In The Dog's Interest

07/01/2025

Sam Lane Clinic cancelled
Wednesday
15th January

16/12/2024

Start the New Year with fun workshops, Sundays at 11am.

12th January: Weave workshop
19th January: Contact clinic
26th January: Grids
2nd February: Course running

Use these 60min sessions to brush up your skills, max 4 dogs in a group, £15 per dog

Message for more details or to book.

10/12/2024

🐰🐰🐰🐰 Let's 'rabbit' about furry ears (and other furry bits of animal you might consider feeding to your dog) 🐰🐰🐰🐰

Following on from a great chat all about fibre with a client today, it's a good time to revisit the oft cited myth that rabbit ears are effective (de)wormers......

TLDR; they aren't 🫣

🐇👂'Ear, 'ear 👂🐇

Can I whisper something to you? 🤫

*hairy ears (or other hairy body parts of animals) are NOT effective de-wormers for your dog* 🙈

I see this being advertised and advised a lot and it worries me as parasitic worms are capable of causing significant health and welfare issues if not appropriately managed - and feeding hairy ears are not appropriate management methods! 🐰

If furry things were effective dewormers, wild and free-living scavengers and carnivores would not have the parasite burdens we know they can have 🦊🦝🦡🦅

What these chews are however, are tasty (for some dogs) additions to our dogs' daily diet and can provide enrichment and a source of animal-derived fibre that may support gut health. Their effectiveness at 'trapping' worms and microscopic worm eggs in the gut....no robust evidence at all 🪱🔬

(And honestly.... just because you never see worms or eggs, that doesn't mean they aren't there!)🫣

If you want to control parasites;
🪱poo pick regularly and keep housing areas clean - many parasites are transmitted in 💩

🪱ensure good overall health for your dog through diet, exercise, management and care

🪱use a service to know what is ACTUALLY going on

🪱treat based on need and seek veterinary advice on local issues relating to management, parasite species concerns and possible resistance problems - these differ based on geographical location, climate, vector species and a whole host of other variables!

Keep hairy ears as tasty treats (but also source carefully....remember these are by-products of animal production systems and not all are as high welfare as we might like to think 🐰)

If you want to learn about dietary animal-derived fibre, have a look at

Depauw S, Hesta M, Whitehouse-Tedd K, Vanhaecke L, Verbrugghe A, Janssens GP. Animal fibre: the forgotten nutrient in strict carnivores? First insights in the cheetah. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2013 Feb;97(1):146-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01252.x. Epub 2011 Nov 10. PMID: 22074361. 🐆

27/11/2024

Places available on
Sam Lane clinic
Wednesday 15th
January 2025

11/11/2024

‼️ LAST MINUTE PLACE AVAILABLE ‼️
CATCH IT WHILE YOU CAN

SAM LANE CLINIC

Wednesday 20th November
at Contessa Riding centre

Max 6 per group, £40 per dog

PM for more info or to book

11/11/2024

🌟 SAM LANE CLINIC 🌟
At Contessa Riding Centre

New dates for 2025!!

January 15th Wednesday
February 19th Wednesday
March 19th Wednesday
April 30th Wednesday
June 5th Thursday

The last clinic for this year is Wednesday November 20th, payment is now due if you have booked a place.
We look forward to another fun day of training and possibly more fab photos from Tina.

Anyone wanting to book for next year please message me.

28/10/2024

⛔️ ROAD CLOSURE ⛔️

The B1004, is due to be closed from today, for two weeks, between Wareside and Widford.

If this is your usual route please check before you travel and allow extra time if you need to take a different route.

17/10/2024

BEWARE the BURDOCK !

When your dog starts licking an area or has a little scratch, how deep do you delve??

When my dog was licking the inside of his hind leg I got stuck in with the comb and was so glad I did!!
There, lurking, was a tiny spot which proved to be a the end of a single burdock hook, it was buried under the skin.

Yesterday, while wandering about, he idly lifted a hind leg, scratched gently at his side and continued on his way.
Again, comb at the ready, I got into his coat and found a scabby area. Gently teasing it loose it proved to be another burdock hook, which had clearly been embedded under the skin!

Thanks to Dog First Aid Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire for the recent first aid refresher, we could deal with this at home.

Keep a close eye on your dog and check any signs of irritation, no matter how mild they appear to be!

17/10/2024

Training has evolved so much in the last 50years.

Did you ever have a teacher you couldn’t stand? Now, imagine living with them and feeling that way all the time.

Don’t be that person to your dog. Be the inspiring teacher who boosts confidence, helping your dog thrive under your guidance.

13/10/2024

Almost 14 years!!!

07/10/2024

🌟 Sam Lane clinic 🌟
Wednesday 30th October
Contessa Riding Centre

Several of you have already requested a place on this clinic, please make payment £40, to secure your place.
There are still some places available so please get in touch if you want to book or if you need any more info.

We all look forward to another great day of agility.

30/09/2024

Another great weekend at JDA

🌟Jenny & Jess ran 4 classes on Friday coming home with a win and three 2nd places🌟
🌟 Mel & Saffy achieved another two wins in grade 1 🌟
🌟 Katie & Barney achieved two 2nd places in g3 agility 🌟
🌟 Becky & Dora achieved their first jumping clear round in grade 6 🌟
After a morning of scent work, Zircon decided to run some courses and had a glorious E along with a good jumping clear which resulted in a g3 win.

Well done to everyone who had fun with their dogs even though not in the ribbons.

22/09/2024

🌟 Well done 🌟

A great weekend at JDA!
Congratulations to Vik and Leo 🥂 their first graded classes on Friday and had two jumping wins!! 🌟
Massive congratulations to Mel and Saffy achieving g1 wins in jumping and agility on Saturday, taking them straight to grade 2🌟
Katie and Barney achieved 2nd in g3-5 agility🌟
Jenny and Jess had a win in g3-5 agility along with several more clear rounds over the weekend 🌟
Lisa and Jazz attempted graded classes for the first time and had a super steeplechase clear 🌟
Becky and Dora had a technically clear g6 jumping run 🌟
Jane and Lottie had clears in all 3 of their anysize runs 🌟

I am so proud of all of you !! 😃

28/08/2024

🌟 Sam Lane 🌟
Thursday 12th September

9am
Karin & Hattie
Mel & Saffie
Debbie & Kauto
Debbie & Dougie
Katie & Barney
Mariette & Yuki

11.15am
Sally & Yuki
Graham & Pepa
Tracy & Focus
Rob & Rags
Joules & Wilf
Sophie

2pm
Jane & Scout
Lisa & Nero
Becky & Dora
Jo & Parker
Wendy & Mink
Marina & Oreo

If anyone has not yet paid, please could you do so. Message me if you need bank details for transfer.
Many thanks

Looking forward to another great day of training!

18/08/2024

Massive congratulations to Darren and Sam with Aston.
🌟Jojavik Shaken Not Stirred 🌟
Not only being awarded your first CC, but Best of Breed and Working Group 2 at WKC today !!