Eat Play Love

30/10/2024

20/10/2024

🎆 Firework Season 🎆

Sound sensitivity can develop at any age. Even if your pet has not been bothered by fireworks in the past, we recommend that pet owners still take precautions during firework season.

Fore more information, we recommend reading this informative blog by The Mutty Professor:
https://themuttyprofessor.co.uk/blog/firework-advice-for-dog-owners/

In need of some supplies to help your dog or cat cope with fireworks? We have Lickmats, Snuffle balls and mats, Kongs, Long lasting chews, Pheromone diffusers, & Natural calming remedies that can help ☺️

18/10/2024

I feel fancy with my new ‘The Training Pouch’ thank you Eat Play Love and The Mutty Professor for the recommendation.
The dogs are also over the moon with the amount of treats I can fit in it. Win Win 😋

15/10/2024

🖤 Follow us on instagram 📸 for a chance to win a Ruffwear Trail Runner System: hands-free hip belt and leash! 🏃🏻‍♀️🦮

🏆 Competition closes on Sunday 20th October at 11:59pm. To enter, all you need to do is make sure you are following us on instagram before the cut-off 🏆

https://www.instagram.com/eat.play.love.pets/

About the Ruffwear Trail Runner System:

- hands-free hip belt features a comfortable, bounce-free, load-dispersing design

- shock absorbing leash with lightweight swivelling lockable Crux Clip, and an intuitive leash attachment release for quick disconnect

- stretch mesh pocket on the side for quick access to essentials and a zippered, water-resistant pocket at the back

- includes 621ml (21 ounce), BPA-free water bottle that fits securely in a holster on the back

- reflective trim for visibility in low-light conditions and loop for attaching a light

- fits waist sizes: 25-45 in (64-114 cm); leash length: 3.3-5.9 ft (1-1.8 m)

08/10/2024

We are getting to that time of year again when handling leads, poo bags, treats, toys etc on walks can be difficult due to rain, mud, and cold temperatures 🌧️❄️

Over the years, I've tried many pairs of gloves trying to protect my hands whilst dog walking, but none were fit for purpose. They'd either become completely soaked through with water, they didn't have good grip for handing a longline, or I was constantly having to take them on and off to use my fingers.

That was until I found two fab brands (both UK based) that make gloves especially for dog walking!

https://eatplaylove.shop/products/no-fuss-fill-skoogo-gloves

https://eatplaylove.shop/products/dogloves

07/10/2024

Meet Jeff, a 2yr old escape artist!

He visited us from Wales when he was 6 months old to buy an assortment of 3-strap harnesses.

Harnesses with a third strap around the groin prevent dogs from being able to wriggle their way out.

Jeff returned over the weekend as he’s now fully grown so has come back for a couple more in a better fit 👌💙

06/10/2024

Curling up to a good book on a Sunday 😌

We stock a range of books that can teach you more about dog behaviour, how to set your dog up for success, how to train new skills, or address behavioural issues.

OFFER 📚 Buy any 2, get a 3rd free. In store and online. 📚

01/10/2024

Snuffle Mats! Gorgeous colours. Handmade in Devon.

Why do we recommend using snuffle mats?

👃 Dogs rely on their noses to process information about their surroundings. And sniffing activates the “seeking system” in their brain.

Evolutionarily, being very motivated to sniff out sources of food, even when none were found, increased chances of survival. Therefore, dogs are hardwired to find sniffing and searching to be very rewarding activities.

So giving your dog ample opportunities to sniff, not only exercises their brain, but it also helps to release feel good chemicals, like dopamine 🧠 These effects together help dogs to relax!

30/09/2024

Did you know we have a room that can be hired? Perfect for 1-to-1 or group training sessions. For more information or to enquire, visit our website: https://eatplaylove.shop/pages/room-hire

23/09/2024

On rainy days 🌧️ like this I’m so grateful for my dog’s drying coat!

Easy to pop on, absorbs water quickly, and my dog seems to find it very comfortable to wear 😴

We particularly like how the neck opening is wide 👍🐾

21/09/2024

🩵 Love this video by Roz at The Mutty Professor. It’s a fantastic demonstration of how you can absolutely stop chasing behaviour in dogs without the use of aversives.

🗣️ Roz helped me to stop chasing behaviour in my own (very reactive) dog, and I thought it might be useful to share some of my own firsthand experience to reiterate that ordinary people without formal dog training experience can succeed at this as well! All I did was work with accredited professionals who use an evidence-based approach to modify behaviour.

🐶 My dog is mainly working Border Collie crossed with Springer Spaniel, Border Terrier, and Beagle. He was extremely reactive from 4 months of age. He was (and still is) wary of many things, he struggled with managing his arousal levels, and had a low threshold for frustration.

💨 But my biggest challenge was trying to manage his chase drive. He would chase ANYTHING that moved. It made our world very small, as the sight of a car, motorbike, runner, cyclist, dog chasing a ball, child moving, pram, wheelchair, another animal moving, would send my dog into a frenzy. Street walks were impossible, even on our quiet residential road. I drove him to all his walks and had to strategically find parking that meant I never had to walk him on a road, or down a narrow pathway. Even taking him to secure fields was challenging, as many have roads on at least one side of the field.

😩 I honestly felt that we would never have a normal life, and that he would never stop chasing.

🏆 Fast-forward to a couple of years later, and I can proudly say that I walk my dog on the street everyday. He has not tried to chase a single car in a year and a half. We can pass most runners, cyclists, etc without incident. When my dog sees something he historically would’ve chased, he no longer goes into a manic state, and usually chooses on his own to come to me, or just move on. All because I better understand how my dog is feeling, help him to regulate his emotions, and positively reinforce the behaviours I want to see.

📈 He will also recall mid-chase, but his recall is not fool-proof yet, so he is almost always on a longline. This gives me peace of mind, but also means considerably reducing the risk of him practicing unwanted behaviour.

🥰 Most important to me is that I’ve made my life easier but it didn’t come at the expense of my dog’s welfare or our bond with each other. I love watching my dog transition into a calmer and more confident dog, and truly value how well we communicate with each other now.

16/09/2024

Waterproof longlines!

Non-absorbent so they won’t get heavier as they get wet & dirty 💦

Easy to wipe clean 🧼

Various sizes so you can choose a length and width (and weight) that suits your dog 📏⚖️
- 5, 7 or 10 meters long
- 10, 13, or 16 mm wide

A range of colours so you can match your dog’s harness, including neon/brights for those looking for extra visibility 🌈

05/09/2024

Dogs can get bored of the same things. A treat they once loved and worked hard to get might motivate them less over time 📉 That’s why switching up the treats you use for training is so important!

We stock a range of treats differing in:

-TEXTURE-
from pastes and paté to chewy & crunchy treats

-PROTEIN-
from beef & chicken to more novel proteins such as ostrich & camel

-SIZE-
from bites & chunks to strips, sticks & discs

We also have a selection so you can have a variety of treats in any quantity you’d like while saving on packaging too 💚🌏

Most of the treats we stock are single-source protein (making it easier for those with sensitives to avoid their allergens) and 100% meat 🥩🍗🥓 Those that are less than 100% meat only contain sweet potato 🍠 or other gut-friendly fruit and veggies 🥕🍌🥬🍎

03/09/2024

We love when dogs visit the shop and we know that they love visiting too! But we do have a few rules to make sure it remains an enjoyable and safe space for all 🖤

🚪👀
If bringing your dog in, please check before you walk in if there are any other dogs in the shop. Even if your dog is good with other dogs, there might already be a dog inside who needs more space ⬅️➡️

🐌🦮
Please don’t let your dog run in, or let them off their lead, as it can be really overwhelming for other dogs and/or people.

❓👩🏽‍🦱👨🏻‍🦳🐶
Always ask for permission before letting your dog interact with others in the shop.

👀🐩 Keep an eye on your dog’s body language. If they are showing signs of stress, please take them outside. Please remember that we are a small shop, so dogs can feel crowded ‼️ and there are a lot of smells and high value items around 🐽 🦴 which can all be overwhelming even for the most bomb-proof dogs. Some dogs might be happiest staying at home, or visiting midweek when we are less busy.

🙋🏻‍♀️ We’re always here to help. If you need assistance in creating space for your dog while in the shop, please let a member of staff know.

Thank you 🐾

24/08/2024

We are big fans of the Haqihana Harness. It’s what many of our own pets wear! Why do we love them so much?

🔴They are comfortable!

With minimal material, handmade in Italy from high-quality webbing, pets will barely feel them on! Just like humans, our pets can feel irritable if they’re weighed down by equipment or experience rubbing or chafing. While we want all pets to feel comfortable, this is a particularly important consideration for pets who are sensitive (e.g., reactive, experiencing pain, are sensitive to touch, have fur that is easily matted).

🟠They fit small and large bodies, short and long alike!

There is an amazing selection of sizes: we routinely stock ###S to L (XL is available upon request). XXS to M also comes in a “long” version, which is great for dachshunds, corgis, whippets, greyhounds, etc. With such a wide range of sizes, they fit most body shapes.

🟡They are easy to adjust!

The buckles move easily when making adjustments. The only time the buckles might be a bit stiff is when the harness is dirty, but after a gentle wash, they’re back to new! The buckles also don’t slip out of place over time.

🟢They are secure!

Although the material is minimal, it is strong and allows you to have control of your pet if you ever need to hold them back or gently guide them away by their harness. These harnesses are not easy to back out of, but for pets who are escape artists, Haqihana also makes a double-strap version that prevents a pet from being able to back out of it.

🔵They look great!

They’re available in a range of gorgeous colours and their quality is very obvious, especially once you see the harness on!

🟣They are durable!

They remain in great condition for many many years. They are also covered by a 5-year guarantee (against all faults, breakage or that which is not considered normal wear and tear).

17/08/2024

What a distinguished gentleman 😍

Ralph, the pomsky, before his harness fitting 📏

16/08/2024

For Watson, the stunning labradoodle, happiness is just an ostrich bone away 🦴