dogsforlife

Dog Playing With Her Flashing Disco Ball

2015-07-25T08:50:00.002-07:00

Gem, our Pointer is having so much fun with her new dog toy, a Pink ball.

Our dog is mesmerised by this cool toy and loves playing with it, because not only does it squeak but the ball also flashes Red and Blue like disco lights.

We call it Gem's party disco ball.

Our other dog video is hilarious Pointer Dog Gem Raids the Kitchen but Top Dog Saves The Day! and includes not only our lovely Pointer but our beautiful Kangal mix boy too. Watch it here.

And finally to watch more fun video's of our Pointer dog on youtube click here.

A Dogs Birthday Present Funny Video

2015-07-15T04:09:00.002-07:00

A delightful video of a dogs fun birthday present.
This dog is presented with hundreds of multi coloured balls and enjoys going for a paddle in his very own ball pond!

If you would like to surprise your own dog in the same way for their birthday, you can find the balls for sale here

Pet Friendly Hotels and Places to Stay in the UK

2015-07-04T08:16:00.001-07:00

Pets are a big part of our life and many people regard their pets as part of the family.

So it is no surprise that when we take our hard earned break, that we want our much loved, furry and loyal companions to be with us.

Nowadays there are plenty of pet friendly places to stay in the UK and also hotels that allow pets, so holidays with dogs or cats are now a completely viable option.
Pet travel has never been so easy, as there are now many pet friendly places to stay in the UK.

Below are links to a few of our favourite pet friendly hotels from all over the UK and there are some great discounts and bargains to be found too.
These pet friendly accommodations are well located, comfortable and of a very good quality.

Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall

Esseborne Manor, Hampshire

Best Western Duke of Cornwall Hotel, Devon

The Lamb Inn, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Cotswolds

Hadley Park House Hotel, Shropshire

Craig-Y-Dderwen Riverside Hotel, Snowdonia

Lodore Falls Hotel , Lake District

Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall

There are many more dog friendly hotels and pet accommodation to be found on here
Simply look at the amenities on the hotel that you are interested in, to see if they state 'Pet Friendly'.

Such A Cute Dog Video

2015-01-26T09:19:00.002-08:00

Join in with the Care 2 Community by Starting Petitions or Signing Them.

Not happy with something? Has injustice been carried out?
Start a petition on Care 2.

Want to help others gain justice? Improve the planet?
Sign a current petition on Care 2.

Denver the Guilty Dog Destroys the Christmas Balls

2014-12-18T06:12:00.003-08:00

Watch this Funny Christmas Dog Video:-

Our Wonderful Festive Dog At Christmas Time

2014-12-18T05:51:00.001-08:00

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Funny Dog Video's of Our Pointer

2014-10-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Video of our Pointer dog getting very excited about her barking dog toy.

Video of our Pointer dog enjoying playing with her basketball.

World Animal Day 4th October 2014

2014-10-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

Celebrate World Animal Day 4th October 2014

A day to celebrate all animals lives and to appreciate the way animals enrich and better our lives.

To show kindness and compassion to animals and be grateful for the wonderful bonds we share with animals but also to remember the unique and important roles that animals play in our lives.

Events for World Animal Day and Other Interesting Information

Events Taking Place in Europe

Events Taking Place in America and Canada

Celebrity Support for World Animal Day

Winner of World Animal Day grant is announced!

The Cruel History of the Stray Dogs in Istanbul, Turkey

2014-09-17T05:12:00.000-07:00

Life is never easy for the poor stray dogs, they strive to find reliable food sources and good people, struggle to stay alive in the hot, wet and cold months, endeavor to find sheltered and protected places to sleep, while covering many miles a day and risking their lives by crossing many dangerous roads, every day in order to survive.
And if that is not enough, the street dogs lives are made even more difficult by man.
They are chased from that corner, kicked for exploring too close to that shop, shunned and ignore by many locals, in some cases even painfully poisoned and also aimed at and sped up on when they are crossing the road.

Watch this video, it gives an insight into the plight of the stray dogs of Istanbul, Turkey in 1910. It shows you how difficult life was for the poor Turkish street dogs and how cruelly they were treated and eradicated back then by man.
It is unforgivable and never forgotten what man did to mans best friend back in Turkey all those years ago and it is cruelty to stray dogs in its highest form but even in today's society it is heartbreaking to see the pain and suffering inflicted by man on innocent, trusting and vulnerable animals and we should never tolerate it .

The video tells the story of the Turkish strays and contains powerful photos.

Sesim Rüzgara: Modern Bir Sürgün Hikayesi from KAFA TV on Vimeo.

A Sad but True Animal Quote

2014-09-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Street Dogs

2014-08-07T05:17:00.001-07:00

Here are greetings from some of the wonderful street dogs who's paths we have crossed, we have met so many amazing street dogs, who have all been so friendly and gentle.

Adopting one of these lovely souls will get them off the street and save their life, their lives are not only very tough but uncertain too.

Street dogs make for the most loyal and loving pets.

Please consider helping the street dogs in Eastern Europe.

Allergic Reaction in Our Dog

2014-07-27T04:56:00.001-07:00

This month we awoke to find our poor boys face and the underneath of his eye swollen on one side of his face.
He had a runny nose, his eye had a little discharge and his mouth was drooling, we monitored him for a short while and then decided to take him to the vets.
We didn't like his behaviour it was very out of character, he seemed depressed and lethargic.
And it had got to the stage where our angel couldn't open his eye properly as it was so swollen, so he had to keep squinting. The vet administered an injection into him, this was to take the swelling in his face down.
His face stayed swollen and we kept an eye on him but the next morning his face was back to normal.
For three days all was ok until the swelling came back, we phoned the vet, he told us to go into a chemist and ask for Prednisolone, we did this and gave him a tablet.
Once again all day his face was swollen and overnight we awoke to find the swelling had gone again.
We continued to give him a couple more tablets to be sure the swelling wouldn't come back.
The vet thinks that our dog was stung by a bee or similar and had an allergic reaction, we also are not ruling out an allergic reaction to grass seeds etc.....
Our boy loves to trample head first into bushes and roll his body and face around on the grass, we think that was the cause of his reaction.
We still do not know why the swelling came back on his face after three days, maybe there was still some poison or a foreign body reacting in his system, all we know is our dog suffered an allergic reaction.
All we know is he is back to his happy, healthy and handsome self and we are very grateful for that.

Fifa World Cup 2014 Brazil vs Brazilian Stray Dogs

2014-06-14T03:36:00.000-07:00

The long awaited Fifa World Cup 2014 is now well on its way, this year Brazil are the hosts.
I was thinking about Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia and how they cruelly rounded up the stray dogs to 'clean up' the town before the games started and I was truly hoping that Brazil didn't carry out the same inhumane method towards their innocent street dogs too.

I didn't need to look far on the internet before I was faced with the grim reality that Brazil had too rounded up and removed their homeless dogs from the streets, in order for this competition to take place.
I am, as always shocked and dismayed at the callous decision made in Brazil to remove and kill innocent stray dogs in order for a sport to take place.
In Brazil the stray dogs are known as cão comunitário, which translates as community dogs.

These stray dogs were here first and as they are a direct result of years and years of people being ignorant and either allowing their un-neutered or un-spayed owned dogs out on the street to roam or people tossing their dog out on the streets, when they decided that he/she is too big, too expensive, too loud, too energetic or the excitement of owning a dog wore off and it is exactly because of this behaviour that the stray dog population exists and that is why we owe it to the dogs to make their lives and existence easier because we created most of these lives.

There doesn't need to be a choice, people don't need to be so brutal and choose between whether Fifa World Cup can take place or whether the stray dogs live.
These street dogs here and in all other countries around the world have a right to continue their normal everyday lives on the streets, without the dogs having the potential threat of being killed by a people.
Stray dogs, like these in Brazil and many other countries are actually looked after by many locals who feed and do what they can to care for them, they live on the street, are much loved and are part of the local community.
People should learn to live alongside the stray dogs, rather than constantly be at war with everything around them, with these type of people they don't just wage a war on the dogs, they complain about absolutely everything.
Even Cave men over 30,000 years ago happily lived alongside dogs and strongly valued their companionship.

If you have spent lots of time alongside street dogs from around the world, you will understand what I mean when I say that every dog is an individual and each is lovable for their completely different traits and personalities, if you are one of these type of people, you will understand more about why killing the street dogs in totally not acceptable, because to us they are not a statistic, to us they are our companion.
These stray dogs to you and I have a name, these dogs to you and I roll over and want us to stroke their tummies, these dogs to you and I are our faithful friends, these dogs to you and I are regular and loyal visitors, these dogs to you and I enjoy their regular spot in town, these dogs to you and I greet us with a big tail wag, these dogs to you and I join us on a walk, these dogs to you and I sit at our feet, these dogs to you and I crave our love, these dogs to you and I are the make-up and character of the town.

A life is precious and we should honour that, whether it is in a person or an animal, killing these dogs so that Fifa World Cup 2014 can take place is totally unacceptable behaviour of civilised and modern day people.
The only way to deal with the stray dog population is to carry out humane methods on the street dogs, such as Neuter and Spay programs, in which the stray dogs are castrated (they can't reproduce anymore and they become calmer) then returned back to the street from he/she came from.
When the Neuter and Spay programs are carried out correctly it is the only proven successful and fair way in reducing the stray dog population.

To read the full story, click here: Stray Dogs Killed for Brazilian World Cup

Our Boy and One of His Soft Toys

2014-05-15T09:00:00.001-07:00

Our boy with one of his soft toys, this angel loves soft character toys the most but of course they must have a squeaker in them!

Our dog carries his soft toys around in his mouth when he is happy or when it is time for bed.

If he has a yummy dinner sometimes he will go and find one of his toys, if he is excited and feeling playful he will grab one and when its time for us to all go to sleep he carries his favourite one to bed with him.

But he doesn't always just pick up one teddy in his mouth, he has carried three before in his mouth.

Its sad to watch him trying to fit more in, but unfortunately three soft toys in his mouth at any one time, is the limit!

Our Pointer And An Assortment of Her Balls

2014-05-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

Our Pointer just goes crazy for balls, she loves balls so much! If we are out and other people are playing with a ball, she wants their ball. It doesn't matter what time of day, even in the middle of the night, if we pick up a ball and throw it, this Pointer is ready for action.

No other toys are good enough for her.

This photo shows our Pointers two favourite pastimes 1. Sunbathing 2. Playing Ball

First Aid and Emergency Care for Dogs

2014-03-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

There may become a time in your life when you might need to carry out dog first aid or life saving procedures on your dog, a strangers dog, a family or friends dog or even a stray dog, in order to help the dog or even save their life.
So be sure that you are prepared for any situation that may arise with your dog by reading this article:

First Aid and Emergency Care for Dogs

Dog Road Accident: -
If a dog is involved in a road accident, approach slowly and speak with gentle tones to the dog.
You may need to attach a lead or even muzzle the dog, as in circumstances like this the dog might be confused and could be in a lot of pain so may even mistakenly bite.
Even if the dog does appear to be ok, still take the dog for a check up at the vet as internal injuries could have occurred.
If the dog can not move, you will need to carry the dog, smaller dogs can be lifted up easily and carried with towels and blankets but larger dogs may need an improvised stretcher which can consist of towels and blankets but you will need another person to help carry the dog on it.
To avoid shock in dogs be sure to keep the dog warm with blankets until he safely reaches the vets.

Dog Bleeding: -
If a dog is bleeding be sure to stem the bleeding with a bandage or if you don't have one, use an item of clothing or something similar.
If blood seeps through the bandage continue wrapping more bandage around the site until this stops.
For areas that can't be bandaged apply pressure to the wound with a cloth or pad.
If it is a severe cut or injury be sure to take the dog to the vet as the dog may be losing a lot of blood and also need stitches.

Dog Burns: -
If a dog has been burnt run cold water over the injury for around 5 minutes and keep the dog warm.
If the burn is severe and not just superficial the dog needs to be taken to the vet as the dog may go into shock and the wound could become infected.

Dog Poisoning: -
If a dog has been poisoned try to find out what the culprit may be and look to see if there is any evidence nearby.
Take the dog to the vet immediately, do not make a dog sick as doing so could cause more harm, as some toxins are more dangerous coming back up than they were going down the esophagus.

Object stuck in Throat of Dog: -
If a dog appears to have something stuck in their throat, attempt to push on their neck to get the object up, if that doesn't work lay them down on their side and push on their tummy (just behind the last rib) to bring the object back up.

Dog Heatstroke: -
If a dog has heatstroke time is crucial to save the dog, move the dog to somewhere cool and breezy if possible.
You can wet the dogs coat with tepid water to cool the dog down (never ice cold water it actually slows heat loss) and offer the dog small amounts of water to drink.
Keep the dog as cool as possible until it reaches the vet.

Dog Stings: -
If a dog has been stung by an insect be sure to pull out the sting and then bathe the area in water or bicarbonate of soda.
However if the sting is on the face or throat you should take the dog to the vet as the body can swell and this can make it hard for the dog to breathe.

Step by Step Resuscitation for Dogs

* Lay the dog on their side.
* Check for breathing. (place fur in front of nostrils to see if it moves)
* Open mouth and pull tongue forward.
* Try to remove any obstructions. (be sure not to get bitten)
* Hold the dogs head with the nose pointing straight ahead.
* Hold the mouth closed and blow into the dogs nose. (in a minute around 20 times)
* Check for heartbeat, you can check for a pulse by feeling the dogs back leg, in the groin area, where the the leg joins the body. (a normal pulse is between 70 and 120 beats per minute)
* If there is no heartbeat, push on the chest every 1 second. (just behind the front legs)
* Give 2 breaths into the nose for every 15 compression's on the chest.

Keep this information handy or try to learn the basics as you never know when you may need to use it on helping a dog.

Street Dogs 'Over the Years'

2014-01-25T05:55:00.000-08:00

Over the years we have had the pleasure of crossing paths with many wonderful street dogs, all of which are very different, apart from them all having two things in common and that is being gentle and kind.
Some stray dogs are big, some are small, some have long fur, others have short, some are Black in colour, others are a mixture of two or three colours and sport the most beautiful facial and body markings.
All of them have completely different traits and personalities, from a clever dog that can smell you a few streets away, to a friendly dog that greets you with a howl.
The street dogs are individuals, they do have their own personalities and if you spend the time getting to know them you will have some truly amazing experiences and make some wonderful friends along the way.
They street dogs are no different from owned dogs at home, apart from most of them having had the misfortune of being left on the side of the road when they grew too big or when the phase of owning a dog wore off.
So just because the dogs live on the streets it is not their fault and it doesn't make them any different, they still rely on humans to feed them in order to survive, they are still a 'Dog' (mans loyal best friend) for gods sake.
Due to their life experiences they make for incredible pets, they crave attention and love, show you affection back and over time when you observe their inner confidence shining out and see their fears slowly fading into the background, it is an incredible feeling.
Some street dogs are pure breed dogs but others are mixed breed dogs, the mixed breeds are wonderful as they are unlike any other dogs you have seen before, they have such beautiful appearances and are their own 'unique mix'.

Here are a just a few photos of some of the lovely street dogs we have come across:

Photos of Our Dogs This Christmas Time

2013-12-12T03:42:00.000-08:00

Photos of Our Two Angels this Christmas Time, Enjoy!

Photo of our boy looking very comfy this Christmas Time.

Photo of our girl looking very festive this Christmas Time.

Christmas Presents for Pets

2013-12-12T02:59:00.003-08:00

Its not too late to get your beloved pet a Christmas present or to even treat them to another one, after all they deserve it!
Whether you are looking for a present for a dog, gift for a cat or to find your cuddly rabbit a present, you can find it all, what is even better is, lots of items have free UK delivery too!

Pet Gifts - UK

And there are many cool deals on pet Christmas presents to be found in the USA too, many also have free shipping!

Pet Presents - USA

Animals Sing "12 Days of Christmas"

2013-12-12T02:21:00.001-08:00

A Festive and Fun Video with Cute Animals Singing!

Interesting Facts about Dogs

2013-11-14T03:34:00.004-08:00

There are so many amazing facts about dogs, things that us humans never knew about them.
It is impossible to know them all but here are a few interesting facts about our canine friends:

Interesting Dog Facts

World Animal Day 4th October 2013

2013-10-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

At the start of this month we celebrated World Animal Day on the 4th October 2013.
World Animal day is a day when we should remember the importance of animals, to show respect and kindness to animals, to think of the joy and enrichment that animals bring to our lives and the special bonds that we share with animals.

Here are some links to show how different people/organisations from around the world celebrated World Animal Day.

Manila World Animal Day

Singapore World Animal Day

Trinidad and Tobago World Animal Day

UK World Animal Day

Bulgaria World Animal Day

Israel World Animal Day

Cyprus World Animal Day

Romania, the Land of Death For Stray Dogs

2013-09-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

Romania, a country reaped in history, a country where you are greeted by outstanding natural beauty, rolling hills and picturesque landscapes, but regrettably also a country were corruption, greed and brutality is rife.

After the incident of the child, Ionut, who was killed in suspicious circumstances in Bucharest, the government announced a new law on September 10th 2013, this law would put every stray dogs life that lived in Romania, in complete jeopardy.

The new law to 'euthanise all stray dogs, even healthy ones' was a harsh and brutal law bought in by propaganda and for nothing other than greed.

Its easy to turn the blame onto the stray dogs as they can't speak up and defend themselves, they are vulnerable and easy pickings for those with ulterior motives.
We do not know exactly how this child died or who or what killed this child, so we therefore have no right to blame innocent stray dogs for this tragedy.

There is too much negative press on the stray dogs through the media in Romania, they show one sided interviews, they present views only from anti stray persons and they show false or misleading statistics.
The media only adds fuel to the fire and creates an unnecessary situation, they manipulate the population with one sided views, which in turn creates fear in the people and makes the people dislike strays.

There are so many unanswered questions and the first port of call would be the grandmother, I don't want to get personal but surely the initial fault must lie with her, letting her grandchildren out of her sight for far too long.

We all know why the Romanian government conveniently wishes to blame the stray dogs for any tragedy that occurs on the streets, its simple because the stray dogs are worth money to them, especially if they are a 'problem'.
The government are not trying to control the stray dog population, they are trying to make money out of the situation.
Instead of carrying out Neuter, Spay and Release on the street dogs of Romania, which successfully reduces the stray dog population, they choose the brutal choice of collect and murder.
Neuter and Spaying the stray dogs isn't as profitable for them, as killing them is, so sadly because of corruption and greed, the stray dogs have suffered and continue to suffer immensely.
Innocent lives are lost to the hands of these brutal killers who seem to show no remorse or pity for the cruel and sick acts that they commit on these innocent creatures.

Even though this new proposed law is currently stated as being 'frozen', mayors, groups and individuals have still taken it into their own hands to kill innocent strays all over Romania.
Awful photos emerge after this new law was announced, it seems monsters were born or were already there in hiding and this new law has in effect given them permission to go out on the streets and carry out aggressive, sick, brutal and violent attacks on the vulnerable and unsuspecting stray dogs.
The photos that emerge are photos of innocent stray dogs that peacefully lived alongside the communities, murdered and treated in the most terrible ways, beaten with weapons, stabbed to death, tricked and poisoned, no victims were sparred, among the photos are friendly dogs, dogs that have lived in the communities for years, pregnant dogs, old dogs and even puppies.
Brutality on a large scale is being shown from the dog catchers, they are trying to steal owned dogs and are inflicting injuries on the owners in the process also they are collecting stray dogs in an aggressive and inhumane manner, the dogs are left with injuries from the capture process and sometimes death has occurred instantly.

I feel saddened as money is budgeted and put aside for the stray dogs of Romania to help and control the stray dog population, which will in turn improve both the humans and the stray dogs lives but these twisted government officials are using the money for themselves and the street dogs suffer at the hands of them because they are 'voiceless'.

I must just say, of all the stray dogs that I have come across, hundreds and hundreds of them, I have never come across an aggressive stray dog, most have all just wanted love and affection, some were too scared to come near me, for obvious reasons, but none of them ever showed signs of aggression. All they wanted is human interaction and to be loved, lots of them would even chose cuddles over eating the food I would give, it would mean so much more to them. So from my experience of stray dogs, observing them and spending time with them I know what they are like and I know how much trust they have in us humans, even though they are let down by people and scared time after time, they are always forgiving and its a common sight to see a wag of a tail from them, when they realise that you are going to be kind to them and not hurt them.
Its their only fault really, they are too kind, too trusting and too friendly for their own good.

I cannot bear to think about what will happen today, how many more innocent and friendly stray dogs that are peacefully sleeping or innocently walking along the streets, will lose their lives? Will luck give them another day or will they be unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

How you can help:

Sign the Petitions

The Romanian Government and the European Parliament: End Romanias Government abuse of public funds

Give the Romanian Stray Dogs The Chance to Live

Romanian Government: STOP mass killing dogs! Adopt mass sterilization!

Constitutional Court of Romania: Please reject the PL912 modification proposal of the Lower House

Adopt, Sponser or Foster a Romanian Stray Dog and Save Their Life

PHOTOS - Flash was brutally cut open by the stomach and during operation to put intestines back in, the heart stopped and Kloe was frightened when the dog catcher put the noose around her neck and she suffered a heart attack.
These are just two cases of the thousands of stray dogs in Romania that have cruelly lost their lives since this new law came in.

Funny Dog Video - Our Naughty Pointer Raiding the Kitchen

2013-08-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

This funny dog video shows our naughty Pointer dog barging open the kitchen door after we had gone out and helping herself to whatever she could find. In her case it was a jar of peanut butter, which she took to her bed and was saving for later and a bag of shopping. Her fun ended after she made a loud thud, because that alerted our Kangal mix boy, who then comes trotting into view to see what is going on, he looks around concerned as though he thinks there is an intruder in the house. Our Pointer see's him coming and acts submissive by freezing to the spot, as if to say 'it wasn't me, I don't know nothing about it'. Our boy looks around deeply concerned and confused (poor thing) as he knows something is not right, he rushes past the bag of shopping on the floor as he doesn't want anything to do with it and knows it shouldn't be there. Then he checks at the front door to see if we are home and finally settles down next to our Pointer, which was a good thing as she didn't move a muscle after that!

Dogs and the Danger of Oleander Poisoning

2013-08-12T02:18:00.001-07:00

Some plants can be a real danger to pets if they are consumed, sometimes a single leaf can even be deadly, so it is important to know the plants that are poisonous to dogs.

In this article I am referring to one specific plant, the 'Oleander'.

Oleander, the wonderful shrub that stays Green all year round, it blooms such beautiful blooms in a range of gorgeous colours such as a pure White, a delicate Peach tone, a lemon Yellow colour and finally the marvelous shades of Pink.

Our dog had a lucky escape last month after consuming an Oleander leaf, he never nibbles leafs and is a fussy eater, so we never thought such a problem would exist with him.
Our Oleander shrub was dropping leaves due to a minor disease, so we were regularly sweeping up the leaves.

One night our boy was outside with us and I turned to see him chewing something, something so small that we couldn't see what it was, we forgot all about it until the next morning.
The next morning on the walk he had severe diarrhea and there was no explanation for it, we remembered back to the following evening and suddenly thought maybe he had actually been chewing an Oleander leaf that had dropped off.

When we got home his heart was racing and he seemed restless, he stood by the front door as he needed to go to the toilet again.
We went to the vets, the vet said activated charcoal (which is normally used for this problem) couldn't be used as it was too late, the poison was already in his blood stream, so he had several doses of laxatives to get all the poison out from his body and we spent many hours walking around giving him the chance to go to the toilet.

Once back home that evening he was tired and weak, the vet gave us a hydration sachet for him, which we gave to him, this was to replace the lost body salts and to make him feel stronger.

The next day we saw a bigger improvement in him, so was very happy, it was such a worrying time for us, especially as we had researched and found out that Oleander is one of the most poisonous plants for dogs.
Our boy was lucky because he only consumed one small leaf and he weighs over 30kg so he was strong enough to fight back but if he was a smaller dog it might have been a very different outcome.