The Ultimate Guide to Buying The Perfect Dog Run (+ Infographic)

The Ultimate Guide to Taking Dogs on Holiday

The summer holidays are in full swing and will see a lot of families heading off to take a break – you included, we suspect. Whether you are going abroad or sticking to the English countryside or beaches, you want to enjoy yourselves to the maximum, but how does a holiday fit in when you have a dog?

Around 40% of households in the UK have pets and often, a family holiday wouldn’t be considered a family holiday without the dog – but sometimes it’s not that easy. There are a few things you have to consider when taking dogs on holiday, especially if you’re taking a dog abroad.

Luckily for you, we’ve got everything you need to know about planning a holiday with your dog right here. It will answer all your questions about dog-friendly holidays, from where in the world you can take your pet to what to do when you’re there.

Where to go with dogs on holiday

First things first, you’ll want to decide where to go. But that decision can’t be purely based on where you want to go, it’s where you can travel to with a dog.

Where can dogs travel to?

When it comes to taking your dog abroad with you, you should know that some countries have particular rules and regulations in place. It’s important that you check these with an official site before booking or travelling.

Below we list the countries that you can go to with your pet, inside and outside the European Union:

The Countries In Europe You Can Take Your Pet

The countries outside the European Union you can take your pet

 

 

 

As previously mentioned, these countries will have strict rules and regulations for families visiting with pets, which we will cover in more detail later on. If these overseas regulations are not met, your pet could end up in quarantine – so follow the rules!

Dog-friendly accommodation

Where you’re going with your dog on holiday is one thing, but where you’re staying is another. It’s worthwhile investigating your options for dog-friendly accommodation before making a final decision where you’re going. The last thing you want to be is limited when it comes to booking a nice place to stay with your family and your dog.

When investigating accommodation abroad and their dog policies, make sure you check more than just their website and reviews. It’s a good idea to ring ahead to check about their policies and to check if they have any restrictions that might affect you – on the size or number of dogs you can have, perhaps.

Your local area

Don’t forget to think about things you can do on holiday with your dog – and the things you can’t. Holidays tend to be full of activities and restaurant outings, but are these places dog-friendly? For example, not all beaches allow dogs. It’s important that the place you stay in caters for your needs, and your dog’s needs.

You can find out more about the local area when you call your hotel or accommodation owner. They might be able to recommend you dog-friendly places or nearby dog kennels for when your pooch can’t come along.

How to travel with your dog

Your next step is to think about how you’re going to travel to your destination with your dog. There are several options you can take for dog travel:

• Travelling with your dog via car
• Travelling with your dog via train
• Travelling with your dog via ferry
• Travelling with your dog via plane

When it comes to travelling with your pets, it’s good to assess all of your options. You will come across different policies on travelling abroad with dogs with different travel companies so you’ll need to take these into account. On top of this, you’ll want to consider factors such as time, cost, and most importantly, your pet’s comfort and safety.

Travelling can be traumatic for animals so comfort is key. For the ultimate comfort and safety, pet owners should invest in a quality, portable dog crate or dog carrier to suit your method of travel.

If you are worried about transporting or travelling with your dog, whether you are with them or not, you can get in touch with pet travel agencies who will be able to offer you their professional services, as well as advice on dog travel.

What to do before your dog holiday

There are a few things you need to tick off the to-do list before going abroad with your dog, otherwise, you might not be getting the holiday you’ve planned.

Prepare the essentials

We’ve got our own essentials for going abroad, don’t we? Passports, buy clomid online australia money, foreign currency, travel insurance documents, tickets or booking confirmations, and so on. Well, pets have holiday essentials too – especially if your dog is going abroad.

If you are taking your dog abroad, your pet packing checklist should include:

• A pet passport
• Pet travel insurance documents
• Travel documents, tickets and confirmations
• Any other necessities for check-in procedures (stated in travel company’s policies)

Yes, that’s right – a pet passport. Pet passports are essential for any dog travel so make sure you have one, or get one before you go. They provide important details including verification that your dog is rabies-free and that your dog is up-to-date with all necessary vaccinations for travel, including tapeworm. Leading us to our next point…

Vet trips

Vet: a word that might make your dog quiver, (even though he doesn’t seem to understand when you say to ‘Sit’ or ‘Stay’).

Planning in a trip to the vets before your holiday away is essential, not only if you’re going to a different country where they have specific regulations about pet travel, but also for benefit of enjoying your holiday free of worry.

Your pre-holiday vet trip should include:

• A general health check-up
• Tapeworm treatment
• Any other necessary boosters or vaccinations, eg. rabies jab
• Microchipping – if not already received

Your pet’s health and safety are of the utmost importance. A full vet trip will provide you with the requirements needed for you to travel with your dog including an officially signed document from a veterinary doctor or nurse, and the reassurance that your pet is fit and healthy. Fit it in as early as possible in preparation for your holiday.

Dog obedience for holiday

This is just another little thing that will give you peace of mind when you’re away. Training up your dog or refreshing their memories with basic commands will leave you feeling less anxious for your holiday with your pet.

It’s likely that you’ll be in an unfamiliar place for you and your dog, and some extra training will help to reassure you. It will help you to feel more in control of your pet, and relieve you the anxiety of your dog running off, for example.

How to plan for pet emergencies

Not to sound pessimistic, but you should plan for all emergencies when bringing your pet on holiday. It’s better to be prepared after all! We’ve already mentioned about pet travel and pet health insurance, but what else can you do to prepare for any unfortunate circumstances?

Know where the nearest vet is

Knowing about what there is to do and to see in your local area generally is one thing, but do ensure you know where your nearest vet is in case an emergency arises. Knowing where you have to go will cut down on time, which can be precious in certain situations.

Be aware of warning signs in dogs

Get clued up on health warning signs in dogs before going away – knowledge about pet health care is so important, especially when you’re in unfamiliar circumstances. For example, with the warmer climates abroad, overheating in dogs is common. Would you be able to recognise the warning signs?

Heatstroke or overheating is one of a few risks for dogs in hot weather or hot countries, and can become very serious if it’s not dealt with quickly and efficiently. Some signs of heatstroke in dogs include heavy panting or breathing, vomiting and general weakness. If you know what to look out for, it could make a real difference to the situation.

Have a plan

Have a basic plan for any potential pet emergency, from your dog running away on holiday to any medical or health problems. Preparation is key when it comes to dealing with these types of situations, but it will help to reduce your stress levels and enjoy your holiday more. The more time you spend worrying about what could happen, the less you will enjoy yourselves.

What to pack for your dog

We’ve already mentioned the essential items and documents that you’ll need for going on holiday with a dog, including that all-important pet passport, but what else do you need to keep in mind?

Our top tip for packing for your dog’s holiday: keep things as familiar as possible.

What do we mean by this? Well, travelling can cause stress and anxiety in dogs – that includes the travelling aspect, as well as being in a new and unknown place. By trying to keep things as familiar as possible, it will help them to feel comfortable and settled.

Of course, location can be a bit of a difficult one, however ensuring your dog has got his trusty dog toy or dog blanket on hand is easy enough.

Enjoy yourself!

Holidays are all about enjoying yourself and having a break from busy day-to-day life. You want to be stress-free, and in total holiday mode with your family, your friends… and your dog!

Before heading out exploring, down to your nearest beach or famous landmark, you should do a quick check of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for any dangers or hazards that could cause a less than happy holiday for you and your pooch. Again, it’s all about the preparation – if you know to steer clear of certain areas or to keep your dog on a lead near that busy road, you will save yourself a lot of worry and stress.

Now, use this guide to go enjoy yourselves on holiday – your dog included!

The Dangers for Dogs to Look Out for This Summer

The summer season is often associated with sunnier days, warmer weather, outdoor parties and long walks. Gone are the days of you having to don a raincoat or battling with an umbrella when you take your dog out for a walk… well, almost.

However, summer can bring on another set of worries for dog-owners. The warmer weather and the longer walks pose certain risks for your pup – to avoid them, you just need to know what to look out for. Continue reading

Top Tips on Travelling With Your Dog

Now it’s getting warmer, those weekends away will start to become more and more regular. Wherever you’re going, you want all the family there and having fun. Being able to take your dog along with you is an exciting prospect, but can sometimes seem like a huge task to plan and carry out.

It doesn’t have to be that way! Here at Kennel buy antibiotics online usa Store, we’ve put together some of our top tips on taking your dog on holiday to help make sure that you have the family getaway you are looking for… with the whole family involved.

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The Top 10 Dog Breeds in the UK

There are around 8.5 million pet dogs in the UK. With such a high number, they are undeniably a popular pet to have at home along with cats – but you probably knew that already. What you might not know is which are the most popular breeds of dog amongst the country’s pet owners.

With so many buy doxycycline for malaria breeds out there, the UK sees a huge selection of dogs walking its streets, but which can be seen the most? Check out our infographic to find out more about the most popular dog breeds at the moment.

The ultimate guide to training your dog

Training your dog can seem like a daunting task when there is so much information available. How are you supposed to know what to do for the best? Or who to listen to?

We at Kennelstore therefore decided to put together an ultimate cheap medications no prescription guide to training your dog, providing an overview of some simple ways you can train your dog to improve their behaviour and make everyday life with your dog easier, both whilst at home and out and about.

 

6 Simple Tricks to Teach Your Dog

Don’t underestimate the great benefits there are teaching your dog a few simple tricks. The time spent teaching your dog these tricks will be enjoyable for you and him (throughout this post we will refer to your dog as male). Simple commands such as down and stay are basic dog training exercises, however dog tricks are a great way to offer mental stimulation for your dog and many of them are derived from those simple commands. Plus, they’re also a bit of fun and look great!

1.Come

Difficulty: Moderate

Items required: Clicker, Treats

Basic steps:

1. Constantly say the command ‘Come’ and treat him, whenever he is around.
2. Give the command from across the room.
3. Every time your dog comes, click, treat and pet his head before looping your hand under his collar.
4. Try calling him from another room.
5. Call him when he is doing something else.

This is a useful and very important trick to teach your dog. If your dog is reluctant to come to you when he’s called, he isn’t really that safe off the lead. If you can trust your dog to come to you, it makes the time spent on walks (in the outside buy zithromax in uk world) more enjoyable. You aren’t worried if your dog is going to run off and potentially come to harm crossing a road etc. Out of all the tricks to teach your dog, this one will build the most trust in your relationship with him and trust is crucial.

First, walk up to him and give the command that you will use e.g.  ‘Come’ or ‘Here Dougal’, then treat him. Repeat this multiple times throughout the day and vary your treats and give plenty of praise. Once you have done this for a sufficient amount of time, walk across the room and give the command again.  When he comes to you, give him a big treat and lots of petting. If he doesn’t come to you, go back to the previous step and spend some more time on it. Now start to develop this trick. Every time he comes, click, and then pet and loop your hand under his collar before giving him a treat. Your dog needs to get used to being handled when he comes to you. He may pull away otherwise if he feels he is being cornered. Once he has got the hang of repeatedly coming to you from across the room, try calling him from a different room, or even better, when he is engaged in another activity and vary the reward each time between praise and treats.

2.Sit

Difficulty: Easy

Items required: Clicker, Treats

Basics steps:

1. Stand with your clicker and treats in front of him
2. Wait until he sits. When he does, click and treat
3. Repeat this exercise several times
4. Once he starts to get it, say ‘sit’ as soon as he sits. Click and Treat
5. Repeat several times
6. When he sits consistently after you command, click and give him a fab treat. Return to Step 4 if he isn’t quite getting it.

The first part of the training session is a bit of fun for your dog. It’s a puzzle. Stand with your clicker and treats in front your dog. He has to work out what to do to get the treat. He may do other command movements, but unless he sits, stand in front and don’t react. As soon as he sits down, press your clicker and feed him a treat. Make sure your treats are tasty enough to get him motivated for more.

Your dog may start to get frustrated and agitated if he can’t figure out why he gets/doesn’t get the treat.  In this instance, be patient with him if he starts barking. Just ignore his plea and wait. With enough practice, eventually a switch in his head will flick on, ’when I sit, I get a treat’. Once he starts consistently sitting, introduce the word ‘sit’ when using your clicker. This will reinforce the command. Make sure you treat well and click whenever he sits. Once you finish, give him a good cuddle for a job well done. Clicker training is much more effective if you and your dog take regular breaks because his concentration may start to waver.

3.Back up

Difficulty: moderate (evolution of the stay command)

Items required: Clicker, Treats

Basic Steps:

1. Once you have mastered the ‘stay’ command you are able to do this trick.
2. Give the ‘stay’ command and take a few steps back then turn to face him.
3. Now, give the command ‘back up’ before moving towards him.
4. Keep going forward and lean forward slightly.
5. As soon as the dog takes a step back, give him a treat.
6. Most dogs will learn to back up quickly.

Once your dog is stood in front of you (‘stay’), turn around and walk two or three paces away from him before spinning round to face him again.  Then command in a loud and clear tone ‘back up’.  Now start to walk towards your dog. Many dogs at this point will immediately start to move backward. If so, you should click and treat him. If the dog stays still during your first few steps, lean forward slightly and continue to walk forward. Your lean makes you look like you are walking over him slightly which should cause him to want to move backwards. Whenever he moves backward, say ‘good’ or click and give him a treat. This drill should only need to be repeated a few times. Your dog should start to pick up the command fairly easily. This trick can be very useful when walking through doors with your dog but also in the outside world as a means of controlling your dog in busy areas.

Some dogs may get up and walk away instead of moving backwards when you try this drill. If this is a common occurrence, relocate your dog training into your hall way, or a narrow area. The spaces’ shape allows your dog to go anywhere but backwards and should make it much easier for him to learn the trick. This is a bit of fun for your dog and can be useful in a range of situations, especially in public areas.

4.Wave

Difficulty: Moderate/difficult

Items required: Clicker, Treats

Basic Steps:

1. This is a progression from paw shaking.
2. Give the command ‘shake’.
3. Move your hand up so he has to move his paw up higher to reach it.
4. When his paw goes higher than it would be normally, click , treat and give him praise.
5. Repeat this action several times, each time increasing the height of your hand until his paw has to go above his head.
6. Once your dog has got the hang of raising his paw higher than usual, give the command ‘shake’ and as soon as his paw leaves the ground, give the command ‘wave’ and then repeat several times following similar steps as 2-4.
7. After a number of repetitions, start using only the ‘wave’ command
8. Now make it harder for your dog and only give him treats when his paw is raised above his head, or moving up and down (a wave)

This trick is only possible once you have taught your dog how to shake his paw with you. Many dogs use their paws to get attention. Keep some treats and your clicker handy at all times. When he raises his paw in day to day life, you may be able to capture this movement using your clicker. Whenever he raises his paw, click and treat. Make sure you do this consistently every time. If he is used to clicker training, your dog will soon start to figure out what behaviour will get him a treat. Once he has established what he needs to do, start incorporating the command ‘wave’ whenever he raises his paw. Once he is consistently waving on command, only click and treat for the action that looks most like a wave. All he needs now is practice.

Try to work over this command several times a day for short periods of time to insure that he is concentrating during the training sessions.

5.Kiss

Difficulty: Easy

Items required: Clicker, Treats (spreadable e.g. peanut butter, cream cheese)

Basic steps:

1. Put a blob of peanut butter on your cheek
2. Give the command ‘kiss’ or something of that nature
3. Now lean in towards your dog and he will lick the treat off your cheek
4. If you repeat this practise over and over several times a day, it won’t be long until your dog will lick your cheek, ‘give you a kiss’, every time you give the command.

This is a great trick for children to learn.  You can also try to capture the dog’s behaviour. Whenever the dog licks you, say ‘kiss’ and click. Then give him praise and a treat. Soon, your dog will figure out what the ‘kiss’ means and will perform the trick on demand.

If your dog has the tendency to get over excited and starts licking your whole face, tell him ‘enough’. Then wait until he has stopped licking you before telling him ‘good’ and click and treat. Repeat this several times and he will soon stop kissing you on demand too!

This practice doesn’t have to be on your face if you or your dog are not comfortable with this close contact. You can also perform this trick on your hand, for example, using the same method outlined above.

6.Release

Difficulty: Moderate

Items required: Clicker, treats

Basic steps:

1. This is a progression from Sit, Lay Down, and Stand.
2. Command ‘sit’ and wait for around 6 seconds.
3. Then perform a hand motion coupled with the command ‘release’. If you act enthusiastically when doing this, your dog should move from his seated position.
4. When he moves off, click and treat.
5. Repeat this step until your dog is releasing on demand consistently.
6. Gradually, start to be less enthusiastic with your command. Withdraw the hand motion and just use your voice.
7. Then begin to tone down your voice until your command is quit subtle.
8. Each time you practise this trick after step 7, increase the time in which you throw the ball to when you command release (3 seconds every time). This builds up your dog’s patience and discipline until he can wait for a few minutes in the sit position.

This trick is only teachable if you have already taught your dog how to Sit, Lay Down and Stand. It is the next progression. If your dog sits and stays consistently on command, then this trick should be really easy to teach, but very difficult he doesn’t. This trick is a mechanism to let your dog know when it’s ok to move around freely. This is very useful when playing with your dog. If you are playing fetch, you can get him to sit, stand or lay down before you throw the ball. After you have gone through the steps of this trick sufficiently, your dog should stay in the position until you command ‘release’ and then go and fetch the ball.

If your dog releases before you tell him to, it might be because he is anticipating the amount of time he needs to sit before you command release. Try varying the gap between the two commands to keep him on his toes.

11 Expert Tips on Choosing Your First Dog

If you’re looking for your first dog, there are a number of things that you need to consider to ensure a happy life for both you and your future pet.

Whilst you might like the look of a certain breed, they may not be suited to your lifestyle or circumstances. The right dog breed for you will depend on a wide range of things, from the size of your home and garden to the time you can give it.

We’ve gathered up some top tips where to buy levaquin online from dog experts to help make sure you find the perfect pooch for you and your family…

 

The World’s 50 Favourite Dogs

6 qualities every family dog should have

Choosing a dog can be a difficult decision, particularly when you have children and a certain type of lifestyle to think about. What kind of qualities should every family dog have to make your life a little easier?

Child-friendly

If you have children, this one is quite obvious. You want to choose a breed that is good with children; a breed that is lovable to everyone, no matter how big or how small.

But remember, it’s not only the dogs that can go overboard – kids aren’t always as gentle as they should be with dogs. This means your dog should be tolerant and be able to cope with a few rough pats and ears pulls every so often.

You’ve also got to think about things like doing the school run – will you need to leave your dog at home? Will it be okay on its own for a bit? These are important factors to consider before making your decision, and could save your home from being torn up by an impatient pup.

Affectionate

No matter what their home situation or lifestyle, every person will want to choose a friendly dog to own, but when it comes to a family dog they need to be openly affectionate. Your dog will essentially be an added member of the family so you want it to get on with everyone and everything.

Those walks in the park can get a little embarrassing – even nerve-wracking – if your dog is violent towards another, or even when they are overly scared of other people and their pets. It shouldn’t be a matter of having to avoid inviting family and friends over or steering clear of other people in a public park.

Intelligent

All dogs should be trained early on, but it’s particularly important that they are when they’re around children. Whilst we know that dogs and children can have a fantastic relationship, there are some things to be weary of – things that can be prevented if the dogs have been trained properly.

A lot of the time, buy amoxicillin online cheap children act and communicate very differently to adults; particularly younger children with their crying and shrieking outbursts. This can confuse dogs and thus have an impact on the child’s safety. Even a child’s most innocent sign of affection – a kiss – could come across as threatening to an untrained and intolerant dog.

Loyal

Loyalty is an attribute of many breeds – a dog is one of the most loyal pets after all. People want their dog to be trustworthy and reliable, particularly when those people are in a family environment. Looking after children can be hard enough, let alone adding an uncooperative, mischievous dog to the mix.

Loyal dogs will save you a lot of time and effort, and may even help you along the way too! They will become a much-loved and irreplaceable member of your family in everyone’s eyes.

Energetic

Family life is non-stop, and you need a dog to go with that. We all know that living in a family home can mean a lot of things going on; all sorts of different people are in and out of that front door – family, old friends, new friends, children, adults…

The dog you choose has to keep up with all of that, and be prepared for it too. A lazy or nervous dog might react negatively to situations like those, but an energetic, friendly dog will take on the opportunity for a good back rub and maybe even an extra walk.

Easy to groom

With the business of family life, you may want to consider getting a dog that is easy-to-groom. If you rarely find time to sit down between looking after everyone and working, you might not want to pick a high-maintenance dog.

Some breeds require regular bathing, cleaning, clipping, trimming and other grooming just to stay happy and healthy; however some breeds can be a quick brush-and-go job. Of course, there is the option of going to a professional grooming service to keep your precious pup in check.