Every time I have sat on my bed crying, you have been there next to me, comforting me. Now I sit here alone crying for you. I miss you, we all miss you, our adorable our little Archie Shabangabang. I know in time this sense of heartbreak and incompleteness will pass… but until then i will cry till my hearts content.. I will cry as I have breakfast, as I catch the train home, as I watch tv, as I check my Facebook wall to see what everyone else is up to. I’m pretty sure I will experience a few outburst at work… During wip, when I read through my emails, when someone asks me to prepare a salesforce report .. I will cry then too. Its going to be tough but I have all our happy memories to pull me through. I will forever love you and miss you. You will never be forgotten. I will heart you forever and ever my beautiful little Archie x

Rest in peace little Archie
8 Oct 2011

Shahrzad x

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It allows you to be very specific, for example if you want an urban dog that’s quiet and can comfortably live in an apartment or one that needs little grooming, is very active and great with children or a doggy that’s happy to watch TV with you and give you lots of love – whatever your preferences is, it will help you find the right dog for you .

You could run off to your nearest pet shop (like i did :S) …or you could be a hero and adopt a dog from rescue shelter? Try Adopt a pet or Pet Rescue

There are also so many cuties on gumtree!

Good Luck!!

I, on the other hand can usually resist his cuteness (so hard!). For one he has already devoured his own food and I don’t want to unknowing give him something that could make him sick. I would never forgive myself! So I did a bit of investigating and here’s a list of foods and substances to avoid feeding your dog  - Print it out and stick it on your fridge !!! DO it NOW!

Alcohol – yes your dog will get drunk at may be funny for a second. It can also lead to cardiac arrest or a coma depending on the amount consumed

Avocado – can result in fluid accumulation in the chest, lungs and around the heart causing breathing difficulties as it contains a toxin called Persin.

Cat food contains higher levels of fat and protein than dog food, large amounts can overwork the pancreas.

Caffeine – found in coffee, soft drinks, tea and chocolate can cause heart palpitations , can cause damage to the central nervous system

Dairy products – can cause bloating and diarrhea

Excessively fatty foods, fat trimmings – food high in fat can contribute to pancreatitis. When  the pancreas is inflamed it prematurely activates enzymes that start to digest the pancreas.

Grapes, raisins – Can lead to renal failure

Green parts of tomatoes, green potatoes and Rhubarb  -  Oxalate found in these foods is a harmful toxin that causes kidney, digestive system and nervous system abnormalities.

Hops, a plant used in making beer. Ingestion of hops would cause panting, rapid heartbeats, seizures and could result in death.

Human vitamins – Vitamins with irons are known to be especially dangerous, large doses can damage the lining of the digestive system.  Prolonged used with result in liver and kidney damage.

Liver (large amounts) – Small doses like liver treats, is actually good for dogs but large amounts can result in a vitamin A toxicity where muscles and bones of the dog can be affected.

Macadamia Nuts  - as few as 6 mac nuts can cause toxicity. Signs include weakness and inability to stand. Can also result in bladder stones.

Moldy or spoiled foods – really don’t think I need to explain this one

Fruit pits and seeds – can result in Cyanide poisoning and pits can cause obstruction to the digestive tract. Most fruits are beneficial but the seeds and pits should never be fed.

Mushrooms- most varieties of mushroom can contain toxins that severally affect the central nervous system, kidney and digestive system.

Unions and Garlic – Small amounts of garlic found in some commercial dog treats can be beneficial.  However large amounts or regular ingestion will weaken the red blood cells causing severe anemia.

Sugary foods – regular ingestion can lead to obesity, joint and  dental problems and diabetes.

Table scraps (large amounts) – they are not nutritionally balanced so it should not constitute your dog’s main meal, ensure there are no cooked bones and fat is trimmed from the meat.

Tobacco – ingestion can result in rapid heartbeats , coma and even death

Xylitom, sugar free foods, artificial sweeteners  – large amounts of this can cause sudden drop in blood sugar. Within 30 mins loss of coordination and seizures can develop.

Yeast dough – dogs are unable to digest this , it will expand in their stomach cause severe pain and bloating . It can rupture the stomach and the intestine

This is scary shit …ignore those pleading puppy eyes and think twice! Three-times!

I’m sitting on the couch watching TV and notice him conspicuously looking over; automatically I’m flattered, thinking he’s admiring my morning glow and the cute way I’m sitting on the couch… but No. He’s Not.

He is in fact thinking something along the lines of  ”You know what ..You kind of look like your dog!”.

To some this would be a blatant insult and some may question my taste in men…but strangely my first reaction was, “I know! He’s sOOooO cute! WE are SOOOO similar.” Followed by a pause and a “Wait.. What?” moment.

Hate to say it… but it’s true. I have always thought it. Archie and I are so similar, physically and personalities wise … for example:

We LOVE to cuddle (as shown above)

We get very excited when people visit us (one word: Emily)

…and we both like to get on our backs …for belly rubs that is!!

It’s totally my fault though. When he was young I didn’t take him for enough walks to allow him to discover his surroundings and build his confidence. He didn’t get the chance to mingle too much with other dogs or people outside of our family. Oh Archie! I have been bad mummy!

But I have decided to correct all my wrongs and help Archie build his confidence and fight his anxiety.

According to Nicola, dog trainer from The Dog Blog – It is vital when trying to build up dog confidence that you show good canine leadership to your dog

Nicola suggests getting your dog out of his comfort zone, but only to a point where he doesn’t completely freak out. If he starts to get anxious in a situation, to show good leadership you must continue along as if there is nothing wrong. It is hard to do, but the more you stay calm and confident, the better. Your dog wants to please you and follow you, but only if you show good leadership.
Stay calm, but assertive and ONLY REWARD BRAVE BEHAVIOUR. This is really important, when your dog does show brave behavior, lots of praise, the more praise they get the more they will want to repeat that behavior over and over.
This is how we achieve the repetition and consistency you need with your dog. Also, don’t let your dog walk on a tight lead, keep the lead nice and loose so that it sends a calmer signal to your dog, when the lead is tight it does put them more on guard.