Holidays4Dogs

08/08/2025

😂😂

07/08/2025

😁

06/08/2025

Typical ! 😆😆

05/08/2025

Does your dog do this? 😮

Reverse sneezing in Dogs.   Some dogs have a condition which is commonly known as reverse sneezing. It’s scientific term is, paroxysmal respiration and, while it can look worrying, it is usually not harmful to the dog. This Holidays4Dogs provides further information on reverse sneezing in dogs. W...

04/08/2025

Following on from our recent post about imported rescue dogs we re-consider the subject of UK adoption and ask if it's too strict? Is this partly what encourages people to adopt from abroad?

Lets be clear, we don't blame people for rehoming dogs from abroad - we don't believe these are bad people, or bad dog owners ! We look after many imported rescue dogs and with pleasure - it's wonderful to see these dogs thriving in loving environments. Any animal lover would want to give a dog a nice home, no matter where it's from. But, is this choice made partly because it's seen as too hard to adopt a dog here?

Don't forget some rescue organisations bringing in dogs from other countries don't have the expertise, back-up or re-homing criteria - dogs are given to new owners having never been seen before, apart from in photographs - AND many of these dogs are ending up back in rescue centres here in the UK. This may not be the case for all rescues importing dogs in need - but it happens a lot.

It is so important for rescue charities in the UK to have a fair re-homing process. And most do. Some would-be adopters, however, believe the re-homing process in the UK can be too strict and intrusive.

UK charities do what they do in the best interests of the dogs in their care. They won't re-home to full time workers, for example, which is fair enough. However, others have more discretion and consider the age and temperament of the dog and whether dog walkers will be employed.

Added to this, looking at a few dogs on various websites of UK charities, many dogs have behaviour issues such as not being able to live with other dogs, or children. Naturally, this reduces the number of suitable homes available and gives the impression it's too complicated to adopt a dog from the UK.

It's definitely a tricky one. There are certainly wider issues to be considered, when it comes to the overall welfare of homeless and abandoned dogs - whichever country they live in. This includes, regulation of rescue organisations, legislation to prevent imports of puppies and pregnant dogs (now law) and funding and education which targets animal abuse happening in the countries where dogs are being imported from.

Is It Too Hard to Adopt A Dog From a Rescue Shelter?   With so many abandoned dogs in the UK needing homes, there are plenty of campaigns which aim to encourage people to adopt a homeless dog. However, many people claim the adoption process, in some cases, is too rigorous and too intrusive. Is […...

03/08/2025

Do bear in mind, at Holidays4Dogs - we NEVER leave dogs unsupervised in the garden. 🏡🐕🐕🐕

So no danger of your curious dog getting his, or her, head stuck !😄🐶🐾

We also have minimum fence heights to adhere to, no direct pavement access and secure entrance gates.

For welcoming, homely and safe care for your dog (licensed and insured, of course !) - do get in touch, either by registering through our website - or calling us on 0800 2300 266 (office hours). We have approved carers nationwide.

We do have some spaces left for summer and we're now taking bookings for Christmas 2025 and Summer 2026.

02/08/2025

We've heard do many stories in the news lately of dogs chasing livestock, 🐑 or wildlife 🦆🦉🐦.

It really shouldn't be happening - there's a simple solution for this - a lead.

However, it's important to understand prey drive in dogs and how to minimise this becoming a problem. Not all dogs have a high prey drive, but there are still many owners who think their dog would never take off after something - and then they do. Sometimes, with dire consequences.

For dogs with a high prey drive, it's important to understand the triggers that initiate this behaviour and provide activities and enriching games in a controlled way. This way the dog still gets to fulfil their natural behaviour - but in a safe way.

If you want to know more - do read our article, or share to others. It's really useful and could help with those struggling to manage their dog's chasing behaviour.

Understanding Prey Drive In Dogs.   If you’ve ever lived with a dog that loves to chase – either other animals, dogs, cars, or even shadows – that’s a dog with prey drive. Prey drive is instinctive in many dogs and certain breeds show it more strongly than others. For more information on un...

02/08/2025

😁😁

01/08/2025

Don't get us wrong - we know that some dogs benefit from riding in pushchairs. Elderly, infirm, or dogs recovering from surgery, can still benefit from getting out and about - and what better way than in a stroller ( after all, not all dogs are small enough to carry).

BUT - treating dogs like babies? - when they are perfectly capable of using their legs is quite another matter, don't you think?

The humanisation of pets is nothing new, but the concept has deepened in the last decade, or so. Dogs, especially, are regarded as valued members of a family and afforded the same rights and privileges.

Many dog owners now vehemently protect their pet's right to freedom (off-lead?) and to access all public spaces. They are pampered and coddled, with toys and treats and can even go to doggy spa's. There are vast choices of fashionable clothing, gadgets, toys and accessories that would befit any human child.

Absolutely, the welfare of pet dogs is a highly important issue. In fact, there are still critical welfare gaps that need filling. However, many believe humanisation of pets in itself, creates as many welfare issues as it addresses.

Many believe treating animals like children ( unruly children at times !) does animals a disservice as unique species.

Are domestic dogs, themselves, comfortable with this situation? Many dogs find the busy, noisy, chaotic lives of people hard to handle. Will the pendulum swing back to dogs being coveted for their unique canine characteristics, rather than fur babies? Who knows?

You can read more about this subject in our article 'The future of dog ownership' in the comments below.

01/08/2025

Goodness, this is awful☹️😟 Thankfully, the business has now closed down and the owner has been banned from keeping dogs for 10 years, as well as being handed an 18 week suspended prison sentence.

Allison Briers says she's "upset" that her money contributed to the abuse of golden retrievers.

31/07/2025

If you live in Cornwall and fancy volunteering this could be fun ! It would really help to train their dogs to help lost people.

Cornwall Search Dogs needs people to hide so its canine detectives can practise trailing them.

31/07/2025

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