Mutterly Hampshire

30/10/2026

Fireworks season can be a lot for our dogs. The bangs don’t always wait until Bonfire Night, either. 🎆🐾

A few things to put in place now:

• Check your local socials to find out when displays are happening - then you can be ready on the night.
• Prepare treats in advance - frozen kongs in the freezer, pre-prepared lickimats in the fridge, so that if there are suddenly unexpected fireworks you have something yummy ready to give your dog straight away.
• Plan walks for daylight where possible.
• Keep garden toilet trips supervised and secure - frightened dogs have been known to scale garden fences to escape, so if you know your dog is scared of fireworks, pop their lead on to take them out to the garden in the evening.
• Make a quiet, familiar retreat available.
• Close curtains and use familiar background sound at a comfortable volume.
• Offer comfort if your dog wants it, and space if they don’t.

You can and should comfort a frightened dog. There’s no need to ignore them when they’re asking for reassurance.

If your dog has struggled in previous years, speak to your vet before the noisy evenings begin.

EVEN IF YOUR DOG WAS FINE LAST YEAR
Things can change. Arthritis can bring on noise phobias. Chronic pain can make things harder. Never assume that your dog will be okay this year just because they were last year.

Share this with someone preparing for their dog’s first fireworks season.

Claire
Mutterly Hampshire 🐾

07/10/2026

Back in January when we tested Mango's microbiome, it's fair to say it was pretty rubbish. Massive overgrowths of bad bacteria and hardly any of the kind that help with feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin.

He found life very stressful, particularly humans and our weird world.

Thanks to Biome4Pets and their nutritionist, he is now soooo much better.

We have just had 4 days of a heat pump being fitted. It's meant:

- 🙃 rooms all being rearranged and topsy turvy
- 👷🏼👷🏼‍♂️👷🏼‍♀️THREE strange men in the house, one of whom he did not like
- 🧨🛠️ loads of banging and drilling
- 👩🏼‍🌾🏋🏼‍♀️ people constantly bringing things in and out of the house
- 🚧 restricted access to bits of the house he can normally get into

In January he would have been so overwhelmed by all of that and we'd definitely have had him stealing things and resource guarding and barking a LOT and probably some air snapping, too.

But you know what? He has basically sailed through. He made friends with the two tradies that he liked and he ignored the other one after day one.

He has had much less sleep than usual but has still held it together.
If you have a super sensitive dog who isn't coping, it's really worth getting their microbiome checked out as it can make a big difference. Antibiotics, pesticides on fields, internal flea treatments, GAs, all these things can knock your dog's microbiome for six without you realising.

Use MANGO for 20% off your test at Biome4Pets

Proud to be a Biome4Pets ambassador

29/09/2026

Sometimes you find a trainer who is just so aligned with your values and what you'd like for your new puppy. Sadly we didn't discover Kiri until Mango was already grown up (we now mantrail with her 🥰) , but we would definitely have gone to her puppy sessions.

Kiri puts lots of focus on building a really strong bond with your puppy that will help set you up for a fantastic life together. If you have a new puppy and you're anywhere near Bordon/Kingsley, sign up!

New four week Puppy Session with the brilliant Kiri Downes! ❤️🐶

Saturday 17th October, 31st October, 7th & 14th November 2026.

Each session is 1.5 hrs long at 9.30am on site on Kingsley Common.

Please email or message Kiri for more details.

Cost is £90.

[email protected] / 07771 637016

03/09/2026

We are looking for the best doggy day care businesses in Hampshire. Can you help?

Ideally we are looking for businesses with a 5 star license rating, who specialise in small groups.

02/09/2026

🐾 What’s on for Hampshire dogs this weekend?

Saturday 5 September
🏆The Alresford Show — Tichborne Park, Alresford

Saturday 5 September
🌭Hampshire Dachs-Fest — Shedfield Country Stores, Shedfield

Sunday 6 September
🐾Bark at Staunton Country Park — Staunton Country Park, Havant

Find full details on the Mutterly Hampshire Events page https://www.mutterlyhampshire.co.uk/hampshiredogshow

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

🐾 Meet Mutterly! 🐾

Mutterly Hampshire is getting a fresh new look—and it felt like the right time to give the directory a character of its own.

So, this is Mutterly: a scruffy little Hampshire mutt with one ear up, one ear down and bags of personality.

You’ll soon spot him throughout the website, trying his paw at everything from agility and scentwork to visiting the groomer, enjoying a café and collecting his first dog-show rosette.

His illustrations will also help identify the different services, activities and dog-friendly places listed in the directory—so it should become much easier to see at a glance what each listing is for.

I’m hoping he’ll bring a little more warmth, humour and character to Mutterly Hampshire while helping make the directory clearer and easier to use.

What do you think of him? 💚

24/08/2026

💦 Before your dog jumps in…

Most waterside walks can be enjoyed safely, but conditions can change quickly.

Blue-green algae warnings have recently been issued at Lakeside Country Park, the River Hamble around Botley and nearby Frensham Great Pond.

Before allowing your dog into the water, check:

🐾 Are there any warning signs?
🐾 Is the water green, foamy, stagnant or smelly?
🐾 Has there been heavy rain or a pollution alert?
🐾 Can your dog get out easily?
🐾 Have you brought clean drinking water?

If anything looks questionable, skip the swim. A dog splash pool, clean paddling pool or shady woodland walk can be a much safer alternative.

Read our practical guide to water safety for Hampshire dogs — including local warnings, leptospirosis and where to check before you visit: https://www.mutterlyhampshire.co.uk/post/before-your-dog-jumps-in-water-safety-for-hampshire-dogs

There is something irresistible about water on a warm walk. One glimpse of a pond, stream or muddy riverbank and some dogs are already halfway in before we have considered whether it is actually safe.Most waterside walks can still be enjoyed perfectly safely. This isn’t about keeping every dog out...

18/06/2026

Sadly another dog missing. Please keep an eye out but DO NOT try and catch him. Call the number on this poster instead.

17/06/2026

Could your dog be changing your home’s microbiome? 🐾

We all know dogs bring the outside world into the house.

Usually in the form of muddy paws, damp ears, grass seeds, twigs and whatever mystery item they found under a hedge.

But recent research suggests they may also bring in something much less visible: microbes.

A new study looked at how dogs affect indoor air, including the bacteria, fungi and tiny particles they contribute to the home environment.

Which means your dog may be doing more than making a mess.

They may be adding biodiversity.

I’ve written a new blog on the surprising science behind dogs, microbes and the tiny invisible ecosystem we share with them at home.

Read it here:

Most dog owners know their dog brings the outside world into the house.Usually in fairly obvious ways.Muddy pawprints. Leaves stuck to their ears. Half the garden on their belly. A mysterious twig that definitely wasn’t there five minutes ago.But according to recent research, dogs may also bring s...