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DOG WALKING & BOARDING

  BEXLEYHEATH & WELLING

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Tue 19 Dec 2017


TREATS, TURKEY ... AND WRAPPING PAPER


Dogs (and cats?) seem to know when Christmas is coming. Perhaps it's the tree going up or the presents being wrapped. Or, come the big day maybe they pick up on peoples' jolly (hopefully) Xmas day demeanour. Or maybe it's even earlier than that - with the Round Table's charity Santa cruising the streets with two giant reindeer a couple of weeks beforehand. When I had my own dogs the highlights of their day would have been: 1) turkey for dinner or tea, 2) dog treats and other presents, 3) the wrapping paper. And in that order too. Then again, perhaps the wrapping paper was even number one. Dogs just LOVE wrapping paper! Ripping it up, running through it, laying on it.   

Here's a pic of our Lab - Sam - in 1990. Dog treats, lots of company ... and lots of paper. Heaven!


 

Christmas also sees a wide range of festive pet outfits, collars, scarves, etc, in the shops. This joke is from the Evening Standard a few years ago now, and still makes me laugh. Sure a few dogs are thinking this whilst being dressed up, or (grudgingly) performing the odd trick.

For the dog who isn't satisfied with wrapping paper, there are slightly more luxurious gifts available. An article in the paper this week said that one pet would be receiving 68 gifts - worth over £1000. (Cologne at £45, bubble bath at £17, box of fish flavoured skin treats at £47, an early Xmas treat of a dog advent calendar, ... ). Apparently, Tesco has seen a 300% increase in demand for pet gifts over the last 2 years. All very nice, but not as much fun as wrapping paper.                                                               

On a serious note, the dyes used in wrapping paper are harmful to dogs (plus they can choke on sticky tape) but there is 'pet-friendly'  paper available.




I saw in a pet shop at Bromley recently, a lion's mane for your dog (like the one in the Japanese Amazon TV advert, where the owner buys one for his Labrador, as his daughter likes lions but is scared of dogs). Bet they've sold a few!


But, you wouldn't catch me dressing up a dog ....... with the exception of this 'lapse' in 1984 :                 

Here's Sam on holiday at Loch Ness. What self-respecting Labrador wouldn't want a 'Little Nessie Spotter' hat for their fifth birthday?

Merry Christmas.


Now, where'd I put those flashing furry reindeer antlers?