Marathon, before and after by Jo-Emma Larvin

Jo-Emma Larvin completed the Marathon in 4 hours and 11minutes - a fantastic feat and all at Dogs Trust Are very proud of her and the £7000 she has raised to date. Here in her last blog for us she tells us of the build up to the race and the day itself. Pictures to come soon!

Friday 2 days to go...
Meal was yummy last night. I cant stop eating. Its mad I've actually put half a stone on. Must be the muscle in my legs as well as bit of extra meat round my belly - I need this you see to keep me going race day ;-). Well I packed my things and got on the train to London. Checked into the hotel the Flora Marathon always use. Its very nice, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for any of the elite athletes I may recognise.

Got my gladrags on and went to the Cityrats film premiere! There was a hold up that made the film start late so I did the social bit (and ate half a bucket of popcorn) then came back to hotel before the film even started - naughty! When I got back to hotel (and back in my squashies (loungy comfy pants) I saw Niki who works for the marathon and went for a pizza with her. Back in room just done a face pack now im off to bed. Night night x

Saturday 1 day to go...
Went down and got my race number. How funny the digits have my running time from the half marathon in them. Loadsa 2's. my half marathon time was 2.02.22 thats got to be a good sign. Anyway went for a half hour run along the Embankment, lots of super speedy runners wooshing past me. they are like thouroughbred racehorses zooming and I'm like a little donkey just plodding along ha :-)

Going to meet Joe for lunch now then meet my mum off her train later.
getting very excited now YEEHAA


RACE DAY....

Woke up way before alarm went off. Ate my weetabix I'd put at side of bed last night. Nearly 6am, just wanted to eat 4 hours before kick-off. Ate them with my eyes closed - am shattered havent slept good at all. Chilled in bed for half hour then opened the curtains to a lovely hazy view of Tower Bridge - first wave of excitment as I think I'm going to be running over that later.
Get ready and me & Joe go down to meet my mum and get on buses to go to the start line.
By time I'm at blue start line I'm getting very excited. Everyones been so lovely to me and checking I'm ok all the time. See a couple of familiar faces from the half marathon which is nice. My mum wanted Ronan Keatings autograph for a friend it took her ages to pluck up courage to ask him bless her.
Sue Barker interviewed me & Joe for BBC. Went well and of course I plugged Dogs Trust!!
At start line I was next to Gordon Ramsey and his wife they were giving me some last min tips. everyones wishing each other luck ooooh
I keep looking at my mum and Joe and waving and blowing kisses aww. I'm so excited can't stop smiling.
What a great run. I did so well. I took my time, paced myself and managed to do it in 4 hours and 11 minutes. WOW! I'm so surprised. I was nearly dying last 3 miles but wouldn't allow myself to walk at all. I ran the whole way.

Back at hotel bar in the evening I've been telling every person I pass that I've done the marathon. waiters, customers, anyone near me. Im truly beaming!!
As I'm hopping around like a 90 year old I'm already planning my next marathon ..... mmm wonder which one I should do....

P.s everyone so proud of me - Joe was so surprised I really impressed him. Mum said she knew I'd do well - she said 'you're a Larvin'

Ther is still time to sponsor Jo-Emma at JustGiving

Top Dogs: Favourite dogs of page, stage and screen

With the recent releases of films like Hotel for Dogs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Marley & Me, dogs have had a real chance to take centre stage in entertainment recently. There was even that revival of The Wizard of Oz where Toto got better reviews than his human companions!

So which are the best famous dogs out there? Here are three of my favourites; let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree.

1. Gaspode the Wonder Dog (Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld)

I was on the verge of adding Dog, the confused hellhound from Pratchett and Gaiman's Good Omens, when I remembered Gaspode. Seriously smelly and the host of several unpleasant diseases "including licky end, and only pregnant sheep get that", Gaspode never the less earns his self-applied wonder dog title thanks to two key attributes: his street smarts and his ability to speak out loud. Sensitive to changes in the magical fabric, Gaspode picked up the talent of speech in Moving Pictures but comes into his own as a character in Men at Arms and The Fifth Elephant. He's bright, downtrodden, funny and generally a little disgusting. But loveable.

2. Napoleon & Lafayette (Disney's The Aristocats)

An odd choice I know, considering the film is about cats and the dogs aren't exactly the brightest sparks in the crew. But their daft double-act is among one of my favourites on film, ever. The dopey pair - one a Bloodhound, one a Bassett - are military minded with Lafayette the few brains of their operation but Napoleon the self-styled leader. They handily take out the villain of the piece, Edgar the butler, with their slapstick and constantly bicker in their lazy, Southern American accents (despite being Parisian), adding warmth and humour to the film.


3. Eddie (Frasier)

One of the best dog characters who remains resolutely doggy, Martin Crane's Jack Russell companion manages to raise laughs just sitting still with an alert, intelligent expression on his face. The character is basically a target for Frasier Crane's neurosis, responding to the rest of the family with near-human understanding but seeming to taunt to good doctor. Eddie was played initially by dog actor Moose, who sadly passed away leaving his son, Enzo, to continue the role. A loyal companion, Eddie is cute, well-trained and bright; the perfect dog companion, in other words.

Friday Poll: What do you do with your dog during holidays?

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but I'm actually away on holiday, and some of these posts were written before I left to make sure that you'd have plenty to read and enjoy while I'm away. So, especially as I've just reviewed the Good Guide to dog-friendly places around the country, I got to thinking: what do pet owners do at holiday times?

My two kittens are in the safe, warm and enthusiastic care of my obliging, cat-loving mum. Dogs are often more adept travellers than cats, though, so perhaps if I had a dog comfortable in the car I'd stick to holidays that are within easy driving distance and take them along. Or maybe a boarding kennels would be more appropriate if I were flying a long distance and didn't have family or friends able and willing to commit to lots of walks.

How do you deal with holidays?

One Week To go

Jo Emma tells us of the final week before the London Marathon this Sunday.

6 days to go... Mon

Took the train to London got my hair done today. I've have some hi-lites. Gingery ones - a change for the summer. Met my friend and we go Ping Pong dim sum place for dinner. I stay over at hers. Nice girly catch-up!

5 days to go... Tues

Spend the day in London with my friend today. Bought my new trainers for the marathon from Foot Locker on Bond Street they only have a waffle shop next door dont they??! well I couldnt resist a belgian waffle with chocolate sauce & 2 scoops of ice cream. Stunning. Really hot gorgeous day - I love london in the sun. I hope its not this hot on marathon day though Eek!! I got train back to Wales where Joe picked me up and we went out for a yummy meal. I had fish with jacket spud and loadsa garlic bread. Happy to see Sonny when I get in. He's happy to see me too. No-ones ever as happy to see you as your dog!!

4 days to go...Wed

Im tired as I've done lots of press today. A few different shoots and interviews for various papers. I do enjoy it though. We did the shoots at Joes boxing gym. Smelly gritty place but outside has gorgeous scenery so I'm looking forward to seeing the pics. Sonny came along as usual. Going to try and get an early night.

3 days to go...Thurs

Well I've had an easy day today. Just a little shoot this morning which I couldnt resist getting Sonny in on. Then Joe and I took Sonny for a walk and a swim (Sonny, not us)

Been lounging round at home rest of day. Gonna go for a little 15min run at 5pm then I'll get ready as taking some friends out for a meal tonight. John Fairclogh, Joes doctor and his wife Sheila. its actually thanks to him I'm doing the marathon, he's the one that first put it to Joe.

There is still plenty of time to sponsor Jo-Emma who is running the London Marathon for Dogs Trust visit http://www.justgiving.com/jo-emmalarvin

Book Review: Good Guide to Dog Friendly Pubs, Hotels and B&Bs

Having spent some time going through the Good Guide I can tell you that it really does do what it says on the cover: it's a guide, and it's a good one!

The fourth edition of this handy guide is edited by the team behind the popular Good Pub Guide, with information correct as of the end of 2008. As the editors rightly point out, a single unfortunate dog-related experience can mean an entire dog-friendly policy is rescinded, but there are plenty of ways to get in touch and give your experiences listed in the book to help future editions stay as up to date as possible.

The guide opens with a list of particularly lovely walks around Great Britain (Northern Ireland is not included, just mainland GB and the Channel Islands) followed by a calendar of dog events across England, Scotland and Wales. Thereafter it's divided into counties. Each county lists first the pubs with a dog-friendly policy, followed by hotels, inns and B&Bs with a similarly welcoming attitude.

Descriptions are short and to the point, with addresses / some directions, a summary in bold of the character of the venue, a concise but more detailed description and opening hours, extra information and prices where relevant underneath.

A typical example, taken from the Devon section:

POSTBRIDGE

Warren House

B3212 0.75 miles NE of Postbridge; PL20 6TA

Straightforward old pub, relaxing for a drink or snack after a Dartmoor hike

Friendly and with plenty of atmosphere, this straightforward place is most welcome after a hike on Dartmoor. One of the fireplaces in the cosy bar is said to have been kepy alight almost continuously since 1845, and there are simple furnishings like easy charis and settles under the beamed ochre ceiling, old pictures of the innon the partly panelled stone walls, and dim lighting (fuelled by the pub's own generator); a family room also. Decent hearty food meets most walkers' needs. otter Alex, Ringwood Old Thumper, St Austell Tribute and a guest beer on handpump, local farm cide and malt whiskies; piped music, darts and poo. The picnic-sets on both sides of the road have moorland views.

Free house ~ Licensee Peter Parsons ~ Real ale ~ Bar food (all day but more restricted winter Mon and Tues) ~ (01822) 880208 ~ Children in family room ~ Dogs allowed in bar ~ Open 11-11; 12-10.30 Sun; 11-5 Mon and Tues during Nov-Feb.

With a few handy maps and a clutch of report forms for you to inform them of your experiences, the guide is complete. I can imagine it being a very helpful reference guide, especially now that people are holidaying much more at home, and definitely worth the £9.99 it costs (currently reduced at Amazon).

The publishers, Ebury Press, might sound familiar if you're a regular reader of the blog, as they run the Ebury Book Club on our community site, DoggySnaps, which means the chance to get your hands on free books for lucky members and an open discussion that everyone can take part in.

Design a Shed

Yes you heard us right Its time to Design a Shed!

We have joined forces with national institution Shed Week for a special Design-a-Doggy-Shed competition. From 16^th April to 1^st June, the public are being invited to submit designs for mutt motels and shaggy dog sheds. It could have an in-built bone dispenser, four paw-ster bed and doggy drawbridge or simply be a canine chill-out room; let your imaginations run wild!

The winner will be chosen by Shed Week judges including Sarah Beeny (presenter of Channel 4’s Property Ladder), Rico Daniels (star of the Discovery Channel’s The Salvager) and Alex Johnston (of www.shedworking.co.uk) plus Dogs Trust CEO Clarissa Baldwin.

The winning design will then become a reality* thanks to the organisers’ crack team of construction experts. It will then be installed at Dogs Trust Bridgend where dogs that are stressed by kennel life can enjoy the facilities!

Shed Week organiser Uncle Wilco explains:

“This slightly strange dog-shed partnership has evolved because I’ve gone canine crazy after recently adopting my dog Sprout from Dogs Trust Bridgend. It turns out Dogs Trust are big fans of sheds – in fact many of their 17 rehoming centres have on-site sheds – so they loved the idea of teaming up for this fab competition.”

Entries can be submitted online at http://www.readersheds.co.uk/doggyshed or posted to:

Design-a-doggy-shed competition

Dogs Trust

17 Wakley Street

London EC1V 7RQ

*Dogs Trust and Shed Week reserve the right to make changes to aid construction where necessary. Sheds should not be used as canine living quarters.

Caption Competition: Charlie and Pixie

No prizes for guessing which one goes by the name of Pixie... We just couldn't resist this picture, especially the double-take after the first initial glance which seems innocuous enough.

Send us your best captions and comments and we'll announce our favourite in a day or so.

Friday Poll: How long do you spend exercising your dog daily?

We know that some breeds are definitely more active than others. A Greyhound is often happy with a couple of brisk half hours walks and some running around / off-lead playtime. A Collie would generally scoff at so little. Age is also a consideration, with the very young and very old requiring less and more gentle activity.

How active is your dog?

Book Review: Who Moved My Job? by Mark Kobayashi-Hillary

Who Moved My Job? is actually a short story about globalisation and the shifting tides of workers and skills around the world. So, what's it doing on a dog blog?

Well, Mark Kobayashi-Hillary has very cleverly taken the idea of Border Collies working on a farm who are supplanted by foreign sheep-herding breeds and used it as a nifty allegory for the issues surrounding globalisation.

The three sheepdogs - Winston, Charlie and Blair - are initially cut adrift and in danger of becoming, essentially, extinct. At first they're confused, bewildered and very resistant to any form of change such as finding a home from the centre they've been taken too. In steps Matilda - a wise old Staffordshire Bull Terrier based on Kobayashi-Hillary's dog of the same name and breed - to help push them in the direction of applying their farm skills to city life in a new, exciting and fulfilling way.

There are no trick questions or particularly opaque levels of meaning in the story. The idea is simply to prompt Western society to consider how jobs will develop and move around the world as time moves on. In Kobayashi-Hillary's dog world, those who stay fixed on the past and old use of skills will soon find themselves sidelined but those who examine their abilities and find a new use for them might find that they're in a better position than they started in.

Simple? Yes. Simplistic? Not really. This is the opening question, not the full scale analysis because that latter disection of the issues is what the book is pushing towards in the first place.

This thought provoking and engagingly written piece is well worth the time spent perusing it, and leads to a website from which links to discussions, information about the author and gorgeous pictures of the real Matilda can all be found.

Whether your job is yet to move or you've found yourself on the verge of a shift, take a glance and get involved with the issues.

Dog Blog Roundup: Written by Dogs Trust supporters and DoggySnappers

My job largely involves poking around the web for things of interest. On a professional and personal level this includes pet blogs. There is a veritable host of professional pet blogging out there - one of my favourites being US-based Pet Connection - but I was more interested today in personal blogs written by people who have a connection to Dogs Trust.

All of the following blogs are written by members of our community photo-sharing site, DoggySnaps.

Canine Hills - Part soap-opera, part-photo diary, Canine Hills is a collection of stories from budding writer James and photography from fellow 'Snappers Jacky and Paul. It's particularly funny and enjoyable if you're actually a member of the site, but can still be enjoyed if you're not! This developed on from The DS Chronicles, another project by James, Jacky and Paul.

Toney's DoggySnaps White House Office - A canine comedy-drama take following the model of shows like The West Wing.

Teddy's World: The life and times of Teddy McDoodle, a curious Labradoodle.

Sum Space: Actually a maths blog! However, John - who also uses the DoggySnaps forums for blog updates - does often mention his three lovely dogs, two of whom are Dogs Trust rescues and one of whom he adopted via DoggySnaps when a fellow member told of the pooch's plight.

Are you a fellow 'Snapper or Dogs Trust supporter with a blog? Add your link to the comments below.

Three days left to show us your dog's star quality!

There are just three days left before the deadline for the Dogs Trust Honours Rex Factor Award - have you shown us the smart moves and clever tricks your dog can do?

If not, then get cracking. We've already shown you with our how-to video how simple it is to knock 40 seconds of funny footage together and submit it to us. We're not looking for a professional video - it's your dogs skills that are important, not yours (except as a trainer, of course!).

We look forward to seeing your videos ahead of the ceremony on May 19th. To check out some of the existing entrants, visit our special DoggySnaps Rex Factor kennel.

Friday Poll: What are your favourite pets that aren't dogs?

We're told there are pets worth having that aren't dogs. If you've ventured beyond the canine world, tell us your favourites.

Dogs of the Week: Woody & Bobby @ Dogs Trust Salisbury

Introducing... Woody and Bobby!

Breed: Whippets

Age: 11

Likes: We're a friendly, cuddly pair who sleep snuggled up and are happy to eat out of the same bowl. Despite our ages we've still got lots of energy - Bobby's still very fond of his walks whereas Woody would like to exercise but has to keep to shorter strolls due to a slipped disk. We like travelling, pottering about and getting plenty of affection.

Dislikes: Not a lot! We suppose we prefer a quieter life, but can still live with children provided they're not very young and energetic!

Needs: Anyone with space for two gentle pals with a love of cuddles.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Salisbury on 01980 629634 or see more dogs needing homes.

Previous Dogs of the Week: Mutt-erly Love @ Evesham | Solomon @ Salisbury

Easter chocolate can lead to poorly, poisoned pooches

Increasing numbers of dog owners now know that there are a few foods that us people munch on that dogs definitely shouldn't. Raisins, grapes, onions and sweetener xylitol are a few, and chocolate is definitely on the list.

At Easter-time, there's generally a lot more of the gooey sweet stuff around the place, and dogs are inquisitive souls. The smell is inviting, and before you know it they've munched down the lot and made themselves very ill indeed. I still hear people saying "it's because they can become diabetic" but actually it's much more immediate and frightening even than that: they can suffer poisoning.

A chemical called theobromine is present in chocolate and is something us people can handle, but dogs cannot. The higher the cocoa content, the more theobromine is present, which is why things like cocoa powder and cocoa mulch for the garden have been known to kill dogs when they have ingested some.

So please keep a look out this Easter and remember:

• Keep your chocolate treats out of reach of intrepid hounds
• Don't let family and friends give them chocolatey treats
• Distract them with special dog "choc" drops if it helps!
• If you're a gardener, make sure you're not using cocoa mulch

If you suspect your dog has eaten some chocolate and you observe any of the following symptoms, please take them to the vet straight away:

• Vomiting (with blood)
• Sore tummy
• Excessive thirst
• Excitability
• Drooling
• Slow heart rate
• In the later stages, epileptic-type fits

Early symptoms of theobromine poisoning can be treated, but it's possible that as little as a regular bar and a half of dark chocolate could be fatal to a small dog.

Easter Ducks can help dogs in need AND win you money!

Chicks and rabbits have had it easy long enough. It's time for the great Easter duck! The Great British Easter Duck! Who's with me?!

Why, you ask? Well, because by adopting a Great British Duck Race duck as an Easter gift for yourself or a loved one you'll be putting yourself in the running to bag a cash prize of up to £10,000 and helping one or two charities close to your heart as well.

Yes, we've mentioned the charity ducks before. But they're very much worth mentioning again. I personally have adopted a couple of Dogs Trust ducks and look forward to the prize draw every month. The earlier you adopt, the more draws you'll be entered into. And the more that are adopted, the more we can help the thousands of dogs who come through our doors every year.

I challenge you, therefore, to beat my ducks to the finish line! Follow the links above to adopt a duck for just £2.

(My apologies to the GBDR for the liberties I've taken in Easter-fying their branding.)

Jo-Emma Larvin runs the Flora London Marathon for Dogs Trust!

Model Jo-Emma Larvin, also known as partner of boxing star Joe Calzaghe, has strapped on her trainers and chosen to donate the proceeds of her upcoming marathon run to Dogs Trust!

Here she is at one of our centres meeting one of the dogs the funds raised will be helping (more photos can be seen on the Dogs Trust Flickr stream):



You can visit Jo-Emma's fundraising page at JustGiving to lend your support and sponsorship. In the meantime, Jo-Emma will also be sending us the occasional blog post to mark her progress, so you can read about her efforts in her own words. Here's the first:

Well my training is certainly coming on. I've done up to a 16 mile run!! I can't believe I did it. In fact I can't believe I'm doing the marathon full stop! I've gone from only managing 2 miles in january to this, so I think I can pat myself on the back :-)

My legs feel do feel a bit like lead, but I do some stretching and I always eat straight away then I'm ok.

After meeting all the other runners when I did the half marathon at Silverstone and picking their brains for tips I've devised my own training plan. I'm doing a big run on the weekends and 2 little ones (6/7 miles) in the week.

I still take my lovely Sonny on loads of walks too. I actually think it's all the walking I've done with him over the 4 years I've had him that has given me a certain amount of stamina. Even days I don't feel like walking he looks at me with those eyes and I get going. Dogs are certainly great for fitness!!

I'm eating pretty much the same just adding more carbs to my meals. That part's easy for me as I love bread and potatoes etc I love eating big plates of mash and gravy.Yum! I keep getting the Lucozade sports drinks as well as I know thats what they give you at the marathon. I'm getting used to them now. Feel yuck today because had a late night and sooooo dont want to run today. I'm gonna have a gorgeous breakfast of 2 slices of brown toast, 1 with peanut butter, 1 with honey and banana mashed over both of em. Then I'll take Sonny for a walk and get ready for my run!

Good luck, Jo-Emma! Keep us posted.

Does your dog have the Rex Factor? Show us - it's easy!

From time to time you'll have heard me mentioning the Dogs Trust Honours, awards that celebrate man's best friend. This year we have a video category - Rex Factor - that invites your dogs to take centre stage, showing off their jazziest moves and cleverest tricks.

Some people have said that they're nervous about entering because they don't have any professional equipment, so we made the video below to prove that you don't need any of that!




For the record, we used:

1 x Dogs Trust Web Editor with supremely dodgy video editing skills
1 x assistant camera person who shall remain nameless (oops!)
1 x Canine Gang Dog
1 x Flip video camera (but any other video recording equipment is fine)
Windows Movie Maker editing software which came with our computers (anything will do as long as it can chop it down to size)

See? There's nothing to it! All you need is 40 seconds of your dog being clever*, a free YouTube account and a few more seconds to give us your details and the embed code. You can check out some of the existing entries on our special DoggySnaps kennel.

The deadline is on the 15th of April, so please show us your efforts now and put us to (even more) shame!

*Videos containing dangerous stunts or dressed up dogs will not be accepted.

Fat to Fitter: Massively obese pooch finds home

Remember porky Patch who I introduced you to in January? Perhaps you recognise the photo of the sizeable six year old Beagle cross who weighed as much as a child of the same age and couldn't even stand up. Although Patch still has a way to go before he can really be called fit, he's certainly made some brilliant progress. The best news of all is that he's found a forever home with new owners committed to helping him continue on his way to good health.

Want to see how far Patch has come? Check out the video below.

COMING UP ROSES: Scientific breakthrough means the end of stinky dog poo!

I just had to share this press release with you all:

Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, today (1st April) announced a revolutionary diet breakthrough meaning stinky dog emissions may be a thing of the past.

A charity spokesperson explains:

“We care for over 16,000 dogs a year across our 17 rehoming centres, and that means a lot of poop scooping! We’ve been working with boffins behind the scenes devising the ultimate dog diet to minimise stinky emissions and make our kennel staff’s job a bit more pleasant.

Incredibly we’ve found a diet that not only minimises the smell but even makes poop fragrant!”

Dogs Trust is patenting the winning formula and cannot yet reveal full details of the diet.

The spokesperson added:

“We’re incredibly excited about this breakthrough – it’s quite the scoop! If we can market the formula it will also be a great way of fundraising for us.

The UK dog population produces 1000 tonnes of faeces every day, so owners would have to be real fools not to find out how to make their poochs’ poop actually smell of roses!”