Is your dog trying to tell you something? Fill in the national dog survey by Dogs Trust. Woof!

The Dogs Trust is calling on all dog owners to take 10 minutes to let us know how their dog has been coping since the pandemic began. Your answers will help us ensure we’re doing all we can to help the nation’s pooches get back on their paws. Ready to start?

The pandemic has changed everything for all of us – including our dogs. Our dogs are so used to being at home with us that even going back to work could have a damaging impact on them. Grab a cuppa and join countless others in taking 10 minutes to fill out the National Dog Survey to help keep our precious pooches happy.

The National Dog Survey is a moment for all owners to unite for the happiness of their dogs. As our dogs begin to adjust to the new normal, we’re here to help. That’s why we need you to be your dog’s voice and tell us what they need.

It only takes 10 minutes, and there are no wrong answers because it’s all about you and your dog.  

We’ll get back to you with the results of the survey, with some tips to help your dog adjust to the new normal.

We’re calling on all dog owners to get involved. So next time you’re on your walkies, tell everyone about the National Dog Survey. 

Dogs Trust (formerly the NCDL) is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 15,000 dogs each year through a network of 20 rehoming centres in the UK. We have been involved in every piece of legislation affecting dogs over the past 126 years.

www.nationaldogsurvey.org.uk

At Christmas time: spare a thought for man's best friend

Dogs Trust: We created our slogan A dog is for life, not just for Christmas® over 40 years ago to remind people to only get a dog when they are truly ready for the lifelong commitment.

Owning a dog is a wonderful experience bringing years of companionship, fun and love. But it doesn’t always turn out as expected. We’re here to look after dogs that need us, which may sadly be the case for many dogs after Christmas is over. We’ll love and care for those dogs until they find their forever home; but wouldn’t it be wonderful if we can support more people in responsible dog adoption so that all dogs’ forever homes aren’t so far away.

No puppy should be born to be smuggled. Not at Christmas. Not ever.

Our new animation tells the story of a puppy, imported into the country illegally to meet the demand in the UK. Thousands of smuggled pups are sold online each year to unsuspecting dog lovers.

We need your help to change the tale for smuggled puppies and be there for the dogs who need us most.

Calli wishes all of you a very Merry Christmas!

Please consider supporting Dogs Trust, Healing Paws Rescue or another animal charity. Dogs are a very special part of God's creation. Let us show these beautiful creatures the Love that God shows to us.

www.dogstrust.org.uk

The moving new video from The Dogs Trust: "Little Balloon Doggy"

Little Balloon Doggy tells the story of Paddy waiting for his Special Someone to find him.

With more and more people buying dogs online our hope is to raise awareness of the hundreds of dogs waiting to find a new home at Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres across the country. 

Please do share with friends, family and anyone else for that matter, and let’s see if we can find those special someones for every dog in our care!

Please consider rehoming a dog. Thank you.

www.youtube.com

Every year, dogs are thrown away like rubbish! Please help the Dogs Trust care for an abandoned dog, this Christmas.

Three-legged Boxer cross, Missy was found wandering the streets just days before Christmas. She had been thrown away like she was nothing – just another piece of rubbish. Thankfully, Missy was rushed into our care. She was clearly traumatised by her ordeal but what made her situation even more critical was that she was heavily pregnant.

We did everything we could to make sure she and her puppies knew they weren’t rubbish - It’s what we do for every dog that comes through our doors.

What is wrong with some people? Dogs are a beautiful, precious part of God's creation, & they are good for us too! Always love & care for your pets especially at Christmas, and if possible give to an animal charity like Dogs Trust or Healing Paws. Thanks x. 

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Why getting a dog might be the best thing to do for your health

Perhaps it was the realisation that we need more companionship or just that it’s nice to go for a daily walk around the park, but lockdown has made vast numbers of us go dog-crazy. 

Data from marketing company Propellernet for the Dogs Trust found that Google searches for “buy a puppy” and “adopt a puppy” rose by 120 per cent and 133 per cent respectively in the first month of lockdown. 

Buying or adopting a dog in lockdown is possible and legal, according to regulations created by the Kennel Club and signed off by DEFRA (The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). If you're buying from an accredited private breeder you can arrange a collection to pick up your puppy. The same goes for rehoming centres, Dogs Trust, for example, have profiles of dogs up for adoption online. If you find one that looks like the right fit for you, you can arrange a socially distanced collection. 

And far from just being a cute and cuddly companion, there are several reasons a dog will improve your health too. Read more here.

If you are considering bringing a furry friend into your home & family, PLEASE consider rehoming / adopting.

www.telegraph.co.uk

More dogs in the neighbourhood often means less crime

If you want to find a safe neighborhood to live in, choose one where the residents trust each other - and have a lot of dogs to walk.

In a study conducted in Columbus, researchers found that neighborhoods with more dogs had lower rates of homicide, robbery and, to a lesser extent, aggravated assaults compared to areas with fewer dogs, at least when residents also had high levels of trust in each other.

The results suggest that people walking their dogs puts more "eyes on the street," which can discourage crime, said Nicolo Pinchak, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in sociology at The Ohio State University.

"People walking their dogs are essentially patrolling their neighborhoods," Pinchak said. "They see when things are not right, and when there are suspect outsiders in the area. It can be a crime deterrent."

www.phys.org

Dogs Trust: Is your dog trying to tell you something? Take part in the National Dog Survey

 

Help us support dogs and their owners through the cost of living crisis. Take 10 minutes to fill in the National Dog Survey and let us know how your dog is doing.  

By taking part, you're helping form a picture of dog ownership across the UK, and of what support is needed keep dog-human relationships healthy and fulfilled. 

From the pandemic to the rising cost of living, the past few years have been a difficult for all of us, including our dogs. By taking part you're helping us to do all we can to support the nation's pooches and their owners. 

It only takes 15 minutes! Last year, 244,478 incredible dog lovers took part, telling us about 348,533 dogs. Will you help us make this National Dog Survey even bigger? 

Keep an eye out for the results! We’ll let you know what we found out about the nation’s dogs, including the most popular breeds and names, and insights into the issues that matter most to their humans. 

The more people tell us about their best friends the more we can tailor our work to ensure we're making the biggest impact to dogs and their owners. So, next time you’re on your walkies, tell everyone about the National Dog Survey!  

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Dog microchips: Outdated contact details leave animals unclaimed

More than 4,700 stray dogs in the UK couldn't be reunited with their owners last year due to outdated microchips, animal charity Dogs Trust has said.

The charity found 37,283 dogs were left unclaimed in local authority kennels between April 2015 and March 2016.

One in eight were pets that could not be returned as their microchips had not been updated by their owners, it said.

In April, it became a legal requirement for all pet dogs to be microchipped with current contact details.

www.bbc.co.uk

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Dogs Trust: A Tail Of True Love

It is said that ‘love changes everything’ and with this sentiment, we would like your help in changing the mind-set of the small minority of irresponsible owners who fail to Bag it and Bin it, with the release of our new video...

♥ A Tail of True Love ♥

www.dogstrust.org.uk