Dogs do it for kids (or how living with a dog when a child can lower the risk of Schizophrenia)
Dogs do it for kids (or how living with a dog when a child can lower the risk of Schizophrenia) Given my interest in the impact of dogs on human mental health, I was very interested to read a recent study published by John Hopkins Medicine suggesting that living with a dog from an early […]
Mental health in our dogs – a disturbing trend…
Mental health in our dogs – a disturbing trend… Increasingly, insurance companies are paying bills for dogs, diagnosed with mental health issues (as reported in The Sunday Times 29/12/2019). Certainly, my behavioural studies and experience make me sceptical about attributing human mental health issues to dogs; such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. I would agree […]
Run away!…
Run away!… Fearful dogs are of particular interest to me. I see an awful lot of them. Often, owners are making the problem worse. Not deliberately of course, They are, simply doing things that reinforce the fearful behaviour. I saw another example of this today. I met a very nice lady, again, today with her […]
Mummy, mummy! Get me a puppy for Xmas!
Mummy, mummy! Get me a puppy for Xmas! Ho, ho, ho. It’s getting that time of year again. Families, overjoyed with the festive season think it’s a great time to get a dog. Although there are exceptions, most of the time I would say getting a dog at Xmas is a very bad idea. This […]
The myth of the naughty dog…
The myth of the naughty dog The internet is full of pictures of ‘naughty dogs.’ I meet many dog owners who have been excluded from ‘puppy classes’ because their dog was ‘naughty.’ Or, the trainer banishes the owner and their recalcitrant pup to the corner of the room because of their ‘disruptive’ behaviour. A tale […]
Raw pet food and superbugs
Raw pet food and superbugs I have written about raw food diets in the past raw meat and your dog. This is often met with derision on social media, delirious owners opining how wonderful the raw diet is for their dogs – shiny noses, coats, etc. Any suggestion that the raw diet is not to […]
Dogs need responsible owners…
Dogs need responsible owners… I was minded again today while talking with some dog owners of the need for owners to take responsibility for their dogs seriously. Two, very similar, cases were brought to my attention. The first was a family with a number of dogs, a small pack, basically. These dogs had been gathered […]
Humans and dog companionship
Humans and dog companionship I was reminded of the impact dogs can have on our lives recently. Nearing the end of a walk in one off Ziggys’ (my rescued companion) favourite places and heading back to the car we met a lady with a rather nervous dog. We stopped to chat. As we talked Sue, […]
Understanding dogs…
Understanding dogs – misconceptions I was prompted to write this post after making a few comments on a piece in a local paper – https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/dogs-should-be-kept-on-leads-letter-1-6284729#comment-4626941131 I was disappointed to note some of the responses and the apparent, lack of understanding relating to dogs and their owners. The thrust of the reader’s letter was to demand […]
We should NEVER hit our dogs
We should NEVER hit our dogs This is a subject, I find myself having to return too, all too frequently. Should we hit our dogs? The simple, unequivocal, answer is no. I have now met a chap with his two dogs on a number of occasions while out with Ziggy. One dog is off the […]