Dogs truly are a man’s best friend and the most loyal creatures that ever walked the planet, so make sure to spoil your faithful companion for Dog Day on Saturday 26th August.

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Looking after our pets is our number one priority, especially when they have health conditions which mean they require medication or special foods. When you are out and about, a medical alert pet tag will ensure that anyone who comes into contact with your dog is aware of their additional needs.

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There are an estimated 500 million cats roaming the streets around the world, but how many of them could be identified? Make sure that you have your cat ID tag for International Cat Day on Tuesday 8th August.

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Children and pets can have the greatest friendships, bonding with one another in a unique and incomparable manner. However, things can quickly go downhill if the proper parameters aren’t put in place. The last thing you want is for any accidents or bad behaviour to happen, which is why it is important to bear safety in mind at all times.

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Keeping our pets safe at all times is the number one priority for all owners, but would you know what course of action to take in the event of a fire?

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The warm weather of summer is something that we all look forward to when tolerating the frost of winter, but it can be easy to forget about the health risks that the rising temperatures pose to our furry friends.

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British summertime is something that can be incredibly empowering and a source of joy and happiness for all involved – when the mercury reaches the mid-twenties, that is! The rest of the time, our summer weather consists of elusive and highly temperamental bursts of sunshine with the odd rain shower and storms thrown in for good measure.

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Your pets are part of your family and family holidays can definitely be more fun when your four-legged friends are invited along too! To ensure the whole family has a safe and healthy time, Australia’s celebrity vet, Dr Katrina Warren, has put together some tips we love to help you plan your holiday and be well prepared.

ENSURE YOUR PET’S RECORDS ARE UP TO DATE

Before your departure make sure your pet’s microchip details are up to date and that they are wearing an ID tag with a contact number that works where you are staying. This is the quickest way to ensure you will be reunited with your pet should they become lost.

If your pet has a Bow Wow Meow Smart Tag, log on to their profile and update all your holiday contact details and any other useful information should your pet become lost while away.  Or order a Bow Wow Meow Smart Tag before you leave for dispatch within 24 business hours by first class post for only  £9.95 including our popular eZeClip.

PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION

Prevention is better than cure and you don’t want a sick pet to ruin the family’s holiday feeling. Before you travel, check your pet’s vaccinations and worming are up to date and take your pet’s vaccination booklet with you on the trip. If needed, you should update your pet’s vaccinations one week prior to your departure. If you have an older dog, it is advisable to get a full vet check done before you leave.

Your holiday destination may well harbour fleas, so apply a flea preventative before you leave and take your pet’s own clean bedding for them to sleep on.

If you are travelling to a coastal destination, phone ahead to the local vet at your destination and ask if paralysis ticks are prevalent in the area. Paralysis ticks are deadly and you need to start preventative treatment prior to departing for your holiday – often two weeks ahead.

ON THE ROAD

When travelling in a car, it is important to have cats and small dogs confined in a crate and large dogs harnessed. This prevents them from becoming flying missiles, should you have an accident or have to apply brakes urgently.

Have regular toilet and water breaks. With cats, it is best to offer them a litter tray inside the car unless they are trained on a lead or harness. Cats are far more likely to bolt off in strange territory.

MAKE YOUR PET FEEL AT HOME

Pets will appreciate it if their new environment feels like home even when they are far away. It is a good idea to pack your pet’s regular food as you can never rely on being able to buy it at your holiday destination and a sudden change of diet may cause tummy upsets.

When you arrive at your destination keep your pet confined indoors. Many pets get lost on holidays and you can’t be too careful. With dogs, be sure to keep them on a lead for the first couple of days whenever you are outdoors. Please make sure your dog stays away from the local wildlife and if in doubt keep them on a lead. Cats should remain indoors at all times, unless they are familiar with walking on a lead.

Check local regulations and laws about pet ownership at your holiday destination, you will usually be able to find these on local Council websites.

Weather conditions at your holiday destination may differ from those at home. If it is cold, your pet may need a coat when walking outside, if it’s raining a rain coat may be a good idea.

Taking your pet’s bedding and toys will help them to feel at home very quickly.

Hope you and your pet have a fabulous summer holiday!

We all love our pets and we all love our holidays, but we hate to think of our pets unhappy when we’re away from home.

You can ask friends and family to help, or consider a cattery or boarding kennel, but the first option can be difficult to organise and the second can be very expensive. Add to that the fact and most people (and vets) agree that pets are happiest in their own environment when their owners are not at home and the logical solution is to find a pet sitter whilst you’re away.

We’ve found a great solution for pet owners. You can leave your pets at home with a TrustedHousesitter. Finding house sitters is easy, just join the TrustedHousesitters community where thousands of people find reliable and trustworthy, 5-star rated people to look after their pets for free in exchange for a place to stay. To date their members have saved over £150,000,000 in pet care and accommodation costs and they’ve facilitated over 1,000,000 happy-at-home pet sitting nights. A one-off annual fee of £89 will give you access to pet sitters as many times as you need throughout the year.

TrustedHousesitters have thousands of happy pet owners living all over the world already using their service, and they often receive stories and positive feedback highlighting the ways in which their membership has enabled them to find travel freedom.

“TrustedHousesitters was a god-send for us. We had put off going on holidays because we had no one to look after our animals. Basically our life was on hold. Then my daughter recommended the site, I joined and within days of submitting my listing I started getting replies. We found a woman who looked after our home and animals for two weeks and we couldn’t be happier with her.” Elaine UK

“I have relied on TrustedHousesitters for years now, first in Sydney Australia and now in Broadstairs, Kent, England. We were beside ourselves when work commitments meant our new kittens would be alone for 4 days until I remembered TrustedHousesitters. We found a wonderful couple who looked after our kittens and our flat almost immediately!”

Marie, Australia and UK

“By having a cat sitter at our house while we travel, we can enjoy our trips with the peace of mind that both our home and our kittens are perfectly cared for.” Steven and Leslie, Mexico

Since launch in 2010, TrustedHousesitters has helped thousands of pet owners to travel with complete peace of mind knowing their pets are receiving the best possible in-home care from a trusted and verified sitter. According to TrustPilot, TrustedHousesitters is the world’s most trusted house and pet sitting network with an ‘Excellent’ score of 9.7. Just take a look at a few of the 4,000 independent reviews from members.

With industry-leading trust and safety features including ID checks, criminal record checks, and member reviews, TrustHousesitters enable registered pet and house sitters to demonstrate clearly their trustworthiness. This gives owners peace of mind when choosing their ideal sitter and ensures that both parties are comfortable with the arrangement.

TrustedHousesitters is the world’s #1 house and pet sitting service helping thousands of people around the world to reduce the cost of their travels and pet care.

Click here to calculate how much you could save by joining us

And as a Bow Wow Meow customer, you receive the added benefits of a free month’s trial when you sign up to an annual membership. So, for £89 a year you can organise as many sitters as you need for the next 13 month’s. Just click here to get your free month and join TrustedHousesitters.

Don’t forget, if you’re planning a holiday, you’ll need to make sure your pets have an up-to-date ID tag.  So we’d like to give you a 30% discount of any pet tag, just for reading this article.  Just enter the discount code ‘TRUSTHOUSESITTERS’ at checkout.

So you’re thinking of adopting a new puppy?  Well you’ll be pleased to know that summer is the best time to bring home that new bundle of joy!

Deciding to adopt a brand new member of the family is a big decision.  Dogs are lifelong, loyal companions, but they come with absolute dependence on their new owners and rely on being well cared for.  Sadly many pets are abandoned or end up at rehoming centres because their new owners didn’t realise what they were getting themselves into, and couldn’t cope.

So why can it be better to get a puppy during the summer months?

In general, we’re all a bit more relaxed when the days are long and we can venture out and about without having to layer up.  Having a puppy is the best reason in the world to enjoy the outdoors so whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, you’ll have a lot more sunlight during summer in which to do so.  Not only will your pup be blissfully happy, but you’ll benefit from all that extra exercise.  Get yourself a Fitbug and see how easy it is to clock up the 10,000 steps that will make you healthier.  Another benefit is that you’ll move into the ‘puppy world’ and meet new friends for both you and your pup.  It won’t take long before you’re standing around at the park chatting about raw food vs kibble, tips on toilet training, issues with recall, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate…..

A puppy will guarantee that you wake up early in the morning. Think of how productive you can be with that extra hour or two each day. The thought of what might happen if you don’t let the puppy outside is a definite incentive!

Puppies take time to toilet train, and for the first few months you will need to be prepared to take them outside regularly – every half hour – while they are awake.  In summer this means enjoying warmer temperatures and more sunlight during these times.  By the time winter arrives your pup should be perfectly toilet trained and only require being let out every few hours.

If you have kids around the house, they’ll be home for summer and can help with the puppy.  Look online for games to play with puppies and training exercises that will keep the kids and puppy happy and occupied.  Our favourite is http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/ which is great for all dog breeds including crossbreeds, designer breeds and mixed breeds.  You’ll be surprised at how much your kids will learn!

Leaving work at a reasonable hour is especially enticing during the summer. There is no better excuse than a puppy at home to leave at 5:00 and maintain some balance in your life.

No one will love you as much as a puppy. A puppy will show you that you have traits to admire and the world can be a better place, so you’ll be set for a happier summer.

Need help finding a name for your new puppy?  You’re bound to find one using our pet name generator.

We couldn’t finish this blog without mentioning the importance of having an ID tag for your new puppy.  Being out and about will mean more chance your best friend might find themselves lost.  Check out our great range of engraved tags from £5.99 including full engraving and first class post.

For everything you need to know about bringing home a new puppy, why not download our free and useful Puppy Guide?

And if you haven’t yet decided on the breed you’d like, our free breed selector tool might help.

Enjoy the summer with your new puppy!