We Love Pets News

With many of us now working from home, our dogs are enjoying the extra companionship throughout the day. However, whilst most people are busy working at their dining table, less and less of the UK's dogs are getting enough exercise. Especially now the nights are drawing in and we’re heading into winter.

The PDSA reported that, even though 81% of dog owners do walk their dog every day, 44% of owners walk their dog for less than 30 minutes at a time and 13% of dogs aren’t walked every day. That’s 1.3 million dogs who aren’t getting walked every day!

Dogs need daily outdoor exercise to ensure good physical and mental health. It provides them with mental stimulation and keeps them active, which can help prolong their lives and reduce the risk of obesity,

We Love Pets Veterinary Nurse, Chelsey Wheeler explains: "Walks for you dog are about so much more than just a toilet break. They provide physical exercise, mental stimulation and enrichment with opportunities to socialise and build relationships, supporting both their overall physical and mental health. We have recently seen how being confined to our homes has detrimental effects on our own wellbeing, so why should it be any different for our dogs?"

Eventually every dog owner is going to come home to find their dog has chewed something they shouldn’t have done in their absence. Although dogs have a great sense of smell and vision which they use to explore the world, dogs also really enjoy gaining new information by putting things in their mouths. All dogs have an inbuilt desire to chew. But why the furniture?

Neutering your male or spaying your female dog will go a long way to help with their health, happiness and make them easier to manage as part of the family in a home environment. You won't have hormones to contend with which can heavily influence a dog’s behaviour and the dog is able to approach life more calmly.

Did you know that roughly 40% of dogs in the UK are scared of fireworks? Here are some tips on how to prepare for Bonfire night and other fireworks events.

Dogs find security and comfort in routine. A steady and predictable routine lets them know when they can expect to be fed, walked and have their needs met. It lets them predict things like when their owners will be back from work and how their day will pan out.

Separation anxiety.

Destructive Chewing!

Have you just lost another shoe to your Cockerpoo? Or is your kitchen table suddenly looking a lot more “rustic” than you remember? If so then do not despair, here are some tips on changing your dog’s destructive behaviour into something that you are both happy with.

by Dr Craig Waldron, Behaviour Vet

There are mixed opinions on whether neutering impacts behaviour, and at what age dogs should be neutered. We asked Dr Craig Waldon to separate fact from fiction: