As Founder and Director at Love My Human and Love My Human Townhouse, Jenny Matthews shares her own ‘Dog Care Guide’ for dog-friendly businesses:
Water bowls must be kept clean with clean water that is changed regularly. The best bowls to use are stainless steel as they harbour less bacteria than ceramic ones
- Dogs must always be kept on a lead. Those with retractable leads should keep them fixed at a short length
- If you have a reactive dog or a dog that isn’t friendly to others then it is best to keep your dog away from events or your business as this will prove to be too stressful for the dog and owner
- Dogs must only eat and drink from a dog bowl on the floor
- In the event that a dog has an accident indoors, only use pet-safe cleaning products as regular household cleaning products can be harmful to dogs if sniffed or ingested. We highly recommend Animal Health for all cleaning products
- If providing treats, always ask the dog owner if the dog has any dietary sensitivities. The ingredients of the treats must be available to the owners as well
- If in the event a person gets bitten by a dog, they must head to A&E for a tetanus injection
- If in the event a dog bites another dog, dog bandages and dressing should be available on the premises. The wound should be cleaned and a compress applied to limit bleeding, then the wound should be dressed and bandaged and the dog taken straight to the emergency vets.