Great Barkitty Bake Off

Anyone can enter the Great Barkitty Bake Off for fun! All you need to do is purchase our 'Oggi's Oven Dog Cake Baking Mix' in store for £3.50, or order online here; http://www.barkitty.co.uk/category_dog_food_chews_1.shtml, and create either one big cake or a batch of cupcakes.

Be as creative as you can when it comes to decorating your doggy cakes, and the most adventurous wins. We can’t wait to see what you can come up with!

Send in your photographs to cakes@barkitty.co.uk by Wednesday (GBBO day), 24^th September, and judging will commence! You can post to our Facebook page, tweet us, tag us on Instagram, or email cakes@barkitty.co.uk. If using Twitter or Instagram we are @barkitty12, and use the hashtag #GreatBarkittyBakeOff

You will win a luxury Barkitty prize bundle, plus some extra mystery prizes we will reveal along the way! The winner and their cake will be featured in local press!

See more on the Facebook event page… https://www.facebook.com/events/287704374748541/

Rules

* You must use one pack of Oggi's Oven Dog Cake Baking mix. It must be this brand, so everyone starts on an even playing field. You can buy this for £3.50 in store at Barkitty, or online here - http://www.barkitty.co.uk/category_dog_food_chews_1.shtml

* You can enter a cake in any shape or size, or even cupcakes, as long as you use the specified mix only.

* Use all dog-friendly ingredients to decorate, such as pate, yoghurt, carob etc. The finished item should be safe for a dog to eat – so no chocolate, raisins or any other harmful foods.

* You must send a good, clear photograph of your cake/s to us by 12pm on Wednesday 24^th September. You can post to our Facebook page, tweet us, tag us on Instagram, or email cakes@barkitty.co.uk. If using Twitter or Instagram we are @barkitty12, and use the hashtag #GreatBarkittyBakeOff

* You must specify the ingredients used to decorate the cake/s, and even name your cake if you desire!

* Photographs of cakes will be judged by an expert, and the winner will be awarded prizes.

* Any photographs you send may be used by Barkitty for promotional purposes, and may be printed in local (or even national) press. Please do not send your photographs if you are not happy with this.

* Any questions, just ask! Happy baking!!

www.barkitty.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/BarkittyPetBoutique

Taxi (dermy) for Barkitty

So... did anyone watch 'All Creatures Great & Stuffed' on C4 last night? A documentary about taxidermy, and people who have their pets stuffed and keep them forever. What do you think? Is this something you would do?

I was on BBC Radio Northampton this lunchtime talking about it – listen to it here from approx 36 minutes in: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p025ndbk 

If you missed the show, watch it on Channel 4OD here ->

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/all-creatures-great-and-stuffed/4od#3756040

.

www.barkitty.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/BarkittyPetBoutique

Jasmine's Back!

As some of you know, due to a change in my circumstances Jasmine was not living with me for a few months (she was being looked after by her dad instead); but now she’s back!

I’m very happy to have both of my furbabies back together and with mummy in a new house. Jasmine is loving life in the countryside, and has been spending her days happily exploring J

Barkitty Pet Boutique

Heart of the Shires Shopping Village

A5 Near Weedon, Northamptonshire, NN7 4LB

(01327) 349328

www.barkitty.co.uk

www.facebook.com/barkittypetboutique

A Kodak moment

What a weekend! 55 dogs, 3 cats and 2 rabbits took part in the calender competition!

We have uploaded the 47 entries onto the Facebook page (see them here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.543791692343135.1073741839.274973055891668&type=1), and the 12 with the most 'likes' will feature! The one picture with most 'likes' overall will win a canvas from Amour Pix! Please vote for your favourite. You can vote for as many pets as you like, but only the amount of ‘likes’ on the ORIGINAL picture I posted will be counted.

The winners will be the top 12 at 7pm on September 16^th, 2013.

Thanks so much to Sarah & Mike for their hard work this weekend, and thanks also to everyone who took part!

www.barkitty.co.uk

www.facebook.com/barkittypetboutique

www.twitter.com/barkitty12

Instagram: @Barkitty12

Dog Sad When Owner Sad? Study Shows Pets' Reaction To Human Tears

Article from huffingtonpost.com 8th June...

Dog Sad When Owner Sad? Study Shows Pets' Reaction To Human Tears

By: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published: 06/08/2012 10:04 AM EDT on LiveScience

Plenty of pet owners are comforted by a pair of puppy-dog eyes or a swipe of the tongue when their dog catches them crying. Now, new research suggests that dogs really do respond uniquely to tears. But whether pets have empathy for human pain is less clear.

In a study published online May 30 in the journal Animal Cognition, University of London researchers found that dogs were more likely to approach a crying person than someone who was humming or talking, and that they normally responded to weeping with submissive behaviors. The results are what you might expect if dogs understand our pain, the researchers wrote, but it's not proof that they do.

"The humming was designed to be a relatively novel behavior, which might be likely to pique the dogs' curiosity," study researcher and psychologist Deborah Custance said in a statement. "The fact that the dogs differentiated between crying and humming indicates that their response to crying was not purely driven by curiosity. Rather, the crying carried greater emotional meaning for the dogs and provoked a stronger overall response than either humming or talking."

Humans domesticated dogs at least 15,000 years ago, and many a pet owner has a tale of their canine offering comfort in tough times. Studies have shown that dogs are experts at human communication, but scientists haven't been able to show conclusively that dogs feel empathy or truly understand the pain of others. In one 2006 study, researchers had owners fake heart attacks or pretend to be pinned beneath furniture, and learned that pet dogs failed to go for help (so much for Lassie saving Timmy from the well).

But seeking out assistance is a complex task, and Custance and her colleague Jennifer Mayer wanted to keep it simple. They recruited 18 pet dogs and their owners to test whether dogs would respond to crying with empathetic behaviors. The dogs included a mix of mutts, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and a few other common breeds. [What Your Dog's Breed Says About You]

The experiment took place in the owners' living rooms. Mayer would arrive and ignore the dog so that it would have little interest in her. Then she and the owner would take turns talking, fake-crying and humming.
Of the 18 dogs in the study, 15 approached their owner or Mayer during crying fits, while only six approached during humming. That suggests that it's emotional content, not curiosity, that brings the dogs running. Likewise, the dogs always approached the crying person, never the quiet person, as one might expect if the dog was seeking (rather than trying to provide) comfort.

"The dogs approached whoever was crying regardless of their identity. Thus they were responding to the person's emotion, not their own needs, which is suggestive of empathic-like comfort-offering behavior," Mayer said in a statement.

Of the 15 dogs that approached a crying owner or stranger, 13 did so with submissive body language, such as tucked tails and bowed heads, another behavior consistent with empathy (the other two were alert or playful). Still, the researchers aren't dog whisperers, and they can't prove conclusively what the dogs were thinking. It's possible that dogs learn to approach crying people because their owners give them affection when they do, the researchers wrote.

"We in no way claim that the present study provides definitive answers to the question of empathy in dogs," Mayer and Custance wrote. Nevertheless, they said, their experiment opens the door for more study of dogs' emotional lives, from whether different breeds respond to emotional owners differently to whether dogs understand the difference between laughter and tears.

Setting up Shop

Written April 30^th 2012

So after much blood, sweat and (luckily not many) tears the shop is finally open to the public! I have had so many compliments on it and sales are great which is encouraging.

For readers who have not yet visited I thought I’d give you a bit of a virtual tour; although coming in to see me really is much more fun.

The pine dresser is stocked full of Pet Head products for your dog and cat including ‘dry clean’ shampoo for dogs and Pretty Kitty strawberry yoghurt detangling spray for your long haired moggies who are highly unlikely to jump gleefully into the bath. These products are great for dogs in between baths and for cats who like to wander around picking up different smells. Also on the dresser is the Hing bone bowls in red, white, black and pink, and the Becobowls. The Becobowls are a great innovative product and I wonder if one day all plastics will be made in this way. They are created from plant fibres which means they are strong enough to withstand dishwashing; and perform like melamine; but here’s the good part… they are actually biodegradable, so when you are finished with them and the go to landfill (or on your compost heap to speed things up) they will eventually disappear back into the land. There are 3 sizes to suit any pet, and there are matching food and litter scoops also available.

Alongside the dresser is the extensive range of pet beds, including the floral, stripe and pheasant print from Joules; starting at £24.00. They are fantastic quality with traditional Joules prints and made in the UK!  Also in the bed section is the Union Jack duvet, and the House of Paws spots and floral, also made in Britain, and many more.

The centre table houses the range of Puppia harnesses with co-ordinating leads, as well as the Mutts & Hounds quality apparel. The Union Jack harness has been on of the best sellers so far, and I can only imagine the demand will continue with the impending Jubilee celebrations. The Scrufts collars, handmade in Brighton, are also showcased on the centre table. The mannequins have worked really well as a size guide for customers, and 10 days in Bobby has finally stopped barking at them and realised they’re not going to play with him!

Next to the counter is the beautiful selection of leads, ranging from £10 for a printed nylon style to £38 for a handmade leather style. Here sits another best selling item, the doggy rainmacs in red, yellow, navy, pink or lime – unfortunately a wardrobe essential for British springtime! The Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff toys are also here. They are one of the most resilient toys available, and Planet Dog promise to replace any which prove otherwise! 2% of profits on these items go to canine charities worldwide.

Kitties corner is opposite the counter, with the soft cat beds and cocoons for even the fussiest puddy. There are a selection of collars, including handmade leather ones with Swarovski crystal exclusive to Barkitty. We also sell Lily’s Kitchen organic cat food (as well as dog treats); and hand crocheted Queen’s corgis stuffed with quality catnip and a ‘Best of Britain’ bow tie (£7.00).

Please come by and see for yourself as stock and displays are changing all of the time. Dogs and children are welcome!

See you soon!

Lisa x