Wrapping up a hectic April on The Mighty Pooch blog

The sun finally made an appearance this month, bringing with it glorious daffodils, crocus and, right outside our house, some beautiful blossom. We’ve had a busy month at The Mighty Pooch HQ with photoshoots and we also managed to get away for the weekend with the pooch to Crake Trees Manor in Cumbria, where we spent three nights in a shepherd’s hut and managed to photograph the resident dogs while we were there.

 

The gorgeous view from the shepherd’s hut at Crake Trees Manor

In Cool Canine Kit we checked out some bulldog-inspired pieces for dog lovers’ interiors, plus the hottest dog-inspired arm candy for spring summer ‘13. After much research, we also picked out our top 5 dog-inspired gifts for guys who love their four-legged friends and aren’t afraid to show it!

We visited the guys at Dogs Trust Leeds to photograph sponsor dogs, Millie, Jake and Elvis, three gorgeous dogs who were down on their luck till the wonderful folks at Dogs Trust came along to take care of them. Now they are the faces of the charity – and what lovely little faces they are. If you fancy sponsoring one of them, head to www.sponsoradog.org.uk for more info. Take it from us – it feels good.

We also checked out GPS collars after we found a wandering dog – let us know if you use one and what you think – and learnt something interesting about the sniffing powers of detection dogs. And we chatted to Nicole Welch, a 17-year-old with a huge ambition to open her own dog-friendly café in London.

Dexter the boxer – one of our pic of the shoot stars

Dexter the boxer and Lucy the spaniel were our pic of the shoot stars this month. And finally, in Crazy Dog Lady, we shared with you super Sam the dachshund’s incredible thieving ways. We’re still searching for that cape!

Phew, I don’t know how we fitted all that in.

And so May is upon us, bringing more Crazy Dog Lady shenanigans to The Mighty Pooch blog – are the clever things Bruce does really clever or just a coincidence? We’ll have more Cool Canine Kit, plus we’ll meet the Dogs Trust sponsor dogs in pic of the shoot, and lots more! So please stay tuned – and get in touch if you’ve anything to share with us or would like to be featured as a Pooch Profile.

Have a great month!

Aislinn Kelly

hello@themightypooch.co.uk

A dog is for life …

Today will be Michael’s third time at Dogs Trust Leeds, photographing wonderful sponsor dogs Elvis, Jake and Millie. These dogs are on the sponsor dog scheme because they have behavioural problems that make it difficult for them to find a new home. They can also be nervous of strangers, so Michael has to take great care when taking their photographs not to frighten or upset them.

 

We’d like to share a mission statement from Dogs Trust with you, as these gorgeous dogs need all the help they can get from sponsors and volunteers. If you think you can help, please visit the website www.sponsoradog.org.uk for more information.

“Our mission at Dogs Trust is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. We care for around 16,000 dogs at our 18 rehoming centres across the UK, which is a figure we are extremely proud of. You’re probably already familiar with our popular slogan: ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®’.

Millie at her photoshoot last year at Dogs Trust Leeds

“Because we never destroy a healthy dog, this is where our dog sponsorship scheme steps in. For those dogs finding it difficult to be rehomed, whether it’s due to behavioural or medical issues they may have, supporters are able to sponsor them whilst they are in our care. Sponsorship goes towards food, medical care and training for all the dogs in our care. It also covers the costs of running the rehoming centres, ensuring our dogs stay safe and warm until we can reach our ultimate goal of finding each dog a loving home.

“It does take our long-term residents longer to find their forever home, but we’ve had many success stories as a result of sponsorship. One example is Smudge, a Collie cross who lived at our Glasgow Centre for seven years. He recently found a home and, due to the support of his sponsors, we were able to work closely with Smudge over those seven years to find him the home he deserved.

“If you would like to help us to continue our work through sponsorship, please visit our website www.sponsoradog.org.uk for more information.” For all things related to Dogs Trust Leeds click here.

As pet parents of an abandoned dog, we know only too well the incredible love a rescue dog can give. Personally, we will only ever adopt, as for us it’s not about the breed, the age or the pedigree of the dog. It’s about enjoying the company of these wonderful creatures while also knowing that you have made a real difference to that dog’s life. There’s nothing like it.

www.sponsoradog.org.uk

Words: Aislinn Kelly and Dogs Trust

hello@themightypooch.co.uk