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Grooming weekdays, evenings

And Saturdays

Dogs that are

regularly Groomed Have...

Grooming carried out by a fully insured,
qualified and caring Canine beautician

Call Michele on
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or 07788804887
Little Yeldham

Horse and Pony
clipping also available
October - February

Happy Tails

Focus Summer 2018

Stour Meadows Business Complex, Lower Road, Glemsford, Suffolk CO10 7QU

01787 827110 sales@stourmeadows.co.uk StourMeadowsAnimalSupplies

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Dog owners trek more than 1,000 miles, play 2,080 rounds of
fetch – and call their pet’s name 3,120 times while walking
them each year, a study has found.
Exercising their dog will also result in owners having 1,040
conversations with other animal lovers a year with the
average pooch spending 17 minutes of each walk off the lead.
But owners will also have to untangle their dog’s lead more
than 1,000 times and put up with 1,040 arguments – two
every week - with their partner or children about whose turn
it is to take their pet out for a walk.
It also emerged 24 per cent reckon the daily dog walk is an
ideal opportunity to talk to children away from the distrac-
tions of home while 64 per cent use it as a time to bond with
their pet.

The survey was commissioned by Harringtons, who have
teamed up with Ben Fogle, the TV presenter, and eight dog
experts to create a series of dogventures to make sure
owners and their dogs are getting the most out of their walks.
A spokesman for Harringtons, said: “For dog owners, going
out for a walk is one of the main perks of owning a pet. “It’s
staggering to think just how far you walk, and how many
times you will play fetch over the course of a year. “While a
walk is necessary to keep your pet fit and healthy, it’s also a
great opportunity to bond with your dog, away from the
chores and your busy day-to-day lives.”

The study of 2,000 dog owners found the average pooch is
taken out for a walk 10 times a week, with each trip lasting
around 34 minutes. On each occasion, they will walk just
under two miles, but almost one in ten admit they usually trek
across the exact same route every time. Another one in
twenty only tend to change where they walk once a year. But
dogs will spend just half the time off the lead – around 17
minutes - with one in four admitting they never let their dog
off the leash.

The study found that while 89 per cent enjoy walking their
dog, 39 per cent admit a lack of time stops them from going
out more often. Poor weather (47%), feeling too tired (20%)
and finding it difficult to find places where they can walk their
dog off the lead (9%) also means they don’t go on as many
walks as they should or would like to. As a result, almost one
in five dog owners spend an average of £25.66 a month pay-
ing someone else to walk their dog for them.
During the average walk, dogs will also interact with other
pooches three times, while owners will bump into four other
people also out walking their pet. On two of those occasions,
they will stop to have a chat, with dog owners also having one
break to buy a coffee or drink in a pub along the route.
Each walk will also see the average dog jump up to someone
else once while the lead will need to be untangled from trees,
other people and dogs twice.

A ball will be thrown four times while the dog’s name will be
called an average of six times before the walk is over.
A spokesman for Harringtons added: “To think that so many
people walk their dogs on the same route every day, with
some only changing this route annually, is astounding.
"At Harringtons, we believe that walking should be something
that excites and inspires both you and your dog.

Dogs are Good for You