The Dog Blog

We all know that actors and actresses make themselves famous from starring in films and TV shows, but what about the famous dogs that have featured on the big screen? We think they deserve acknowledgement too, so here is a list of the most famous doggy stars.

1. Beethoven - A St Bernard (named after the composer), the slobbery, lovable pet of the Newton family. The family vet however wants to use Beethoven for animal experimentation.

2. Lassie - A collie, undoubtedly the most famous dog in the world, he starred in books, movies and TV shows in his time. All the collies that played Lassie were male and descendants of the original Lassie.

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We all know how hard it can be to find the right name for your pet, as it becomes part of your family and the name needs to fit just right.

So to give you a bit of help and inspiration we’ve found you the most popular dog names from 2011: 

1.   Buddy (15,184)
2.   Max (13,810)
3.   Daisy (12,948)
4.   Bella (11,773)
5.   Lucy (11,418)
6.   Molly (11,049)
7.   Charlie (10,607)
8.   Jack (9,949)
9.   Sadie (9,232)
10. Rocky (8,475)

The study of pet names has found that people are rejecting traditional pet names for their dogs, such as Rover or Spot, in favour of those normally given to children.  Families are more likely to call their dog names such as Max and Millie.

Cultural influences seem to effect the choices for pet, as the name Bella has gone up the ranks, which may have something to do with the surge in popularity of the Twilight series of books and films this year.

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Dogs are the most popular pets in the world hands down, so it might surprise you that there are many facts about dogs that you might not be aware of. It is estimated that there are on average 400 million dogs in the world so here are our top interesting facts about dogs you might not know:

1. Dogs descend from wolves - Dogs are genetic divergences of wolves, and so were reclassified as a subspecies of the Canis Lupus (grey wolf) in 1993.

2. Dogs have an incredibly good sense of smell – Dogs can determine a smell at concentration levels 100 times lower than humans can. They have nearly 220 million smell sensitive cells, humans have only 5 million!

3. Dogs have a cooling system – Dogs use their tongues as a form of air conditioning. In hot weather a dog will pant to help evaporate heat from their body. This helps to keep the dog’s body temperature down. Their sweat glands are located only in their paws.

4. Dogs have amazing hearing – They can detect sounds miles beyond the capacity of a human or a cat. With a frequency range of between 40 Hz and 60,000 Hz they can point their ears towards the exact direction of the sound.

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There is nothing nicer than strolling along a beach with dogs running around you along the sand and in the shallow waves playing and having a great time. Some beaches however do not allow dogs and some are next to busy roads or pebble beaches (not nice on the paws!). Now Christmas is over every dog will be wanting to take their new frisbee or ball to the beach to chase around and splash in the sea with, so we have compiled a list of the top 10 dog friendly beaches in the UK for you.

Top 10 Beaches:

1. Perranporth, Cornwall - This beach is a great for a bit of rest and refreshment. 3 miles of surf for your dog to play in.

2. Babbacombe, Devon - This is a small sheltered beach with a beautiful little path winding down to the sand and shingle below.

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Winter is a hard time for dog shelters and animal charities as they become over run with stray and unwanted dogs. Many families and individuals buy dogs for Christmas as a present for someone or just a companion for themselves. Statistics from the Dogs Trust show that the number of rescue dogs in Britain is the highest it has been for the past 11 years. In the past 12 months over 126,176 dogs have been rescued by local shelters and authorities. This means a whopping 345 dogs are being found every day.

Adopting a rescue dog is a very noble thing to do, but it isn't easy.

How Does Rehoming Work? 

When you first decide to adopt a dog you will need to fill in a form letting the shelter know more about yourself. You can also have a chat with the staff at the shelter who will help to match you with the best dog to fit in with you and your current lifestyle. You can also have a look at dogs that currently need rehoming on their website (if they have one) before you visit the shelter.

Once you have decided you definitely would like to adopt a dog then you can visit the shelter and meet the dogs that need rehoming locally to you. It is important to meet them as you cannot tell simply from a photo whether a dog will be suitable for you and your family. After this, the staff will help you to determine a shortlist of the dogs you would like to adopt.

When your dog has been selected it is important to get to know them and bond with them. You will also need to arrange for any other dogs you own to meet the new addition to the family - a member of staff can help you to do this. A home visit to ensure your house and garden are prepared for the new arrival will be undertaken before the dog can come home with you - a secure garden is crucial as some dogs can easily escape.

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Danish Design have been producing luxurious dog beds for over 25 years now. They are based in the heart of West Yorkshire and are a family owned company.

Their products are designed to aid you in finding that perfect bed or accessories to work with you and your dog however you may need it. Whether you are looking for a large bed, a small bed, a mattress or a duvet, Danish Designs have them all.

Their fantastic reputation has lead to them becoming UK market leaders, manufacturing high quality beds that are both stylish and practical.

Here are a few of our favourite Danish Design beds:

Danish Design Dalesway Wine Paw Quilted Mattress

This wine paw quilted mattress is formulated from very high quality corduroy and comes in an attractive wine coloured finish. This top of the range cushion is easily cleaned and will keep your pet both warm and comfortable.

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One of the brand of dog beds that we supply is P & L Superior. They have been trading since 2000, so have gained a high level of experience for the requirements of a fantastic dog bed.

Their dog beds are only  designed by specialists who already own dogs and therefore know what is ultimately necessary to keep your dog comfortable, warm and fully relaxed in their bed.

Their beds are practical and stylish yet hard wearing and easy to clean. Whether you need a standard bed or a waterproof bed or maybe even a specialised memory foam bed, P & L have everything bed you could ever need.

Using only upholstery grade materials and high quality fillings to create their dog beds, you know you are getting the luxury your dog deserves.

Here are a few examples of our favourite P & L beds:

P&L Superior Pet Beds - Pet Duvets Sherpa Fleece Charcoal Fleck

 This cosy fleece duvet is both stylish and practical and will certainly leave your dog warm and relaxed. The zip cover is easily removable which enables quick machine washing. The cover is made from the softest Sherpa fleece material for unrivaled levels of comfort.

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Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about our Christmas Charity Dog Bed giveaway.

We have so far given away over £750 worth of Dog Bed goodies to over 25 different charities and dog shelters.

This Christmas charity offer has now come to an end, but if you would like to be involved in another charity promotion we undertake in the future, then please don't hesitate to send us your contact details so we can let you know first.

We really hope we have made a difference to lots of doggies lives and that they all have a warm and comfortable Christmas this winter.

Wishing you and all your pets a very merry Christmas from us all here in the Dog Beds team.

This video of a talking dog has managed to top YouTube's list of the most watched videos in 2011 in the UK. The video clip portrays the dog seemingly speaking English when being teased by its owner over food treats being given to other pets.

The hungry hound appears to be saying "You're kidding me!" when yet another foody treat escapes him. The 1.21 minute long video has so far been viewed by over 74 million people on the Google -owned video sharing site YouTube.

This video was so popular it even beat a spoof video of the Royals (the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall) dancing down the aisle at the Royal Wedding. This video was a viral advert for the mobile network T-Mobile.

So without further ado, here is the most popular video of 2011:

We know that lots of people love to spoil their furry best friends. A dog bed is one of the most important features of a dog’s life as it makes sure they stay warm and cosy all through the night.
We have put together a list of our top 5 luxury beds to show you just how much you can treat your doggy:

1.Danish Design Rambla Lime Slumber Bed Nest

This luxury bed is made from high quality cotton and provides high levels or comfort and relaxation for your dog. This product is very easy to maintain as it is entirely machine washable.  This bed comes in 2 colour schemes: Lime and Beige.

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