How we check

Food answers

Every food page is written against named veterinary sources: the Pet Poison Helpline, VCA Animal Hospitals, the PDSA, the Kennel Club, Vets Now, Battersea and the MSD Veterinary Manual. The sources are linked at the bottom of each page, and we only claim what they say. Where sources disagree, the page says so rather than picking a side quietly.

Each page shows the date it was last updated, and pages are queued for review by a veterinary professional; until a page has been reviewed, it says so honestly. WagGuide is general information, not veterinary advice, and every risky-food page carries the emergency routes: your own vet, Vets Now out of hours, and the Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000.

Hydrotherapy centres

Hydrotherapy listings are built from the official registers: NARCH (the National Association of Registered Canine Hydrotherapists) and IRVAP. Registration badges on a listing mean the centre appears on that register. Prices, hours and referral requirements are checked with each centre, and every listing shows the date its details were last verified.

Pubs, groomers and other services

No official register exists for dog-friendly pubs or for groomers, so the check is direct: we confirm details with the venue itself and record the specifics that matter, like whether dogs are welcome inside or garden only, water bowls, and which areas are open to dogs. Confirmed listings show the date we spoke to the venue.

Where we have not yet confirmed a listing, it is marked as unverified rather than dressed up as checked. If you spot something out of date, tell us at hello@wagguide.co.uk and we will re-check it with the venue.

What we never do

• No invented reviewers, ratings or review counts
• No health claims beyond what the cited sources say
• No listings copied from other directories
• No verdicts without sources shown on the page

Questions about how a specific page was checked? Start at the food checker or email us.