Frosty Weather - Protect Your Dog's Paws

It's extremely frosty and icy today and I can only imagine it will continue to get colder over the coming weeks. I took this picture outside The Parlour this morning after defrosting my water supply to my bath!

Please remember to take extra care when walking your dogs in this weather. Avoid gritted roads or pavements where possible and only walk on soft ground as the grit can be both painful and dangerous to dogs if stood on or ingested. 

The salt and grit commonly used to make the roads safe for cars can burn animal paws and poison them if licked off once home. 

To protect your dogs from any unnecessary discomfort please invest in a good paw wax to help seal their paws before walks. Rub a small amount of paw wax on each paw before you take them outside to act as a protective barrier (make sure you also get in between the toes!) and always wipe their paws throughly with a wet cloth or wash them in a bowl of warm water once you have returned home to remove any risidule grit or salt that could be trapped between the toes. 

At The Parlour we use natural products wherever possible and I particularly favour the Paw Pal Natural Paw Wax by Health Mutt.

It's made from 100% natural ingredients and is cruelty free. All Health Mutt products are handmade in the UK and this Paw Pal Wax has no added essential oil to it's formula, making it suitable for puppies, pregnant or nursing mothers and the most sensitive of dogs (or their owners). 

Keeping the hair around the feet and inbetween the paw pads short will make the process of applying the wax easier and you will be able to spot any sores or remaining grit more easily. Matted fur between the toes is also more common in cold, wet weather and this will help to eliminate that. Ask your groomer to do this at your next visit. 

Remember that there are also more dangerous and poisonous chemicals around at this time of year such as anti-freeze so please be extra vigilant when letting your pets outside.

Stay safe!

Maidenhead Small Business invited to Downing Street to mark Small Business Saturday

A small business from Maidenhead, Berkshire was one of less than 100 from
around the countryinvited to represent the UK’s 5.2 million small
businesses in Downing Street on Friday to mark the UK’s second Small
Business Saturday the following day - on December 6th - when small,
independent businesses in communities across the country were put in the
national spotlight.

Multi award winning Poodles and Pompadours designs and makes pet
accessories inspired by the 1950's and runs a pet grooming parlour
following the same theme. Owner Hayley Woodham will attend a Small
Business Saturday Christmas fair inside Downing Street to be attended by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne and businesswoman and The
Apprentice star, Karen Brady.

Small businesses around the UK planned events, promotions and other
activities to attract clients and customers to them both on December 6th
but also as a way of creating a mindset for people to more readily think
of doing business with small, local companies. Already more than 30,000
small businesses around the UK have engaged with the campaign on various
social media platforms, many of which have downloaded marketing packs and
posters to display on their premises.

“The first Small Business Saturday last year was an exceptional example of
collaboration and co-operation with small businesses teaming up in
communities around the UK,” explains National Campaign Director Michelle
Ovens.

“We always said we wanted this to be the start of something amazing; a
regular event that shines a light on small businesses throughout the UK in
a way which is hugely beneficial to both the local and the national
economy. Small Business Saturday reinforces that message and demonstrates
the level of diversity, innovation and talent that is active within our
small business sector,” Michelle adds.

Michelle goes onto say that, with 5.2 million small businesses in the UK,
the chances are that if you don’t own one, then you work for one or know
somebody who does.

“This isn’t some abstract economic concept,” she says. “This is personal.
It’s about getting out and supporting your friends, your neighbours and
your family members and reinforcing your local community and economy.”

Speaking about Small Business Saturday 2014, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, George Osborne, comments:

"Britain's small business owners deserve our support. They are the ones
who take the risks to create new opportunities and new jobs, that show off
British ingenuity and innovation and I am glad that once again they will
be able to be the focus of all our attention and support."

Small Business Saturday UK has attracted the support of leading business
organisations including Federation of Small Businesses, the Association of
City and Town Management, Association of Convenience Stores, Northern
Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, as well as corporates like
American Express, O2, Lloyds Bank and NatWest and prominent entrepreneurs
Theo Paphitis, Karren Brady and Martha Lane Fox.

More information on Small Business Saturday, participating retailers and
details on promotions and other incentives to ‘shop locally’ can be found
on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturdayuk) Twitter page (@SmallBizSatUk)
and website (www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com).