Pet care guides

Short, practical reads that explain the numbers behind our calculators.

How much should I feed my dog?A calm, calorie-based approach to working out how much to feed your dog, from puppyhood through to the senior years.9 min read How big will my puppy get?Understanding puppy growth curves, when different breeds finish growing, and how to spot the signs of healthy development.9 min read Is my dog overweight? Body condition scoring explainedHow to use hands-on body condition scoring to tell whether your dog is a healthy weight, and what to do if they are not.9 min read My dog ate chocolate: what to doWhat to do straight away if your dog has eaten chocolate, why it is dangerous, and how to prevent it happening again.8 min read Is it too hot to walk my dog?A practical guide to checking pavement heat, spotting heatstroke risk, and knowing when it really is too hot to walk your dog.8 min read Dogs in hot cars: the facts and what to doHow quickly cars heat up, why cracked windows and shade don't help, and exactly what to do if you see a dog in distress in a hot car.9 min read How old is my cat in human years?Forget the old '×7' rule — here's how vets actually work out a cat's age in human terms, and what changes at each life stage.8 min read How much does it cost to own a dog in the UK?A realistic breakdown of one-off costs, monthly costs and lifetime totals for owning a dog in the UK, plus ways to keep costs down without cutting corners.10 min read Is pet insurance worth it? Policy types explainedA clear, worked-example guide to accident-only, time-limited, maximum benefit and lifetime pet insurance, and how to decide whether it's worth it for you.10 min read Taking your dog to Europe: step-by-stepA step-by-step guide to microchipping, rabies vaccination, the Animal Health Certificate and tapeworm treatment needed to take your dog to the EU and bring them home again.10 min read Puppy toilet training schedule by ageA realistic, week-by-week guide to toilet training your puppy, with bladder-hold guidelines and what to do about accidents.10 min read How much space do rabbits need?What the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund and RSPCA recommend for hutch, run and enclosure sizes, and why bigger really does mean better.9 min read Getting your pet ready for fireworks seasonHow to prepare dogs, cats, small pets and horses for Bonfire Night, Diwali and New Year's Eve, starting weeks in advance.10 min read How to measure a horse for a rugA step-by-step guide to measuring your horse correctly, understanding UK sizing, and choosing the right weight of rug.9 min read Raw feeding for beginnersA practical introduction to raw feeding for dogs, covering ratios, hygiene, transitioning and how to spot when it isn't suiting your dog.10 min read Dog age in human years, explainedWhy the old 'multiply by seven' rule is wrong, and what the size-adjusted and epigenetic methods actually tell you.5 min read