Today we have launched a new feature on Champdogs - The Blog.

The first article about Lifting Breeding Endorsements is written by the forum's very own Goldmali.

The Second weekly article on the blog was written by Steve Hutchins and is the first in a five part series about Feeding Your Dog.

I've just had a look at this week's article. When I looked at commenting, I noticed that there was no facility for previewing. Also the format of the blog makes it look as if it's endorsed by Admin? At any rate it looks different to the rest of the Forum. Perhaps it's part of the main site instead? 

The blog is part of the main Champdogs website. In the main the articles are provided by guest writers and as such represent their views rather than those of the Champdogs' administrators. The blog is a place where topics can be covered in more depth and exposed to a wider audience. Articles on the blog can also be commented upon without the need for registration. We will have a look a providing a preview function in the future.

OK thanks for that. I like to understand what's happening.

Ooooh.. looks good :)

This week's article The Feeding Minefield

Part 3 - Pay Your Money and Take Your Choice

Emma Judson explains how ethical breeders can promote their own good practices and set themselves apart from puppy farmers and backyard breeders.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/blowing-your-own-trumpet

Squee.

I love reading these, but keep forgetting about them until someone comments on this topic..

Sue

Make sure you check the blog tomorrow.

Having Fun with your dog

Sophia Taylor gives some suggestions on how to make your dog walks more fun for your dog

The fourth article in a five part series by Steve Hutchins. Steve explains why he feeds his dogs a natural diet.

Natural Feeding

That link doesn't work ...

Fixed

The subject of Big Cats living and roaming around the UK is always controversial and excites public interest. Dog walker Angela Boyd tells us of her early experiences of Cougars and Panthers in Somerset.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/big-cats-in-england

Big Cats in England - More Recent Encounters

The 2nd article by Goldmali.

You have a new puppy, congratulations! A lot of fun lies ahead of you, but also a lot of hard work, to turn your puppy into a happy, confident and friendly adult dog.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/socialising-your-puppy

Congrats Very well thought out and written Marianne

The final article in a five part series by Steve Hutchins. In this concluding article Steve explains why he is now feeding his dogs a natural diet and urges you to give it a try with your own dogs.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/feeding-your-dog-the-conclusion

I think this has been a really interesting set of articles by Steve Hutchins. I bought the book he recommended a few articles ago, and it's a mine of information. I've been raw feeding for a few years now, and there's plenty still to learn. It's been good reading!

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/carriage-dog-trials

Julie Evans gives the low down on carriage dog trials for Dalmatians

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/puppies-mental-stimulation

Becky Glover gives advice on how to mentally stimulate your puppy.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/travelling-abroad-with-your-dog

Jess Stokes writes about the Pet Passport scheme and then asks for your help to complete a survey as part of her Masters degree research (plus a chance to win pets at home vouchers).

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/breeding-and-selling-puppies

It seems so easy -you breed a litter of pups, then you sell them. Marrianne Brett explains there is a little more to it than that.

Steve Hutchins gives a comprehensive guide to caring for your dog's teeth.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/care-and-prevention-of-canine-tooth-disorders

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/dog-rescues-can-do-better

Emma Judson has some hard hitting advice for dog rescues about how to offer a better service.

Interesting article and have replied with my thoughts but the foremost reasons why rescues are in existence are for the dogs and not to pander to people who expect a full customer service experience and 24/7 aftercare service with full guarantees of health and model behaviour of all the rescue dogs.

The first contribution to the blog from Merlot who sent us her article in response to our request for authors.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/feeding-a-raw-diet

Who is going to be the next forum member to step up to the plate ?

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/a-wet-sloppy-kiss

Steve Hutchins wonders why we kiss our dogs and discusses the confused messages this sends.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/walking-the-dog

Easy isn't it - pop the lead on, off you go and don't forget the poo bags.

But actually, walking your dog is a skill, for some of us it's an art form and for those new to dog ownership it can be a minefield of social faux pas, and soon-to-be-behavioural problems.

This is such a good article! A must for every puppy pack!

A walk is not the place for lengthy chats on your phone or wandering along thinking about what's for tea or the state of the economy. I often do this, but with not a road man or beast in sight and dogs not far from me exploring (i dont call people, if prefer solitude when walking even dragging my other half along i regret it almost straight away)

I think it is up to an individual as for me walking is for me and my dogs and if I want a lengthy chat on the phone then I will do that or if I want to have a chat with people either standing around or walking long with people then I will.

My dogs enjoy walks what ever I  am doing as they are interested in their surroundings and enjoy going of following a scent or playing games together or with other dogs. I never keep my eye of them and often have to interupt people to recall them or divert there attention onto domething else. Sociisation and playing with other dogs to me is a very important activity for them as it teaches new things and ways of dealing with different dogs. Talking to owners also is a very important element in terms of talking about different approaches to problems they have with training or health issues.

Dog walking to me is a social activity although some of the walks or the time I walk I will not see a soul which is fine as well as alone time is a good way to think when I have a lot on with work or organising my life !

The one sort of play I never allow is wrestling however - wrestling will almost always turn into bullying by one dog, and submitting from the other. It is about testing strength and finding out who is the toughest, and by the time you discover that your dog has either learned to be a bully or to grovel to every dog he meets, it's too late to stop it or easily fix it.

Vino and her friends in the park would be very upset if I called a halt to thier wrestling. It is dependant on the dogs, we meet and enjoy the company of a number of dogs on our morning walk at the park and they enjoy one anothers company with no one being bullied or grovelling. Sorry but I find this an important part of the walk for Vino. Other dogs are different, Merlot never joins in but that is the way she likes to have her walk. The owners all walk together and chat, it is a nice social outing.
Aileen

> if I want a lengthy chat on the phone then I will do that

But you actually take the dogs for a walk :) Where we used to live there was a lady who lived in the next road - she walked her dog a hundred yards to the field, at lunchtime, then stood in the field talking on the phone while her dog did his own thing which usually involved annoying other dogs :( If he didn't run around, his actual 'walk' was two hundred yards :( :(

Yes I multitask ! I have often hosted a conference call on a walk and had to stop the call because I needed to do a recall !

I see that happening even without a phonecall being the reason !

I thought this article made good reading.  When I went out with any of my dogs it was just them and me.  Relaxing away from 'life'.  I varied the walks and the times to make it more interesting for both of us to ensure I never met anyone.   The article could have been written by me!  The only difference being that since mobile phones I always carry one in case I have an emergency but it is never switched on to receive calls.

Can I ask though why you would want to meet other people ? Dogs are socialble animals so why restrict an opportunity for your dogs to have social interaction with other dogs ? Yes sometime time away alone is needed but surely not all the time ?

I would have thought that my blog piece was quite obviously a/generalised - it has to be, its a tiny space to fill, particularly if you ever read any of my other blogs and see just HOW long I can waffle on for! and b/ I am getting at the extremes here..

There is no comparison between being happy for your dogs to meet other dogs and greet them, talk to their owners and wander along, paying attention to your dogs the whole time... and turning up at the park, letting your dogs off the lead and then ignoring them for the next half an hour whilst you read the paper in the car!, talk on your phone, chat to your dog walking buddy...

There are a LOT of people (and most of them will not be on here I know) for whom the DOG element of 'walking the dog' is not really a priority, its a chore, its not something to think about, the dog is an afterthought!

Then theres a LOT of people who appear to walk their dog PURELY to find another dog for it to play with, and then send their dog off to greet without asking the other owner (or indeed sometimes without even acknowledging their existance). These people are generally completely unaware that the other dog owner doesn't want their dog to come over, and might well have more valid reasons than 'they are a miserable anti social git'...

Or maybe I have touched a nerve with some of you?

Sorry, LJS, I didn't make myself clear, what I meant to say is that there is a time and place for mixing or being alone.  I do both.  I must admit though I pick and choose who I socialise with and think sometimes any animal likes to do the same. This also applies to dog clubs.   I can't abide going where other owners don't pick up after their dogs.   I don't go where they have them on those extending leads.   The dogs on one side of the path and they're on the other.   I don't like dogs charging at me out of control.  I don't go where owners don't show etiquette and just barge along as though they own the place. Sorry, I could go on, but you get the drift. 

Yes absolutely and I don't have any hesitation in telling people if they or there dogs ( mainly them for not controlling them) are out of order.

There is one chap that thinks it is funny to let his lab gradually stalk towards mine when they are in the lead. You can see he is trying to get a response ( the dog) but I don't want mine to respond. I just say that can he keep his dog near him and away from mine as a matter if curtesy as I am happy to meet up and let then play off the lead but near to a raid is certainly not the place to be going it.

So you have decided to become the owner of a puppy, you have done some homework, found out about the character, traits, health issues and nature of the breed you have chosen and are ready to begin your search for your perfect puppy. What next?

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/finding-a-good-dog-breeder

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/working-terrier-packs

We are all familiar with the term "like a pack of hounds" but were terriers also bred to run in packs?

Choosing a vet is one of the most important decisions you will make for you and your dog. After all you are placing the welfare and sometimes indeed the life of your dog in their hands.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/choosing-your-vet

So a new litter is on the way and the potential buyers are lining up. The next step is to meet them all and interrogate them! A daunting task you may think, here are some hints and tips to try to find the bad eggs out from the nice genuine people.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/hints-and-tips-for-interviewing-new-puppy-buyers

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/christmas-and-dogs

Sophia Taylor gives some advice on how to keep your dogs safe at Christmas.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/a-month-in-the-life-of-a-breed-rescue-person

Julie Blackburn describes her hectic last month in Aussie breed rescue.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/blog/writing-a-will-for-your-dog

Have you made provisions for your dogs for when the inevitable happens ?