A range of products for dogs are now being manufactured with nanotechnology at their heart. Dog collars and leads have been made by a company called Dog Gone Smart Pet Products. This enterprise aims to be a pioneer in the sector and will be showcasing its wares at a convention centre in Atlanta during early 2012.

Some of the products that have been made may seem appealing to a wide range of dog owners. For example, a dog bed has been constructed, which does not get as dirty as a conventional one. It has been made out of a special fabric that apparently has unique properties. The fabric concerned is meant to get less smelly than normal material over time if both are exposed to the continued presence of a similar dog.

How effective this new dog bed might be has yet to be seen. A lot of testing by dog owners will discover whether or not the new products are as good as they sound. It may be some time before they are on sale within the European Union unfortunately, so if you import one, be sure to let us at Dream Dogs know how you get on!

Your dog should get used to sleeping in one spot as this may make for an easier family life. Fighting your dog off nightly as it tries to jump on your bed could prove tiresome and if your dog knows that it has its own space to sleep in, to go to when it feels tired, your dog will be much more settled.

Before you go splashing out on the most expensive dog bed for your beloved pet, consider some things before buying a dog bed. Observe your pet and how they like to get comfortable – are they curled up in a ball or stretched out and needing a bit more paw room? This can help you decide whether to buy a smaller round bed or a bigger dog bed with extra space. Once determining the size of bed, you will be faced with a whole host of other decisions such as the material and quality of the bed and so it is also worth considering how old your dog is and whether it need some extra comfort or whether your dog is still growing – in which case, bear in mind that the bed will need replacing soon.

Whether you prefer a collar or a harness, you should have a collar on your dog every day when they are not being walked. This can have an identity tag on it, featuring their name, address and a contact telephone number in case he gets lost. A dog collar can also have a tag on to say if they have certain allergies or information on the vaccinations, which is certainly something to think about if your beloved pet becomes lost or wonders off.

A harness is ideal for puppies, as their muscles are still developing. Getting your puppy used to their lead at an early age will have its benefits when they get older. Harnesses also are a preferred item on smaller breeds, especially on those dogs under six pounds in weight.

Larger breeds are better off wearing a dog collar as they do have a tendency to pull and should not be wearing a harness. This is because a harness is worn on the dog around their centre of gravity, which can put you in danger of being pulled along by a muscular dog.

With all this in mind, you can now decide which is more appropriate for your pet.

One expense that is essential to your pet’s wellbeing is a dog bed. A dog likes to have a place to call his own – somewhere comfortable and secure to relax and rest and get away from the excitement of family life.

It can be tempting to splash out on the most expensive dog bed you can find, or something that fits in with the decor of your own home. However, ensure that when you buy a dog bed, you are putting your pet’s needs first. Consider the kind of pet you have –as you may find that you need an easy to clean, machine washable pet bed or one that is chew resistant. If you observe how your dog usually curls up and sleeps, this might help inform you as to what sort of shape of bed that you buy, as dog beds come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, not to mention a variety of materials.

Remember that you will need to buy more than one dog bed in the lifetime of your pet. It may be worth considering buying an economy bed for your puppy until he is fully toilet trained, and buy increasingly bigger beds as he matures.

Philip Pool, of Ogmore-by-Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan, was ordered to pay £2,000 and an additional £1,000 costs for using the collar, which was outlawed in Wales in 2010.

The training device uses pain to train a dog, and administers an electric shock to the animal if it strays beyond a certain boundary. Although banned in Wales, the collars are legal in other areas of Britain, and it is estimated that half a million dog owners use them.

Mr Pook’s dog, Dougie, had been wearing the collar when he was found on a beach near his home by a couple. They delivered Dougie to charity The Dogs Trust, who traced his owner through his microchip.

Prosecutor David Prosser said:

“This is the first prosecution under the regulations for this type of collar. It operates like an electric fence, and if the dog approaches the boundaries or tries to escape it sends a shock. He didn’t accept that it was illegal because it’s legal in England. But this is the law as far as Wales is concerned.”

“Electric collars have now been outlawed in Wales and there’s no excuse for using them. I am under no doubt this would have caused the dog pain.”

In his defence, Mr Pook, 48, claimed that he did not know that the collars were illegal.

On its website, the ECMA (Electronic Collars Manufacturers Association) state that the collars cause no pain to dogs. It says:

“Mild static stimulation that your dog feels [is] designed to be undesirable so your dog will avoid it, yet is totally harmless and humane.”

However, the Kennel Club disputes this and welcomed the sentence. It said:

“Electric shock collars train dogs through pain and fear.”

“They are a cruel, outdated and unsuitable method of training dogs.”

In Wales, such a sentence can carry a maximum of 6 months in prison or a £20,000 fine, and politicians in Westminster will shortly being debating their use in the rest of the UK.

A popular internet site that specialises in selling dog toys has claimed that there is a significant increase in the amount of eco-friendly toys that are flying off their virtual shelves. The green dog toys are becoming easier to sell as dog owners become more aware of dangers to the environment caused by chemicals and production.

In just this year alone, the website Dog Geekz has recorded that 85% of the stock of dog toys that they have sold is eco-friendly.

Samuel Nieves, the founder of Dog Geekz said

“Many of these products just sell themselves. Very little advertising goes into these ‘green’ products making it a huge milestone in the advancement of reducing the canine carbon footprint in this world. We are excited that these environmentally friendly dog products are consistently outselling ordinary dog products.”

He also added:

“Many individuals believe that shopping ‘green’ for our canine companion is boring, with very limited options in colour and style, but this thought is being proved wrong as new and more sophisticated dog products are being made and introduced. Eco friendly dog products in most cases are very carefully designed with the dog’s total comfort and planet’s well being in mind.”

Scientists claim that concerns about the environment are no longer just limited to humans. People all over the world are making conscious decisions on more and more products, depending on how environmentally friendly the products are. A tiny contribution by everyone to try and preserve and maintain the argument will make a significant difference.

Micro chipping allows easy identification of dogs that have run away, even if the dog has managed to lose both collar and ID tag. The dog gets a unique number and that is registered on a nationwide database that along with the owner’s details will lead it to a safe return.

Redbridge council is offering a free service throughout June that will allow resident’s dogs to be chipped for free thanks to The Dogs Trust.

A spokesman for the council said:

“Sadly, the reality is that of the many thousands of dogs that go missing each year, it is estimated that less than half of them are reunited with their owners. Don’t wait until it’s too late, get your dog micro-chipped in the comfort of your own home and have the assurance that if it gets lost or stolen, it is more likely to be returned to you safe and sound.”

If you live in the area and are interested you can book an appointment for your dog by calling the Redbridge Council Customer Contact Centre on 020 8554 5000 and arrange for an appointment at your home.

Another issue with microchips is the amount of data that is no longer current to your dog. If you want to check and update the information on your dog’s chip then you can ring pet log free on 0844 4633 999 or visit their website www.petlogpremium.org.uk.

Each pet is different so there is no set plan for your dog and his chew toys. Good judgment and supervision is crucial in order to maintain the protection of your pet. Chewing for a dog is a natural and healthy activity for dogs. The amount of tartar and plaque can be decreased by chewing, and it stimulates a dog’s mind away from other activities. The selection of your dog’s chew toys should be made on your own dog’s personal behaviour and how enthusiastic they usually are with chew toys.

A plush dog toy should be monitored when being chewed by a dog, as it is not uncommon for them to rip open the toys and ingest the stuffing or the squeakers that are inside the toy. To get the best use of these toys, using them as a part of a retrieval game would be ideal for your dog. Keep the toys in a safe place when finished as you don’t want your dog exploring them while you are not around.

The content of the chew toy is also important in regarding the safety of your dog. Toys that are made of wood or rope can be fairly dangerous and can lead to a dog getting splinters in the mouth, which can become infected, or strands of rope becoming caught around the teeth. Again these toys are best being put away when the owner is not there to play with them.

Young teething puppies will also need stimulation and, therefore, finding the right chew toy that is applicable to their growth development is essential. Make sure that the toys are an appropriate size for the dog, not too small that they could swallow them and not too large that they become frustrated and disinterested.

Chew toys are a great way to be incorporated into a reward scheme which can be very useful to the development of puppies and adult dogs.

The ROK Stretch Leash came with a handy information leaflet that lets you know all about its unique quality – and I certainly hadn’t seen anything like it before. First impressions were that it’s very well manufactured and solid; the leaflet says it’s made of a solid rubber core with nylon braid that is really chew resistant.

This dog lead comes with three visibly different qualities. The top handle has a padded wrap, making it really comfortable when you’re out walking your best friend. It also attaches to the rest of the lead by a D-ring, making it easy to wrap round a post if you need to leave your dog for a minute.

One of its best features in my opinion is it’s stretchy. It’s almost like an elastic band, so rather than jolting your dog if you want him or her to stop, it gives just enough tension to gently pull the dog back; this means it’s also actually easier on the owner too. Don’t think it’s going to stop you halting the dog in a hurry though – it’s not that stretchy! This makes it a great tool for dog training though.

The lead we had for a sample was a ‘small’, meaning it’s suitable for dogs up to 18kg. Bailey’s only just over 10kg so I felt the third feature was a little wasted on her but for boisterous or larger dogs, this third feature is fab. There is a second handle at the opposite end of the lead called a ‘Traffic Leaders’, so you can easily hold the dog close to you at the roadside. It’s also pretty handy as a car restraint too – although it’s only meant to hold the dog in place whilst you need to, and is not a replacement for a proper dog car seat belt.

Having a smaller dog like Bailey meant I felt some of this lead’s great features were a little wasted but I did find myself wishing I’d had something like this when I was training her as a young dog. Nowadays, we’ve become used to an extendable lead for our longer walks and I’d like to see ROK create one of these.

For a well-trained small dog, the lead may feel a little overkill but it’s a fab accessory – other dog leads will feel cheap and nasty in comparison – and I loved the Cam colour. There are currently four other colours – green, orange, blue and pink. For the larger or boisterous dog, this has got to become a necessity.

All in all, Bailey and I loved this dog lead and it’s become a firm favourite. View for yourself on the YouTube video below:

Images courtesy of www.rok-straps.com

We received samples of Immune Aid, Joint Aid and Condition Aid – each of which helps with a different aspect of a dog’s healthy life. Immune Aid helps with digestion and keeping a healthy coat and skin; Joint Aid aims to help with movement and flexibility and Condition Aid designed to keep a dog physically fit and help to keep away any internal parasites that might be picked up. Each packet contains around a 20 day supply.

Bailey and Ouzo are both seven year old shih tzus; Bailey’s mission was to try Immune Aid and Ouzo was tasked with Joint Aid.

Case 1: Bailey – Immune Aid

We should point out that Bailey loves to bounce around a lot and is very active, but she does have a dodgy tummy. It’s not unusual for Lianne to come home from work and once or twice a week find that Bailey has been sick by the back door.

Verdict: Impressed

When Lianne first opened the Immune Aid pouch, she commented:

They look like just like gravy granules and although Bailey isn’t a fussy eater, I did wonder if she’d take it. It says on the packet to sprinkle over the dog’s normal food, but on most days, Bailey will eat fresh chicken pieces in the morning with complete dog food and a similar meal in the evening. When the granules were sprinkled on her normal food, she wouldn’t take it but, just like gravy if you add a little warm water, it becomes a gravy-like substance – and there was no stopping her then!

More importantly, after the first 10 days, Bailey has only been sick once – and to be fair, she’d probably eaten too many treats! We’ll carry on with Immune Aid and see how it goes, but if it stops Bailey being sick every week or even just reduces the number of times she’s sick, then Bailey will be sticking to her new supplement.

Case 2: Ouzo – Joint Aid

When Ouzo was a puppy, she was unfortunate enough to break her back left leg, so keeping an eye on Ouzo’s joints is important to her owner Viv as she becomes older. Seven years old isn’t old yet but it’s never too early to start looking after your joints. Ouzo is also a very fussy eater…

Verdict: Pretty Darn Good

When Viv opened the sample packet, she really didn’t think Ouzo would take the granules at all. Much like Bailey, Ouzo’s diet consists of complete dry food with the odd tin of dog food every now and then.

True to form, with a sprinkling on her dry food Ouzo wasn’t having any of it – but she sure chomped it up when it was on her tinned dog food and when it was made into a liquid mix, she actually seemed to eat her biscuits with a little more relish than before.

Having been quite sceptical about the idea of dog supplements, Viv was pleasantly surprised to find that after the first week Ouzo seemed to be keener on going for her walks and was much livelier. It seems all those extra minerals and vitamins and stuff in the pouches must actually do something!