The Role of Service Dogs

Service dogs are highly known across the United Kingdom but are not always known what they can be used for. Today, we are going to share with you some of the different roles service dogs can offer.

Service Guide Dogs
Guide dogs are one of the most commonly known forms of service dog. Their role is to become the eyes for a person who is blind or partially blind. They help the person to complete daily tasks and navigate the world they can not see. They help with crossing the road, directions, shopping, and general daily tasks.

Service Epilepsy Dogs
There is also a kind of service dog that helps with Epilepsy. The role of this dog is to stay with its owner and warn them when they are going to have a seizure. This will help the owner to stay safe and get themself in a safe and comfortable area to have a fit. This service animal is amazing at preventing injuries in their owners.

Service Anxiety Dog
One of the less commonly known service dogs are the ones that help with severe cases of anxiety. Mild anxiety is common in humans so service dogs are only available to those who suffer severely. Their role is to offer calming techniques when an anxiety attack is about to take place. The dog can do this by placing its paw on its owner, giving cuddles, or rubbing its head on you. It helps to calm the owner and sometimes prevent the attack from taking place.

These are just three of the different types of service dogs that you may see people walking around with every day. These can be all different types of breeds of dogs, this is down to the owners’ preference. So before you judge why a dog may be somewhere it shouldn’t be, remember it may be doing its job.

How Often Should I Get My Dog Groomed?

When you own a dog or are looking to own a dog, it is important that you do all of your research. This includes knowing how often you should be getting your dog groomed.

When looking at how often your dog should be groomed, it all depends on the breed of dog you have. Short-coat dogs will not need to be professionally groomed as often as long-coated dogs.

So, rather than researching how often you should get your dog groomed, research specific breed information. Sometimes it is not only down to specific breeds but each dog individually as two dogs of the same breed may have completely different coat styles.

So, if your dog is prone to having long and matted fur, you will want to get them professionally groomed more regularly. We would recommend every 4 weeks to save your dog from being uncomfortable and having a bad grooming experience.

Other dogs who have shorter coats but are still long-haired could get away with being groomed up to every 6 weeks as it takes their coat a longer time to grow.

Your short-haired dogs should still be professionally groomed as they will malt their fur, and this can sometimes get stuck or cause issues. You should also want your short-haired dogs to have a deep clean in groomers favourite dirty dog shampoo. A groomer will be able to effectively remove dirt and shedding fur from their coat. With your short-haired dog coats, you should regularly brush them at home.

So, when it comes to how often you should get your dog groomed, it entirely depends on the breed and coat type of your dog. We will always recommend for every dog for them to be professional groomed at least every 4-8 weeks. Your dog will thank you for it, even if they don’t always enjoy it.

Are Puppy Training Classes Worth It?

Purchasing a puppy can be a really exciting time for families across the world, but one thing you will notice when you mention you are bringing home a new puppy is that everyone will recommend you going to puppy training classes! But, are these classes really worth the money?

In short, yes puppy training classes are worth it! Especially if you are unsure with how to train your new puppy, or what they should ideally know what to do at certain ages.

Taking your puppy to these classes helps them to gain many vital skills to enjoy their family life with you. From basic training classes learning how to respond to their name and sit. To more advanced classes, including learning how to dance and do other tricks. Puppy training classes will give your dogs the opportunity to socialise with other dogs and know how to react around other dogs.

Should Dogs Be Allowed In Restaurants?

A debate that we have seen prop up all over social media and news platforms, should restaurants start allowing pet dogs into their facilities? Now, we are going to give you our view on this topic from both sides.

Why Should Dogs Be Allowed In Restaurants?
For some people, their dog provides them with comfort. They give them the strength to be able to leave their home feeling protected and able to do things like every other human does. Some dogs are like a security blanket and you would never see these people enter restaurants without their dogs. This will in theory give the companies a larger client basis, meaning they should make more money by offering this service.

Some dogs are also seen as part of the family. For a family to head out for a meal without their dog, it may seem weird to them. Strange that their family member cannot come to the meal as well.

Why Shouldn’t Dogs Be Allowed In Restaurants?
Now for the other viewpoint, we can see so many more reasons why dogs shouldn’t be allowed than why they should!

Firstly you have to think about the people who may have a fear of dogs. For those of you who say this isn’t a valid reason, it 100% is valid and should be considered. If you are allowing dogs into your restaurant you are turning valuable customers away. Some people do have a terrible fear of dogs that they wouldn’t be able to enter your building knowing there may be a dog inside.

Some others may be allergic to dogs. This can cause a major health hazard for those who are allergic. This could result in a court situation between yourself and those who feel discriminated against.

Overall, dogs are not needed to be welcomed into restaurants. If you are a company that wishes to implement this, you should consider a dog-friendly area to keep everyone safe and happy. This should also only be well-trained dogs as constant barking will make the meal a living nightmare.

Can Owning A Pet Help With My Mental Health?

One question that we are most commonly asked is whether owning a pet can help with your mental health. Well, the answer to this is yes. Owning a pet is known to help massively with your mental health. With it being scientifically known that pets are able to help our minds to feel relaxed and positive. So, why does owning a pet help with our mental health?

Firstly, owning a pet gives us something else to focus on. We will no longer be in a world where we are trapped within our own thoughts. We have given ourselves the responsibility of caring for this pet. Meaning our mind will be occupied with the needs of the pet we have chosen.

The best pet to own for help. with mental health is one that loves cuddles. You may find that they will cuddle you when you need it most. Pets are amazing for reading your feelings. You will begin to find that if you are feeling down, your pet will come over to you for cuddles, helping you to feel more at ease.

Battling your own mental health can be a very lonely process. This is where pets come in they help you to feel less alone. Your pet will be there to help you battle the thoughts in your mind. Even though they can’t help with words, they will help you by providing love and affection.

Finally, pets like dogs can offer you a reason to escape. With dogs requiring daily walks, and them never saying no to a walk. Whenever you feel down, you will know your pet needs walking. They will encourage you to escape from the same four walls, helping you to get some much-needed exercise and vitamin D. Owning a pet will help you with your mental health, so don’t think twice if you want to have help improving.