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.

Cesar, Emperor of dogs?

I am tucking into the first few pages of my new book, Cesar’s Way, written by none other than America’s Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan and I am pleasantly surprised at his passionate views on dog psychology and the way in which he approaches the subject of dog training.

Cesar, who is to me the dog’s answer to Oprah Winfrey, explains in his book that more often than not the root of any dog dilemma is its owner, and I must say that I agree. After all it is easier to smother your best friend with treats and cuddles than act as the dominant pack leader put your foot down on those common dog habits which creep up from time to time.

But if the US answer to dog psychology is all a bit too much for you, Bruce Fogle’s New Complete Dog Training Manual, which is also RSPCA approved, is equally as impressive. It provides a straight forward and illustrated read to give you a step by step guide in dog training using food rewards and verbal praise. Bruce also helps you cure bad habits and learn useful bonding exercises such as retrieval to keep your dog happy as well as obedient.

As I continue my quest into improving my canine companionship I learn that to create a better bond with my dog is to go beyond teaching him to sit and stay. I have learnt that reading into his behaviour and responding in the correct way to his actions is the key to a successful relationship between us.

It remains for me to say that at some point we may all encounter or have encountered a dog behaving badly, pulling on the lead, chewing our antique furniture or even excessively barking at the neighbours.

However before you decide to visit a pet shrink, here are some British alternative ways to help you avoid visiting dog borstal if the going gets tough.

• If your dog is picking up destructive behaviour around the home or is overly active try and channel that energy into something positive like a dog sport. You may discover your dog has got a hidden talent like dog agility or field tracking.
• Join a social dog club. This is a great way to socialise your dog and interact with other dog owners facing similar problems as you. You can find many meet up groups over the internet and on social networks like Facebook.
• If you don’t have time to invest in attending any training classes, give online training a go, you may find out that the answer to a happier dog is at the click of your mouse.
• If all fails then seek the tailored services of a dog listener like Stan Rawlinson. A dog behaviourist will work individually with both dog and owner to get through common dog problems.
• If you can’t help being a bookworm there are plenty more dog books out there check out Dogwise which lists other bestselling titles. Remember that its never too late to build that pawfect relationship between you and your dog.

If you have spotted any useful online tips or blogs on training your pooch then send your comments or links to us.

Dont forget to enter this month’s Pooch & Mutt prize draw

'We're all going on a summer howliday'

If, like the mayor of London, you intend to flee the UK to catch a few rays this summer and you aren’t fortunate enough to depend on someone close to look after your prize pooch, what do you do?

There are several boarding options available for dog owners, but remember that selecting the right place for your four legged friend is paramount to his wellbeing. It will not only mean returning home to a happier pet but will also help prevent any nasty behaviour creeping up later on in life.

It’s also important to bear in mind that like us humans, dogs can experience depression and separation anxiety when their owners leave them behind. This is particularly true for dogs that become attached to their owners. Dogs that thrive on being in packs, like dachshunds, tend to whine for company if left alone.

Amongst other physical problems moving a dog to a different home is often the cause of dog diarrhoea.

So if fido doesn’t have a pet passport then there are a number of responsible boarding options which will give you peace of mind whilst you sip your cocktails in the sun.

Here is a quick guide with a few places you can leave your dog if he can’t travel with you this summer.

Home sweet home

The ideal scenario for any pet owner is to leave your dog at home and hire a reliable pet sitter. Although this may be the priciest option it is the most comfortable as your dog won’t need to adapt to any strange surroundings or new companions.

There are several ways to find a professional pet sitter, the best option is to ask a friend to recommend one otherwise you can search on the Internet (always check that the person is registered and insured to take care of your dog in their or your home). If in doubt use a bespoke pet sitting agency such as Animal Aunts.

Kitsch Kennels

If you feel that your dog’s requirements are less needy then you can opt for traditional kennel boarding. If you are new to leaving your dog in a kennel then go and check out the property before you book it and ask if you can trial it by leaving your dog overnight to see how he adapts.

These days most kennels have some excellent facilities including webcams which allow you to see how your dog is getting on whilst you are away!

There are plenty of quality boarding kennels which will board your dog at a reasonable fee whilst still providing all the care needed.

Training trips

If you have a young dog or you want to improve your dog’s behaviour whilst you are away then look into selecting a kennel which provides on site training. This is wonderful for anyone how feels particularly worried about their pet’s behaviour in their absence.

The Royvon Dog Training School, for example, is perfect if you think your mutt could do with whipping those paws into shape whilst you are away. They offer on site behaviourists and trainers to guide your dog on a daily basis and even give you a recommended activity schedule according to breed and ability standards.

Pampered pets

However, if you want to spoil your pooch with a pampered retreat you can select one of the UK’s deluxe dog hotels. You may have to travel that extra mile however if you are keen to avoid boarding kennels altogether it pays to invest a little more time in finding that perfect canine holiday package.

A fabulous option is The Paw Seasons, a family run retreat which caters specifically for dogs and welcomes them into the home as their own pets. The Canine Country Club is another great option. The hotel offers 15 doggy suites equipped with single beds, furniture and under floor heating they even go as far as hanging pictures and ticking clocks in their suites to make your mutt feel right at home.

Don’t forget that your best friend deserves to be treated with the best care wherever you go this summer! Wherever you decide to leave your pooch this summer consider all your options carefully before you make your final decision.

However if you don’t want to leave your dog behind this summer you can opt to holiday in the UK and take your pooch with you. There are a number of dog friendly holiday options scattered around the UK and Ireland. Milo and I will be looking at some options for you next week.