How to find English cocker spaniel puppy adverts online, buy cocker spaniel puppy online / how to find good cocker spaniel breeder / how to avoid puppy farms / first puppy tips and advice / first published on Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C)

23 Mar 202024 Mar 2020 by Natalia

Things to consider before you decide to get a cocker spaniel puppy during COVID19 pandemic

It’s a National Puppy Day today. The day that we would normally celebrate with smiles, cuddles with the pups we have and dreams about the ones that may join the family in the future.

Alas, this year is different. Even the sun and gleefully twittering birds can’t take away the gloom of the reality. In the words of my beloved Alexander McQueen “it’s a jungle out there”… made to feel million times worse because the enemy we are against is invisible and can strike anyone, any time.

And this is why I really wanted to share a few thoughts with those thinking about having a puppy or even rushing into having a puppy sooner than planned because the kids are off, the schools are shut and many of us are self-isolating.

Is it wise? I am not sure. So I am going to give you all the pros and cons and leave you to make your own decision.

Visiting a breeder. We are asked to follow the social distancing rule and avoid any contacts that are not essential. It will be virtually impossible to visit a breeder and puppies without coming into close contact with him or her, their family, home and, of course, potentially leaving the virus on the puppy’s coat. Even though it is unlikely to infect a puppy, the virus can be easily passed on to the person who handles the puppy next.

The only way you can protect each other is by keeping all contacts with the breeder to phone conversations, little videos and Skype. You can still see a puppy this way, the breeder can send you updates and photos. However, if you are a first time puppy parent this can put you at risk of dealing with a dishonest breeder or puppy farmer.

Veterinary treatments. Every puppy is health checked by the vet on several occasions from the moment the litter is born to the moment when they are ready to move in with their new families. Many breeders also vaccinate and microchip the pups.

Right now taking puppies to the vets can be incredibly challenging. Many veterinary practices are doing their best to keep going and stay safe, so the wise thing would be to support them by focusing on emergencies only. Not casual appointments that involve personal contacts.

Even if the breeder will not vaccinate to avoid any form of contact with the vet, you will be put into even harder position. We don’t know what it will be like in a few weeks. We really don’t know whether we are going to be locked in at homes. There is no certainty right now. The practices are already putting special measures in place. And the situation is not at its peak yet.

Not vaccinating a puppy will put him in grave danger. Not microchipping your puppy will make you liable by law.

Bringing the puppy home. As I have mentioned before, the coronavirus is sneaky and dangerous. And it takes just one person to leave the virus on a puppy’s coat to pass it onto dozens of people who may then infect several thousands! According to scientist, each person may infect as many as 59000 people in a short period of time.

You cannot disinfect a puppy. Yes, you can wash your hands every time you touch him, but it only takes one molecule of virus for everything to collapse into a nightmare.

Puppy toys and food. Ok, it is true that you can wash the toys and beds and everything you’ve got for your puppy. It is harder with the leads and collars. That is why grooming salons are already following a strict policy of leaving any dog gear outside the salon. But you can deal with these. It’s not rocker science.

On the other hand, the food is in short supply at the moment. People are struggling to get it. Deliveries take as long as two weeks. Your breeder may give you enough food to go for a couple of weeks. However, not every puppy will keep on eating that food. And some puppies may need something different yet may react to it. It can be complicated to find the right food for a pup during normal times. It will be much harder to do it now. Yet the puppy needs to eat a complete and balanced diet otherwise he will not grow into a healthy dog. Feeding home made diet during early days is not something I would recommend to anyone unless they have a degree in canine nutrition and are really tuned-in when it comes to home made diets for all life stages.

House training & physical exercise. If you have a garden, you will be fine. If you live in a flat, you will struggle.

Socialising. Puppies may be absolutely fine to start their life in the garden. You can provide plenty of enrichment and learning for them. However, walks may become complicated (or will have to be avoided if we are in lockdown). Puppy classes are cancelled by most trainers now. Nobody wants to take risks. Essentially, the puppy will be raised in a situation that is as far from ideal as you can only imagine. He may be ok. But many dogs can develop serious behavioural issues including reactivity and anxiety if they are not socialised correctly.

Training is different. The basic training can be successfully done at home. But not the socialising. It cannot be done when we have to socially isolate.

Stress. I agree, this post is not helping with reducing stress levels. I am aware of that. However, the point I am making is that most people are feeling stressed and anxious right now. Having a little puppy, suffering from lack of sleep (because puppies are like babies!), being tired, worrying about him – and what is happening around, will be even more stressful.

Dogs, as science shows, are capable of smelling our stress hormones and changing their own stress hormones to reflect it. Cocker are prone to anxiety issues. If their stress hormones are raised from the early days, the problems are likely to happen now and in the future.

It is essential for a puppy to grow in a quiet, stress-free environment. He also needs to have plenty of calm moments and lots of opportunities to sleep. Can you guarantee that your puppy will have these? Can you also guarantee that your children will be able to be quiet whilst puppy is sleeping and treating him correctly – when he is awake? Please ask yourself all these questions.

Many of us will get ill. You need to find ways to ensure that there will always be somebody to look after the puppy no matter what.

What are the cons, you may ask? Well, if you are prepared in every way, having a puppy is one of the most wonderful heart-warming experiences that can help you forget about the gloom and doom outside. But I am simply not convinced this can outweigh all the cons right now.

how to choose best natural treats and training treats for puppies and dogs / puppy tips and advice / first published on Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C)

9 Mar 2020 by Natalia

Collagen dog chews. Are they really a safer alternative to rawhide?

Have you heard of the new dog chews that were introduced recently? Marketed as “natural collagen chews” and a “safe alternative to rawhide”, they sounded too good to be true, so the sceptic in me got really curious.

According to the manufacturers, the “chewllagen” treats are made from “corium”, a part of the skin that consists of collagen and this is what makes the new chews different and safe compared to the typical rawhide.

It does sound really wonderful, promising, convincing and science’y for anyone not particularly concerned with the anatomy of the skin. However, being a nutritionist and a kind of dog mum who likes to get to the bottom of everything that goes into my dog’s mouth, I did think of the physiology part, and that’s when my inner sceptic got partially confused and partially frustrated.

Naturally all mammals have a very similar skin structure. The top layer may be different depending on the species and environment (for example, an alligator skin will certainly be different from the rabbit’s or pheasant, and the latter will, indeed, will look different compared to the human skin), but the layers of the skin and their primarily functions will be very much alike.

All skins can be divided into two main layers – the epidermis (also known as epithelium) or the outer layer, and the dermis (or corium) the thicker layer that lies underneath the epidermis.

The epidermis portion of the skin is very thin yet strong. It forms a barrier between the body and the environmental dangers including pathogens, chemicals and UV rays. It also supports natural detoxification and protects internal organs, muscles, nerves and blood vessels from injuries.

The corium, or epidermis, is a much thicker structure made primarily from collagen that gives the skin strength and flexibility.

The epidermis and dermis are separated from each other by a coloured and textured membrane known as a “glassy layer”.

During the leather manufacturing process the layer of epidermis is removed completely to expose the texture of the glassy layer attached to the dermis following by another phase that deals with hair follicles, glands and colour variations as well as a treatment that kills fungi, bacteria, yeast and other forms of life through the process called putrefaction. To achieve this, all hides must go through several stages that may include soaking in water, acetic acid and glycerine, alcohol processing, freezing, and using chemicals such as lime, sulphides, ammonia, aspartic, hydrochloric and butyric acids, mercuric chloride, lead acetate, and various salts (The Principles of Leather Manufacture by H.R. Procter & The Manufacture of Leather by Hugh Garner Bennett).

If the “glassy layer” is also stripped, the hides look like a white porous sheet that cannot be used for leather-making, but can be further processed and reconstituted to make, you guessed it, rawhide chews!

As a result, any raw hide chew may contain traces of chemicals, possible toxins, bacteria and pathogens. Some can also be treated with flavours and enhances. However, all raw hides are still natural, can be digested (the study that tested various dog treats concluded that all raw hides have a digestibility between 14.2 and 99.5), are a source of protein or, if I am to be precise, collagen, and free from gluten, artificial flavours and ingredients. The raw hides are said to be made from “the deeper layer of the skin”.

They can be dangerous because some dogs would struggle to fully digest the tissue, while others may be sensitive to the chemical compounds used in leather manufacturing. A typical raw hide also adds too much protein to the dogs diet, somost puppies will likely have diarrhoea as a result. Another problem with excessive protein intake in puppies is the potential rapid growth, which can cause skeletal problems in the future. Additionally, any dog may end up with an obstruction after swallowing a large chunk of the treat.

Now we have the new option. The collagen chew. The “all natural”, “high in protein”, “collagen-rich”, “digestible”, “free from grains, gluten and artificial ingredients” perfection made from “the bottom layer of the skin called corium”. In the small print, we are asked to supervise the dog whilst he is playing with the chew and, when the treat “becomes softened and stretched” (which is also very typical characteristic of a natural raw hide chew) – cut this part off before the dog can have the rest back. The new chew is manufactured by the same companies that produce the raw hide treats.

Correct me if I am wrong, but if we compare the notes from the basic skin anatomy I’ve talked about in the beginning of this post and the brief description of leather and hide manufacturing in the middle of my story, corium is the only layer of the skin that can be used for both the raw hides and the collagen chews. Same layer marketed under different name because it happens to have three interchangeable versions (the commonly used “deeper layer” or “hide” is just a synonym for “the derma”, “the corium”, or “the cutis”). There are simply no other layers in the skin that are high in collagen and can be rolled into a cigar or doughnut shape unless, of course, some company will take the bones and congestive tissues and reconstitute them into powder, sheets and the final product.

Which makes the new collagen chew identical to the old raw hide and leaves me feeling like the boy from the Emperor’s New Clothes tale.

I would be very happy to be incorrect, but for now I would prefer to remain very sceptical about the new option and stick with carrots and home made biscuits for my pups instead.

What do you think? Would you consider these chews as a treat for your dog?

Style outfit ideas for dog walking in fashion / Spring edition / Camel outfit ideas / Cashmere jumper, leather trousers, puff jacket, suede leather bag / Perfect cocker spaniel / pet blog (C) Natalia Ashton

6 Mar 20207 Mar 2020 by Natalia

Fashion guide to walking your dog in style | Spring edition

I saw this on Facebook the other day…. “You used to look nice. Perhaps, enjoyed selecting a nice outfit to wear for your Saturday shop and coffees out. You don’t give a shit now. Once never seen out unless fully made up you will now be found wandering round your neighbourhood at 7 am on a Sunday morning in your pyjamas with your puff coat, carrying a bag of hot poo, swinging it gaily even, by way of a statement, so all your neighbours know you are a responsible dog owner. You will have clothing envy as you meet other dog owners, clearly in the game longer than you have been as they have managed to get dressed and comb their hair…”

And as funny as it sounds, it made me think about my journey as a dog mum… I’ve always tried to look nice. In fact, I promised myself that all my boys will have a mum they’d be proud of. Sometimes, usually past the puppy period when I’d be covered in mud and paw prints most of the time, I succeeded… But then there were times I didn’t feel particularly pretty.

However… as I work from home and my life revolves around my (very good looking) pups, I end up dressing up for dog walks mainly. Or for outings with dogs. And for meeting other dogs. Which basically means that I still like my clothes, but have to forgo the heels and extra special pieces, and instead choose practical clothes that would still pass the “beautiful” mark. Because if the clothes aren’t beautiful or feel cheap and tacky, sooner or later the feeling will transfer onto, or even under, the skin like a permanent tattoo… And if you’ve even experienced it, you know it’s not a good feeling. At all…

So… Blame it on the spring, sunshine, fashion week or new collections, but I’ve decided to play a little style game here and share some outfit ideas for dog mums. Because we may still have a bunch of poop bags in every pocket, but those pockets will be attached to the prettiest jackets, trousers and bags!

Also… on a “before we begin” kind of note… Do you like the featured photo? Because I will be using it for the entire series of my style posts.

The look below is for an early spring, so you can layer the pieces depending on the weather. If you aren’t sure about the colour of the trousers, they come in black, too.

Image credit: Karen Arnold from Pixabay

PERFECT COCKER SPANIEL

FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS

Month / March 2020

Things to consider before you decide to get a cocker spaniel puppy during COVID19 pandemic

Collagen dog chews. Are they really a safer alternative to rawhide?

Fashion guide to walking your dog in style | Spring edition