Take the plunge
Dogs and water — a marriage made in heaven? I’ve rescued quite a few dogs — all of which have not been, particularly, bothered about going in the water. All of these dogs came to love being in the swim. I’ll return to how this happened a little later. So, why is having a splash so good for our […]
Who comes first — the Vet or the Behaviourist?
While walking with my dog, Ziggy, I was reminded about the importance of visiting the vet, before the canine behaviourist. We met a lady with two small border collies, both, apparently very friendly. The older dog changed it’s demeanor in a split second, going from relaxed to bared teeth as Ziggy approached. So, an aggressive […]
Raw meat and your dog – a controversial subject
Dogs are descended from wolves, right? So, they should eat what wolves eat in the wild, right? This is the basic tenant believed by those who support a raw diet for their dogs. This is a highly contentious subject and, one that generates strong views. A leading proponent of raw diets for dogs is Dr […]
A lost cause…
Finally, a take home message. When looking for a dog trainer — choose them with care. Ask around, find out what other people think, quiz your trainer about methods, experience and satisfied customers. As for the trainers out there who write dogs of because their skills aren’t up to scratch— ‘shame on you’.
The group dog walk…
So, here we are again at Ziggy’s (you should know who she is by now) favourite woodland and water walk. This is where she gets to meet lots of mutts and people, and — she gets to run in the woods and play in the water — pretty much doggie heaven! After having had a good stomp through the […]
It’s a dog’s life…
Out on my daily walk with my dog Ziggy, I came across another example on what not to do with your dog. All dogs need to be given the opportunity (every day) to ‘be a dog’; this means allowing them to socialise properly with people and other dogs, in different environments. Failure to do this […]
Size does matter! Why you should pay attention to little dogs…
Walking in the woods with my rescued dog, Ziggy, and Sue, my wife, I came across another incident of canine aggression. Whilst talking with a dog and it’s owner, Sue warned me that there was another dog ‘incoming.’ I thought it was just another pooch approaching to socialise with the other dogs. It was, in […]
The angry dog owner!
Dogs that, sometimes, misbehave should not be met with all out aggression. Of course, this is all too often the case, particularly with men. Whilst out with Ziggy (my shaggy dog) and Sue (my wife — not a shaggy dog), we witnessed yet another example of the results of an unpleasant encounter. Approaching us was a woman […]
A dog is forever, not for Christmas… P.S. dogs love Christmas
So you want your first dog… Taking on a dog for the first time is a serious matter. There’s a vast choice. Do you want a designer dog like a Labradoodle or another breed treated as a fashion accessory? If your thinking is along those lines, here’s my advice: Get a new handbag/manbag or a […]
A fearful tale
Dog aggression is often misunderstood by owner and onlookers, alike. On the surface, it is scary and, of course, threatening. It is important to understand that aggression can be the result of many issues, often not obvious to the owner. It is all too easy to adopt the wrong approach for an aggressive animal. I […]