In Memoriam & Save Lennox BSL

Brook. Crossed OTRB 28/9/2011. Run Free sweetheart

In honour of our dear & beautiful furriend Brook, Charlies Angel of Hilsider, who unexpectedly crossed OTRB this week, there is no Friday Funny this week. Instead, in her memory, we'd like to talk about BSL, Lennox & dangerous breed stereotypes. 

Dobie Brookie was the first Doberman I had actually had face to face contact with, and although loving all dogs big & small, I was a little weeny bit nervous incase she didn't like me! Now in the media, we hear about Pitbulls, Staffies etc as the 'dangerous' dogs, but when I was little, it was Dobies & Rottweillers. Of course though, my fears were completely unfounded!! The first time I met Brook I was confronted with a big, powerful, sleek barrel of love & soppiness :) We had lots of cuddles and kisses and I only wish there had been chance for more. I am truly heartbroken that the world has lost her beautiful doggy soul...BUT I do know she is rocking up a storm over in Rainbow Bridge right now with her brother Byron :) Our thoughts and prayers are with  her family, Karen, Neil, Kayleigh, Dino & Sox at this painful & sad time. Love you all!!

Today, a decision will be made on the fate of American Bull Labrador cross, Lennox, in Ireland. He is Micro chipped, Neutered, DNA Registered, Pet Safe Registered, Insured and Licensed every year with the Council yet on Wednesday the 19th May 2010 he was taken from the family home by Belfast City Council as they believe he falls under the dangerous dogs act for Northern Ireland. They declared Lennox to be a breed of "Pit Bull Type" and so wish to kill him simply because of the way he looks... Racism anyone?! Belfast City Council took Lennox from his loving family home using a wrongly addressed warrant and copyright ADBA (American Dog Breeders Association) breed standards guide which the Council were never authorised to use. Lovely  Lennox has never attacked anyone or anything yet the authorities have removed him from his home where he lives with his family kennel mate Juicy a 2 year old female boxer and various other foster dogs. You can find out more here. So, today, in memory of another doggie who would once have been looked at like she was a monster, everyone please join the #pawcircle of positivity for gorgeous #Lennox.

Breed-specific legislation, BSL, is, according to Wikipedia: 

"a law or ordinance passed by a legislative body pertaining to a specific breed or breeds of domesticated animals. In practice, it generally refers to laws or ordinances pertaining to a specific dog breed or breeds." 

We firmly believe each dog, like every human being on the planet, is different & should be judged individually. Yes, like some humans are born and are just a nasty piece of work, you do get some dogs who are more volatile or angry, but for 99.9%, we believe any angry behaviour is down to the owners & the way the animal has been handled. Dogs, by nature, are loyal and loving to the humans that they idolise and rely upon. We could talk for hours on the subject, but I think this picture sums it up perfectly....

We have shared this image onto our facebook page wall, please share it with your friends and help spread the word. 


Under BSL, this little pitbull Sharky could be seized just like Lennox ... does he look like a dangerous dog to you? Do watch these videos, they are just beautiful x x

9/11 Dogs Ten Years On

10 years ago today, the world changed. Big time. 

As George 'dubbleya' Bush said in a rare moment of sincerity & depth, at yesterday's memorial for Flight 93 in Pennsylvania ... 

“When the sun rose in the Pennsylvania sky 10 years ago, it was a peaceful September morning,” he said, “By the time it set, nearly 3,000 people had lost their lives." 

Even a decade on, whenever I look at the images from that day, my brain still struggles to process that what I'm seeing is not a movie still or some angry computer game. Today we want to honour the bravery of all involved in the rescue operation at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and those heroes of Flight 93 who really were the first to stand in the 'War on Terror' or whatever the politicians term it. To us, they just fought back and triumphed against pure evil. 

Of course, it wouldn't be Puppy Love if we didn't move on to the heroes of the furry variety... and we can't believe that somehow we missed this story over the last ten years! Maybe it has something to with the leaky eyes of grief and outrage but at last we have discovered the story of Michael Hingson and his guide dog Roselle who were working on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center when the first plane hit Tower Two. Together, beautiful yellow lab Roselle leading the way, they began the evacuation and ended up just 100 yards away when Tower Two collapsed. And her fellow guide dog Salty also did the same for his owner in another area. I never have words for the loyalty of dogs, just a big lump in my throat. Roselle, like so many of the rescue dogs who worked on 9/11, has now crossed the Rainbow Bridge but just like the thousands who lost their lives that day, and in the resulting conflicts and attacks around the world, they will never be forgotten. 

Over 350 dogs worked at Ground zero and Boston journalisist Laurel Sweet worked with vet Dr Cynthia Otto who was treating their injuries from searching through the debris ... "I think the dogs were the only thing that kept people going at Ground Zero," Sweet quotes Otto as saying. "You'd actually see their faces change when a dog walked by."

Dutch photogrpapher Charlotte Dumas has tracked down the 15 still living FEMA doggies and complied a beautiful book called 'Retrieved' which is available now... 

If you don't want the leaky eyes, and believe me they'll come big stylee, click away now, as here are some of those doggie-heroes :

From the NY Times: Bailey, age 14, Thompson Station, Tenn. She went to the Pentagon following the attacks of 9/11.

Bretagne from Cypress, Texas, arrived at the site in New York on September 17, remaining there for ten days 

Moxie, 13, from Winthrop, Massachusetts, arrived with her handler, Mark Aliberti, at the World Trade Center on the evening of September 11 and searched the site for eight days

Tara, 16, from Ipswich, Massachusetts who stayed for 8 days from Sept 11th

Kaiser, 12, pictured at home in Indianapolis, Indiana, was deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11 and searched tirelessly for people in the rubble

Guinness, 15, from Highland, California, started work at the site with Sheila McKee

Merlyn and his handler Matt Claussen were deployed to Ground Zero on September 24, working the night shift for five days

Red, 11, from Annapolis, Maryland, went  to the Pentagon

Abigail, left, was deployed on the evening of September 17

Tuff arrived in New York at 11:00 pm on the day of attack to start working early the next day

Hoke from Denver searched for 5 days

From the NY Times: Orion, age 13, Vacaville, Calif. He worked at the World Trade Center for five days after the attacks 
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033628/Surviving-9-11-rescue-dogs-scoured-Ground-Zero-bodies-commemorated-decade-difficult-mission.html#ixzz1Xdnr20gt

We're all going on a Summer Holiday...

aToday we are off on holidays!! *Excited!*

We are visiting Daddy Puppy Love in Holland until the 3rd September so will also be there for my birthday which will be nice :) We haven't visited for ages where he was so poorly so we are really looking forward to it! We still be staying on his yacht which will be something new as I have never been on one before... I hope I dont get seasick! :S lols! But I do wish I could pack Buzz and Honeybun in the suitcase with me....

We will still be able to post while we are away so stayed tuned for updates of gorgeous Dutch doggies! I can't wait to meet Dad's doggie next door neighbour Kischa in the reals and see over the way doggie neighbour TomTom again. He is a little terrier cross with a mind of his own - his name is TomTom because he goes off on little walks by himself if he isn't watched 24/7 but always finds his way home! 

This means that whilst we are away, the Puppy Love Online Store & eBay shop are 'closed' but you can still order while we are away & we can respond to messages etc, it's just that any orders will be made up and despatched from Sept 5th :) x x

Alexander McQueen Leaves Thousands to Dogs

Last year the fashion industry lost the amazingly talented Alexander McQueen and today it has been revealed that not only did he have a huge talent, but also a huge heart. He left large sums of money to all around him including his 2 housekeepers but has also left £50000 to his 3 beloved English Bull Terriers, Minter, Juice & Callum. Here he is back in 2001 with Juice who looks absolutely gorgeous!

Photo courtesy of the Daily Mail 

The money has been left for their future 'upkeep' and although we have seen rather a lot of criticism within the media for the sum of money left to as some say 'just dogs', we think it's lovely. He loved them & wanted to ensure that they are well looked after and continue to be loved now that he is gone without expecting the responsibility to fall on anyone else. We would do the same if we had the funds. And, after-all he had an estimated £16m fortune at the time he sadly died last year and also has left over £164000 to charity - including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and the Blue Cross. In an interview with Arena Homme + in 2009 he said:

“My dogs are the only thing in the world I really trust.” 

RIP lovely soul - we hope you have found peace & I will forever LOVE your beautiful collections! x x

(See the latest beautiful Alexander McQueen collections & shop online here)

Amy Winehouse 14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011

Yesterday we were shocked & deeply saddened by the tragic death of the dazzlingly talented Amy Winehouse. Yet another one of our brightest sparks extinguished by the darkness of addiction. It is thought today that more likely she died from a seizure after drinking and not an overdose but that these seizures were a side-effect of the damage done by years of such serious drug use. Such a talented & also very young woman - she would have been in my school year - she was also a unique fashion icon with her big hair, cute little pumps and trend-setting eyeliner. I pray she finds some well-deserved peace at last in the big recording studio in the sky with all those other great talents taken from us too early.....Cobain, Hendrix, Morrison, Presley, Monroe, Dean, Joplin, Lennon, Aaliyah, Lisa Left-Eye... Rest in Peace lovely x x

Swedish House Mafia's Doggie Heroes

Phew! We really have been 'working like a dog' the last few weeks here at Puppy Love HQ getting all ready & stocked up for the summer shows...which *drum roll please* start at Dogs Trust Snetterton!! Wooo! Now whilst sewing, always have MTV, Viva or one of the other wonderful music channels (oops, don't want to annoy any of them! Lols) on and love to sing along much to the amusement & maybe even annoyance of the neighbours I'm sure!! There are lots of great music videos out there, loving Jessie J's fun 'Nobody's Perfect' and the attack of the LMFAO zombie-dancers puts a big smile on my face everytime but this one by Swedish House Mafia really does take the bonio... I can't get enough of it & you may think silly, but it chokes me up everytime I see it...in a good way though! :) It perfectly depicts dogs' loyalty, courage & all round beauty. They really do save my world! Enjoy! x x

Happy Birthday Buzz

Today was Buzzy's birthday! Yaay! We think he turned 9 years old today but I always like to knock a little bit off for his vanity and my own fears for the future... so we'll say 8 and 3/4 :) Now, April 1st is Buzzy's chosen birthday and we can only guess his age because he was a rescue with no history what-so-ever other than a huge fear of everything and everyone and a big chunk missing from one ear. He was found wandering by the city's flyover, alone and terrified. When I think back to the first day he came home to live with me as my absolute rock at whilst I was living alone at University, I still get the leaky eyes and an ache in my chest. He was painfully thin despite being looked after so well by the small local shelter who had taken him in for the last few weeks and cowered at the slightest fast movement. He was particularly fearful of men and loud noises but with lots of love, patience and the help of my beautiful little Dolly, he gradually learned how to be a doggie and grew more comfortable in his own skin. He learned to play, which he had no idea how to do in the beginning and began to put on weight. He experienced his first snowstorm (very late for the UK really) and stood mesmerised in my little back yard looking up at the sky with me and occasionally looking back to me for reassurance that I was still there. That memory will be with me forever - it was the start of his blossoming into the happy, loving and playful boy I know today, and I could see he was beginning to love me as much as I already loved him. I chose April 1st as his birthday because it was his rebirth - the way it should have been the first time around...surrounded by love and kindness and warmth and comfort. Without Buzzy you would not be reading this blog and PUPPY LOVE would not exist... so Happy Birthday Buzzy and thankyou for being both a constant companion and truly my saviour. x x

To read more about Buzzy and how Puppy Love came into being, click on the 'ABOUT PUPPY LOVE' tab above for the full story and the inspiration behind our poster-girl, my Dolly-dog.

Prize Draw, Prostate Cancer and Saturday Smooches!

Don't forget that there is still time to enter the Paws for Japan Prize Draw to win your very own custom-made bandana!! Just fill in your details below or drop us an email and you could be picked out of Buzzy's bowl on Sunday.. P-awesome!! The total raised so far for Paws for Japan is over $35,000. AMAZING! See Thursday's post for more details.

We have been having a fab time this weekend with Dad, who is visiting until Monday! It is the first time we've seen him since he had cancer and we are sooo pleased to see he is looking really well! He has put on 8 kilos and had the first of his check-up tests come back clear and looking good! We cannot thank his surgeon enough for saving my Daddy back in December. Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men and we hope that his story and fast recovery can inspire other men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer that having the operation is something to go for as soon as you can!! There is nothing to be scared of and any side-effects in THAT area are not forever. Infact, March is Prostate Cancer awareness month and if you need to find out more or want to donate, check out www.prostate-cancer.org.uk. Spread the word! 

We are also doing the Saturday BlogHop this week...as co-hosted by Two Little Cavaliers, Life with Dogs and Confessions of the Plume . We love meeting new furriends and finding fab blogs across the globe! Be sure to check out at least 3 from the list after the jump and we promise you won't be disappointed!! :) Enjoy! x x 

Help Japan

Over our last few posts, we have been full of excitement for Crufts and our new online store... but away from that, since Friday we have been following the situation in Japan very closely and our heart has been breaking. Words can not express the devastation there and we send SO much love to all the people and animals affected by the disaster. We want to highlight the animals of Japan in this post as they are the ones who have no voice to tell us they are hurting and are often overlooked. Here are some ways we can all help our Japanese fuuriends and of course their owners too. 

• ARK - Animal Rescue Kansai - this local animal shelter is preparing for a massive influx of animals following the quake and tsunami and already have some facilities in place and a team of experienced staff able to deal with traumatised animals. You can donate through paypal on their site. 

• Japan Animal Rescue and Support - the Japan Cat Network, together with Heart Tokushima and Animal Friends Niigata has formed Japan Animal Rescue and Support and are taking donations online through ChipIn.

• Join the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support Facebook group and fanpage for up-to-date information on how to help.

• International Fund for Animal Welfare - they will be deploying a team to assess needs regarding animal rescue. They are encouraging support through donations, which will be used to buy pet food, veterinary supplies, vaccines and other necessities for animals needing help.

• World Vets - a non-government organization (NGO) that provides veterinary aid around the globe in collaboration with animal advocacy groups, foreign governments, US and foreign military groups and veterinary professionals abroad. They are getting supplies and a first responder team ready to deploy to Japan.

World Vets is the charity of choice for the Paws for Japan #Pawpawty on Twitter this coming week... on March 17th, instead of celbrating St. Patrick's Day and the 2nd year anniversary of the #PawPawty, there will be a day long event in conjunction with the Paws For Japan Day. If you'd like to get involved with Paws for Japan, here's how to pawticipate:

How to Participate

1. Grab the badge(s).

2. On March 17th, post, tweet, or share on Facebook about the World Vets effort for animal relief in Japan. Be as creative as you wish in promoting the cause!

3. We will create a blog hop using Linky Tools. Please add your blog link.

4. If you are a retailer and would like to donate a portion of your profits that day to World Vets relief effort, let me know and I will share that on Thursday. As always, giveaways are also a great way to support the cause.

Crufts 2011

Aww...it's all over for another year now after gorgeous Jet the flatcoated retriever claimed his THIRD Crufts title... this time as Best In Show! Jet is 9 and it was lovely to see an older doggie (who is still very much in his prime) take the title.... but to us they really are all winners! Every single doggie there (over 21,000 of them too) was absolutely beautiful to us and are awarded the Puppy Love 'You're P-awesome' award.

Photo @ The Daily Mail

We had a wonderful time there at the NEC on Saturday and met so many lovely people & doggies. There is so much to see and next year we will be going to 2 days for sure! We didn't go to the main arena and show-rings as really we just like to see the charity stalls and stands - like the wonderful Galen Therapy Centre who gorgeous Karen is training with and Support Dogs UK. Here is a demonstration of Canine Myotherapy in action... doggie was so relaxed, she fell asleep! 

Sarah from Galen Therapy at work

We also saw some fab doggie products, like the 100% bio-degradeable bowls at Beco Things. Here are a selcetion of the goodies we picked up:

Almost as soon as we arrived, we met up with Soxi's Mami & Papi, Karen and Neil who are truely two of the loveliest people in existence! We had such a giggle and Karen proudly sported her Puppy Love 'Race Cars not Greyhounds' Shopper all day. You can get one for yourself here! We can't wait to go visit them and gorgeous Soxi, Brooke and Dino later in the year :) 

Now, I know some of you will already have heard of serotonin boosters and how the sunshine can make you feel happier and is great for your well-being etc etc...maybe some of you wild-ones have heard of some of those recreational drugs too? Well, we have found something even better! It is very exclusive and we feel very lucky indeed to have been able to have been given some for free..... introducing the BEST smile and well-being enducing treatment on the planet... Cassie Cuddles!! ;) 

It was so lovely to meet support dog Cassie in the reals and her p-awesome mommy, Sylv who has the coolest hair-do and is truly an inpirational lady :) We found out too, that not only is Cassie extremely beautiful, she is also very very clever as she wasn't trained until she was 4. Before that she was Sylv's pet doggie. The bond between the two of them was so wonderful to see and gave us the *leaky eyes* when we left them. Happy leaky eyes though - not sad ones :) Hope we can visit them both again soon!! We are making Cassie a little fleecey hoodie for after her hydro-therapy sessions. 

A special shoutout also to Cassie's fellow support dog, and our newest twitter friend, Merlin and his girlie Grace who were in the final of Friends for Life at Crufts last night...they also gave us the happy leaky eyes... and we are so proud of them! Winners to us and all your twitter family guys! And to our little minxy-moo's family and breeder, Jackie from Hitmonchan Cresteds who was there showing off that amazing Hitmonchan gene pool! 

All in all, a fab time was had by by all! Lee even for-go-ed the Arsenal game to stay longer! That's saying something! Crufts 2012 here we come... x x

More photos after the jump... >>

Dogs can help detect Colon Cancer - Amazing!

This is an amazing story in the news today... Japanese researchers have trained an 8 year old black lab to sniff out colon cancer on the breath of patients. Now, our twitter friends will know that cancer research has always been a cause close to our hearts after losing loved ones over the years, but has become even more so following Dad being diagnosed with prostate cancer in December. Thankgoodness, his op was a huge success and he has been making a brilliant recovery. But this is really exciting news for us! 

Dogs are already used to 'sniff out' bombs and drugs due to their amazing sense of smell, but have now been shown to be able to sniff out a number of cancers just by the patient's breath. This particular little lady, sniffed out 91% of the cancers and excluded 99% of the cancer-free samples. When given *ahem* other samples to sniff...she identified the cancers 97% of the time. 

Doctors have said that it may be difficult and costly to introduce 'sniffer dogs' in replacement of colonoscopies, but this certainly is an important step forward in the fight against the big C & proof that doggies really are man's best friend. 

You can read more about this story by clicking here. x x

Hero dog Sarbi reunited after over 2 years lost in Afghanistan

Wow! This is a lovely doggie story! Gave us the *leaky eyes*...

8 year old, Black Labrador Sarbi, an Australian 'Explosives Detection Dog' went missing in action after a bloody ambush in Afghanistan in November 2008... her handler, Sargent D, was injured in an explosion and the buckle holding the pair together snapped! Poor Sarbi may have been disorientated and probably scared and sad too...and she just disappeared!! No-one knows where she has been, and there has even been talk that we captured by the Taliban *gasp* However, over 14 months later surviving in the desert, this brave little dog was spotted by an American soldier walking alongside a local man. Yaay! She was flown to the Australian army base and plans set in motion to get her home! Sargent D has to remain anonymous for security but we bet he has a great big smile on his face right now!

Sarbi and Sargent D have now been properly reunited & he will assess her to see if she will be going back to work, or becoming a lady of leisure at Sargent D's home. In Australia, she has become somewhat of a little doggie celebrity!! Fab news! And there is talk of her being awarded a medal too. Brave girl!

Major General John Cantwell with Sarbi before her flight to Australia. Photo: Nick Moir

Sarbi has her own facebook page here! x x

Local man saves his dog!

A local man, from Kingsthorpe, Northampton, has saved his doggie from drowing in a frozen lake!! Michael Hollowell was walking his black lab Millie, near a frozen lake at Sixfields when she got tunnel-vision chasing a duck & ran on to the ice...only for it to crack!! Being just 10ft away from her, Michael just could not stand there and watch her die so he bounded onto the lake himself to grab her, causing the ice to crack further! *gasp* But it was not Michael & Millie's time to go over the RB, as passers by, including heroic ex-lifeguard Duncan Smith, managed to rescue the freezing pair with the help of Millie's lead and a rope. Yaay! Mr Hollowell said that he knows he went completely against all advice by going after her but we can understand why he did so and with no doubt what-so-ever we would do the same!

 “I could see Millie was panicking. She was desperately trying to break the ice to get back to shore. I could see she was getting cold and suddenly she stopped moving and rested her head on the ice as if she was exhausted. All I could think about was going in to get her...

“I don’t condone what I did... I’m old enough to know not to go out on frozen water and they always say an animal’s an animal, at the end of the day, and not worth risking your own life for... But watching her like that... I couldn’t watch her die. I felt I had to do something....

“She was only 10ft from shore and I thought if the ice did break I would be able to get back. But the cold and the shock made it seem so much further... I had a lucky escape and if I had been any further from shore I don’t think I would have stood a chance.”

Both Michael & Millie are fine after their dramatic rescue & we wish all involved a very Merry...and ice-free!...Christmas! 

If you are walking near a frozen lake or river, please keep doggie on their lead for everyone's safety!

You can read the full article on the Northampton Chronicle & Echo website, here. x x

Michael & Millie

Hero doggies!

Check out these two gorgeous German Shepherd's... they are real-life Lassie dogs! So clever & brave! 

Their owner, Les, is diabetic and when they were out for a walk together he slipped into a diabetic coma! Clever Ellie (left) and Jones knew something was very wrong and while Ellie stayed by his side and licked his face to try and keep him conscious, Jones ran home to alert Les' wife Jo. He got their attention and lead them back to Les who made a full recovery. Such clever doggies!! 

Both are rescues and Jo says: 

"[Jones] is a recovering agoraphobic so to come back alone we knew it was for a good reason... I ran out and found Les collapsed on the floor with Ellie by his side. I think the dogs saved his life. The dogs mean the world to me and I'm so proud of them. If Jones hadn't have come home, Les could have died."

You can read the full story at www.dailymail.co.uk by clicking on the title link x x

Jerry Green Fun Day

Today was the Jerry Green Fun Day at Brixworth, Northamptonshire! And doing exactly as promised...it was lots of fun!! :) The weather was not kind today with near gale-force winds & torrential rain showers but it didn't dampen anyone's spirits & everything carried on as if we were basking in tropical sunshine. The marquees just about stayed pinned down and after the storm we got some lovely sunshine to dry off in! There were so many lovely bits to do & see including doggie healing, a fortune teller, bric-a-brac from just 10p (!!!) & agility training classes. And as if that wasn't enough, a full dog show! So many lovely doggies came along it made it very hard for the judges to choose winners. Our handsome greyhound friend Jake won his 2nd award in less than 10 days, coming 3rd in the puppy class. Yaay! We loved meeting all the dogs and their owners & had a great time. Looking forward to seeing how much money was raised for the centre - they really do work sooo hard & help so many doggies who without their intervention would have been sent to doggie-heaven early *leaky eyes*. If you would like to donate, click here! x x

More pics after the jump! >>

So Heartwarming... ♥ ♥ ♥

This is such a heart-warming story... we were feeling quite tired & blah this morning and then read this & got the warm & fuzzies...

Couple find dog's picture pinned to notice board and are reunited after four years | Mail Online

Holly the Lab-cross went missing FIVE years ago but her owners never gave up searching for her and they have finally been reunited!! *leaky eyes* No-one knows where she was & it is thought it will remain a mystery, but she was taken in by a Doncaster Dogs home, Mount Pleasant Kennels, where she was put on death row *even more leaky eyes*. But she was rescued by a lovely lady, Val, from Halfway Home Dog Rescue in Nottinghamshire who then fostered her. Her picture was put in up in the local Pets @ Home and her dad, Dennis saw it!! They were reunited & she even went to sleep in her usual spot as soon as she got home. Sooo sweet! Bless her, such a gorgeous girl... she is now 14 & back where she belongs :) xx

Beautiful Holly