Fluffy Theodore

17/08/2024

It's Theo's 8th birthday today!

He's been for a run-around at an enclosed field where he sniffed ALL the smells, then had a fancy ostrich chew when we got home 😊

Happy birthday, my beautiful boy 💙

25/06/2024

It's time for my annual reminder, peeps!

It's the hottest day of the year so far here in the East of England, with the temperature in the low 30s (nearly 90 in °F). As dogs don't sweat, they find it much harder to cool down than humans. Heat stroke can very quickly be fatal.

All dogs are prone to heat stroke, but those with thick coats, those who are elderly or ill, those who are overweight or obese, and brachycephalic breeds (those with flatter faces) are at higher risk.

To prevent heat stroke:
•Don't walk your dogs when the sun is at its highest between 11am and 3pm; stick to early morning and late evening if you can.
•Don't play games like fetch or anything where they are running around.
•Keep to the shade wherever possible, and provide some shaded areas in your back garden if they are going to be out with you.
•Allow your dogs to bring themselves indoors if they're finding it too hot - wooden and tiled floors especially can help keep them cool. Giving them a quick hose-down with lukewarm water can also help keep them cool as the water evaporates from their coat.
•Consider getting a paddling pool and put it in a shaded area.
•If your dog has to be muzzled, only use a basket-type muzzle that allows plenty of room for your dog to open its mouth to pant, as this is how dogs cool down. Fabric muzzles that hold the mouth shut are not suitable.
•Skip the walk altogether and play brain games, teach a new trick, or hide treats around the house and let you dog sniff them out. A tired brain means a tired dog; exercise isn't the only way to release energy.
•Don't leave them in a conservatory or sun room - the temperature can quickly rise to unsafe levels, even with windows open. The only exception to this is if the room is fully air conditioned - a fan is not enough.
•NEVER leave them in a car, even with the windows cracked open and parked in the shade as temperatures can rise to fatal levels in as little as 15 minutes - that's not even long enough to pop into a coffee shop to pick up a coffee.
•ALWAYS allow them access to fresh water.

27/03/2024

Sorry it's been a while with no updates or photos of Theo, but he's doing very well! I've been a bit busy, unfortunately, which leads me to ask a favour...

Calling all UK dog owners and people who know dog owners!

For the dissertation for my MSc in Animal Nutrition, I am investigating whether diet type affects behavioural reactivity in adult pet dogs.

I am gathering my data via online survey, and I'd appreciate it if you could answer and/or share it. You can either share the link directly, or share this post.

https://uofg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3awHeClnsG0E6Oy

You don't have to have a reactive dog to answer it (in fact I need a good mix of reactive and non-reactive dogs), but your dog has to be between 2 and 15 years old.

It'll take about 15 minutes to answer it (sorry, I tried to keep it as short as possible). If you have more than 1 dog, you can answer about all of them.

Thank you!

This survey will ask questions about your dog's diet and behaviour to see if diet type affects behavioural reactivity in adult pet dogs.

14/10/2023

It's Theo's 7th Gotcha Day!

Time sure passes by quickly.

17/08/2023

It's Theo's 7th birthday today! 💙🥳

Quite how he's 7 already I don't know.

11/04/2023

Theo wishes you all a happy National Pet Day! 🐾

23/03/2023

Just a demon puppy with glowing eyes for 👹🐶🐾

03/03/2023

I'm sharing this for the fourth year in a row as it's still a massive issue. Reports of sheep being seriously injured and dying have already started. I could share the horrific photos I've seen, but I feel they might be too graphic.

It's that time of year again here in the northern hemisphere where fields are filled with sheep that are either heavily pregnant or have lambs at foot. Both the lambs and heavily pregnant ewes are at greater risk of suffering or being killed by dogs worrying them.

Dogs don't kill or harm sheep only when they catch them. Sheep that have only been chased by dogs can cause ewes to abort their unborn lambs, can cause them to strike fences, and cause immense stress and injury. Just because your dog didn't catch a sheep doesn't mean they didn't do unseen harm. Dogs need to be on a lead around livestock, with the only exception being if you are being chased by cows.

When walking along footpaths through farmland, please remember that that land belongs to someone, is worked by someone, and provides an income for someone. Stick to the footpath and ONLY the footpath (public footpaths and rights of way do NOT mean you can amble over the whole field), close gates behind you, please keep your dog on a lead, and please pick up after them. Any dog is capable of inflicting harm, no matter how good you think their recall is.

Sheep and other livestock worrying is emotionally and financially draining for the farmers, an animal welfare issue for the attacked livestock, and is wholly preventable.

Here in the UK farmers are allowed to shoot dogs that are worrying their livestock, so please keep that in mind if you don't want to lose your dog.

National Sheep Association

14/10/2022

Happy 6th Theo!

08/09/2022

👑
🖤

08/09/2022

A fantastic initiative, but an utter shame it's needed.

Please share if you can!

Please like and share to help raise awareness and assist pet owners who are struggling during the current financial crisis

The more places you can share this, the more people we can help
🥰🥰🥰🐶🦊🐍

We are here to help so please do not feel afraid to ask!

We are setting up East Anglia Raw Pet Food Bank, where our amazing customers and general public can donate frozen raw food and pet treats either in the shop or online when they are placing an order.

Every time a donation is made, we will match it, doubling the amount of food available for anybody in need.

https://www.primalraw.co.uk/east-anglia-raw-pet-food-bank/

26/08/2022

Happy everypawdy 🐾

17/08/2022

It's Theo's 6th birthday today 🥳

We took advantage of the cooler weather to go to an enclosed private field, allowing Theo to safely explore off-lead, to sniff all the smells, and go wherever his nose took him.

03/08/2022

Thank you Mikki Pet for sending a replacement undercoat rake!

As you can see, it's getting the job done 😊

26/07/2022

It's said corgis only shed twice a year - Jan-June and July-Dec 😏

So. Much. Fur. (Theo says, "Excuse me, that's corgi glitter.")

22/07/2022

Best kind of delivery!

Thank you JR Pet Products Ltd for taking into account Theo's poultry allergy 😊🐾

20/07/2022

RIP Mikki Pet undercoat rake, you'll be missed 😔

Valiantly served for 12+ years, for 2 dogs (including a gnawing puppy Theo), it truly was the best tool for keeping fluffy corgis looking s***k and span. I'm now on the hunt to replace it.

19/07/2022

Happy everypawdy!

(This photo was taken before the super-high temperatures the UK is currently experiencing. In today's blazing sun and 39°c/102°f temperatures, Theo's in a nice, cool house. Stay safe in the heat, everyone.)

12/07/2022

Cone of shame!

And a warning about grass (wall barley) seeds.

Theo started licking at his back foot a lot one day last week, and on looking he had 3 sore spots - 1 underneath his foot between the pads, and 2 on top. The one underneath exuded a bit of pus when inspected so his vet decided the best course of action was sedation and an investigation. The assumption was the presence of a grass seed in his foot, but the closer look - which included probing the wounds with forceps and even cutting deeper into the 2 on the top of his foot - were fruitless. Nothing could be found, so he was sent home with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and a dressing. Unfortunately the dressing only lasted a day before Theo took offence to its presence, so we had to go back for the dreaded cone (the inflatable doughnut I'd bought wasn't big enough to stop Theo from reaching his foot - clearly his corgi body is far too long!). He was left dressing-free but with a probiotic wound spray (from Ingenious Probiotics) to promote healing.

All things being good, after finishing his antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, the cone can come off tomorrow! I'm sure Theo will be very happy (and so will my poor, bruised legs).

He's been having very short walks in the meantime, and all 4 paws are inspected religiously for grass seeds - in fact, I have found 2 trapped in the fur between his toes just 2 nights ago. Quite frankly, I hate wall barley. It's everywhere and I've seen more of it the last 2 years than I ever have before. It's also really shallowly rooted, so if you have some in your garden or growing in the pavement outside your house, just rip it up - it'll come up really easily, and your pets and other pet owners will thank you!

22/06/2022

Theo's nearly 6 so his joint health is top priority. His YuMOVE UK supplement subscription arrived today!

17/06/2022

It's time for my annual reminder, peeps!

It's the hottest day of the year so far here in the East of England, with the temperature in the low 30s (nearly 90 in °F). As dogs don't sweat, they find it much harder to cool down than humans. Heat stroke can very quickly be fatal.

All dogs are prone to heat stroke, but those with thick coats, those who are elderly or ill, those who are overweight or obese, and brachycephalic breeds (those with flatter faces) are at higher risk.

To prevent heat stroke:
-Don't walk your dogs when the sun is at its highest between 11am and 3pm; stick to early morning and late evening if you can.
-Don't play games like fetch or anything where they are running around.
-Keep to the shade wherever possible, and provide some shaded areas in your back garden if they are going to be out with you.
-Allow your dogs to bring themselves indoors if they're finding it too hot - wooden and tiled floors especially can help keep them cool. Giving them a quick hose-down with lukewarm water can also help keep them cool as the water evaporates from their coat.
-Consider getting a paddling pool and put it in a shaded area.
-If your dog has to be muzzled, only use a basket-type muzzle that allows plenty of room for your dog to open its mouth to pant, as this is how dogs cool down. Fabric muzzles that hold the mouth shut are not suitable.
-Skip the walk altogether and play brain games, teach a new trick, or hide treats around the house and let you dog sniff them out. A tired brain means a tired dog; exercise isn't the only way to release energy.
-Don't leave them in a conservatory or sun room - the temperature can quickly rise to unsafe levels, even with windows open. The only exception to this is if the room is fully air conditioned - a fan is not enough.
-NEVER leave them in a car, even with the windows cracked open and parked in the shade as temperatures can rise to fatal levels in as little as 15 minutes - that's not even long enough to pop into a coffee shop to pick up a coffee.
-ALWAYS allow them access to fresh water.

04/06/2022

Happy 💙

08/05/2022

Just a little in the garden with a snuffle box!

01/05/2022

Bluebells! 💙

11/04/2022

Theo does everything in his power to mess up his freshly-brushed coat, and it’s always reminded me of this part in Uncle Buck (possibly one of the best films ever made). He also loves sausages above all else, but even they don't have enough sway to keep him tidy.

16/03/2022

It's that time of year again here in the northern hemisphere where fields are filled with sheep that are either heavily pregnant or have lambs at foot. Both the lambs and heavily pregnant ewes are at greater risk of suffering or being killed by dogs worrying them.

Already this year I've seen 2 news reports of dogs being shot by farmers for attacking their sheep.

Dogs don't kill or harm sheep only when they catch them. Sheep that have only been chased by dogs can cause ewes to abort their unborn lambs, can cause them to strike fences, and cause immense stress and injury. Just because your dog didn't catch a sheep doesn't mean they didn't do unseen harm. Dogs need to be on a lead around livestock, with the only exception being if you are being chased by cows.

When walking along footpaths through farmland, please remember that that land belongs to someone, is worked by someone, and provides an income for someone. Stick to the footpath and ONLY the footpath (public footpaths and rights of way do NOT mean you can amble over the whole field), close gates behind you, please keep your dog on a lead, and please pick up after them. Any dog is capable of inflicting harm, no matter how good you think their recall is.

Sheep and other livestock worrying is emotionally and financially draining for the farmers, an animal welfare issue for the attacked livestock, and is wholly preventable.
National Sheep Association

17/08/2021

It's my 5th birthday! 🎉🎂

I've had lots of yummy treats for presents today 😁

04/06/2021

Happy Corgi Day!

Joining me is uncle Georgie 😊

02/06/2021

It's time for my annual reminder, peeps!

It's the hottest day of the year so far here in the East of England, with the temperature promising to be in the low- to mid- 20s (the 70s in °F) for the foreseeable future. As dogs don't sweat, they find it much harder to cool down than humans. Heat stroke can very quickly be fatal.

All dogs are prone to heat stroke, but those with thick coats, those who are elderly or ill, those who are overweight or obese, and brachycephalic breeds (those with flatter faces) are at higher risk.

To prevent heat stroke:
-Don't walk your dogs when the sun is at its highest between 11am and 3pm; stick to early morning and evening if you can.
-Don't play games like fetch or anything where they are running around until it is much cooler.
-Keep to the shade wherever possible, and provide some shaded areas in your back garden if they are going to be out with you.
-Allow your dogs to bring themselves indoors if they're finding it too hot - wooden and tiled floors especially can help keep them cool.
-Consider getting a paddling pool and put it in a shaded area.
-If your dog has to be muzzled, only use a basket-type muzzle that allows plenty of room for your dog to open its mouth to pant, as this is how dogs cool down. Fabric muzzles that hold the mouth shut are not suitable.
-Don't leave them in a conservatory or sun room - the temperature can quickly rise to unsafe levels, even with windows open. The only exception to this is if the room is fully air conditioned - a fan is not enough.
-NEVER leave them in a car, even with the windows cracked open and parked in the shade as temperatures can rise to fatal levels in as little as 15 minutes - that's not even long enough to pop into a coffee shop to pick up a coffee.
-ALWAYS allow them access to fresh water.

11/04/2021

Happy !

Here I am with Taffy, the oldest pet in the family - he is at least 60 years old 🐢