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Banish Dog Breath At The Dorset County Show
OWNERS affected by nasty niffs from their dog will be able to enjoy a breath of fresh air and cuddle their dog again, thanks to free Dog Breath Clinics at the Dorset County Show.
As part of the Show’s Dog Stars 2010 theme, Dorchester’s Southfield Veterinary Centre will be offering the Show’s first Dog Breath Clinics on September 4-5, to show owners how to freshen up their dogs’ pongy breath.
Meat-flavoured toothpaste and dental chews are just two of the weapons available to pet owners and Southfields vet, Verity Griffiths warns that a hound’s halitosis should always be tackled. ‘Bad breath in a dog is not just nasty, it’s a warning sign of dental disease. The associated bacteria is absorbed into the blood stream and carried to other organs, which is why heart problems in older dogs are frequently due to poor oral health. Liver and kidney problems can also occur.
‘You can help by feeding your dog dry food, giving suitable chew toys and brushing teeth but never use human toothpaste as it is far too harsh.’
Southfields can offer dog owners micro-chipping at a Show special price of £15, along with lifelong registration on the National Petlog. Verity said: ‘We also have free veterinary dental food samples from Royal Canin and vouchers to redeem against future purchases such as wormers and identichips.’
Meanwhile, owners of tubby Terriers or lardy Labradors can give their dog a dietary wake-up call at the free dog Weight Check Point at the Parkhouse Pet Supplies stand.
Pet food manufacturers Royal Canin, in partnership with Parkhouse Pet Supplies, will have animal nutrition experts on hand to weigh dogs on specialist scales and give their owners advice on how to stop piling on the canine calories.
Trevor Beaton from Royal Canin said: ‘About one-third of dogs in this country are considered to be overweight with about 10 per cent obese.
‘It is generally thought that when a dog is 15 per cent of its bodyweight overweight, it is considered clinically obese and may be in need of veterinary consultation, a special diet and monitoring programme.
‘It’s not always just about reducing the amount and type of food a dog eats. We will be offering tips and ideas to increase the amount of exercise owners give their dogs to help them live a healthier lifestyle.’
Other Dog Stars events at the Dorset County Show
- The ultimate in dog communication, Wolfman Shaun Ellis, is an ex-Commando who lives with a pack of wolves in North Devon. Mr Ellis has starred in several British and American TV programmes, and he recently appeared in a series with Martin Clunes, to explain to him how dogs live in packs.
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The Exeter X-Factor Flyball Team are set to become stars of the Show. Teams of four dogs will be wowing the crowds by relay racing over hurdles and catching tennis balls.
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Dorset Dogs Got Talent finals. Following the success of Chandi, the dancing dog who reached the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, Show organisers have launched their own Dog’s Got Talent contest for owners to upload pet antics to the Dorset Echo website.
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The hound parade, featuring beagles and foxhounds from the Cattistock and South Dorset Hunts, and local kennels, followed by the famous ‘hug a hound’ opportunity for children to enter the ring and meet the dogs.
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Expert search and retrieval of items hidden in the lake by highly trained English Springer Spaniels.
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Terrier racing, featuring teams of six dogs chasing a toy rabbit round a course.
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Dog agility demonstrations, including a chance for visitors to test their dog’s talent through the course of tunnels and jumps.
Show secretary Sam Mackenzie-Green, the proud owner of Wellington, a black Labrador, said: ‘Dorset is a dog-loving county but there are still a lot of places you can’t take your pet on a family day out.
‘At the Dorset County Show, family dogs get free entry with adult tickets and this year there will be a cavalcade of races, displays and parades to promote and encourage all aspects of dog ownership.’
Dog lovers can browse a host of stands promoting dog health, pet food supplies and animal charities.
They can meet greyhounds and find out about re-homing abused and abandoned dogs at stands run by Greyhound Rescue West of England and the Retired Greyhound Trust. The Margaret Green Animal Rescue charity will also be running a fundraising stall.
Dog beds, coats or mattresses are available to buy from stalls run by Blandford-based www.muddypaws.co.uk. Souvenirs of a great weekend can be picked up from www.paw-things.com and treats galore are in store at the Oscar Pet Foods stand.
Pet portraits can be commissioned from two Dorset-based artists; Dawn Warr, of Bradford Abbas, or Christine Groves, of Wimborne.
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