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Why Never to Leave Your Dog Unattended in Public Places
Why Never to Leave Your Dog Unattended in Public Places How many times have you passed a supermarket or shop, to see dogs left tethered and unattended outside? Personally, I have lost count and time permitting, I try always to remain with these dogs until their owner returns. I have been called neurotic and scaremongering, when I point out the dangers to unconcerned owners, while thankful owners have assured me that they will think twice before leaving their dogs again! It is estimated that five dogs go missing every day in the UK, but the true amount may be even higher since these are only the cases which have been reported. There are numerous dangers to consider when leaving your dog unattended and below are some ‘common sense’ reasons for not doing so. Isolation in a public place can be extremely stressful for your dog. Trolleys rattling past, unwanted attention from admiring strangers and screaming children, can be enough to ignite barking from the mildest mannered dog. Theft So-called ‘designer dogs’ are a prime target for the opportunist thief and can reap handsome monetary rewards. Weather We all know the risks of leaving a dog in a hot car, but extreme heat in any situation can cause your dog to dehydrate and the consequences can be lethal. Likewise, severe rain and cold can be extremely uncomfortable for your pet. Another reason to leave them at home on your weekly shop. Fear Frightened dogs can be seriously hurt if their lead becomes tangled and well-meaning strangers offering help, can be bitten. Escape A stressed dog is quite capable of slipping a lead or chewing themselves free. A dog on the loose is not going to know his highway code and could get killed or suffer a serious injury on the road. Dog Attacks A tethered dog is defenseless against an aggressive dog, especially if the other dog is off the lead. Feeding your dog chocolate, or tormenting him and unruly children who think that it is fun to unleash your dog and watch him run away. Leash Hazards An outstretched lead on an unsupervised dog can become a hazard itself, especially for young children or people who are blind or partially sighted. Fearful People Believe it or not, some people are actually afraid of dogs and one blocking an entrance can force them to wait until your return, before they dare pass! While dogs will undoubtedly enjoy a walk to the supermarket, they are unaware of the risks and look to their owners for safety. It is highly unlikely that legislation will ever allow non-service dogs inside public places such as supermarkets or eateries, so we must take precautions to protect them. Of course, we want to include our dogs in daily life, but not at the expense of their safety. It may have been a safe practice to leave your dog’s years ago, but modern-day risks could see you losing your dog forever. Social media is awash with stories of lost pets. Some owners stating that they were gone for just minutes, but when they returned their dogs had gone and were in disbelief that someone could steal their beloved pet. Combining your errands with exercising your dog may seem convenient, but it takes but seconds for a dog to lost or stolen. Every minute your dog spends unattended increases the dangers and the heartbreak of losing your dog can be eternal. Nina Cole My name is Nina Cole and I am the founder of Nina’s Nannies for Pets, which I formed in 1998, following my recovery from a brain hemorrhage which occurred five months after my husband was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I have always been passionate about animals and their welfare and my childhood was spent caring for a menagerie of pets including rabbits, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, cats and dogs. Following my husband’s MS diagnoses and my own recovery from brain surgery, I decided to realise my dream of working with animals. Pet sitting in the late nineties, was largely unheard of in the UK. but I wanted to offer a more personal service and offer an alternative to kennels and catteries, which allowed pets to stay within the comfort of their own home while their owners were away. Following much research, I contacted our local newspaper, who helped with our launch, distributed copious amounts of flyers, visited numerous veterinary establishments, training centers and pet shops and within six months of trading, my husband left University where he was studying to be a microbiologist, in order that we could meet the demand of our ever- increasing workload and our partnership was formed. I am now an established author writing for various magazines and often appear in the media regarding both my business and animals in the news. I am also a regular contributor on BBC radio where I am called upon to comment on animal welfare issues. :|zpendofcontent|:
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5 Things to Do When You Can’t Walk Your Dog
5 Things to Do When You Can’t Walk Your Dog Walking our dogs is one of the joys of life. We watch them run and play. We wonder at the power of their noses, as they follow the scent of an unseen rabbit. We get exercise and, most importantly, we enjoy time just being together. But what about when we can’t walk our dogs? They might be injured or ill, with instructions for limited, or even no, exercise for a period of time. Sometimes they need to rest an injury, or allow stitches to heal, or protect other dogs from infection. But if our vet tells us our dog needs “crate rest”, or to be “kept quiet” for days or even weeks, it can feel like we have an impossible task ahead. Sometimes we are ill or injured, so we can’t continue with our normal routine. This happened to me a few years ago. I was unexpectedly hospitalized for emergency surgery and told I couldn’t walk my dogs for 6 weeks! Even with help, this really disrupted my dogs’ normal routine. And when our dog is anxious or reactive, walks can be stressful for them. It can be a good idea to take regular days off walking, to allow your dog to relax fully and to let stress levels (yours and theirs!) go down. So what can you do to help your dog enjoy the days when walking isn’t an option? Here are 5 ideas to keep your dog entertained and content at home that only use what you already have in your cupboards or garage, along with some treats or your dog’s food. Recycle the recycling to make home-made puzzle toys and brain games. Hide treats in a cardboard tube with the ends bent inwards, or use plastic milk bottles, ice-cream tubs and egg boxes – cut some holes in the side if needed – and place a few treats inside. You can make these more challenging by hiding one inside a larger container – but always build up slowly. You want it to be easy for your dog to start. Sprinkle treats on an old towel or t-shirt, roll it up and teach your dog to unroll it to find the treats. Start with one or two treats along the edge and encourage him to push it with his nose to get the first treats. Gradually hide the treats deeper and deeper inside, as he gets the hang of it. Scrunch up pieces of paper into tight balls and use them to fill a low box to create your own ball pit. Scatter some tasty treats in amongst the paper balls. Your dog will love snuffling in the ‘ball pit’ to find the food. Get three or four yogurt pots or paper cups and place them upside down on the floor. Put a treat under one and ask your dog to find it. As always, start simple by letting your dog see you hide the treat. Once they are confidently finding that, you can move on to hide treats unseen and even move your pots around, once the treat is placed. Set up a simple obstacle course in the house or yard, using bits and pieces from your garage. You can use poles or bamboo canes to step over and different surfaces, like carpet, plastic, rubber and wood, to walk on. Plant pots are great to weave around, and planks or boards to walk over. Keep everything low to the ground and encourage your dog to move slowly and mindfully around the course, on a lead if needed. We use exercises like this in TellingtonTTouch to improve balance and body awareness, and you will find that your dog is tired after just a short time working, because of the mental processing involved. For all of these, be interactive as you work with your dog. Encourage him to experiment and work out what he needs to do. Work at your dog’s pace and make sure he gets rewarded for thinking it through, rather than simply using brute force to get what he wants! All of these activities can be kept quiet enough for recuperating dogs but have enough stimulation to be satisfying for them. Remember that mental exercise is at least as important as physical exercise in tiring your dog – and after a good session doing these kinds of activities, your dog will be relaxed and ready for a sleep. Note: You can use any materials that are safe for your dog, but make sure you check for sharp edges and remove plastic rings or small choking hazards first. Always supervise these activities. Janet Finlay Janet Finlay is a TellingtonTTouch Practitioner, Dog Trainer and Human Coach, based in Yorkshire in the UK. She specializes in working with reactive dogs and their guardians by addressing tension and anxiety at both ends of the lead. She runs the online Canine Confidence Club (www.canineconfidenceclub), which provides information, education and support to members all over the world. You can find out more about Janet and her work – and get her free online courses on TTouch and coping with reactivity at www.canineconfidenceacademy.com. :|zpendofcontent|:
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Why You Need to Teach Your Dog Tricks
When was the last time you taught your dog a new trick? Been a while? Sometimes when we get a new dog/puppy we spend a lot of time teaching tricks and behaviors and once we feel the dog is “trained” we… well stop. Dogs love, love, love to train and learn behaviors. The AKC has launched a new trick dog program and it is just the ticket for some fresh new ideas. Why train tricks? Dogs love to learn new things Mental stimulation and activity helps improve your dog’s overall behavior New tricks prevent boredom (which can lead to bad … Continue reading → The post Why You Need to Teach Your Dog Tricks appeared first on 4Knines Dog Blog.
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How to Train Your Dog to Heel on a Loose Leash
To train your dog to walk to heel, it is vital they are calm and responsive. This allows them to have the focus to learn what you are asking of them. To accomplish this, it will help to plan the walk in a series of stages, starting off at a place with minimal distractions so you have the dog’s attention and...
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The Truth Behind Loose Leash Walking
As a trainer, often I get asked how a client can teach their dog to walk on a loose leash. Dogs sometimes pull on the leash because the dog walks at a faster pace than the person or because he has been inadvertently rewarded for pulling (like when they see someone they like and pull toward them and then get a greeting from the person) or perhaps the dog is very interested in the environment and pulls to investigate odors and other things he is interested in. Not only is this often uncomfortable for the person at the other end … Continue reading →
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How to Teach Your Dog to Stop Barking in the Home
In the home, when visitors approach, the dog has nowhere to flee, so it will often choose the second defense response – to freeze, which can manifest itself in the form of barking. In a moment when danger presents itself you need to display a calm reaction to show your dog that as its leader, you are aware...
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What to Do When Your Dog Won’t Listen
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. That dog that was so well trained has now stopped listening, doesn’t come when called and basically does what he wants. It can happen for a lot of reasons: Not practicing Not enough positive reinforcement Changes to your daily routine Not asking enough of your dog I have a multi-dog household, so sometimes if practice or training time is limited on my part, they start to slip and the pack can take over in no time. Sometimes you need to just hit the reset button and re-start your training (and your mindset!). Our … Continue reading →
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5 Effective Ways to Calm a High Energy Dog
A dog with a high energy level can be a challenge to deal with on a daily basis. Depending on the breed, certain dogs require more mental and physical exercise. Otherwise, their pent up energy may lead to destructiveness, nervousness, separation anxiety, and aggressive tendencies. Not only is it important to drain your dog’s energy physically, it is also important to drain your dog mentally. Below are five solutions for satisfying your dog’s mental and physical needs: A Calm Dog Walk First and foremost, frequent dog walks are very important, between 20 to 45 minutes a day, multiple times … Continue reading →
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The Evolution of Dog Training
Over the years dog training has evolved just like almost everything else in the world! Although evolution and change can be scary, it is an important part of our lives. As humans, we are constantly striving for “something better” or to learn more about things. Because we have a desire for “something better,” we have eliminated deadly diseases, we have mini computers in our pockets, we can travel around the world and we live much longer. These changes did not come easy and many people feared the changes. Change can be scary and if we learn that we have … Continue reading →
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How to Give Your Dog Choices and Listen to What They Want
How often does your dog refuse to do what you ask? If you are like most people I have worked with, at some point you get frustrated with your dog. I have always owned Siberian Huskies and they are known for their independence and stubbornness. Some dogs love to please their owners, some dogs work for food or toys, and other dogs want to do what they want to do. I have one of the latter and he has taught me to let him make his own decisions about some things. As an example, I have a friend that … Continue reading →
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How to Handle Dog Barrier Frustration & Aggression
We often use barriers for the dogs’ protection but at times these barriers can have side effects; one side effect is barrier frustration. The challenge to owners is missing the right cues and trying to fix the wrong component. Barrier frustration can be stressful for dogs and owners alike. In this article we’ll take a look at one common barrier and its side effects. Leashes are used to keep our dogs safe and near us as well as to respect the space of others and their dogs, etc. Many places have leash laws requiring dogs to be on leash in … Continue reading →
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Should Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed With You?
As a trainer, I get this question all the time: “Should I let my dog sleep on my bed (or couch)?” In general, my answer is always – “It is up to you.” However, I also advise that there may be a few situations when you may not want to share your resting space with your dog. If you have a Great Dane puppy or other large breed puppy, you need to remember that the pint-sized pup will eventually be an enormous adult. Your sleep is important to maintaining a healthy life and you may not be able to … Continue reading →
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