Dogs prevent children getting allergies, a new study has revealed. Children living with a dog in the house are less sensitive to allergens in the early years, according to the study.
Scientists for the European Respiratory Journal conclude that growing up with a dog in the house is thought to train the immune system, making children less sensitive to asthma, eczema and hay fever.
The German study, which lasted six years and involved 9,000 children, comes after Read article
A German woman has started a business making clothes for customers from the hair of their pet dogs.
Bettina Menkhoff, 50, from Stoetze in Germany makes scarves, gloves and other clothes and sells them over the internet at www.jolly-fellows.de.
She said: "I got the idea after I bought a pair of socks made from Bobtail-wool. I have four Beardie-Collies myself and started to yarn their hair. It only works when the hair is longer than four centimetres though.
"I regularly brush my dogs and keep the hair for processing. It's warmer than sheep wool."
She added: ..