Paw Chores

04/05/2026

May the 4th be with you!

28/04/2026

Have you noticed there are so many myths and misconceptions circulating on social media regarding dog first aid?

In celebration of Pet First Aid Awareness month, tomorrow's event hosts the world renowned Veterinary Nurse and First Aider Rachel Bean to discuss this very topic.

To join this free event, join my free group on the link below. Who knows, you may learn something that saves a dog's life!

(Please note this is not classed as a First Aid certification)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogdilemmas/

27/03/2026

23/03/2026

In light of all the discussions surrounding poodle crosses, I am hosting an event with behaviourist and poodle cross specialist Victoria Cooper - Certified Canine Behaviourist & Mentor to discuss common behavioural struggles and the recent study on this topic.

We will be having this free event Thursday 26th March 19:30pm in my free group Dog Dilemmas: Positive Training & Support. Here's the link to join the group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogdilemmas/

We hope to see you there!

25/02/2026

At Paw Chores, our cats absolutely love our Cat sitting services!

😂😂🤭🤭🤣🤣

I promise they really do!

13/01/2026

Pleased to have received my Ofqual Level 3 Award in First Aid Training Certificate. The course with Rachel Bean was absolutely amazing! The course was up to date and incredibly detailed. Rachel is a wonderful vet nurse, dog professional and person!

We like to ensure all walkers redo their pet first aid training every 2 years to deliver the highest standard of care to the animals entrusted to us, so we will definitely be sticking with Rachel for any future training for the Paw Chores team.

Thanks again Rachel.

08/01/2026

If you were given 2 choices, comply or suffer pain and fear, which would you choose? And if you choose to comply, is that obedience & true behavioural change or avoidance and coercion?

These are the questions you should ask yourself if you use aversives.

07/01/2026

Sweet but deadly!

Since we are currently experiencing a lot of ice and snow, I thought it would be wise to remind pet guardians of the dangers of antifreeze, which is going to be in regular use. (nothing worse that de-icing your car for work on a wintry morning)

Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is incredibly toxic and potentially deadly to dogs and cats, even if minimal amounts are ingested. This chemical is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and then metabolized in the liver, causing kidney failure, seizures, coma and even death. Symptoms include:

- Lack of coordination (including stumbling & trouble standing)
- Muscle twitches
- Depression
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
- Seizures
- Increase in thirst
- Increase in urination

Ethylene glycol can also be found in brake fluid, wood stains, solvents, windscreen cleaners, snow globes, eye masks, inks/printer cartridges, and motor oil.

Dogs need to be treated for antifreeze poisoning within 8-12 hours of ingestion, however, treatment within 5 hours of ingestion, ensures better outcomes. Failure to obtain veterinary care before symptoms of kidney failure develop, often results in a poor prognosis.

Prevention

- Keep antifreeze and other products containing ethylene glycol sealed and out of reach. Avoid having snow globes on windowsills or anywhere accessible to your dogs/cats.

- Thoroughly clean up any spillages, including those that happen around your car and on your drive/garden.

- Use pet-safe alternatives, such as those containing propylene glycol. (It is less toxic but should still be used with caution)

- Be cautious of suspicious puddles on drives and around cars when walking your dog, and prevent them from licking or drinking from any puddles.

- Share this post and help raise awareness.

Let's keep our dogs safe this winter! 🐾❤❄️☃️

06/01/2026

"Its only one night!"

That is the rhetoric we hear every bonfire night and New Years Eve. Community groups are full of arguments and accusations because more guardians are coming forward to advocate for their dogs.

I believe the ignorance towards suffering is partly due to the fact that many do not know the difference between fear and anxiety. Fear is a response to feared stimulus that is present, i.e. a firework goes off and a dog runs and hides. Anxiety is the anticipation of a feared stimulus that is not present i.e. a dog starting to show fear at night even though no fireworks have been heard.

Dogs and other animals that are afraid of fireworks don't understand what they are and they cannot reason that they are safe. Instead, they begin to read the contexts that fireworks occur and begin to anticipate that they will be coming, causing them significant anxiety.

This means that many dogs may become anxious each night and refuse to go for walks. In my dogs case, he was too afraid to go the toilet in the garden at night for a week and he had no appetite. Even now, he looks at windows when it goes dark and physically flinches anytime he hears a loud noise.

In order to truly understand the impact of fireworks, we have to start acknowledging that the suffering isn't short-term. The anxiety can persist long after you have started off the New Year with a bang.- Holly Leake

31/12/2025

When you set off fireworks tonight please reflect on the fact that many animals are starting their new year with intense fear and suffering.

29/12/2025

We are so saddened to hear that the world renowned behaviourist Sarah Fisher has passed away.
I learned so much from her lectures but sadly I didn't have the privilege to meet her in person.

Her work in the dog industry revolutionised how we observe and understand dogs. Her passing is a profound loss to the animal behaviour world but her legacy will continue to inspire us.

Rest in peace Sarah Fisher.