For all animal lovers the London Pet Show is a not-to-miss event. Showcasing pets from rats and chinchillas to ponies and micro-pigs, this is a great opportunity to find out what kind of pet suits you. Often people consider how a dog or cat will fit into their lifestyle but don’t consider how their lifestyle will suit the dog. For example, people who work all day and leave their dogs alone for hours-is it fair? It really depends on the dog. Dogs can display a wide variety of anxiety, just like humans and often owners don’t know how anxious their dog gets when they leave them on their own during the day time. Dogs need from 30 minutes to two hours of exercise a day, depending on the breed. Typically with the smaller the dog, exercise needs range from 30 minutes to 1 hour a day and the larger dogs need up to 2 hours a day.
The London Pet Show is a great way to see what kind of dog is the best match for you. I loved the German Spitz and the Norwich Terrier which really surprised me as I hadn’t considered owning a terrier or Spitz before going to this show. The wonderful thing as that you have the opportunity to meet each breed and chat with the owner, and if you are lucky, get a cuddle or two out of the dog. You certainly cannot do this in a pet store!
And not only dogs will give you a cuddle, there is also the Discover Cats zone, where you can meet 25 breeds of cat. With the cats I loved the British short-hair-what an adorable breed. I also got the chance to pet a Sphinx, which felt like a warm peach (remember the cat from Austin Powers?). Another cat that surprised me was the Maine Coon- their large size and look reminded me of the bobcats back home in Kansas!
In addition to showcasing the animals of different breeds, there are informative talks, shows and demonstrations to keep you entertained. I was lucky enough to squeeze into a seat to watch the Superdogs Live show, hosted by TV presenter Ben Fogle and Noel Fitzpatrick (The Bionic Vet and The Supervet) as well as Jo Good and Anna Webb from the BBC radio programme ‘Barking at the Moon’ and the ‘Alan Titchmarsh Show’ as the pet experts. I watched Strictly Doggy Dancing, where there were three performances by owners and their pets ‘dancing’ to a routine. I loved the ballet performance from a little Jack Russell-who knew dogs could dance?
Wildlife presenter Steve Backshall was around signing books and also hosted a show where he was showed a selection of the deadliest animals from around the world. I could tell he knew his stuff cold when he gave the audience a chance to ask questions at the end of the show. This is a man who swims with leopard seals underneath icebergs for a living. Now how’s that for a day job?
