A Snake warning with the sunny weather – Pickle would not come in and was barking furiously in the garden.  Stephen found her trying to attack this beautiful 3′ long grass snake which was about to squirt her with foul smelling liquid.  Luckily it was harmless, but she has been known to find an adder and try to attack it as well.  I always thought a dog would be sensible, like us, and run a mile from a snake but unfortunately our two girls gang up and are fearless!  Must be the terrier instincts within them.

We live on an area that used to be heathland with woods behind us.  We also have compost heaps in the garden which snakes like, either to lay eggs in or bask on.

So be aware of the snakes who are basking in the sunshine and generally harmless, but be able to recognise an adder which has the distinctive diamond pattern along its back.

Useful tip: keep a piriton tablet in a pocket when you go for a walk as its antihistamine properties could help your dog if it does happen to get bitten.

Dora got stung on the nose by a wasp once and in the five minutes it took us to walk home her face had swelled so much she looked like a Bull Terrier.  Ringing the vet in a panic, I was told to give her a piriton and thankfully by the end of the evening her face had returned to normal!