This is only our 3rd day of our 2014 Cutest Dog Competition and we have been flooded with entries, but we still need more! Do you think your dog is the cutest in town? Why not enter them in our competition and see...
Simply go to our Facebook page and message us your winning picture. Remember to include your dogs name, age and breed in your message.
What's the winning prize?
Well we though since your dog would be the one winning the competition then it's only fair that your dog gets the prize, right? The winner will receive a unique Dogs Mad Personalised Gift Set worth £11.99.
Gran your FREE Royal Canin Cat Sample 400g bag offer now online at royalcanin.co.uk. Simply sign in or regester for an account with them to claim your free stuff.
Online registration via www.royalcanin.co.uk/catsample only.
Requires internet access, use of a valid email address and registration
with Royal Canin (you will be prompted to create a new profile if you do
not have one).
Vouchers are sent by post within 5 working days of registration.
Vouchers valid for 28 days from date of online registration.
Photocopies of vouchers will not be accepted.
One voucher per person for redemption.
Not to be used in conjunction with any other Royal Canin offer.
Open to residents of UK only.
Open to persons aged 18 or over only.
No prior purchase necessary for registration.
No cash alternative.
Non-transferable.
Royal Canin's Privacy & Copyright terms apply in addition to
those stated here; acceptance of these terms and conditions also implies
acceptance of our Privacy & Copyright terms.
Free bag voucher is only valid against a single 400g bag from the Royal Canin feline ranges.
Not redeemable against Veterinary Therapeutic (Clinical) or Professional ranges.
Only valid in the retailer selected during registration.
Not valid in veterinary practices, with online retailers or at shows or exhibitions.
While stocks last.
Royal Canin reserves the right to end this activity at any point at its discretion.
It's back by popular demand and there's a twist! We have listened to your messages and the decision has been made, the Pets Mad Cutest Dog Competition is back for 2014.
Since it's that time of year we though we would put a little twist on it this time and make it a Christmas themed competition. We are hosting it this year on our new sister site Dogs Mad so simply snap a pic of your dog in a festive theme and send us your pic via the Pets Mad Facebook to enter.
The dark winter nights have arrived in Britain. At Dogs Mad we know how hard it can be to keep your dog visible to cars and other dangers while out for their night stroll. We have put together a collecting of handy and life saving items that will keep your dog visible and safe in the dark.
The below collecting of stylish Dog Collars and Leads is a small price to pay to keep your dog safe. For more items like this and help on picking the perfect Christmas Dog Gifts, visit our sister site at DogsMad.co.uk.
The video clip below has been doing the rounds on the internet lately. It apparently shows a dog bouncing along with a baby as he plays on his bouncy swing but is this what is really happen?
Looking closer at the video, it appears that the dog is simply trying to catch the shadow on the ground that is being cast from the baby.
See our Facebook video below. If you can't see anything log into Facebook first
Scientists have validated what you already knew: The love you feel for your pup can be downright maternal.
In a small brain-imaging study published in PLOS ONE, Massachusetts General Hospital researchers had women look at pictures of their young children and their dogs — as well as unfamiliar babies and dogs.
"There was a common network of brain regions involved in emotion, reward, affiliation, visual processing and social cognition when mothers viewed images of both their child and dog," the study states. But unfamiliar photos didn't have the same effect.
The results suggest that these brain networks may be important in forming and maintaining strong emotional bonds, the researchers said in a statement.
But brain response to children and dogs wasn't entirely the same: An area of the brain vital to processing faces was activated more by a dog picture than a child's face, while parts of the midbrain were more active in response to children. It may be that facial cues are more important in human-to-dog communication, given our lack of common language. And the midbrain areas could be vital in forming human-to-human pair bonds, National Geographic reports.
These results aren't exactly surprising. For many young Americans, dogs seem to be replacing children as a late-20's family addition. And since previous studies have indicated that dogs form bonds with their "parents" in much the same way that human babies do, it's only fair that we love them back in the same way.
These days Christmas isn't just for humans, more and more of us are buying our furry friends their own presents. Whether you choose to buy your dog some stocking filler treats, or prefer to treat them with some more of your time, it's always nice to involve canine companions in the festivities. Pets Mad have put together a collection of the perfect Christmas gift ideas for your dog or pup this holiday season. Personalised Dog Bowls
There's nothing better than feeding time for your dog, so why not brighten it up with our collection of personalised dog bowls. Get your dogs name on their very own feeding or water bowl. Available in 2 sizes and a range of different colours!
Single Personalised Bowls
Stylish and modern, these bowls are perfect for a medium or large sizes dog for their food or water. Available in 4 colours Blue, Pink, Sliver and Black. Size: H 6.5 x W 18 x D 5.5cm.
Small Double Personalised Bowls
This bowl has 2 compartment for both food and water. Also Stylish and modern, this bowl is most suited to Cats and small Dogs. Available in 4 colours Blue, Pink, Sliver and Black. Size: 19cm x 11cm x 5cm.
LED Flashing Dog Collars
Protect your dog at night with these luminous dog collars. Available in 2 colours with 3 light modes. Easily Adjustable for Small, Medium pets. Light can also be turned off for day use. Made from black nylon with easy clip and metal lead ring.
Doodlebone Beige Dog Harness The original soft padded dog harness from Doodlebone is made from a light weight yet durable air mesh fabric lined with a soft felt edging. Designed specifically to remove the strain from your dog’s neck and spread the weight across the entire chest area for maximum comfort.
ONLY £7.99 Click here to buy More Ideas... Curver Dog Grooming Storage Box - Only £9.99 The Curver 15ltr dog storage boxes are ideal for all dog lovers. Perfect for storing all your dogs essentials from leads, grooming products, toys, accessories and treats all in one place. Go Walk Reflective Green Padded Dog Harness - £6.99 The Go Walk dog Reflective harnesses are padded for extra comfort for your pet and are a stylish, comfortable alternative to a collar and lead. Go Walk Dog Splitter Leash - Only £3.99 The Go Walk leash splitter is strong and durable, the ideal solution to walking two dogs at once. Go Walk Green Reflective Dog Collar - Only £1.99 This reflective small green collar from the Go Walk range combines funky style with safety and comfort. Ideal for night time walks, or just to catch the eye of passers by. With a Strengthened clip mechanism ensures that no matter how eager your furry friend is, the weight will be taken through the strong weaved collar, instead of the fastening clip.
Wahl Paw Print Grooming Apron Black and White - Only £7.99 The Wahl Paw Print Grooming Apron has a tie fastening, and single right hand pocket. Ideal when bathing or grooming your pet.
Playing games with your dog is beneficial to his physical and mental stimulation, and it's also a great way to connect with your dog and enrich a meaningful relationship even further. It is important, however, to ensure that you don't inadvertently exacerbate potentially hidden kernels of behavior issues, so be sure to follow the tips below and have fun!
Tug of War
Tug of war is a great way to teach your dog to listen to you even when excited and distracted. It encourages bonding through play and is a great workout for you and your dog. Some people believe that tug of war makes a dog more aggressive, and indeed it is not a game for dogs that are easily over aroused or aggressively protective of their resources, but most dogs will not become aggressive while playing the game and tug-of-war actually builds up trust and cooperative skills if certain rules are followed:
If your dog wins the game and takes the tug toy away from you, feign disinterest and go and do something else. Never chase your dog to try and get the toy from him. You can either ignore him until he comes up to you with the toy or get another toy and put all your attention onto the toy you have. Your dog will most likely drop what he has in his mouth to come and investigate a better option.
If your dog reengages in the game and drops the toy in front or tries to give it to you, praise him and let the game continue.
Teach your dog a reliable take it and drop it cue before you play tug so that he understands what you mean when you ask him to drop the toy.
You do not always have to win the war! Give and take is best.
Play should stop on your cue and if play gets too rowdy either ask your dog to drop the toy or drop it yourself and walk away. Rowdy play, mouthing or over arousal stops the game.
Bring your dog's toy a few steps away from where she is sitting, so that she can see it, and ask her to find it. You can use the cue 'go find', or the name of the toy or object that you hide and want her to bring to you.
Once she goes to the toy, praise her immediately, even if she does not touch it. Repeat this each time she is close to the toy and encourage her to take the toy into her mouth.
The first time she picks up the toy, praise her and let her play with it for a while.
When she has learned to take the desired object into her mouth, encourage her to bring it all the way to you. First praise her when she comes running with her toy, and then praise her only when she brings it to your hand. You can trade the toy for a treat.
When she becomes proficient at the game, start hiding the toy in more difficult places in another room or in the back yard and send her off on the hunt.
'Go Find' or Retrieve
If your dog already enjoys carrying things in her mouth then this game is easier to teach, but you can also try to teach your dog to bring toys to you even if she does not like to retrieve something that you throw.
Hide and Seek
This is a fun game you can play with your dog indoors or outside and best played with two people.
Have one person hold your dog while you go and hide somewhere in the same room or area where your dog can see you hiding.
Call your dog’s name as the person releases your dog and praise your dog for finding you.
At this stage the game is easy but as your dog becomes more proficient start hiding in areas that are harder for him to find.
Motivate your dog to play the game by rewarding him with his favorite toy, some food or a game of tug if he finds you.
While your dog is coming to find you have the other person go hide and call the dog to them once he has successfully found you. This back and forth will test your dog’s seeking skills and tire him out.
Make sure you only repeat the game a few times so your dog does not lose interest.
Are dogs capable of telling time? This question has long been debated in the scientific world as well as in the dog training world.
Many dog owners have experienced their dog's ability to seemingly recognise when it's dinnertime or time to go for a walk. But are dogs truly able to understand time in the same way that we do? And if so, how do they do it?
Researchers break up the concept of memory into two types: implicit and declarative memory. Implicit memory allows humans and non-human animals to repeat tasks that have been accomplished in the past, such as the muscle memory involved in riding a bike.
But scientists have not determined if dogs are capable of declarative memory, and more specifically episodic memory, or the ability to recall contextual information about past events. This involves understanding what occurred, when it occurred, and where it occurred. Studies have shown that primates are capable of this type of memory, but whether or not dogs have this ability has not yet been determined.
So can your dog tell time?
There are several hypotheses about a dog's apparent time-telling behaviors. The first is that dogs simply follow their circadian rhythm, which tells their bodies when to sleep and when to be awake.
Another explanation involves scent. Scientists believe that a dog may be able to tell how soon you will come home based on how long your scent lingers in your house after you leave.
Dogs are incredibly adept at reading environmental cues. Even a small clue, such as the length of a shadow, can be an indicator of the time of day.
As more research is being done on the cognitive and emotional abilities of dogs, perhaps this age-old question will finally be answered.
Natures Menu Pet Food are giving away FREE Kitten and Puppy packs on their website! Simply click the link below and you will be directed to their offer page on their website. Fill in the simple form with your details and submit to get your
free puppy or kitten pack. They'll delivered it to you in the post.
Please allow up to 28 days for delivery.
We can't confirm what is included in the free starter packs but it's likely to be pet food sample from one of their recipes. To get your free Natures Menu Puppy pack.
