National Microchipping Month!

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry for not blogging in over a month! I have been so unbelievably busy that I just haven't had the time! Anyway, unless you've not looked at your calendar in a long, long time you would've realised that June is in 5 days time! As well as that meaning it's summertime, it also means that it is National Microchipping Month, sponsored by Petlog. Currently in England, Microchipping is not compulsory but recently Northern Ireland has introduced compulsory Microchipping and Wales will shortly be releasing a consultation. Microchips are just slightly bigger than a grain of rice and take seconds to insert into your pet by your vet. Throughout June many vets and local welfare organisations will be offering incentives for you to get your pet microchipped. 

When your pet is microchipped your contact details will be logged onto a reunification database, so if your pet goes missing and is picked up by a dog warden, animal shelter or vet, they can be scanned, identified and reunited. The microchip lasts for the life of the pet and can not be removed like a collar tag, as long as the owners contact details are kept up to date on the database a pet can be reunited even if it is found hundreds of miles away.  Petlog, the UK’s largest independent reunification microchip database, strongly believe that through compulsory Microchipping we can quickly reunite pets with their owners and reduce the number of stray dogs in Welfare centres. 

To help find the UK's lost pets, an app has been developed for phones where Petlog members can mark their dog as missing on a database. Petlog Lost Pet Alert is free and if you are a member of Petlog Premium, you can send an alert to authorised agents within a 30-mile radius of where their dog went missing! Not only does the app contain advice and info about Microchipping, it also includes of other great features such as searches for dog friendly restaurants, hotels and shops! You can download the app here. 

If you have not already upgraded to Petlog Premium, especially for National Microchipping Month you can upgrade for £7.50 online! This would allow you to update your details as many times as you like as well as many other benefits! Make sure you always keep your details updated after Microchipping your pet. 

Thank you for reading, and have a great Microchipping month! Talk soon, Jasper x

Give Your Dog A Bone!

Hey everyone;
just thought I'd let you know about a competition I'm entered into! This year, Drontal launched a new Drontal Bone Shape wormer and to celebrate the release of this new product, they have started a new competition- the 2012 Give Your Dog a Bone Awards! There are four categories which you can enter your dog into: Most Entertaining Video, Most Heroic Pet, Most Loveable Mutt and Special Bond. In the first stage of the competition, a public vote will take place to decide the winner and runner ups of each category. In the second and final stage, a judging panel will choose the Top Dog from all entries. The competition ends on the 31st May 2012 so if you are interested in entering your dog, enter before then! I am entered into the Most Entertaining Video category with my brother and the Most Loveable Mutt category. Here is the video that I have entered into the competition: 

It is of me and my bro fetching sticks together on this fantastic walk we went on together! Please click here to vote for me and my brother Dillon and here for the picture of me! You are allowed to vote every 24 hours- good luck! Talk soon, Jasper x

Two Year Anniversary!

Hey there!
On the 1st April 2010, I arrived at my new home! Two years later and I am still having a great time with the humans! On the 1st April 2012, I celebrated my two year anniversary with these humans. Over the last 24 months, I have done so many things that I can't remember them all! My Top 10 highlights were:

1. Getting into the Top 3 in a Cutest Dog Competition
2. Competing twice at Discover Dogs 2011 as part of the Young Kennel Club
3. Going to Dorset for the day and having an awesome time in the sea!
4. Going on loads of walks with my brother
5. Setting up this blog
6. Creating a Twitter account and meeting lots of new friends!
7. Starting Agility classes and taking part in my first Agility competition
8. Trying out Flyball
9. Choreographing a Heelwork To Music Freestyle routine to 'Club Can't Handle Me'- Flo Rida!
10. Staying away for a weekend to take part in lots of different activities and a Dogstable Crufts Qualifier

2012 is set to be a very busy, but brilliant, year and I can't wait to share all of these exciting events with you- roll on London 2012 Olympics! Talk soon, Jasper x

Crufts 2012- Sunday 11th March

Hey everyone,
here is my blog post on the last day of Crufts 2012, Sunday 11th March!
After a night's rest in a local hotel, the humans made their way back to Crufts 2012 for what was another fantastic day! First they went to the Dog Activities Zone where there were lots of lovely dogs saying hello to everybody! The humans thought it was great talking to lots of different people about all the dog activities that were on offer and also loved getting to know some dogs that participated in each sport.

The humans then spoke to a Police Dog Trainer at one of the stands about what life was like having this important job. The dog was an English Springer Spaniel which pleased the humans! 

After this, the humans made their way to the Main Arena to watch the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Display Team who were showing how excellent Staffies were for Agility and other doggie sports. Whilst the dogs were mastering the course, the humans caught Paul O'Grady standing backstage! 

 Paul took to the course with one of the staffies and directed the dog around the course with some precision!

It was then time to watch another Agility competition! 

Afterwards, the humans watched a fantastic Dog Activities Display! The humans had read about a Great Dane called Ruach in a magazine and when they found out that he would be performing in this display at Crufts on the Sunday, they were very excited! Ruach is the only Great Dane in the country to take part in Heelwork To Music and is taught by owner Christina Oxtoby. The Dog Activities Display showed four different doggie hobbies that you could take part in including Heelwork To Music and Bloodhounds. 

 The display was brilliant!

Next on the humans' schedule was a visit to the Bark & Read Foundation stand. A few months ago I did a blog post on the excellent work that the new foundation does. As you can see from the picture below, there was a competition that you could enter; unfortunately for us we didn't win but well done to whoever did! 

As we were leaving Crufts 2012, we just caught Ruach, the fantastic Heelwork To Music Great Dane, taking part in a short training session in the Dog Activities area. 

 And that was it, Crufts 2012 was over! When the humans got home, we watched Crufts on TV together. The Best In Show judging took place and Elizabeth, the Llasa Apso from Day 1 of Crufts 2012 won! The humans' favourite from Day 3, the Newfoundland, got Reserve Best In Show but all the dogs would have been worthy winners. Congratulations to all the winners at Crufts 2012 and to everyone who took part in bringing this great show together. The dates for Crufts 2013 have been set for the 7th-10th March but in the meantime, you can watch videos of Crufts 2012 on the official Crufts YouTube: www.youtube.com/crufts.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Crufts 2012 and if these posts have inspired you to go to Crufts 2013, visit http://www.crufts.org.uk/ for updates. Talk soon, Jasper x

Crufts 2012- Saturday 10th March!

Hi everyone!
That's it, Crufts 2012 is all over! On 4 days on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th March, 28,000 dogs competed at The NEC, Birmingham. My human went to Crufts for two days on the Saturday and Sunday (10th/11th March) and had a brilliant time! Unfortunately, I couldn't go... But there is always next year, isn't there?! Crufts is the World's biggest dog show and is therefore the place that all dog and dog owners want to get to! Here are some pictures of what the human did (without me...) while she was there on Saturday 10th March 2012...

As soon as the human arrived on the 10th, she made her way to the Main Arena to watch the International Heelwork To Music Freestyle competition. This is a picture of England's routine...

And the winner... France!

Afterwards, she watched a fantastic Agility competition where two dogs raced each other and then left the Main Arena and watched a show put on at the Eukanuba stand where there were three Harlequin Great Danes entertaining everyone!  They performed great tricks and played a few games! The human loved them!

Next, the human made her way back to the Main Arena and watched the BRILLIANT Southern Golden Retriever Display Team! She loves this team and watches them every time! 

The human then headed to the Young Kennel Club Heelwork To Music Freestyle competition!

After doing a bit of shopping, (well, a LOT of shopping!) it was time to head back to the Main Arena to watch the Large International Agility Final, Flyball Team Final, Obedience Winners and the Working and Pastoral Group Judging! 

The Pastoral Group Judging...

And the winner is... the Newfoundland!

I hope you enjoyed looking at the human's photos on Saturday 10th March! Sunday's photos will be uploaded very soon! Talk soon, Jasper x

Watch Crufts 2012 Online!

Hey everyone!

Just thought I'd let you know that YOU can watch all of Crufts 2012 live on YouTube! How brilliant is that?! I will definitely be watching Crufts while I'm at home! Crufts is only 4 days away now and man, am I excited?! This video has been posted by OfficialCrufts on YouTube to give you an insight into how amazing Crufts is! Talk soon, Jasper x

One week until Crufts 2012!

Hey everyone!
Woah, only one week until Crufts 2012; I'm so excited! Firstly, I would like to congratulate the 2 winners of a pair of tickets to Crufts 2012- well done! In this post, I thought I'd tell you a bit about the Activities Ring at Crufts. Personally, one of the things I look most forward to at Crufts each year is this ring. In the Activities Ring, there are shows put on about all the different types of doggie sports that you can get involved in. This ring is perfect for dog owners who are interested in competing or just want to start a new hobby with their loving companion! There are talks about Agility, Heelwork To Music, Obedience, Showing and Ringcraft and much, much more! Each of these shows are interesting and informative, as well as being fun! There are demonstrations by all sorts of dogs, from World Champions to beginners! It is lovely watching the dogs demonstrate at what they do best and enjoy! The displays are held throughout each day and never fail to be fun and entertaining! I highly recommend watching a show or two as they really inspire you in getting involved in a sport with your dog! Talk soon, Jasper x

If you haven't yet bought your ticket to Crufts 2012, click here as with Under 8s getting free entry, why not treat the family to a fantastic and affordable day out?
For more information about what's on at Crufts 2012, click here.
For more information about Crufts, click here.