Barkers of Berkshire

10/05/2024

Happy Friday ❤️🐾🐾

05/03/2024

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Everyone who is thinking of getting dogs should read this because you need to understand this reality:

***I am a 21st century dog.***
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.

I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.
You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!
If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.
I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.
So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.

20/02/2024

To all my lovely clients, I am now 5 star council licensed for the next 3 years.

I am thrilled to have gained the highest license available and look forward to welcoming current and new clients this year 🐾

11/10/2023

Not doggie related but couldn’t resist sharing ❤️

12/09/2023

So very true!!!

10/08/2023

Resonates with me so thought I’d share ❤️🐾

A DOG'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
Before humans die, they write their last will and testament, give their home and all they have, to those they leave behind. If, with my paws, I could do the same, this is what I'd ask . . . To a poor and lonely stray I'd give my happy home; my bowl and cozy bed, soft pillow, and all my toys; the lap, which I loved so much; the hand that stroked my fur; and the sweet voice that spoke my name. I'd will to the sad, scared shelter dog the place I had in my human's loving heart, of which there seemed no bounds.

So, when I die, please do not say, "I will never have a pet again, for the loss is more than I can stand." Instead, go find an unloved dog, one whose life has held no joy or hope and give my place to him. This is the only thing I can give... the love I left behind.

Author Unknown

07/05/2023

22/04/2023

For all my dachshund owning clients 💕🐾 so true!!

I am not a dog.
I am a Dachshund.
I'm half wolverine, half barb wire and all attitude.
I am either your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on YOUR attitude.
I can fight the wildest raccoon or play with the gentlest child.
I can hunt all day in snow storms, pouring rain or blistering heat and then ask you to throw the ball when we get done.
I will argue with you at every turn. After all, I know what I'm doing and the best way to get it done.
I am easy to feed. I will eat your steak or the dead, rotten rabbit I found in the field.
You will never be without a navigator in the truck.
I will protect you from burglars, raccoons, badgers and that strange pesky shadow in the corner of the house.
I will hog the bed and the couch.
I will steal your sandwich, your chair, your boot, and your heart.
You will never have to go to the bathroom alone ever again.
I will lick your face right after I eat the head off the rabbit I just killed in the yard.
I will sleep next to you when you are sick and heal you with my love.
I am DACHSHUND.
Respect me.
Love me.
But NEVER underestimate me.

Author unknown

30/03/2023

Ha ha 🤣🤣

21/03/2023

Happy Harris 💕💕💕

14/03/2023

Searching for Stanley 👀 ….. in the dry cleaning bag 😂😂

02/02/2023

Sibling sausage love ❤️

09/01/2023

Who can relate?! 🙈

07/12/2022

It is the time of year when shops are flooded with various Christmas treats and chews for our wonderful dogs.

Obviously, we want to include our dogs in the festivities and buy them a gift but please be careful what you purchase.

Produced "rawhide" is an ingredient found in many of the festive choices available and should not be confused with "raw" diet foods!!!😳

Rawhide is prepared by being stored in brine which make it incredibly salty. It is also cleansed with detergents, including bleach. Glue is used to help in its moulding. Finally, it is filled with artificial flavours and colours to make it appealing to our pets😕

Rawhide chews can cause choking and can even break our dogs teeth!! They are NOT supposed to be swallowed. If they are
swallowed they can result in intestinal obstructions or even stomach illnesses.

Please check carefully the Christmas treats you are buying and try to keep to natural products as much as possible. You can get natural rawhide which hasn't been treated. Alternative natural chews include Pizzle sticks, rabbit's ears, or, and I love this one🤣🤣, Himalayan Yak chews!!!

06/12/2022

Thankyou to Monty’s owners for this beautiful early Xmas gift …. Couldn’t be more thoughtful 🥰🎄

24/11/2022

Drive carefully now that it’s so dark & wet and remember this important message 🙏

23/11/2022

Bloat is a very serious and life-threatening condition for dachshunds and is something we should all be aware of.

Because dachshunds have a deep large chest they can be very susceptible.

They can get it if they eat too quickly, drink too quickly, have one large meal a day, or by exercising too energetically after a meal.

Bloat is when gas is caught in the stomach causing it to expand. This causes the stomach to turn and to cut off vital blood circulation.

The crucial message is that if you believe your dachshund has the condition you must go to the vets immediately. Bloat comes on very quickly and its seriousness develops very speedily!

Symptoms include:

Stomach being swollen or feeling "tight"
They are showing pain if the stomach is pressed
Breathing quickly and salivating, but unable to vomit
They are looking weak or tired

If bloat is advancing your dachshund may collapse suddenly

This condition cannot be treated at home and the need for professional diagnosis and treatment cannot be emphasised enough.

Although vets are unable to fully explain the causes of bloat you can take some measures to help avoid its onset. Consider smaller and more frequent meals, stopping exercise directly after a meal, and try to control fast eating (not easy as we know how food driven some dachshunds can be!!!). A puzzle/slow feeding bowl really is essential

Don't wait if you have think your dachshund or any dog has this condition 💚💛

17/11/2022

We have another 5 empty beds?!! Sausage snuggling ❣️🐶

16/11/2022

Today's post is to highlight the dangers of “double dapple” dogs and dilute colours.
Dachshunds can carry a “dapple” gene, which can create white markings in their coat.
In the past, unscrupulous breeders have bred Dachshunds together that both carry the dapple gene. The aim of this was to create an all-white dog but breeding for looks and specific colours means that the puppies are more likely to inherit other genes too.
Sadly, when both parents have the dapple gene, their puppies are more likely to inherit conditions that cause vision loss or hearing loss.
Some other colours of Dachshund known as “dilute colours” are caused by breeding two dogs that share a dilute colour gene. Again, breeding dogs with specific genes to get a particular look is discouraged, as the puppies are prone to inheriting certain health conditions.
“Blue” and “Isabella” (Sometimes known as “Lilac”) colour Dachshunds are no longer recognised by the breed standard because they are prone to health problems.

12/11/2022

In honor of the Dachshunds who served as members of the United States military.

Often when we hear the term "war dog", we envision muscular German Shepherds. But the Dachshund was the unsung hero of both world wars.
Their compact size and incredible sense of smell made them ideal for sniffing out dangerous land mines, as well as search and rescue of fallen soldiers.

Sadly, upon their return home, the breed faced severe persecution because of its German origins. Dachshunds were killed, and Dachshund owners were shunned.
The American Kennel Club attempted to disassociate the breed's German origins by referring to them as "weenier dogs". Thankfully the breed survived the era of persecution. This Veteran's Day, remember the shortest heros who fought for our freedom.

06/11/2022

Hot Dog 🌭🌭

16/10/2022

Sweet Martha who loves her food more than the Sunday Times 😝❤️

13/10/2022

Autumn evenings are perfect for sofa snuggles ❤️

12/10/2022

Had to share!! 😂😂

05/10/2022

05/10/2022

Following on from last week's post about the dangers facing our dachshunds during Autumn, we felt it would be of benefit to share a more detailed and comprehensive list of foods and plants that can be poisonous. Some foods are quite surprising such as grapes, raisins and onions.
Popular flowers including bluebells, snowdrops and daffodil bulbs are also on the list along with a huge variety of everyday house plants that may impact on your dog's well being!!😳
Please follow the link for further surprising information ......
https://dachshundrescue.org.uk/poisonous-for-dogs

02/10/2022

Perseverance pays off🤣🤣

01/10/2022

My washing line today!! Dog stuff taking priority over the kids washing mountain 🤣🤣

29/09/2022

Interesting to read!

The next time you’re in your dog’s mouth (you do brush his or her teeth, right?) notice the bump on the roof of his mouth just behind the two front middle teeth? It’s called the ‘incisive papilla,” and near the center of it is a hole that leads to a duct that leads to the “Jacobson’s organ.” The Jacobson’s organ is a very cool thing. Put in “See Spot Run” terms, it allows your dog to literally taste the air by combining taste and smell.

Dogs use their Jacobson’s organ to experience sexual markers (pheromones) left behind by other dogs via urine, or when coming across the scent of a bitch in season. While dogs don’t have a Flehmen response seen in many other animals (throwing back the head, and raising or curling the upper lip which helps open the entry slits into Jacobson’s Organ), dogs will “chatter their teeth” instead. A dog might hold his mouth in a quasi-open position that looks a little like a grin, or he might even lick the air. And you thought he was just happy to see you.

One theory holds that the Jacobson’s Organ could account for a dog’s ability to identify and recognize other animals and people. It’s also believed that it’s this organ that enhances a newborn’s ability to find its mother.

Image found on Pinterest (without the arrow) and happily credited upon receipt of information