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Sniffing Out The Cause of Fire – Meet ‘Star’, the dog that pioneered the use of accelerant detection. Along with his owner, Star’s ability to detect the cause of fire was viewed with scepticism by many, but after years of fighting to prove his worth, Star’s owner, specialist fire investigator Clive Gregory, convinced the world that the use of a well trained canine nose could help find out the cause of any blaze.

It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog – A Practical Guide to Canine First Aid – Would you know how to treat your dog for poisoning? Or how to prevent a burn from getting infected moments after it is inflicted? Dog owner Eleanor Goold didn’t have a clue, so she took herself off to a canine first aid course to equip herself to deal with all manner of canine first aid situations. She reported back her findings and shared her distilled, new found wisdom in an unmissable collection of tips, hints, dos, don’ts and ‘did you knows’.

Cracking the Canine Code – Understanding Your Dog’s Body Language -  The vast majority of canine communication is done with body language and as responsible pet owners it is out job to learn this lingo. Many dog attacks can be avoided if we simply pay attention to what our dog is telling us. The meaning behind bowed head accompanied with a long growl is a world apart from a bowed head without a long growl. There are subtle changes in eye contact, tail position, even posture that signal a big shift in a dog’s mood, being able to understand these signs equips a dog owner to get the best out of their dog and to get a better understanding of what their pet is saying. Elizabeth Roberts’ informative and studied break down of canine communication is as essential as any phrase book.

A View From – Russia – Moscow, home to some of the most unforgiving Winter’s on Earth is also home to thousands of stray dogs. What keeps these dogs from perishing? A dedicated army of volunteers, and elderly rebels who give over the humble dwelling to swathes of homeless dogs who would otherwise die on the streets. Mayhew International have been working on behalf of animals overseas for years and have recently set their sights on Russia. We get a first hand report from one volunteer fresh from her return from Moscow where she witnesses in the flesh, the challenges that face dogs in Russia.

Real Life – My Dog Saved My Family From Fire – When 25 year old mother of two Chelsie Chloe decided she wanted to get a dog, she did what a lot of modern dog owners are now doing – she looked for a dog that already needed a home. She was prepared to make the gruelling ten hour drive from her home in Eugene, Oregon to Pendleton on the other side of the state to collect Harley, the soon-to-be newest addition to the family. What she didn’t realise was that Harley would do more than bring happiness and joy into the home. After the family went to bed, a malfunction in the oven started a fire that endangered the entire family, but disaster could only be averted by the family dog. Did he make the grade?

Breed Profile – Tibetan Mastiff – The enigmatic, imposing presence of the Tibetan Mastiff is something that can only be truly appreciated in the flesh. This breed, known to admirers as the Snow Lion has only just been introduced to the UK, and two of the very first UK owners authored an exclusive profile just for K9 Magazine.

Diary of a Re-Homed Dog – Part 2 – In issue 25 we reported on the case of Molly, a dog re-homed to the death of her owner. We followed her progress as she found a new home and now we catch up the Molly and her new owner for an update. This heart-warming and honest account is written by the son of Molly’s former owner, Molly’s current owner Dan Laurikietis.

How Does He Do That? – Gun Dogs – As part of an ongoing series we look at how working dogs came to develop their unique skills and instincts. It isn’t pure luck that man created a race of dogs that could find and return to their master, without leaving a feather out of place. How did these dogs learn to use their exquisite nose power to find the prey? How did we create dogs with such physical attributes to do this effectively? And how are these dogs going to fit in to our lives in the future? We find out in this fascinating historical account of dog breeding through the ages.

Canine Glossary – Part 1 – Do you know your Dewlap from your Drop Ear? Owning a dog can be a great adventure, and our companion can provide us with a lifetime of memories. But sometimes the sheer range of terms applied to dogs can be somewhat baffling to those uninitiated with such things. What, for example, is meant by tricolour, where is the dewlap on a dog and why do we refer to them as whelps? Holly Kernot ventures into the world of dog terminology and returned with this glossary designed to help you navigate your way around the anatomy of your dog and contend with any other terms you may find yourself confronted with.

Back to Nature – The Story of the Nearly Hunting Dogs – On occasion, our dogs remind us of their wild past. A Pointer strikes an impressive pose as he catches a scent, a Newfoundland hurls himself into the local pond instinctively. Many people often how their dogs would react if put in their natural environments. Debbie Jacobs and her dogs had such a situation thrust upon them during a leisurely walk in the woods, with surprising consequences. Find out how her own pack of dogs reacted when they found a lone fawn stumbling through the thicket.

7 Ways to Help Your Dog Beat Cancer – For many pet owners, the mere thought of their closest companion in pain and suffering is something which is too hard to bear. An aggressive disease such as cancer can have a devastating effect upon an animal and its family, and if it is not caught early enough then the end result could be a final trip to the vets which is every owner�s worst nightmare. However, there are ways in which cancer can be detected in animals and successfully treated. In this compelling and thought provoking guide, we list the best ways to reduce the risk of your pet succumbing to one the biggest canine killers.

A Practical Guide to Cutting the Cost of Holidaying with Your Dog – Holidaying is expensive at the best of times, but taking a dog away is, for some people, the only option. For those dog owners that do not wish to board their pet, sometimes holidaying with their dog can be prohibitively expensive and they simply go without. In this fact packed guide, we uncover the tricks and methods to shave hundreds of pounds of your next dog friendly holiday. With information on cutting travel prices down to size, finding the best deal on pet friendly accommodation and getting the paper work done at the right price, this is the ultimate money saving guide for all dog owners that have been bitten by the travel bug.

Interview with Summer Strallen – When Summer entered Channel 4’s drama Hollyoakes, she redefined television. Her role was a semi-reality based plot devised by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who had her lined up to appear in his upcoming stage production of The Sound of Music. With a life immitating art, immitating life twist, she left the show and followed the story line in to reality. We caught up with the singer, actress and new dog owner who reveals her thoughts on the pet food industry, being a TV and stage star and why she’d like to have Albert Einstein round for dinner.

Diary of an Animal Charity Volunteer – Andrea Mills is a senior editor at the world renowned publishers Dorling Kindersley. As part of National Dog Adoption Month, she swapped the piles of meticulous manuscripts and frantic phone calls to authors for a pair of wellies and a scrubbing brush, as she volunteered her time to help out with the homeless animal cause. Hers is a touching story of discovery, dedication and dog walking.

K9 Health – What’s New with Dental Care? If a dog in the wild gets a gum infection, it will either starve to death or be eaten by a predator in the meantime. Dental health is of massive importance for dogs, who rely on their teeth for survival. An infection originating in the mouth will spread quickly through the body and cause untold health problems. This is why there is a massive industry founded on keeping your canine’s canines in tip top condition. With new innovations coming to the market all the time, we put together the essential guide to canine oral health and the products you’ll need along the way.

Understanding Dog Food Labels – There are so many different types of commercial dog food on the market these days; �wet� food, dry biscuits, complete brands, tinned, sachets, ones for sensitive stomachs and ones for shiny coats. But which one is best to feed your dog? And what does the list of ingredients actually mean? Elizabeth Roberts took a look at what really goes into dog food and what they mean for your pet.

Me & My Dog – With Charlotte Hawkins – Charlotte Hawkins is a well known face to those who start the day with their daily dose of news. She started her successful broadcasting career in 1999 and now presents Sky News Sunrise with Eamonn Homes. We had a chat with Charlotte about her early mornings, canal adventures and what gets her through her busy days.

K9 Behaviour – Coping with an Agitated Dog – Nature has programmed our dogs to respond with fear to anything that poses a threat to their survival. Now that they are domesticated, dogs don’t really need this instinct, but they can’t simply turn it off. The vaccuum cleaner, fireworks, the doorbell – all things that illicit a fear response in our dogs, but how do we convince our dogs that they are safe and soothe their agitation? By thinking like a dog of course. In this expertly crafted article, we look at practical ways to reverse the effects of fear in our dogs and give them a calm and secure environment in which to thrive.

Canine – Version 2.0 – One thing the dog loving community is steadily coming to terms with is that there is a problem with dogs. A disparity between function and capability. Put simply, there is concern surrounding the health of most pedigree dogs, some breeds more than others, but in general, pedigree dogs are in a bad way. In the world of technology and commerce, when a system (and pedigrees are just a system) becomes outdated or redundant, it is redefined and modernised to fulfill a new, more relevant function. Is it time we, as the custodians of dogs in general, took stock of this and began to redefine and reclassify the role of dogs in our lives? In this thought provoking piece, K9 Magazine’s controversial columnist Desmond Fellows tackles the red-hot issue of the day and sets a few things straight. Is he right?

K9 Magazine Animal Advisory Panel – A K9 Magazine favourite. Two more readers have their canin connundrums answered by our panel of experts. In this issue, we deal with the age old problem of dog vs cat and the not-so-common issue of dog vs caravan.

Pet Friendly Autos – Hyundai Tucson – A budget friendly, roomy hunk of a car that satisfied all the pet friendly criteria at a slice of the cost you’d normally expect for a rugged 4×4. We put the Tuscon through its paces, pet friendly style and found it an affordable alternative to more popular cars in its class.

K9 Politics – Why Hasn’t the UK Signed the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals?

In this explosive and revealing article, we shine a search light of shame on the UK and find out why we’re failing our own pets. The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals is a pan-European treaty which was set up to recognise “that man has a moral obligation to respect all living creatures and bearing in mind that pet animals have a special relationship with man.” There are currently 21 nations that are signed up to the treaty, including Azerbaijan, Cyrpus and Romania. The UK isn’t a member of the Treaty.

Interview with Kendra Wilkinson – Kendra Wilkinson is the gorgeous, sports loving and fun-filled girlfriend of Playboy’s Hugh Hefner. Kendra stars alongside Holly and Bridgett as one of Hefner’s girlfriends in Girls of the Playboy Mansion on E! Entertainment channel. This very popular show follows the ultra-glamorous life of these girls and their antics in the infamous Playboy Mansion. Kendra speaks to us about life in Hollywood, life with Hef and the future with her two closest companions, Raskal and Martini.

Microchips with Everything – Microchipping is one of the easiest, most reliable and safest ways to help you find your missing dog. Every dog owner seems to know what it is, but less than one in three dog owners have actually taken the small step to getting their dog protected. We find out why this as well as providing invaluable information on preventing a sad ending to a missing dog story.

Combatting Dog Theft – Your stomach churns as you gaze around the garden to find no sign of your beloved dog. You’re sure all gates were firmly shut, he’s not in the house and there’s no way he could have jumped over the 6 foot fence. Sadly, there have been considerable concerns that dog theft is on the increase, with criminals preying on those closest to us. Long gone are the days when only the owners of the purest pedigrees or champion stud dogs, need to take extra precautions and security measures with their pets safety. Local newspapers in all areas of the UK have reported horrifying stories of dogs being snatched from right under their owner’s noses. So what are the driving forces and underlying motifs for petty crooks and criminal masterminds to take our beloved animals and what are governing bodies doing to combat it? We find out.

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