Barks & Pals - Dog Walking and Pet Services

29/10/2025

The most perfect countdown to Christmas for the dogs, including a Christmas Day treat 💖

🎄 PREMIUM DOG ADVENT CALENDAR 2025 🎄
Natural Dog Treats | Festive Gifts | Limited Edition

Spoil your dog this Christmas with 24 days of natural dog treats, including festive flavours like Duck à l’Orange .

Each calendar includes:
* 24 individually wrapped treats
* Apersonalised Santa Paws certificate
* A wearable festive dog hat
* A Christmas Day surprise treat
* An advent menu inside a beautiful festive gift box

Suitable for dogs aged 4 months+
Ships Monday 24th November
Allergy & sensitive tummy options available – leave details at checkout!

Now available to pre-order in our shop:
www.baloosnaturals.co.uk

29/10/2025

FLASHING COLLARS: A WARNING. Every year, as the evenings get longer and darker for those of us in the northern hemisphere, we warn people using illuminated dog collars never to put them on FLASHING mode. This is because, on a sensory level, the flashing light can not only be incredibly stressful and unpleasant for many collies, but may even trigger epilepsy in more susceptible dogs. So always put them on STILL mode instead, when you take them out for those darker walks. Or use other means to make both yourself and your dog more visible.

27/10/2025

27/10/2025

*Preventing unwanted litters is a goal we all share—but it's time to rethink the surgical approach. Hysterectomies and vasectomies, which preserve hormonal balance, can safely be performed as early as 8 weeks of age, making dogs sterile without disrupting their natural hormones.

New peer-reviewed study published in Nature:

How a dog’s lifetime exposure to his own hormones (before being neutered) affects how well he handles aging and frailty later in life.

Study Background

• Frailty = when older dogs (and people) become weaker, less resilient, and more prone to illness and death.
• Most research looks at how to prevent frailty — this study looked at what makes some dogs bounce back better after frailty sets in.
• The focus was on the HPG axis — the hormonal system that produces testosterone and controls reproduction.

Key Findings

• Dogs neutered very young (before 2 years old) had:

o A much higher risk of death once they became frail.
o About 16% higher mortality for every small increase in frailty.

• Dogs kept intact longer (more than ~10 years) showed:
o No increase in mortality linked to frailty.
o Their hormones seemed to “buffer” the negative effects of aging.

• Each extra year of natural hormone exposure reduced frailty-related death risk by ~1%.

What It Means

• Hormones from the te**es may protect against the worst effects of aging later in life.
• Removing them too early could make dogs less resilient to age-related decline.
• Frailty isn’t just about getting old — it’s also shaped by early-life events like the timing of neutering.
• This supports a “life course” view: what happens early in life affects health decades later.

Why It Matters

• The study suggests timing of neutering might influence how well dogs age.

27/10/2025

Did you know we don’t just walk dogs? We also offer cat visits. Whether you’re away for a day or a week, we’ll make sure your kitties get cuddles, playtime, and care while you’re gone 🧡

27/10/2025

Our lovely vets and nurses are running a canine first aid course to help educate owners about how to provide immediate first aid prior to an emergency vet visit.

Held here at Linkswood on Sunday 9th November at 2pm.

This will include a theory presentation, demonstrations and practical cpr and bandaging sessions - predicted to last around 3 hours. Tea and coffee will be provided.

Canine first aid kits with all the essential items will be available to purchase on the day.

Spaces are limited so please call the practice to book a space.

26/10/2025

OFF LEAD TIME & WIND | SAFETY FIRST

Usually, off lead time is earned, it’s always a privilege, not a given. On any normal day, we assess each dog first. Are they engaged, listening, and responding reliably? You can’t just take a dog somewhere and unclip the lead without assessing both the dog and the environment. Never.

This week, with the wind picking up, off lead time may not be possible. In the gundog world, we’ve learned how much wind can affect a dog’s recall.

✨ Sensory overload: Wind carries sounds and smells that can overwhelm a dog’s senses, like being in a noisy and chaotic room.
✨ Disrupted scent trails: Dogs rely on their noses to navigate, but wind scatters scents unpredictably, making it harder to follow cues.
✨ Auditory interference: Wind noise can mask voices and barometric changes can affect a dog’s hearing.
✨ Anxiety and distraction: Unpredictable conditions can make dogs uneasy, leading to reduced focus or reluctance to respond.

Even dogs with amazing recall can struggle in these conditions. That’s why we always prioritise safety & we’ll never risk a dog running off, and off lead time is only allowed when it’s truly safe for everyone.

26/10/2025

LOOKING FOR SERVICES YOU CAN COUNT ON?

At Barks & Pals we understand that every dog is different. Which is why we specialise in working with large breeds, reactive and nervous dogs, & even banned breeds, offering calm, confident care without the stress of large group walks.

Our attention is always one to one, ensuring your dog enjoys a peaceful, relaxed experience catered entirely to their needs.

Alongside our solo walks, we also offer house sitting and pop in visits, providing consistent, reassuring care while you’re away or simply busy.

Our promise? Safety, trust, knowledge & genuine care, delivered with a lot of love.

✨ Message us anytime or call 07934455603 - we’re always happy to discuss your dog’s needs.

24/10/2025

2026 BOOKINGS – NOW OPEN! 💚

Our 2026 dog sitting diary is officially open.

Existing clients have had early priority, and after a very busy summer this year, availability for June, July, and August is already limited.

If you’d like to secure your dates for next year, now’s the perfect time to get in touch and reserve your spot early, because when it comes to your dogs, peace of mind is priceless.

✨ Call us on 07934 45503 to have a chat, or simply send us a message.

If you’re new here, take a look through our website to see who we are and what we do.

https://barks-and-pals.jimdosite.com

22/10/2025

ALL WALKS CANCELLED 🚨

As a French person, I’m naturally a little sceptical of dramatic weather forecasts (they often turn out to be just a bit of rain & wind right?)
But Storm Benjamin is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain, and after reviewing the warnings I have decided that all dog walks will be cancelled tomorrow.
Safety is always my top priority for your doggos , myself and for everyone out on the roads and paths. Even if the storm doesn’t hit as hard as expected, I’d rather be cautious now than regret it later.

Thank you!