After reading the litter adverts in the Perfect Pup section of the November magazine could you please tell me how a puppy can be sold as recall trained - as two litters claim to be. Is it really possible now to go and buy a puppy from a litter already trained like that? I guess so if you are happy to advertise them. I expect there will be a rush for them, but I hope the new owners aren't too disappointed.
Margaret Wildsmith, by email
Beverley Cuddy, Editor, says...
There are more and more breeders selling pups part-trained. I think it is an excellent idea. Pups can learn so much, so young. How much easier for new puppy buyers to have a pup that is already housetrained, can walk nicely on the lead and comes back when called. Now that really is going that extra mile for novice owners and helping ensure that your pups do well in their new homes and don't bounce back.
Elaine Day, KC Accredited Breeder, says...
Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone felt confident enough to allow their dogs free running exercise when on walks rather than keeping their dog on a lead because they are afraid it may run off. I have devised a method of recall training which seems to work on every dog that I have tried it on and indeed, our puppies are sent to their new homes at the age of 8-10 weeks completely recall trained using my method.
I am sure that most people have attempted clicker training their dog. Clicker training is a marvellous way of training dogs for some people, but I have found that the vast majority of dog owners find it extremely difficult to master the exact timing required to successfully clicker train their puppy. It often confuses the dog if the timing is not right, which leads to the owner believing that their pooch is one of the untrainables, and they give up.
I only use the clicker to teach the recall to dogs, and the way I train my Deerhound and Whippet puppies is pretty much foolproof. When I decide to start weaning a litter of puppies - usually around 3-4 weeks old - they are fed a complete puppy diet mixed with water until it forms 'puppy porridge'. As soon as the puppies have any of this food in their mouths, I continuously click the clicker so that whilst they are actually eating, they hear the clicker noise. After a few days of this, I can click the clicker when all the pups are asleep, and they will immediately run to where they know their food is. I continue to click the clicker whilst the puppies are eating, so that they associate the noise with food.
Once puppies are allowed outside to play, usually around 4-5 weeks old depending on the weather, I wait until all the puppies are exploring and playing with each other, and then give just one or two clicks. The puppies rush to me and are rewarded with a tasty treat (I use cat biscuits at this stage, as they are small and very tasty). The treat is thrown onto the ground and the clicker used whilst the pups are enjoying their treat. I continue this training until the puppies go to their new family, when a demonstration is given.
I then tell the new owners that when they are out with their puppies, a couple of simple rules need to be adhered to so that this method of recall training continues to work. When out on a walk, the treat being used should never be given at any other time, and the clicker should never be used at any other time. This means that the dog will associate the noise of the clicker and that particular treat with going for a walk. When the dog comes back, gently hold his collar whilst he is eating his treat (some dogs learn to eat the treat then do a quick runner!), and every so often, pop his lead on for a few minutes, and then release. This is so that the dog does not associate getting his lead on just at the end of the walk, when he may not be ready to go home. Keep clicking the clicker and rewarding the dog throughout the walk, and always, always give loads of praise when the dog comes back to you. If the dog does not return immediately, still give loads of praise (a dog must NEVER be reprimanded for coming back to you - however late!), but he does not get the tasty treat unless he comes back immediately - he'll soon learn. Don't forget to use a friendly, high-pitched voice when calling your dog back to you, and try turning it into a game, maybe by running away from him to turn it into a chase game. This way, you will be an exciting part of the walk, rather than the person just trying to catch the dog and spoil his fun.
I have successfully trained adult dogs using this method, and I recently boarded a working Cocker Spaniel for five days which had had very little training - her owners said she was untrainable. True, she was a very excitable little girl, prone to leaping about all over the place and wagging not only her tail but her entire body. It had got to the point for the owners where they no longer allowed her any off-lead exercise, as it took so long to catch her after a walk.
I played with her in my garden, and every time she came anywhere near me, I clicked the clicker and threw her a tasty treat. After about ten minutes of this, every time I clicked she ran to me for her treat. She also ran to me for a treat when I hadn't clicked, and I turned my back on her and walked away. After about half and hour, she understood that when she heard the click she would get a treat, but not at any other time. When her owners picked her up after the five days, I had taught her the recall, taught her to walk to heel, and stopped her stealing food - she was actually a very trainable and biddable little dog. I had to then retrain the owners so that they were no longer the ogres that just caught the dog after a walk and went home, but were the dog's point of interest on a walk.
I have even recently trained a horse using this method. Friends have a beautiful Thoroughbred who is stabled at night and turned out in her paddock every day. They would often spend up to two hours in the evening walking round the paddock with a bucket of food, following the tail end of the horse! The horse did not want to be stabled at night and only associated the owners with being caught. I kept clicking, rewarding, then turning the horse away, until after a couple of days the horse wanted to follow me, rather than the other way round.
I know that my method works as I used it on a litter of Whippet puppies some years ago and placed two brothers with their new family. The brothers came back to me after nearly three years for a holiday whilst their owners were away and I asked if they still used the clicker method of recall, but was told the Whippets now came back to their names. I took them out for a walk with my 10 dogs off-lead, and clicked the clicker, and these two dogs returned to me immediately. I was truly amazed that they had not heard the clicker since they were eight weeks old but they still remembered what it meant!
If you walk your dog where other dog owners may use the clicker method of training, you can very easily use another noise. Just for fun, I used to use a duck call which I purchased from a country fair, and would go around the park quacking at my dogs. It doesn't matter what you use as long as the noise and the treat are only used when out on the walk, and never at any other time.
When I am out with my own dogs - two Miniature Poodles, three Deerhound, four Whippets and a very naughty six-month-old Hancock Lurcher - I can get them all to run back to me if I hear a horserider or hikers. Rather then throwing their treats on the ground immediately, I hold them in my hand and all the dogs stand at my feet looking up at me waiting patiently. This looks incredibly impressive to the passers-by, but I know it only works because they are waiting for the release of the treats - still, no point sharing all my secrets with everyone, is there?
May issue
May issue
Friday, 9 October 2009
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Comfort levels
My two-year-old Whippet Bingley is a happy, healthy little chap with a very caring home and a Whippet companion aged six with whom he gets on wonderfully. He is a little highly strung about some things, a bit nervous of big, bouncy dogs and is a little anxious about some men and ladies with loud voices. He isn't worried about guns or fireworks and is quite obedient and affectionate.
What I want to undertand is why he often gets hold of his large woolly toy and holds it tightly in his mouth for quite a while, often whining quietly? He will then often start licking it for quite a long time so I have to wash it frequently. He seems to do this when we come back after being out and he has been left behind. He also does it after his evening meal and always brings it with him to the sofa in the evening when he sits by me. He does seem to do it when I feel he is happy. He seems very intense when involved with this toy and you can't get him to leave it - he doesn't get cross, just hangs on determindly! I once thought it was sexual but he doesn't show any mounting excitement and was castrated anyway at 14 months owing to an undescended testicle and this behaviour was already apparent. Is it a sort of security thing do you think?
Bingley was born in a very good kennels, but his Mum went back to her owner when he was just under six weeks as there were only three pups who were weaned and thriving. We had him at eight weeks of age and he has been a delight. I have had four Whippets, Bingley being my fourth and I have never experienced this with any of the others, although they have all always brought us a toy on our return from being out.
He does spend quite a bit of time washing his front and back legs and I know this can be an anxiety problem, although I did discover harvest mites on him recently which have been dealt with. He doesn't have any skin problems.
Ruth Pritchard, Blandford, Dorset
This behaviour does sound like a security problem, although I claim no special skills in dog psychology. On the other hand I feel I can offer some useful insight into the excessive washing of his legs. This is not necessarily an anxiety problem as you suggest - I think this relates more to some minor skin discomfort which could in time escalate into a problem skin disorder. As a student of Traditional Medicine who tries to view mental and physical health in the round (i.e.holistically) I suggest you look at his diet. Here I must declare an interest as I am the proprietor of Burns Pet Nutrition. There may be an underlying food intolerance at the root of these as yet minor aberrations. You don't mention his diet but I believe that many mental and physical disorders are diet related.
For this you may need some professional advice but a good starting point is to feed a hypoallergenic type diet as his only food (no treats initially). Also, check and if necessary, empty his anal glands; this is a good way to remove toxic wastes from his system.
Best wishes
John Burns BVMS MRCVS
Elaine Day, Celticmoon Hounds, Dogs Today Advisor, says...
I think this problem will be a difficult one to solve without seeing the dog and his owner in their home whilst this behaviour is taking place, but I may be able to suggest a couple of reasons for this.
Although Bingley was castrated at 14 months, the behaviour was already apparent. It may therefore be learned sexual behaviour, which simply gives Bingley some pleasure.
However, I think it more likely that Bingley simply enjoys the attention he is getting from his owner when he is acting in this
fashion. All dogs would rather have attention - even negative attention - than be ignored, and Bingley seems to be getting a fair bit of attention with this unwanted behaviour. Apparently the toy is often taken away from the dog to be washed - what is his reaction to the loss of his toy? Could the toy simply be removed from Bingley altogether? Does Bingley get attention from his owner when he displays his dislike to certain people, when he licks his legs, when he plays with his toy? It may be time to totally ignore any unwanted behaviour and spend more time interacting with the dog to keep his mind occupied with other
things. Maybe replace the toy with a Kong, or play a retrieve game with him.
I think it is possible that Bingley has learned to elicit a lot of attention from his owner from his slightly odd behaviour, and the more he does it, the better the attention!
Again, I must reiterate that without seeing the dog, his body language and his owner's response, it is very difficult to say for certain what the problem is and how it can be rectified. It may be a good idea to find a good dog behaviourist to visit Bingley in his home to really see what the problem is.
What I want to undertand is why he often gets hold of his large woolly toy and holds it tightly in his mouth for quite a while, often whining quietly? He will then often start licking it for quite a long time so I have to wash it frequently. He seems to do this when we come back after being out and he has been left behind. He also does it after his evening meal and always brings it with him to the sofa in the evening when he sits by me. He does seem to do it when I feel he is happy. He seems very intense when involved with this toy and you can't get him to leave it - he doesn't get cross, just hangs on determindly! I once thought it was sexual but he doesn't show any mounting excitement and was castrated anyway at 14 months owing to an undescended testicle and this behaviour was already apparent. Is it a sort of security thing do you think?
Bingley was born in a very good kennels, but his Mum went back to her owner when he was just under six weeks as there were only three pups who were weaned and thriving. We had him at eight weeks of age and he has been a delight. I have had four Whippets, Bingley being my fourth and I have never experienced this with any of the others, although they have all always brought us a toy on our return from being out.
He does spend quite a bit of time washing his front and back legs and I know this can be an anxiety problem, although I did discover harvest mites on him recently which have been dealt with. He doesn't have any skin problems.
Ruth Pritchard, Blandford, Dorset
This behaviour does sound like a security problem, although I claim no special skills in dog psychology. On the other hand I feel I can offer some useful insight into the excessive washing of his legs. This is not necessarily an anxiety problem as you suggest - I think this relates more to some minor skin discomfort which could in time escalate into a problem skin disorder. As a student of Traditional Medicine who tries to view mental and physical health in the round (i.e.holistically) I suggest you look at his diet. Here I must declare an interest as I am the proprietor of Burns Pet Nutrition. There may be an underlying food intolerance at the root of these as yet minor aberrations. You don't mention his diet but I believe that many mental and physical disorders are diet related.
For this you may need some professional advice but a good starting point is to feed a hypoallergenic type diet as his only food (no treats initially). Also, check and if necessary, empty his anal glands; this is a good way to remove toxic wastes from his system.
Best wishes
John Burns BVMS MRCVS
Elaine Day, Celticmoon Hounds, Dogs Today Advisor, says...
I think this problem will be a difficult one to solve without seeing the dog and his owner in their home whilst this behaviour is taking place, but I may be able to suggest a couple of reasons for this.
Although Bingley was castrated at 14 months, the behaviour was already apparent. It may therefore be learned sexual behaviour, which simply gives Bingley some pleasure.
However, I think it more likely that Bingley simply enjoys the attention he is getting from his owner when he is acting in this
fashion. All dogs would rather have attention - even negative attention - than be ignored, and Bingley seems to be getting a fair bit of attention with this unwanted behaviour. Apparently the toy is often taken away from the dog to be washed - what is his reaction to the loss of his toy? Could the toy simply be removed from Bingley altogether? Does Bingley get attention from his owner when he displays his dislike to certain people, when he licks his legs, when he plays with his toy? It may be time to totally ignore any unwanted behaviour and spend more time interacting with the dog to keep his mind occupied with other
things. Maybe replace the toy with a Kong, or play a retrieve game with him.
I think it is possible that Bingley has learned to elicit a lot of attention from his owner from his slightly odd behaviour, and the more he does it, the better the attention!
Again, I must reiterate that without seeing the dog, his body language and his owner's response, it is very difficult to say for certain what the problem is and how it can be rectified. It may be a good idea to find a good dog behaviourist to visit Bingley in his home to really see what the problem is.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
The lawn ranger
Since we acquired a female puppy in early May our little lawn has become a complete wreck, mostly bare earth with just a few pathetic strands of grass here and there. They say you should teach the puppy to pee and poop in just one area but as our garden is so small, and is nearly all grass - or was! - that would impossible.
I tried the Dog Rocks, which you put in the drinking water, and they made absolutely no difference at all. I tried watering where she had peed but this meant I had to watch her like a hawk and keep rushing out with the watering can in my hand - hopelessly impractical. Next I decided to hose down the whole lawn morning and evening, in the hope of diluting the urine, but that didn't work either and the ground became much too wet.
Last weekend I was visiting a friend who also has a female dog and a tiny garden but to my amazement her lawn was unmarked by any unsightly patches. She told me she puts a teaspoonful of tomato ketchup in her dog's food and this apparently does the trick.
My friend also said she'd heard tomato juice was best of all but because she doesn't like it herself, and didn't want to throw the surplus away, she opted for ketchup.
Does anyone know if using either tomato juice or ketchup is OK for the dog's health? And if using the ketchup, should it be the low salt, low sugar version?
Julia Lewis
I tried the Dog Rocks, which you put in the drinking water, and they made absolutely no difference at all. I tried watering where she had peed but this meant I had to watch her like a hawk and keep rushing out with the watering can in my hand - hopelessly impractical. Next I decided to hose down the whole lawn morning and evening, in the hope of diluting the urine, but that didn't work either and the ground became much too wet.
Last weekend I was visiting a friend who also has a female dog and a tiny garden but to my amazement her lawn was unmarked by any unsightly patches. She told me she puts a teaspoonful of tomato ketchup in her dog's food and this apparently does the trick.
My friend also said she'd heard tomato juice was best of all but because she doesn't like it herself, and didn't want to throw the surplus away, she opted for ketchup.
Does anyone know if using either tomato juice or ketchup is OK for the dog's health? And if using the ketchup, should it be the low salt, low sugar version?
Julia Lewis
Monday, 28 September 2009
Help needed with research
I am a 17-year-old student studying ND animal management ready to go to university to study veterinary sciences and medicine. I am about to start an investigative project. My chosen category is "Will outbreeding pedigree dogs change their current welfare and genetic situation?"
As you may be able to tell, it is basically about changing pedigree breeding standards. This may be a little unorthodox, but I buy your magazine monthly and know how much you are doing to help change the breeding standards within the Kennel Club. I don't get any government support and am finding it extremely hard to gain access to the materials i need.
I have at least seven of your magazines to use in my literature review, and your two pamphlets on the issue, I also have a transcript of the Kennel Club's response to the programme "Pedigree Dogs Exposed." I am getting a book by George A. Padgett called Control of Genetic Diseases.
I was wondering if there was any other books you would be able to advise me to use, and if you would have a copy of the transcript from Pedigree Dogs Exposed as I have to use a transcript, not the video.
I am sorry for writing such an unorthodox email but I hope that you would be the people to help me as I am completely stumped.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully helping my cause.
Kayleigh Bale (student)
Hi Kayleigh
I've forwarded your email to the programme's creator Jemima Harrison to see if there is a transcript available.
The first place I'd start is the RSPCA scientific review of dog breeding which is very well referenced. Click here to download.
Anyone else got any must read books/reports?
I'd stop by Carol Fowler's great website for a review of all the relevant reports, too. Carol was the brave Cavalier lady featured in the documentary. Her website is called "Campaign to improve the health of pedigree dogs" Click here.
Good luck with your studies.
Best wishes
Beverley Cuddy, Editor
As you may be able to tell, it is basically about changing pedigree breeding standards. This may be a little unorthodox, but I buy your magazine monthly and know how much you are doing to help change the breeding standards within the Kennel Club. I don't get any government support and am finding it extremely hard to gain access to the materials i need.
I have at least seven of your magazines to use in my literature review, and your two pamphlets on the issue, I also have a transcript of the Kennel Club's response to the programme "Pedigree Dogs Exposed." I am getting a book by George A. Padgett called Control of Genetic Diseases.
I was wondering if there was any other books you would be able to advise me to use, and if you would have a copy of the transcript from Pedigree Dogs Exposed as I have to use a transcript, not the video.
I am sorry for writing such an unorthodox email but I hope that you would be the people to help me as I am completely stumped.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully helping my cause.
Kayleigh Bale (student)
Hi Kayleigh
I've forwarded your email to the programme's creator Jemima Harrison to see if there is a transcript available.
The first place I'd start is the RSPCA scientific review of dog breeding which is very well referenced. Click here to download.
Anyone else got any must read books/reports?
I'd stop by Carol Fowler's great website for a review of all the relevant reports, too. Carol was the brave Cavalier lady featured in the documentary. Her website is called "Campaign to improve the health of pedigree dogs" Click here.
Good luck with your studies.
Best wishes
Beverley Cuddy, Editor
Friday, 25 September 2009
Pondering about danger
My dog is a Springer, but if it was only spring water she jumped in that would be fine. I've heard about the dangers of Algae and I have no idea what it is I'm meant to be looking for.
There's green stuff growing all over the surface of our pond, but it doesn't stop her drinking it and swimming in it.
How do I spot the dangerous stuff? Anything I can do to our pond to make sure we don't get it?
Jon James, High Wycombe
Alison Logan, vet, says...
The specific risk from algae is when there is a rapid proliferation of blue-green algae following warm or hot weather with little or no wind, generally in stagnant water. This is called an algal bloom. The windward parts of lakes and reservoirs are particularly affected with this blue-green scum and slime, which is toxic if swallowed or if groomed off the coat after swimming.
There are different types of algal bloom which have different toxic effects. There are three main toxins: one causes liver failure, the other two act on the nervous system. They can act very rapidly indeed, and all that can be done is to treat the clinical signs and wait for the toxin to leave the body. Sadly, there have been fatalities.
It is therefore wise - but often not possible – to check the water your dog has chosen for swimming before she launches herself into it when the weather has been calm and warm or hot. If you can see a blue-green scum or film on the water then I would put her on the lead and head off in the opposite direction.
The situation with your own pond is more difficult. Much will depend on the size and location, and whether there is circulation of the water, either naturally or with some artificial method. Avoiding stagnation is a key factor. Inspecting the water by eye in hot weather is advisable and it may well be possible to have samples analysed if you suspect the presence of blue-green algae.
In hot weather, a dog’s natural urge is to cool off with a dip. Swimming is a great form of exercise which avoids over-heating in hot weather, as well as being non-weight-bearing. If, on a particular day when weather conditions are warm and still, you suspect your pond may have been affected with a blue-green algal bloom then it would be safer and wiser to take her somewhere else.
Nick Thompson, holistic vet, says...
Cyanobacteria is the posh name for what you’re referring to here. They are called Blue-Green Algae and they are present in most brackish, still water, much less so in rivers. However, in the summer in hot, calm conditions especially, they can ‘bloom’, or ‘swarm’ across a pond, contaminating the water with hepato-toxins (affecting liver) or neuro-toxins, affecting the nervous system. It makes the water look a bit like spinach or watercress soup. You can see some good pictures if you look in Google Images
The toxins produced by the algae can cause very severe disease and even death, with some reports in the U.S. describing dogs being found dead at the edge of algae infested lakes. If your dog collapses or shows any extreme symptoms (collapse, salivation, breathing difficulty) after swimming in any still water during the summer, it’s probably worth mentioning this to the vet who can treat for toxicity as well as checking for heart problems or epilepsy etc.
Instances of these bloom problems are not that common in the UK at the moment, so please do not forbid your dog from swimming in lakes just yet.
The best advice is to be more careful with still water in the summer, especially late summer and to examine any ponds, lakes or non-flowing water, especially the windward shores, before your dog jumps in or even laps. It's a pain, but the alternative is to forbid all still water swimming, which is much worse as swimming is really important and a lot of fun!
Blue green (which can also be brownish greyish) algae over-grow in still, warm water where the balance of nutrients is high, the acidity of the water is abnormal. Normal maintenance of the pond, monitoring nutrient and pH parameters of the water and keeping the pump running well to oxygenate the water should be enough to stop algae blooming in a pond near you.
There's green stuff growing all over the surface of our pond, but it doesn't stop her drinking it and swimming in it.
How do I spot the dangerous stuff? Anything I can do to our pond to make sure we don't get it?
Jon James, High Wycombe
Alison Logan, vet, says...
The specific risk from algae is when there is a rapid proliferation of blue-green algae following warm or hot weather with little or no wind, generally in stagnant water. This is called an algal bloom. The windward parts of lakes and reservoirs are particularly affected with this blue-green scum and slime, which is toxic if swallowed or if groomed off the coat after swimming.
There are different types of algal bloom which have different toxic effects. There are three main toxins: one causes liver failure, the other two act on the nervous system. They can act very rapidly indeed, and all that can be done is to treat the clinical signs and wait for the toxin to leave the body. Sadly, there have been fatalities.
It is therefore wise - but often not possible – to check the water your dog has chosen for swimming before she launches herself into it when the weather has been calm and warm or hot. If you can see a blue-green scum or film on the water then I would put her on the lead and head off in the opposite direction.
The situation with your own pond is more difficult. Much will depend on the size and location, and whether there is circulation of the water, either naturally or with some artificial method. Avoiding stagnation is a key factor. Inspecting the water by eye in hot weather is advisable and it may well be possible to have samples analysed if you suspect the presence of blue-green algae.
In hot weather, a dog’s natural urge is to cool off with a dip. Swimming is a great form of exercise which avoids over-heating in hot weather, as well as being non-weight-bearing. If, on a particular day when weather conditions are warm and still, you suspect your pond may have been affected with a blue-green algal bloom then it would be safer and wiser to take her somewhere else.
Nick Thompson, holistic vet, says...
Cyanobacteria is the posh name for what you’re referring to here. They are called Blue-Green Algae and they are present in most brackish, still water, much less so in rivers. However, in the summer in hot, calm conditions especially, they can ‘bloom’, or ‘swarm’ across a pond, contaminating the water with hepato-toxins (affecting liver) or neuro-toxins, affecting the nervous system. It makes the water look a bit like spinach or watercress soup. You can see some good pictures if you look in Google Images
The toxins produced by the algae can cause very severe disease and even death, with some reports in the U.S. describing dogs being found dead at the edge of algae infested lakes. If your dog collapses or shows any extreme symptoms (collapse, salivation, breathing difficulty) after swimming in any still water during the summer, it’s probably worth mentioning this to the vet who can treat for toxicity as well as checking for heart problems or epilepsy etc.
Instances of these bloom problems are not that common in the UK at the moment, so please do not forbid your dog from swimming in lakes just yet.
The best advice is to be more careful with still water in the summer, especially late summer and to examine any ponds, lakes or non-flowing water, especially the windward shores, before your dog jumps in or even laps. It's a pain, but the alternative is to forbid all still water swimming, which is much worse as swimming is really important and a lot of fun!
Blue green (which can also be brownish greyish) algae over-grow in still, warm water where the balance of nutrients is high, the acidity of the water is abnormal. Normal maintenance of the pond, monitoring nutrient and pH parameters of the water and keeping the pump running well to oxygenate the water should be enough to stop algae blooming in a pond near you.
Night lights needed
I am finding that walking my gorgeous black pup in the evening is proving increasingly tricky. I can't see her if she runs too far ahead and on the bits of our walk where we are near the road, cars struggle to see both of us as nearly everything in my wardrobe is black, too!
What can I use to help us stand out? And is there anything I can use to help us to continue to enjoy a game of fetch at night? I'm aware that darker mornings and evenings could significantly lessen our chances of having a good game.
Please brighten up our lives! What fun things have you found that we can wear/play with?
Georgina Blaire, Halifax
I have the same problem when walking our black Labrador in the early hours of dark mornings. In fact, for me it is a sign of impending winter when the reflective gear has to be worn.
I wear the reflective belt I used to wear when cycling in the dark. It has a waist band with a band running up from the front, over one shoulder to re-join the waist band at the back. Now, you can also buy high visibility tabards to wear over outer clothing, which are even more effective.
I always carry a torch but never have it turned on because I like my eyes to become dark-adapted. If I hear a vehicle approaching, then I do turn it on and point it in the direction of the vehicle to reinforce my presence!
I must confess that I do also look on my torch as some means of self-defence. I go through phases of chickening out of walking in the dark, even though I have my trusty canine friend with me. As for walking in the dark when it is foggy…
There are now all manner of safety items for dogs to wear when it is dark, or in that awkward half light of early morning or dusk. They range from high visibility collar and leads to LED collars.
Pippin sports a reflective, high visibility collar and lead. Her original set was black with white reflective stripes but sadly that went astray so she now has a fluorescent yellow, high visibility set. Attached to the collar is a special tag: it is a shallow cube which has a fluorescent yellow patch on one side and a light source which I switch on before we set off. It is very interesting to watch the light and follow what she is doing, when I am sure she thinks her activities are hidden under cover of darkness!
I think it is very important to consider the safety of yourself and your dog when light conditions are poor. Facing oncoming traffic is generally recommended, because your face will be more apparent when vehicles’ lights illuminate it. I would, however, think about trying to ensure that your dog is walking on the verge side of the road, ie you will have to walk your dog on the ‘wrong’ side of your body, on your right side.
Take care!
Alison Logan, Vet
What can I use to help us stand out? And is there anything I can use to help us to continue to enjoy a game of fetch at night? I'm aware that darker mornings and evenings could significantly lessen our chances of having a good game.
Please brighten up our lives! What fun things have you found that we can wear/play with?
Georgina Blaire, Halifax
I have the same problem when walking our black Labrador in the early hours of dark mornings. In fact, for me it is a sign of impending winter when the reflective gear has to be worn.
I wear the reflective belt I used to wear when cycling in the dark. It has a waist band with a band running up from the front, over one shoulder to re-join the waist band at the back. Now, you can also buy high visibility tabards to wear over outer clothing, which are even more effective.
I always carry a torch but never have it turned on because I like my eyes to become dark-adapted. If I hear a vehicle approaching, then I do turn it on and point it in the direction of the vehicle to reinforce my presence!
I must confess that I do also look on my torch as some means of self-defence. I go through phases of chickening out of walking in the dark, even though I have my trusty canine friend with me. As for walking in the dark when it is foggy…
There are now all manner of safety items for dogs to wear when it is dark, or in that awkward half light of early morning or dusk. They range from high visibility collar and leads to LED collars.
Pippin sports a reflective, high visibility collar and lead. Her original set was black with white reflective stripes but sadly that went astray so she now has a fluorescent yellow, high visibility set. Attached to the collar is a special tag: it is a shallow cube which has a fluorescent yellow patch on one side and a light source which I switch on before we set off. It is very interesting to watch the light and follow what she is doing, when I am sure she thinks her activities are hidden under cover of darkness!
I think it is very important to consider the safety of yourself and your dog when light conditions are poor. Facing oncoming traffic is generally recommended, because your face will be more apparent when vehicles’ lights illuminate it. I would, however, think about trying to ensure that your dog is walking on the verge side of the road, ie you will have to walk your dog on the ‘wrong’ side of your body, on your right side.
Take care!
Alison Logan, Vet
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
How do you fatten up a skinny Lurcher?
Dear Think Tank
Meet the newest Dogs Today dog. This is Isla, a small, sweet young Lurcher from Scotland originally via Dogs Trust's Newbury kennels. She has settled straight in, loves everyone and has been remarkably good.
Isla arrived with a bag of dry food, which she was not terribly keen on. While Lurchers are known for their slim figures, Isla is very underweight and needs to put on about 1kg ideally.
How should I do this? Isla loves ham and human food, but dry dog food does not seem to interest her at all.
She already has two meals a day, now tarted up with very finely chopped ham, but she's not got a great appetite.
What tips would you pass on for putting some meat on her long elegant bones? She was spayed just before she left Dogs Trust and is about to have her stitches out.
She is painfully thin, even for a Lurcher. I am worried if she were to fall ill she would have no reserves. She has very little stamina and tires very easily.
My partner Kathryn cooked her liver and bacon but also included a worming tablet, which may explain why she didn't tuck in!
Not much is known about her life in Scotland, the staff at Dogs Trust thought there was more chance of her putting weight on in a home than in kennels which is why she's come to us so thin.
What should I try to build her up? Beverley has suggested trying lots of small meals with more carbs than protein. I've just made her some macaroni cheese and she's licked the plate clean and is now soundly asleep on the sofa. Anyone got any Lurcher-specific hints or indeed recipes?
Kevin Brockbank, Dogs Today illustrator
PS Both Kathryn and I fed her three bowls of pasta/potato/ham with thin coating of leftover cheese not realising the other had already done it. She ate the lot but had an upset tum the next morning. Too much, too soon. The vet agrees she needs to put on about a kilo.
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