This week in doggy news; puppies make us go all gooey, we meet the UK’s newest dog-friendly cafe and discuss dog fitness trackers. It’s the Scoop!
Why do we go all gaga over puppies?
Well, thanks to science, we now know the answer. The way we speak to dogs (‘who’s a good boy?’), the study revealed, tends to be consistent whether the pooch is a puppy or a fully grown adult. During the study, however, only puppies responded to recordings of someone saying “Hi! Hello cutie! Who’s a good boy? Come here! Good boy! Yes! Come here sweetie pie! What a Good boy!”. Us humans are programmed to slow down our speech to make ourselves understood when talking to non-verbal people – like dogs and babies.
So, the reason we go all mushy and gushy over puppies, as well as human babies, is the instinctive desire to take care of smaller, more vulnerable beings. It’s a reaction that’s been programmed into us after several thousand years of dog and human partnership.
In other words, they’re just so darn cute!
NEW: Dog cafe in Warwick!
A new dog welcoming cafe has opened in Warwickshire. Chiens et Café is a family run business – mother and son Tanya and Dan decided to open a cafe that offered dogs and their owners a bite to eat when they realised there weren’t any dog-friendly spots in the local area.
Their bespoke doggy food menu includes yummy items such as Shepherd’s Pie or chilli – and they serve Snuffle Dog Beer, too. And we whole-heartedly approve of the feel-good music playlist, including Abba and Louis Armstrong – puppies and easy listening, this cafe is bound to keep a smile on visitors faces!
If you fancy popping in for a cuppa and a bite to eat with your pooch, here’s where you can find Chiens et Café.
Witness the fitness!
According to the experts, fitness trackers are going to be the next big thing. and not just for humans, canine activity trackers are poised to be the next big thing. With 8 million dog households in the UK alone, there’s bound to be the odd fitness-data fan amongst them.
Trackers such as the ones made by Whistle, PitPat and others are betting that dog owners around the world – who spend $70 billion on dog food alone each year, might want to buy devices to help them better understand their pooch’s health. And this could help dog owners save money, too. After all, some human health insurance companies already offer discounts and deals to their more active customers.
Would you buy a fitness tracker for your dog? Is getting fit and taking your dog out jogging on your New Year resolutions list?