Pet Dog Insurance: Weighing Your Choices

Dogs are the most common pet in any household. Their loyalty and gentleness could endear them to their owners making them not just a pet but a part of the family. But most dog owners have no idea how expensive their dog's medical bills could get, especially when it gets older. This is where pet insurance becomes useful.

Most dog owners would consider that getting their dog a pet insurance as unnecessary and a luxury that only the rich could afford. In fact, only 3% of dog owners have pet dog insurance.

What are some of the reasons for not buying a pet insurance?

It's too expensive - When dogs get older, they become vulnerable to a lot of ailments like arthritis, cancer and diseases of the heart, liver and kidneys. Compare spending a $30 a month premium on a dog insurance now to spending around $500 a year on medication and a support harness for an arthritic dog later on.

It won't cover all my dog's health cost - Of course, it's impossible to find a plan that covers everything. It's the same with your own personal insurance. But I believe that having a plan is better than nothing.

I don't know what policy to buy - Most people don't know either. But you could start by checking online. This is where you can find companies, different policies and insurance prices that you could compare and select from.

Now let's look at the reasons why you need to cover your dog with a pet insurance:

You don't need to worry about health expenses for your pet - it is inevitable that your dog will grow old and could develop various diseases. The American Kennel Club's survey shows that an average dog owner spends around $1500 a year on health care for their dogs. Having a pet dog insurance could really help lessen your expenses.

Helps reduce the risk of loss - The insurance company will help you find your lost pet and will provide burial processes for your beloved canine.

It could increase the lifespan of your dog - Having a good health treatment could insure your dog's good health thereby giving you more years to enjoy with him.

It could cover damage fees caused by your dog - Your insurance could help you pay any damage to property that your dog might cause. This is an unexpected situation that you don't need to worry about.

It could cover legal fees caused by your dog - Your pet could cause some injury to other people, which could bring you into a legal situation. If ever this happens, your insurance will be there to cover the cost.

Your pet may cause injury to other people. This can happen if your pet is quite aggressive. This incident can bring you into difficult legal situation. When this happens, you don't need to pay the legal fees from your own pocket because the insurance will cover this need.

After reading this, you can now weigh the pros and cons of getting a pet insurance. Decide fast! It just might be too late.

Train your pet to be comfortable in dog clothes

It is not in an animals' character to wear clothes and dogs are no different. However, there can be many reasons you would want to put clothes on your dog. You may require them to wear clothes for a special occasion, to protect them from the weather or to help them regulate their body temperature. Your pet needs to be accustomed to moving around in clothes and making dogs wear clothes requires training as it is against their nature. However, this task can be easily accomplished with the help of patience and positive reinforcement.

If taught from the beginning, dogs can learn to be comfortable in clothes. Training is the key to ease your pet into getting used to wearing dog accessories and clothes. It is best to begin training them when they are young as they learn things quickly during that period. However, if you did not train your dog at an early age, don't fret because it is never too late to start.

The best way to start training your pet to be comfortable in clothesis with easy-to-wear clothing. The clothes have to be comfortable enough and should not cover their hind legs, feet or head. Try to avoid clothes that have to be worn from over the head as this can be a frightening experience for them.

To begin with, reward your pet when they look at you pulling out their clothes from the closet. The motive of this exercise is to simply develop a positive association with clothes in their minds. When your pet sniffs their dog clothes, reward them with another treat to signify this act as one that is positive or desirable. The next reward is given when they stand in place when you approach them with the outfit and do not run away. Once you have clothed your dog, reward them again with a treat if they do not move from their place during the process. Once your dog is dressed, keep him/her busy with an activity so that they are occupied and distracted from the feeling of being in clothes. Begin keeping them clothed for short periods, increasing the duration with each session till they are completely at ease. After taking off their clothes, reward them again for their co-operation.

The rewards should be reduced when your dog is not in his/her outfit. This makes them look forward to wearing clothes and they begin associate wearing clothes with fun or "treat time". Your dog will soon be trained to wear clothes with little fuss and stay in them without any discomfort. Using the tools of positive reinforcement elucidated above will help you train your dog to be comfortable in clothes.

Dog walkers without 'poop bags' face fines

Dog walkers who leave home without “poop bags” could face fines of up to £100 – regardless of whether their pet fouls or not.

Daventry district council in Northamptonshire said owners should have to prove how they would clean up after their dogs to cut down on the problem of fouling.

Those who fail to pay the £100 fine under the new powers – which will be introduced on 1 December – could face a penalty of up to £1,000 if the case is taken to court.

The authority said the idea of forcing dog owners to carry plastic bags was not unreasonable and the fines under the Public Space Protection Order would not be levied until the turn of the year.

Mike Warren, the council’s health and housing official, said: “This order will give us greater powers to take effective action against the minority of dog owners who do not pick up after their pets.

“We will be advising them to make sure they have extra poop bags with them at all times to ensure they have the means to pick up, regardless of how long they’ve been out and about with their pet.

“It’s not unreasonable though, for example, to expect someone who has just arrived at a venue to walk their dog to be carrying poop bags.”

A council report said: “It was difficult to catch people who had not picked up their dog’s faeces and that was why the proposals had been made to enhance the dog control powers.”

Top 10 Best Pet Dogs

How can I become a dog trainer?

Many people express interest in the field of dog training, but are unsure of how to get started, or what qualifications are required.  This article aims to clarify the process.

The first thing to know is that training dogs is primarily about working with people, so prospective trainers must enjoy interacting with people on a daily basis.  In short, trainers teach people to train their own dogs:  very few trainers actually train the dog.  A love of learning is required, as well as patience and understanding of a variety of learning styles. 

Secondly, “trainer” is not a defined term.  Anyone can call themselves a “trainer,” since no federal or state certification is required at this time (more information on available certification will be discussed below), so finding qualified professionals to learn from is crucial.

Here is a series of steps the AHS Training School recommends for people considering a dog training career:

Read as much as you can about animal behavior science, particularly the science of animal learning.  Some excellent resources for beginners are Don’t Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor, Excel-erated Learning by Pam Reid, The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson (2nd Edition), and any books by Ian Dunbar.  More titles can be found at www.dogwise.com, under a search by subject.  Steer clear of sources that downplay animal behavior science and claim instead to have learned the trade “by living with dogs all (my) life.”   Living with dogs, even many dogs, doesn’t automatically provide the skills and insight necessary to safely train other people to handle their dogs.

Learn about the profession itself by reading any of the following books:  So You Want to Become a Dog Trainer by Nicole Wilde, Coaching People to Train Their Dogs by Terry Ryan, and It’s Not the Dogs, It’s the People, also by Nicole Wilde.  Both authors are highly respected trainers who give realistic and helpful advice about the profession.  These books can be found at www.dogwise.com.

Become a volunteer at a local shelter (such as AHS!) so as to develop or improve your own dog handling skills.  Even if you have raised many dogs yourself, you will benefit from handling large numbers of unfamiliar dogs:  it’s a very different experience than working with your own!  For further experience, you might also consider becoming a Training School volunteer.  For more information, click here.

Visit some local dog training classes, particularly those using science-based, positive reinforcement techniques.  Watch how the trainer in each class teaches and how the dogs respond.  If you own a dog, consider enrolling him in the class, even if he has had previous training.  This will allow you the perspective of a student as well as a prospective trainer.

Look for a trainer willing to take you on as an apprentice.  This is how most trainers learn the profession, as relatively few dog trainer programs are available throughout the country.  Apprentices watch their mentors teach classes, take notes, and gradually assist with larger and larger portions of class.  This allows trainers in training to gradually learn the profession under the supervision of an experienced professional who can provide feedback and guidance throughout the process.  Apprenticeships vary, but most last from 6 months to a year or longer.

Take advantage of behavior classes and seminars in your area.  Check listings in the local paper, training schools and so on.
After completing your apprenticeship, look for local training schools, shelters or small training businesses that are hiring trainers.  Ask about their methods and training philosophy to determine whether or not their methods are consistent with your own.

Contact the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers for additional information about the profession and eventual certification. Trainers who have received certification and hold the title CPDT are required to obtain continuing education credits on a regular basis in order to retain their title.

Below-par dog perks up after six golf balls removed from his stomach

Murphy the German shepherd was feeling below par – because he had six golf balls trapped in his stomach.

Murphy with vet Mandy Ball and his owner David Larson. Larson says he had not walked Murphy near a golf course since getting him from a home 18 months ago. Photograph: Jason Thompson/Westway Veterinary Group/PA

The seven-year-old rescue dog underwent an emergency operation to save his life after x-rays revealed unidentified objects inside him.

His owner, David Larson, a joiner from Jarrow, South Tyneside, was stunned as he had not walked Murphy near a golf course in the 18 months since he got him from a home.

The problem came to light when Murphy became ill after eating a bone. Staff at Westway Veterinary Group in Newcastle took precautionary x-rays and found something lodged in his stomach.

Larson said: “There were some foreign bodies inside his stomach but the vets couldn’t identify what they were, so Westway operated at its hospital and saved his life.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard he had swallowed six golf balls. I’ve only had him for 18 months and he has never come into contact with golf balls during that time, so they must have been lodged inside him for a long time.

“It only became apparent when he swallowed a bone, which made him poorly as he had diarrhoea and was being sick. Having the golf balls inside him must have affected him because I’ve noticed since the operation he is much brighter and much more playful.”

The pleased owner added: “He has made an excellent recovery since the operation – and I’m going to make sure he is never given bones or allowed anywhere near a golf course in future.”

Mandy Ball, a vet, said: “Owners need to watch what their dogs get up to when out and about. They may even need to put a basket muzzle on their dog when off the lead if they are likely to swallow things like balls and stones. Dogs can become very ill quickly, as they can obstruct the stomach and intestines.”

Lose the puppy fat: study has a bone to pick with Crufts' dumpy dogs

Basset hounds at Crufts earlier this year. The breed is one of those most likely to be overweight. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

The pampered pooches on show at Crufts are billed as the finest doggie specimens – but one in four is overweight, research has revealed.

Analysing 960 images of 28 different breeds of adult dogs placed between first and fifth in their class between 2001 and 2013, researchers found just over a quarter were overweight.

And widespread dissemination of pictures from the world’s largest dog show may be normalising obesity in the animals, the study published in the journal Veterinary Record said.

Pugs, basset hounds, and labrador retrievers were the breeds most likely to be too chubby, with 80% of pugs analysed by the researchers found to be overweight. All three of those breeds are renowned for being prone to obesity.

Pugs were originally bred to be a companion dog, but basset hounds and labradors were bred for hunting and fieldwork respectively, so being larger would not be advantageous, according to the researchers.

Overweight dogs can suffer limited lifespans and are more prone to diabetes, breathing problems and orthopaedic issues, as well as certain cancers.

Standard poodles, border terriers, Rhodesian ridgebacks, Hungarian vizslas and dobermanns were the least likely to be overweight. None were underweight, which the researchers said suggested “judges are more aware of the characteristics associated with underweight condition”.

Obesity among show dogs is, perhaps unsurprisingly, less prevalent than in ordinary pet dogs. But researchers said it was still a cause for concern that 26% of dogs at Crufts appear to be above their ideal weight.

Labradors were originally used for hunting and fieldwork, so like this pair at Crufts their ideal weight should reflect this. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

“These dogs showcase the ideal characteristics of the pedigree breed, and there is a danger that widespread media exposure might adversely influence owner perception of optimal body shape,” the report said.
“Given the proportion of show dogs from some breeds that are overweight, breed standards should be redefined to be consistent with a dog in optimal body condition,” its authors suggested.

The Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, said its new judging criteria had policies to emphasise the importance of good canine health, including weight.

“Further effort is now required to educate owners, breeders and show judges so that they can all better recognise overweight condition, thus helping to prevent the development of obesity,” the organisation said.

In the dog house: when does crating your canine become pet abuse?

Is crating your dog OK? Photograph: Eureka/Alamy

If you want to start a fight in a dog park, mention crates and watch the pro- and anti- tempers rise.

The process of crate training consists of keeping a puppy in a crate and letting it out to pee and poop. A dog won’t soil where it sleeps, so it will hold on until you let it outside. Many people continue using a crate throughout their dog’s adulthood to avoid destructive behaviors, or because they believe a crate makes a dog feel safe.

Crate training supporters cite experts arguing that such dogs thrive. Opponents shout just as loudly (“Dogschwitz-Barkenau” is how a Jewish friend refers to the enclosure).

I recently moved to the US from Australia with my two small dogs, and quickly learned that, unlike back home, many Americans are pro-crate.

When we visited our new vet, the Village Veterinarian in New York City, practice manager Nina Torres told me their recommendation was to crate train. According to Torres, this allows dog owners to set boundaries, which results in less anxious dogs. “You confuse them if you allow them everywhere,” she says. According to Torres, about 80% of the clinic’s canine patients spend their days – when their owners work – in crates.

When I asked John Parncutt in Australia (of John the Vet, our previous clinic) how many of his patients use crates, he said it’s a minority – and that the dogs are crated overnight, rather than during the day. “I probably hear from someone about once every couple of months saying they’re going to be crate-training their new pup.”

The only person I knew in Australia to crate train a dog is Sheryl, an American living in Melbourne. In New York, Sheryl says, “everyone did it”. She decided to crate train her pup in Australia, putting Dizzy the schnoodle in a crate overnight (getting up every three hours to let her pee) and while she was at work, during which time a dog walker would come. That’s a total of about 16 hours a day in a crate.

Sheryl was shocked by the reaction Australians had to it. “It’s the biggest fight I had with my mother-in-law” Sheryl says. “She thought it was cruel, that it was like the dog was in a circus.”

At work, Sheryl’s colleagues sent her photo-shopped images of Dizzy, in prison garb. But with the help of the crate, Dizzy was housetrained in just three months. “After a year, we stopped locking her in,” Sheryl says. Now Dizzy’s crate stays open, and she goes voluntarily into it each evening.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other organizations compare a crate to a den: a safe space that dogs are naturally drawn to. ASPCA says crates are “best used as a relatively short-term management tool, not as a lifetime pattern of housing”. This is where opinions divide. Nina Torres says it’s fine for most adult dogs to be in a crate “nine hours maximum” during the day (with a walk in the middle), and then eight hours at night – unless they are seniors or large dogs needing to stretch their joints.

I work from home, so I observe my dogs’ behavior during the day. Though it is true that they sleep most of the time (as they would in a closed crate), they have their preferences. Sonia will often drag her blanket, mat and toy out and into a patch of sunlight. Natasha usually stays deep in her crate, under a blanket from where she yips every now and then as she dreams.

In an experiment where I locked the crates, Natasha was content, while Sonia whined, working the latch with her claws, eventually opening it to escape (like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park). With the right training, would Sonia learn to love her crate, or is it just something that doesn’t appeal to her individual nature?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has come out strong against this, claiming that wolves, dogs and other canids in the wild spend their first eight weeks in a den, and after that, they abandon it. “And since dens don’t come with a locked door, there is no true scientific comparison between crates and dens,” Peta’s website adds.

Nevertheless, in the US crates have taken off – with celebrity dog trainers like Cesar Millan, authors like The Monks of New Skete, and other professionals giving it the thumbs-up.

Liisa Tikka, a dog trainer working in Helsinki, finds the trend disturbing. “We have trouble with some dog-training books written in the US promoting crating. People do not understand that it’s not considered an ethical solution here – and that it’s illegal.”

Finnish law states than an animal can be in a crate only for “transportation, illness or other temporary and acceptable reason”. And if you want to keep your dog in an enclosed space while you’re at work, you have to follow strict and roomy guidelines – for example, a Labrador would need an enclosure approximately 37 square foot (in the US, the ASPCA asks a crate be large enough “so that your dog can lie down comfortably, stand up without having to crouch and easily turn around in a circle”).

The ASPCA says crates are best as a short-term management tool. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

You can probably guess where Emma and Ray Lincoln, authors of Dogs Hate Crates, stand on the subject. “Americans have never been so in love with the concept of owning dogs while being so ill-equipped to give dogs the face-time, exercise, socialization and purpose in life they need,” Emma tells me.

The Lincolns see crating as a “quick fix” for problem behavior. “People realized this is the easy way to deal with any behavior with a dog,” Ray Lincoln says. If a dog is chewing, peeing or being hyperactive, if you put it in a crate, “the behavior stops, because the dog can’t do anything, so he shuts down”.

The Lincolns believe that prolonged confinement can be damaging – and they say some people lock pet dogs in tiny crates for up to 18–22 hours total per day. Over-crated dogs, they say, can suffer complications from “cage-rage”, to anxiety, fearfulness and depression.

Tikka, who, as part of her Helsinki school runs a Canine Good Citizens course, says “I think crates are a good place to teach the dog to relax in a difficult stressful environment, like dog shows or competitions. I do not approve of its use in the house.” She adds: “The Finns are very practical and they do understand that a puppy is a puppy – and it will pee on carpets and chew the furniture and that’s life.”

Wolves travel hundreds of miles and hunt prey in packs. My dogs live in New York City, where they hunt pizza crusts from sidewalks. Their life is a far cry from that of their ancestors. I keep them active by walking them, hiding treats in their Kongs, and playing videos of horses, which make them dance on two legs and howl like wild. And I’ve decided to keep their crates open. They’re animals living in an apartment, and though I sometimes wish they were better trained (like when they steal yoghurt containers from the recycling), I feel like we’re all generally happy with our living arrangements.

Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption

The first few days in your home are special and critical for a pet. Your new dog will be confused about where he is and what to expect from you. Setting up some clear structure with your family for your dog will be paramount in making as smooth a transition as possible.
Before You Bring Your Dog Home:
Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption

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    Determine where your dog will be spending most of his time. Because he will be under a lot of stress with the change of environment (from shelter or foster home to your house), he may forget any housebreaking (if any) he’s learned. Often a kitchen will work best for easy clean-up.
    If you plan on crate training your dog, be sure to have a crate set-up and ready to go for when you bring your new dog home. Find out more about crate training your dog.
    Dog-proof the area where your pooch will spend most of his time during the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate, and installing baby gates.
    Training your dog will start the first moment you have him. Take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use when giving your dog directions. This will help prevent confusion and help your dog learn his commands more quickly. Not sure which commands to use? Check out How to Talk to Your Dog.
    Bring an ID tag with your phone number on it with you when you pick up your dog so that he has an extra measure of safety for the ride home and the first few uneasy days. If he is microchipped, be sure to register your contact information with the chip’s company, if the rescue or shelter did not already do so.
First Day:
    We know moving is stressful — and your new dog feels the same way! Give him time to acclimate to your home and family before introducing him to strangers. Make sure children know how to approach the dog without overwhelming him. Go here for more on introducing dogs and children.
    When you pick up your dog, remember to ask what and when he was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part new food to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to half new food, half old, and then one part old to three parts new. For more information about your dog’s diet, check out our section on Dog Nutrition.
    On the way home, your dog should be safely secured, preferably in a crate. Some dogs find car trips stressful, so having him in a safe place will make the trip home easier on him and you.
    Once home, take him to his toileting area immediately and spend a good amount of time with him so he will get used to the area and relieve himself. Even if your dog does relieve himself during this time, be prepared for accidents. Coming into a new home with new people, new smells and new sounds can throw even the most housebroken dog off-track, so be ready just in case. Need more housetraining tips? Check out our Dog Housetraining section.
    If you plan on crate training your dog, leave the crate open so that he can go in whenever he feels like it in case he gets overwhelmed. Also, be sure to check out the do’s and don’ts of crate training your dog.
    From there, start your schedule of feeding, toileting and play/exercise. From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort him if he whines when left alone. Instead, give him attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly (Source: Preparing Your Home For A New Dog).
    For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as the dog park or neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, it will give you more one-on-one time to get to know him and his likes/dislikes.
    If he came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs and sticks are just some of the pieces of “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect.Or maybe he led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.
Following Weeks:
    People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption. Your dog may be a bit uneasy at first as he gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of him as well as what he can expect from you.
    After discussing it with your veterinarian to ensure your dog has all the necessary vaccines, you may wish to take your dog to group training classes or the dog park. Pay close attention to your dog’s body language to be sure he’s having a good time — and is not fearful or a dog park bully. If you’re unsure of what signs to watch for, check out this video on safety at the dog park.
    To have a long and happy life together with your dog, stick to the original schedule you created, ensuring your dog always has the food, potty time and attention he needs. You’ll be bonded in no time! For more information on creating a feeding schedule for your dog visit How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?
    If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles. Visit Dog Training for more information on reward-based training.
Congratulations! If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a well-adjusted canine family member.

ATM dog: Forgotten your pin? Please join the queue for the dachshund

You stand at the ATM but, instead of producing your card and PIN, you unbutton your trousers while a dachshund, trapped in the machine, sniffs around your intimate regions, identifying you by your unique scent. This is the future dreamed up by artist and designer Soomi Park, as part of her project The Republic of Privacy, currently exhibiting at the Biennale Internationale Design in France.
Park created the project while studying at the Royal College of Art in 2013, after becoming intrigued by the mass-collection of personal data by governments and corporations. “I was naive before the project started”, she says “but as I wrote my dissertation I became more concerned about privacy invasion. When Tim Cook says, ‘We want to change the way you live your life,’ that kind of speech scares me!” In response to these concerns, she invented the titular republic: an imagined utopia where citizens are guaranteed total privacy. The exhibition comprises artefacts and photographs documenting life in this fantasy world, including an eccentric wedding ritual and, not least, the dog-equipped cash machine. The specific idea of using dogs in institutional data-collection came from Park’s research into the history of state espionage. The Stasi, she explains, harvested scent-data by collecting strips of fabric from the interrogation-room chairs in which suspected dissidents had sat, to be used later to assist sniffer dogs in their searches. “I found that fascinating” says Park. “If dogs are well-trained, they can immediately recognise a scent.” The dog, pictured wearing the artist’s idea of scent-enhancing nose-gear, solves the problem of the bank having to keep personal information on record. “It’s private, because a dog can’t talk,” she says.
But the solution is flawed, of course, since the act of being examined by the dog is itself an invasion of privacy. “It’s a paradox”, Park says, “It’s not supposed to make sense at the first glance, but I want to believe that it could provoke a debate.”

Why my dog will take pride of place at my wedding

The paper that brought us scoops such as the Pentagon Papers has given us a new exclusive. According to the New York Times, there is a growing trend at weddings to have your pet as a special guest. While most of us wouldn't go as far as to have a chicken in place of a bouquet, as one delightfully eccentric interviewee did, it seems surprising in this age of extravagant weddings that more of our furry friends don't take pride of place in wedding festivities.

The British have long been known the world over as a nation full of ridiculously soppy pet owners. Early evidence of this comes in the form of a poignant pet cemetery in Hyde Park, which sprung up in 1881. If the Victorians went to such great lengths to ensure their dogs would meet them in heaven when they passed on, why shouldn't you tuck a chicken under your arm as you embark on what is commonly billed "the happiest day of your life"?
As usual, when it comes to the faintly ridiculous, the UK is taking its cue from America. Over there, a whole industry has sprung up around ensuring little Fido looks his best for your big day. Where else would you go for a couture doggie tuxedo but a website offering "luxury formal wear for pets"?
As I prepare to enter the world of extravagant wedding planning (average wedding costs have hit £21,000 – do you know how many cats you could get for that?), I have no idea what to wear, how to entertain guests, or whether to drunkenly sing Stand By Your Man as people slowly back away. I do know, however, that my own pet (he's a dog, but a chicken bouquet has got my brain heavily whirring) will be hugely involved.
One of the couples interviewed by the NYT explained why their dog would be accompanying them up the aisle: "He's part of the family, so there was never any question." Call me insane, but this sounds like a perfectly valid argument. A partner's initial reaction to your pet is surely one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in a new relationship. A fellow allergic to dogs, or a man who preferred the company of cats could surely not stick by my side through thick and thin. No wonder, then, that the couples who sail this challenge victoriously are so eager to publicise it.
While I'm still not sure of the dog's role in my own proceedings, I'm leaning heavily towards ringbearer. I've fed him a lifetime of treats, why shouldn't he do a proper job for a day? I've told him it's that or workfare. Embarrassing the vicar, and possibly my family with a pet guest still certainly sounds better than the role animals had in weddings as described in the Bible:
    "The blood covenant began with the sacrifice of animals. After splitting them precisely in half, the animal halves were arranged opposite each other on the ground, leaving a pathway between them. The two parties making the covenant would walk from either end of the path, meeting in the middle." Genesis 15:9-1
Since I want happy memories of the day, my beloved and I have decided not to dismember the family dog in front of the congregation. Instead, he'll be in all the photos, entertain small children and hopefully bite the ankles of pesky relatives who refuse to leave when the party winds up. You may be twinning your life with another, but as the old saying goes:
"Acquiring a dog may be the only time a person gets to choose a relative."

How designer fashion is going to the dogs this Christmas

It’s tough on the high street as fashion chains struggle to offload winter woollies and coats after the warm autumn, but business has never been brisker in the market for specially tailored clothes for our canine friends.
£170-a-go designer jackets, Christmas jumpers, hi-tech waterproofs, tracksuits and hoodies for pampered hounds have been flying off the shelves.
When Marks & Spencer joins Barbour, John Lewis, Asda and even teen brand American Apparel in providing clothing for dogs, it’s clear that a trend has emerged.
Pets Corner, the UK’s second largest pet store chain, says sales of dog coats are up 35% this year compared with 2013, as pet owners have moved on from simply wanting something to keep their dog dry to searching out more stylish kit. Pets at Home, the UK’s biggest pet store chain, says so far this winter it has sold 17% more than in 2013 – or some 105,000 items of pet clothing.
“All you have to do is take a walk in the park in the middle of the day to see that more and more dogs are wearing coats or jackets,” says David Robinson of the Kennel Club. “It’s become more acceptable. Dogs have become part of the family, so people want to buy them toys, accessories and clothing.”
Marks & Spencer started selling dog coats in October, while John Lewis says sales of pets’ clothing and accessories are up 94% on last year, when it first opened a pet department.
Barbour – purveyor of status waxed and quilted jackets for country pursuits and City commuters – says it has doubled sales of canine coats in the past three years. It sells a range of six styles, in dachshund to great Dane sizes, to match those worn by their owners.
While they are catering for those wanting to keep their pets stylishly warm and dry, novelty outfits are also in demand, especially for Christmas. Asda says it has sold 2,500 Christmas dog jumpers so far this year – including a red knit patterned with Christmas pudding motifs, holly, and the words Ho Ho Ho – and a whopping 5,500 novelty pet outfits for those who prefer to dress up their pets in Santa costumes or as green-suited elves.

In a tough economic environment, where shoppers are being choosy about how they spend their disposable cash, retailers and brands are keen to jump into a relatively high growth market.
A survey conducted by the RSPCA last year found that more than nine in 10 UK pet owners planned to buy their dog a gift last Christmas, with half ready to spend more than £10 on the family pooch’s festive treat.
Analysts at Euromonitor say the amount spent on pet foods and care products is 4% higher than a year ago and they predict growth will continue at that pace for the next five years.
With an eye on that opportunity, internet grocer Ocado has opened a separate online pet store, called Fetch, while the discounter Poundstretcher is trying out a Pet Hut chain to sell bargain pet care products.
Sarah Bourne of Pets Corner says: “People are a lot more precious about their pets.” Customers who buy special shampoo, £90 sacks of dog food and treats made from venison or dried salmon “want their pet to be snuggly. Or pretty. Or both.”
She reckons the trend in the UK was kicked off by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga, who both dress up their pet dogs like dolls, but says the majority of Brits want more practical outfits. As a result Pets Corner has responded with new ranges of far more technical kit with Teflon-coated, weather resistant, anti-microbial, thermal polyfill and breathable fabrics. “People are used to buying North Face and want the same for their dogs,” Bourne says.

A dog's life? Readers share their pet stories

Mary Adlington's dog, Murphy.

Murphy's lawless reign

I first saw Murphy on the day my dad died. Dad would have loved him. We decided at once that this bundle of black labrador was what we needed to cheer us up. We had always had rescue dogs, but Murphy was the first puppy we ever had. He became my fourth child and was not much bigger than my husband's shoe. From that time of sadness came years of joy.
Like all labradors he was driven by food and became adept at stealing it. At Christmas he stole the chocolate gifts hanging on the tree. He would nonchalantly slink past us with the tell-tale silver string hanging from his mouth, avoiding eye contact. When we had the builders in, he got into their van and stole their lunch, leaving the silver foil evidence on the lawn. When I stood at the door to say goodbye to friends after coffee, he would creep to the sugar bowl and then innocently come and stand next to me with a white, sugary nose.
But he had his uses as well. We walked him in the woods nearby and everyday he would bring home a log. As he grew stronger the logs became branches that would block the lane as we walked home. Even now, years after his death, we still have "Murphy's log pile". Mary Adlington

Our feline facilitators

Some of our pets have come and gone (chickens, fish, guinea pigs) but cats have been a constant since before our three children were born.
Trying to talk to my teenage son without the conversation sounding like a lecture or me getting cross at his apparent indifference, I found by accident that talking through our cats can break these barriers down.
So when something has gone wrong, the cat will sit with my son and me and ask the hard questions about how something has happened (clearly it's me doing the talking) and my son will reply lovingly to the cat. And if things are a little sad (dropped from the rugby team etc) our other cat, a tiny black kitten, will sit with us and facilitate the communication of feelings.
I know this sounds terribly twee and I should point out that my son is a normal 16 year old and I'm a normal (ish) father. I think it's the loving, non-threatening nature of a cat on your knee or squeezed up to one's chest, watching bright eyed and sometimes with a little purr as we speak, that allows a calm and often heartfelt conversation.
Anonymous

Falling for Bouncer

We didn't have children and just the two of us was fine by me. Then Andy said there were only so many dogs that he could own in his lifetime, so we went to see Bouncer and she came home with us. Within hours, she had tumbled down the stairs; explored the fishpond and escaped her puppy crate, spraying diarrhoea everywhere. I hated her. I coped by telling myself she was Andy's dog.
Then, two days after she arrived, Andy was admitted unexpectedly to hospital. Bouncer followed me devotedly, waddling unsteadily on her tiny puppy legs. That evening, I visited Andy, stinking of labrador wee and ragged with worry, leaving Bouncer shut in the kitchen. I berated my semi-conscious husband for his treachery.
On my return, Bouncer had gone. I searched the pond, hysterical, and finally ran wailing into the street, and into bedlam. Several neighbours had seen Bouncer run in front of a car: she had escaped by pushing through the catflap, the tape my DIY-hating husband had used to secure it flapping from her legs. A helpless puppy, looking as if she had had her legs bound with duct tape. It was no surprise that the Police and Animal Rescue were at the scene. One red face and a lengthy explanation later, I walked up the steps to the house with her wriggling in my arms, and knew then that she was my dog. Sarah Corbett

My guardian angel

Given that I have an allergy to cats, the sound of persistent mewing outside the back door one dark rainy evening, didn't fill me with delight.
On opening the door a small tabby kitten looked beguilingly up at me. What to do? I couldn't pick it up or I'd have started sneezing and wheezing within minutes. But neither could I leave it there. I had just split up with my partner and felt an affinity with this lost soul sitting outside on its own.
A novice at pets, I poured some milk into a saucer and placed it inside the door of the garden shed. The kitten trotted over, sniffed at the milk and settled inside for the night.
This pattern continued. In the difficult months when I had to get used to solitude, I came to rely on the kitten as a kind of independent companion who respected my space but kept me company, albeit at a distance.
After eight months I met a new partner and I think my little pet sensed this. One evening he didn't appear and I never saw him again, despite me keeping to my side of the bargain by providing food and drink.
I hope to this day that he went on to find another soul in need of company. He was my feline guardian angel for a short spell and I will never forget him. Anna Brown

The second life of Brian

My sister and I were thrilled when we bought our first flat. We cemented this rite of passage by obtaining kittens, brothers named Brian and Jerry.
Jerry was a nervous thing, who cowered under the bed when it thundered, while Brian was beautiful and fearless, with his affectionate nature, long tabby fur and appealing eyes. We loved them both.
Lindsey Sharp's kittens, Brian and Jerry. My sister married and bought the flat next door, and my brother moved in with me to help pay the mortgage but Brian and Jerry were still an important part of our family.
One morning, Brian went missing. We searched the streets but to no avail. Eventually, my brother came back, shaken, saying he had found Brian's body several streets away. Poor Brian had been hit by a car.
Distraught, we dug a hole in the garden while my brother retrieved the body. Still crying, we held a short ceremony and tried to contemplate life without Brian.
Just as we had filled in the hole, we turned round and saw ... Brian, sitting watching us. First with horror, and then with huge relief and happiness, we realised it wasn't Brian's ghost – we had buried someone else's cat. Lindsey Sharp

This hamster is for life

When I was 10 I bought a hamster. I loved him dearly, constantly worrying about his wellbeing. Once, my mum allowed my younger sister Suzie to play with him (something I'd never have sanctioned) Benjamin escaped through a hole in the floorboards. I arrived home to this crisis. It took three days, but we managed to coax him out using a trail of food.
Alan B Baker's illustration of his hamster, Benjamin. Every morning before school I'd warm some milk and mix it with his food. One freezing morning in 1963, Benjamin didn't appear for his breakfast. I gently put my hand into his nest and lifted out a cold, hard, dead hamster. I couldn't accept he had died and prayed to God that he would be alive when I got home from school. Three days of constantly checking passed before I could tell Mum. My voice was somehow locked in my throat and I was unable to speak. I was very, very frightened of my own emotion and also suffered from a bad stutter. Eventually all the pent-up grief poured out. I thought I'd never stop crying. It was my first experience of death.
A month later my dad died.
Years later, at art school I wrote and illustrated my first children's book. The inspiration came from Benjamin. It led to a successful series. The royalties enabled me to buy a second house. My sister Suzie now lives there. The image above is of Benjamin from one of my books inspired by him, titled Benjamin's Portrait. Alan B Baker

Our chubby chaffinch guests

I found Salty and Deano when I was checking for nests in a tree we had to remove on safety grounds in Saltdean, near Brighton. There were three chaffinch chicks in the nest, mouths open wanting grub. I took two home, my colleague took the other.
After a confab with Lucia and Cerys, my daughters, we named them and kept them in their original nest inside a cardboard box, feeding them meal worms and water through a pipette. Deano was a bit greedy and became a rotund fluffy fellow in no time. Salty was choosier with his food but was fattening up nicely.
Salty and Deano, the chaffinch chicks Carlos Daly rescued. After a week they were perching on the radio aerial and hopping around. Lucia and Cerys took them to school one day, which went down well.
Next was flight school! Salty and Deano were flying around the kitchen and wanted to test out the big bad world so I took them to work with me and they met up with their sibling Grumpy for some flight experience.
After five weeks they were looking like proper chaffinches and the time came to let them go. I took them up to a woodland near me and they flew off. If you are in Brigh