OCTOBER, 2017
How to Care for Your Pond Fish this Winter
Healing Paws: We Meet the Canine Partners STORIES/LIFESTYLE/ Vet
REVIEWS Pets Magazine
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Premium pet products, destinations & activities for you & your pet chosen by Sophie & Nell, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, assisted by Marie.
The Multi-tasking Dog Grooming Brush! The Grooming Dryer Brush by Roses Top Dog is the creation of dog lovers Mr and Mrs Rose. Inventor and engineer Mr Rose came up with the idea after watching dog groomer Mrs Rose struggle using two hands to dry and groom her furry clientele. Mr Rose had a real light bulb moment and set to work putting his years of engineering knowledge to good use by designing and creating a unique tool that cut grooming time in half by turning two jobs into one. The beauty of Rose’s invention is the undeniable benefits of using the drying brush. By working one handed you’re able to calm your furry friend and gently dry and brush the coat in half the time. Brushing the hair backwards makes for easier grooming, and the coat becomes noticeably softer due to the clever built in ionic function. The products retails at £69.99 and is available for both dog owners and dog groomers alike. https://www.rosestopdog.com
Tasty Doggy Treats! Perfect for all dogs – including diet sensitive ones, ACANA Singles Dog Treats are Limited Ingredient, Biologically Appropriate™ and totally delicious. Featuring a single animal protein, these treats are formula-matched to ACANA Singles Dry Foods, and include local meats, poultry and fish. Made without cooking and completely free of preservatives, ACANA treats are gently freeze-dried to lock in all the natural goodness and taste. They come in a range of exciting flavours including lamb & apple, duck & pear, pork & squash, and mackerel & greens. www.acana.com
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Forthglade’s Festive Treats Devonian dog lovers, Forthglade, have launched a special, limited-edition Cranberry and Parsnip Christmas Treat. With a 100% natural turkey, cranberry and parsnip recipe, the Forthglade Christmas Treat has been developed using the same quality ethos that the Devonbased producers are renowned for: nutritious, proteinrich and tail-waggingly tasty. These heart-shaped treats also contain health boosting omega-3, botanicals and prebiotics, to keep your pooch happy and healthy during the festive season. RRP £2.99. The brand has also produced a Christmas Dinner for Dogs - perfect for your pampered pooch! www.forthglade.com
A Dog a Day A Dog A Day, £12.99, by artist Sally Muir is a collection of 365 dog portraits; the perfect Christmas gift for any dog lover. Whether big or small, cross breed or pedigree, all 365 dogs bring oodles of personality to the pages. A beautiful and affectionate celebration of our best friends, this book is the perfect gift for all dog lovers. View the A Dog a Day Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/sallymuir.co.uk
PS/ We’re always looking for premium products & services to review for both pets and people! Please get in touch with the boss at editor@petsmag.co.uk. Love,
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Sophie & Nell
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David Cliff reviews... projects the contents of one's own psyche upon the work of the artist producing a synthesised interpretation of the phenomenon in the study.
‘The Book of the Cat’
varied consideration of the cat as an art form can reflect upon the enigmatic nature of the cat by Angus Hyland and Carolyn and its impact upon homo Roberts. £12.99, Laurence King sapiens, captured by art spanning over five centuries. publishing www.laurenceking.com.
This month, I had the pleasure of reviewing ‘the Book of the Cat’, a review of cats in art. I review a lot of books, many of which have cats endemic as art forms. This book unashamedly looks at them as such with contributions from Andy Warhol, Julian Freud, Francisco Goya and even Leonardo da Vinci. Supported by quotations such as Hilaire Belloc and Ernest Hemingway, anyone wanting a light read that gives a wide and
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Whilst the human - cat relationship is well encapsulated within the book, the book is a study primarily of the cat as a unique species in the animal world. Domestication has brought a unique relationship which is quintessentially different to all other domestic creatures, including primarily, dogs. This book does much to capture that in a collection of images and quotations that of themselves have deep symbolic content and present, as all good actors, a canvas upon which one Pets Magazine
If you know an art lover or simply a deeper thinking cat lover, this is a book that offers deep reflection alongside artistic interpretation. It's certainly one of the more different ones that I've reviewed in recent times. Despite all of this gravitas, it remains a very easy read and one does not have to be a regular attender at the Tate modern or similar, to enjoy a rich appreciation of the colour and form that human artists have attributed to our feline friends. Cat lover David Cliff is MD of Gedanken, a company specialising in coachingbased support and personal development.
Pond Life...
So, you keep goldďŹ sh or koi in a garden pond and the winter is coming...What should you do to prepare your pets for the big freeze? Fish expert ALEXANDER S. HOWSON tells Pets Magazine readers how you can keep your pet ďŹ sh safe during the cold snap.
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GoldďŹ sh can thrive in a garden pond
By ALEXANDER S. HOWSON
understanding of the processes and actions taking place and a As the dark nights begin to knowing that our pond fish are close in and the chill looms ever generally hardier than we tend nearer, many pond keepers are to give them credit for, the beginning to panic about the winter months can be a wellcold winter months ahead. received break that will only heighten your excitement for Usually this a problem for first next year’s busy pond season. time pond keepers who have only recently acquired their When planning for the winter pond during the previous months there are several spring or summer months, actions that you as a fish however many experienced keepers need to take to make keepers can still struggle with the transition to colder climes, this predicament every year. smooth and efficient. Caring for pond fish during the Firstly, it often recommended winter months can be a tricky that you conduct an autumn process, fraught with worry and clean. risk. Yet, with a good
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This is simply a big clean where you remove any rotten vegetation and foreign objects from the pond, along with any slime, a pond vacuum can be a very helpful tool for this task. Once the big clean has been thoroughly conducted, you can then turn your attention to dealing with any freezing, what to do with your equipment and how to adapt your feeding schedule to fit in with the winter months. One of the key factors in understanding pond fish care, during winter is that fish are poikilothermic, this means that that when the water
accordingly and as autumn approaches and the temperature drops into the low sixties (60°F - 15°C) you should then begin to restrict feeding to around once to twice a week. A solid wheat germ based food will be ideal.
Big chill: As the temperature of your pond drops, so does your fish’s body temperature
temperature changes so does their body temperature. Consequently, they rely on the temperature of their water to determine the rate of digestion and because of this, their metabolism tends to slow down as the temperature begins to drop. Once their metabolism slows down enough, they will enter into a kind of ‘hibernation’ state. This helps them survive the cold months were they would struggle to digest food properly and If you have been following a good care regime for your pond fish during the spring and summer months, feeding them
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a good, complete pond food then they should now have built up a decent layer of fat which will help preserve them
This should be kept in place until around mid to late October or, as a better guide, when the temperature drops below fifty (50°F 10°C). Once this happens, your fish will start to become disinterested in food and you should cease feeding altogether.
At this point, the temperature should be so low throughout the winter. that the fish will be generally inactive, their metabolism will When easing them into this have slowed down almost state of ‘hibernation’ you completely and they will spend should be mindful that as the the bulk of their time, temperature drops your feeding motionless at the bottom of the regime should change pond. Koi carp are popular pond fish
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Feeding should only be resumed in the spring
Feeding should only be resumed in the spring once temperatures have permanently risen over fifty (50°F - 10°C). Now that feeding your pond fish during the winter has been covered, attention can be turned to equipment. After the temperature has dropped and you stop feeding the fish until the return of warmer weather, many keepers turn their equipment off completely. A pond filter is simply a house for beneficial bactria that processes the harmful chemicals that fish produce into less harmful products but once feeding has stopped and
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the fish begin their period of ‘hibernation’ it’s become almost functionless. Not only that but it will also mix water from different levels, creating fluctuations in the water temperature which may adversely affect fish in their state of hibernation. Most people then leave their ponds to freeze over, but it can sometimes be beneficial to a add pond heater, or a pond deicer which prevents a small portion of the pond from freezing over, in turn allowing harmful gasses which can occasionally build up from rotting vegetation, to escape. It is worth noting that in ponds that aren’t deeper than Pets Magazine
18” (45cm) fish may have to be brought inside, as the ponds may not be deep enough to support hibernation. In following these simple steps throughout the winter, you should in turn set yourself up for another strong year of pond keeping. It can be an enjoyable experience knowing that all your fish are well cared for and safe during the winter months while you take time to draw out your plans for the next year’s pond season.
A helping paw
Canine Partners (www.caninepartners.org.uk), an assistance dog charity, is calling for people to help more puppies take their first tiny pawsteps towards transforming the lives of disabled people. Pets Magazine
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Jean King and Brood Bitch Ivy. (Previous page: Helena & pups.)
SHE lives a happy life full of all the love, long walks and healthy snacks a dog could dream of. But Helena is no ordinary dog – she is the mother of some of the UK’s most amazing assistance dogs and has helped them take their first tiny pawsteps towards transforming the lives of physically disabled people. Helena lives with Jean King, one of assistance dog charity Canine Partners’ special breeding scheme
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volunteers known as brood bitch holders. The Labrador cross golden retriever moved in with Jean in 2013, soon after the charity’s breeding scheme was first launched. Jean had already been supporting the charity as a puppy parent, a volunteer that looks after puppies during their first year, as they begin learning how to help with everyday tasks. The dogs will go on to learn how to open doors, press buttons, undress a person and even call for help in an emergency. Pets Magazine
Now as the charity expands its breeding programme, Jean is urging more people to sign up and look after a beautiful dog like Helena. Jean’s role involves providing a loving home for the special pooch and ensuring she is as fit and healthy as possible so that any puppies she has in the future have the best start in life. The mum-of-two who supports Canine Partners alon gside her part-time job said: “I had had litters with my own dogs and when I retired from full-time work I thought that was something I would love to
Proud mum: Helena with her 13 pups; 3 of which are already helping disabled people.
do for a charity are on a walk but she is really like Canine Partners where the calm at home.” puppies go on to do change lives as assistance dogs. When she is ready to breed, Helena will be taken to be “I told Canine Partners I was mated with a dog carefully interested in volunteering with selected by Canine Partners. the breeding scheme when I Helena, now five, has already first joined, then when it was had two litters and the next launched I reminded them. time she is mated may be the last before she retires and “Months passed and then continues to live as Jean’s suddenly I got a phone call much-loved pet. saying they had a dog for me and that she would arrive the “I take extra special care of her following week. until she comes into season. After mating, her food and “She’s a really fun bouncy dog exercise routines are and she loves to run when we unchanged until the pregnancy
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is confirmed when we start feeding her more,” said Jean, 66, from Uley near Stroud, Gloucestershire. “Then, about a week before the puppies are due, we set up a whelping area for her to have the puppies and she sleeps there until they arrive. I also start taking her temperature every day, watching for a drop which indicates the puppies are on their way.” Jean even delivered most of Helena’s 13 pups – three of which are already supporting people with physical disabilities
while others are currently training for their special jobs.
“Unlike when you say goodbye to your own litters, you get updates on how they are all Once the puppies have been doing and it’s reassuring to born, Jean monitors their know that Canine Partners will health and begins getting them always make sure that these used to being touched and held. puppies are healthy, well Later, she also begins looked after and that they go to introducing them to different a good home. people, sounds and household objects to ensure they are happy and confident in most situations.
“I certainly recommend caring for one of Canine Partners’ breeding dogs although I accept it’s not going to right be for everybody. Having puppies in your home is disruptive but it’s only for a short amount of time. If you’re happy to put that work in for a few weeks, it’s hugely rewarding.
“You get a sense of a Then at about seven or eight job well done when the weeks old, they go to one puppies leave you and of Canine Partners’ puppy are settled with puppy parents who continues to parents across the train them through lots of country. And this is reinforced “If you have any doubts about games throughout their first later when you hear they are anything, Sian is just a text or year. home with a partner and a phone call away, even out of changing someone’s life for the office hours, and will make any better.” Canine Partners’ breeding decisions that need making. assistant Sian Evans is a You’re never on your own, you Helena was selected for the constant support to Jean and keeps an eye on Helena all year have the breeding programme while she whole Canine Partners family was in the early stages of round. She works closely with behind you and, you’re Jean providing advice and training with provided with all the support and monitoring both a Canine Partners puppy equipment and all the costs are Helena and the puppies until parent. Brood bitch holders are covered.” they leave. given full support and Jean added: “It’s very different from breeding your own dog as it feels such a huge responsibility. The puppies are so valuable to both the charity and prospective partners so you want to make sure that the when the puppies leave they are all healthy and well socialised.
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Now Jean is calling for more people to help bring the next generation of assistance dogs into the world. She said: “Bringing puppies into the world is always a great experience but it’s even better knowing that they’re going to provide independence to a disabled person. Pets Magazine
equipment, food and vet bills are covered by the charity. For more information about volunteering as a brood bitch holder and having an amazing dog like Helena, call Sian Evan on 01530 225943 email siane@caninepartners.or g.uk or visit caninepartners.org.uk/ broodbitchholder.
LARS B. ANDERSEN, CEO of Arty Lobster On 3D Pet Sculptures Click this link to watch the video.
And here’s two examples of Arty Lobster’s fantastic 3D sculptures. Visit their website at www.artylobster.com to order a 3D sculpture of YOUR pet!
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