Look- No Hands!

Spring has sprung and it is time to cast off your winter podge and get back into the great outdoors.

What better way to get fit and blow away the cobwebs of that terrible winter than going on a jog with your dog?

Now, most of us know that often running with your dog is better in theory than in practice. Apart from the most obedient of dogs, most will pull on the lead, meaning it feels as though your arms and shoulders are getting more of a workout than your legs. 

So that's why we've launched our brand-new product, the Jogging Belt and Leash to make getting in shape easier (and more gentle on your hands...). 

The jogging belt and lead is comfortable and durable, attaching firmly around your waist with an adjustable buckle. The belt comes with a specially designed leash that attaches securely to the metal fastening but if you prefer you can attach your favourite lead instead. What's more, the belt has an in-built pocket to store a water bottle, Ipod or your mobile phone. It also has reflective strips so that both you and your dog can stay safe in low light. 

If running isn't your thing, the belt is versatile and comfortable enough that you could use it cycling, hiking or just for a romp around the park. 

We think you'll love the feeling of hands-free dog walking and for a limited time the product is just £16.95!

The Jogging Belt and Leash- £16.95


Here's the link for the website: http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/jogging-belt-leash-black.html

Harnesses- What are the good for?

Absolutely Everything!

Hello folks,

After the release of our super-cheap yet durable Scruff MacDuff harnesses:

(£9.90- These beauties also come in red as well, by the way)

we got a lot of questions along the lines of- "are harnesses better than collars?" "will they improve my dog's behaviour?" and "why buy a harness in the first place?"

So in answer to your questions, we've compiled a list of the main benefits to a harness:

1) Safety.
Harnesses are a good buy, particularly if you dog pulls like a freight train. By distributing the weight more evenly across the dog's body, it means that strain is not put onto the dog's trachea or delicate spinal column but across the torso instead.

2) The Great Escape.
Harnesses are also good in there is a far smaller chance that your dog will pull himself free of the collar when excited. Particularly if collars come loose or wear with age, it can become possible for a dog to wriggle free. Get a harness and save yourself a search party.
In addition, some harnesses come with reflective strips so that cars (and you) can see your dog clearer at low light. We sell this pretty swanky harness at £18.00  that does just that:

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/reflective-v-mesh-harness-pink-grey.html

3) Behaviour.
Whilst harnesses are not the miracle cure to bad behaviour that some dog whisperers claim, the increased control of the dog allows for easier training and better discipline.
For dogs that pull a lot, a forward facing clasp is recommended whilst for smaller dogs, the more traditional backward facing clasp is more appropriate.

4) In the Car.
It is now UK law for a dog to be restrained whilst in transit. Getting a harness means that you can easily strap your dog into the the seatbelt of a car and thus protect yourselves, the dog and other road users from unwanted accidents.
Unlike human seatbelts, strapping dogs into the car is not designed to prevent injury on impact. However, it will stop any unexpected seat-sharing or hysterics in the back seat.

We sell the Clix Car Safe Dog Harness at only £12.00

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/clix-car-safe-extra-small-dog-harness-35-65cm-girth-1341.html

5) Breathing and Respiratory Problems.
As well as distributing the strain to the torso and away from the neck, a harness has the added benefit of not restricting the windpipe in dogs with breathing or respiratory problems, particularly small or short-nosed breeds.


6) Lifting.
If you buy harnesses with a handle attached, they can make it easier and more comfortable to lift your pet. If you spend a lot of time with your pet outdoors, for example hiking or on boats, it can make transporting your dog easier.
If your pet's hiking days are long behind him and he isn't so strong on his feet, a harness can make sure you can help him to his feet.

This high-quality Ruffwear harness has a handle towards the back of your dog's body to lift safely and comfortably:

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/ruffwear-webmaster-harness-1664.html


So there you go. Why not take a look at our harness selection and see if one is right for your four-legged friend?

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/dog-harnesses.html

The Pug Craze- Why are they so popular?

You might have noticed that in recently,  Pugs seem to be EVERYWHERE. They're on T-shirts, mugs and in the hands of celebrity owners like Billy Joel, Kelly Brook and Dennis Quaid. This blog entry is dedicated to discovering exactly where the Pug came from and why exactly this cute mutt has become so popular.

Kelly Brook and her pug Rocky

Pug Apparel

A short History of the Pug

Pugs are an ancient breed dating back to the Han dynasty in imperial China. They were a dog of the wealthy, with the wrinkles on their face supposedly resembling the symbols of "Prince". The Pug was brought to Europe by the Dutch East India Trading Company and was popularised by the House of Orange in the 16th Century. In fact, in 1572, it was reported that a pug named Pompey saved the life of the Prince of Orange by barking to alert him to would-be assassins.

 Princess Ekaterina Dmitrievna Golitsyna in 1759 with her pampered Pug

By 1790, the Pug makes an appearance in French elite life, with Napoleon's first wife Josephine using her pug to carry messages to her betrothed from Les Carmes prison whilst her family were imprisoned there.
Across the pond in England, Queen Victoria had a fondness for Pugs, helping replace the King Charles Spaniel as the dog of choice amongst the rich and powerful. She bred her own Pugs, with Olga, Pedro, Fatima and Venus amongst her favourite pups.

Fast forward to the 90s, and pugs are everywhere in the media. Popular TV shows like Eastenders, the West Wing, Spin City and others. In film, who could forget Frank the pug in Men in Black or Percy in Disney's Pocahontus?Boybands like N-Sync and the Backstreet Boys were even doting on their Pugs in photo shoots and album covers. 

Frank, the unlikely star of Men in Black

In fact, the popularity of Pugs increased so much in the decade that in 1993, Pugs ranked 28th in most popular dog breeds in the United States. By 1999, they were the 16th most popular registered dog in the States.

What makes them such good pets?

The Pug is officially classed as a toy dog, with a wrinkly, flat face and curly tail. Pugs come in a variety of colours including black, fawn, apricot or silver fawn. Whilst small enough to fit comfortably in any home, the pug is often described as "much in little" with its personality and stature that of a much bigger dog. In fact, they are the largest of the Toy breeds and due to their tendency to gain weight easily, they can often weigh as much as 6kg.

Dennis Quaid pictured recently with his porky pug

They are definitely creatures of comfort. They overheat easily, can be quite stubborn and need regular grooming to keep their sensitive skin wrinkles healthy.

 But most of all, we think Pugs are so popular because they are funny. Their playful and mischievous temperament combined with their sticky-out tongue means that they are a big crown pleaser. With a round body and expressive faces, here at Scruff we think they're only going to get more popular in years to come....

If you'd like us to investigate your favourite breed, just pop a request on Facebook or Twitter!

Dogs in the Snow- Making the best of it.

I'm sure it hasn't escaped you that parts of the UK have been transformed into a winter wonderland in the past week, with blizzards, freezing conditions and train delays wreaking havoc for all us hard-working dog lovers. Now we may have more snow drifts than Snow Drops, but whilst we mourn the lack of spring, let's look at some pictures of dogs having a jolly good time in the snow. and why not eh?



"Light on his feet".....photo via Worthwhilesmile
 
"If only I was taller".....Via Worthwhilesmile
 
Snow ain't going to stop this guy...via Mymodernmet

This guy should have brought a coat....via Citydata

He doesn't seem convinced... via Funnyanimalworld
 
"Because I'm Worth It".....via Wall321



Ruffwear Boots- as sold by ScruffMacduff!


Here at Scruff we have some snow essentials for those worried about their pup in the cold.
First, longstanding favourites, the Ruffwear Polar Trex outdoor footwear- perfect for those whose paws can't take the cold. The provide protection and comfort outside, as well as extra grip to prevent accidents:

Singles only 30 pounds. 
http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/ruffwear-bark-n-boots-polar-trex-singles.html

Also from Ruffwear is our ultra-durable, water and wind-proof jacket. A worthwhile investment for what seems to be an extremely long winter.Available in small-extra large.
 
http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/ruffwear-sun-shower-red-currant-waterproof-jacket.html

That's all for now Scruffies. Keep warm and keep happy in the snow.

All about Crufts!

As some of you may know, Crufts 2013 is now well under way in Birmingham. To celebrate this, we have compiled a list of the Best in Show Dogs for the past 4 years. 

2009 Winner- a very rare Welsh breed of Terrier. Sealyham Terrier

2010 Winner- the Hungarian Gundog, the Vizsla.

2011 Winner, and it is another Gundog, this time a Flat-Coated Retriever.

....and last year's winner the Lhasa Apso from the Utility Category.

We'll have to wait until the 10th to find out this year's Best in Breed!

Now, did you know that the Kennel Club also runs a fun competition for mongrels know affectionately as the Scruffts? Instead of the usual agility and breeding, Scruffts are based on good character, good health and good temperament. In the end, is that not what everyone looks for in their dog?

To make your pooch look more like a showstopper, why not browse through our dog grooming section.
Why not pamper your pet with our Massaging Mitt? Not only will your dog love how it feels, but it helps the coat look glossy and healthy too!
http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/scrubba-scrubba-massaging-bath-mitt.html for 8.99.

Or why not a veterinary-grade toothbrush to help maintain a healthy mouth?

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/hatchwells-veterinary-toothbrush.html

That's all for now Scruffies,
Over and out!

Big Men with Tiny...Dogs

The internet is a magical place, full of glorious blogs and websites devoted to dog ownership. By far our favourite at the minute is a blog called "Big Guy Small Dog Blog" devoted to....you guessed it... big men with tiny dogs. We've all passed them in the park, a human/dog coupling that doesn't seem to quite work. When it seems as though the powder pink teacup Chiwawa doesn't belong to the 6 foot 7 motorcycle enthusiast but his wife. Well, here for your viewing pleasure is an array of startlingly mismatched partnerships:

The Bodyguard

The Gym Bunny

Notorious

Taking a Walk on the Wild Side

Little and Large

The Good Life

The Wrestler

 To see the original blog, see here: http://bigguysmalldogblog.typepad.com/bigguysmalldogblog

The Great Dog-painting Craze

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, dogs everywhere are donning their fancy dress. Think Halloween, but cuter. A new craze has hit the dog world, and that is painting or dyeing their fur to look like other animals.

Dog painting has become increasingly popular across Asia with everything from the sublime to the ridiculous. Started as a novelty around Chinese celebrations, dog painting has caught on with dog groomers springing up especially designed to turn pooches into pandas and terriers into tigers.
Now, it has to be said that none of these little guys look particularly pleased to be cross-dressing, but boy do they look cute.

The Golden Retiger cross flaunting his stuff in the sunshine.

 Chiwawas on safari.

Seems like they were even painting dogs in the 80s. Is this the original Essex Lion???

Happy Chinese Year to all! We hope the year of the snake will be a prosperous one for you and a healthy one for your dogs.

Extreme Dogs

As you know, Scruff specialises in outdoor gear for active dogs; Hillwalking, climbing, extreme weather conditions- we've got you covered. We thought all that was pretty impressive going for a dog but little did we know how tough some dogs are. Here's two examples of extreme jobs done by our canine companions.

Firstly, our Ukranian pal TreT. TreT has gained fame as a world class freerunning (or Parkour) dog. With only a harness on his back, this fearless Staffy scales walls, jumps hurdles and is just generally pretty badass. What's more, he wears Doggles.

Check out more from TreT on youtube. He scales vertical walls!

So if you thought Freerunning was extreme- how about Skydiving dogs?

Much to our amazement, military dogs complete training to be dropped behind enemy lines. UK Special Forces have most recently been strapping dogs to themselves before parachuting into Taliban territory. 

Pretty cool huh?

Like the look of those Doggles? Grad yourself a pair here for £13.25.

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/doggles/doggles-ils-ice-blue.html

Zeus- The Father of the Dogs

Meet Zeus, a dog of mythical proportions.

It seems that The Guinness World Records have been very busy finding the tallest, fattest and strangest things to walk the planet this year. This video shows you the winner of 2013's "World's Tallest Dog"- measuring a mighty 7"4 on his hind legs. Zeus is a Great Dane with a mild temperament who drinks water straight from the tap. 

It's a good job he's well behaved because we'd hate to be on the other end of the lead when this titan makes a break for it.....

For those non-record breakers out there, our Ruffwear Quick Draw lead is in our January sale for only £7. 

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/ruffwear/ruffwear-quick-draw-leash.html

Over and out, 

The Scruff Team