One of my worst nightmares is losing one of the dogs and never seeing them again. Unfortunately this is all too often the reality with thousands of dogs going missing each year. My dogs are microchipped and have contact details on their 'medals' which they wear on their collars and I hope this will be enough to guarantee that we will be re-united should we ever become separated. One great new product I have come across on my web wanderings is set to take dog tags light years into the future.

The "Top Tag Pet ID" gives you the ability to store much more information than just your pet's name and phone number. Click on the link and decide if this product is right for you. This isn't a personal recommendation, I have no commercial link with this product I just thought that it might be of interest for dogs that require medication or specialised treatment for an ailment or illness. If anyone has one already let me know how you got on with it in the comments section. 

I was lucky enough to go to the Cannes Film Festival with a friend last weekend and was surprised at the lack of dogs in this lovely French town. Dogs definitely live there because large stretches of pavement showed 'signs' of dogs passing by (if you know what I mean) and I did begin to wonder if anyone in Cannes picks up after their pooch. Perhaps poop bags are just too ordinary and clash with their glamorous handbags and outfits. There is definitely a market for jewel-encrusted, gold-plated doggy bags in this part of the world!  (To be fair I didn't see one dedicated dog-waste bin.)  Any French members want to comment on scooping the poop or the facilities you have in your lovely country? 

I did get to see the gorgeous Mr Darcy (Colin Firth), so much more handsome in real life. The not-so-gorgeous Rupert Everett (looking very miserable before the St. Trinians party). His demeanor could have been due to the fact that he and Mr Firth haven't always been the best of friends. The beautiful Minnie Driver was there briefly, and I queued with Mischa Barton for the toilet, (her heels were giving her a few problems and she was getting a blister). I was even lucky enough to catch U2 give an impromptu performance, on the steps of the Palais, before their new 3D film.  All this mixing with the stars made me wonder what type of dog these famous people had waiting at home for them. This led me to do a bit of research on celebrity dogs, and this famous dog website  gives you a comprehensive list in alphabetical order of dogs that famous people have owned over the years. 

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One of our team drew my attention to a great site - The First Dog - dedicated to President Bush's dog, Barney http://www.whitehouse.gov/barney/ This little Scottish Terrier is top dog for the USA and here are some of his character traits according to the Scottish Terrier Club of America http://clubs.akc.org/stca/rescue.htm  'The Scottish Terrier's character and personality reflect the bleak and lonely moors of his origin. He is no hail-fellow well met. Life to him is serious, to be met with dignity, reserve and stout heart. He is by nature aloof, accepting few friends outside the family circle.' Do certain breed traits make some dogs more suited to govern a specific nation?  Can I have your suggestions for which breed would make the best President/Prime Minister/Head of State for the various countries around the world and why? I've set up a thread in The Lamp Post for your responses.

Scientists, veterinarians and dog owners have long questioned the relationship between man and his best friend but this quote, from an article which debates whether a dog can 'love' its' owner, made me think. Here's the quote:-

"If we moved our dogs to our neighbour's house and that neighbour gave the dogs as much as we gave them and in the same motivational forms, I believe our dogs would adapt to their new life and would become as loyal to the neighbor as they were to us."

My first instict is, "What a load of rubbish!"  My dogs are my babies and if you took my children and gave them to a neighbour to care for I guarantee they would miss their Mummy and would pine for me  - wouldn't they?

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Have any of you taken a look at our fantastic new Shopping area? No more battling through the traffic, struggling to find a parking space and jostling for position in the queue at the checkout. Stay where you are, treat a few more dogs and leave a private message for a friend then pop over to the shopping area and have a leisurely browse around some of the best-known high street and on-line stores before you buy. Best of all you will be helping Dogs Trust to reach even more dogs in unhappy circumstances with every penny you spend.

Some of the biggest names in on-line shopping have agreed  to give us commission on any purchases you make, if you access their sites via DoggySnaps.  All you have to do is go to - Shopping - in the main navigation bar, and decide which on-line store you want to pay a visit to; M&S, Ebay, O2, MGM, Pet Planet, Amazon and many more.

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