Paws Behind a Smile

21/07/2024

We go through the ups and downs together and as any owner of a teenage dog knows - it’s not always the easiest of journeys! However, I’m so proud of this lad and his recent achievements.
Thanks to all who play or have played a part in our journey together so far and special thanks to BWTS for helping Taino with his recent training achievements including passing his Bronze Good Citizens Test today. 💙🐾

01/07/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100037042610002/posts/1233143981263677/?app=fbl

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

13/06/2024

I love this! Shared from a new friend’s page ❤️🐾

https://www.facebook.com/100063510702995/posts/978020860991595/?app=fbl

This 🙌❤️🙏

We are not their ‘owners’ in the sense we think of it. They are their own sentient beings, with responses to life physically and emotionally, with choices to make, emotional states of mind, be it excitement, fear, sadness, happiness, frustration, love.

We are their Kahu’s ❤️

And what an honour it is to go through life sharing such a short, but special journey with these precious little souls 🥰
❤️

22/05/2024

My amazing Bahji boy turned 12 years old this month. He still thinks he’s only 6 and he still enjoys working and training as much now as he did when he was a younger dog.
He really enjoyed himself last week doing a mantrailing session with the fabulous Nikki Turner - Mantrailing Global Instructor and Assessor from Dog Training Centre of Excellence.

His incredible sense of smell took him first on a shorter successful field trail followed by a 400m urban ground route - across a busy dual carriageway and past open shop doors and eateries, with many distractions along the way.

We had so much fun and I’m so proud of him. He may be getting stubborn and have selective hearing now in his maturer years, but he is retaining his youth in his desire to continue working, learning and having heaps of fun. You can always teach old dogs new tricks 🥰

Thanks Nikki for the photos (evidence of my shocking line handling! 😉🤣) and for the fun.

Thanks also to Auntie Christina for the fab trails at the weekend too. Bahji says he prefers to trust his own nose rather than follow the excited younger noses, but it was a whole heap of tail wagging nose sniffing fun and joy
👃💙🐾

20/05/2024

Another enjoyable work date for Taino at the local primary school he attends. Taino is delighted to see the children each visit and it’s wonderful seeing the joy that he brings when representing Essex Therapy Dogs.
Dogs know that a job worth doing is a job worth doing well! 🥰🐾💙

28/04/2024

Someone is a tired lad after his training class this morning! He’ll need a bigger towel to hide and seek under though I think!
Tired dogs are often happy ones!🫶💙🐾

25/04/2024

Hooray! The bluebells are fully in bloom at last! 🎉💙🐾💙🐾
Have a good day folks! 🫶🐾💙

24/02/2024

‘Be More Dog’ creating awareness with fab posts as always. ❤️🐾

Continuing the week with child friendly images to help parents educate their children, and help adults educate themselves!!

I was contacted by the RSPCA today regarding the popular video I did with the girl that got bitten in the face. Amazing, they want to use this video for education on their platforms.

24/02/2024

Another great post creating awareness by ‘Be More Dog’ ❤️🐾

https://www.facebook.com/100045277254517/posts/997648495087716/

Often dogs will mouthe to communicate. Eg "get off me, I don't like that, stop patting my head" etc. This image is good to help young ones know where to pet. Everyone is drawn to the head. Stay away from the head. Shoulders and chest is more neutral.

12/01/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100064824183001/posts/794841669353299/?app=fbl

Thanks to LotsDogs for this great graphic - emphasising also the importance of context.

11/01/2024

Every household needs a smiling do**us within it! ❤️🐾

24/12/2023

Happy Christmas everyone from me and my lot to you and yours! 🎅🏻🤶🏻🎉🎄❤️🐾x

10/12/2023

Well done to my awesome Bahji who has passed his Kennel Club Gold Good Citizen Test today! 🎉 🥇

I’m sorry I didn’t get my act together sooner, but we finally tried for it today and he passed with the happiest of waggy tails. So proud of this furry fella for taking the test in his stride.

Well done to all the fabulous new friends we met - both human and hairy alike. They all successfully passed their silver award today so it was successes all round. Many thanks to all the team at BWTS for allowing us to have our exam with you and for all making us feel so very welcome for it.
🐾💙

02/12/2023

Feeling festive after Taino’s first running event today. He thoroughly enjoyed himself at the Mental Elf run - although he did more weeing, pooing and muddy ground sniffing and wading than much actual running! ❤️🐾🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻

07/10/2023

Proud Mummy alert!!!! Taino passed his assessment to be a therapy dog and can’t wait to give even more hairy hugs out and hopefully make lots more people smile. 🥰💙🐾

https://www.facebook.com/100079970815543/posts/316210007721357/?app=fbl

26/08/2023

Happy international dogs day everyone from my hairy 4 pawed pals and me! 🐾💙🐾💙

15/07/2023

Thank you Good Easter for a lovely afternoon! Much fun had by all at their dog show and I’m super proud of my furry babies.
3rd place for Bahji in the ‘Golden Oldies’ category and a 1st place for Taino in the ‘Dog Judge would most like to take home’! 🤣 Little cuties.

All the dogs at the show today were impeccably behaved and what a lovely bunch of people too! 🥰🐾💙🐾💙

19/06/2023

Why is it that no matter how blue one might have been feeling - watching a dog simply being a dog has the power to fill your heart with joy. If only us humans could all be a bit more dog-like (minus the bum sniffing though please!) 💙🐾

26/05/2023

Wahoo! The weekend is here, enjoy the sunshine folks. We will be! 🐾💙🐾

24/04/2023

Bahji and I enjoyed some low impact parkour in the woods this weekend with friends. Thank you Auntie Christina for coordinating.

In addition, Taino enjoyed his first taste of mantrailing with his new friends and made me ever so proud. Far too fast for me to manage any photos of that but much fun was had by all.

Keep trying new things with your furry pals folks. They love having adventures and trying new fun things just as we do. 🥰🐾❤️ X

04/03/2023

09/02/2023

Hey folks!

Well I’m very late getting this post on I’m afraid as life has been so incredibly crazy for me these past few months.

For those that aren’t already aware, I have in fact stopped my dog walking and pet care business as of the end of last year, having accepted my childhood dream job working for a veterinary hospital.

The change of career and decision to close my fabulous walking business brought me many mixed emotions. It was not the easiest decision to make, but it was something I really had to do in order to pursue a long-term dream to work within the field of veterinary care.

This walking and pet care business has been my baby for over 2 years and it grew from a pal kindly putting me in contact with 2 amazing clients, all the way to a full-time job with more fabulous clients than I was able to accommodate in a working week. I simply didn’t have enough hours in each day! Each one of my furry 4 pawed pals has become so important to me and will always have a place in my heart. I cried my eyes out walking away from each of them, but my human clients were so very understanding (something I’m very grateful for) and I feel privileged to now be able to call each of those clients my friends. Their doggies, cats and rodents have taught me so much and will now always be a part of my life despite the fact I no longer see them on a daily or weekly basis. They are one of the very best chapters of my life journey so far and I look forward to catching up with each of them again very soon.

I started my new career in October 2022 and it has been a whirlwind of long tiring night shifts and mass learning coupled with the juggle of family life (as hubby was working away for the first few weeks of my new role). Thanks to my incredible hubster, fabulous kiddies and helpful mummy for their amazing support with this journey of further career development within the animal sector. It wouldn’t have been possible without their encouragement and patience.

It’s been wonderful so far, but also incredibly hard - particularly for the period of weeks that I was juggling the gradual closure of my walking business - alongside my new job induction and my ongoing assisting role in dog training. In addition, (just to complicate my life further) we welcomed a new addition to our family during this time of change. Taino the 5-month-old rescued golden retriever puppy entered our home. So you see - to say life has been busy is an understatement!

I’d really hoped to update my album on here of beautiful client photos from last year’s walks from spring time onwards. However, there are just so many and it would take me hours to upload them all. Rest assured that each of my wonderful clients had received the pictures of their dogs directly at the time. At some stage I’ll find the time to upload them on here for everyone else’s enjoyment and pleasure as the dogs are so beautiful and it makes me smile seeing them having their fab adventure walks and looking back on the photos.

I needed to get this post up to advise that I of course am no longer taking enquiries re my services and do not have a waiting list in place any longer. All my existing clients had their last walkies and visits before the close of 2022.

Much as I’m no longer running my walking and pet care business, I do not wish to close this page down completely as it can be a useful tool occasionally for sharing information regarding our precious animals and their training needs and healthcare info. It’s also a nice place for me to occasionally share pupdates with those who like things doggy! I therefore will be keeping it active but with only occasional posts relating to the animal and pet world and will be removing my contact details so that further enquiries do not continue to drift through.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those of you who have supported my business whilst it was in place and who all helped make it such a success and source of great joy in my life. Much as it pulled my heart in all directions deciding to close it, my heart will remain full of love for the wonderful animals I was lucky enough to work with and get to know.

Now onwards with my exciting new career at the vets following successful completion of my probationary period. Hopefully I won’t bump into you overnight on my shifts at the emergency hospital but I do hope I’ll see you all out and about on walks with your dogs or within the dog training field whether it be supporting you with your dogs or having a giggle in classes whilst I’m attempting to train my own furry bundles of fun! 💙🐾

Therefore at the present time there is a PAUSE at PAWS BEHIND A SMILE but the smile has grown a whole lot bigger and the PAWS have currently doubled. Keep appreciating your doggies and animals folks and enjoy those dog walks and pet adventures. I'll see you all again soon. 💙🐾🐾💙

09/02/2023

https://www.facebook.com/513242434/posts/10160087434997435/?app=fbl

30/12/2022

Hey folks I hope all are well and had a good Christmas. Apologies for my public silence, lots of exciting changes have been going on for me behind the scenes and I’ll get a post on to update you all very soon.

In the meantime, in preparation for tomorrow’s imminent fireworks I’d like to share this link which I think is quite a nice block of information for you re your dog’s possible barking around fireworks. I think a few people perhaps aren’t aware of what their dog’s barking might mean when they respond to the loud bangs, so this has some info that may help you better read them and respond to their needs.

Also, dogs that perhaps once were fine around fireworks and bangs can develop fear and anxiety of them in their later life / older age. Do look out for any changes in how they cope or behave in order that you can adjust to their needs accordingly.

Happy New Year to you all and look after yourselves and your hairy pawed pals. 🎉🐾❤️💙🐾x

While everyone enjoys the loud explosions of the fireworks… You’re going deaf at home because of your dog’s endless barks. Uh-oh! Someone needs earplugs.  Keep reading to find out:  7 tips to stop your dog from barking. Can fireworks trigger PTSD in your pooch? 9 real reasons why your dog ba...

27/05/2022

Love this! ❤️🐾
Beautiful Diesel benefiting from Mum’s skills and treatment.

Observe your dog!

Make your dog your own case study 🤓

I take so many photos of my own dogs, doesn’t matter what they are doing. But can you see a common theme here?

*Can you spot the difference?

I gave my own dog a specific treatment and last night he showed me the effectiveness of this.

Very rare for him to not need to rest his head and this for him is a sign that he has some issues in this area but yesterday he proved that we had worked effectively and he chose to not prop his head and lay on his side.

Study you dog.
Learn their normal to be able to identify any subtle changes they maybe showing you. We can work together and try to identify any source of pain. You dog is communicating all the time we just need to observe, listen and learn.

Please like and share this post >>>>

*the difference is the bottom left and my jaw dropped. I took a photo to remind myself sometimes the results take time but can be possible 🙏

23/05/2022

It might be rainy outside but we are still smiling here at Paws Behind A Smile! (And yes my raincoat had got so wet that I ended up just ditching it!🤣) 💙🐾🐾💙

24/04/2022

Bahji and I have sprung back into it with a bounce this week after a lovely change of scene. Here are a few of our pals on this week’s adventures….❤️🐾

15/04/2022

This lad has been enjoying the Easter break ❤️😊

Happy Easter everyone! Enjoy the weekend walking with your furry or human besties ❤️🐾 x

01/02/2022

Sorry for not posting for a number of months. As most of you will already be aware I have been incredibly busy since the end of last year working much longer hours with the doggies, having building work and renovations done at home, trying to get fitness back post covid, ploughing through training course material, and continuing my ongoing journey at Pets in Partnership. It's all going well and me and the doggies are all having an awesome time - they have all grown and developed a great deal in the last couple of months.

Thanks everyone for your continued custom, fabulous feedback, recommendations, and ongoing support as I continue to embrace and grow within this exciting and ever rewarding career path.

Those of you who have recently expressed an interest in my services, my apologies that I am currently not in a position to take on any further new clients. Those of you who are on the waiting list, I shall continue to update you should any movement/changes to my work/walking schedule occur.

Thanks everyone and enjoy quality time with your awesome furry pals! ❤🐾🥰

01/02/2022

Race to recall first!❤🐾🥰