Should Pet Owners Be Learning Doglish?

Pet Owners are regularly given advice by pet insurance providers in an effort to keep their pets safe. This usually ranges from keeping them well protected during fireworks celebrations to ensuring that they are safe from theft or going missing.

However, one professor has been issuing a different form of advice for pet owners, one that might have some people scratching their heads.

According to sites such as AnimalFriends.org.uk and the Calgary Herald, Dr Stanley Coren – the psychology professor of the University of British Columbia – has been encouraging dog owners to learn ‘Doglish’.

Dr Coren has authored many books on the subject, which aim to bridge the gap between pet and owner, allowing the owner to better understand the needs of their pet so that they can take better care of them.

There are many ways of understanding our pets, according to the professor, such as observing the speed in which it wags it tail, with a slow wag meaning that the dog does not want to be approached, whilst a muzzle nudge implies the dog wishes for acknowledgement from its leader.

However, due to the amount of communication skills dogs exhibit from their tails and ears, those with docked forms of these features are less able to communicate clearly.

But Dr Coren is not the only one encouraging ‘Doglish’ in the United States. According to the Los Angeles Magazine, a new US show presented by former KGB and Red Army dog trainer Vladislav Roytapel is appearing on American screens this year. In it, Roytapel communicates with dogs with the same language, having learnt it from his many years training dogs in Russia. However, it is yet to be seen whether he will follow in the footsteps of Caesar Millan, also known as the Dog Whisperer.

Though ‘Doglish’ sounds strange, there are many benefits of understanding our pets. Many owners fear their dogs are unfriendly and surrender them to shelters as a result, when the dog might have given ample (yet misunderstood) warnings that it wanted to be left alone at a certain time. By understanding our pets we could manage their behaviour better, meaning less claims on our pet insurance policies.

Sources: AnimalFriends.org.uk, Calgary Herald and Los Angeles Magazine

Home Owners Should Ensure that they are Adequately Covered

Burglaries in domestic properties rose by 2.8% from the beginning of April to the end of June 2009 compared to the same period the year before, according to figures from the Home Office released last month.

The same period in 2008 saw 65,200 reported burglaries, with this figure rising to 67,000 this year, prompting Sainsbury’s Home Insurance to warn home owners to make sure they are properly insured.

The leading insurance provider revealed that the amount of claims made on home insurance policies has dropped this year, which could highlight the problem according to some people, who point out that it reveals that people might be underinsured. Sainsbury’s reveal that the drop in the amounts of claims made during the reported period was 13%.

Theft of some sort corresponds to 15% of claims made to Sainsbury’s Home Insurance, which means that members of the public are urged to check their policies and ensure that they are covered. They should also read the small print of any policy they are considering taking out so that they will not be left out of pocket if something should occur.

Sainsbury’s also suggest a correspondence between the rise in burglaries and the ongoing recession, with their Home Insurance Manager Ben Tyte commenting on the issue: “A rise in burglaries may not be a surprise during a recession but what is alarming is the decrease in theft-related claims over the same period which we fear may indicate that fewer people have adequate home contents cover in place.

“A significant proportion of all home insurance claims relate to theft, and we would urge homeowners to make sure their home security is up to scratch and that they have adequate home contents cover.”

In many cases, when people are feeling financial strain, insurance policies might be the first to come, but during a recession when everyone is feeling the pinch it leaves people particularly vulnerable to theft. It means that in the long run, getting rid of insurance might not save money at all.

“If you are not insured, becoming a burglary victim could severely hit your pocket,” Tyte adds.

Source: Sainsbury’s Finance Press Release Nov 2009

3.7 million Plan to Buy a Second Hand Car Before February 2010

It is common for people to purchase second hand cars, with people hoping to save money on vehicles by avoiding brand new motors, whilst other road users hope to sell on their car and pay towards a new one.

Sainsbury’s Finance is indicating that in the six months leading up to the end of February 2010, around 3.7 million people plan to buy a second hand car, with the average price amounting o £5,323.

As a result, the car insurance company is urging motorists to be aware of their car’s value, particularly if they are planning on selling it on.

The findings come from research carried out by TNS on behalf of Sainsbury’s Finance, which showed that the figure of 3.7 million people is down from 4.5 million people who planned to buy second hand cars in the previous six month period. The findings were split down into different UK regions, which demonstrated that more people in Scotland were planning on purchasing a second hand vehicle, with 15% of the adult population making plans during the six month period, a total of 633,000.

The North West of England showed the lowest percentage of the adult population planning on buying a second hand car, with 3% of the adult population (179,000) making such plans. However, this is actually more people than the North East, where only 93,000 were planning to buy a second hand motor, accounting for 4% of the population.

“Our research suggests that less people intend to buy a second-hand car in the coming months,” says Steven Baillie, Head of Loans for Sainsbury’s “which may be partly due to the Government’s car scrappage scheme encouraging more people to buy a new car instead.

“Indeed, we estimate that the scrappage scheme is directly responsible for a 37% increase in the value of personal loans taken out to purchase cars since its introduction [based on personal loans data].

He encourages people to do their homework when it comes to buying a car and this applies to both buyers and sellers, “Sellers should for example ensure they understand the car’s value in relation to the market so that they get the best deal – valuation calculators can be found online.

“Buyers should remember to haggle, which can save them hundreds or even thousands of pounds, and if they are financing their purchase through a loan, they should shop around for the best loan rate available as well.”

Source: Sainsbury’s Finance Press Release

So the question we are exploring is how do know if a dog is gay. Does it tell you? One bark for hetro, two for homosexual and three for bisexual. I guess the fact the dog is humping another male dog is slight giveaway. Hmmm i think we will leave that one their.

So this leads (get it) us onto a missing pet / wanted poster often seen flapping in the wind attached to trees and lamp posts as their loving owner searches high and low.

Well we recently spotted this one. Somebody is obviously missing a randy mutt and it sounds like the guy that found it (and his dog) wants the owner found as soon as.

Aviva Announces New Insurance Policy to Help Small Firms

When thinking of motor insurance it can be easy to dwell on the policies sought by individuals looking for cheaper car insurance for the family car. However, there are other forms of insurance out there suited to various needs.

One such area is small motor traders, whose practices involving the use of cars clearly differs from that of the individual and Aviva Insurance has announced a new offering for such companies.

The offering goes out to all motor traders who have up to six named drivers, with the offer allowing them to choose between a Combined or a Road Risks only contract. This means that small businesses will be given more leeway that might make it easier when it comes to insurance.

In addition to a requirement being up to six name drivers, the named driver option covers businesses with one recovery vehicle (below a certain weight), one vehicle of carrying goods, a private hire vehicle, a single set of trade plates and five ‘other’ vehicles. Those that opt for the option offered by Aviva will benefit from a range of services.

Barry Hogg of Aviva commented on the news: “While many motor traders have struggled to survive the effects of the recession, we recognised the need, particularly for the smaller motor trade businesses, to offer even more choice.

“In times like this flexibility is crucial as customers seek affordable solutions to their insurance needs and by offering this named driver alternative we believe we have achieved just that.”

He also refers to the reasons for the offer: “We recognise that many small businesses simply want the essential covers to start with, or may have some cover arranged elsewhere, so our new offering allows motor traders to select Road Risks only, and then add other covers as and when required.”

The announcement is good news for those with a small business, who are often seen as victims in the current economic crisis as they struggle to stay afloat during the recession. Aviva cites the economic crisis as another reason for the move.

Anyone considering policies should shop around and read the small print of any policy they consider, ensuring that they get the best deal they can. Full details of Aviva’s new offer can be found on their website

Source: Aviva Press Release

The Annual Festivities bring with them warnings of distress caused to Animals.

Bonfire Night may have already passed us by, but the message to pet owners is always relevant, particularly as fireworks celebrations can often appear all year round, particularly on New Year.

Fireworks night is an enjoyable occasion for most people, with bonfires warming an eager crowd and light shows brightening up a dark autumn sky, but each year Pet Insurance firms are eager to encourage pet owners to think of their beloved animals on the night in question.

Whilst us humans enjoy fireworks night, aware of the events we are hearing and witnessing, cats and dogs can find the occasion very stressful. Pets are not aware that the noises and illuminations are harmless, meaning that the sounds of explosions can cause them great distress and in some cases physical injury.

So if pet owners want to avoid a hefty veterinary bill after any occasion involving fireworks, then they should be quick to take preventative steps. It means that pet owners can avoid having a night of celebration turning into an expensive aftermath.

A report in 2009 by Opinium, which surveyed over 2,000 people in their research, found that annual preventative steps are being taken by pet owners, with Saga Pet Insurance stating that 60% of dog and cat owners were to stay in with their pets on the night in question.

Another option that pet owners can choose is leaving music and televisions on in the house to drown out the sounds and making sure that dogs are walked well in advance of festivities. In 2009, 35% were reported to be planning on doing just that, with further owners saying that they will walk them in advance, not only to get it out of the way, but also to tire them out.

Other options that Saga and Opinium discovered to be under consideration for pet owners to deal with bonfire night included giving the pets treats (18% of those surveyed) and providing them with holistic remedies such as massages and aromatherapy (5%).

In addition to these steps, pet owners are also encouraged to have pet insurance to cover the costs of veterinary bills that could be incurred on any evening with fireworks displays.

Source: SAGA Pet Insurance Press Release and compreandsave.com