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Features

All About Pets features make interesting reading for the pet-fan. These topical features, written by Blue Cross staff, provide an in-depth look into all aspects of pet care, health, behaviour and lots more.

 
 
 

Getting a new dog

Dog breeding practices are in the spotlight more than ever. If you’re thinking about getting a pet and you’re not sure where to start, chief veterinary surgeon at our Merton animal hospital, Caroline Reay, has some advice…

 

Top 20 dog breed information

The following guide will help you make an informed decision when choosing your new dog.

Current articles

  • Dog breeding practices are in the spotlight more than ever. If you’re thinking about getting a pet and you’re not sure where to start, chief veterinary surgeon at our Merton animal hospital, Caroline Reay, has some advice…...
  • The following guide will help you make an informed decision when choosing your new dog....
  • Any pet can be a wonderful addition to your family, and a great friend for many years. It’s always important to do some research before you choose a pet, as rewarding as they are, there is always a long-term commitment to the friendship. ...
  • Bone-chilling temperatures can be dangerous for people and animals, alike, so it's especially important during the cold months to take precautions to keep your pets warm and safe...
  • Environment and pets...
  • Nobody wants an angry pet but what can be done if your four-legged friend wakes up on the wrong side of the bed?...
  • Fireworks must not be set off near livestock or horses in fields, or close to buildings housing livestock. Anyone planning a firework display in a rural area should warn neighbouring farmers in advance....
  • Deciding to bring a pet into your life can be a highly rewarding experience, but how do you find the right pet for you?...
  • Join dog owners across the UK in the 2009 Take Your Dog To Work Day on Wednesday 16 September. ...
  • How to keep your pets cool this summer...
  • Summer spent in the kennels isn’t much of a holiday for man’s best friend. This year, follow our tips and take your dog with you for double the fun....
  • Animal behaviourist Ryan Neile tells us how animals are the best teachers....
  • The benefits of pet ownership to the elderly are enormous, yet many people have no choice but to give up their four-legged friends just when they need them most....
  • Whether they bark, meow, squeak, chirp or hiss, pets are treasured household members for most British people at some point in their lives, and recent surveys show more and more people are welcoming animals into their homes and treating them as family. The British love for animals has existed for centuries and is now part of our national identity. ...
  • There is a bewildering choice of products to combat fleas. How can you tell the good from the bad, and avoid joining the ranks of owners who have spent a fortune without controlling the problem? Or the unfortunate few whose efforts have only resulted in poisoning a pet?...
  • A look at the unique South American animal that is rapidly gaining popularity in the British Isles...
  • Vet practices come in all shapes and sizes. So how should you choose a vet? How can you be sure that everyone offering animal treatment knows what they are talking about? ...
  • Advice and tips on how to ensure children are safe around dogs...
  • With their beautiful plumage, enchanting song and cheeky personalities, birds can make wonderful pets...
  • Becoming more and more popular as a pet, the chinchilla, with its timid and gentle nature, big black eyes and large round ears, the finest and densest fur of any animal in the world is one of the most unique domesticated members of the rodent family....
  • Every year thousands of pets will suffer as a result of fireworks being let off. How do you keep your pet safe?...
  • The British are considered a nation of pet lovers, but how much do they really know about their pets? ...
  • There has been a rise in the keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets since the popular new BBC series presented by David Attenborough, Life in Cold Blood.They have exacting care requirements and buying them on a whim can result in possible suffering for owner and pet alike....
  • Summer is the ideal time to enjoy the great outdoors with your pet. But while you’re slapping on the sunscreen, don’t forget your four-legged friends need protection in hot weather too....
  • All good pet owners want to make sure that they provide their animal with everything they need, but until now there has been no legal obligation to do so. This all changed just over a year ago, on Friday 6 April 2007 when the new Animal Welfare Act (2006) came into effect. ...
  • This year’s Blue Cross Pet Census reveals that nearly a quarter of pet owners have real concerns about the weight of their animal. The national survey highlights that obesity amongst pets is a growing concern nationwide, so here are some tips to help keep your pet slim....
  • Agility is a sport that relies on a combination of speed, coordination and control....
  • Even the most well-tempered dog can bite when in pain. Something trivial, like a torn claw, can cause a dog to snap when you try to examine it. Imagine if the worst was to happen – a road accident, or similar. Could you be sure that you could pick up your pet to transport it to the nearest vet?...
  • Clicker training is a positive way to help you communicate clearly and precisely with your pet. Instead of punishing behaviours you don’t like, you reward the behaviours you do like. ...
  • The precise cause of cystitis is unclear, but stress can be a factor. Caroline Reay, chief veterinary surgeon at The Blue Cross animal hospital in Merton, offers advice for concerned cat owners....

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