Archie and I spent the day exploring dog friendly Brixton and we found some real delights! Have a look below…
Start off with a coffee and/or breakfast at The Laundry on Coldharbour Lane which is a great space in a converted Edwardian Laundry! Dogs are welcome inside or on their pretty terrace and humans can also get a coffee to go if you can’t wait to get started on that walk.
From there it’s just a 15-minute walk to Brockwell Park which is a beautiful park with great views from the top of the hill as well as ponds and plenty of space to work up a hunger for lunch. You can also watch some humans braving the British weather at the Brockwell Lido if you pop into the lido café 400 Rabbits. (Dogs aren’t allowed in the pool though).
We stopped off at Ayla’s Pet Store on Dulwich Road to stock up on treats, then we headed to The Lounge Brixton on Atlantic Road for lunch.
The humans really like the sound of Caribbean Comfort food and they weren’t disappointed. They said the food was delicious but too spicy for us to try. Thankfully the staff were more generous and brought us our own treats.
This is a super friendly place we highly recommend our four-legged friends try.
The humans needed another stroll after lunch to help their full bellies (I don’t know what that is) so we strolled through Brixton Village Market which is a really cool covered market with lots of independent traders and eateries. Plenty of places for coffee and maybe some cakes for later.
The humans love beer so we had to pop in to see our friends at Brewdog who always have a warm waggy welcome for four-legged foodies!
If your humans still have room in their bellies after that, then they can get great pizza from Mamma Dough which is also on Coldharbour Lane.
The staff here LOVE dogs and the pizza is amazing, if you’re full then you can always get one delivered later.
We had a great day in Brixton and hope you will too! Keep an eye on Goddard Veterinary Group’s Pet Corner for more from me and my humans, in the meantime, why not visit us on Instagram?
Please note that any advice given is the view of the blog author and is not necessarily the view or advice of Goddard Veterinary Group. Always seek advice directly from your own vet.
Now, we all know how much I love my friends at Goddard Veterinary Group Kingston (especially Katy who gives me bacon flavoured treats) and I’m delighted to share my Kingston adventures with all the other Goddard’s doggies!
Kingston upon Thames is an ancient market town in South West London with a large shopping area, riverside restaurants and easy access to two Royal Parks. Kingston has a plethora of dog friendly pubs and a few restaurants. It is also my home town so here are some of my favourite things to do!
Walkies
With two beautiful Royal Parks in the borough, Richmond Park in the North and Bushy in the South, there is plenty of outdoor adventures to be had. Richmond Park is the largest Royal park in London, so large you can go there for years and still not see all of it.
With a combination of large open spaces and wooded areas, the parks have something for everyone, I love to run and jump over fallen branches while Archie is happy to stroll along at a slower pace. And both have water for the swimmers or those who just like to paddle, like us! You can even spend the whole day with a leisurely picnic or try and steal someone else’s!
Both parks do have wild deer so be careful if you are a chaser!
Shopping
The first place to stop off is mine and Archie’s favourite local shop, Woofs a Daisy. This is THE place in Kingston to get all you need for your adventures from collars and leads to toys and lots and lots of fabulous tasty treats.
If your pooch likes to join you in a spot of retail therapy, well behaved dogs on leads are welcome in John Lewis and West Elm. Kingston’s ancient market is a little piece of London history and has been there since the year 838! Imagine how many doggies have walked through there since then.
The market square has food stalls every day and regular events throughout the year with plenty of seating for you and your dog.
Activities
If parks aren’t your thing, then we recommend a lovely stroll along the river or better still a spot of sailing.
Pooches of all sizes are welcome on GoBoat which is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Pack a picnic (don’t forget the dog treats) and hop aboard for a leisurely cruise down the Thames towards Hampton Court Palace.
We have seen a few dogs getting involved in Paddle Boarding on the Thames if you’re brave enough, you can also hire them at the riverside. I’ve been told I’m not brave enough but secretly think it’s the humans who aren’t!
Eating and Drinking
In good tradition, we saved the best for last! Here are our favourite dog friendly places for those well-earned refreshments after all that walking, shopping and general adventuring.
The Ram – Situated on the riverside, this pub is super dog friendly and has a large outdoor space facing the river. Perfect for dinner after your GoBoat adventure!
The Canbury Arms – A short stroll from Goddard’s Kingston you will find this friendly neighbourhood pub who absolutely adore dogs. Dogs are welcome in the large bar area and courtyard garden. I’m told the human food here is exceptional too!
Poor Boys – This is a fabulous place close to the river where we are welcome inside or on the terrace. The humans love the food here which is from New Orleans and we are usually lucky enough to get some because the portions are big!
Pottery Tapas Bar – Just down the road from Goddard’s Kingston is this amazing tapas restaurant with a beautiful secluded rear garden. We are allowed inside too and the humans enjoy a sneaky cocktail or two here.
We do hope you enjoy your visit to Kingston and don’t forget to keep an eye out for Archie and me! Keep an eye on Goddard Veterinary Group’s Pet Corner for more from me and my humans, in the meantime, why not visit us on Instagram?
Please note that any advice given is the view of the blog author and is not necessarily the view or advice of Goddard Veterinary Group. Always seek advice directly from your own vet.
This year is all about the staycation! The humans have decided not to travel on those strange metal bird things and leave us behind. Instead, they are exploring our wonderful country and that means we can go with them! Archie has stayed in lots of hotels but from now on he must get a twin room because this summer, I’m coming too!
Here are some of our favourite dog friendly hotels where you can take that well earnt break this summer. We don’t like to miss out at mealtimes, so they all have dog friendly restaurants too!
Mama Shelter
Mama Shelter is a really cool hotel in East London who are so dog friendly we even get our own check in forms! In the rooms, four legged friends will find a bed, bowl and towel – which was handy as we arrived on one of the wettest days ever. The whole ground floor is given over to space to relax with the humans including bars and a restaurant and we pooches are welcome everywhere. The space is typically Shoreditch uber cool and provides some great photo opportunities for the gram!
Top tip: Nearby Victoria Park is great for walkies.
Mama Shelter, 437 Hackney Rd, London E2 8PP
The Hoxton
Another cool hotel with an urban vibe is The Hoxton. They have 3 locations in London and we have tried them all so can verify their dog friendliness! Again, we get a comfy bed, bowls and treats in the room and we doggies are allowed to dine in the bar and lobby areas (just not the main restaurants).
Between the 3 hotels you will be perfectly placed to explore most of London so why not book a stay in each?
The Hoxton Holborn, Southwark and Hoxton
The Gallivant
Just a 2-hour drive from London is the beautiful Camber Sands which is a huge stretch of sandy beach where doggies are permitted all year round. Opposite the beach you will find The Gallivant which is a fabulously dog friendly hotel, spa and restaurant. The rooms are all beautifully decorated with plenty of light and there are always treats on offer in the lounge/bar area. We can dine with the humans in the bar or on the covered outdoor terrace.
The hotel is perfectly placed for the beach and nearby is the quintessential English harbour town of Rye and the stunning landscape of Dungeness.
The Gallivant, Camber, East Sussex TN31 7RB
Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
Sounds posh doesn’t it? Well it is, but then so are we! Doggies up to 18 kilos are welcome to join their humans for no extra charge at the Sheraton Grand which is ideally placed for exploring some of the main sights of London and exploring the Royal Parks. While you are staying here, your nearest neighbour will be the Queen.
Top Tip: The best thing about staying here is the hotel bar Smith & Whistle where we have our very own dogtail menu!
Sheraton Grand London, Piccadilly, London W1J 7BX
South Place Hotel
This is a fabulous hotel in the heart of the City of London where we doggies get spoilt as much as the humans.
In your room at The South Place Hotel you will find a King size dog bed, toys, bowls and plenty of treats and we can join the humans in the bar area or the very Instagrammable Secret Garden Room (sorry no pooches in the Michelin starred restaurant).
Top Tip: We can confirm that the Secret Garden is also a great place for a private function!
South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, London EC2M 2AF
Tapnell Farm, Isle of Wight
Okay, so not strictly a hotel this one but if you are more of an adventurous outdoorsy dog then we can highly recommend a spot of glamping at Tapnell Farm on the Isle of Wight. Getting to the island from London is super easy. Lymington is less than a 2-hour drive and the crossing from there takes only 20 minutes
My human isn’t keen on camping but even she enjoyed our stay here as the tent had a full kitchen, bathroom and even heating. There is a great burger restaurant on site too.
If you’re thinking of visiting the Isle of Wight check out our blog with loads more tips and recommendations.
All this talk has got me into the holiday mood! I’m going to speak to my humans about our next dog-friendly staycation… I think I deserve one after all this hard work! Keep an eye on Goddard Veterinary Group’s Pet Corner for more from me and my humans, in the meantime, why not visit us on Instagram?
There are many reasons to consider neutering your female dog (spaying) and studies in the USA have shown that neutered female dogs (bitches) live longer than unneutered bitches. Neutering does come with some risks and we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages below and let you know what to expect with the surgery and the recovery from the procedure. There are a lot of people and websites who will tell you that you must have your bitch spayed, or that you mustn’t. In this guide, however, we’ll look at all the pros and cons, so that you can make your own mind up. There is also no ‘one size fits all breeds’ and we recommend discussing the procedure and the timing of it for your dog with your veterinary surgeon.
What is spaying?
Spaying a bitch is a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic where the ovaries (and, usually, the uterus or womb) are surgically removed. It’s a fairly big operation though young dogs tend to recover remarkably quickly from the procedure.
So, what are the advantages – why do people do it?
Advantage 1
Ending her cycles. Most bitches will come into season roughly every six months (although it may be longer for large and giant breeds) and the season usually lasts for 3 weeks. When they’re in season, or ‘in heat’, they pass a bloody discharge from their vulva, which can be really messy. In addition, every male dog in the vicinity is likely to be queuing up at your back door trying to mate with her! Some bitches also undergo quite dramatic personality changes, and they may suffer from ‘False Pregnancies’ in the couple of months following the season and even start to produce milk. If they get ‘caught’ by a dog, it’s likely to be a real pregnancy and then you have to look after and find homes for all the puppies! Spaying completely removes her cycle (it cannot occur) and she cannot become pregnant.
This means you’re not going to be part of the overpopulation problem, with dogs stacked up waiting for rehoming in shelters and rescue centres.
Advantage 2
Reducing the risk of reproductive tumours: Spaying bitches before the first or second season, or before the age of 2.5 years, may be associated with a reduced risk of developing malignant mammary tumours later in life. This reduction in risk appears to be most marked in the bitches spayed before their first season, followed by those spayed before their second season. Vaginal tumours are almost exclusively seen in unspayed female dogs over the age of 10. Ovarian tumours and uterine tumours can also occur in unspayed female dogs and are difficult to detect before they become untreatable.
Advantage 3
Eliminates the risk of Pyometra – a serious infection of the womb which, in the majority of cases, requires emergency surgery. If untreated, it is usually fatal. Two-thirds of unneutered bitches over the age of 9 will develop endometrial hyperplasia and these dogs have a higher risk of developing pyometra.
Advantage 4
Lifespan – research in the USA that looked at the health records of over 2 million pets showed that neutering had a significant effect on the lifespan of neutered bitches, with neutered dogs living on average 7 ½ months longer than unneutered bitches.
Disadvantage 1
Urinary Incontinence occurs in approximately 0.7% of dogs and the incidence is significantly higher in neutered bitches. Some breeds are more prone to urinary incontinence and there is a greater risk of developing urinary incontinence within two years of neutering if neutered before 6 months of age. Overweight dogs are at greater risk of developing incontinence. Urinary incontinence can be managed medically but will need lifelong treatment.
Disadvantage 2
Weight gain. After neutering, dogs will be more prone to put on weight. It is important to ensure they are being fed an appropriate diet and not being overfed. Obesity can increase the risk of a number of diseases including joint problems in large breed dogs and breathing problems in flat-faced breeds.
Disadvantage 3
Hormonal coat changes. A few dogs also show a change to the quality of the coat – this is actually pretty rare and usually really minor.
Disadvantage 4
Orthopaedic disease. Some large breed dogs which are prone to joint disease may have a higher risk of joint disease if neutered. This is particularly a concern with early neutering and we recommend, if you have a large breed dog, discussing the age of neutering with your veterinary surgeon.
Disadvantage 5
Risks of the surgery – a bitch spay is a very commonly performed procedure however it does come with some risk of complications. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons surveyed practices in 2018 and 75% of procedures were complication-free, with the majority of complications being minor and either require no intervention or some additional medication. Only 1% required further surgical intervention and there was a 0.2% rate of loss of life (compared to 0.1% in male dogs).
Age at Neutering
In most dogs, particularly small and medium-sized breeds we recommend neutering from 6 months, before their first season. With some large breeds, we may recommend waiting until they have had a season or reached skeletal maturity. This is best discussed with your veterinary surgeon.
Can I have my dog spayed when she is in season?
Unfortunately, there is an increased risk of bleeding when a bitch is in season and also of her developing a phantom pregnancy. Therefore, we need to wait 10-14 weeks after the last day of her season before performing surgery.
How is it done?
Unlike neutering a dog, which is a very simple operation (his reproductive organs are easily accessible!), spaying a bitch requires entering the abdomen. In most cases, this is done as an ‘open’ surgery, where she will have a general anaesthetic, then the surgeon will open her abdomen and remove her ovaries and uterus. There is an increased risk of bleeding internally from a bitch spay, and they can require greater post-operative monitoring. However, most dogs will be home with you on the evening of the surgery.
A female dog will need to be closely confined for the first 3 days post-surgery with no leaping, jumping or climbing stairs and lead walks only for 10 days. For a more detailed description of what to expect on the day of the surgery please see our page on neutering male dogs.
Laparoscopic Spays
An alternative to an open spay is the laparoscopic bitch spay, where we use keyhole surgery just to remove her ovaries – this has a much faster recovery time and seems to provide all the advantages of traditional surgery. We do not recommend laparoscopic spays for dogs under 5kgs or bitches that have had more than five seasons as they have an increased risk of pre-existing uterine disease which would require removal of the uterus. Laparoscopic spays are performed on a referral basis at our Veterinary Hospitals and are more expensive than a regular spay.
In conclusion…
Spaying your dog is an important decision – there are hundreds of thousands of unwanted dogs in the UK, so reproductive control is really important. It also genuinely does save lives. However, there are disadvantages too, so it’s important that you make up your own mind. If you would like to discuss this further with your vet, get in touch.
Don’t forget, ProActive Pets members, receive 20% off routine neutering!
Did you know that dogs are at much higher risk in hot weather than humans are? As a result, they can easily suffer heatstroke in hot weather (and it’s not always just in summer), becoming ill, or even fatal consequences from overheating.
Why don’t dogs cope well with the heat?
Humans can lose heat by sweating – as the water in sweat evaporates, we cool down. We also wear loose-fitting clothing, that acts as a barrier to the sun’s rays, and traps a layer of cooler air between us and the outside air.
Dogs, however, are descended from wolves – animals that are well adapted to live in cold, arctic countries. They only have sweat glands on the tip of their nose and on their pads, and their coats are designed to keep heat in, not out. As a result, they struggle to lose heat when their body temperature rises – the only way that they can cool down is by panting.
Why isn’t panting enough to stop them from getting overheated?
Panting works fairly well for a short time – but it uses up a lot of water. Sooner or later, the dog will become dehydrated and won’t be able to salivate anymore, then their temperature climbs rapidly and dangerously.
What effect does overheating have on the dog?
Well, firstly, it leads to dehydration – many dogs who die of heatstroke actually die of shock as their body becomes dehydrated, leading to the collapse of their circulatory system. However, in exceptionally hot weather, even well-hydrated dogs can die, as their body temperature climbs faster than they are able to lose heat.
In this situation, the high body temperature literally cooks their blood, brains, and internal organs, resulting in abnormal clotting, brain damage, multi-organ failure, and then death. While a dog’s normal temperature is about 38.5C, a core temperature of 41C can lead to permanent brain damage, and the higher it goes, the more severe the damage and the faster it occurs.
What are the major risk factors?
The biggest risk is hot weather, but of course, in the summer, it’s hot throughout much of the day! The other major risk is breed – short-nosed dogs like Pugs and Bulldogs find it much, much harder to pant effectively than their long-nosed cousins. This is because their short noses lead to long soft palates and narrow nostrils, restricting airflow.
Other important factors include lack of shade and lack of water. In the midday sun, in summer, dogs can become dangerously overheated in minutes if they cannot find shade. Exercise in the heat of the day is also a problem – the more a dog exercises, the more heat their body generates, so the faster they reach the danger zone.
Most dogs, with adequate water, can maintain their core temperature up to an air temperature of about 32C – in short-nosed breeds, however, even this may be a struggle, so you need to be extra vigilant.
So what are the symptoms of Heatstroke?
The most common symptoms include:
Exceptionally heavy panting
Serious drooling or (if they’re dehydrated) sticky, or even dry gums
Lethargy or unusual drowsiness
Wobbliness or difficulty balancing
Abnormal behaviour
Vomiting
Collapse
Muscle tremors, twitching, or seizures
What should I do if my dog seems to be overheating?
When treating heatstroke in dogs, it’s crucial to prioritize cooling them down immediately before contacting your vet. Immerse young, healthy dogs in cool water, while older dogs or those with underlying health issues should be doused in cool water and then fanned. Avoiding using wet towels, as they are less effective.
It depends on how severe it is – we will work to gradually reduce their temperature, and help to treat the dehydration and shock. However, in many cases there will be permanent brain or organ damage; sadly, most studies put the mortality rate at about 50%.
How can I keep my dog safe?
Prevention is the key! On a hot day…
Always allow your dog access to shade
Make sure your dog always has water available
Keep at-risk dogs, especially short-nosed breeds, indoors out of the heat during the day
Spray hot dogs with cool water before they become ill, to help them cool down
NEVER leave a dog in a car, even in the shade as temperatures can rise to dangerous levels within minutes
Exercise your dog in the early morning or late evening, when it’s cooler
Watch out for the warning signs…
If you think your dog is at risk of heatstroke, call us for advice or help.
