Please Don't Go | Adventure Dog Blog Hop

In an ideal world we would spend all of our time with our pets. Unfortunately, this is just not possible for most of us. But what happens when this becomes a problem for our dogs?

Separation - related problems can be one of the most frustrating and difficult challenge's us dog owners face. Some of the signs are so subtle that more dogs may be suffering than previously realised.

Dogs can show signs of stress by whining, panting, pacing, or salivating. If your dog is particularly excited to see you when you return or appears anxious before you leave they may have separation- related problems.

To start tackling separation problems you need to get as much information as possible about your dogs behaviour.

Taking a video of them when you are out is great idea. You can then find out exactly what they are doing and start to work out why.

Once you know exactly what your pooch gets up to when your out and about you can then start to correct it. Depending on the type of separation anxiety you dog shows will vary the treatment. There are three types of separation related behaviours.

1. Attachment - a dog gets distressed as they have an attachment to one person.
2. Fear - dogs think that without their owners around bad things will happen to them.
3. Frustration -  the dog is more frustrated at being alone rather than anxious.

Tackling Separation Problems


Attachment - If you dog has a particular attachment to one person, you need to teach the dog that nothing bad happens when they are not around. When Lottie was a puppy she would have some time of her own even when we were in the house all day. We had a baby gate in the kitchen and would place her in there with a stuffed Kong and closed the gate. We varied the amount of time she would spend on her own and always told her she was a good girl if she stayed settled. If you dog shows a particular attachment to you, its a good idea if you have other member of the household get involved with your dogs everyday routine. Maybe they could go for a walk together, or to the park. It helps teach your dog that they can fun without you been around.

Fear - You need to use techniques that look to desensitise and counter - condition your dogs behaviour so he learns that it is safe to be home alone.  A desensitise CD is a great tool. we highly recommended this one - CLIX Noise and Sounds CD. They can be played during the day whilst you are at home and can then be increased in volume each time to get your dog used to the sounds. Adaptil offer a great range of products that can help calm your pet. We particularly like the spray and use it every time Lottie travels in the car. Their products are highly rated from users including us.

Frustration - Dog are social creatures, so leaving them alone goes against their naturals instinct. We provide them with company and something to do. Without us they simply get bored. There are things we can do to help. Kong's are our savor, we leave Lottie with one every time we go out. We have a great Kong recipe here. If your going to be leaving your dog regularly for a long period of time, doggy day care is a great alternative. We know lots of doggies that have great fun!

Lottie enjoying her Kong

The main tip we would give new or existing dog owners, is to build up the time gradually. When we first had Lottie we left her for five minutes at a time then built it up from there. We also have a routine for every time we go out. I don't make too much fuss and leave her with her a tasty treat each time.

We hope these tips are useful? Have you ever had problems with separation anxiety, we would love to hear your tips too?

Jessica and Lottie

This is part of the Adventure Dog Blog Hop hosted by yours truly, DOGthusiast and Tiffany’s Diamond Dogs 

Great Treats and Toys | Pet Shops Bowl Retailer Review.

What dog owner doesn't love a good bit of doggy retail shopping. I certainly do! So we were over the moon when Pet Shop Bowl wanted us to team up for a review.

Clearly Lottie couldn't wait to see what is inside

We revived lots of goodies!

So who are Pet Shop Bowl?

If like me you haven't heard of them before don't despair we have all the info you need right here! Here's what they have to say about the company.

PetShopBowl is a nationwide home delivery subscription service to pet food. We are a young company with a team of friendly, helpful staff dedicated to saving you time and money. All of our staff are pet owners so we understand the needs of other pet parents.

They have an easy to use website and like most original pet companies stock a vast range of product even including a 99p store great for those on a budget. However, the option you don't get with most 'original ' pet companies is their unique concept known as Bottomless Bowl which is offered at the checkout.

We all have a busy lifestyle, its unfortunately just the way of the world these days. If like me you are trying to juggle full time study, a work placement and taking care of your dog, you will know what a challenge that can be! This is where Bottomless Bowl comes in. Now Lottie isn't a huge eater and our vet says some smalls dog simply aren't, but if like a friend of ours you have a Labdorder you life will be very different. Food, they just can't get enough of the stuff. Several times she has had to go out in the wet and windy night time weather, to pop out to a convenience store to fetch some dog food as she has run out. This need not be the case anymore - Bottomless Bowl is a simple reordering service. They understand all dogs have a different appetite so offer any frequency from 2 - 12 weeks. But I hear you ask, what if there is a price increase ,well there's no hidden price rises. If the price of a product that you have subscribed to happens to increase, they will contact you to make sure that you still want to continue with your subscription, it really is that simple! They offer free UK delivery on all orders over the value of £19.99, as well as using a courier service which means you can change delivery time or day to whenever suits you best (When we were expecting our delivery I changed it to the next day with no hassle whatever so ever!).

Gone are the days of standard computers instead we live in a world of smartphones and tablets, Pet Shop Bowl realise this and have created a handy app that can be downloaded on both IOS and Android app stores so you can place an order from any mobile device. If your If like me and your mobile phone is so often in your hand it might as well be glued there, this app will definitely be worth a download.

So what did we receive in our huge goody box?

Medium red Kong Classic (£7.13) Before I had even brought Lottie home all our doggy friends were telling me you MUST buy a Kong, now we understand why. It has been our savour! It was great to keep Lottie occupied as a puppy and even now as an adult dog. We also use it every time I leave her home alone and have had no separation anxiety issues. If you are a dog owner are not familiar with a Kong, where have you been? Kong's come in several different sizes and strengths (All of which Pet Bowl Shop sell) so are suitable for most breeds. It's a hollow cone shaped dog toy that can be stuffed with all sorts of treats and pastes to keep your dog occupied, they can also be frozen to give them an extra challenge.

Lily's Kitchen Grain- Free Wild Woodland Walk Dry Dog Food 1kg (£6.49) We love Lily's kitchen in this house and Lottie has two of her bedtime biscuits each night. We knew they did a range of healthy dog treats but wasn't aware they sold dry dog food. This variety is made using freshly prepared vension, duck and salmon from the Great British countryside together with healthy vegetables and botanical herbs. It's also a grain- free recipe which is ideal for doggies with sensitives. I used it as treats for Lottie's clicker training session, as its not a good idea to change a dogs food suddenly. The results were great and Lottie loved it, she couldn't wait for the treat and worked extra hard to get the next piece! The range also includes a puppy variety, they both come in a wide range of flavors so there will sure be something to suit every taste bud. The full range can be found here.

Almo Nature Daily Menu (375g Pack, £0.90). For Lottie's every day meals we tend to stick to a dry dog food, as the Westie breed can become quite messy around the face area which can lead to sores on their lips. This doesn't mean we don't use wet dog food. As ed above I give Lottie a Kong every time I go out and by using treats it can soon add up the calories. I then heard of a great tip from a doggy friend. Why not use wet food and freeze it, this is what we do now so I get through a lot! We haven't heard of Almo Nature before but after some research it reads a better wet dog food than the one we currently use. Don't let the price hinder you exceptions on quality it has up to 50% premium meats, fresh vegetables and no artificial flavors, additives or preservatives. The packaging is a handy, easy to open Tetra Pak which once opened easily fits in your fridge door helping to save on shelf space.

Pooch & Mutt Calm + Relaxed Grain - Free Treats (125g Tube, £2.89)

Lottie isn't a verygood traveler and suffer from car sickness. With age this hasimproved but unless she is traveling in her car crate in theboot we have still have a very sicky dog! These bones size treats areideal for stressful situations such as a visit to the vet,car journeys, fireworks etc. On our next trip out I decided to testthe treats to see if Lottie's behavior was any different duringthe journey. I gave her 8 of the bones as they are really low incalories at just 3.5 per treat. The results were quite amazing,she definitely seemed more relaxed duringthe journey and lay down quite happily until we arrived.These biscuits are full of goodness, they are handbaked, gluten free and include lamb, calamine which helpsaid relaxation as well L-tryptophan which gives you the 'feel good'factor. They also come in a range of flavors which all contain activeingredients for a specific purpose. See the full range here.

Our Verdict.

We think Pet Shop Bowl is a great idea ,they offer competitive prices on all of their products as well as a huge range to choose from. Don't forget they also stock products for dog and cats, as well a range of great quality toys, bedding, accessories and grooming products.The Bottomless Bowl feature is a great added bonus and is particularly helpful for people like myself with mobility problems. There company is based on old fashioned morals of great customer service, great prices as well as always wanting to put your pet first. What more could you possibly ask for. There handy app is a great additional to anybody's mobile device, including mine!

Click here to visit Pet Shops Bowl's full range of products.

Jessica and Lottie

We received a box of goodies from Pet Shop Bowl at no charge in exchange for our honest and fair review of their products. All opinions expressed here are our own and truthful!

We're participating in the Pet Parade Blog Hop hosted by Rascal and Rocco, and co-hosted by Jan's Funny Farm, Basil the Bionic Cat, Barking from the Bayou, and Love is being Owned by a Husky! - thanks guys!

Please mum may I have some more!

Lottie is very excited, tomorrow she gets a day visit to my grandma's while I am at a hospital appointment all day about my planned operation.

With me not being around in the day Lottie normally gets a special treat in the form of her "Special Kong". We absolutely love Kong and I don't know what I would do without them. It has kept Lottie good on so many occasions.

For any of you guys that are not aware of Kong's (Although I'm sure most of you are) they are a cone shaped dog toy with a hollow center that can be stuffed with yummy treats and frozen if wished.

There are lots of different recipes out there but here are two of mine and Lottie's favorites.

Special Kong - for special occasions and a treat. 

A small amount of peanut butter to plug the end and place on top.
A few dog biscuits crushed.
4 small pieces of cheese.
A few doggy chocolate drops.

I normally layer them in this order and them freeze it. Lottie has a medium Kong so you may need to increase the amounts for a larger one.

Fruit and Veg - The one Lottie has most of the time

A small tin of baby food. (Lottie likes rice pudding best).
Fruit / veg - Lottie's favorites are: carrots, potatoes, sprouts, broccoli, swede, banana, apple and pears.

For this one I place a small amount of baby food at the bottom of the Kong then place the fruit/veg and cover in a generous spoon of baby food with a small dog biscuit pushed in and pop into the freezer overnight.

As you can see Lottie enjoys them very much.

These are just a few of our Kong recipes. What do you guys find the best to stuff your Kong with?

Jessica