Pawsitive Pet Care with Gwen

03/08/2025

Milo the beagle has a cat sibling, Messi - an adorable senior tabby with the most glorious purr. He likes to sleep on my bed or rest on the bedroom window-sill. I get the cat ‘check the hooman is still alive’ thing a couple of times in the night: a touch of the paw; the epic purr and a nose to nose look:

03/08/2025

I’m back dog sitting - and back with a real favourite pooch - Milo the beagle. A summary of beagle sitting follows in the next 4 images….
There’s a WAFER THIN LINE between a beagle and labs/retrievers when it comes to The Stare while eating:

26/07/2025

Well what a journey I have been on with Mr Buddy the (beautiful) fox red Labrador.
Booking: 2 and a bit weeks of daily dog walks while family are away. Grandpawrents with him in the day & overnight.
Day 1: Buddy would not go near me - MORTIFIED.
Week 1: Daily walks accompanied by his grandpaw
End of Week 1: he let me take his harness off
By end of booking: I received the waggiest happy barks greeting, got a ‘Buddy facial’ before the walk, and he actually hugged me and gave me gentle kisses before I left our final walk. He has paw prints on my heart for sure.

15/07/2025

Last day of a my dog sit with Miss Tilly the Tibetan Terrier. It’s an odd time, the last day. I’m looking forward to my own bed and seeing my pickle of a tabby Errol, but I’m also feeling sad about leaving Miss Tilly as we’ve bonded so well, and she has been the absolute GOODEST of girls. And look at her, she’s so fluffin’ cute!

01/07/2025

And please don’t walk your dogs in these temperatures:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/159Nv86t8Q/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Dogs can sometimes find it difficult to cope with hot weather as they struggle to regulate their temperature which means THEY ARE MORE AT RISK OF HEAT STROKE THAN WE ARE.

Heatstroke can be very serious! As a dog’s internal temperature rises it can cause damage to their organs and could lead to organ failure. According to AnimalTrust, 1 in 7 dogs that are taken to the vets with heatstroke are fatal.

During warm summer days it’s easy for your house to warm up. Some dogs may be able to cope with this rise in temperature, while others may struggle.

On hot days remember to:
• Ensure your dog always has access to drinking water
• Add ice cubes to your dog’s water bowls
• Use freezable dog toys and let them chew on it
• Put down damp towels for your dog to lie on (Never over the dog)
• If your dog has a long or heavy coat you could keep them clipped to make them feel more comfortable
• Keep dogs out of hot conservatories
• Avoid housing your dog in direct sunlight
• Keeping your curtains and blinds closed during the day to prevent your home from warming up when it’s hottest, and then open your windows at night to help cool down your house.

If you think your dog may have heatstroke it’s vital that you immediately contact your vet while also trying to cool them down and keeping them cool if you have to travel to your vet . Getting early advice and treatment is essential to saving a dog’s life.

Research found that in the UK, although 1 in 7 dogs that are taken to vets with heatstroke die, 98% that are seen early with mild signs are likely to survive.

19/06/2025

If you own a bracycephalic (flat nosed) or double coated, and/or a long haired dog - they are better off staying at home in a cool spot in the house napping.
These types of dogs are more likely to over-heat and do so quickly. They’ll not die from missing a walk today.
What if you’ve booked a dog walk for them? Your dog walker can still spend time with your dog, check they are ok, give them a fresh water bowl and keep them company for a bit in your absence. That’s still good use of their time and your money.

18/06/2025

A really important reminder from a local vet: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DZxpYRM1L/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I think you'll all agree it's a hot one 🥵and it's only going to get warmer, here's some tips.....

🌞 Don't walk your dogs in the heat of the day. Tarmac, paths retain a lot of heat and can scorch paws

☀️ Plenty of fresh water avaliable for all pets

🌤 Cooling aids for your pets. E.g cooling mats, bottles filled with water (can lie against them), wet towels

🌅 If you suspect your pet may have heatstroke call your veterinary surgeon immediately

17/06/2025

There’s few things lovelier than a pet’s hoomans telling you that you have reached Officially Approved Hooman status, according to their beloved pet.
This cute as heck lady did the ‘OH NO! YOU’RE GOING!’ bark today for the first time. (3rd weekly dog sit).
Some availability in July for dog sits & cat-care drop ins, get in touch if you think I’m a good fit for your 4 pawed masters:

17/05/2025

The best of Miss Betsy’s week long dog sit, which finished today:

09/05/2025

Ok there’s definitely worse ways to start the day than this (walking into an Ofsted inspection day immediately springs to mind).
Love it when a new kitty customer climbs on my lap, and purrrrrs the first chance they get.

02/05/2025

What a lovely tabby this gentleman was. Nervous of me to start with then soon switched to furry purry leg rubs and wanting fusses.

27/04/2025

Well, this gentleman - Nilo the British Shorthaired Pointer - has been a real sweetheart to pet sit. He’s an absolute snuggle-bug to the extent he did not want to sleep alone, no ma’am.
Super playful with a ball - like Bambi on Redbull - so funny. Also THE MOST enthusiastic response to sight of his lead for a walk (like Zebedee from The Magic Roundabout). Lovely to spend time with you Mr. Snugglebug.