4 Legs and a Tail

29/01/2025

✨ New In Stock: Luxury Scented Candles! ✨

We’re thrilled to introduce Comfy Cosy Candles to our collection! These handmade soy wax candles come in stylish black tins and burn for an incredible 6 hours, filling your space with rich, long-lasting fragrance.

Available in a range of luxurious and comforting scents, including:

🌿 Perfume & Aftershave-Inspired Scents:
🔥 Creed Aventus – Bold & sophisticated
🔥 Armani Code – Warm & seductive
🔥 YSL Black O***m – Sweet & addictive
🔥 Alien (Mugler) – Mysterious & enchanting

🍂 Cosy, Familiar Scents:
☕ Coffee Cake – Warm & sweet, like a fresh-baked treat
🍪 Gingerbread – Spicy, cozy, and nostalgic
🌲 Rustic Woods – Earthy & fresh, perfect for a nature lover
🫐 Blueberry Pancake – Sweet, buttery, and oh-so-delicious
🍂 Sweet To***co – Rich, warm, and slightly smoky

Perfect for gifting or adding a touch of warmth to your home! Grab yours while they last.

📍 we are open Tuesday- Saturday 9am-4pm!

23/01/2025

Orders in before 10:30am this morning please if you need anything ‼️

If you need any animal feed please let me know before 10:30am this morning to ensure delivery for tomorrow ‼️

19/01/2025

Interesting read - especially for when that sad time comes ….💔

Equines and losing their herd mates.
Most equines don’t process death in the same way we do, but its important to understand how they look at it.
Firstly its they way they understand it, they can watch it but it does not mean much, it’s the smell that tells them. So horses should be allowed to smell their departed friend, this is two part, firstly its for them to work out they have died, second part is they will be smelling for adrenalin and endorphins. Generally animals don’t fear death but they fear pain and the process of dying, which if most people are honest is the same for us, most people don’t fear death it’s the getting there, when its your time most people just hope its instant or they go in their sleep, animals are often the same.
You can put a horse down with another one watching and they will often finish their bucket of food before they go to investigate why their mate is laying down. Then they smell a lot around the dead one and if there is no adrenalin or endorphins then they died quickly and were not attacked, so nothing to worry about, even though they saw it the nose overrides all other senses, (hence why horses dislike the wind, stops them smelling in one direction)
So how do we help the horses, ponies etc accept the death of a herd member.
Time is the most important thing, giving them long enough to investigate.
The best thing is to put down the horse in an area that’s safe to let their heard mates into afterwards loose.
This is because some horses run “tests” to check they are dead, this will involve walking in arcs up to them, running away in short bursts (trying to get a flight response) grazing next to dead ones head, pawing with hooves, sometimes biting. If there is some blood they will often put on their nose or taste it, again checking for adrenalin or endorphins to ensure that they are safe and it was not a lion hiding in hedge that killed it. They will then walk away grazing and return about 3 times, after this they accept it and just walk away.
The time it takes varies on the position in herd of the one that’s dies, (one that has been pushed out of herd due to being ill the others will only take 20min to accept as they were expecting it, on other hand if it’s the leader of herd that unexpectedly died, accident etc, it takes far longer as no one is giving instructions so the upset is 2 fold this might take a hour and a half to accept whilst sniffing)
Also the breed is big factor, Shetland ponies for example only take a few minutes (they appear hard and uncaring often due to this) where a thoroughbred or Arab takes on average 45min to accept.
Leading a horse up to dead one tends to slow process down or sometimes they don’t understand at all as they will try to feed of body language of the one who’s leading them and we are not good at horse body language. If there is no choice due to are its still better then not showing them at all but its best done with long lead rope and keeping it as loose as possible to allow the horse to jump around as remember this is partly how they work it out.
The more horses in the herd the quicker they will figure out that’s one died but its nothing to worry about as they will look to each other.
Some special cases, donkeys are terrible at being so attached they one died they will pine to death, so they need another animal for company when their mate goes and we find they should have a least 12 hours with their deceased friend, this is why when we put down donkeys we recommend they we put it down one day and we will come back next day to collect, even trough this means 2 trips.
Mares when they lose their foals (or if foal pts ) again if we have put foal down and you are not going to foster mother then its best to do it and leave foal in stable for example where mother has free access, it can take her up to 48hr to realize her foal is dead and not just sleeping at which time she will bury it and its then safe to remove it without causing any upset.
All of this is why we allow at least a hour and a half for every horse we are putting down but are prepared to wait even longer if needed, 2 part it ensure the euthanasia is never rushed so we can ensure its instant and best as it can be but also the grieving process is vital to any other horse that are part of hear if they were attached. And the more time they have with their field mate who passed on the better.
If you have very closely bonded herd I’m always happy to discuss what’s the best way not only for the one who’s going but also for what’s best for their companions.
This photo shows a group of horses checking out their sadly deceased field mate, no stress just working it out and accepting it.

*edit*
I will add that the times I have said are different horse to horse and it's the time it takes them to normally understand the their friend has died and not just injured or sleeping.
Once they accept this they will then start to greve, like people some horses will take a few hour, some a few days and some a couple of weeks to get over a major change to their herd. But it's much better when they know what's happening to the other option my friend is missing and they will keep looking sometimes for months..

24/12/2024

🎄A Free mince pie for every customer today 🎄😋
Open 10am-2pm
Willow Farm Cottam

06/12/2024

🎄 Willow Farm Cottam Christmas Opening Times 🎄

Please take note of our adjusted hours over the festive season.

Last day for ordering any animal feed, that you will require between Christmas and New Year, is next Thursday 12th December by 10am.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎅✨

20/11/2024

📢 Important Update from 4 Legs and a Tail! 🐾

Dear valued customers,

We’ve sent out an updated Terms and Conditions form to your email and messages for your review. This form is crucial to ensure we can continue providing our services to you and your furry friends.

👉 What you need to do:
1️⃣ Check your email or messages for the form.
2️⃣ Review and sign it as soon as possible.
3️⃣ Submit the completed form back to us!

⚠️ Please note: Submitting this form is required to avoid any disruption in our services. We value your time and appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Please inform us if you haven't received the form through so we can resend it without delay.

Thank you for your cooperation! 🐶🐱❤️

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to us.

Warm regards,
The 4 Legs and a Tail Team 🐾

Send a message to learn more

06/11/2024

🐾 Order Day Reminder for Animal Feed! 🐾

Don’t forget – tomorrow is Order Day for all your animal feed needs!

📅 Place your orders by 10 AM to ensure everything is ready and available for collection on Friday.

Whether it’s for your pets, farm animals, or anything in between, we’ve got you covered with quality feed options.

Drop us a message or give us a call to secure your order. Thanks, and see you soon! 🐶🐴🐔

27/10/2024

🌟 Urgent Help Needed for Two Beautiful German Shepherds 🌟

Hi everyone, I’m reaching out on behalf of a valued customer who’s in need of some support. ❤️

My customer’s partner has two German Shepherds, Blue (male, 9 years old) and Ava (female, 6 years old), who need a new home after their owner recently passed away. While they would love to adopt Blue and Ava themselves, they’re in the process of buying a house and don’t have a move-in date yet.

They’ve reached out to several rescues, but so far haven’t had any luck finding a place. They’re hoping to find someone who might be able to offer foster care, emergency boarding, or know of any rescue that could help these two lovely dogs.

If you, or anyone you know, might be able to help , please let me know! Any assistance, shares, or suggestions would be incredibly appreciated. Let’s help Blue and Ava find the loving home they deserve. 🐾💙🐾

Thank you so much for any support! 😊

22/10/2024

09/10/2024

🎄 Christmas is just around the corner! 🎄

Looking for the perfect unique gift? Check out these amazing handcrafted items from Faltis Designs now available at Willow Farm, Cottam! 🎁

From quirky Dog Tail Lead Hooks to charming Horseshoe Coat Hooks and even stylish Coasters – we’ve got something for everyone. Plus, don’t miss out on the Mounted Wine Rack & Glass Holder Bar – perfect for adding a rustic touch to your home or gifting to the wine lover in your life! 🍷🍷

💷 Prices start at just £5!

Don’t wait until the last minute – grab your gifts today and make this Christmas extra special with local, handmade products! 🎅

📍 Visit us at Willow Farm, Cottam or message us for more info.

18/09/2024

Do you wish your dog would come back when called?

Are they more interested in other dogs or chasing rabbits than you?

Do you just want to be able to trust your dog to have a nice time without running off?

Then this is the course for you!

A 2 part recall workshop aiming to build engagement with your dog and arm with you with a toolbox of tools to help strengthen your dog's recall and have them racing back to you! Accompanied with handouts, videos and WhatsApp support between sessions.

Located in Cottam DN22 0EZ. £55 per dog. ONLY 3 SPACES REMAINING!

17/09/2024

‼️We have an uncollected order consisting of 2 bags of Gablestock small bite dry dog food. It has now just gone past its best before date so now reduced from £21.12 to £18 a bag if anyone is interested ⁉️

04/09/2024