Spring has sprung, so celebrate the Dogs Trust way!

Spring has finally sprung, so it’s time to shrug off those winter blues! This is the time of year for holiday planning, celebration, and sprucing up that spring wardrobe. We thought we’d let you in on a few quick and easy ways to help out Dogs Trust while you spring into these seasonal activities!

Holiday planning - Thinking of escaping the Royal Wedding commotion? Already thinking of your summer getaway? Think your pets deserve a treat for being so patient through the snowy winter months? Plan a trip with Dogs Trust Cottages and choose from a superb selection of dog friendly holiday cottages throughout the UK, France and Ireland! For every holiday, we benefit from a 10% donation of the cottage element of your holiday.

Celebration - I hope you didn’t forget Mother’s Day, as it’s just around the corner! What about that certain loved one’s birthday coming up? Don’t fret, because we are happy to introduce our brand new card shop! With over 3,000 greeting card designs to choose from, there is something for everyone and a percentage of each card sold comes straight to us!

Shopping spree - Try this free service where you can shop with your favourite online stores at no extra cost and raise funds for Dogs Trust! You still shop directly with each retailer as you would normally, but simply by using the links from the Easy Fundraising site first, each purchase you make will generate a cashback donation!

Beat the postal strike: get your Christmas shopping done early with Dogs Trust Gifts

It might not quite be November yet, but it's never too early to bag a bargain and make sure your presents are safely wrapped and ready for the tree in time for December 25th.

This year it's not just fairy lights and egg nog that can give you a warm glow; buying gifts from www.dogstrustgifts.com means you can know you're helping dogs as well as buttering up friends and relatives with gorgeous doggy gifts. So every time you buy a present, you're really giving twice!

As well as a whole host of web exclusives, such as cute Border Collie Doorstops, half price at just £4.99, there's a great selection of snowy Christmas cards featuring pooches galore - my favourite is the Carol Singing Dogs! Other favourites include dog breed mugs and 2010 calendars featuring a range of breeds from Lurchers to Labradors and Collies to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The profits from every gift will go towards helping the dogs in our care.

I know our shopping bags are popular because I often get asked about them on our social networking pages; rest assured you can also nab these online, along with a host of other Dogs Trust branded goods.

With the post a little wobbly, it's a great time to start your shopping in plenty of time for the festivities, and know that you're helping dogs as you do.