The DogCast Radio blog

Good to see a pet shop donating to such a good cause:

PETS AT HOME SHOW PUPPY LOVE
Pet superstore donates £25,000 towards the rebuild of Dogs Trust Roden
On Friday 28th January Dogs Trust Roden received a generous sum of money from Support Adoption for Pets, the charity established by pet shop superstore Pets at Home. The money will go towards the charity’s new state-of-the-art puppy block.
Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust CEO says:
“We are so very grateful for such a kind donation of money. The £25,000 will go a long way to ensure unwanted litters and puppies born in our care have the best start in life. Pets at Home’s generosity has enabled

It's great to hear good news and I'm so glad this puppy found a new loving home so quickly. Here's Biscuit's story:

NEW YEAR, NEW START FOR BISCUIT THE PUPPY

Pup handed in to Dogs Trust on New Year’s weekend finds forever home

Gorgeous nine week old Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel

Here's a very touching follow up to the last post asking you to vote for Ricochet:

Please help spread the word for Target by forwarding, posting, twitting, blogging, etc!!  Thank you.

I've just heard that the wonderful surfing dog Ricochet has been nominated for USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010. You can read about Ricochet's story at her website, and if you haven't heard of her you're in for a treat. If you'd like to vote for Ricochet click on this link - and she's be a very worthy winner.

 
Take care,
 
Julie xx
 
P.S.
 
Happy New Year!

I read an article this morning about a lady who is lavishing £600 on her dog for Christmas. She is happy to disclose at the same time that her partner is only getting gifts to the value of £100. While I don't wish to criticize her, I can't help feeling that this situation is wrong on many levels.
 

If it's the thought that counts at Christmas, the thinking about dogs should be that they don't make good presents. It's too busy a time of year to be able to devote the necessary time to settling in a puppy. But don't take my word for it, here's what Dogs Trust have to say on the matter:

TOYING WITH THE IDEA OF BUYING A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS?
Dogs Trust reveals the shocking 'lifespan' of festive gifts

New research carried out by Dogs Trust, the UK's

Dogs really don't belong in shops, however posh or iconic the shop is. Good breeders who care about their dogs, and rescue charities too,want to see who is buying or adopting their dog - they don't supply shops, and there are many reasons why. Please don't buy dogs in shops - if there's no demand there's no reason for the shops to keep up the supply. Here's an update on the protest held outside Harrods to highlight the fact that Harrods sells dogs:

Harrods Protest

Campaigners from the anti puppy farming groups

I've just been contacted by Kloe Jobling who is trying to make a difference to dogs in her area. Sounds like a great idea to me. Here's more info about the Give a Dog a Home campaign:
 
Introducing: Give a Dog a Home

Tails of abandoned dogs in Sunderland are set to start wagging thanks to a local campaign.

‘Give a Dog a Home’ aims to encourage Sunderland residents to consider adopting a dog from a local shelter instead of buying a puppy.

It's certainly cold in the UK currently and there's advice from Dogs Trust's Roden Centre on keeping your dog happy and healthy over winter:

OH DOGGY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE!
Dogs Trust Roden issues advice to keep dogs happy and healthy this winter

As Britain continues to endure a cold and icy snap, our four-legged friends need a little extra care and warmth to ensure they cope with the wintery conditions.

Christmas is a great time of year for getting together and sharing that holiday spirit. But do make sure that your dog has as much fun as you do. Here's some advice from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons:
 
Include veterinary care in Christmas plans,’ advises the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons