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Friday 26 November 2010

I've gone social networking mad!

Hi Guys, Kim here!

I've gone and made a Facebook account where you can find even more great stuff about Hubble and Hattie!
Come and be friends, share your photos and celebrate all things animal with me here.

Don't forget to check out the Hubble&Hattie facebook page while you're there, it's got some great photos of our H&H menagerie, plus some awesome links.

See you there!

Holiday season pet precautions

It's that time of year again; any excuse for a party or a festival. We might like to eat and drink ourselves silly over the holidays, but it's not good news for your pets! Check out how holiday temptations can harm your pets by clicking here.

And remember, eating your weight in turkey probably isn't advisable for you either!

Friday 12 November 2010

How to help your dog unwind...



Dog Relax – Relaxed dogs, relaxed owners
By Sabina Pilgug
£ 14.99 + postage

In order for dog and human to live together harmoniously, both need to be relaxed to allow them to communicate properly and enjoy training.
The technique ‘Dog Relax’ was developed to ensure that both owner and dog are relaxed, through a combination of breathing and movement exercises for the the owner, and stretching, movement and special massage for the dog. This lovely book holds the secret to a different approach to living and working with your dog, but not so different that it is in any way alienating.

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Would you like to see a hedgehog inhaling some bacon?


Of course you would!

Hubble & Hattie now has a YouTube channel where we showcase some pretty awesome animal videos, as well as some interesting facts about them.

In this video, watch Harry enjoying some bacon, and read the description to find out what's good to feed the hedgehogs you might find in your garden.

Delicious!

You and Your Border Terrier – the App!

We at Hubble & Hattie have been beavering away creating an iPhone app of our recently published book, You and Your Border Terrier.

This app gives you everything you need to know about choosing, buying and enjoying your Border Terrier, including breed background, settling in your new arrival, and what to expect as your canine companion grows up. Packed with illustrations – many especially commissioned – which colourfully illustrate and describe these captivating dogs.

In addition, in-app videos feature informative voice-overs by well-known author David Alderton!

Click here for more info


AVAILABLE NOW for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad through the iTunes App Store.

Price: £1.79 UK

Thursday 4 November 2010

Puppies in need


Foster mums are being requested urgently for this box of puppies after they were found abandoned at the back of a Yorkshire cinema aged at just one day old.


Visit the Dogs Trust site for the full story...

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Hoglet Watch: Bonfire Night!


It's Wednesday; only two days until Bonfire Night, which means bonfires are being built up and down the country, ready for a fun night of jacket potatoes, fireworks and hot drinks.

It also means we need to ensure that our prickly pals are safe and sound when the time comes to lighting the bonfire, so take a moment and check out our H&H Hedgehog Hints below to help you have a hedgehog-friendly bonfire night!

Make it near the date
Around this time of year, hedgehogs are looking for places to hibernate. They prefer warm, dry covered places, and, to a hedgehog, your unlit bonfire equals a ready-made nest! Therefore, the closer to the 5th that you build your bonfire, the better, because there's less chance any hedgehogs will have come across what they see as a perfect place to curl up and snooze away the winter.


Another place to crash
Variety is the spice of life, so before the day, why not make an alternative nest site for any wandering hogs by piling up leaves and twigs in another spot in the garden? The idea is that your handmade hedgehog den will attract hogs to it rather than the bonfire, so make sure it's a good distance away from the fire when you build it, and that it's safe from any pet cats or dogs who might be wondering what's going on...

Security check
Even with your cozy leaf pile, there's no guarantee that you bonfire will be hedgehog free (fussy hogs!), so before you light it, make sure to check the pile carefully with a rake and a torch for any animals that might be snuggled up in the depths. If you find any sleepy hedgehogs, move them carefully (you may need to wear gloves to protect yourself from the spines!) to your ready-made leaf pile, or to a hay-lined box which you could prepare beforehand to keep them safe while you celebrate. It won't take long to de-hedgehog your bonfire, and once you have, you can enjoy your evening in front of the fire knowing that your Guy Fawkes is the only thing you'll be toasting!

The Wildlife Trust also has tips on making your bonfire and your garden hedgehog friendly, so why not pay it a visit? They also have some great information about other autumn events that might affect the wildlife around you, so it's well worth a read!

Keep checking back her for more hog tips and stories throughout the week, and don't forget to check out our Tumblr and our Facebook for even more hedgehog pictures and facts!


Animals In Need

We here at H&H think this is a great idea... follow the link to sign the petition for an annual programme like Children In Need, but for animals:

They could call it 'Furry Nose Day'...


Animals In Need donation programme.

Please sign our petition and pass on to as many people as possible, we hope 5,000 people will sign it and then we will write to the BBC and say as license payers we wish to see a similar programme to help animals in need!
For 15 years £35 million pounds has been raised for Chilren, but now is the time to help animals, this last 18 months Rescue Centres all over the UK has suffered a 45% drop in daonation, we need a fun programme to help all animals. Pets, wildlife, conservation projects.
Enough of talking time for action!!


You can view the petition here, and get involved!

How Does Your Dog Smell?



Smellorama! – nose games for dogs
By Viviane Theby

With up to 100 times as many olfactory receptors as humans, dogs use their sense of smell to ‘see’ and interpret their world, just as we do with our eyes. A dog’s keen sense of smell is helped by a wet nose which has a layer of mucus that absorbs some scent molecules more quickly, allowing even the faintest scent to be detected and followed. And it’s not just specialist hounds such as gun, drug and bomb detection dogs that have this amazing ability. All dogs love to sniff out new smells and messages – their very own p-mail! – so your faithful friend can be taught to find those lost car keys, tell you if your food contains minute traces of nuts, or even locate a missing person, and in such a way that these ‘nose games’ are great fun for both of you!

£9.99 (+ postage) You can buy this book from our shop here

Monday 1 November 2010

Hoglet Watch - Meet the Hoglets

When we think about autumn, we think about kicking piles of leaves in the air, and digging out gloves and scarves from wherever they might have been stowed last year. Here at Hubble & Hattie, we're also thinking about hedgehogs!

Hedgehogs are one of Britain's best loved creatures; Beatrix Potter's Mrs Tiggywinkle is a household name, and who amongst us didn't shed a tear or two when the hedgehogs got run over in The Animals of Farthing Wood?

Despite their charm, hedgehogs still need our help. In 2007, the european hedgehog made it onto a list of animals which are in need of greater conservation, which is why we at Hubble & Hattie want to spread some love about our spiny little chums, and where better to start then right here at home!


Meet Harry, one of the H&H hoglets who are being looked after by our director, Jude.
Harry first arrived with Jude at the end of June, when a lady in Weymouth found him in her garden and was unable to care for him. He weighed
just 200 grams, and was about three weeks old. He was tiny, and no one knew if he'd make it.
Jude kept him snug in a cardboard box lined with newspaper and hay at one end so he could make a nest for himself. Harry was fed on cat food, the odd spoonful of scrambled egg, and a little bit of special kitten food which helps to supply needed vitamins. Jude also gave him dried mealworms to try, but he wasn't too keen!
Harry, being a noisy hoglet, kept Jude up at night with his snuffling and snorting, despite being in a different room and down a flight of stairs. Every morning Jude would go to check him in his box to discover what looked like the aftermath of a very energetic party. Paper shredded, water bowl tipped upside down, food devoured. Despite this general hedgehog mess, Harry was very particular about where he went to the toilet: it was usually in his food dish.



Harry seemed to like adventuring just as much as the next hog, and wasn't afraid to go exploring. On his rambles around the dining room (which he would partake in as his box was cleaned) he would come across Immie, our resident H&H hound. As you can see here, Immie seems rather uncomfortable with her prickly new 'friend', though Harry doesn't seem too bothered!

A bright and active hoglet, Harry gained weight steadily, travelling with Jude and Immie across the country on visits, also popping in to Hubble & Hattie HQ to say hi! Of course, we all thought he was brilliant.


Harry is now living it up in the garden in what can only be described as the Ritz of hedgehog homes. He moved from the house to an outside home with a run as he got bigger, where Jude could keep an eye on his weight gain. When he reached 600 grams, he moved house to the bottom of the garden where there's undergrowth, cover, and no fences! Harry is a free hog, who happens to benefit from a few home comforts... his house is warm, comfortable, and best of all quiet; Harry will be able to while away the winter safe and snug in his hoggy hotel. And, of course, until such time as he decides to take that long snooze, he's still getting fed each night!

The important thing about these houses is that they are safe for hedgehogs to hibernate in. Many hedgehogs are killed accidentally each year in bonfires. With Guy Fawkes celebrations taking place at the end of the week, what better time to give you the dos and dont's of hedgehog safety when making your bonfire, plus some tips on how to create your own hedgehog friendly garden, so keep checking back everyday this week for new info, photos and updates on the H&H Hoglets. You'll also get the chance through the week to submit your own hedgehog stories, photos and artwork, both here and on our facebook site, so if you have any hedgehog related antics to share, we'd love to know about them!