2 Simple Herbs that benefit Greyhounds & Whippets

Few dogs today have the ability to select their diet. The choice is simple - eat or go hungry.
Food benefits in several ways:

• to satisfy hunger
• dogs LOVE to enjoy food ! (smiles and wagging tails tells us)
• to heal, to repair and to maintain tissue and body chemistry to it's optimum
• In other words – maintain homeostasis - perfect balance e.g. HEALTH 

Dogs are inherently omnivores, which means they can and and will eat a variety of foods from plant and animal sources. (Some vets say dogs are scavengers - meaning they will eat anything - and often do)

You may have noticed when out walking your greyhounds or whippets, they will often stop and graze on grass verges and in the hedgerows.

Many dog owners simply refuse to allow this, which is very sad. Dogs have an instinctive nose for what is good for them, (particularly if they have an ailment that may not have reached your awareness). There is ample evidence to support this if you look. Obviously be aware of what they are 'chewing' and take notice, and if you are more comfortable researching first, then pull them away and go home and research the plant first.

Have some fun doing it. Take a picture, and bring a sample home with you, put it in water while you research it. You will be amazed at the treasures to be found growing naturally around you, and how much better than jumping straight for the synthetic chemicals which can do more harm than good

One such herb is the Cleavers plant, often called the 'sticky plant' characterized by small sticky burrs that will stick to your clothes if you pass by them.

One of our hounds a lady in her 12th year, who makes a bee line for this plant when it is in season (March onwards in the UK). She has suffered with some spay related incontinence in the past, and this is her way of treating herself, but naturally. Who can argue with her inherent knowing that this will help her condition?

Another easy to find and cheap herb for greyhounds and whippets is parsley. If you add a few sprigs to their evening or morning meals, it will add iron, carotenoids, and vitamins B, C* & K to their diets.
(*Dogs manufacture their own vitamins C)

As a firm believer in natural healing, I would never prevent any dog from 'browsing' the verges, providing it is clean and clear of debris. They have their own sense of what's good for their bodies, as we all do. If we listen....

Teeth Brushing for Greyhounds & Whippets

Greyhounds are not known for their bone chewing abilities, which is inherent in some breeds - who use it to their advantage. The bone gnawing process acts as a good teeth cleaning exercise removing plaque and debris, as well as massaging the gums which also adds to the health of the teeth, keeping them firm and sharp. In ancient times, dogs would naturally gnaw at raw bones after consuming the meat from the carcass after the kill.

Greyhounds should ideally have their teeth cleaned daily if possible, or at the very least weekly.  After food is eaten, food not swallowed will sit around the teeth finding a nice warm gap to nestle into, the environment is perfect for breeding fellow bacteria, helping to create tartar plaque and with it, unpleasant breath.

The next meal will dislodge the stored rubbish around the mouth and it will be sent down to the gut with the next meal, creating upset stomachs and poor digestive health. So it really is important to work on those teeth and start brushing.

How to clean a Greyhound's Teeth

It isn't advisable to go bounding up to your dog brandishing your toothbrush weapon and burst in on their mouths with gusto, expecting co-operation. Greyhounds (and many other dogs) won't be too agreeable to this approach. The best start if you're new to cleaning your dog's teeth, is ......gently.

Start with a regular human toothbrush, choosing the softest version. If you've got two dogs, male and female, choose a pink and blue, so you can distinguish one from the other when you put them away later. Here's my methods, which works.

Get ready: Ideally choose a time when the dog is lying down peacefully, after a meal or later at night when they are relaxed and dozy.

Get a pyrex type bowl 3/4 full with warm (not cold, nor hot) water. Get a towel and place it under your dog's neck.

Starting very gently, dip the toothbrush into the water and take the least intrusive area of your dog's mouth, e.g. lift the lip and very slowly introduce the soft brush to the mouth and focus brushing this one area until the hound is completely comfortable you being there. As s/he relaxes you can move a little further into the mouth and gently brush away. After a minute or two, dip the brush into the water to freshen and clean the brush and return to the teeth again. The hound will like the freshness of the clean water and helps them tolerate a bit more of the invasion.

If there is any plaque at all on the teeth, after 5-10 minutes of gentle brushing you will find this loosens, and you can either crack it off the teeth with your nail or a scaler.

Keep going as long as he will tolerate the invasion, and if s/he objects, leave it and come back to it again next day or later the same day. That way your dog will become used to this routine and will find it quite pleasing.

If you want to use a toothpaste this helps not only with breath freshening, but also the cleaning itself. Here's a simple recipe that can be made cheaply and easily at home. It can be kept for a few months.

Dog Toothpaste - Home Made - Super Simple

2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil (softened slightly)
2-3 drops of Essential Peppermint oil

             

Mix the first two ingredients together fully, then when completely combined, add a few drops of
peppermint oil.

There is nothing harmful or unpleasant tasting for the dog, and it is simple, cheap and effective.


It can be stored in a cool dark cupboard at home in a jam jar or any sealed top jar or container.

WARNING: Please see note below.

NB: Baking Soda and Baking Powder are different !!!
Please use the correct version.

Here's a quick video explaining the difference: Click the link below.

Baking Powder Versus Baking Soda

Greyhounds - What's good about them?

Adopting or sharing your home with a beautiful new Greyhound companion is a pleasure and a joy, as all Greyhound adopters will know. But what do we know about these dogs prior to sharing our lives with them. 

I came across a website the other day which I'd like to share. I think it sums up precisely the 'way' of these wonderful animals. Here's excerpt...

"With his quiet dignity and independence, the Greyhound is often likened to a cat.

Once past the puppy stage, he is calm and quiet indoors, moving lightly and gracefully, not toppling your lamps and fulfilling his role as couch potato quite admirably.

Though he needs a safe, enclosed area in which to sprint all-out a couple of times a week, he is built for sheer speed rather than endurance and doesn't require hours of exercise.

The fastest of all breeds (he can outrun a horse in a sprint), once he has exploded into his powerful driving gallop for a short time, he is content to sleep for the rest of the day.

This sensitive breed prefers peace and quiet and soft-spoken people. He does not do well in an environment with frequent tension or loud voices.

Most Greyhounds are politely reserved with strangers, and prefer to lean against their owner's leg rather than approaching people they don't know.

Greyhounds are peaceful with other dogs who are medium to large in size, but because of their heritage, they can be a serious chaser of cats and tiny dogs. However, many individuals can learn to coexist with these smaller pets. If you acquire your Greyhound from a Rescue League (who specialize in adoptions of ex-racing dogs), your dog will have been carefully screened for "cat compatibility."

Greyhounds are non aggressive (they tend to freeze when challenged or attacked) and they can be touch-sensitive (startling when touched unexpectedly). Because they are so docile, they must be trained with a very light hand and much more praise than correction"

Here's the rest of the article here.

A little bit of history and 'Shoebox'

A few months ago we opted in to a piece of software for saving images. It's called Shoebox, they're based in Canada, a bit like Dropbox, (which most people will be familiar with). One distinct difference about Shoebox is that they automatically send (as often, or as infrequently as you choose), an image from the past - it's pretty random - in email format. When you open the email, you never know what you're going to get (as Forrest Gump would say) and you're presented with the image they've chosen from no particular time in the past.

Today's image was from 2010, which was a bit surprising, as we'd forgotten how long it was that we'd started the Lily Peeps idea. It started from a desire to find a coat for one beautiful Greyhound. Ellie. (seen here), who was adopted from Daybreaks Kennels (Perry Barr RGT) in 2007. Her kennel name is Tully Mully Chloe from Ireland. She's as beautiful now as she was then, if not more so. An angel hound, like no other.

The first prototype coat worn by the perfect model - she'd look good in an old bath towel. :)

Understanding Greyhounds Part Two

I'd like to introduce Mary Jane Fox who contacted us recently. 

She is an American lady who has lived in Ireland for the past 14 years. For 10 of those years she ran a Greyhound rescue called Orchard Greyhound Sanctuary. Here is a glimpse of her life with Greyhounds, and her work subsequent to the sanctuary years. 

..." I ran it like no other rescues at that time. The dogs lived in small groups and each group had their own living space. All the groups took turns having the run of 2+ grassy acres and had loads of personal attentions. I specialized in bad cases.....and there were plenty.

...."I had to stop running the sanctuary for my own health reasons, and now I am helping Greyhounds in other ways...Last year I published a book on pet greyhounds that was unlike most other Greyhound books out there. It is called Understanding Greyhounds. Our Companions through the Ages (available on Amazon) 

...." In recent months as I see more and more Greyhounds getting adopted, living in towns and cities, I have seen that many do not have sufficient support from the rescue centres they come from. So, I decided to work on a second book on Greyhounds as Pets, specifically for people living in urban areas. I have written a whole chapter on weather and coating and wanted to add some information about weather and coating and House Coats & Pyjamas. " I still do some rescue work with Greyhounds by finding special homes for those difficult backgrounds. I take in one very poor case at a time"

Here is an excerpt from Mary Jane's book Understanding Greyhounds, Our Companions Through the Ages.

Nowadays, more and more people living in urban environments are increasingly adopting greyhounds and other sight hounds as pets. Although all kinds of dogs live successfully in urban areas, there are some important behavioural and physiological differences that new greyhound owners should be aware of. This book offers a wide range of practical tips and advice to help pave the way towards a more enjoyable and fulfilling human-canine relationship, and it follows on from a previous book, Understanding Greyhounds: Our Companions Through the Ages. Both are available through Amazon. 

To find out more about Mary Jane, visit her Facebook page here 

Here is the cover from each book. 
Could this be the ideal Christmas present for a new adopter? You decide. 

PS: We are NOT affiliated to the books and derive no income from their promotion 
We are merely spreading the word of a fellow hero for Greyhounds, & devoted lover of our wonderful greyhound friends. Take a look at Mary Jane's Facebook page, and drop her message, she would love to hear from you!

Understanding Greyhounds Part One

Most of us who are lucky enough to have a hound or two in their lives will begin to know and understand their beautiful companions fairly quickly. Most adopted greyhounds like the simple life. An early morning constitutional, followed by their favourite breakfast, closely followed by a long rest (ideally upside down on your favourite sofa). An afternoon walk, dinner, then more rest.

In between these very important events, fuss, cuddles and conversations with their adopters is a must. Your job is fairly simple as their adopter. Keep to the schedules (they know the time of day to the minute without clocks/watches), and woe betide you if you're late with walks & food times.

There are a few other tasks we should perform on a regular basis, including brushing - this helps stimulate the lymphatic system and blood-flow (after all that resting it's a good thing for their bodies). Teeth cleaning is really really important. Most greyhounds are unable to eat 'bones' that other breeds can happily chew on, which cleans their teeth beautifully - so we need to step in and take over the bone job for them. I use a scaler, and a soft toothbrush. If you've never done it before, introduce the concept slowly - as they'll spit out, resist, and generally be very uncooperative. After a few attempts they will consign themselves to the 'ordeal' and just let you do a tidy up in the mouth.

Sometimes the tartar builds up and becomes almost like a shield or another layer of hard substance on their teeth - particularly at the back where it's difficult to see. A soft toothbrush from the local chemist, a bowl of water beside you and an agreeable hound is the place to start. There'll be some huffing and puffing and resistance to start with, but persevere and do the bits you can get to, and as you soft-brush, you'll loosen the tartar (if there is any present) and you can pull it off with your nail.

If you think about it, the amount of food debris that sits in a nice warm environment at the back of the mouth is a wonderful invitation to bacteria. This bacteria then waits for the next meal to come along, and is swallowed down into the hound. This build of waste food continues to layer on the teeth. If the debris is not removed, it will eventually rot the tooth (or teeth) causing great pain, and eventually loosen the tooth which falls out. I don't know about you, but I know the pain of toothache, and would not wish that on any hound or anyone.

One thing to add. If you adopt an older hound with bad teeth, just start the process of cleaning. It IS worth it, and will save their system being poisoned, and prevent any future discomfort from tooth problems down the line. There is a great feeling of satisfaction when you finally remove a great chunk of tartar. It's really does come away if you beaver away at it. It also helps to keep the breath nice and fresh too of course.

Part Two - is on a slightly different theme, and relates to a book written by a friend from Ireland. I will be posting about it tomorrow.

Autumn is on it's way

The leaves are beginning to fall, and the nights are drawing in. Heating is now going on early evening...and staying on mostly. Mornings are now fresher and cooler, and coats are coming out for our hounds who feel the temperature change with their bald chests and tums!

So now is an ideal time to provide your hound with a nice warm winter coat from our collection! We have some lovely coats to choose from - double layer fleece coats in a large choice of colours that you can choose from our swatch page, or, if you want something waterproof (and ours are 100% waterproof) you can choose a Classic coat or the Chi Chi version which has a stylish vented 'bib' under the snood with a chest piece beneath. Either coat style can be fleece or cotton lined. Up to you. They are elegant smart and functional.

We use top of the range raincoat fabric (according to our supplier it is their best fabric - and they have a LOT of waterproof fabric), All our coats are washable at 40 degrees. The double fleece coats dry in no time, and the raincoats are not far behind though they must not be put in a tumble dryer.

If you're after a house coat or pajamas, I think you will like our version. They are very handsome and smart. They are fleece top, with a cotton lining, of your choice from our swatch page. All have a chest cover. There is attractive vent over the rump, which looks so cute as they trot around the house, and each one is trimmed with ribbon to match the fabric colour.  They are fastened over the back with twin ties - which are soft and do not impede comfort,

Check out the coats on the website and if you need help with anything, drop us an email either via the contact page or directly to info@lilypeeps.co.uk

We're going to be talking about black hounds next, so check us out if you have time within the next few days.

Thanks for visiting!

New Website

Our old website has served us well. However, it has been in serious need of an update for Mr. Google and Co to perform their magic, and also for the security of users and ourselves.

It's hard to let go of something that has been with us for the last five years, but it really needed some attention. We've had problems with products not loading properly and other irritations for our customers, which we don't want. So, during the week ending 18th September 2016 we will be live.

For those customers who've hobbled around the old site, I think they will find the new one a breeze, It looks nice and clean and fresh. It should be automatically visible when the Lily Peeps domain name is transferred to its new location by the end of this week! Let us know if you like - or not!

Any problems, just email us via the contact page.

Thank you!
From Lily Peeps

Brown Patches on the lawn?

When you have dogs, that sense of pride that many people have for their lawns, disappears, particularly when ugly brown patches appear on your well tended lawn.

Nitrogen waste products are the result of protein breakdown through normal bodily processes, therefore the nitrogen in the urine causes the lawn spots. We all know that Nitrogen is a great fertilizer but not in these doses that is why the outside of the brown spot is quite lush. So what's the answer? Many years ago when visiting Crufts at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, we bought a brown bag with a few rocks inside which were guaranteed to stop the acid marks.

(Dog rocks are mineralised rock which when placed in a dog’s water bowl change the Nitrogen levels of a dog’s urine, thus preventing stained grass. The key element is Zeolite, which neutralizes Nitrogen levels without altering the pH level of the water). They didn't work at all, so it was back to the brown patches. We all know that urine is made up of uric acid, the clue is in the word - acid, so whilst some gardens do have a more acid pH level than others, the uric acid content in urine would be higher and hence cause the grass burn.

What's the Solution?

There are a few things to do to reduce or eliminate the problem. One is simply following your hound outside before the 'event' and then pouring a watering can full of clean water over the affected area, thus diluting the acid and lessening the burned brown effect. This will allow the excess nitrogen to leech or dilute through the lawn and reduce the concentration in one area. It is recommended to treat the areas up to 9 hours after urination and to apply at least three times the amount of water to urine to the area. This could be a tedious operation to faithfully follow day in and day out. 

Another more effective way is to add Apple Cider Vinegar to the drinking water. Start with a teaspoonful, increasing by small amounts over days and weeks, building up to a tablespoonful in the water bowl, to allow your hound to become familiar with the taste gradually. This will negate the Nitrogen imbalance and should solve the problem. The Apple Cider Vinegar can be also be added with the food.

Important Note!

If you decide to try this method, do buy a quality Apple Cider vinegar, not the cheap processed versions in the super market. Here in the UK Aspall are the best, and is the one I buy for personal use for salad dressings etc.

 

Important Note 2!

Remember, that if you try the vinegar method, you are also adding a very healthy product to your dog's diet.
Apple Cider Vinegar has countless health giving properties, including help for arthritis and many others, for humans, AND dogs. I will be writing a separate article on this subject in the next day or so.  

The Power of Fireworks...

Almost 8 pm on Thursday 5th November 2015, and no doubt there are countless millions of people gathered around bonfires watching fireworks explode into the (very damp) night sky. Here, the sky
is alive with colourful stars. All very pretty......until they explode into ever louder bombs. Our Greyhounds are hiding away in corners, under pillows, under covers, terrified and confused by it all. Yes, it happens every year at this time, and we should get used to it, but the hounds do not.

Years ago, I spoke to a man from Trading Standards in Birmingham about the dilemma of fireworks' noise
and the effect on animals. His reply was that fireworks do not HAVE to have noise, they are created that way for maximum effect, and it seems, they are created ever more so every year. It is like a war zone here, and sadly it won't be for just one night Bonfire Night, as it used to be, it will no doubt continue well into the week end and beyond. So animals everywhere, indoors and out will just have to like it or lump it, and so too their equally suffering owners who do their best to pacify and calm their animals by any means possible, from thunder shirts, rescue remedy, calming pills and potions galore, along with comforting words....and so on and on and on. As this is being typed, we have YouTube on in the background with Ludovico Einaudi piano music - which seems to be soothing them just a little. Blissful stuff. It is not only stressful for domestic pets, it is equally, if not more stressful for wildlife outdoors, sheep, horses, cows, roosting birds in the trees, never mind hibernating animals everywhere. How selfish is humanity, we could so easily make these monsters into quiet monsters......for the animals. How I wish we could.

 

Are Ear Mufflers the answer?

Lovely sunny day to be going to Perry Barr RGT's Annual Fun Day at Solihull Riding School. Glorious day and so many wonderful hounds wandering serenely around looking just beautiful as they always do.
The atmosphere at any greyhound event is always a pleasing one. Very rarely are there any spats growls or grumbles, just a peaceful acceptance of their kindred breed (greyhounds love greyhounds mostly).
However there is one thing my two dislike intensely at these sort of do's - and that is THE TANNOY - it is quite loud for a good reason - so people can hear and be informed of the next class in the show ring, but so many dogs stand there trembling and shaking. It IS pretty loud to be fair, so I can sympathise.

May be someone should come up with some ear mufflers to protect those Oh so sensitive ears

((looks like someone already has)!

Lou Lou Shower Mac NEW

A couple of days ago, we posted about a newer, heavier-weight version of our popular Shower Mac with Hood. We've done a prototype using the heavier fabric, and Louis is shown here modelling it (with great reluctance)! It is the same design as the standard light-weight version, but with a heavier fabric. It is lined (in this case) with royal blue and white spot cotton fabric. We're calling it the Lou Lou Shower Mac. Currently there are 3 colours available, Royal, Red and Black with any choice of cotton lining shown on our swatch page.

There a few edits we are planning which will be completed by the beginning of next week (week beginning 24th August). It will be available for Greyhounds, sizes 24-32, and Whippets sizes 18-24. For further information, please contact us at lilypeeps@gmail.com

Lou Lou Shower Mac with Hood - NEW

They say you can't please all the people all of the time; and if you are in business and you merrily go along thinking you can; then you're wrong. We have sold an awful lot of our Greyhound (& Whippet) Shower Macs with Hood; They are simply a portable shower mac, rather like the sort you would scrunch up and put in a bag to take with you on a day out, if there's a chance of rain. They are not designed for monsoons or deluges; that is more the job our our Greyhound or Whippet Raincoats, which we guarantee to be 'all-day-waterproof'.

We had a customer recently who bought two Shower Macs, but was unhappy with the quality of the fabric.There is always a positive side to everything. Oddly, we do happen to have another waterproof fabric in our stock room which has been sitting there doing nothing for many months, and could fit the bill for this customer, so we have sent samples for her to look at. Again it isn't quite the quality of our Classic or Chi Chi Raincoats fabrics, but it is certainly of good quality & weight, and it is rain proof.

On thinking about this, we decided to introduce an alternative to the Shower Mac using this fabric. It will be the same design as the Shower Mac, with hood, no chest piece, but will be lined with cotton fabric of choice (see swatch page). We have made a few to test them out and they look smart, heavier and we hope, will appeal to customers who would like the alternative.

Here is a picture of our original Standard Shower Mac with Hood, the new one will look likewise, but heavier - and lined. Price we anticipate to be around £30 plus postage.

Any and all comments - are welcome

Huff and puff......& relax!

After what seems like weeks and weeks of organising, packing, preparing and general faffing....we finally moved, and are (sort of) settling in. Loads of work to be done here to get us straight and in some sort of order, but the outlook is positive and there IS light at the end of the tunnel, and it isn't the oncoming train! (Well not this time, thankfully)! The hounds were not at all happy with any of it, Ellie would have nothing to do with the house and sat in garden, intermittently digging a hole in the lawn with great gusto and enthusiasm.

The hole - we decided - would make a very nice 'feature' so we filled it with compost and planted it up with plants from the umpteen pots and planters we brought with us. Thanks Ellie, you did us a favour, it looks lovely in front of the bird bath.

Anyway, both hounds are settled at last, and I can safely say, they have adopted their new abode as home. Relief all round.

Here's Louis demonstrating his 'acceptance' of life in the new pad!

Turmeric - for Greyhounds?

I've always believed that natural medicine is better than the sledgehammer approach of the big pharmaceutical companies. After all, Hippocrates did say ' let food be your medicine, let medicine be your food'. Not only that, but I also believe that nature provides all the answers to our health, and in a much gentler way, that goes for man or animal.

Over the past few weeks my girl Ellie has been off her food, disinterested in just about everything put in front of her. We cook for our hounds so the food they have is always fresh, healthy and nutritious. She has never been a voracious eater, she nibbles gently at her food and rarely gobbles it down (like Louis), but she always eats in her own time, so this was a  worry.

We tried everything to entice her, including, sardines, tuna, cheese, ham, sausages, fresh chicken, the list went on, but nothing interested her. It was Saturday of course, so vets are closed and Sunday lay ahead.

I posted about Ellie on our Facebook page lilypeepsgreyhoundsandco, and luckily for us a certain follower saw the post and commented. He said he was now a regular user of Turmeric for his hounds and that they thrived on it. I was directed to a page on Facebook called TUG (Turmeric Users Group). I went to take a look, and was staggered to see a following of 88,000 active members, so I joined, membership pending

In the meantime, I made a paste for Ellie with the basic info I had been given by Roger from the page post. I mixed turmeric, virgin coconut oil and cracked black pepper together into a paste and gave Ellie a teaspoonful. Several hours later, and after a good long walk, it was dinner time for hounds. Amazingly, Ellie was hungry and actually looking for food. I put the food down for them and she wolfed hers down with gusto. Coincidence? I don't know, but it was an amazing transition from the past two weeks. So let's say I am hooked.

The TUG group was started by a Vet in Queensland Australia, you can read all about it on their website Turmeric Life Australia the page here: Turmeric Users Group - I think you will be amazed and excited by this amazing herb. It has extraordinary properties that beat cancer, arthritis, skin conditions and many many more. There is testament to these claims from users on the group with photographic evidence.

It is not only effective, but simple, and inexpensive to make. All it takes is half a teaspoon twice per day in the food or wrapped in something they will eat. You can make the paste and put it in a jar, it keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks. We know our dogs are worth it.

PS it is important to use organic turmeric and coconut oil, as the active elements are removed from shop bought versions. See more on the website.

Resources: 
Turmeric Wikipedia Info
Turmeric Life Australia
Turmeric Users Group (TUG)

NEW Luxury Greyhound Coats

We're excited to introduce our new Luxury Greyhound Coats. They are elegant, smart and cosy. We currently have two styles; Ariane shown below. Fleece on top and lined with soft faux leopard fur, and twin faux leather straps. The snood has a deep fur trim without the need for fold over. Arnaud is similar with baby giraffe fur. They look good with fleece colours camel, black or brown.

Louis is modelling the Ariane coat, and Louis below in the Arnaud. There is a matching martingale collar to go with each coat and a luxury throw in your colour choice.   

Time to get the warm coats out

Yesterday was the first real frost we've seen this year, but for late November, it's to be expected. It was sunny and bright later which made for a real Christmas feel to the day. Today was another hard frost with the added fog early, so we were unable see our friends walking in the park. It's nearly mid day here and the sun's peeking though. Love the crisp mornings with the sun out, England is so beautiful at this time of the year, and Cannock Chase is full with the glorious burnt orange colours on those trees with leaves remaining.

We've now ditched the raincoats for a while and have fished out the Double Fleece coats which are super cosy and warm. Here's Louis and Ellie wearing their warm twin top fleece coats on Cannock Chase.  

The Purple Poppy

Tomorrow is Armistice Day, the day England remembers those who lost their lives protecting our nation during the many conflicts of the past 100 or so years. Traditionally we will wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembering those whose lives were extinguished in such huge numbers and often so young. There were millions of other victims of war too.......

The Purple Poppy

What it means: This poppy was created in 2006 to remember the animal victims of war. All donations go to the charity Animal Aid, who say of their appeal: "During human conflicts, animals have been used as messengers, for detection, scouting and rescue, as beasts of burden and on the front line. Please wear a purple poppy and help us to raise awareness of these forgotten victims." "Animals are not heroes, they are victims. They do not give their lives, they are taken."

How to wear it: Alongside your purple, white and/or red poppy.
War affects all living things. Lest we forget.

Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night....sounds cosy, fun and good doesn't it. But not so for our hound friends. We have a trembling household when the bangs go off. It seems they get louder each year. I've seen them displayed in shops, with names so fearful you'd think we were in a war zone protecting ourselves from an enemy. But hey, it is only a bit of fun isn't it. Well it isn't fun for animals, indoors or out. The birds outside have roosted for the night, so they will be affected, the cows, sheep and horses, foxes, small mammals and others must all be terrified.
We understand that Teresa May has a petition going asking for people to support regulation for fireworks - signed of course, and shared. How many people who fire these 'weapons' into the sky actually think about those who may not share their enthusiasm for such noise? Hate to be a damp squib, but for me when I see our houndies in such fear and terror, I can't go with the majority of firework revellers. I hope one day it will be regulated so that only responsible, licensed individuals can be allowed to light them and let them off, and ideally in brownfield site areas away from anything that breathes! Had my annual bonfire night moan now. Just hope it doesn't run for the next fortnight....as it often does

 

October is nearly upon us, and it will be Halloween before we know it, and
then Bonfire Night. We used to love it as children, on Halloween night we always had a large Pumpkin which my mum would skilfully carve into a scary evil monster face, with a candle behind the face.

On Bonfire Night, we would have our friends visit to sit round the bonfire with us. We'd have roasted chestnuts - which were started off in the Aga, and finished off under the bonfire along with bonfire baked (and usually burned) jacket potatoes with loads of butter which we would sit and eat in front of the bonfire with grubby fingers and a sparkler in the other hand. My father would be in charge of the fireworks - which by today's standards were pretty feeble in comparison. To start with there would be the inevitable Roman Candle (or two) and a few whoosh, wow rockets which used to amaze us how they flew so far into the night sky. Then my father would sneakily let off the old Jumping Jacks, these were curled up corkscrew type fireworks, that would jump all over the place (as the name suggests)....they seemed to follow you wherever you ran. Wasn't so keen on those, and then the good old Catherine wheel, which he would nail to a tree, light the end, then we would wait expectantly while it decided to spin....or not! (Often the latter), he usually had a couple of spares, and generally at least one would work. It was a great night, we really looked forward to it.

As I've grown older (and wiser, and more cynical) I now see the damage that fireworks cause, not only to people but animals too. I often wonder if the people who enjoy the displays so much ever give a thought to the animals who don't understand what the noise is about. Horses, sheep and cows in the fields, birds and wildlife and of course dogs (and cats). I think they have now become a nuisance and spread fear to so many animals. The days of the gentle sit round the bonfire with a the odd banger and a few rockets, seems to have gone to extremes; it seems there is a quest now as to who has the loudest, most spectacular show. I'm no longer a fan. Take me back to the old days!

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