Farringford Boarding Kennels & Cattery

09/09/2025

A well trained person has a happy dog. And believe me many dogs need their owners to learn more about how to fulfil their dogs needs.

06/09/2025

Brain scans show that a dog’s brain responds most strongly to the scent of its owner - more than to food or even other dogs.

A study from Emory University found that pet dogs often seem to view humans as family, perhaps even more so than members of their own species. To find out, scientists trained dogs to stay still inside an MRI machine and then exposed them to different smells, including their favorite treats, unfamiliar dogs, and their human companions.

The scans revealed that the scent of their owners activated the caudate nucleus - the brain’s reward center - more than anything else. In other words, the smell of their person feels better than the smell of food. Similar work from researchers in Budapest showed that dogs’ brains also respond with excitement when they hear a familiar, happy human voice.

Together, these findings point to how deeply dogs are wired to connect with us. They’re the only non-primate animals that maintain eye contact with humans, and studies suggest they even turn to us for comfort the way children turn to parents. It’s no wonder so many families see their dogs not just as pets, but as true members of the pack.

06/09/2025

If you want the best health for your dog

Researched comprehensively and meticulously detailed, Feeding Dogs is a fascinating, at times shocking and utterly essential portrayal of canine nutrition today.

“This 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬-𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬”.

Dr. Conor Brady forensically translates the available research on a great variety of topics, detailing for us not only what dogs should eat but what they are currently being fed.

“𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 - every vet should have to read this.”

4.9 out of 5 Amazon.co.uk, the highest rated book on the topic ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚 Hardcopy & Paperback available.

Order a copy now!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Feeding-Dogs-Science-Behind-Versus/dp/1916234003

06/08/2025

Feed time loitering 😁

05/08/2025

Posted • Preventing unwanted litters is a goal we all share—but it’s time to rethink the surgical approach. Hysterectomies and vasectomies, which preserve hormonal balance, can safely be performed as early as 8 weeks of age, making dogs sterile without disrupting their natural hormones.

In this study, researchers looked at whether the age at which dogs were spayed or neutered, meaning how long they were exposed to their natural s*x hormones, affected how healthy they were in old age. They studied a group of long-lived pet dogs to learn what helps dogs live longer, healthier lives. Dogs with the fewest age-related health problems were considered the most “robust.”

The results showed that both male and female dogs who kept their hormones longer (i.e., were spayed or neutered later) were 3 to 10 times more likely to be healthy in old age compared to those altered earlier. Once hormone exposure and age were taken into account, there was no difference in old-age health between males and females.

This study highlights how important s*x hormones may be for staying healthy later in life and shows that early-life decisions—like when to spay or neuter—can have long-term effects on health.

19/06/2025

If you haven’t walked your dog by 9:30am it’s already too late. Unless you drive to dense woodland.
If you don’t believe me put on your winter clothes, a thick coat, take off your shoes and go for a 30 minute run.
Lazy exercising with a ball thrower in heat can cause cardiac arrest in dogs.

04/06/2025

I wouldn’t feed my pets lab grown meat, I hope you won’t fall for this trap either. Without customers the product will fail.

517 likes, 71 comments. “🚫 Lab grown meat 🚫 have announced that they will be stocking Meatly, a new lab grown dog treat in their stores. Is this the first step towards the acceptance of lab grown meat for human consumption? Here are my thoughts! ✨Would you feed your dog lab g...

03/06/2025

Posted • If your dog loves diving into rivers, ponds, or lakes at the first opportunity, researchers advise against using spot-on flea and tick treatments.

A recent study found that when treated dogs swim, they can release harmful levels of active chemicals into the water through their skin and fur. This contamination can persist for up to 28 days after application, posing risks to aquatic life and the animals that feed on them, such as birds.

One study conclusion - “This study highlights clear ecological risks from spot-on parasiticides and provides evidence that current label instructions on swimming do not provide sufficient environmental protection. Risk-based parasite control strategies and extended swimming restrictions are recommended. Regulatory review of environmental risk assessments and mitigation measures is warranted to protect aquatic environments.”

30/01/2025

Due to the effects of toxins on the pet I don’t use flea or worm treatments. Here’s information on the wider effects on wildlife!

Posted • .balancedcanine ⚠️ Routine flea treatments aren’t just harming our dogs—they’re poisoning our rivers, killing wildlife, and devastating entire ecosystems. ⚠️

A shocking recent study has revealed that 100% of bird nests tested contained toxic flea and tick chemicals, with some nests contaminated by up to 11 different insecticides. Higher contamination levels were directly linked to more dead chicks and unhatched eggs, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of these pesticides.(Wood et al., 2024)

This isn’t an isolated finding. Another study in the Netherlands (Guldemond et al., 2019) identified 26 different pesticides, many of which are found in common flea and tick treatments for pets. In England, fipronil and imidacloprid—two widely used flea-killing chemicals—were detected in 99% of river samples, with fipronil found in 98% of freshwater sources.

These chemicals aren’t preventing parasites—they’re poisoning our environment. They leach into waterways, harming aquatic life, insects, and birds, disrupting fragile ecosystems, posing risks to our pets and our own health.

🔍 Now more than ever, it’s time to rethink routine chemical parasite treatments. There are safer, non-toxic alternatives that focus on prevention rather than repeated chemical exposure.

🌿 Looking for safer options? Our Global Natural Parasite Prevention Guide includes over 200 products from 26 countries, helping pet parents find effective, chemical-free solutions.

🐾 Do you use natural parasite control? Share your experience below! 👇

03/01/2025

Anyone have time and space to foster?