The Barking Bakery experienced a surge of interest in its business after owner Michelle Turnbull appeared on BBC TV hit show Dragons’ Den.

Although Michelle was turned by the five Dragons, she believes her company has benefitted from the TV exposure.

Michelle asked for an investment of £75,000 for a 15% stake in the business but none of the Dragons made an offer.

“I have no regrets of appearing on the programme although it was a challenging experience,” said Michelle.

“And since the programme was aired recently, interest in my company and products has soared. The day after the show my website crashed because of the amount of people visiting it. Plus I’ve lots of offers from investors although I haven’t accepted any of them.

“Yes, I would do it again, purely from the amount of exposure it gives you.”

The Dragons’ Den episode featuring The Barking Bakery can be viewed on BBC iplayer. Click here to go to the programme.

Two new initiatives have been added to the line-up for the prestigious New Product Awards at PATS Telford 2019 – the UK’s No 1 Pet Industry Exhibition.

Selected from the existing entries into the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, will be a Best In Show Award and a Green New Product Award.

The addition of these awards comes at a time of record-breaking entries and reflects the growing importance of product innovation and sustainability within the pet industry. Both will be judged and presented at the PetQuip Awards dinner by Sean Kelly, Head of Pets at Dobbies Garden Centres.

The Best In Show Award will be selected from among eight category winners, while the Green New Product Award will go to the most sustainable product from across the board.

There are 259 entries from 103 exhibitors into the New Product Awards at Telford this year. This is the largest exhibitor entry to date and the biggest-ever number of individual entries. All entries are judged by an independent panel of pet retailers after viewing the products on the first morning of the show.

All awards will be announced and presented at the PetQuip Awards Dinner at the Telford International Centre on the evening of Sunday, September 22.

Sean Kelly said: “I am very much looking forward to judging the Best In Show from the shortlisted eight winners, and feel honoured to be asked to select and present the winner of the Green New Product Award.

“The Green New Product Award is a fantastic idea and I am eager to see how many of the entrants will fit into the sustainability category. The pet industry has a long way to go to catch up with those leading the sustainability drive, but we do have a fantastic mix of products and categories to work across to identify those exciting and innovative solutions.”  

The New Product Showcase - just one section of the UK pet industry’s leading event, PATS - is a great opportunity for visiting retailers to see the new products they may wish to stock for the coming season.

It is designed to help visitors locate the latest and most exciting products coming into the pet industry, as they are gathered together in one extensive display and grouped into the following categories:

• Cat Product (29 entries)
• Dog Food Product (44 entries)
• Dog Treat Product (48 entries)
• Dog Accessories and Toys (41 entries)
• Dog Harnesses, Leads and Dog Wear (28 entries)
• Small Animal and Bird Products (23 entries)
• Pet Care Products (26 entries)
• Grooming Products (20 entries)

Winning entries will receive a plaque to display on their stands on the final day of the show, as well as support with publicity around the award, which for past winners has proved a launchpad to increased sales.

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website www.patshow.co.uk together with information on how to reach the venue and regularly updated show news.

Two major initiatives to make the 2019 PATS Telford show the most eco-friendly yet have been announced by the PATS team.

There is to be a new prize for the most sustainable or ecologically friendly product submitted to the exhibition’s New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews - called the Green New Product Award.

In addition, show organiser Gordon Thomas has pledged to plant 100 trees in conjunction with The Woodland Trust, to ensure the UK’s No 1 Pet Industry Exhibition is doing its bit for the planet.

PATS began its journey towards increased sustainability over two years ago, and these exciting new moves are just the latest in a long line of initiatives.

The Green New Product Award will be judged from all the entries to the New Product Showcase, which every year features the very latest in innovation from the pet industry. Head of Pet at Dobbies Garden Centres, Sean Kelly, will be judging and presenting this prestigious award.

Gordon said: “This new award could be for a product that is sustainable, or uses recyclable packaging, or both. Or perhaps it could actually be a recycled product. It will be very interesting to see how the industry is responding to current ecological concerns.”

The partnership between PATS and The Woodland Trust is to plant 100 new native species trees. The trees will be planted and cared for by the Trust to ensure optimum conditions and maximum impact on the local environment.

Over their lifetime the trees will offset a massive 25 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.

“We believe that the biggest issue facing us all is our environmental impact on the planet. We all need to look at ways of protecting the environment and reducing our waste,” said Gordon.

“The PATS team is aware that exhibitions can generate huge amounts of waste. Working with its contractors, the venue and with exhibitors, PATS will ensure it is doing as much as possible to reduce any impact on the environment and to limit any waste sent to landfill.”

These two initiatives will complement a number of additional sustainable practices that PATS and its venue the Telford International Centre are putting into place.

Others that will all make a difference to the planet include:

• The Telford International Centre is working hard to become the UK’s first carbon neutral exhibition centre. It has a host of policies designed to reduce waste and pollution, including ‘switch off’ procedure for all lights and electrical items, ‘Engine Switch off’ policy for coaches within the car parks, dimmer switches in conference rooms and thermostatic controls fitted to radiators.

• All visitors will receive recyclable paper ‘goodie’ bags instead of plastic.

• Water dispensers and water points with recyclable paper cones will be available throughout the show. Use of refillable bottles is encouraged.

• Visitor and exhibitor lanyards and badge holders are made from plastic. To avoid them ending up as landfill PATS is encouraging everyone to place them in the recycling dump bins as they leave, so that they can be re-used at future shows.

• Tea and coffee for exhibitors will be available in fully recyclable ‘vegware’ cups.

• The carpet that is laid especially for PATS will be removed to a recycling centre in Coventry so that the polypropylene fibres can be cleaned, shredded and melted back into plastic pellets for re-use as more carpet, or other manufacturing components.

• The venue now has bins that separate waste categories.

• The Telford International Centre’s onsite water filtration system allows them to reuse glass bottles, reducing the need for plastic. Their water supplier is Wenlock Springs which is a local Shropshire supplier.

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website www.patshow.co.uk together with information on how to reach the venue and regularly updated show news.

Danish Design has launched a new pet bed collection in partnership with FatFace and already the range has picked up a prestigious award.

Made fully in the UK, the whole collection is filled with 100% recycled fibre, made from plastic bottles.

The bottles are shredded, cleansed and heated to form a fibre, which can be processed through a carding machine in the company's Leeds factory, to produce a luxurious super soft thermal filling for the pet bedding.

The new collection was launched at Pets@Glee where it picked up a Best Eco-Initiative Award.

For the four-legged friend who really wants to sparkle and shine! flexi, the original inventor of the flexi retractable dog lead and world market leader of retractable leads, is pleased to introduce the flexi GLAM collection.

Made with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and the uncompromised quality that only comes with flexi, the GLAM leads make a glittering statement for the most glamorous dogs.

The flexi GLAM collection leads are available in Mother of Pearl-white and Onyx-black and feature a diverse range of designs which include our special new design: Splash. Our Splash design is available in different variations: Leaf, Ocean, Orient, Pink, Mystic and Crystal. Each flexi GLAM lead features an ergonomic handle and quick response breaking system to provide comfort, quality and style during walks.

Using the most meticulous measures, every SWAROVSKI ELEMENT is manually fitted to the high-gloss polished casing, in an exclusive manufacturing studio at the flexi headquarters in Germany. Each detail on a flexi GLAM lead is tested for its durability and adhesion before leaving the premises, guaranteeing the top of the line quality that customers expect.

The GLAM leads are available in size S with a length of 3 m for small dogs (up to 12 kg) and in size M with 5 m length for medium dogs (up to 25 kg).

www.flexi.de/en

Seven pet product suppliers are celebrating winning New Product Awards at Pets@Glee with the honours being presented at the end of day two of the show.

The winners were:

Pet Clothing Products

Winner: The House of Paws for their Santa Knitted Snood

Pet Toys and Entertainment

Winner: Trixie for their Dog Activity Flower Tower

Pet Accessories

Winner: Dicky Bag for their Neoskin Treat Bag

Pet Health, Grooming and Cleaning Winner: Trixie for their Cat litter tray sieve mat

Pet Bedding and Travel

Winner: Scruffs for the Santa Paws Box Bed & Gift set

Pet Food and Treats

Winner: Henry Bell for their Dog Gone Fishing

Pet Technology

Winner: 101 & Co for their innovative Automatic Pet Feeder

Best Eco-Initiative in Pet Products

Winner: Danish Design Pet Products for their FatFace Marching Dogs Deluxe Slumber Bed

Best Overall New Product for Pets at Glee

Winner: The Neoskin Treat Bag from Dicky Bag

Award-winning Fochabers-based pet accessory company, Dogrobes is helping to support two permanent jobs at Haven PTS in Larbert near Falkirk in Scotland by using the company to manufacture its popular dog drying coats.

Haven is part of Momentum and the wider Rehab Group, a leading not-for-profit organisation providing rehabilitation, training and care services for disabled and socially excluded people throughout the UK. Haven operates from a number of key sites across Scotland, delivering services to a client list ranging from international blue chip firms to local businesses.

Haven PTS is part of a thriving textile industry in Scotland. According to Scottish Development International, Scotland exports textiles to 150 countries worldwide. It is expected that by 2020 the value of Scottish textiles will reach £500 m and this will be supported by a £3.5 million research budget for the industry. Brands such as Chanel source textiles from Scotland which include knitwear (cashmere and lambswool), woven fabrics including tartan and tweed, leather for high end use, lace and technical and industrial textiles.

Known already for designing and manufacturing high quality and competitively-priced Personal Protection Equipment, marine safety clothing, workwear and uniforms, Haven PTS was chosen by Dogrobes as it was able to manufacture their range to their company’s own exacting standards.

Margaret Reynolds owner of Dogrobes says,

“Haven PTS met all our requirements. They manufacture to a high quality standard, have a skilled workforce in the textile industry and they are able to produce the quantity that we require. We are very proud that Dogrobes carry the Made in Britain standard and although it costs us more to manufacture in the UK, we are delighted that we are able to keep the manufacturing process in this country and support a business that provides meaningful jobs, on-going training and development opportunities for people with disabilities and those marginalised in society. The Made in Britain standard gives prestige to our product range.”

Dogrobes provide the perfect answer for drying wet muddy dogs and protecting surrounding from shake off. Dogrobes dry dogs quickly in around 30 minutes, keep them warm and comfort them. They are made from an exclusive fabric, which has longer loops on the inside. The longer loops create a greater area for absorbing the moisture from the dog’s coat. Plus it traps the dog’s body heat, which also helps to dry the dog. There is NO Velcro, which spooks some dogs and gets clogged up with dog hair and debris during everyday use and it’s a nightmare to launder too! The ties mean a perfect fit every time. Dogrobes are so easy to fit. Straight over the dog’s head, cross over the ties underneath and tie in a single loop to the side of the spine. Dogs love them because they are so lightweight – even dogs who don’t like wearing jackets.

Dogrobes also use a team of talented and up and coming designers to design their Exclusive Collection and offer a range of complementary dog accessories to go with the Dogrobes including snoods to dry the dog’s head, neck and ears. They have also just recently introduced their new gauntlets which are worn on the hands and help to dry the dog’s legs and paws.

For further information on Dogrobes visit: www.dogrobes.co.uk

Wilsons Pet Food, a Perthshire-based pet food company that can trace its heritage back well over a 150 years, is set to launch a brand new Raw Frozen Range at PATS Telford (stand A31).

Wilsons Raw Frozen Range will be available in choice of standard varieties, Beef Hotpot, Salmon Medley, Pork Casserole, Lamb Tagine, Chicken and Vegetables and Turkey Dinner.

Each recipe contains a balanced and nutritious range of human grade meat or fish and vegetables all sourced locally where possible.

Additional recipes will also be added throughout the year to reflect the quality and depth of Scottish seasonal produce and will include key ingredients such as venison and pheasant.

Wilsons Raw Frozen recipes can be fed as a standalone diet but they have also been designed to complement Wilsons Cold Press Range and are suitable for dogs that like a mixture of wet and dry food. The Raw Frozen recipes break down at the same rate as the Cold Press Food meaning no upset tummies!

Wilsons Raw Frozen Range comes in 500 g resealable pouches which do not take up much space in the freezer and can be resealed for freshness once defrosted and stored in the fridge.

For further information on Wilsons Pet Food visit: www.wilsonspetfood.co.uk

Global pet product expert PetSafe Brand will be unveiling three new pet fountains from its popular Drinkwell range at PATS Telford.

The product launch marks the first new fountain addition since PetSafe Brand launched its ceramic range, which includes the Drinkwell Sedona and Drinkwell Pagoda Pet Fountains.

PetSafe Brand will be showcasing the fountains plus new items and recent best sellers from other categories including Travel & Access, Waste Management and Pet Doors at Stand C33.

Visitors to the stand will be able to speak to PetSafe Brand experts about the latest pet trends and see demonstrations of the latest innovative products. They will also be able to discuss the rigorous researching and testing that goes into developing new ranges to ensure they are effective at keeping pets happy, healthy and safe.

The three new fountains in the Drinkwell have been designed to encourage pets to drink more and keep them happy, healthy and hydrated. Thought has been given to pet owners too as the fountains can be simply refilled using a jug and they have no hard-to-reach crevices for easy cleaning.

To find out more visit www.petsafe.com/UK

Luxury pet treat company, The Innocent Pet, has launched two innovative festive dog treat products for their Christmas range this year which are now available to order.  The festive, grain free Christmas Cake Mix and Christmas Treat Collection are the perfect yuletide gift for hounds.

Founder Chloe Heaton said: “The cake is the perfect way to get the whole family involved in the Christmas fun; our children love to bake so it’s great to see everyone coming together to make a tasty treat that our dogs can enjoy!”

The easy-to-make Christmas Cake Mix combines air-dried British turkey and cranberries with a grain free flour blend and produces the ultimate dog-friendly festive bake. The kit consists of 2 sachets: one with air-dried British turkey and herb pieces (the turkey has been gently air-dried for up to 4 days to maintain nutrients and flavour).  The second sachet contains grain free flours, gluten free baking powder and a blend of cranberry, apple and nettle.

The Christmas Treat Collection contains two pouches of exclusive, luxury air-dried treats. Turkey & Cranberry Triangles, and Venison & Apple Bites are on the menu with this tasty Christmas treat.

Chloe added: “We are excited to offer a luxury treat to retailers for the festive period, and our two Christmas products are beautifully packaged with exclusive flavours.”

Both products are packed in striking recyclable boxes, making them perfect gifts.  RRP for both products is £10.

The Innocent Pet will also be attending PATS Telford next weekend with their full range of treats and food, including the Birthday Cake Mix which is currently a finalist for Best New Product in the Treat category for the PetQuip awards.

Lily’s Kitchen has unveiled its much-anticipated Christmas range for 2019, making sure that the nation’s furry four legged friends can join in with all the Yuletide fun.

The limited edition theatre-inspired ‘Christmas Spectacular’ collection is a seasonal range of meals and treats bursting with natural goodness to help every dog and cat enjoy the festivities alongside the rest of the family. With their beautiful handcrafted designs, the thoughtfully crafted products are guaranteed to set tails wagging and felines purring, whilst driving incremental sales for retailers.

Lily’s Kitchen has also created some show-stopping, festive in-store point of sale and display units – complete with moving scenery and twinkling stars - which perfectly complement the seasonal range and highlight the love, excitement and fun of Christmas to shoppers.  Available in a range of options, all POS is designed to be attention grabbing and engage shoppers across any store size or format.

Henrietta Morrison, Founder, Executive Chair and Global Brand Director, comments: “Christmas is such a special family time and that includes our furry friends too.  At Lily’s Kitchen we include our pets in everything we do - because they are our family and we know our customers feel the same.

“Our limited edition festive range is always much anticipated by our customers and, once again, we know it will bring much excitement in store and boost seasonal sales opportunities for our retail partners. It will also ensure that it’s the most wonderful time of the year for our dog and cat family members too.”

The Lily’s Christmas Spectacular range includes:

‘Christmas Spectacular Advent Calendar’ for Cats, RRP £10

A fun and festive gift for cats to count down to Christmas in the most entertaining way. This hand drawn Advent Calendar for cats whisks you into a world of a Christmas panto celebration with plenty of merriment and mischief. Each window of the theatre is generously filled with Lily’s Kitchen naturally wholesome treats. With an all-star cast of tasty treats to discover - Chicken with Liver and Turkey with Cranberry - your feline friend will love taking a peek behind the curtain each day.

‘Christmas Spectacular Advent Calendar’ for Dogs, RRP £10

This charming, hand drawn Christmassy Advent Calendar for dogs makes a fun and fabulous gift, generously filled with naturally wholesome, delicious treats for dogs to help them countdown to Christmas in the most deliciously entertaining way. With a showstopping cast of Lily’s favourite treats - Rise & Shines, Training Treats and Bedtime Biscuits - dogs will love taking a peek behind the curtain each day this December.

‘Christmas Spectacular Festive Treats’ Cracker for Dogs, 100g, RRP £3.95

Start the festive show for your dog when you open this cracker of a gift! Filled with lovingly baked treats, each biscuit is bursting with naturally delicious turkey, cranberries, thyme and cinnamon. A wonderful stocking filler that every special dog will love.

‘Christmas Spectacular Festive Treats’ Cracker for Cats, 50g, RRP £3.49

Share a theatrical surprise with your cat when opening this cracker, bursting with Christmassy treats made with turkey, chicken liver and cranberries. Wonderfully festive nibbles that every feline will adore.

‘Christmas Spectacular Three Bird Feast for Dogs’ 400g, RRP £2.75

Welcome to the main event (and the main course) of our Christmas Feast Spectacular!  Share the festive excitement with the whole family and serve up this seasonal recipe packed with naturally delicious ingredients. This extravaganza of a dish is the star of the Christmas dinner show for dogs, crammed with freshly prepared turkey, duck and goose, and a supporting cast of festive parsnips and cranberries.

‘Christmas Spectacular Turkey & Ham Pâté Feast’ for Cats (Tray), 85g, RRP £1.10

A naturally delicious, seasonal dish for your favourite feline. Starring freshly prepared turkey, succulent ham and juicy cranberries, this outstanding festive feast will have them purring in their seats!

NEW! ‘Tasty Treats for Happy Dogs’ by Henrietta Morrison (Hardcover book), RRP £12.99

Christmas is foody heaven in most homes and while we are treating ourselves with lots of festive, delicious treats and snacks, we shouldn’t forget about our canine family members this holiday season. Filled with 50 showstopping recipes – from nourishing everyday snacks to Christmas treats – this lovely book has something for every occasion and is the perfect gift for any dog lover (and their dogs!).

A new grass seed mix that has been scientifically proven to resist damage caused by dog urine is being exclusively introduced by Johnsons Lawn Seed.

Tuffgrass with Dog Patch Resistance is a unique new product that has been formulated to banish the problem of yellow patches and dead areas of grasscaused by dogs urinating on lawns. By incorporating naturally tolerant grass species, scorched patches in lawns will be consigned to history, without consumers having to change their dog’s diet or behaviour. Even if slight discolouration occasionally occurs, grass will recover.

World-leading grass seed specialist DLF Seeds, the parent company of Johnsons Lawn Seed, carried out 672 tests to simulate the effect of dog urine on individual types of grass. It tested 168 varieties of grass across seven species – trialing each variety with dog urine mixtures in four concentrations. Results showed that certain grasses offer better resistance to dog urine than others, while some did not suffer any detrimental effects.

Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Guy Jenkins said: “When dogs use a lawn as their toilet, acid in canine urine causes burns on the grass, a problem that in the past has forced consumers to undertake time-consuming lawn repairs. By introducing dog patch resistant grass seed, gardeners will benefit from lawns that are robust enough to cope with the stress caused by even concentrated dog urine, without discolouration or patches.

“The development of dog patch resistant grass seed was based on rock solid data from trials, with the product rigorously tested by scientists at DLF Seeds in Denmark. Following extensive research and development, we are bringing to market a unique product that has proven its ability to create dog-resistant lawnsthat are tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear of family use. As an added bonus, it has an excellent resistance to low temperatures and snow, with improved drought-resistance,” Guy added.

Establishing a new lawn using Tuffgrass with Dog Patch Resistance is a one-off job and requires no more effort than sowing any other type of lawn from seed. For consumers who are unable to renew their entire lawn, existing turf can be overseeded with dog patch resistant grass seed in autumn or spring.

Overseeding will gradually introduce patch resistant grass into established lawns, which will steadily gain the benefits of dog urine resistance over time.  For consumers who have only a small amount of dog urine damage in their lawn, dog patch resistant grass seed can be used to repair affected areas.

In line with consumer trends for products that are kind to the environment, Johnsons’ dog patch resistant mixtures are natural and safe for family use. The product contains 100% grass seed and nothing else.

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx

Raw dog food manufacturer, Poppy’s Picnic, is changing dogs’ diets across the UK with its RAWgust campaign, a ‘change-for-life’ themed month for pets.

The Wiltshire-based firm has been calling on pet owners to improve their dogs’ wellbeing by feeding raw food throughout the month. The campaign provided an opportunity to educate those who are unfamiliar with the multiple benefits of feeding raw, and also encourage those who have always wanted to try it to see how easy it is to make a real and lasting difference to their dogs.

In the campaign’s opening week, Canine Nutritionist and Behaviour Expert, Anna Webb, and Poppy’s Picnic Founder, Dylan Watkins were interviewed by over 20 radio stations nationwide, including 14 BBC stations. Poppy’s Picnic also worked alongside The Victoria Derbyshire Show to develop a pet obesity feature which cited its new research highlighting the lack of association between fresh food for dogs and better weight management.

To mark the launch of RAWgust, which is in its second year, Poppy’s Picnic released brand new research* which showed that although 81% of the British public recognise fresh food as the best diet for humans to stay fit and healthy, only 51% think the same is true for dogs. With the Pet Food Manufacturer’s Association’s 2019 Pet Obesity Report highlighting that 51% of dogs in the UK are obese, it is clear there is a need to stimulate awareness.

Dylan Watkins says, “With the majority of the nation feeding their pets highly processed foods, our research shows there is a dire need to educate Britons about the content and freshness of pet food, which often contains a lower meat content than the once notorious Turkey Twizzlers, which contained just 34%. Whilst for humans there is no shortage of campaigns attempting to turn the tide of obesity and its complications, we wanted to lead the charge in educating dog owners.”

Anna Webb explains why a biologically appropriate raw food diet, with no grains, fillers or artificial preservatives is best for dogs:

“Feeding a biologically appropriate diet nourishes dogs at a cellular level. Its bio-availability means you're feeding to optimise health and help prevent disease, whereas processed diets comprising 30%-60% grains are high-glycaemic, promoting allergic reactions via a pro-inflammatory response. Allergic reactions are a symptom showing that your dog's immune system is not functioning at 100%. Often an allergy is atopic (on the skin), making dogs very itchy, with hair loss and incessant scratching. Depending on the severity of your dog's condition, switching to a raw diet will pay huge dividends especially with hair re-growth and stopping the itchiness. And not least putting a lustre back into the coat which might have been lacking. Feeding raw will also help any 'yeasty' conditions, itchy paws and gunky wax build- up in the ears.”

Poppy’s Picnic describes the changes you can expect to see from feeding raw food as ‘The 7 Signs of Happiness’: 

Since launching the campaign last year, Poppy’s Picnic is thrilled to see blogs springing up online, as well as retailers getting behind the movement. In addition to guest videos, Facebook Lives, expert blogs and promotions, a new feature for this year’s RAWgust includes the Stockist in the Spotlight Series which sees a member of the Poppy’s Picnic team interview proud independent stockists about their business and passion for raw feeding.

Dylan continues, “RAWgust is inclusive, it’s meant to make a difference to as many dogs as possible and I’m thrilled to see the uptake. Having launched the Change 4 Life campaign for the Department of Health I knew a campaign like RAWgust is what the industry was missing, and I’m pleased to see how well its translated. It’s simple really, just as humans need fresh food to stay in tip top condition, so do dogs. I desperately want to encourage owners to give as much consideration to what’s in their dog’s bowls as they do to what goes into their own bodies.”

*The survey of 1,500 adult Brits was conducted by independent research company, Ginger Research

Manchester-based pet bed manufacturer Scruffs has recently appointed a new head of sales to cover the UK and Ireland market.

Chris Johnson joins the Scruffs team to oversee all sales activities and manage the field sales team.

He said: “Working closely with all members of the Scruffs team, my aim is to maximise sales with new and existing customers, whilst increasing our brand awareness in the market.”

We grabbed five minutes with Chris to find out his passions and goals both in and out of the office.

What are you passionate about?

“Outside of work my biggest passion has to be football. When I was younger I played a lot of football but due to injuries (and age) I have resorted to the watching role now. I follow Aston Villa and have managed to persuade my son to support Villa too so we enjoy going to the games together whenever we can. In work I am obviously passionate about sales. I love chasing new business and seeing your hard work come to fruition in a retail environment.”

What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?

“We are just starting work on some big online projects which will see the Scruffs® brand elevated online. We will have a Scruffs brand store on Amazon in the coming months which will utilise all of our marketing content and images so I think this will look pretty cool and should help to increase sales too."

For more information, please contact a member of the Scruffs marketing team using pr@petslovescruffs.com or via phone on +44 (0) 161 702 5060.

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CSJ’s Calm Down! herbs are the go-to solution that thousands of dog owners swear  by.

It’s mid-September and Autumn’s arrived so it’s time to start thinking of soothing pets on Bonfire night (or ‘fireworks weeks’ as it has become!).

CSJ are advising that it’s now time to start adding Calm Down! on top of food to ensure the all-natural herbs are fully in their dogs’ system ready for the onslaught of the loud bangs and flashes they have to endure at that that time of year.

In a 200g re-sealable pouch Calm Down! has a dedicated following of owners with nervous or shy dogs who have found its combination of Camomile, Lemon Balm, Vervain, Lime Flowers and Skullcap has helped their pet through a variety of stressful times including travel and competitions.

Herbs can take up to 6 weeks to be effective so don’t leave it too late…

For more on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com or call 01745710470

This September PATS Telford will see the launch of Pawfect Food’s 7-strong Nature’s Munch range.

Pawfect Food’s open rejection of the old-fangled notion that dogs are single-track carnivores means that their 7-strong Nature’s Munch portfolio (sumptuous selection of freeze-dried fruit & veg) was always going to sit proudly at the very heart of their all-encompassing, ‘plantbased’ offer.

Of course there have been other dog treat providers who’ve toyed with the notions of supplying the UK’s deserving dog nation with a more flexitarian-eating regime that includes a greater quota of fruit, veg and herbs yet lacked the state-of-the-art production facility or global ties to track down best-in-class ingredients from some of the most unspoilt food producing regions on the planet.

No-one questions the fact that dog’s ancestors scavenged fruit, berries and veg for thousands of years, it’s more a question of what a better balanced diet brings today in terms of real, bona-fide benefits.

As it happens there’s a growing body of research that suggests a generous smattering of the        ‘green stuff’ is hugely beneficial for your dog’s longer term well-being, from helping to alkalise your dog’s body, because meat-dense diets can cause inflammation (due to acidity) of key K9 organs (liver pancreas, kidneys…) to providing a wider range of beneficial nutrients (fats, carbs, fibre, phytonutrients); increasing a dog’s water intake whilst ensuring the plentiful presence of essential vitamins and minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium Vit C, B12…..).

According to Pawfect Foods founder, Prash Patwardhan, ‘the distinct make-up of our Nature’s Munch range certainly didn’t happen by chance with acclaimed dog nutritionists outlining what ingredients we needed to embrace to establish a far-reaching portfolio that can help tackle a wealth of regularly recurring dog dilemmas.  For example, papaya contains handy anti-parasitic properties which keep unwelcome visitors and bad breath at bay whilst coconut contains lauric acid that keeps viruses and ringworm in check.  Elsewhere pumpkin provides an invaluable source of insoluble/insoluble fibre which plays its part in neutralising dog constipation or diarrhoea.’

The Nature’s Munch collection: apple, coconut, mango, papaya, pineapple, pumpkin & sweet potato comes in a colourful array of pocket-sized pouches that brings some much needed instore theatre to such a historically undervalued pet-friendly treats offer.

A Doberman pup nearly died after developing a twisted stomach, also known as GDV (Gastric Dilation-Volvulus). Thankfully, action from his owner and vet charity PDSA saved Winston’s life, and he’s now been entered into PDSA’s Pet Survivor competition

When two-year-old Dobermann Winston stopped eating and couldn’t keep anything down, his owner Stella Draycot (56) was worried and took him to Basildon PDSA Pet Hospital, The Coco Markus Centre.

Thankfully Stella’s action saved his life after the charity’s vets identified that Winston had developed a twisted stomach, which can be fatal within just a few hours.

“He just wasn’t himself and I didn’t know what to do, so I took him to the PDSA Pet Hospital,” said Stella. “After the vet examined him, they discovered he had a twisted stomach and I was told that his chances of surviving were very slim. I was in shock and the thought of losing him left me in floods of tears.”

PDSA Vet, Hannah Johnston, explained: “When Winston arrived at the Pet Hospital he had a tender, swollen tummy and was trying to be sick but nothing was coming up. We were really concerned about these symptoms and took him straight for an x-ray, which showed a massive, gas-filled, ‘C’ shaped stomach. This is a tell-tale sign of GDV, which is a twisted stomach. We knew immediately that we had to act fast, as this can kill a dog within hours if left untreated.”

The official term for this condition is Gastric Dilation-Volvulus (GDV), and happens when two things occur: one, an abnormal amount of gas builds up in the stomach, and two, the stomach twists round on itself. Once the stomach twists, the gas can’t escape and pressure builds up. This pressure can restrict blood flow, affect breathing, lead to shock and, if not treated quickly, the stomach wall can become damaged, causing it to bruise, start to die away, or rupture. The condition is more common in large or deep-chested breeds, including Dobermanns like Winston, but also breeds like Great Danes, Basset Hounds, Saint Bernards and Irish Setters. 

Hannah continued: “Winston was immediately prepped for emergency surgery to untwist his stomach, but because of his deteriorating condition the anaesthetic he needed posed a much higher risk. We prepared his owner for the worst but we were determined to do everything we could to save him. The surgery went as well as it could have, and we also placed some internal stitches to secure the stomach to the body wall to try and prevent it from twisting around again.” 

Thankfully, Winston, who has just celebrated his second birthday, has made a great recovery and is back to enjoying walks with his friends. “I’m so glad to have my best friend back home safe and sound,” said Stella. “I feel that Winston is a miracle dog for surviving. The treatment and care he received from PDSA was fantastic, I’m so very grateful that they saved his life.”

Stella has now entered Winston into the PDSA Pet Survivor awards to recognise his survival spirit, and the determination and skill of the vets and nurses who saved his life. The annual competition recognises pets who have survived against all the odds. The closing date for the 2019 awards in Sunday 8 September (midnight) and entries can be submitted at www.pdsa.org.uk/petsurvivor.

Young entrepreneur, 20-year-old Callum Griffiths, is taking the pet food world by storm with his natural pet food brand Clydach and he wants more dog owners to discover his truly exceptional range.

Callum has always had a passion for animals and began breeding chicks from his parents’ cockerel and hen when he was just 13.

From that he moved to hatching hundreds of chickens as well as creating his own chicken food and now, his biggest venture... pet food for dogs stocked through high quality independents across the county.

The Clydach range of pet food marks itself as being of exceptional quality. A 100% grain free range and free from any artificial colour, flavours or preservatives, Clydach’s dog food is bursting with a high end range of natural meats, fish and poultry including:

• Free range English Venison from deer raised on flora and fauna as they roam the rolling open countryside of protected estates and parks
• Sustainable Scottish Salmon sourced from North West Scotland
• Ethical Suffolk Duck from Red Tractor assured farms
• Welsh Lamb, grass fed on the rich Welsh landscape of the Snowdonia National Park

The Clydach range is also brimming with naturally high levels of Omega 3 and 6 and is a great source of EPA and DHA – helping to support a dog’s healthy heart, supple joints, cognitive function, visual development and a wonderfully glossy coat.

Ethical responsibility is something that Clydach Farm Group takes very seriously. As a brand, Clydach is committed to supporting UK farming and agriculture by not only sourcing the best ingredients, but by building lasting, loving and personable relationships with farmers across the British Isles – which also means Clydach get the pick of their crop as well as ensuring they get a fair deal to sustain their own businesses too.

Clydach supports retailers with their ‘Retailer Happiness Team’ to ensure ultimate customer satisfaction. With a £150 minimum order and next day delivery as standard, there’s never been a better time to get in touch to open an account.

For more information:

E: hello@clydachfarmgroup.co.uk

T: 0800 088 7965

W: www.clydachfarmgroup.co.uk

Since launching over 10 years ago, PATS exhibitions have helped hundreds of companies to launch new products, meet new customers and grow their business.

Pet Munchies is one company that has grown impressively during this time and founder Suzanne Rothman admits that PATS has played a huge part in her successful business.

And now Suzanne is looking forward to the next chapter in the success story at PATS Telford on 22-23 September.

Here she explains what visitors to the UK’s number one pet industry exhibition can expect.

Will you be launching new products at PATS Telford?

Pet Munchies will be launching our new Wild Salmon Strips at PATS, which are a perfect complement to our premium jerky range of treats. This high quality treat is rich in vitamins and minerals and due to the high levels of Omega 3 helps promote joint mobility and a healthy skin and coat. Single source fish protein will make this product a wonderful new addition to our core range.

What do you hope to achieve at this year’s show?

I’m looking forward to seeing all of our loyal customers and bringing on board new ones and giving all a chance to look at our exciting range of products. We take on board feedback and what is working so well. It is a perfect opportunity to ensure we are getting it right.

Would you say that PATS has helped you to grow as a business?

Definitely. So many retailers have expanded their Pet Munchies range after seeing us at PATS and trying out new varieties. It has helped our company to grow and to give us the confidence to offer over 40 different varieties of treats. Once it works for them they come back to try more. 

What do you particularly like about the shows at Sandown and Telford?

It is a perfect network opportunity for us. We are able to see such an amazing variety of customers and showcase our new product development and full range at first hand. The diversity of visitors is fantastic from small to large retailers, vet practices, groomers, garden centres and online retailers, all in a couple of days – it makes this such a great trade show. 

Will you be hoping to speak to international buyers?

Each year we have been at PATS we have had the opportunity to speak to international buyers so I am confident this year will be the same.

What makes PATS shows so special?

It has become a must-go-to event for all in the pet trade. 

To find a full list of exhibitors at PATS Telford and details on how to register for free entry visit www.patshow.co.uk

With the news that 10 Downing Street is now the new home to a young rescue pup, dog lovers countrywide are left wondering how the PM will have any time to properly look after his new companion. 

This isn't just a problem for the nation's Prime Minister however. Given that 49% of UK adults own a pet according to PDSA, understanding how best to train and raise a dog is a major concern for a large proportion of the working population. 

Amidst the myriad responsibilities and obligations we must bear in mind in our daily lives, it is important for dog owners to understand how long it will take to raise and look after their new hound. It is also vital that owners are aware of the needs that their individual dog will have, based on their breed.

Dr. Steph Wenban, Front of The Pack's vet and pet wellbeing expert, provides the following advice:

"Each dog is an individual and the time needed to train them will vary. For example, Labradors are quite food motivated and this can be advantageous when it comes to training and rewarding good behaviour.

“However, other dogs are more motivated by toys so it is important to find out what your dog values. When it comes to timings, you should aim to work in 10-15 min sessions and always provide lots of positive reinforcement for your dog. With this, you should be able to achieve the basics in 5-6 weeks with lots of practice and praise."

Boris Johnson’s girlfriend Carrie Symonds posed for a number of pictures outside Downing Street with her new dog. She tweeted a picture of herself with the Jack Russell cross puppy, saying: “Meet our gorgeous little rescue puppy, Dilyn #AdoptDontShop”.

Picture Credit: Twitter/Carrie Symonds

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against an advert from animal rights campaigners PETA displayed on the sides of buses earlier this year, which claimed “Don't let them pull the wool over your eyes. Wool is just as cruel as fur.”

The message “GO WOOL-FREE THIS WINTER PeTA” was positioned alongside an image of a woman with the neck of her jumper pulled over her face.

Ten complainants, who believed that sheep needed to be shorn for health reasons and therefore wool should not be compared to fur, challenged whether the claim “wool is just as cruel as fur” was misleading and could be substantiated.

In response to the complaints People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said that over the last few decades the general public had become more aware of the cruelty that existed in the fur trade.

“However, the same abuses and suffering had also been documented in the wool trade but were not as well known by the public. They provided details of cruelty and abuse that occurred in both the fur and wool industries, which included genetic alterations and the mutilation of animals.

“For example, in the fur industry animals were bred to grow to a larger size and to become overweight so that their pelts would be larger and fetch more money.

“Likewise, in the wool industry sheep were bred with genetic abnormalities which compromised their welfare, such as merino sheep in Australia that were deliberately bred for the largest possible skin surface area which meant more wool per animal.

In its ruling the ASA said: “We considered people who saw the ad would interpret the claim “wool is just as cruel as fur” as equating the conditions in which sheep were kept and the methods by which wool was obtained with the conditions and methods used in the fur industry.

“However, sheep were not killed for their wool as animals were in the fur industry and there were standards in place relating to their general welfare including relating to the shearing process. We therefore concluded on that basis that the claim was misleading and in breach of the Code.”

The full ruling can be read here

https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/people-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-animals-peta-foundation-G19-1018024.html

Gillian Thomas-Jones has joined Mark & Chappell as National Account Manager.

Gillian had previously worked for Natures Menu over the past three years, providing an award-winning service within the pet industry.

She will be looking after the UK's largest accounts for Mark & Chappell as the company continues to show commitment and support for the growing UK pet trade.

Gillian said: "I am delighted to have joined the Mark & Chappell team. There are plenty of exciting projects & a huge growth opportunity within this company. I am looking forward to developing the existing accounts & speaking to new opportunities."