit to Graeme and Maureen Sims. Graeme has a book out later this month, and having read it, I can thoroughly recommend it. Give a Dog a Home focuses on how best to settle rescue dogs into their new homes, and how to approach training them. Graeme uses two rescues dogs he has taken in, to illustrate how it can require lateral thinking to come up with a training regime that suits the dog. The interview we recorded today with Graeme will be in a DogCast Radio show later this year.

The book is a great read; Graeme is a brilliant

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Snowballs

We've had snow this week, which has brought fun and problems. Working from home, and home schooling too meant no snow days, but we managed to get out and have some fun. The dogs were so excited by this sudden covering of strange white stuff, and ran around exploring it. We have learned from experience not to let Star go out in the snow for too long. We learned this late one Sunday evening when we were so excited ourselves about an unexpected snowfall that we were all out in the garden at ten o'clock in the evening. Because it was dark, we didn't realise until we went back into the house, that Star had amassed a huge amount of little balls of snow in her fluffy coat.

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Really rare breeds

As you'll have noticed I like signs regarding the subject of dog poop. Not the bog standard (if you'll excuse the pun) ones that you see every day, but the more unusual ones. I've highlighted a few in this blog, and while going though old holiday photos I came across this beauty. Written in two languages, not just one, is a bonus, but the real joy is the illustration of the dog. I challenge you to name that breed!

It looks like the body of a Basset, the head a Dachshund, the tail of a Labrador, and legs made of cardboard tubes by the looks of them. There is the

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Recommended reading

Do you have blogs that you like to follow? Well obviously, in addition to this one! There are various ones that I like to check in with regularly, and I thought I'd share some with you.

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Technology goes to the dogs

High tech gadgets can be great fun, and there are some interesting ones available in connection with your pets. If you're into Tech for your pets, you can buy devices to help get a lost dog back, feed or water him, and more. For example, there's a combined camera and treat dispenser that enables you to interact via your computer or phone and reward the behaviour you want by releasing a treat.

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How to get little paws clean

The Paw Plunger can help get those dirty paws clean again. And now little paws can be accommodated. You can hear about the Paw Plunger from its creator, Brianne Leary in Episode 63 of DogCast Radio.

Meet the Petite!
Paw Plunger expands range to suit all breeds!

Whether you own a Great Dane or a Chihuahua you can wave goodbye to muddy paws forever as the Paw Plunger range has expanded. It’s time to meet the petite at Crufts on the Paw Plunger stand no:174. Hall 4.

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Support Dogs' first canine patron

Something to watch out for at Crufts:

 Support Dogs Introduces its First Canine Patron at Crufts.
NEC Birmingham, 5th-8th March 2009, Hall 2 – Stand 58

Support Dogs is pleased to announce that Saba, a rescue Saluki cross, has been honoured to become the first canine patron of this unique UK assistance dog charity.

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Arctic ablutions

We were off to training today, and I wanted Buddy to “toilet” before we went to the class. I always feel (based on experience) that he concentrates better without a full bowel impinging on his brain. The same could probably be said for many people, but I digress.

So this afternoon, in what the media and weather forecasters are describing as arctic conditions yet again, Buddy and I were pounding the streets near the training venue. I repeatedly issued the command to “hurry up” which is our code word attached to toileting.

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Countdown to Crufts

Crufts is only just over a month away. In five weeks’ time we’ll be smack bang in the middle of it all. This year’s Crufts could of course be quite an unusual one.

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The good, the bad, and the just plain funny

There's been some some good, some bad and some just plain funny celebrity dog related news lately. First off, Burt Reynolds has adopted a rescue dog
. His criteria for choosing the dog? - she reminded him of Steve McQueen. Now there's something you don't hear every day!

This one, I just don't understand. Joan Rivers is convinced she ate dog

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Sharing

281 - dog AITA and am I being unreasonable

In this podcast, host Julie considers a variety of Reddit AITA questions, and Am I Being Unreasonable from Mumsnet. We have stories of a puppy biting a child at a family get together, the pet sitting friend who took the dog to doggy daycare, the rescue dog defender feeling the pressure to meet up for dog walks, the sister who caused trouble when she said her sister's baby name sounded like a dog's name, the devoted owner who ducked out of his brother's wedding to care for his injured dog, an off lead dog causing issues and two alleged service dogs joining at the children's playground. Do you agree with Julie's take on all these canine conundrums?

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.