PUPAID 2011

PUPAID 2011 is a Celebrity Judged Fun Dog Show and Music Festival. Bring your friends, family and your dog along and be part of this unique fun day to raise awareness about the UK's cruel puppy farming industry.

18th September 2011, Stanmer House, Brighton

Celebrity Judged Dog Show 9am - 2pm

Live Music 2pm - 7pm

We're sure you are aware of the current tragic situation regarding puppy farming in the UK - horrific battery farming of dogs purely for profit with no thought for their health, happiness or welfare.

Current legislation is consistently proving to be ineffective in solving this issue so the only way to realistically deal with this worsening problem is to raise enough awareness to the general public and help direct them when choosing their dog - either by adopting from rescue or visiting a responsible ethical breeder where the pups can always be seen interacting with their mother.

By raisng enough awareness this can only hope to reduce the demand for pups bought online, from pet-shops and free newspaper ads and thus help tackle this massive current dog welfare problem.

For more information about PUP AID please visit www.pupaid.org.

Many thanks

Daniel, Freya & Kenrick

Professional Dog Walkers Code of Conduct

Hi all,

Paw Prints has great pleasure in announcing that we are officially recognised through Brighton & Hove City Council as 'Professional Dog Walkers'.

In November last year Brighton & Hove City Council decided to take the 'lead' and become the first local authority in the country to invite dog walking businesses to undergo an inspection and sign up to a code of conduct.

The idea for the voluntary scheme came from the council's Animal Welfare officers after hearing concerns from both members of the public and people offering dog walking services.

"Members of the public were worried about the growing number of people walking several dogs at once, and there were reports some behaving irresponsibly," said Animal Welfare Officer Amanda Teale.

Click here to read the full report from the Argus.

We at Paw Prints were delighted to have a Council Animal Welfare Officer inspect our vehicle and were only too happy to sign and agree to the Dog Walkers Code of Conduct.

Click here to read the full Dog Walkers Code of Conduct.

So whenever you are deciding on a dog walker always insist on checking whether they are a member of the scheme.

Best wishes

Daniel, Freya and Kenrick (woof woof!)

Ever Wondered Why Pointers Point and Sheepdogs Herd?

DNA Study Unlocks Mystery to Diverse Traits in Dogs

What makes a pointer point, a sheep dog herd, and a retriever retrieve? Why do Yorkshire terriers live longer than Great Danes? And how can a tiny Chihuahua possibly be related to a Great Dane?

Dogs vary in size, shape, colour, coat length and behaviour more than any other animal, and until now, this variance has largely been unexplained. Now, scientists have developed a method to identify the genetic basis for this diversity that may have far-reaching benefits for dogs and their owners.

In the cover story of tomorrow’s edition of the science journal Genetics , research reveals locations in a dog’s DNA that contain genes that scientists believe contribute to differences in body and skull shape, weight, fur colour and length — and possibly even behaviour, trainability and longevity.

“This exciting breakthrough, made possible by working with leaders in canine genetics, is helping us piece together the canine genome puzzle which will ultimately translate into potential benefit for dogs and their owners,” said study co-author Paul G. Jones, PhD, a Mars Veterinary(TM) genetics researcher at the Waltham(R) Centre for Pet Nutrition — part of Mars(R) Incorporated, a world leader in pet care that has been studying canine genetic science for the past eight years. “By applying this research approach, we may be able to decipher how genes contribute to physical or behavioral traits that affect many breeds.”

Dogs originally derived from the wolf more than 15,000 years ago — a blink of the eye in evolutionary terms. Selective breeding produced dogs with physical and behavioural traits that were well suited to the needs or desires of their human owners, such as herding or hunting ability, coat colour and body and skull shape and size. This resulted in the massive variance seen among the more than 350 distinct breeds that make up today’s dog population. Until now, the genetic drivers of this diversity have intrigued scientists who have been trying to explain how and why the difference in physical and behavioural traits in dogs changed so rapidly from its wolf origins.

An international team of researchers, which included scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute, the University of Utah, Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, California and Mars’ Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition in the United Kingdom, studied simple genetic markers known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, or SNPs, to find places in the dog genome that correlate with breed traits. Because many traits are “stereotyped” — or fixed within breeds — researchers can zero in on these “hot spots” to see what specific genes are in the area that might contribute to differences in traits.

The research used 13,000 dog DNA samples provided by Mars Veterinary, which holds one of the most comprehensive canine DNA banks in the world. This collection has been built up with the help of pet owners who have consented to their pets providing cheek swabs and blood samples for the database. Mars’ DNA bank allowed the study to cover most of the American Kennel Club recognized breeds that span a wide variety of physical and behavioural traits and differences in longevity.

“With further refinement and additional data, this method could be used to tailor products that may benefit the health of pets,” Jones said. “Pet owners and veterinarians may be able to develop better care regimes based on this knowledge. In addition, genetic information about behavioural traits, such as trainability and temperament, could also help veterinarians identify the most lifestyle-appropriate pet for an owner.”

This research may also have implications for human health, as dogs suffer from many of the same diseases that we do.

Mars is continuing its commitment to canine genetic science with ongoing investigations to better understand the makeup of a dog’s DNA to help benefit the lives of dogs and their owners. The Wisdom Panel MX(TM) mixed breed analysis test is the first product to use the knowledge gained through this research.

Article courtesy of DogMagazine.net.

Woof Woof!!
Kenrick

Always keep your dog under control when you are painting the floor!!

D'oh! Spent all afternoon painting the upstairs floor in our house. I made a barricade at the bottom of the stairs to deter him from coming up. Somehow without me even hearing, Kenrick breached the barricade and tippy toed his way upstairs and through my freshly painted floor!! Grrr!! On his way back down the stairs he left lovely little white paw prints!

Thanks
The Paw Prints Dog Walking Team
Freya, Daniel and Kenrick

Vigil For Deathrow Dog Gains Worldwide Attention

London Takes Part in Worldwide Candle Lit Vigil for Death Row Dog:

Dog lovers are travelling from across the UK to gather outside the Northern Ireland Office, Millbank, in central London to show unified global support for a pet dog condemned to death by a Magistrates Court in Northern Ireland.

The Candle Lit Vigil is being held for one hour between 9 and 10pm on Thursday 23rd July and coincides with other vigil events being held on the same day in Dublin, New York and Seattle alongside an enormous worldwide candle lit vigil where thousands of people are due to take part in their own homes and work places in recognition of the plight and suffering of a dog named ‘Bruce’ who has captured the hearts and minds of people across the world.

bruceBruce was a young pet dog living happily with his family in Northern Ireland when on September 19th 2007 he was seized as an alleged “pit bull type” and taken to secluded kennels whilst his owner was taken to court for owning a banned type of dog contrary to the Dangerous Dogs Act (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.

Owner Shannon Brown, aged 20years, supporters and neighbours have created petitions, and videos asking for help to save pet dog Bruce who has never put a paw wrong and his case has now been championed by masses of people everywhere who have reacted in horror to the news he has to die and are demanding he be spared the death penalty.

Thousands Stand Up To Defend Bruce the Dog: Politicians and officials have been inundated with letters, emails and phone calls from concerned members of the public calling for the release of death row dog Bruce.

Meanwhile complex legal proceedings are ongoing as the news breaks this week that the law which has condemned Bruce and countless others like him, appears to have been Amended a staggering eight years ago, seemingly unnoticed by officials and adding utter confusion to the whole sorry situation. The life of Bruce hangs by a thread but as his persistent battle to survive continues more and more people are screaming for his release.

Politicians have been asked to change the legislation, veterinary groups have been deluged with letters from dog owners pleading that every veterinary surgeon refuses to administer the fatal injection, even Her Majesty the Queen has been requested to intervene and grant a Royal Pardon and the protests keep flooding in as the news spreads across the Internet.

As the legal wheels turn slowly, the campaign to ‘Save Bruce’ intensifies and eyes from around the world are now attentively watching Northern Ireland. Bruce remains isolated from his family on canine death row awaiting his fate, unaware of the world wide support he has.

Regards
The Paw Prints Dog Walking Team
Freya, Daniel & Kenrick

New Website - Coming Soon!

Hi everybody,

Putting the finishing touches to Paw Prints new website today - very excited!! Should go live in the next couple of weeks.

Our new website will contain everything you need to know about our prestige Dog Walking service in Brighton & Hove.

Freya and I both feel very privileged to be dog walkers and very much look forward to walking many more dogs in the future.

As well as Brighton we also collect and walk dogs in Portslade, Shoreham, Lancing and even as far as Worthing.

Happy Walking!

The Paw Prints Dog Walking Team
Freya, Daniel & Kenrick

Paw Prints Soon To Be Volunteer Dog Walkers in Shoreham

Hi Everybody,

Today Paw Prints handed in the necessary forms to the Dogs Trust in Shoreham to become volunteer dog walkers for the centre. We both can't wait to get started and meet lots and lots of loveable dogs in need of a new home.

We will be walking dogs on their own and more sociable dogs will be walked in groups. We will be walking around the park next to the centre, along the Adur and down on Shoreham Beach.

To become a volunteer dog walker simply visit your local centre and fill in the necessary forms.

Happy walking!!

The Paw Prints Team
Freya, Daniel and Kenrick