Happy Hounds

30/05/2026

Interesting!

🌞 All dogs can get sunburn, especially those with light pigmentation and short fur. If your dog's one of these breeds, take extra caution in the sun👇

Share this post to help other dogs stay happy & healthy in the sunshine. 💛

21/05/2026

So much to be thinking about

SNEEZING IN DOGS 💨

A sneeze is the sudden passing of air out through the nose and mouth. The purpose of sneezing is to protect the airways by getting rid of anything nasty or irritating in the nose. All dogs can sneeze, but brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs are more prone to sneezing because of their narrowed airways.

Irritation in the throat can cause reverse sneezing, which is when a dog rapidly sucks air into their nose.

Occasional sneezing can be normal in dogs if something has irritated their nose such as dirt or dust. Some common household products such as air fresheners or perfume can also irritate your dog’s nose. Usually the sneeze will successfully remove the irritant and the sneezing will stop. However there are other causes of sneezing that will last longer.

Possible causes of sneezing in dogs:
• A bacterial or viral infection usually causes coughing but can sometimes cause sneezing
• A fungal infection
• Mites in the nose
• Something stuck in the nose, like a grass seed
• Allergies usually cause skin problems, but can also cause sneezing
• A growth inside the nose, such as a cyst or a tumour

Sneezing on occasion is normal, but if your dog is sneezing a lot, is affected by their sneezing or if they have other symptoms such as a runny nose, bleeding from the nose, a painful nose, or a swelling on their face, you should contact your vet for advice. Contact your vet immediately if your dog is having trouble breathing.

You know your dog best, always contact your vet if you’re concerned.

17/05/2026

This is one of the hardest things to detect in a dog. If you know your dog well, you will know something is not right, detecting it is hard so a trip to the vet is always a good idea. We would be horrified to learn our dogs are in pain but didn’t know about it.

DOGS IN PAIN STILL RUN AND PLAY

This is Twig, as many of you know she was born with deformed back legs. Twig would play all day- she would run non-stop, play with toys 24/7 if she could. She always wants to go for a walk- she never wants to turn to go home, she would walk all day if you let her.

My only behavioural signs of pain are that she is wakes in the night and takes a while to settle again, she barks a bit more than normal at outside noises and she hesitates about jumping on things. I’ve also seen night-waking with my Dalmatian, Lucky, when he was in pain and my first sign of his back issues was that he would wake up and wander around in the middle of the night.

People often think that a dog who is in pain won’t want to go for a walk but dogs in pain are often still keen to go for a walk and they will want to chase a ball etc and play if you let them.

Signs of pain can be subtle and these are some that I commonly see in dogs I work with -

⏰ They may wake in the night or find it hard to settle in the evening, pacing or moving from bed to bed
🐶 They may vocalise more (whine or bark) and be more attention-seeking (nudging your hand to stroke them all the time or following you from room to room)
🛋️ Hesitating or unable to climb on/off the sofa, go up the stairs or get in and out of the car or needing a bigger run up to get in. Being slower to get up from resting.
🐕 Being unhappy about being handled (groomed/dried etc) or unhappy about people sitting next to them on the sofa or walking past their bed
🐶 Changes in interactions with other dogs on walks- less keen on interacting or less keen on certain types of play etc
🌳 Lying down on walks or walking at a slower place but also conversely running excessively (‘runners high’ endorphins make them feel good temporarily)

You may also notice physical changes (the way your dogs moves or the way their body looks. Please chat to your vet if you see any changes, dogs don’t suddenly change and start or stop doing things for no reason.

Pain is one of the primary causes of behavioral issues in dogs. Dogs also often don’t stop running and playing when they are in pain- signs of pain can be subtle and easy to miss so please seek advice from your vet if you see changes

17/05/2026

As a professional dog walker myself, it’s always good to check the temperature each day but remember to click on the ‘what it feels like’
On your app too to get the real temperature.

As the weather warms up, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with what temperatures are safe for your dog.

Every year our vets treat hundreds of heat stroke cases and, heartbreakingly, some end in tragedy. Many are unfortunately a result of owners not knowing the dangers of exercising their dogs in temperatures too hot for them to handle.

Heat-related illnesses are almost always preventable. DON’T TAKE THE RISK and make sure your pet isn’t overheating in the sun.

If you think your dog may be suffering from heat stroke, contact your vet immediately or, if out-of-hours, find your nearest emergency vet.

17/05/2026

Always good to be reminded of what to do should this happen to you.

Bee and wasp stings can happen to our cats and dogs 🐝

Bees often leave a sting behind in the skin, while wasps can sting multiple times.

If your pet shows signs of swelling or an allergic reaction, contact your vet straight away ⚠️

For more advice on insect bites and stings, visit our Pet Health Hub: https://pdsa.me/gJ5J

[Visual description: Infographic titled 'what to do if your pet is stung by a wasp/bee'. Signs and symptoms: swelling, licking or biting the sting, whining and crying, limping or holding up a paw, drooling, and hives. If your pet is having an allergic reaction, they could have more severe symptoms. If this is the case, get them to your vet as soon as possible. If your pet is showing signs of swelling around the mouth or throat area, see your vet immediately. Never squeeze a sting, as this can make things worse. If your pet's reaction is mild, call your vet for advice and closely monitor them for signs of an allergic reaction.]

13/05/2026

Loves a stimulation toy!

09/05/2026

At this time of year, we start to notice lots of posts circulating social media regarding rapeseed; these posts are shared extensively and can understandably worry many dog owners. The posts usually state that rapeseed is highly poisonous to dogs, and can cause signs including haemolytic anaemia, blindness, damaged nervous system, digestive disorders and breathing problems.

The signs mentioned are typically only seen in grazing animals, and most dogs actually remain asymptomatic after exposure to rapeseed. Dogs can develop gastrointestinal upset if they have ingested some of the plant, and there have been reports of skin reactions which resemble burns, but this is extremely rare and does not happen to every dog which comes into contact with it.

27/04/2026

Watch out for these!

Great advice! Bees and wasps are already out and about. 🐝🐝

23/04/2026

Good reminder!

17/04/2026

All saying one thing how this dog is feeling.
Cute is not for the dog.

We see photos like this all the time. A child hugging a dog. A ‘cute’ moment. Something worth sharing.

But what if we look closer?

The dog isn’t relaxed. The body is stiff. The ears are back. The eyes are squinted. These aren’t signs of happiness — they’re signs of discomfort.

What looks adorable to us can feel overwhelming, stressful, or even threatening to our dogs.

This is why the first pillar of Dog Aware is Body Language. It’s a foundational pillar because when we can read how a dog is feeling, we can step in, create space, listen to their whispers and prevent dog bites before they happen.

Many bites don’t come “out of nowhere” — they come after subtle signals that were missed.

Cute doesn’t always mean comfortable.

And learning to read body language keeps both kids and dogs safe.