Westies & Besties - October 2020 by Westies & Besties Magazine

T H E U K ’ S O N LY W E ST H I G H L A N D T E R R I E R M AG A Z I N E

WESTIES & BESTIES ISSUE 2, VOL 1

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 0

ISSN 2634-4130

SAYING GOODBYE

Dog’s Dinner

How to meander the grieving process

TECHNOLOGY The GPS Devices Saving People’s Dogs

Healthy Recipes for your Bestie

PILING ON THE POUNDS?

SUSTAINABILITY

Help your overweight dog to slim down

DOG TALES

FEAR & FIREWORKS

Chopsticks, Chicken & Carbon Footprints

Essential Oils for Dogs

Reader Question: Our Expert Panel Tells It Straight

How to Calm your Westie on Bonﬁre Night

THE PFMA

on Raw vs Kibble

NOVEMBER ISSUE: WESTIES & BESTIES CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

Jack Wolf

Westies & Besties - Sept 2020

WELCOME

WITCHES, WEREWOLVES AND WESTIES We are already in the month of witches, werewolves, and of course, Westies, and October 31 will soon be upon us. While some relish this candy cane cultural tradition it is not unusual for others to find it triggering feelings of grief for those who have recently lost a human loved one or beloved pet. While some Westie owners shriek with delight in anticipation of dressing up their pups in fun and frivolous costumes, others may experience a fear factor due to the focus of festivities being on death. Our Cover Story this month delves into the grieving process of those dealing with the loss of a Westie. We talk to Pet Bereavement Officers to find out what steps can be taken to help meander the way through the extremely difficult grieving process. We speak to Tim Maguire of Celebrate People - a celebrant who provides services and ceremonies for those wanting to say farewell to their precious dogs and we highlight the creative ways Westie owners can treasure the precious memories of times spent with best friends. Remember Remember the 5th of November is also around the corner - a night most Westie owners dread with a vengeance as our furry friends cower from the bangs, bright lights, and bonfires. Check out pages 16 & 17 to read up on top tips from Dr. Vince the Vet on how to keep your Westies calm.

K. Latham Editor

Info@westiesandbesties.com

Our Westie, Buffy, Chief Cuddles Officer!

Publisher – Westies & Besties Ltd Tatham Road, Cardiff CF14 5FB Editor Kim Latham Tel: +44 7496 310169 Email: Info@westiesandbesties.com Commercial Director Alex Griffin Tel: +44 7496 310173 Email: alex@westiesandbesties.com Web Developer Rhys Davies Email: Info@westiesandbesties.com Design Kutchibok Ltd. Photography MalGib Photography Dreamstime.com Front Cover Image By Angela Croft Printing Warners Midlands PLC Westies & Besties Magazine is published by Westies & Besties Ltd (the “Publisher) and printed on behalf of the publisher by Warners Midlands PLC. Westies & Besties Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office Westies & Besties Magazine and the Westie & Bestie logo/masthead are marks of Westies & Besties Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within Westies & Besties magazine are not necessarily those of the Publisher or those of its contributors. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. The Publishers accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials, in the case of all product reviews. Judgements have been made in the context of the product tested. (All pictures have been supplied unless otherwise mentioned.) Advertisers in this publication must adhere to the rules and regulations of the ASA. Westies & Besties Ltd is not responsible or liable for a company’s adverts.

To subscribe to Westies & Besties Magazine visit: www.westiesandbestiesmagazine.com/subscribe

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CONTENTS

Inside this issue

08 06

U P DATE Nicole Paley, Deputy Chief Executive – Communications & Animal Welfare, of the Pet Food Manufacturer’s Association provides further insight into the raw versus kibble debate

QUESTION TIME Check out our Expert Panel’s response to one of our reader’s questions about an overweight Westie

PUP PILING ON THE P O UN D S ? Is your pup piling on the pounds? Over 46% of dogs and cats in the UK are said to be overweight – shortening the life span of beloved pets

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

F I R EWO R K S , F E A R A N D F L I GH T Vince the Vet explains what to do to calm your Westie in the run-up to Bonﬁre Night and the holiday season

T H E D O Gâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DINNER

T E C H N O LO G Y More and more dog owners are purchasing GPS trackers to keep their Westies safe from theft and health risks. We catch up with the CEO of Tractive, Michael Hurnaus, on why his product is proving popular with dog owners

S AY I N G G O O D BY E Losing a beloved Westie is heart-wrenching and the pain can often be worse than losing a human. Our Cover Story this month delves into the resources available for pet parents that have lost their precious dogs

Daniel Tomer of Chefs & Dogs creates a tasty paste to keep your Westiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health spick and span

S AV I N G T H E P L A N ET Beco Founder and CEO, George Bramble, talks to Westies & Besties on chopsticks, chickens, and carbon footprints

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D O G TALES Our book review this issue looks at Essential Oils for Dogs by Miranda Ross

ASK THE EXPERT

QUESTION READER QUESTION: “OUR VET HAS SAID OUR 16-YEAR OLD WESTIE IS TOO OVERWEIGHT. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP HIM LOSE A FEW POUNDS? HE’S NEARLY 16 YEARS OLD AND I DON’T WANT TO DEPRIVE HIM OF HIS SNACKS, BUT I ALSO DON’T WANT TO PUT PRESSURE ON HIS LITTLE HEART. I CAN’T WALK HIM VERY FAR AS HE’S GETTING ON A BIT! (HUDDERSFIELD, YORKSHIRE.)

DR VINCE MACNALLY It is easy for a much-loved pet’s weight to creep up gradually, until one day they are a few pounds heavier than is healthy. Once medical causes such as hypothyroidism and other conditions have been ruled out, this usually boils down to a diet too rich in calories and not enough activity to burn them off. A common culprit is delicious but deadlyto-the-waistline, high fat or carbohydrate titbits and treats. The answer, is to feed a healthier diet, increase the amount of energy used up during the day, and refuse to be budged by the doe-eyed look designed to make any pet parent feel as though they are starving their best friend! The following works well in most cases: Weigh your boy or girl every week and write this on a calendar for all to see. Cut out all treats except for an occasional small cube of oven baked, diced lean meat, such as chicken. Feed more fresh food if practical and reduce kibble if fed, by at least 25%. Play games in the garden for 5 minutes twice daily to start with, and for a little longer each week. Hiding meat treats to be hunted down, burns up more calories than physical exertion alone – plus there is a tasty reward at the end!

GEORGE BRAMBLE It’s hard when you feel the special bond you have with your beloved Westie is enhanced by the odd treat now and then. These treats can easily become habit-forming and part of a daily routine. Dogs are so good at pulling on our heartstrings when it comes to getting treats out of us, but if your dog is overweight, then the kindest thing you can do is to help them lose a bit of weight. It may well be those “little extras” that are adding to your more disciplined reduction in everyday food and are keeping the pounds on. Try to cut out any naughty titbits from the table, and when you do use treats, go for some healthier snacks like chopped-up carrot discs or smaller, low-fat training treats. Carrots are full of vitamins A and C, which help support a strong and healthy immune system in dogs. Some brands now specialise in higher-veg, low-carb or grain-free treats. Your dog will have an unconditional love for you, so be strong and beyond a healthy disciplined diet, don’t feel you need to add too many extras to make their day happier. Founder & CEO, Beco

Vince The Vet

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

ASK THE EXPERT

TIME SUE MAKEPEACE On your westie reaching such a grand old age, that’s absolutely amazing! I’m guessing that your dog has been checked for Cushing’s Disease or Hypothyroidism or even had full blood work to see if there is an underlying issue as to why your pet has piled on the pounds? It’s a good idea to only feed the percentage of their ideal weight, not their actual weight. You have not said what your dog is being fed so I would guess at a processed diet of some kind (kibble or wet food)? Perhaps try and reduce the calorie intake without reducing the overall bulk so your pet will still feel full. Put 25% of what you would normally feed into the bowl or platter (a platter or plate is a way of slowing them down) then replace the 25% with lightly steamed veggies like Broccoli, Cavolo Nero, kale, green beans etc. Not spinach as this could impact on the kidneys of an older dog as it is high in oxalic acid. Try to minimise the starch in the diet as this can make it very difficult to lose weight. You could also feed lower fat proteins like turkey or white ﬁsh, just sear the turkey in the pan and drain any fat from the pan, or place a piece of white ﬁsh in foil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes obviously check for any bones, this can also be put in the bowl with the normal food and veggies, so you are replacing 50% of the normal food for lower calorie nutrition. Founder of Westie Advice Group (WAG)

Our panel of experts provide their responses to reader’s questions for free. The opinions of our experienced panel are their own opinions and do not always reﬂect those of Westies & Besties Magazine. Any advice provided by the panel to readers of Westies & Besties Magazine is acted upon at the reader’s discretion. Readers should always seek advice from a vet.

DANI MOULTON Luckily for our dogs, being slightly overweight is more of a physical limitation rather than a psychological one. While you may feel mean as the human making changes to your Westie’s diet and exercise routine, these suggestions can result in better movement and less joint pain. When considering losing weight it is important to consider both diet and exercise. But this isn’t always so simple for seniors. I suggest the following: Check the nutritional value of the food you are feeding your pooch. Slightly reduce the portion size at each feed. Make mealtimes active - if your pooch is fed on a dry diet, measure out the portion and hide their kibble round the house or garden. Not only does this encourage them to move more but it also makes mealtimes fun and more rewarding. Switch training or reward treats to something healthier. Ask your vet about any potential supplements for senior dogs that could help their joints. A natural alternative is cod liver oil tablets or a small amount of coconut oil. This also helps keep the coat nice and glossy. Introduce ‘ﬁnd the treat’ games on the walk to encourage further movement. Make walks 5 minutes longer each week, slowly building up their tolerance. Bring one of their younger friends on the walk to encourage them to keep going. Speak with your vet about alternate exercise opportunities. Hydrotherapy and the underwater treadmill are fantastic ways for a dog to exercise in a more pain-free way, as the water takes the weight. Dani’s Balanced Dogs

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U P D AT E

LEGISLATION, SAFETY AND QUALITY – BRITAIN’S PET FOOD OPTIONS THE PROS AND CONS OF FEEDING BOTH A RAW FOOD DIET AND A KIBBLE DIET CONTINUE TO BE CONTROVERSIAL TO MANY DOG OWNERS. NICOLE PA L E Y O F T H E P F M A TA L K S T O W E S T I E S & B E S T I E S A B O U T TA K I N G T H E H E AT O U T O F T H E D I S C U S S I O N T O E N S U R E P E T O W N E R S H A V E A C C E S S T O B A L A N C E D I N F O R M AT I O N W H E N M A K I N G T H E I M P O R TA N T D E C I S I O N O F W H AT T O F E E D T H E I R P E T.

Can you explain some of the legislation, as well as certain processes, food manufacturers of both raw and kibble must go through to be able to sell dog food? All prepared pet foods, whether wet (including commercial raw) or dry, are subject to the same legislation to ensure safety and quality. The legislation covers the full pet food cycle from the sourcing of ingredients to the information that must be on the pet food label. There is strict legislation on what ingredients can/ cannot be used. For instance, all the animal-based ingredients can only come from animals that have passed veterinary inspections as ﬁt for human consumption. The pet food industry uses the by-products from the human food chain, which is a long-standing environmentally sustainable practice. In addition to the legislation, PFMA members formulate their diets in line with industry guidelines and codes of practice which provide that extra reassurance on quality and standards. We encourage pet owners to visit the PFMA members page of our website.: www.pfma.org.uk/membersof-pfma

most. All pet food products that are labelled as ‘complete’ should contain the correct balance of nutrients that are needed for the intended pet species, whether they come in cooked (dry or wet) or raw format. The choice of which format to feed is with the owner, depending on what they view as the best option for their pet and depending on any feeding advice provided by the vet. To take the mystery out of pet food production methods, PFMA has a dedicated page with photos of manufacturing plants, and a short animated ﬁlm explaining how dry and wet products are made: www.pfma.org.uk/pet-food-ﬁlm To help owners navigate their way through myths and misconceptions and make informed decisions about feeding their pet, PFMA has developed a range of factsheets on topics including ‘Understanding the different pet food formats’, ‘Responsible raw feeding’, and ‘Pet food ingredients’. See all our factsheets on www.pfma.org.uk/fact-sheets

There are numerous claims and rumours from raw food advocates as to how kibble is processed. Can you comment on this, please? When considering a pet food, it is important to note that it is content, not format, that matters

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Nicole Paley, Deputy Chief Executive – Communications & Animal Welfare, PFMA

U P D AT E

As well as raw food and kibble, some brands are selling insect-based diets. What are the beneﬁts of such food?

What advice would you give to dog-owners who are undecided which food is best for their dogs?

The human population is expected to grow to ten billion by 2050 and assuming consumption habits continue as they currently are, this is expected to increase global demand for animal-derived protein. Pet food producers are now working to address the anticipated gap between available meat-based proteins for pet food and the projected demand. As the squeeze on resources and food availability continues, the pet food industry is committed to looking at further solutions to minimise the environmental impact and sustainable use of resources in the manufacturing of pet food, insect protein is one of them. Insect farming is shown to have smaller environmental footprint and can produce high quality protein. There are currently a small number of companies who use an insectbased protein in their pet foods.

There is a wide range of pet foods, something to suit all needs and preferences. Firstly, it is important to choose a diet that is labelled as ‘complete’ to ensure the product will have all the nutrients a pet needs for healthy, bodily function. – a dog needs 37 essential nutrients in his/her daily diet. Followed by is it appropriate for the dog’s life-stage, e.g. puppy, adult, reproduction, or senior diet? Once these essentials have been met it then comes down to what a dog ﬁnds palatable, helps them perform well, and also suits the owner’s lifestyle. We would always encourage owners to do some research and speak to their veterinary team if they have questions.

Happy hy and healt Naked Dog’s Superfood recipes are packed full of vital ingredients to reduce allergies and skin conditions.

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OPINION

Fireworks, Fear and Flight Photo48671657 ©Johnhill118 Dreamstime.com

W I T H B O N F I R E N I G H T A P P R O A C H I N G A N D W I T H T H E H O L I D AY S E A S O N I N T H E N O T- S O - D I S TA N T F U T U R E , V I N C E T H E V E T R E M I N D S W E S T I E S O W N E R S O F S O M E V I TA L S T E P S T O TA K E T H AT C A N E A S E THE STRESS OF OUR FRANTIC FRIENDS B Y D R . V I N C E M A C N A L LY

Firework season is almost upon us once again. And for many pets, this means an extended period of loud noises assaulting sensitive ears, which trigger ﬁght or ﬂight reactions, anxiety, and stress. Hopefully, there will be less pyrotechnics around this year because of Covid-19. However, this may lead to a rise in shrill whistles and bangs closer to home, as celebrations switch to back gardens and local clearings.

Until silent or low noise fireworks become much more widely adopted (the sooner the better), it is important to take steps to ensure a pet’s safety and minimise distress over the firework season - which in most areas now stretches from mid-October to the New Year. This is especially important when thunder, lorries driving past, bins being emptied, or fireworks being let off in the past, has already resulted in signs of stress. These typically include one or more of the following: Restless pacing, barking or whining, panting, trembling, hiding, salivating, asking for more contact or reassurance than usual, wanting to be left alone, a heightened sensitivity to sound or touch, toileting in the house, refusing meals. A recent Twitter poll conducted by Westies & Besties Magazine asked users to vote on whether they thought non-noisy fireworks should be made law in the United Kingdom. Here are the results. 80% - YES 5% - NO 10% - ONLY AT HOME 5% - ONLY AT OFFICIAL DISPLAYS

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

MAINTAIN A REGULAR ROUTINE Many pets become unsettled by changes in daily habits.

BEING PREPARED

Once fight or flight reactions are aroused, high levels of adrenaline and other ‘stress’ hormones coursing through the body, can make it extremely difficult to calm an affected pet down. Far more effective, is to help a pet remain calm, by ensuring that they feel as safe, secure and relaxed as possible at home, long before any fireworks are let off. The following steps have proven invaluable, in this respect:

PLAN AHEAD

There is an old saying ‘well begun is half done.’ Putting stress-relieving measures in place early, and having the tools to hand that best help, increase the likelihood of a pet staying calm and comfortable throughout the festive season.

INCREASE ACTIVITY

Excess energy fuels anxiety, and the more this can be dissipated, the less reactive your dog is likely to be when the ﬁreworks begin. Vigorous walks and more of them is good for this (unless there is a health reason not to), as is playing games throughout the day. Scent work and similar activities are particularly beneﬁcial, as the concentration they require is much more tiring than physical exertion alone. And this can be as simple as hiding favourite treats in the garden to be hunted down.

To avoid any additional source of anxiety, it is best therefore, to keep feeding and exercise times the same as normal, as much as possible. If walks or mealtimes need to be moved to earlier in the day to avoid clashing with ﬁreworks, it is less disruptive to do this gradually over the course of a few weeks, well before the new routine needs to be in place.

KEEP INDOORS

Make sure your pet is home and all doors, windows and pet flaps are locked well ahead of fireworks being let off. Drawing the curtains and turning up the radio or TV help to block out upsetting flashes and bangs. Some dogs and cats respond well to calming music and sounds.

CREATE SAFE SPACES

after the New Year celebrations are over, provides maximum beneﬁts.

GIVE PLENTY OF REASSURANCE

Shouting at or becoming frustrated with a stressed pet only increases anxiety and makes matters worse. In the face of relentless barking or whining, a chewed table leg or toileting in the house, reassurance and understanding may be hard. If the measures outlined here are implemented however, these kinds of scenarios are much less likely – to the relief of all concerned!

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

If a pet has a health problem which could be affected by stress (such as diabetes for example), it is advisable that they are checked over by a vet well beforehand so that treatment can be adjusted if necessary.

Creating a ‘den’, which provides a safe haven to retreat to if needed, helps many pets feel safe and secure. This can simply be the bed they naturally go to when anxious, with the addition of a few extra blankets, favourite toys, and possibly a few of their human companion’s clothes. If retreating under a bed or a table is preferred, a comforting place can be created there. Regularly sprinkling a natural remedy proven to soothe, calm and relieve stress in these safe spaces, can signiﬁcantly increase the sense of security felt there.

USE PROVEN NATURAL REMEDIES

Certain, botanical extracts can naturally calm ﬁght or ﬂight responses and relieve stress. And because the effect of giving these is cumulative, starting a week or two before they are needed and continuing until

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Image: MalGib Photography

NUTRITION

IS YOUR PUP PILING ON THE POUNDS? As the British public struggle to keep the weight off after being on lockdown, it appears the nation’s dogs are also in need of more exercise and a balanced diet to keep health issues at bay BY BERNARD ROBERTS

one. Nobody wants to deprive their pooch of a little late-night snack, but the reality is, just like humans, being too overweight can have longlasting health consequences including reducing the lifespan of a dog. “Feeding our raw food or any other for that matter is not going to keep your dog thin. If you don’t stick within a guidance appropriate to the activity level - you’ll get more dog which in some respects is good for a cuddle but less so for their health. The key issue with any food in itself is the constituents; those high in carbohydrate veg and grains may not, it’s argued, provide the right type of fuel for your dog, said Christopher Adderley, Founder and CEO of Jack Wolf. ID 171297712 © Charactoon | Dreamstime.com

In July, UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, launched an initiative to encourage the British public to get moving again in a bid to curb the nation’s fast-growing appetite. His government’s £10m advertising plan, part of the ‘Better Health’ campaign, aims to encourage people to slim down in a bid to help prevent hospitalization due to obesity factors at a time when hospital beds and resources are needed to fight Covid-19. It appears, however, that the British public are not the only ones putting on weight. The British Veterinary Association estimates that around 46% of dogs and cats are now overweight. As most owners of West Highland Terriers will testify, having an overweight dog is a tricky

It’s hard to believe that dog walkers and their pups can be overweight given the number of walks usually undertaken on a daily basis but it is clearly an important issue that needs exploring and action must be taken if dogs are to live their best lives…for longer. Daniella Dos Santos, Senior Vice President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said: “It’s important to think about how you can ensure your dog is at a healthy weight and follow the diet and lifestyle that’s right for them. This includes feeding them the right diet, toning down the treats and making sure they have regular opportunities to exercise. Many owners don’t realise that their pet may be overweight or at risk of obesity, or may be afraid to ask for support, but vets are here to help with advice on proper nutrition, exercise and how to recognise a healthy body condition.”

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Daniella Dos Santos, Senior Vice President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA)

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NUTRITION

IS YOUR WESTIE OVERWEIGHT?

(credit: Pet Health Hub - created by PDSA vets)

Look at your dog from the side and from above. They should have a smooth, tucked-in waist Feel the base of your dog’s tail. There should not be any build-up of fat where the tail meets your dog’s back Feel along your dog’s side and back. You should be able to feel your dog’s ribs, spine, and hipbones quite easily, but they should not stick out Feel under your dog’s tummy. It should go in, not bulge out If your pup is piling on the pounds quickly, one of the most important questions to ask is why this is happening. Is it a case of adjusting the food intake and providing more exercise or are there other issues behind the weight gain? If you are struggling to answer this the best way forward is to make an appointment with the vet. “West Highland Terriers are not a breed classically associated with obesity, but any dog can become obese. Weight gain can also be caused by certain underlying health conditions, such as hypothyroidism,” said Daniella Dos Santos of the BVA.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

ID 45595067 © Arenaphotouk Dreamstime.com

NUTRITION

KNOW YOUR FACTS

(supplied by the BVA)

• Obesity ranks among the top three animal welfare concerns for vets. • In the BVA and British Veterinary Nursing Association’s Autumn 2017 Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey, published in the 2018 PDSA PAW Report, vets and vet nurses estimated that 46% of the dogs, 34% of cats and 30% of rabbits they see in their practice each week are overweight or obese, with a signiﬁcant proportion citing an increase over the previous two years. • They also estimated that around half (47%) of the overweight and obese dogs, 35% of cats and 36% of rabbits they see in their practice have health issues which could be related to their weight.

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NUTRITION

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DOES MY DOG NEED? This clearly depends on the weight, age, and breed of the dog and if the dog has certain health issues this will need to be considered too. Every dog is different and likes his own little routine, but as a rule of thumb, and according to UK Veterinary Charity the PDSA, West Highland Terriers need around one hour plus each day which could be split up into a few walks a day or one long walk a day depending on what your Westie wants and needs.

Furthermore, human food usually contains a lot of calories so if your pet is already overweight and you are sharing your food with him, chances are you’re contributing to your dog’s weight problem. “From experience, the primary issue is the relationship between feeding amounts and exercise levels. If we do a particularly large amount of walking with our dogs, we feed them slightly more. Alternatively, if we do less exercise with them, we feed them less. Small treats are best provided as part of active training/exercises when calories are being burned. Notwithstanding, treats are food and should be considered together with meals,” said Christopher Adderley, Founder and CEO of Jack Wolf.

One way to keep Westies fit (and yourself) is to create or join an agility class, according to the PDSA Health Hub created by vets. Agility is perfect for smart dogs who have a lot of energy to burn off plus it’s fun for your dog. With a lot of patience, it is possible to train a dog to do certain obstacles such as running through tunnels and jumping small hurdles and the like. By making things fun and by allowing your westie to learn at his own pace, your dog will be fit in no time at all…as well as much fitter and slimmer.

TASTY TREATS Have you heard the expression “You are what you eat”? If so, it may be a good idea to ease off the snacks if your Westie is looking a bit on the podgy side. According to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, if one eats good nourishing food and has a balanced diet it is possible to grow to be fit and healthy. Therefore, to have a happy and healthy pet it is important they are fed the right food and the correct amount of food. When a diet is balanced it means it contains the right mix of all the nutrients. Many dog-owners are tempted to throw their pal some human scraps as a treat. However, human food isn’t always good for dogs and if this keeps being repeated the dog will soon grow to expect your food and could quite easily stop eating his own if he thinks he’s having something tastier to eat later in the day.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Image supplied by Malgib Photography

NUTRITION

TOP TIPS FOR Increase the amount of play time with your westie Feed less and walk more

Check the ingredients on snacks and food Exercise with your dog – jogging, cycling, hiking

Talk to your vet to check any underlying conditions

KEEPING YOUR WESTIE It is vital to remember that overweight and obese dogs are at risk of serious health problems.

“Dogs who are overweight or obese are at risk of a range of serious health problems and a poorer quality of life. As with humans, extra fat can lead to life-long and life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, breathing problems, diabetes, and arthritis. With the holiday season quickly approaching, and all the glorious food that comes with it, it is important Westie owners don’t get carried away with sharing their Christmas delights with canine companions too often although refusing your pup a little bit of a New Year’s treat might prove difficult.

“Do not be alarmed by some ﬂuctuations in weight, says Christopher Adderly, especially when we’re not so perfect ourselves! If it’s not chronic and it’s only minor changes, that’s normal. If you want to go a step further, a great way to track activity is to use a tracker e.g. PitPat which will provide better estimates. On their weight, we feel for the ribs and if we can’t ﬁnd them, we whisper in their ears that we’re plumping them up in time for Christmas”!

SLIM www.westiesandbestiesmagazine.com

H E A LT H

Naked Dog Goes National with Westie in Need Campaign COULD A CHANGE IN DIET HELP A WESTIE’S SKIN PROBLEMS?

Naked Dog, a raw food brand under the Natural Dog Food Direct umbrella, has launched a national campaign to ﬁnd a Westie in Need. The initiative, spearheaded by Nutritionist, Caroline Griffith, begins with a UK search for a Westie suffering from a skin condition that may need a little assistance on the route to recovery. The Naked Dog team are offering some worried Westie owners the opportunity to receive a free nutritional consultation and free raw dog food for a minimum of one month in a bid to help support the Westie’s road to better health. Caroline Griffith, Nutritionist at Naked Dog, said: “If there are any Westie owners out there who are desperate to help their best buddies suffering with skin conditions, we’d love to hear from you. While there are many factors involved in

why a Westie is prone to skin problems, diet does play a key part in helping to solve certain issues and we aim to assist owners in ﬁnding a possible solution to this difficult and upsetting health problem,” she said. In the ﬁrst instance, Westie owners should email caroline@ndfd.co.uk with high-resolution images showing their west highland terrier and its skin condition. A telephone consultation will then take place to determine if Naked Dog can assist in helping the owner further.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

H E A LT H

Image by: Shaun Palmer from Pixabay

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TECHNOLOGY

WATCHING YOUR WESTIE W E S T I E S & B E S T I E S TA L K S T O M I C H A E L H U R N A U S , T H E CEO OF TRACTIVE, ON WHY BRITISH DOG OWNERS ARE O P E N T O T H E N E W I N N O V AT I O N S H I T T I N G T H E M A R K E T AS PET TRACKERS PROVE EVER-MORE POPULAR

What makes Tractive different to that of its competitors? Tractive is the most trusted GPS tracker for cats and dogs worldwide. We strongly believe that listening to the actual customer is key to creating a number one product. Also, Tractive strongly focuses on building the best GPS tracker for cats and dogs, rather than building a ‘universal’ GPStracker for everything.

How well received has Tractive been by UK dog owners? Tractive’s key target markets are in Europe, Germany, and the UK - our data shows that British dog owners are more open to new innovations and technology as well as being more active with their dogs. Hence the popularity of Tractive to UK dog and cat owners.

While Tractive is great for tracking pets, what do you say to people that are perhaps cautious that you can follow and store data on humans too? Tractive - if used as intended - tracks the location of cats and dogs and is most useful, when the pet is not with the owner, so there is little to no information we have or store from the owner. Also, we do not share any data with third parties and Tractive users decide on their own, whether they want to share information with someone else.

Brits, on average, spend £1,150 a year (£95 a month) on their pets A total of £10 billion was spent on dogs in the UK Around 25% of pet owners buy their furry friends birthday gifts Women are more likely to get anniversary gifts for their pets Around 60 dogs go missing in England and Wales every week (Information Supplied by Tractive)

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

TECHNOLOGY

Michael Hurnaus Nash Supplied by Tractive

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Strengthening the bond between pets and their owners by leveraging technology to ensure a healthier, longer and safer life together. (Tractive) Given that around 60 dogs go missing in England and Wales every week, how successful has Tractive been in helping owners get their dogs back after being stolen? Is this device accessible by the police?

location, in case they run off for any reason, such as weather, noise, ﬁreworks, deer or other disturbances. Tractive would not advise owners to confront thieves but rather contact the authorities in case a pet with a device gets stolen.

The Tractive GPS is not a theft-prevention device and can theoretically be removed from the collar by a thief. However, you’ll be notiﬁed as soon as your pet leaves a predetermined safe area. With the help of the LIVE Tracking mode, you can see your pet’s location in real-time in the Tractive GPS app and will be more likely to locate, follow, and quickly retrieve your pet before he or she ever comes into harm’s way. That said, there have been police cases where dogs or cats (with Tractive devices) have been stolen and reunited with their owners. The device is not accessible for the police, but the pet owner can always check the exact location.

Is there a risk that dog owners might confront thieves if the GPS device leads them to their dog? Tractive is not designed to prevent dogs from being stolen but to help see your dog’s LIVE

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Supplied by Tractive

TECHNOLOGY

Supplied by Tractive

Will aspects of the technology be updated as time goes on or will customers have to purchase a whole new product? We are constantly working on improving our products, we have just recently launched a new feature (activity monitoring) to provide information about the activity and sleeping behaviour of our dogs and cats. This new feature was free for all existing and new subscribers. The software on the GPS tracker will automatically update every few weeks, without any user interaction. This way we can roll out new features and improvements to existing customers, so the device gets better and better over time.

How does it work in terms of data crossing countries in that you’re based in Austria but capture data on UK pets?

What do you envisage for the future of Tractive? Will you produce any more products or focus on updating the current product? We just recently launched our product in the US and plan to expand this market in 2020/21. Regarding our product, we want to take things to the next level - future goals will be to derive health recommendations based on the behaviour we monitor for example licking, scratching, activity degradation over time and pain-detection. As a long-term goal, the data will be shared voluntarily with experts like the pet’s vet to react quickly to any problems and issues that might arise.

Tractive is located in Austria and Tractive servers are currently based in Austria and Germany only. However, Tractive looks at data in bulk for most purposes, as the most important information for users is, how their speciﬁc dog compares to all other dogs of that breed. Details about how we handle data about dogs and customers, we have a privacy policy on our website that handles this. Image: MalGib Photography

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SAYING GOODBYE L O S I N G A B E L O V E D W E S T I E I S H E A RT- W R E N C H I N G A N D T H E PA I N C A N O F T E N B E W O R S E T H A N L O S I N G A H U M A N . P E T PA R E N T S O F T E N E X P E R I E N C E A G A P I N T H E I R L I V E S ( A N D T H E I R H E A RT S , ) F O LL O W I N G A D E AT H , A N D I F T H AT I S N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; T B A D E N O U G H , O W N E R S S O M E T I M E S F I N D T H E M S E LV E S H AV I N G T O J U S T I F Y T H E I R S A D N E S S T O O T H E R S W H O P E R H A P S F I N D I T D I F F I C U LT T O F U LLY U N D E R S TA N D T H E L O S S .

BY KIM LATHAM

Katie McFarland of Dreaming in Color.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

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THE WESTIE PARENT BY ALISON WANSTALL

move on because it’s just a dog. Pets cannot tell you when they have had enough, they quite often leave the hardest decision to you. You are then torn between love and being selﬁsh and not wanting them to leave you. This is the worst situation to be in and only other pet owners understand how you feel, you are always left wondering if you made the right decision and you question everything.

Photo 122107328 © Sara Milana | Dreamstime.com

“When you lose your precious pet, it’s harder than human grief, you have lost the one person in the world that totally relies on you and it feels like your heart has been ripped out, the physical pain feels unbearable. The bond between you and your pet is incredibly special and deep. People that haven’t experienced this love and then the grief don’t understand the relationship, they expect you to cry and

I have found the best way to deal with this grief is to talk to friends who know me well, know the bond I had with the dog, how hard I fought to keep him well and healthy. Think about the happy times, the memories that made you laugh at their antics, thinking less about the sad times becomes less and less. Letting your precious pets go never gets any easier but as time passes you are less sad and able to remember the love that pet gave you and the love you gave your pet. Think about the good times you have had and the happy memories you shared, and life starts to become bearable again”.

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THE PET BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLORS W E S T I E S & B E S T I E S TA L K T O J A C Q U E L I N E F E R R I S - W O O D S , F O U N D E R O F W E S T I E REHOMING, AND ANGIE MOUNTFORD, FOUNDER OF WESTIE BEREAVEMENT & TRIBUTE GROUP TO FIND OUT MORE ON THE PROCESS OF GRIEVING

J a c q u e l i n e F e r r i s - Wo o d s

Many Westie owners go through immense grief after losing their beloved dogs. Can you tell us if the grieving process is any different to that of losing a human?

Jacqueline (J): The grieving process can be different depending on the role the pet played in a person’s life. For an elderly person living alone the pet may have been the only living thing they saw and interacted with on a daily basis. This is particularly cruel when an elderly person has to go into residential care and cannot take their pet with them. Sometimes the loss of a pet may trigger the renewal of grief for a human bereavement if they haven’t allowed themselves or been able to grieve for the human previously.

Angie Mountford

They may then suffer an extreme reaction when their pet dies. Bereavement isn’t always about death, however. The grief felt when a dog is rehomed or stolen can be immense. The owner isn’t able to draw closure over their loss and so the pain felt may be intense and very long lasting. Angie (A): Deﬁnitely losing a much loved dog is the same as losing a child to a lot of people, it’s the one thing in their life that needs them, it can be the reason a person goes for a walk and socialises, a reason to get up and carry on, their dog is a friend and soulmate. A child grows up and becomes independent, but a dog never does, they stay reliant on you for their lifetime giving you their

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

all. Unfortunately, some people don’t understand this and have less sympathy and are likely to say hurtful comments like “it’s just a dog” or “get another one”. You wouldn’t say this to a parent who was grieving a child, yet the loss can feel just the same to somebody that has just lost their dog.

Many people that have lost Westies describe the pain as being worse than losing a human. Why do you think that is?

J: Many people feel closer to their dog which may have helped them through some very tough times and given them unconditional love. They probably spent more time with their dog who depended on them for everything and was

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always there for them when they needed comfort. I think that possibly most people that I speak to describe the pain as worse than any they felt when losing a human friend or relative.

Can you share any tips that may help people in some small way to deal with their grief ?

J: Some owners are comforted by a permanent memorial to their dog. They may plant a shrub or tree in a place that was favoured by the dog, maybe with an appropriate name (for example, a rose named ‘Little White Pet’). Some prefer a plaque or headstone to mark where the dog is buried, or to have its ashes scattered. It’s important to allow oneself to grieve and not hold back emotions. A: As a qualiﬁed pet grief Counsellor the most common part of grief people express to me is the guilt, no matter how much they had loved or how much time they had given to their dog they still feel guilty especially if they had to make the hard decision to put their beloved dog to sleep, it weighs heavy on many people’s hearts, they question if they did it to soon, could of done more, some even feel they have killed their dogs. It’s a very stressful, emotional time. I usually remind people that putting their dog to sleep was the last act of love we can do for them, to stop the pain and let them rest, even though we know our own pain is just beginning. Grief is like the ocean you can have little ripples then a wave crashes over you and you’re drowning in sorrow again. What’s important is to give yourself permission

to grieve and cry, you need to process and accept the loss before you can move forward. There is no time frame as everyone does it differently, after a time you will be able to remember your dog and carry them in your heart with love, but the loss never goes, with great love comes great loss, but it’s worth it.

Are there similar traits/ feelings in common with most people you talk to? What feelings do they tell you they have?

J: The most common emotion that most people feel is a feeling of guilt. It is human nature to think that maybe we could have or should have done things differently during the ﬁnal stages of the pet’s life. “Did I decide too soon?” “Did I leave it too long?” “Was there anything else I could have done for him/her?” are very common questions. They may be surprised by the strength of their feelings and feel alone in their grief. Most people hope that their pet passes quietly in its sleep although this only happens in a small percentage of cases. No-one likes ‘playing God’ and having to make the ﬁnal decision to end their pet’s life. Some people may feel as though they are losing their mind. They often think that they hear their dog, feel it next to them, and these are perfectly normal feelings to have. Occasionally someone may lose the will to carry on without their dog and the counsellor must recognise when an owner’s grief has gone exceptionally deep and they need urgent help beyond that of bereavement counselling.

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Do you think people should jump right in and have a new dog during the grieving process or should they wait and give it more time?

A: Everyone is different. For me personally, my house and heart were so empty after I lost my Bonnie suddenly in an accident, that I rescued another Westie within one month and it was the best thing I did. I was able to give my love to Angus who needed lots of care and attention but was so grateful for every bit of it, he truly helped me heal the hole in my heart. I still get emotional talking about Bonnie 10 years on, but I can remember her with love now. I know some people feel like they are betraying their past dog if they get another and some just can’t face the pain again. Your heart will tell you when you’re ready.

Are there enough organizations that deal with this kind of grief ?

A: I think there are services out their if you look, most pet crematoriums offer counselling, there are great face book groups that offer empathy and advice from people who have or are experiencing the same pain including a Westie tribute and bereavement group. I often reach out or get asked by Westie groups I’m involved with to help people who are struggling and help via FaceTime, talking to someone who knows how you’re feeling makes you feel less isolated and more normal for feeling so distressed.

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L to R: Gerry Douglas-Scott, Sarah Wills & Tim Maguire

The Celebrants T I M M A G U I R E , S A R A H W I L L S A N D G E R R I E D O U G L A S - S C O T T O F C E L E B R AT E P E O P LE O N E M B R A C I N G G R I E F A N D R E M E M B E R I N G FA I T H F U L F R I E N D S

TELL US ABOUT THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE FOR PET PARENTS THAT HAVE LOST A BELOVED WESTIE. WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM? DO YOU PROVIDE A FULL BURIAL SERVICE? Tim: Although some of us have been asked to conduct funerals for beloved pets, those requests have not so far come to completion, but in principle, we’re very open to the idea. Humanist ceremonies are all about love; love of our partners, our parents, and children and that is what we celebrate in our weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies. We know how much people love their pets, and how important they are to them so we would be happy to conduct

a ceremony for a much-loved animal and faithful friend. As celebrant Sharon Campbell also of Celebrate People, said: “Many people see their pets as children...dogs especially.” The only caveats we have are that we wouldn’t call it ‘a humanist funeral’ because they are perceived as being for people; ‘Farewell to Fido’ or ‘Farewell Faithful Friend’ might be an appropriate name for a ceremony for pet dog or Bestie. As an organisation, our values are based on compassion, respect, love, and equality, not just for people, but for the planet on which we live. For that reason, we plant a tree for every ceremony we conduct with a charity called Trees for Life, who are rewilding the Scottish Highlands.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

HAVE YOU BURIED A DOG WITH AN OWNER BEFORE AND IS THIS POSSIBLE? Tim: We genuinely don’t know

the answer to this for everyone. Each Local Authority may have its own rules and the bereaved person may want to check that with the relevant authorities.

IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL TURN TO HUMANIST SERVICES IN THE FUTURE? Tim: There is no official record of the type of funeral service people choose by denomination, but anecdotally, funeral directors and crematorium staff tell me that humanist and other nonreligious funerals account for at

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least half of all the funerals in Scotland. I think that would be true of England and Wales too.

WHEN YOU TALK TO A GRIEVING DOG OWNER IS THE GRIEF YOU ARE WITNESSING THE SAME AS FOR A HUMAN? Sarah: The death of a pet is

such a massive grief for people and it often brings out grief from other things too. I imagine that it would be very healing. I’ve learned from speaking to people who have lost pets, that they consider them to be part of the family. Pets offer unconditional love and they are often the keeper of all secrets. They listen without judgement and they can be a huge loss when they go.

Gerrie: I offer pet grief

counselling (and when my dog Rupert goes, you won’t see me for a year!). I totally understand the depth of grief and as a celebrant, I would want to offer the same empathy and care for anyone who has lost a beloved person or pet in their life.

WHAT STEPS OR ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO DOG OWNERS WHO ARE GRIEVING? Tim: In general, human beings

don’t like talking about grief because it’s painful, and because we will do anything to avoid pain, our instinct is to run away from it, but here’s the thing: if we do that, if we run away - we will never recover. Grief doesn’t

fade away or get smaller over time, it is always a part of us. We don’t ‘move on’ or ‘get over it’, but we can learn to have it as part of our life and the paradox is that it’s only when we embrace grief that we can survive it. We believe that this applies to Faithful Friends as well as the people in our lives.

IN THE FUTURE, DO YOU THINK THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF PET FUNERALS BECOMING A BIG BUSINESS? Tim: They are in the USA but at the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any demand here in the UK. It may be that there are celebrants who conduct funerals speciﬁcally for pets, but we’re not aware of them.

Photo 76260664 © Daisuke Kurashima | Dreamstime.com

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THE JEWELLERS

Image by: Footprints & Whispers

MANY WESTIES OWNERS ARE CHOOSING TO HAVE THEIR DOG’S ASHES TURNED INTO LIFE-LONG KEEPSAKES. WE CATCH UP WITH SIOBHAN JONES, FOUNDER OF ASHES WITH ART AND SUE STEVENS OF FOOTPRINTS AND WHISPERS ON WHY DOG OWNERS ARE TURNING TO JEWELLERS FOR COMFORT AND HEALING

PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST A BELOVED WESTIE ARE EMOTIONAL AND ARE GRIEVING. WHEN SUCH A CUSTOMER COMES TO YOU TO HAVE JEWELLERY MADE FROM THEIR DOG’S ASHES, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE THEM?

SIOBHAN JONES (SJ)

SUE STEVENS (SS)

We always give the same advice to our clients or those making enquiries and that is to take your time, do your research and choose the right company for you. A memorial keepsake should bring much comfort for years to come and last a lifetime. It’s really important that you look into the processes and materials that are used to make your piece. We strongly believe a piece such as this should be made to the very highest standards using the highest quality materials as unfortunately not all companies are equal. Here at Ashes With Art we make each piece by hand in our workshop using traditional techniques and the very best materials, it’s the right thing to do for something so precious. We refuse to use substandard products such as resin which the lower quality end of the market use as it will fade in the sunlight and get damaged by water and chemicals. Finally, each of our gemstones is professionally set by our highly talented team of jewellers rather than glued in place.

The thing with grief is that it isn’t finite. You won’t ever reach a point where you no longer miss your pet; you will simply learn to focus on the positives and adjust to life without them. With time, you will find it easier to cope and you may even get another pet to fill the gap in your life but, you won’t ever forget your loving companion, whether he or she has been in your life for a very short time or you have been through many happy years together. Often, our Footprints and Whispers customers want to talk when they contact us and sometimes begin to express their grief. We do listen, it can often help their grieving process. After all, everyone in our team has themselves experienced the pain of losing a treasured dog. Sometimes a customer has a very specific item that they would like to purchase and do not need any advice from us. Other times, a customer needs some clear advice and direction. We never rush our customers or encourage them to place an order. We would much rather listen to their stories, offer reassurance and advice, then suggest they contact us when then are ready. We are extremely proud of our reputation as a caring company with excellent customer service.

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Can you explain how the jewellery is made from ashes? SJ: All jewellery is expertly hand made by our master craftsmen who make each piece to your size and design in the precious metal of your choice from silver right through to platinum. Once your jewellery has been made, we send it (without the glass or ashes) to the Birmingham Assay Office where it is officially hallmarked with our very own Ashes With Art makers mark and precious metal hallmark stamp. Whilst your jewellery is being hallmarked, our glass specialists hand craft your cremation ash gemstone. This is a highly skilled process and takes years of learning to perfect. Each stone is shaped, hardened, and then polished. It takes approximately three days to make each cremation ash gemstone. As soon as the hallmarked jewellery is returned from the Assay Office, we begin to set the piece. Each piece is set by hand using traditional techniques that have been used for hundreds of years. We don’t cut corners and use glue to do this as this could result in the stone falling out. At this stage, your cremation jewellery is ready for engraving. We have two in-house engraving machines and we engrave rings on the inside, pendants, and cufflinks on the back and beads on each side of the bead cap. Each piece we make goes through a rigorous quality checking process ensuring it is perfectly ﬁnished and of the very highest standard. Once approved, each piece is then photographed three times for reference. When making our Glass Artwork, we work with specialist art glass that we import from America. To create the desired effect of your chosen artwork, we hand cut and arrange up to 200 individual pieces of glass. During this part of the process we will scatter the ashes through the piece. With cutting, arranging, and scattering complete,

your artwork will then be fired in our kilns for three days ensuring optimal quality and strength. Once the glass art memorial is made, we then need to clean and polish all elements of the piece. With this is complete, we then finish the artwork with frosted toughened glass and take the piece through a rigorous quality checking process. With quality checking complete for Jewellery and Glass Art, we then certify each and every piece we make. This is our guarantee that the ashes that have been provided are those that are in the piece. Our certificates are sealed in a hand wax sealed envelope. Once everything is ready, we carefully wrap each piece ensuring it is beautifully presented and ready for collection or delivery. SS: We offer a range of jewellery and keepsakes that accept cremation ashes, hair, and fur. • Preserving cremation ashes into glass • Crystarosin, Crystallure and Crystonium Jewellery Ashes into glass involves melting glass in a glass foundry and then infusing ash into it. The glass is then cooled to form a rough gem. Gold or silver is then formed to create the jewellery’s basic shape. The gem is carefully shaped and polished before being inserted into its setting. The whole piece is then carefully finished and polished. For this method, we are only able to work with ash, soil or sand as the glass is heated to a temperature in excess of 1,400°C. By using Crystarosin, Crystallure or Crystonium, we can work in lower temperatures, allowing us to preserve hair, fur, funeral flowers, cloth and other delicate items within the gem. Another defining feature of this process is the clarity of the material. The ashes or fur of your beloved pet can be clearly seen once the piece is finished. We can even add coloured sparkle into the gem, meaning you can completely customise how you want this piece to look. The ash or fur can be as subtle or obvious as you like. Any

by Ashes with Art.

ash that is not used will be carefully returned to the customer along with their order. Throughout the process, the ash is kept separate and there is meticulous cleanliness to ensure that there is absolutely no cross-contamination between consecutive pieces.

Is there a particular type of jewellery that customers tend to go for in these circumstances?

SJ: While the speciﬁc design of jewellery that people go for is a personal one, we see a similar number of pendants purchased as we do rings. SS: Over 30% of our customers are people that have lost a pet. We do have a range of jewellery that is popular with pet owners recently bereaved. It is often jewellery that can incorporate fur or hair. It is sometimes the case that ashes are no longer available to incorporate into memorial jewellery, however fur or hair is kept as a memento. We offer a range of y jewellery whereby hair or fur is eitherr e added to a capsule or encapsulated in a ring. In the capsules, you can clearly see the fur or hair Image by Ashes with Art

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Some people will obviously wonder if the ashes have been From an emotional used or not. How standpoint, how do you reassure important is your customers on this jewellery do you think point? to those grieving? SJ: We offer our clients the option

that has been added. With regards to the rings, there is a cavity to hold Cremation Ashes, Hair or Fur.

SJ: Our jewellery means everything to our clients and helps them through the grieving process. We hear time and again that our pieces bring strength and comfort to their owners and allow them to move forward feeling that they have a little piece of their beloved pet with them each day. We ﬁnd that it really helps the client when they visit. Choosing the company that is right for you is not easy which is why we have an opendoor policy for our clients. We believe that we provide a service rather than a product and as a result we ensure that each client receives a very personal and positive experience from us. When a client visits, we can give them a full studio tour, talk through our processes, and meet our talented team of makers. We ﬁnd that this removes the apprehension that can be felt when you have ordered and are waiting for your piece. SS: Every single pet friend that passes through our lives will leave a lasting impact. Our memorial jewellery can offer a touching reminder to our customers that want to feel, to hold and to see something tangible to help keep wonderful memories alive. It doesn’t matter how long your pet has been in your life, it is almost certain that you will have a wealth of memories that you want to cherish.

to actually place the ashes into the glass gemstones themselves or watch us doing this. As you would expect we have rock solid processes around the storage of ashes to ensure that we can conﬁdently certify each piece which is our guarantee that the piece is made with your loved one’s ashes. SS: Whenever an order is placed with us, we send out a velvet pouch asking the customer to add around three teaspoons of cremation ash. We also enclose a self-addressed envelope to return the ﬁlled pouch to us. The pouch is then item coded and forwarded to the artisan who will make the keepsake for our client. We inspect our artisans’ studios to ensure that ashes are kept in their item coded customer wallet and are securely stored in a lockable unit. Each order is processed separately, one at a time, and the work area is cleaned down before they move onto the next order.

If somebody is undecided on whether to purchase this kind of jewellery or not what is your advice?

memories can be a great way of keeping your pet alive. But sometimes having a physical reminder of the love and joy your pet gave you can help you to honour the impact they had on your life. Pet owners put in a huge amount of their lives into their pets. They not only invest in them emotionally but also physically and ﬁnancially, so the pain from their loss often runs deep in several ways. My advice would be - allow yourself time to grieve. Do not be pressurised into a hurried decision. Footprints and Whispers offers advice and a listening ear. You will know when you are ready to purchase a memorial keepsake and we are more than happy to take your order when the time is ready for you. Almost every pet owner will have heard the phrase “It’s only a pet” at some point. It is important to remember that this is nothing more than an ignorant saying that is absolutely not true and should be completely ignored. Your pet will have been such an integral part of your life, so it is only natural to feel distraught once your pet has gone. Give yourself permission to go through the stages of grief and accept that you will likely be angry, sad, and confused at some point or another.

by Whispers & Footprints

SJ: My advice is to pick up the phone or pop in and ask us some questions. There is lots of very useful information on our website as well as a video showing what we do in a little more detail. We ﬁnd that you will quickly know whether this is right for you or not when you start to ask questions as this is when you really start to think about owning such a personal and comforting item. SS: Talking through those

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Memorial tattoos are now playing a part in remembering our beloved dogs. Westies & Besties talk to Witold Andrzejewski, owner of tattoo shop, Reign in Blood, to find out what Westie owners are requesting in their hour of need. we create the perfect tattoo for our customer, no matter what the shape or size is, because we know how much a person’s pet means to them.

WHAT KIND OF REQUESTS DO YOU RECEIVE FROM DOG OWNERS? We receive all different kinds of requests, from portraits to initials. But we try to work with the customer’s ideas to create their ideal tattoos.

IS THERE AN INCREASE IN PET OWNERS ASKING FOR TATTOOS OF THEIR DOGS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY?

WHEN A PET PARENT COMES TO YOU FOR THEIR TATTOO DO YOU FIND THEY ARE OFTEN EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT? IF SO, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS?

Due to tattoos becoming more popular and being more accepted, we see a lot of owners asking for remembrance tattoos for their pets. At Reign in Blood we take pride in all our work, that means we won’t stop until

We do ﬁnd some customers can get quite emotional, this normally happens once the tattoo has been completed or before it even starts. All the team at Reign in Blood love animals and most of us are pet owners

Witold Andrzejewski, owner of Reign in Blood tattoo shop

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

ourselves, so it truly breaks our hearts to hear about a beloved pet passing away. On the day itself, we always speak to the owners about their pets and what they loved doing so we can gather as much information about them to make the tattoo even more unique. We ﬁnd this can be quite comforting for customers, but tea, coffee, and hugs are always available.

DO YOU FEEL UNDER MORE PRESSURE WHEN ASKED TO CREATE A REMEMBRANCE TATTOO? All of our artists are trained professionals and have been in the tattoo industry for years, therefore we don’t feel much pressure when creating our tattoos. I would say we are more compassionate when it comes to remembrance tattoos.

WHAT DO MOST PET OWNERS REQUEST FROM YOU IN TERMS OF DOG TATTOOS? The most common request is

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for a person’s dog’s paw print. This is done by taking a print of the pet’s paw (you can do this at home or ask a vet) and bringing it in on the day. We then talk over the style you want it in so we can match the best artist for you, after that we stencil it up and tattoo it onto whichever body part you want.

DO YOU HAVE TO MANAGE PET OWNERS’ EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING A TATTOO OF THEIR BELOVED DOG?

Most owners already have an idea in their mind, which we normally build off. We feel anything is possible at Reign in Blood, you just need to ﬁnd the perfect artist. That is why we specialise in all different styles.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT WORKS BEST? A TATTOO OF A PHOTOGRAPH OF A DOG OR A COMPLETELY NEW DESIGN? It depends on what the customer is looking for, if you would like a portrait of your pet,

we recommend brining in a few photographs so we can capture the perfect angles and tiny little details that sometimes you can’t even see. however, if you are looking for a surrealism piece, we could just work on a blank canvas and capture your pet’s features.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY UNUSUAL REQUESTS FROM DOG OWNERS FOR A TATTOO? At Reign in Blood we don’t believe in any request being unusual. The ideas people come up with is just another form of art, and we want to make that idea the best it can be.

Westie tattoo by Jack Stevens at Orange Dog Tattoo. All other tattoos by Reign in Blood tattoo shop.

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

SAVING THE PLANET… ONE BAMBOO DOG BOWL AT A TIME G E O R G E B R A M B L E , C E O O F B E C O , TA L K S C H O P S T I C K S , C H I C K E N S , A N D C A R B O N F O O T P R I N T S A N D R E V E A L S W H Y H E ’ S C R E AT I N G E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY F R I E N D LY P E T P R O D U C T S T H AT D O N ’ T C O S T T H E E A R T H

RAW VERSUS KIBBLE IS AN ONGOING DEBATE AMONG WESTIE OWNERS AND MANY BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE FED RAW FOOD. WHY DID YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO MANUFACTURE DRY AND WET FOOD BUT NOT RAW? There are currently around 10 million dogs in Britain and every owner will, of course, have their own individual preferences as to what they feed their Westie, and we fully respect that. At Beco, we fully appreciate that people choose to feed their dogs in a way that they feel is right for them, their dog, and their lifestyle. I’ve no doubt that raw can be a really great way to feed your dog. We at Beco feel that by giving the option of a great freshly prepared meat and vegetable (superfood?) ingredients in our wet and dry foods, we are offering people a convenient opportunity to feed their dogs a biologically-appropriate and veterinary-approved diet with complete ease and consistently great results. Both our wet and dry foods are complete and comprehensive. They are formulated by a pet nutritionist and are designed to give the best results for a dog’s health and vitality, no matter what the breed or size of your dog. My own dog, Tarka, for example, who’s a black Labrador, is actually Beco’s Chief Product Tester at the moment, a role and responsibility she adores. Also, we have lots of dogs in the office all the time, and we often joke about Tarka’s role. We feed all our recipes to the dogs all the time. Tarka’s current favourite is our Wild Boar kibble, along with a spoonful or two of wet food, which I use as a topper. She seems to love this and has done really well on it.

WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO LAUNCH BECO? I have always taken food provenance seriously when buying food for myself. Understanding where ingredients have come from and that they’ve been grown or reared in a way that causes as little damage to the environment as possible has always been important to me. At home, we consider my dog Tarka very much a member of our family. My two children are aged four and one, and Tarka is five. I’ve always been passionate about food provenance, curious to know where the vegetables came from, and always wanted to buy free-range chicken and sustainably caught fish for myself. So my thinking has always been along the lines of, ‘Why shouldn’t our dogs deserve just the same high-quality ingredients as we do?’ “Since we began the business in 2009, that’s always been our philosophy at Beco. And that’s why we decided to go down the route of pioneering freerange chicken and Marine Stewardship Councilcertified fish in our dog food. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, and our company motto is: ‘Love your dog. Love our planet.’ Beco is immensely proud to be officially certified by the global organisation the Marine Stewardship Council and to have been the first dry dog food producer in the UK to use MSC-certified white fish. That sets us apart and, for us, is critical. In order

BECO HAS SOLD: - OVER 2 MILLION PRODUCTS, - PROCESSED OVER 1,500 TONS OF BAMBOO - MADE HALF A MILLION DOG BOWLS

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to qualify for the MSC’s highly respected Blue Label, which we are authorised to display on all our packaging, every single stage of the supply chain “from boat to bowl” has to be certified and fully traceable, from the fishing boat to the fishery and to the manufacturer. Some waters are overfished, but we only use sustainably caught cod and haddock from the North-East Atlantic, where the fish stocks are really healthy. Cod and haddock are good for your dog, too. White fish is an amazing, rich source of Omega 3 and 6, it is low in fat and great for shiny coats. We believe dogs fed a higherquality diet live longer, healthier lives. When we were seeking out pet products before we founded Beco, there weren’t any brands or businesses that seemed to be considering the environment. Our founding of Beco set out to change that. We wanted people to be given the opportunity to be able to buy products that were more sustainable and better for the environment but that didn’t cost the Earth.

“We sourced discarded bamboo chopstick off-cuts from factory floors in China and started making sustainable and biodegradable Beco Bowls. They quickly became popular across the UK and the rest of the world”.

WESTIES & BESTIES MAGAZINE IS PROUD TO WELCOME YOU AS ONE OF OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS ON SUSTAINABILITY. PLEASE TELL OUR READERS A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF – YOUR VISION FOR BECO, YOUR VISION FOR OUR PLANET. Thank you very much for inviting me to join your Westies & Besties Panel of Experts. It’s an honour and I’m very glad to have this opportunity to be in touch with your readers regularly on a range of topics, including sustainability, which is at the core of everything we do at Beco. I studied Geography and Environmental Sciences at university and am also a keen angler. Both my studies and my hobby have made me acutely aware of the environment and the many ways we are damaging the planet. So, when I thought making great products for dogs would be a good business, it was always going to be about seeking out the most sustainable materials to achieve that. It’s the key. We hope that little by little others will be inspired to make their products in a more sustainable way. My vision for Beco is unchanged; always to provide a more sustainable range of products for pet owners everywhere. My vision for the planet is shared by many; To try to reduce our impact on the world and improve rather than harm habitats on land and sea around the world.

B e c o Fo u n d e r G e o rg e B ra m bl e s i g n s u p to th e B e t te r C h i cke n Commitment

DID YOU KNOW? BAMBOO GROWS 40% QUICKER THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF WOOD FIBRE AND CAPTURES CARBON MORE EFFICIENTLY IN A RENEWABLE WAY

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After 10 years in the pet trade, we have worked hard to build our proﬁle and success and we are now exporting to 50 countries around the world. As a business, we will always encourage our customers and dog owners in general, wherever they are, to make shopping choices as pet parents that are kinder to the environment whenever possible.

DO YOU THINK DOG OWNERS ARE MORE EDUCATED THAN IN THE PAST AND HOW DOES BECO PLAY A ROLE IN EDUCATING PEOPLE FURTHER? Optimistically, I am sure pet owners are more educated on environmental issues. We describe the time frame we are working in as pre- and postAttenborough. Through programmes such as his “Blue Planet” and high-proﬁle advocates against climate change like Greta Thunberg, the world is starting to wake up to the immense challenges the planet is facing. The state of the environment has changed quite a lot over the past few months due to lockdown. For example, air pollution has decreased as there are less people at present using their cars. But plastic pollution in our oceans remains a huge problem and global warming remains a growing concern to us all. At Beco, both in the manufacturing of our products and the way in which we live our daily lives as individuals, we always strive to be mindful of the environment and the future of our planet.

chickens have access to meadows, sunlight, grubs, and green grass. They’re fed grains, but because they live in big ﬁelds where they can also eat wildﬂowers like dandelions and daisies, they have a more diverse diet. We’ve been to the farm and we love it. There are small barns whose big, wide doors are always open so the chickens can take shelter there if the weather turns bad. They live a happier life, grow slower and aren’t pumped full of growth hormones like intensively reared chickens. They live longer and the meat’s tastier. It arrives at our manufacturing site fresh, not frozen, so the quality is second to none. I think that’s really important. To minimise our carbon footprint, we also try to source ingredients locally and use British farmers as much as we can.

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO BE A SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL COMPANY IN THE PET INDUSTRY? WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU STILL FACE SINCE LAUNCHING IN 2009? Every day has its challenges and each day we seek to work with our suppliers and customers to create the most sustainable product possible whilst remaining affordable. By doing this we hope to inspire others in the industry to do the same. We understand that many people are not as interested in this as we are but every day, we are asking people to think a little differently. A good example of this is the choice of ingredients we include in our food recipes. Beco food’s chickens are making the news right now. We’ve just signed up to the European Chicken Commitment (known in the UK as the Better Chicken Commitment). We are the ﬁrst UK pet company to do this. Roaming free outdoors in open pastures at their home in East Anglia, Beco

Westies Westies && Besties Besties -- Oct Oct 2020 2020

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IN YOUR RECENT GREEN GUIDE ONE OF THE 5 STEPS IS TO ‘WAGE WAR ON PLASTIC WASTE’. WHILE THIS IS CLEARLY VITAL, MANY BELIEVE THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS A LARGER ROLE TO PLAY THAN INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS ALTHOUGH EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY A PART. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO GEORGE EUSTICE, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS ON THIS ISSUE? The fact that plastics are so effective in so many ways in our daily lives, from storing and transporting our foods to the clothes that we wear, is inescapable. Plastics are everywhere. So issues around plastics are complex, but any government on the side of the environment would help make it easy for us to use less of it and when we use it to know how to dispose of it least harmfully. We use recycled, shredded plastic bottles to stuff our Beco toys, which are hugely popular around the world. And every water bottle used to ﬁll a Beco toy is a discarded plastic bottle not left lying around on a beach in danger of polluting our oceans. Recycling has always been one of our top priorities as a business, from our toys and other products to the material we use for packaging. That’s made from recycled, shredded cardboard boxes that we collect from other businesses in our neighbourhood. Without getting too political, which we’ll always steer clear of, I’d like to see all governments and councils encouraging businesses and individuals to raise public awareness of the importance of recycling for the common good.

MANY OF YOUR ACCESSORIES ARE MADE USING BAMBOO. WHERE DO YOU SOURCE THE BAMBOO FROM? Much of the bamboo fibres we use are also the by-product of making other products made from bamboo such as chop sticks. Bamboo chopsticks feed 4.5 billion people across Asia every day. But when we launched the company 11 years ago, we spotted another use for one of the world’s favourite feeding utensils – we turned them into pet products. We sourced discarded bamboo chopstick off-cuts from factory floors in China and started making sustainable and biodegradable Beco Bowls. They quickly became popular across the UK and the rest of the world. Our ethos is to be eco-friendly and using bamboo to make pet products is how our company began. Now we’ve sold 2 million products, half a million bowls, and processed 1,500 tons of bamboo. About 20 chopsticks go into every Beco Bowl. Our small idea of using chopsticks has grown into an international business. We also insist that this bamboo is sourced from sustainable forest. Bamboo grows 40% quicker than any other type of wood fibre and captures carbon more efficiently in a renewable way.

B e c o fo od m a n u fa c t u r i n g te a m

“Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, and our company motto is: ‘Love your dog. Love our planet”.

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THE DOGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DINNER

GOLDEN PASTE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup turmeric 1 1/4 cups water

THIS QUICK AND EASY RECIPE COMBINES THE NATURAL FATTY ACIDS OF COCONUT OIL AND THE ANTIINFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF TURMERIC IN AN EASY TO FEED PASTE

1 1/4 teaspoons cracked pepper 1/4 cup of coconut oil

By Daniel Tomer

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Daniel Tomas Chefs & Dogs

THE DOG’S DINNER

METHOD

• Combine turmeric, water and pepper in a pot and stir on low heat for 5 minutes or until a thick paste has formed. • Remove from heat and gradually stir in 1/4 cup of coconut oil until the paste becomes smooth.

D O H T ME ht airtig n a n e re i • Sto ainer in th hin cont d use wit an cess fridge s. Any ex en k 2 wee can be froz n e paste frosted wh 6 e and d d for up to neede onths. m

SERVING SIZES Shelf Life

Small dog: 1/2 teaspoon Medium dog: 1 teaspoon Large dog: 1 1/2 teaspoons

Any excess paste can be frozen and defrosted when needed for up to six months.

Tips Always introduce new foods to your dog in small amounts and gradually work up to the full serving size.

Daniel Tomer is the owner of Chefs & Dogs. Prior to opening his own company, Daniel was a chef and personal trainer for nearly 10 years while his partner Courtney Irvine is currently involved in the dog training and grooming side of the business.

If you have any concerns about feeding your Westie any of the ingredients used, seek advice from your vet.

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D O G TA L E S

Essential Oils for Dogs EDITOR’S RATING : 3/5

Available on Amazon in paperback for £5.98 We have all heard stories about must-have health products that sometimes turn out to have an adverse effect on our dogs and this often leads pet parents down the alternative health route. Essential Oils for Dogs by Miranda Ross is an easyto-read book that serves up recipe-like therapies and remedies that claim to keep your dog healthy. The way the book is structured is useful for those with busy lives and provides tips on what oils one should purchase, how to store them properly, and perhaps more importantly how to apply the oils. There are definitions for every oil complete with a list of its health properties. The best part of this book in my opinion is Miranda informs her readers of how to use essential oils for specific ailments and health issues. For example, one section delves into which oils to use to prevent ticks and fleas and illustrates how a home-made remedy can be made. She lists the ingredients and the number of drops to use of each oil. Another section focuses on teething problems and oral hygiene pointing out how essential oils can help in aiding fresh breath. The remedies for the various ailments such as arthritis and ear infections make for an interesting read. However, while Miranda clearly has much experience on this topic what unnerves me a little is there is no mention in the book of her holistic training or qualifications. That’s not to say she doesn’t have any of course but it would have provided me with more confidence if she had backed up her knowledge by sharing her proven experience and qualifications. While I found the book interesting, I’m not convinced that I would be confident enough to test the oils on my dog without talking to a qualified vet first and my overall advice is that readers shouldn’t either. While essential oils are largely safe products, you need a very good grounding in the dos and don’ts before concocting such remedies and if a dog is already suffering with certain health issues using the wrong oil could have a severe detrimental effect which to give credit to the author she does state this in her book. It is important to seek advice from your vet before attempting to use essential oils on your dog as the combination of oils used, the type of oils used, as well as the dosage, can be dangerous.

Westies & Besties - Oct 2020

Jack Wolf