Top tips for a pawfect day with your poochn

WITH dog ownership at an all time high, research has revealed 72% of dog parents in Southport admit to curtailing days out and feelings of guilt leaving their furry friends behind. The research by rail operator Northern reveals 1 of the top things people in Southport are keen to do more of is getting out and exploring new places, with City trips selected by more than 54%. In response, Northern has launched a campaign with Call the Midwife actress and dog behaviourist Kate Lamb to provide advice and tips to help dog owners use the network and get out and about with their pooch, as well as pup friendly provisions including:- dog watering stations across 138 staffed stations.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director, said:- "We welcome dogs on our services and are working hard to ensure our customers, whether they're 2 legged or four, have a great experience travelling with Northern. Our research found that nearly a 3rd of dog owners aren't confident taking their dog on the train so, as well as introducing our new pup friendly provisions in stations, the campaign aims to reassure and provide useful tips so that, whether you've never taken your dog on the train, are a new dog owner, or you and your pooch just need a little reassurance, you can get out there and go do your thing with Northern."

For further details about how to Go Do Your Thing with your pooch, please visit:- NorthernRailway.Co.UK.  What are your thoughts on this? Please do let us know by emailing us:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

"Taking your dog to work shouldn’t be a novelty, it can be a long term arrangement for some businesses," says Dogs Trust

AFTER the enthusiastic response to national:- ‘Bring Your Dog To Work Day,’ Dogs Trust, the UK’s biggest canine charity, urges UK businesses to consider the possibilities of allowing staff to bring their dogs to work.  43% of the respondents to a poll carried out on Dogs Trust’s social media last week had taken their dog into work to mark the day. Of these, 87% said it was a great experience.  Katharine Creagh, Canine Behaviour Officer at Dogs Trust, has shared her expert thoughts in a blog about welcoming canine colleagues into our workplaces. She provides food for thought on the demand for businesses to support their dog owning employees, the reality of having dogs at work, and whether it’s in the best interest of our 4 legged friends.  “For some of us, working from home, pyjama clad with our dogs acting as fuzzy foot warmers, has been the silver-lining of a stormy few years... As people return to their offices, there is growing interest in dog friendly workplaces, partly due to some evidence of benefits to employee wellbeing, and partly due to employee demand...”

Katharine leads on Dogs Trust’s innovative Dog Friendly Workplaces programme, which aims to help ensure dog welfare by supporting organisations to create a dog-friendly environment which will benefit not only staff with dogs, but also clients, customers and visitors. The programme offers regular live webinars, training, and tips for dogs going into workplaces or while at home to make sure that ‘working with your dog’ is a positive experience for dogs, owners and their colleagues. In her blog, Katharine adds:- “If dog friendly workplace policies are implemented carefully and executed well, there could be welfare benefits for some dogs... Not every dog will want to go into work, nor will every workplace be suitable. Nevertheless, with the proper preparations and a slow, gradual introduction, many dogs could benefit from joining their favourite human at work...”

Dogs Trust is holding an introduction webinar to their programme on 27 July 2022. For more information please visit the Dog Trust's website.
 

Dennis the Dachsund enjoys celebrity status as he wheels his way around Southport

MEET Dennis the Dachsund; Southport's:- "friendliest and bravest" new celebrity dog who you may well have spotted wheeling himself around the resort!  Dennis uses his wheels to allow him to get out and about, after suffering from a painful condition which sometimes affects dachshunds, but his love of life keeps him positive.  Over the past few months people have been enjoying seeing Dennis in Southport, or have been following his exploits on his own Dennis the Dachsund Facebook Page.  This Saturday, 2 July 2022, at 10am Dennis, a miniature dachshund, has been given VIP billing, after being invited down to attend the official opening of the new Jollyes pet store at Kew Retail Park in Kew in Southport.

His owner, Jo Charman Bennett, said:- "Dennis led a completely normal life until, aged seven, he was struck down by the dreaded IVDD, a disease that affects 1 in 4 dachshunds, but to varying degrees. Dennis has Grade 5, the worst, but he doesn't let it get him down. He woke up, screaming in pain; he had an emergency MRI and surgery, later that day, months of physiotherapy, and then trialled the cart. The rest is history; he makes friends wherever he goes, and is the bravest, calmest and most mellow of dachshunds. He has sustained me through bereavement and treatment for cancer, and I cannot imagine life without his complete loyalty and adoration."

Jo and Dennis have been quickly making friends since moving to live in Southport from their previous home in Crookham in Hampshire earlier this year.  It was a dream of Jo and her husband David to own a dachshund, until tragedy struck and David died suddenly at just 54 years of age. Jo said:- "I have loved Southport for many years, and it was a dream of my late husband and I that we should move once we had retired. Dennis and I have enjoyed strolling up and down, making friends, as we have done in Crookham, in leafy Hampshire. I have been really touched by the warmth of our welcome in Southport. Dennis is a miniature dachshund, who became part of our family because my late husband said that we could get a dog once the children left home. When my husband died, suddenly, aged only 54, my daughter said 'Dad's 'left' home; let's get a Dennis.' And so he joined our family. Dennis was the name that David had already chosen for the mutt, had he lived to see him. Dennis's IVDD was diagnosed the same week that I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and worrying about him stopped me worrying about me. He is a 'super dog!' We have set up a ennis the Dachsund Facebook page, where we post pictures of him. My favourites are the pictures of Dennis at Stonehenge, plus the ones of him running. I can't believe he is this popular! I adore him, naturally, but Southport has been SO welcoming. I'm loving it here!"

Jo is a Mum of 4, with 3 sons: Ed, William and Henry, and a daughter, Ellie.  Jo said:- "Ed is the oldest, then Ellie, followed by Will, and then Henry. I am so blessed by all my babies. They are all fully grown now. Ed is 31 with 2 Masters in maths, Ellie is 30, with a degree in psychology and drives ambulances, Will is 25 and works as a guard for Trans Pennine and Henry is 24 and has a Masters in physics - all very different but all adored by me and my late husband."

Jo is looking forward to Dennis being a guest of honour at the official opening of the new Jollyes store in Southport this Saturday. She told Stand Up For Southport:- "We cannot wait until this weekend! I had thought that we were part of a general invitation, and then saw the Jollyes publicity and posters featuring Dennis; what an honour! I hope we don't let anyone down!"

The new Jollyes Southport store, at Unit 3 on Kew Retail Park on Scarisbrick New Road, will open at 10am, on Saturday, 2 July 2022. It will employ 10 colleagues, including:- Store Manager Martin Pitt.  Jollyes has lined up a fun-packed opening for the new store to give Southport's pet lovers a warm welcome from the UK's "Pet People" including:-

The official opening will be performed by the Mayor of Sefton, Councillor Clare Carragher

Sandgrounder Radio will bring their fun bus to broadcast live on the day PLUS the team from Barklays.dog (free puppaccinos!)

Local celebrity canine Dennis the dachshund

Entertainment will include:- a magician, stilt walker and balloon artist

Visitors will have the chance to win instant prizes on the wheel of fur tune

Jollyes has more than 70 stores across the UK and the 6,000 square feet Southport store will complement its popular outlets in the West including:- Ashton under Lyne, Bolton, Eccles, Ellesmere Port and Runcorn.

Sarah Farrar, Jollyes Regional Manager, said:- "It's an exciting time for Jollyes as we expand across the UK and we can't wait to open our doors in Southport, taking our place in the community and playing our part in the local economy. The new store is in a great location, and we've designed it to make it as easy as possible for pet lovers in the town and surrounding area to find what they are looking for, from toys to treats."