Can dogs drink tea or coffee?

 

Both tea and coffee contain the stimulant caffeine which can be dangerous to dogs in high doses but the occasional weak tea or coffee is unlikely to cause a problem. But it will depend on the size of your dog, eg. a small terrier type could show signs of agitation after drinking only half a cup of strong tea or as little as a quarter of a cup of coffee.

If your dog enjoys sharing your tea or coffee you can avoid the risks by offering decaffeinated versions or a pet brand such as Woof and Brew.

Image: Vanderdecken via Wikimedia Commons

Canine Blood Bank Service - Pet Blood Bank UK urgently needs donors

Launched in 2007, Pet Blood Bank UK is the first and only charity of its kind that provides a canine blood bank service for all veterinary practitioners across the UK.

Just like the human blood service, Pet Blood Bank UK collects from willing doggy donors at organised collection sessions nationwide, on average three sessions a week. The blood is then processed into packed red blood cells and fresh plasma, and delivered to veterinary practices when they need it most.

Every unit of blood collected can help save up to four dogs' lives, saving thousands of lives every year.

Click here to find out if our dog could be a donor

Even if your dog isn't suitable there are still lots of ways you can help Pet Blood Bank UK to save canine lives, find out more at  Pet Blood Bank UK Volunteering

An Oklahoma miracle - video of womans dog emerging from rubble

 Miraculous stories of survival emerge after one of the strongest tornadoes in history tore through an Oklahoma suburb.An elderly woman whose home was destroyed by the Oklahoma tornado found her pet dog among the rubble during a live TV interview.

The footage of Barbara Garcia came as fellow survivors began reliving the terror they felt while winds of up to 200mph obliterated their neighbourhoods.

Mrs Garcia was standing among the twisted wreckage of her home as she was interviewed about her experiences by a reporter from CBS.

"I was sitting on the stool holding my dog," she said.

"This was the game plan all through the years, to go in that little bathroom (together). I rolled around a little bit and when it stopped I was right there (and) that stove cooker is what I saw.

"I never lost consciousness and I hollered for my little dog and he didn't answer, he didn't come, so I know he's in here somewhere." But as she spoke, a member of the camera crew spotted a dog's head poking out of the twisted remains of her home.

Mrs Garcia is seen crouching down before exclaiming with joy as she spots her pet.

"Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be OK but he answered both of them," she said, before being led away from the ruins with her dog.

Meanwhile, one mother who survived the storm described how she and her children took refuge in their bath as the tornado tore their house apart.

"My husband told us to get in the bathtub immediately and put on a mattress," she said.

She said she had to hold her daughter's hair to stop her slipping away when the tornado struck.

Another family locked themselves inside their cellar - only to have its door ripped open by the twister.

Ricky Stover said: "We thought we'd die. We saw the latch coming undone and we couldn't reach for it ... glass and debris started slamming on us."

Read the full story of when Barbara Garcia's dog emerges from the rubble in the aftermath of the Oklahoma tornado here

Dog thieves targeting dog walking areas

Dog thieves are parking their vehicles at park entrances, woodland, carparks etc with vehicle doors open. They then blow dog whistles and grab any responding dog and drive off within minutes.

Dog walkers please be aware!

Image of a notice at Stone House Fields in Platt found via  Lingfield Correspondence Facebook.

Dog leading horse video

The opening shots of a terrier leading a huge horse are worth it!

Robert Bradford Dog Sculptures from Discarded Plastic Toys

Dog sculptures by Robert Bradford  made from layers of thousands of discarded children's toys:

" One day about four years ago out in the studio I was looking into my childrens box of outgrown / discarded toys which happened to be stored in the same building and responded to the random collection of colours shapes and forms they made. I figured that if I could find a way of putting them together to constitute a larger form they would have great potential as larger scale sculpture."

Labrador Puppies at 5 weeks old - video

It's those Naughtland Working Labradors puppies again, they are 5 weeks old now and will soon be ready to go to new homes.

Terrier Tea Towel

This tea towel is illustrated with a vintage Terrier print sourced from an old dictionary. Made from 100% natural cotton canvas it's sure to delight any dog lover. Available to purchase from Plum & Ashby for £12.

Click to read about the Plum and Ashby dog Bertie

Barbara Franc Dog Sculpture from recycled and discarded materials

Artist Barabara Franc likes to use recycled and discarded materials in her sculptures she enjoys transforming something with a past history into something new and exciting. And who could deny that her sculptures are exciting!

"Dogs being 'man's best friend' are an obvious animal to sculpt and several of the ones I have made use my own lurchers as source material.  Rufus, my deerhound cross, is the current model."

To see Barbara's work and find out more about her please visit barbarafranc.co.uk 

Merengue the dancing dog video

Amazing dog dancing!

Shop Dog - Bertie of Plum and Ashby

Bertie is a fox terrier belonging to Vicky White, founder of the "everything but the kitchen sink" shop Plum and Ashby. He is very much "the face of the brand" having inspired the shop logo and several products including dog beds and the vintage style wooden toy pictured with Bertie. 

As you can see Bertie is a hands on type muse to Plum and Ashby who likes to help out wherever possible!
Check out the Plum and Ashby Facebook page for more pics of Bertie and of course the website for Bertie inspired products.

Images Plum and Ashby

Dog House Wall Decal

These dog house removable vinyl wall stickers come in several different sizes and colours and can be
personalized with your dogs name. It does look cute by the feed bowls but would also look great by your dog's bed. Prices start at around £20 and they are available to purchase from Graphic Spaces.

Dogs age in human years

 You've probably heard the classic dog to human age conversion of 1 dog year = 7 human years but in reality that is a bit of an urban legend that apparently started in the 1960s in a maths text book! Research by the University of Georgia, as published by BBC News (and others) shows a different picture:

For first two years:

• 12.5 years per human year for the first two years for small dogs
• 10.5 years per human year for the first two years for medium sized dogs
• 9 years per human year for the first two years for large dogs

For years 3+:
Small: Dachshund (Miniature) 4.32, Border Terrier 4.47, Lhasa Apso 4.49, Shih Tzu 4.78, Whippet Medium 5.30, Chihuahua 4.87, West Highland White Terrier 4.96, Beagle 5.20, Miniature Schnauzer 5.46, Spaniel (Cocker) 5.55, Cavalier King Charles 5.77, Pug 5.95, French Bulldog 7.65
Medium: Spaniel 5.46, Retriever (Labrador) 5.74, Golden Retriever 5.74, Staffordshire Bull Terrier 5.33, Bulldog 13.42
Large: German Shepherd 7.84, Boxer 8.90

Which means that a small dog is older than a big dog at two human years - but younger at five.

See the full BBC News article, by Ben Carter, Dog Years: How do you calculate a dog's true age? 

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Yawning Puppy Video

Here's another of Naughtland Working Labradors videos, this one is of a sleepy Labrador puppy yawning - just adorable:

Top 10 things not to feed your dog

Courtesy of Enjoy Yums their list of the top 10 things you should NEVER feed your dog:
1. Chocolate
2. Alcohol
3. Avocado
4. Macadamia Nuts
5. Xylitol
6. Yeast Dough
7. Raw Meat of Fish
8. Bones
9. Grapes or Raisins
10. Onions or Garlic
As they say "Read your labels!"

The Therapist by Mark J Asher photographer of dogs

 The best therapists definitely have fur and four legs. How lucky us dog lovers are to have these empathetic animals in our lives. This print by Mark J Asher features a dog sitting cross-legged on a couch with text that reads: The Best Therapist Has Fur And Four Legs.

Image size: 6” x 8”
Paper size: 8” x 10
Text: The Best Therapist Has Fur And Four Legs.


Available to purchase from Mark J Asher's Etsy shop

Professionally printed on Kodak Endura Matte archival paper and carefully shipped in a rigid, bend-free mailer.

Images Copyrighted by Mark J. Asher. All rights reserved.

More about Mark:

Mark J Asher is the author of three pet photography books and a dog memoir. His first book, “Old Friends,” features senior dogs along with their longevity secrets is in its fifth printing, Old Friends is also published in German. “Barking Up the Family Tree,” captures kids with their cherished furry friends. The work went on to become part of Hallmark's Book Program. Mark's third book, “Bark & Ride,” explores a world where dogs can drive. People Magazine included the book in their Mother's Day Gift Guide.

He recently published my first dog memoir entitled, “Humphrey Was Here," which got a wonderful review in Best Friends Magazine.

Visit Mark's Website: www.markjasher.com
Take a look st his Books: http://amzn.to/nD3kSP
Follow Mark on Facebook: http://bit.ly/dvRR6n

Homemade Dog Food

Ingredients for homemade dog food:

1.36kg minced chicken
2 1/2 cups of frozen vegetables (no onion )
4 cups of rice
6 1/2 cups of water

Strange to see a debt management company issuing dog food recipes but it certainly looks cheaper and there is no doubt about it being healthy. Found via Frugal Queen.

Another frugal blogger Sue of Our New Life in the Country also has a post about homemade dog food, you can read it by clicking here. This is her recipe:

1kg of beef mince

1.5 cups of raw rice (brown or white)

1 cup of raw Barley OR Lentils

1 cup of raw Pasta

2 cups of chopped Vegetables (anything you like but NOT onions or leeks)

1 tablespoon of Vegemite or Peanut Butter

Water

Labrador Puppies at 3 weeks old

Remember the video of the newborn labrador puppies, well here they are again at 3 weeks old with their eyes open: