9000 Facebook Fans... Prizes coming soon.

We have just reached 9,000 fans on Facebook.... a big thank you to everyone who has joined the group.

When we get to 10,000 we are going to have a competition to celebrate. The competition will be open to all our Facebook fans. The details of how to win are top secret, but we can let you know some of the prizes.

The prize bundle will include:
- Your choice of Pooch & Mutt products
- Some 'Lets Bite' chewy treats thanks to our friends at Doggy Things
- A biodegradable, environmentally friendly dog bowl thanks to our friends at Becothings
- Some 'Thrive' 100% meat treats thanks to our friends at Thrive

We will hopefully be adding more to the booty before we reach the 10k.

To join our facebook group and be eligible to win all these goodies visit www.facebook.com/poochandmutt

Hettie - A chow with stiff joints

This is Hettie. A chow who had very stiff joints... then her owner, Joy, discovered Mobile Bones - Joint supplement for dogs.

To read her full testimonial click here.

2 dod on Bionic Biotic: Benjy & Henry

New story: Benjy & Henry


Benjy is a Yorkshire Terrier (who likes chasing pigeons)



Henry is a Cavalier King Charles



Both dogs are fed Pooch & Mutt's Bionic Biotic and Henry also has Mobile Bones, as his joints are a bit stiff.

You can read their full story here:
http://www.poochandmutt.com/bionicbiotic/bionic-biotic-testimonials/cavalier-stomach/

Labrador with tummy issues

Luka, pictured above, had tummy issues before trying Pooch & Mutt's Probiotic for dogs, Bionic Biotic.

He is doing really well now. He is very happy and so is his owner.... who now finds picking up after him a lot easier!!

Read Luka's full story here:
http://www.poochandmutt.com/bionicbiotic/bionic-biotic-testimonials/labrador-stools/

The Pooch and Mutt guide to Park Etiquette

There is something irresistible about the smell of freshly cut grass and what better way to experience it than to hit the park with your pooch!

It’s that time of year that you and your dog begin to explore new green spaces and enjoy warmer and longer afternoon strolls in the sunshine. There is a certain feeling of joy when you reach down to unleash your best friend out onto the green where he/she can roam freely.

However, it goes without saying that where humans and dogs come together accidents can also occur. Every year hundreds of people in the UK are involved in unnecessary dog biting incidents.

A study in the US showed that dog bites tend to peak during warmer weather. This is typically due to the fact that there are more children out during summertime and hot weather can cause some dogs to be more irritable.

The combination of playing children, tasty picnics and mutts chasing Frisbees can often become a both terribly exciting and equally frustrating environment for a dog to be in.

And unfortunately, not every Park is filled with responsible dog owners, so to make sure you're not one of these people here are some basic etiquette rules which you should consider when taking pooch out to play in the sun.

Moody mutts – Like us when the temperature rises dogs too can feel hot and bothered. To ease your dog’s irritability try walking your dog at cooler times of the day like mornings and late afternoons where there is a bit more shade. Make sure he/she has plenty of water to drink during the walk especially if your outing involves a cloggy car journey. If your dog is long haired don’t forget to book that seasonal appointment to the grooming salon.

Hay fever – Like us humans, dogs too can suffer from allergies like Hay Fever. Pooch and Mutt’s Bionic Biotic has a special ingredient called Methionine, which things it controls histamine release histamine is what triggers allergic reactions, such as hay fever. Bionic Biotic will also boost your dog’s immune system, which is important when they are out and about more, seeing, touching and eating new things.

Children and dogs – Kids can get very excited around dogs and often lose control of boundaries. Remember children should never be left unsupervised with a dog. They should also be taught dog safety just as they are taught how to cross a road. This type of doggy etiquette includes the fundamental rule of not petting a dog until it sees you and is able to sniff your hand. The Kennel Club offers sound advice on children and dogs including the Good Citizens dog scheme.

Clean Up: Many places threaten to fine you if your dog makes a mess and you fail to dispose of it correctly buy allowing a dog to leave behind any nasty surprises in public spaces is purely down right disgusting. To prevent the unintentional spreading of disease and intestinal parasites, pick up after your dog. Don’t forget to stay green and use biodegradable poop bags. Read our green blog for more tips on staying green.

Feasting ground - Dogs and food equals disaster especially when the food doesn’t belong to you. Between now and September parks and fields will be filled with sausage rolls, scones and many more human treats which will be a huge temptation for your greedy friend. Make sure you keep that leash nice and tight when entering picnic territory.

Social pups – If you have recently re-homed a dog or feel that your pooch hides away from too much action and excitement he may need to be socialised more. Socialising a dog is a huge part of making your dog a better pet for people to be around and should begin as soon as it can leave the house.

Join a local dog club or take your dog to busy areas like parks, town centres and beaches so they have plenty of interaction with humans.

Help us understand just how close you are to your dog by entering the following Pooch & Mutt survey online.

If you want to meet Pooch and Mutt visit the East Anglia Game Fair this weekend next to the dog crèche!

Canine Robinson Crusoes

This week’s story about Australian cattle dog, Sophie, is most definitely the ultimate feel good story for the Bank Holiday Weekend.

Sophie was a castaway for 4 months on a remote island in Australia before she was found by rangers who reunited her with her owners. Read the full story here.

This dog’s saving grace was down the fact that she loved and knew how to swim very well. The super pooch swam in up to six miles of shark infested waters before landing on the island where she fed off goats to stay alive.

But the burning question is, can all dogs swim? Milo for instance hates bath times and like him some dogs are genuinely afraid of the water, so don’t assume that your dog will naturally be able to swim.

The good news is instinctively all dogs have the ability to swim when and if they need to, but some are much better at it than others. This comes down to a dog’s body shape and physical ability. How much your dog enjoys contact with water is another matter and depends on his or her confidence.

The risks for canine swimmers are the same as for humans: deep, freezing waters or fast-flowing rivers and high banks can easily pose a danger. Even if your dog is an excellent swimmer whatever you do don’t leave him/her unsupervised when they are having a paddle.

Here are some swimmingly fantastic stories and tipsters for you:

Baywatch buster - Bilbo the Newfoundland has been patrolling the beaches of Cornwall for years. He has a track record for diving into the foaming depths, warding off swimmers on rough days and showing bathers they should only swim between the safety flags. Read more about the Baywatch dog that puts Pamela Anderson and the Hoffman to shame here.

Lucky pooch - A Cairn terrier with a phobia for water nearly drowned in the freezing North Sea. The lucky pooch escaped thanks to two fishermen who spotted the furry mutt and pulled him from the sea. Freddie had become confused by the fog while walking with his owner Jean and ended up in the water where he swam off in the wrong direction. Read more amazing animal survival stories here.

A swim a day keeps dysplasia at bay - Swimming has proven to be an excellent exercise for dogs with joint problems such as hip dysplasia. Read about the German Shepherd Nat who benefitted from her weekly dog hydrotherapy sessions after she was diagnosed with common health problem called hip dysplasia. Click here for the full story.

Doggy paddlers - American Water Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Portuguese Water Dogs and English Setters are just some of the most comfortable swimmers. If you want to find out more about breeds that were born to swim click here.

How to introduce your dog to water – There are right and wrong ways to do this, one of the wrong ways is to throw your pup into the water unexpectedly one of the right ways is to find a pool or pond that isn't rough and allow your dog to explore the area first and get his bearings. Read about how you can teach your dog to enjoy the water here.

Click here to watch some super cute swimming pooches in action.

Happy Easter from Milo & Lisa at Pooch and Mutt headquarters and dont forget to enter April's prize draw to win a bag of Bionic Biotic. Click here.

Who let the dogs out?

As Milo and I took a walk in the park the other day it suddenly dawned on me that winter was finally in its last stages. There is something special about breathing in the smell of freshly cut grass seeing first carpet of spring flowers emerging from the ground - Signs that Spring has well and truly sprung!

After the long winter sleep spring is the season in which nature wakes up and everything blossoms and with that immense feeling returns one of the greatest joys of being a dog owner; walking with your favourite four pawed friend on a sunny spring day, there really is nothing better in my books.

At long last Spring is here and it really is the season to celebrate dogs! Last week The Kennel Club awarded its best in show at Crufts (which received more than 22,000 dogs) and the cinemas are going dog crazy with the release of the long awaited blockbuster Marley & Me as well as showing Hotel for Dogs, Beverley Hills Chihuahua and Disney’s Bolt. But if you want to step out of the cinema and take a breath of fresh air with your pooch we thought we would give you a few fresh tips on how to make the most out of Spring.

Warmer weather = more walkies - You and your dog can now begin to enjoy the outdoors much more. Wave goodbye to those dreaded winter walks and make the most of those blossoming parklands and fresh country air. Check out Enjoy England’s top dog walks for a selection of great routes.

A probiotic a day keeps the vets at bay – The arrival of springtime also means the arrival of pollen. Believe it or not, like us, many dogs suffer from grass and pollen related allergies. You can prevent these occurring by introducing a natural probiotic like Pooch & Mutt’s Bionic Biotic which includes an essential amino acid called Methionine. This powerful antioxidant helps promote healthy skin, glossy coat and healthy nails. It can help maintain a dog’s defences against agents such as lead and other heavy metals found in airborne pollutants. Methionine is essential for the absorption, transportation and bioavailability of selenium and zinc in the body. Amongst other things it controls histamine release, most relevant to dogs with allergies.

Springtime means playtime – now that you can play outside more why not treat your pooch to a new springtime teddy from the Animal Rescue Site, a percentage of the proceeds goes to a rescue charity.

Adopt a dog – Now that the weather is better are you feeling like bringing a new pet into your life? Dogsblog.com is the dog adoption portal for anyone interested in re-homing a cute rescue pooch.

E-walks – Find new walking buddies, join a local dog club or just make new friends. Online communities like Petstreet and Meetup are great for learning about local dog events and new clubs so you can get out and about this spring.

Who let the dogs out? – Get your leash and collar and head out for some fun. There are plenty of doggy events taking place in April. If you fancy some Easter fun, Dog Friendly Britain lists all the latest dog shows and events for 2009. If you are in London why not visit the Cabbages and Frocks Dog Day Afternoon which will be held on 25th April in Marylebone.

Huge thanks to everyone who visited the Pooch & Mutt stand at Crufts last week. If you are feeling lucky don’t forget our monthly prize draw to win a bag of Bionic Biotic.

Pooch & Mutt at Crufts 2009

Pooch & Mutt is enjoying its first appearance at Crufts this week.

Founder, Guy Blaskey was interviewed by Dog World at the show. See the video clip online by clicking here Dog World blogs.

Dog World readers who visit the Pooch & Mutt stand this weekend can benefit from the exclusive £2 off reader offer featured inside the magazine's 'breeder notes' pages in the latest issue of Dog World.

Pooch & Mutt will also be conducting a poll on its stand in hall 4, stand 80 at Crufts, to find out how much we are splashing out on ourselves and our dogs as we enter the credit crunch.

We want to hear if you have cut back on spending in 2009. You can also take part in our poll online on our blog (the questions are on the right hand side column of this page).

For the latest news and updates on the largest dog affair in the world visit dogworld.co.uk/crufts

And dont forget the Pooch & Mutt monthly prize draw!

Red carpet rover – 5 steps to create an A-list dog

Blockbuster bowsers, historical hounds and comedy canines: acting dogs all over the world are pining for a place in the next Fido Awards the doggy equivalent to the Oscars which took place this week.

Is all that glamour and razzmattazz attainable for your four legged friend? The answer is it’s not impossible. You may be sharing your home with the next Rin Tin Tin or Hooch.

If you think your dog has what it takes to become the next rover on the red carpet here are is some advice on how to prepare your pooch for lights, camera and action.

Prepare a pawtfolio – The first thing to think about if your dog is going to be successful howlywood star is to prepare plenty of stunning and wacky pictures of him/her. Take some shots inside and outside and include the whole body in the frame. It’s also a good idea to have him sitting and standing so that talent scouts have an idea of your dog’s full dimensions. If you don’t quite feel confident enough handling a camera yourself then get a pet photographer to do a photo shoot. Although it may set you back anything between £70-100 it’s a nice way to treat you and your pet to some pretty pictures which you can always blow up and keep for yourself. Check out www.poochpawtraits.com or www.pawspetphotography.co.uk

Get an animal agent – The best way to get your dog into show biz is to enrol him/her into a dog acting/model agency. Animal Actors has been working with all types of exotic and domestic animals for the past 30 years. Their animals have made appearances in Tatler magazine, Indiana Jones and Clock Work Orange. Just send them a description of your dog and they will list him/her you for free or if you want more exposure then they can upload pictures onto the site for £12 a year. Contact info@animalactors.co.uk for more information. You can also enrol with Animal Dramatics, they supply animals for stage, commercials, motion pictures, photo

Train for the basics – Make sure that your pet has the basic training skills under his belt to get into showbiz, this doesn’t just mean he has to learn how to talk but you are responsible for making sure that your dog is sociable, house trained and not camera shy. A good tip is to prepare your dog by making him/her sit in a busy corridor with many distractions. A commercial or photo shoot set will be very busy so this should give you a good indication if your dog is scared of noise and crowded places. If you can also teach fetching and carrying a product by mouth or "speaking" on command you will have an advantage over other pet personalities. Just like human showbiz the world of doggy glamour is very competitive. You will be able to stand out amongst the crowd if you own a rare breed or talented pooch.

Fit for the screen – The most important rule of dog stardom is to make sure that your dog is fit and healthy for the screen. Get him into ship shape by feeding him healthy food and losing any excess weight. You could try getting a pet treadmill or just running with him more often. To get you off on the right paw start by introducing a daily supplement to their diet. This will give them a healthy overall boost. A natural dog supplement like Bionic Biotic includes all the natural ingredients to get your dog looking fit for the screen and a joint supplement like Mobile Bones will keep them agile and mobile enough to do all the activity requested by them on a shoot.

Make your dog famous online – Why not create your dog’s very own MySpace page or Dogbook profile page on Facebook for free. That way your dog will be accessible to millions of people online 24/7. You never know when that next opportunity will come about so why not be your own dog agent. You can even try to brand your dog and create viral online campaigns.

Click here to enter this month's Pooch & Mutt draw and win a bag of Bionic Biotic.

Dog depression – help your dog beat the winter blues

As winter descends rapidly upon us it becomes evident that with the change in seasons comes Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a dilemma which can affect our four pawed friends as well as us.

According to a study by the veterinary charity PDSA, one in every three dog and cat owners notices a dip in their pets' moods during the colder and darker months of the year. Pets also echo humans in turning to comfort food to combat symptoms of fatigue and depression.

So as we retire to our winter wardrobes to try and combat those chilly daily walking sessions with our furry friends here are some tit bits to help you fight the winter blues indoors and outdoors.

Practice party tricks - if the weather outside is particularly lousy why not give your pooch a good workout inside. Throw a toy up and down the stairs or challenge him/her to learn some new party dog tricks which you can show off to your family and friends after Christmas dinner.

Change the chow - Offering a variety of pet food and will help keep your pet healthy and interested in eating. You might want to consider reducing the amount of food you are feeding your dog since they are often less active during the winter months. If your dog has gone off his food or is showing signs of depression, digestive problems or a sensitive stomach try adding a natural dog supplement such as Bionic Biotic for your dog’s health and vitality and to protect against illness.

Winter pet accessories – If your dog is small, has short hair, or is older, you may want to consider purchasing a nice winter jacket to help keep him warm and dry on walks or a heated pet bed or dog igloo for bedtime. If you don’t fancy splashing out on too much then you can opt for a warm pet blanket.

Play hide and seek – This is always a very engaging activity for your pooch. Try hiding a favourite toy or some healthy treats around the house and let your dog sniff them out. This will not only stimulate him but it will put an end to those boring evenings indoors for both of you. If it’s snowing outside why not hide a few treats in the snow and let your dog dig for them.

Get active and warm up – We can’t avoid taking our dogs on walks this winter so when we are faced with those really cold days keep warm by running with your dog instead of walking. That way you get to keep warm and your dog gets rid of all that pent up energy which can build up when you stay indoors. Still cold? then keep your hands warm with a pair of clickable heated pads. Or keep them in your pockets with a wrist walker.

If your dog suffers from joint stiffness and its harder for him to move and exercise during the colder months add a spoonful of Mobile Bones with glucosamine for dogs to his/her regular food to promote looser joints and healthier bones.

Glowing for walks – As the days get shorter and it gets darker earlier outside invest in a flashing collar and lead set. This will not only keep you both safe from any traffic or cyclists you encounter on your walks but will allow you to spot your dog up to a mile away in large fields or shrubs in case he/she wonders a step too far.

Don’t forget that just spending time with your dog can be the cure for those depressing nights in. A simple stroke or walk with your dog is proven to have therapeutic effects on humans.

Let us know your own tips for keeping your dog happy and active during the winter months.

Enter our monthly prize draw to win a bag of Bionic Biotic.