Dr Roger Mugford told Pet Trade Xtra at Crufts he is definitely NOT retiring, but is working on PupPod, a fun interactive high-tech gaming platform for dogs and pet parents, and is still an active animal psychologist and behavioural therapist.

"That's for sure. No no," he said on Sunday at Crufts.  "I can tell you I'm stopping as the CEO of Company of Animals because I've got a guy who can do a better job than me, he's called Paul Nolan, but I'm certainly not retiring. I'm a director, I'm the owner and actually we're doing new ventures, exciting new ventures, which are nothing to do with dogs pulling on the lead, it's about canine cognition or how dogs think. 

"I'm working with a Seattle based tech company, a little company called Microsoft, and others and we're developing a game that you can play with your dog that relies on communicating with your dog through your mobile phone setting complicated tasks, a bit like a Skinner box in the operant conditioning regime but all reward based and fun and I can watch what my dog is doing from the comfort of a beach or my shower or my office or the back of a taxi because it's all done through the wonders of the Internet and Wi-Fi.

"Of course it's all very reward based so we'll be launching PupPods into the UK. That will be a learning system. You can watch him on video and we call that video and you can interact with him and it will be a worldwide launch in 2019.

"What I'm interested in is making life more fun, more intellectually demanding for dogs and really utilising the intelligence of the dog and providing owners with an insight into 'My goodness that is really complicated, and he solved level five. Now let's move on to Level 6.' And we talk about a dog having to do tasks like press a button here, touch a button there, respond when a particular light comes on, respond to a particular sound, respond to my voice and perform certain tasks otherwise he doesn't get a reward. It's called the Internet of Things, it's linking everything together.

"We've even got a system where when the doorbell rings the animal will get a reward, so that when people come to the home and don't bark they will be given a reward if they do bark they don't get the reward. And so making the arrival of visitors good news rather than bad news. And then another system where if they don't bark for five minutes they get a reward. If they do bark within that five minutes they have to wait 20 minutes and dogs quickly learn their relationship and effectively I've been punished for barking and I'm paying the consequences I have to wait another 15 minutes for my next treat. So those are the ways that we're building up a system of dog enjoyment, dog pastimes, through technology, which all are all fun and will inspire and and amuse their owners. Humans at the moment feel very guilty that dogs are left alone for so long and not stimulated. Well you know here's the answer.

"And now everything is possible. We do a much better job in terms of animal psychiatry treatment because of the mobile phone. Everyone has a photograph or better film of their dog doing good things and doing bad things than they ever had. So now I can project into their homes their lifestyles and I don't have to sit on the M25 for half of my life going to them. We use Skype of course in conversations and the new media is opening up so many windows and opportunities that didn't exist before. Thank goodness we're living in the millennium."

https://puppod.com

See more about the launch of the new Halti and The No-Pull Harness from Company of Animals here

Listen to the Pet Trade Xtra interview here:

Multi-award-winning HayPigs! is at it again, after being shortlisted as a finalist in three categories for the area finals of FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2019.

The company will once again fly the flag for the pet industry (alongside innovative cat tech company, Sure Petcare) when it appears in the East of England Area Awards.

HayPigs! has been shortlisted for Start-Up Business of the Year, Micro Business of the Year and the Business & Product Innovation Award.

If the company manages to win any of their categories, it will then go on to the National Finals in May.

“Since our launch we have been working exceptionally hard to raise the profile of small animals and their wellbeing needs,” said Helen, Co-founder and guinea pig mum.

“Receiving awards recognition for our efforts really helps this. Every pet deserves their moment in the spotlight and we want to make sure everyone knows just how wonderful small furries are!”

A record 166,513 people visited Crufts last week and amongst them were the Pet Trade Xtra team in search of great ideas and products for pet retailing.

James Skinner from The Kennel Club said "it’s our third successive year of breaking the record."

Barking Heads were sampling new customers and driving them to independent retailers for follow on purchases. Andy Smith, Marketing Director, told Pet Trade Xtra: “We want to get our product into people's hands. We are super confident that this is a great product. It's very high meat content. It's all natural ingredients. We find that once people try it they come back and stay loyal to the brand because of the quality of the product.

"Our objective is about getting some products in people's hands and letting the product speak for itself. We're giving away a 300 gram sample of either Bowl Lickin' Chicken or Pooched Salmon to of our main flavours. We're giving away £3 off any bag of Barking Heads dry food in independent retailers who stock us.”

On the Dickie Bags stand we found a solution to a problem many active dog owners have - What to do with the poo bag when there's not a bin in sight?  Their bags made of wet suit neoprene look to be a great solution, even for Cani-cross runners.  Mandy Davies explained: “It's made from neoprene rubber that is four millimetres thick, which is thicker than most wetsuits. So this is how tough in quality they are. They're really good quality genuine neoprene that's got rubber in it. They're made like wetsuits. They're glued and blind stitched so there are no perforations, which means all the seals are airtight and watertight. So what you do in the lid is a soft pocket to hold empty poo bags.

"When you pick up you drop the filled poo-bag straight back into the bottom of the Dickie Bag where an air freshener controls any smells. Then it is sealed in creating a rubber seal that's an airtight bag. It's soft it's lightweight. It isn't therefore then a hindrance to you when you're wearing it or use it. Now you can put it on any sort of lead or harness so a dog can even wear this. You keep it to the D ring the bell pro one wrap which we have it goes on the belt loop. Wrap it around the side of the harness. That sits on the dog. Or alternatively it goes on your lead it clips onto the handle the Velcro wraps around it. It doesn't swing about and be annoying if you've got an extendable lead you wrap it under the handle. It's completely washable. It's tough it's robust.”

Mandy and her husband Barry came up with the product as a result of frustration and need. "Frustration at people picking up dog waste put it in a bag and then hanging it or dumping it or chucking it like it was somehow magically going to disappear. And it was no longer their problem and need for the fact that I had children I had two dogs I had balls and then I had this bag. And then the rest of my life stopped. I couldn't play with the kids. I couldn't throw the ball. I couldn't train the dogs because I had. The bag.”

Dickie Bags are looking for specialist pet retailers and garden centres who have a big dog walking customer base to sell their products, which are supported and promoted by National Parks.  During Crufts 2019, Mandy had several trade customers visit the stand and at least one midlands garden centres placed an order for stock.

Natures Menu featured poo bags on their stand too, but they were using a huge poo-bag to encourage dog owners to sign up to a free trail of Natures Menu raw food to prove the point that raw feeding products smaller poos.  Over 5,000 people had signed up by the end of Crufts.

We report on future pet technology developments such as PupPod elsewhere in this issue of Pet Trade Xtra but the only fully interactive technology pet product we found at Crufts 2019 was Felcana, a 'fit-bit' type of collar worn tracker that started up 2 years ago. Oliver a student vet, working with Felcana at Crufts told us: “The idea is to integrate vets, pets and technology to provide a platform by which you can gather lots of data and that both helps the owners in terms of calories and walking things and helps vets in terms of looking at what's going on with that pets activity and therefore what that might mean for disease and for the pets lifestyle. Helping to move forward with them in a better and more holistic way.”

A beacon development is on the way which will give owners the ability to track individual dogs activity including drinking and eating in a multiple pet environment.

Emily who handles PR, Sales and Marketing added: “We're currently ramping up the retail front at the moment but we're going both B2C B2B route because we want to get it in hands of every pet owner. We are strategically partnered with Simply Health who are the UK's largest health provider, otherwise known as Denplan.”

Waggi were selling their Pet Finder smart id tags, which store data that can be accessed remotely to aid recovery if a pet goes missing. 

Elsewhere at Crufts, seven years on from her start up and rise to fame on Dragons Den, Billy + Margot founder Marie Jones, was on her bike again to launch new products: “Billy + Margot is well known for our treats, we launched our first treats in 2012 at Crufts and today we're launching our range of food which ranges from wet, dry, and also raw. So we're covering the entire spectrum of dog food.

“The Real Pet Food Company, who is our holding company also acquired Benyfit Natural recently and they are our producer for raw food.

“Something that we are quite proud of especially in the dry food which is that we do skews in single animal protein. But what we actually mean by that is we match the fats with it. So often you might see a bag saying it's only lamb, OK the protein might be the lamb but actually they then include poultry fats. In ours not only have you got 100 percent of the animal protein but you also have the matching fats. For example in our salmon you have salmon oil. In the lamb you have lamb fats. So we have 100% of the animal both the protein and the fats element.

“It's important because we are seeing more and more intolerances in dogs. We are generally seeing more and more chicken and beef or other protein intolerances. So when it comes to choosing food it becomes quite tricky for the owner because often in the back of pack what they see seeing says Lamb but then it's mixed with other things. So ours is 100 percent of one thing so they know for sure that when they think that that's all they get in the bag.”

Wag Products almost sold out of their noodle drying gloves which were really popular and Animonda Petcare, the No 2 wet food brand in Germany, distributed thousands of sample packs to the Crufts audience.

See the complete Pet Trade Xtra photo gallery from Crufts 2019 below.

Crufts 2019 saw over 28,000 dogs compete across four momentous days with Kathleen Roosens the breeder, handler and owner of Papillon Dylan the Villain (Ch. Planet Waves Forever Young Daydream Believers) taking home the coveted title of Best in Show.  

Dylan is an energetic and playful two year old dog who lives in Belgium with his owner Kathleen, who has been passionately breeding Papillons with her father Jan Roosens since she was a young girl. 

As a family, Kathleen and Jan are tirelessly dedicated to championing Papillons to breed the finest quality, healthy and happy dogs as part of the Roosens family in their loving home. 

Not only is Kathleen and Dylan’s success a historic and significant moment for her, it is also an honour for Wellness CORE; Dylan’s food of choice.  

As a premium high protein grain free nutrition, Wellness CORE helped fuel Dylan’s wellbeing, amazing coat and lean muscle condition enabling Wellness CORE to put its stamp on Crufts as the nutrition that fuels not only thousands of dogs around the world, but now also the Crufts’ Best in Show Champion.  

Winner Kathleen says: “Yesterday was a very long day at Crufts, but Wellness CORE kept Dylan going from the very early morning till after Best in Show!” 

As an Official Crufts Sponsor, Wellness CORE Managing Director Wim Petermans states: “We are so excited and thrilled to have Dylan the Villain and Kathleen take home Crufts Best in Show 2019. It’s testament to not only the hard work and care displayed by Kathleen in bringing her dog to the very peak of championship standard, but also to the quality of CORE and its unique balance which gives little Dylan the top condition he clearly demonstrated  in the competition.” 

Picture credit: Beat Media/Kennel Club

Benyfit Natural had one of the busiest stands on Friday at Crufts with a special guest appearance of Love Island winner Jack Fincham.  That certainly generated a whole load of social media activity for the brand!

Eventually Pet Trade Xtra got to speak with Greg Van Praagh who told us the story behind the creation of Benyfit Natural which included his Mum getting upset that her pavlova freezer had a deer in it and a local pet shop asking to buy some of the food they were producing for their own dogs. They were two of the kick starts that lead to Benyfit Natural being born in March 2014 as an organization.

In 2015 they re-branded with the fully recyclable tub, using recycled material. “We had the Working Dog range and then in 2016 we brought out the 80-10-10 which is a complementary product.” Explained Greg. “It's not complete. It's 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% offal, so it's more about the ancient diets the prey model but it's not technically complete against FEDIAF’s guidelines. Everyone's got to be very clear about what a complete meal is and what a complementary meal is.”

When it comes to making a complete meal Greg went on to say: “We balance it using supplementary ingredients; wild yam, cleavers, nettle, alfalfa, spirulina, turmeric in some not all basically to make sure that you have all of the levels of manganese, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin D, zinc, copper, riboflavin. So you're going to get some from your vegetables, you're going to get some from your meat, you're going to get the copper out of your liver and then you balance it because there's going to be some deficiencies in that and you use these other things which are natural to get that nutrition and those vitamins in there. To get it balanced so that it's inside the tolerances that FEDIAF stipulates for a complete and nutritionally balanced meal for your dog.”

Regarding the ongoing debates about raw feeding vs kibble vs wet feed Greg says we should all calm down. “We are an inclusive brand, it's about inclusion. I'm not going to vilify somebody for feeding kibble. I'm not going to vilify them for feeding wet. Everybody needs to just calm down. The large pet food manufacturing companies aren't out there trying to kill dogs. That's bad for business.”

Different Dog, who cook different recipes each week by hand, with fresh natural ingredients such as Braised Beef, Chicken Casserole and Lamb Hotpot had a crazy time at Crufts after they were on live TV on Friday afternoon. 

Claire Balding visited the stand and cooked with Beth, their head chef, and that created even more demand.  “We just want to reach as many dogs as we can to enable us to do that. We're in about 40 independent retailers at the moment and looking for more," explained Co-Founder Charlie Thurstan.

“In my old job I got to look around factories where Pet Food was made and it was very eye opening for me and actually a little bit horrifying as well seeing the ingredients that went in and meat and animal derivative, cereals and fillers things like that. The process is extreme temperature, extreme pressure, stuff sprayed on at the end and I just thought well how about we do it completely differently.

"That's where the name Different Dog came from we just felt the dogs deserved something a bit fresher and a bit more natural.

"That actually was the start of an 18 month journey. We hired a vet and a nutritionist and we started experimenting trying different ingredients different processes. It was 150 versions of the recipe and process and then we got to launch the business in November 2017, so nearly 18 months and things have been absolutely flying ever since.”

With its eye-catching stand, free expert dental check-ups and innovative product range, WHIMZEES all-natural daily dental chews has enjoyed a hugely successful Crufts, exceeding all expectations.

The brand, which stood out in bold WHIMZEES green and with a dedicated dental check-up zone, as well as a WHIMZEES shop, sold in excess of 100,000 chews during the show, and was visited by over 10,000 people across the event’s four day duration.

“Reaching a milestone of over 100,000 dental chews sold has gone way beyond what we expected.  We had to turn on extra last minute stock delivieries due to popularity of the product with Crufts visitors.  We were delighted with the customer reaction to the brand, and the amount sold is proof of a highly successful show,'” says Ken Davies, Sales Director at Kennelpak, the UK and Ireland’s exclusive distributor of WHIMZEES dental chews.

In addition to high sales and visitor numbers, the WHIMZEES stand also hosted scores of dogs as they received free dental check-ups from global expert vet, Dr. Danielle Bernal.

Dr. Bernal looked at the teeth and mouths of dogs ranging in size from the dachshund to the golden retriever, all happy to be checked over so that expert advice could be passed on to their owners.

And, despite being at an event full of championship dogs, Dr. Bernal estimated that over 80% of the dogs seen at Crufts showed some early signs of dental disease, proving that all dogs need extra daily care and attention for their teeth and gums.  

Dr. Bernal says: “In today’s ever hectic lifestyle, keeping on top of your pet’s teeth can be tricky. However, regular dental check-ups at your vets, combined with home brushing and supplemented by a scientifically-proven daily dental chew like WHIMZEES; makes for the perfect combination to looking after dogs’ teeth – whether they are championship breeds or not!”

“Kennelpak is really enjoying working with WHIMZEES and helping to grow the brand here in the UK. It’s been a great team effort - combined with the WHIMZEES team’s enthusiasm and fun, positive approach - that’s resulted in such a successful Crufts this year,” concludes Ken Davies.

Love Island star and TV personality, Chris Hughes, is lending his support to Ceva Animal Health, manufacturer of Adaptil and Feliway, with the official launch of the first ever Pet Anxiety Month.

Pet Anxiety Month runs until the end of March and is a nationwide campaign to educate pet owners on the signs of anxiety in dogs and cats, help identify the cause of the problem and make changes both in and out of the home to support anxious pets.  During March, pet owners are sharing their pet’s #PawsForThought anxiety stories on social media.

Pet lover, Chris, 25, has previously spoken out about his own mental health and anxiety, announcing his role of ambassador to Calm on World Mental Health Day last year.

Speaking about his involvement with Pet Anxiety Month, he said: “Our pets suffer with mental health issues, just like we do but not a lot of owners or carers realise certain behaviour is actually a result of anxiety, stress or even a fear of something.

“I have eight dogs on my family farm and I know a few of them have had issues with anxiety and fears in the past. Without knowing the signs, it’s really easy to put the symptoms down as bad behaviour. Our pets are really trying to communicate in the only way they can and it’s up to us to help.”

Chris continues: “It’s really sad that so many pets and owners are suffering in silence and that’s why I’ve become an Ambassador for Pet Anxiety Month. This campaign really means a lot to me and our message is simple #PawsforThought and join our mission to get pet anxiety recognised in the UK.”

Andrew Fullerton, technical manager and veterinary surgeon at Ceva Animal Health, adds: “With 50% of vets reporting an increase in dog behavioural issues in the last two years¹, a campaign highlighting this fact should help improve animal welfare. 

“Having spent 10 years as a vet in practice I know all too well how behaviour can get overlooked and be missed. Our pets use body language and behaviour in order to communicate to us that they are feeling anxious and stressed. Pet Anxiety Month will raise awareness and encourage owners to think about their pet’s emotional health.”

For further information, please visit www.petanxiety.co.uk or Pet Anxiety Month on Instagram or Facebook.

The new Canine Care Nutrition range from ROYAL CANIN has been developed through extensive internal research to support several common sensitivities found in dogs including digestion, skin, coat, weight, joint, dental and urinary tract health, plus food tailored to support the change in nutritional needs of dogs post neutering.

Available from May 2019, the range offers a complete and balanced combination of both wet and dry diets, boasting proven results on every pack and visible results pet owners will see after a number of weeks of exclusive feeding. The new range meets ROYAL CANIN’s high standards of excellent product digestibility, and palatability – a key benefit for owners considering a change of diet for their dog.

ROYAL CANIN Retail Marketing Manager Ben Hurley says: “The pet population is on the rise, with a record nine million dogs in the UK and our objective is always to offer pet owners the best possible nutrition to support their pets.  Canine Care Nutrition provides this tailored support for different sensitivities with proven results easily visible to owners.  For the specialist pet trade, it is another way to differentiate themselves, and with the ROYAL CANIN® range, enhance their position as experts on canine nutrition.”

Previously available in other markets but new to ROYAL CANIN UK is Sterilised, for dogs post-neutering.  Offering a 14 per cent reduction in calories compared to adult maintenance diets, it also satisfies the appetite, thus helping maintain ideal weight.  The inclusion of Sterilised Wet pouches will attract owners who prefer to mix fed, and enables retailers to cross-sell across wet and dry, or offer it as a trial introduction.

Coat Care includes proteins and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids specifically selected to support skin and coat health and will result in a shinier coat after 28 days of exclusive feeding – also available in wet pouches.

Dental Care uses an exclusive kibble shape that provides a daily tooth brushing action combined with calcium chelators that aid in up to 99% reduction of tartar build up

Urinary Care supports a healthy urinary system which can be a particular concern for small breed dogs – with a balanced mineral content, it promotes urine dilution by up to 21%.

In store, the Care range will be supported by a variety of point of sale with clear messaging so pet owners are able to navigate the range easier on and off shelf, also ensuring a big focus on the PROVEN RESULTS which will support and encourage buying behaviour.

The Care range is also being supported by an extensive Consumer PR Campaign that will kick off from June, highlighting the common misconceptions about dog’s nutritional needs and raising awareness of sensitivities.

Ben Hurley comments: “We are really excited to be putting so much behind the launch of Canine Care - this will be our biggest campaign to date and the activities we have planned will enable us to reach more pet owners to raise awareness of different sensitivities and the unique formulations we offer. Our end goal is to drive new pet owners in to the specialist pet trade to recruit them in to the category.

“Even among healthy adult dogs, one in three can be affected by sensitivities such as loose stools, flatulence, dry skin or a dull coat. Canine Care Nutrition means that owners, and the specialist pet trade, can provide a nutritional answer tailored to supporting a particular concern or sensitivity backed up by proven result claims.”  

For more information about Canine Care Nutrition, contact your ROYAL CANIN business manager or call 0845 606 9980.

Henry Wag, the UK pet brand known for developing products to improve the health and wellbeing of pets and owners, is to exhibit at Global Pet Expo 2019. It is the first time the aspirational lifestyle brand will have been presented to the US market.

The brand offers a range of dog and horse products which remove the barriers to a healthier, more active lifestyle through a range of travel and drying products creating a more fulfilled life and closer relationship between pet and pet parent.

The range is conceived by Grant Rogers, son of a dairy farmer and product designer, and is a result of active rural living with dogs, 3 daughters and all the muddy wet challenges this presents.

All the products are designed to offer solutions to the problems experienced in rural living and are presented in aspirational lifestyle branding to appeal not only to owners with a rural lifestyle, but to also to those who aspire to country living.

Henry Wag has been a developing brand in the UK for over 5 years and has sales in markets throughout Europe.  By attending Global Pet Expo, the brand is seeking distribution partners for North America and other global territories.

The range includes drying products to remove dirt and water from a dog’s coat after wet days out, Auto products to protect the car interior from wet dirty dogs and travel products to make journeys and days out easier and more fun.

Through early 2019 Henry Wag has launched of a burst of new products. The range of Henry Wag travel products will grow with the addition of 2 travel beds, the Travel Snuggle and the Multimat, both giving dogs a place to rest on days out or a target sleeping area when travelling.

Also, for the travellers, Henry Wag has added collapsible travel bowls to aid hydration after exercise, and a Training Treat bag to aid recall, encourage discipline and with space for poo bags. Summer 2019 will see the launch of a dog Travel Harness for use in car and in conjunction with the range of seat protection products already available under the Henry Wag brand.

There are additions to the Microfibre drying range with the launch of the Noodle Glove Towel and a range of a dog drying coats in 5 sizes designed for use after wet walks to help owners reduce the effects of dirty wet dogs on car and home interiors.

For the first time 2019 will see Henry Wag expand into the equine market. The technical microfibre material used to achieve high levels of cleaning and absorbency to remove dirt and water from a dog’s coat has been used to develop a range of towels for the Equine market to help remove dirt and water from horses after exercise or washing.

The products are ideal for use after wet, muddy rides or at events to reduce the risks of infection and sores. They can be used to dry around ears and eyes. User trialists have commented that the noodle towel is great for cleaning sweat after removing the saddle and bringing a sheen to the coat before auctions. The soft noodles do not pull the hair and give a silky sheen to the coat.

Henry Wag looks forward to welcoming visitors to Global Expo booth #4972, part of the British Pavilion.

A Bichon Frise, who supports her owner and other ex-servicemen to cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), has been named the HiLife Pets As Therapy (PAT) Dog of the Year.

Four-year-old Bella and her owner Barry Coase are PAT volunteers who provide animal assisted therapy in Eastbourne. The pair were nominated for the charity’s annual award by the schools, hospitals and community groups that they visit regularly.

Bella and Barry’s inspirational story touched the hearts of more than 2700 people, who have been voting for the pawsome duo since the annual competition launched in November 2018. Living with PTSD himself, Barry and Bella spend some of their time volunteering with Combat Stress, a charity that supports the mental health of ex-servicemen.

Commenting on the win, Barry said: “This is absolutely fantastic, I’m just so pleased for Bella. This achievement is a huge well done for all her hard work. Bella is a rescue dog and she didn’t have the best start in life. I got her when I was struggling with PTSD and she helps me manage it. She has a natural instinct for recognising when someone needs support.”

“We entered the competition to help raise the profile of Combat Stress, a charity that means a lot to us. We have found that veterans, like me, are able to open up in therapy when they are stroking Bella.”

Pets As Therapy is an independently funded charity with over 6,000 volunteers across the UK. Its registered PAT pets provide animal assisted therapy and bring comfort, smiles and friendship to thousands of people every week. Popular petfood brand, HiLife, has sponsored the competition for more than 15 years.

Gayle Eason for HiLife, said: “Huge congratulations to Barry and Bella who are worthy winners of this year’s title. Their story is truly inspirational and reminds us all of the incredible power of pets.

“We have supported Pets As Therapy for fifteen years now, with the award helping PAT to raise awareness of their important work and to encourage new volunteers. Over the years, we’ve seen first-hand the friendship, care and courage that PAT pets inspire in their communities. It also takes a very special owner to share their pet with others.

“HiLife PAT Dog of the Year gives us a chance to thank some of these amazing local heroes in person.”

Barry and Bella were presented with a cheque for £500 and three months’ supply of HiLife goodies, with the runners up receiving a one month supply.

To find out more about Pets As Therapy, visit www.petsastherapy.org or visit the PAT stand at Crufts in Hall 4 Stand 188.

For more information about HiLife dog food, visit www.hilifepet.co.uk  or visit www.facebook.com/hilifedog or follow @HiLifeDog on Twitter.

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The owners of an East London pet shop faced with the threat of closure have decided to keep the store open following an online fundraising campaign by the local community.

Back in December, Dogs Dinner Pet and Garden in Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone, said it was closing due to lack of trade.

A statement of Facebook at the time announced: "As costs have risen over the years, and the move to internet buying (and we don’t blame anybody for wanting to save money) it’s come to the point our business is no longer viable.”

The news shocked the local community and in response an online fundraising campaign was launched to raise money to save the shop.

Shop manager Bob Auger said: "When I posted that we were closing, people really rallied behind us and said that they did not want us to close because we are a small pet shop and there are not that many of us left.

"They all got behind us and decided to show their support which was just amazing.”

The shop has been in business for more than 50 years and under the current ownership for 14 years.

The owners are now giving the shop time to remain open to see if it is liable in the long term.

To read the full story go to the East London and West Essex Gardian website – click here

Dr Roger Mugford tells Pet Trade Xtra about the new Halti and No Pull Harness which were launched at Crufts.

"I'm Roger Mugford and I'm going to tell you first of all about the Halti which has been in existence now for 38 years. We've been through four iterations, four design changes,  this is the most significant. We took on board a lot of comment, positive and negative, from the 23 million users of Haltis around the world. And what we have is a small but really significant improvement in the comfort and the utility of the Halti. Also as it happens has a strong reflective thread built into it so that it really glows shows in the dark when the dog is in car headlights so you get any contribution to safety and all Company of Animals nylon products in future will have that safety feature built in.

"That's the fourth generation Halti which has served so many millions of people well over the years but also we have a No Pull harness which is inspired by my long ago invention of the LUPI. It's a simple device that stops pulling instantly without the need for any particular skill. Here you see me using it with a two point lead because I'm controlling it from both the front and the back. And of course I'm very fond of the steering action that's achieved by a double ended lead and all our harnesses now and in the future will be for those two points of control front and back. That's the No Pull harness, we've sold out fantastically. We two thousand pieces here and they've all gone. So I'm really pleased that when we get into serious sales serious production and get them out into retail they're only going to sell really well it's going to be a big one.

What makes it no pull?

"Well it's pressure and a lifting action under the arms and on the chest but it's self adjusting. It doesn't require any skill or close fitting. It's not painful because the. pieces that go under the arms are really generously padded and there's a front controlled piece which again spreads the load over the front of the dogs chest, the toughest part of his body. The important thing is it's quite economical. It's really easy and quick to fit. So people aren't going to be confused and need lots of skill.  There are no complicated buckles to fit, it's just a simple slide to make it bigger to take it on right into a larger. So this happens to be on a large dog but but it would also fit on a small dog without any modification.

How long did it take you to develop this?

"Well it goes back to the old product called a LUPI, 30 plus years ago and I've just been a bit slow at making adding these little design refinements and as one does. We were selling a product called the Sporn Non-Pull Harness and we continue to do so. So it's also an improvement and an evolution of the Sporn Non-Pull Harness as well. But it's better of course than either its predecessors and it's a very affordable price which we want it to be. And the important thing is that it's simple and easy to fit and doesn't require a PHD. And three sizes fit all dogs on the planet. And of course the nice thing about a non-pull harness is or no pull harness is that it'll fit dogs with short noses like boxers or French bulldogs which are so popular and for which the traditional head collar is not suitable.

When you started out 30 odd years ago did you ever think you would get to this scale.

"I suppose no, I still am a one to one dog trainer come animal psychologist and I would have been quite content on my life to be just seeing individual families people where the problem pet dog usually. And it's a very satisfying career. I'm also here to inspire and help dog trainers because we boy sure do need animals to be better behaved. There's some very damaging mixed messages going out about dog training. That all training should be reward based and no scope for saying no or discouragement or punishment. I strongly disagree with that and it's produced some very damaging consequences in terms of complaints about dogs which are not properly controlled. So instead of being trained not to walk and pull on the lead we're having to resort to these devices like the ones I've just been talking about to correct behaviour when really it should be about education and management. But, as long as we have an obsession with reward based training and never saying no never discouraging bad behaviour I'm going to be very very busy. So thank you all those reward based trainers who are messing up the world of dogs and some of the key animal assistance charities, as long as you're doing a bad job I'm going to be picking up the pieces and doing a good job. So there's lots of work to be done seriously, the human animal relationship is so important and it must be successful because it gives so much pleasure and really psychological benefit to their owners and  they they're the people that really matter to me."

Listen to the Pet Trade Xtra interview here:

Read about Dr Rogers latest venture - PupPod here

Having cared for dogs since 1969 with its pioneering dog nutrition, EUKANUBA is celebrating its 50th anniversary and therefore wanted to make sure its eighth consecutive year as Principle Sponsor of Crufts was bigger and better than ever, and it didn’t disappoint.

Though many believe Dave the Boxer was robbed of the Best in Dog show accolade after winning the popular vote, the breed was front and centre in the EUKANUBA Pup of the Year 2019 competition. Mr M. Griffiths’ Lanfrese Argento, better known as Kevin, an 11-month-old Boxer and Dave’s nephew, took home the title seeing off 1,000s of puppies aged between 6-24 months through qualifying heats held at Championship Shows across the UK. Many previous winners of Pup of the Year have gone on to win Crufts, so we may yet see a boxer take home the coveted crown.

Kevin wasn’t EUKANUBA’s only winner at Crufts 2019 with Ch Minarets Best Kept Secret, a three-year-old, Min Poodle, beating 20 talented dogs to be crowned winner of the EUKANUBA Champion Stakes competition. The final took place in the Best in Show arena on the opening day of Crufts and the grand prize included a trophy, rosette and vouchers for EUKANUBA’s premium nutrition.

EUKANUBA also played host to a special surprise for many dog-loving visitors, with Britain’s Got Talent winner Ashleigh Butler and her dog Sully. The popular pair took to the stage to promote the special bond between young dog owners and their furry companions with a reading of the new children’s book, A Pawfect Pair - the story of a young girl and her Cockapoo. 

Promoting the positive effects dog ownership can have on the younger generation is high on EUKANUBA’s agenda. Especially following a recent research campaign which showed an alarming 50% of 16-19 year olds claim to have suffered from anxiety, depression and low confidence. The research also showed that almost half (46%) of those with dogs cited companionship as their main reason for getting a dog and one in four (23%) Gen Z-ers claim their overall wellbeing and happiness is better since getting a dog.

EUKANUBA is proud to celebrate 50 years of expertise in delivering tailored life stage nutrition, helping dogs and their owners to live life well together. To find out more about EUKANUBA’s full range visit www.eukanuba.co.uk

Picture credit: BeatMedia

Britain’s Got Talent star, Ashleigh Butler, delighted dog lovers with a surprise performance at Crufts on Saturday 9th March.

The agility champion took to the stage with Sully to host a live reading of the new children’s book, A Pawfect Pair, which celebrates the relationship of a young girl and her Cockapoo, hoping to inspire visitors with the positive impact dog ownership can have on our lives.

This follows a new survey from EUKANUBA, experts in premium pet nutrition, which found that an alarming 50% of 16-19-year olds claim to suffer from anxiety, depression and low confidence. Exam stress topped the list of concerns, alongside weight/image related issues (31%), pressure to conform to social media (19%), and bullying (18%).

However, it seems there’s a solution in man’s best friend, as young Britons reveal they seek solace in their four-legged companions. In fact, almost half (46%) of young dog owners cite companionship and friendship as their top reasons for getting a dog. What’s more, one in four (23%) Gen Z-ers claim their overall wellbeing and happiness is better since getting a dog, with their fitness, mental wellbeing and physical health seeing the most improvement. Two thirds (69%) also feel their relationships with friends and family have benefited as a result of bringing a dog into their life, while 39% feel their confidence has improved.

Britain’s Got Talent star, Ashleigh Butler said: "It’s great to see that so many young people are interested in dog ownership today. I’m delighted to be part of EUKANUBA’s new campaign, celebrating the special bond owners have with their dogs. I hope that in so doing, I can help to inspire the younger generation about the benefits of dog ownership and raise awareness of how they can live life well with their canine companions - just like me and Sully.”

CSJ’s 'A Way with Dogs' now has its own website featuring details about the soon to be aired Series 2 sheepdog trial plus video interviews with the stellar line up of international competitors.

Series 2 was set in the stunning landscape of North Wales where the competition was hot for the prestigious title of ‘A Way With Dogs Champion’ - and not forgetting the coveted specially commissioned bronze trophy.

The talented participants including Katy Cropper (in 1990 the first lady to win TV’s One Man and His Dog) give opinions and insight into their successful careers in dogs during chats with Paddy Fanning in the run up to the trials.

CSJ’s Ceri Rundle was thrilled by how eager such a stunning gathering of champion handlers from as far afield as USA and Scandinavia were to take part with their top winning dogs and says: “We are working hard to put all the content together for the series which will be on our YouTube channel and we’re sure will be as big a worldwide hit as Series 1.”

To find out all about the new A Way with Dogs' Series 2 sheepdog trial, visit: www.awaywithdogs.co.uk

Dogmatic directors Zoe and Susan Lewsley came across this display of their Italian Spinone Kofi (the face of Dogmatic) on the Your Dog Magazine stand at Crufts.

Zoe said: "It seemed right to get a 'family' portrait with Norman (11 and a half years) who is Kofi's Grand Son and Bertie (19 months) who is Kofi's Great, Grand Nephew on the day after what would have been Kofi's 16th Birthday.

"Dogmatic are very proud to have been voted ‘Product You Can’t Live Without’ for the record breaking sixth time and seeing Kofi’s image (who was a previous Crufts winner) in lights at Crufts was the icing on the cake"

Natures Menu sponsored the highly popular Heelwork to Music at Crufts.

The competitive canine sport requires dogs to display their understanding and knowledge of training commands by incorporating their obedience skills within a choreographed routine, set to music.

Originally deriving from the set exercises forming the heelwork component of competitive Obedience, Heelwork to Music is now a demanding and creative discipline, helping to strengthen the partnership between the dog and handler.

As part of the sponsorship, members of the Natures Menu team including Peter Roy, Business Development Director, James Langan, Commercial Director and Melanie Sainsbury, Registered Veterinary Nurse and Education Manager, presented the winner of each of the competitions with a trophy and rosette.

Skiffle, an eight-year-old Border Collie, and his owner Lucy Creek from Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands won the Heelwork to Music Freestyle final on Thursday (7th March), the Heelwork to Music final on Friday (8th March) and  the Heelwork to Music Freestyle International competition on Saturday (9th March).

Peter Roy comments: “We are extremely pleased to have sponsored this year’s Heelwork to Music at Crufts. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners, who performed some amazing routines in this magnificent discipline. It takes months for the handler and dogs to train for the biggest showcase of heelwork to music at Crufts, so we understand how hard they have worked to be crowned one of the worthy winners.”

Pictured: Final winner Lucy Creek and Skiffle with Peter Roy from Natures Menu.

Pet food manufacturers have hit back at claims that feeding raw food poses a danger to both humans and animals, and reassured owners that it’s safe to use as long as sensible hygiene measures are taken.

According to a study published in Vet Record, high levels of potentially harmful bacteria have been found in raw food products.

Children, the elderly and those with poor immune systems are most at risk from exposure and could be susceptible to infection, the authors said.

But the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association has responded to the findings of the Vet Record study.

It stated: “The PFMA is aware of the recent paper published in Vet Record on a Swedish study that tested 60 products from various European countries for bacterial contamination, including a single UK manufacturer. As this has been covered in the national media, PFMA would like to provide some reassurance and guidance to owners who choose to feed a raw meat diet.

“While it carries no greater risk than handling fresh raw meat intended for humans, pet owners must be dedicated to good hygiene practices in the home and maintain high standards of hygiene to prevent contamination. 

‘The researchers highlight the importance of careful storage, handling and good hygiene practices when feeding a raw meat diet. This is vital; the risk of food-borne illness must be a serious consideration for any person choosing to handle and feed any raw product in the home. 

‘PFMA and its members take education seriously and we provide some guidance for owners on best practice hygiene, handling and storage of raw meat products. Indeed this is best practice for handling all pet food products.”

The PFMA provides guidance to pet owners in a factsheet available on it website at https://www.pfma.org.uk/raw-feeding-factsheet  

The PFMA statement continued: “Whilst homemade diets provide more flexibility for pets with very specific nutritional needs, they are challenging and require significant research and expert guidance to undertake with any success.

“A fundamental concern, as with any homemade diet, is whether all the right nutrients are provided in the right proportions for healthy bodily function. An additional concern is ensuring ingredients from a safe and reliable source. 

“PFMA’s advice to owners feeding a raw pet food is to use a registered raw food manufacturer who is professionally making raw pet food meals with appropriate microbiological controls. As with all commercially prepared pet foods, commercially prepared raw foods are subject to stringent legislation. “Commercial raw producers within PFMA membership will also manufacture their diets in line with best practice guidelines.”

The PFMA has within membership 11 commercial raw pet food companies with a dedicated sector group. 

Last year PFMA launched the best practice guideline on the Manufacture of Raw Pet Food, which has been developed in conjunction with Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Public Health England (PHE) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). 

The Swedish researchers examined samples from 60 packs of raw meat products in 2017, made by 10 manufacturers in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and England.

All samples contained enterobacteriaceae species, which could pose a risk to health, and more than half (52%) had levels that exceeded the European Union maximum threshold.

Most of the species identified were not known to cause infection, apart from E coli, which was found in around a third of samples.

It is not clear if the E coli identified by the study could have caused illness.

Meanwhile, salmonella species were found in 7% of the samples.

The researchers warned the bacteria could transfer through contact between pet and owner, or easily spread onto surfaces and other food in kitchens.

"Dogs in families with infants, elderly people or immuno-compromised individuals should also not be fed raw meat-based diets, as these groups are more susceptible to infections,” warned the researchers.

A Hull pet shop owner's been disqualified from keeping caged exotics, rabbits, reptiles, guinea pigs and caged birds for life, after a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.

Rebecca Dawn McHugh, who's 37 of the Boulevard, was sentenced by Hull Magistrates after being convicted of four offences.

The RSPCA was called to Hull Pets and Garden on Beverley Road in June last year, almost five months after the shop closed, and found the species.

McHugh was also sentenced to a two-year community order, and ordered to pay £300 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

PetSafe Brand parent company, Radio Systems PetSafe Europe Ltd has been crowned the Best Workplace in Ireland 2019 by Great Place to Work Ireland for a second year running.

The accolade comes on the back of the business achieving third place in the Great Place to Work Best Workplace in Europe awards last year.

RSPEL scored particularly highly for its ‘social, friendly and welcoming atmosphere’ (98%), ‘professional development and showing appreciation’ (97%) and its ‘outstanding camaraderie’ (95%). The company also achieved highly in its overall score - which measures culture, trust and employee experience - achieving 92%, far exceeding 70%, the minimum to achieve certification.

RSPEL specialises in innovative companion pet and sport and hunting products, offering comprehensive pet training, health and wellness, waste management and play product solutions through its leading PetSafe® Brand, and superior training and tracking products for professional trainers and hunters via its global SportDOG Brand.

The RSPEL business has gone from strength to strength since it opened in Dundalk in 2012. Headcount has risen steadily, increasing by 20 per cent in the last year alone. Since the 2018 awards, RSPEL has introduced further workplace initiatives to keep the team motivated and happy. These include the launch of ‘Extreme Thinking’, a taskforce that focuses on ways to further improve key elements of the business such as Communication and Performance Recognition.

New initiatives resulting from ‘Extreme Thinking’ include ‘Get Some Balls’, where employees give marbles to teammates as a thank you or compliment; the teammate with the most marbles at month end receives special recognition. Another taskforce introduction has been ‘Solution Box’, an anonymous feedback box where employees suggest a solution to the problem they are raising.

RSPEL is a forward-thinking business and has adopted a flexible working culture, offering both flexi-time and working from home. On top of these benefits, RSPEL is pet-centric, offering perks to ensure employees have great relationships with their pet. These include being allowed to bring dogs into the office, eight hours’ ‘paw- rental’ leave to help new pets settle and three days’ paid pet bereavement leave. RSPEL also helps to cover the cost of pet care, including microchipping, insurance and health check-ups.

David Verdon, General Manager at RSPEL said: “Being recognised as Ireland’s best workplace for a second year running is absolutely fantastic and the entire team is thrilled. We’ve worked really hard to create an outstanding culture where employees go to work feeling motivated and engaged and this will continue to be our focus for the year to come. Achieving this accolade has been a real team effort so I extend my thanks to every one of our employees; we couldn’t have done it without them.”

2019 marks the seventeenth year of Great Place to Work® Ireland recognising great workplaces with the publication of its Best Workplaces in Ireland lists, and the number of workplaces who are realising the benefits of empowering their employees to flourish in a supportive high-trust culture continues to increase.

John Ryan, CEO of Great Place to Work® Ireland said: “Securing a place on the list of Best Workplaces in Ireland is a greater achievement than ever before. These organisations have opened up to us, giving us a deep understanding of the culture that drives their performance. Even though we’re dealing with an unprecedented level of economic and political uncertainty, these Irish organisations are ready to deal with the challenges: they have built agility and plasticity into the core of their workplaces, developing the high levels of trust that are critical for adaptability.”

The Best Workplace accolade was presented to the RSPEL team at the Great Place to Work Best Workplaces in Ireland awards in Dublin on 27th February 2019.

Three pet care brands have made it into the list of Top 100 Megabrands produced by market research expert Euromonitor International. They are Pedigree, Whiskas and Purina.

In its findings, Euromonitor International said: “Mars’ leading position in the pet care category is clear, as it owns two of the three pet care brands to make it into the top 100 – Pedigree and Whiskas (31 and 68 in the overall ranking).

“However, the future may not be quite so assured for these two brands. Firmly mid-market for a number of years, they have been slowly losing share of global dog and cat food value sales as premium brands gain against them.”

Purina came 83^rd in the Top 100.

Euromonitor International’s megabrands report is a ranking of the top 100 most successful fast-moving consumer brands (FMCG) worldwide. The report encompasses packaged food, soft drinks, beauty and personal care, consumer health, tissue and hygiene, home care, hot drinks and pet care. Each of the brands making it into the top 100 qualifies based on their retail sales value for 2017.