Stray Dogs

Stray dogs has always been a problem in the UK. The government is attempting to control it with the dog law change happening at the moment, with the possibility to make micro chipping compulsory by 2016.

Generally over the UK there has been a fall in the amount of strays being picked up (Apart from in Yorkshire where there has been an increase, the reason is unknown).  This general reduction is thought to be due to owners being more responsible, with the micro chipping being readily used by owners as the stories of dog napping hits national television.

I also think the mass use of social media allows dogs that are missing to be reunited very quickly due to the shear speed that the information as be shared across the country and in some cases the world! It means less dogs are being taken in as strays and they reunited, instead they are being found and taken home. Mass appeals work well to reunite dog and owner. It is unknown how much of an effect it has on the percentage decrease but I suspect it is effecting it a lot. It would be an interesting thing to study though?

With micro chipping becoming compulsive it should decrease the amount of strays again but there are still going to be dogs without the chip as there are people who won’t do it due to the cost. There are also some people that do not want to use chips due to the possible health risk involved with putting foreign objects under the skin. For some people their dogs are never chipped due to the fact that it will never be needed. I have 5 dogs only one of which is chipped due to the fact that he leaves the farm. The other 4 never will as they are working farm dogs that are aggressive and if someone can get close enough to catch one they can get close enough to be bitten. It might be closed minded but the cost of chipping them will never be viable.

Those dogs used for illegal dog fighting that can be dumped after they are no longer useful will not be chipped. The dogs are hidden from the public, so the “criminals” will not be chipping them. This will not stop the dogs being dumped.

The problem that has arisen with chips is that people don’t change the address on them when they move. Often dogs go missing and cannot be reunited with the owner as no one bothered to update the details in the panic and excitement of a new move. Some may also think “my dog won’t get lost” but its not about that. There are still people stealing dogs at any opportunity, assessing the dog then dumping it as it is not worth anything to it.

There is also the good sides to chipping, some dogs have been reunited with owners many years after being lost or stolen. Just from them being scanned by chance.

People will still be over breeding dogs, puppy farming or not. There are accidental mating or puppies that cannot be sold. These dogs might be kept for a time then dumped. Boxes of puppies are going to turn up at shelters due people not wanting the responsibility or trace-ability of chipping the dogs.

There is a lack of dog wardens in the UK due to the cost and the fact that the councils are in charge of the dog wardens and cannot afford the cost of employing people due to the cut backs all over the UK leading to stretched resources. The lack of dogs being picked up could account to the reduction in strays being reported as people are just catching and getting them home themselves as the dog warden cannot get to them.

Strays will always be a problem in any country, but in the UK we have managed to keep it to a minimum with the resources we have. The trend in dogs has changed from working to pets, and with this change means more and more dogs being bred or discarded as they are not “fashionable”. They have become a disposable product, so the reduction in the amount of strays could be signaling the end of this fashion for crazy puppies and return to not over breeding dogs for fashion and profit but for companions for those or want them or as working dogs.

BBC Article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24125601

The Yellow Dog Project

The Yellow Dog project aims to give dogs space. It is aimed at dogs that will react when other dogs come up to them, it could be for various reasons such as aggression, being injured or worried by other dogs.

It is so called as it promotes owners to put a yellow ribbon on the dog to warn other dog owners, it warndsthat their dog will not be happy with another dog coming over.

It has become a global movement. It’s main aim is to educate people that dogs sometimes need space when out on a walk. It is not just for dogs, it also seeks to teach that you cannot just go up to a dog and stroke it. The yellow ribbon will hope to signal to people to talk to the owner first about going to the dog or letting your own dog near it. It is not just for aggressive dogs as many might assume, it is also for temporary ailments such as after castration when the dog will be sore. The ribbon will hopefully keep other dogs from hurting the dog while it still heals.

I advise dog owners to use the ribbon if the dog is in training or heat to reduce the distractions of other dogs. I also have several dogs that wear them when walking as they are worried by other dogs.

The ribbon will hopefully spread the word of the project but it is also well seen for a distance giving people plenty of time to get their dogs under control.

You don’t have to just use a ribbon, some people use yellow bandannas or yellow harnesses.

 

Here is one of my clients wearing her yellow ribbon:

 

Top TIp: I find that the ribbons fall off, so I found that using yellow electrical tape is better as it sticks to the lead or harness really well!

 

I always carry a spare ribbon in my dog walking gear attached to a spare slip lead. It means that if I find a stray dog people know to avoid it while I try and deal with the situation. Reducing the likelihood of the situation getting worse with a strange dog.

 

Poster: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pawesome.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/yellow-dog-project.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pawesome.net/2012/09/the-yellow-dog-project-for-dinos/&h=720&w=480&sz=116&tbnid=AIRiVHTmxl3RaM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=60&zoom=1&usg=__zCk5Ub2eci4b-jJCg0any6O0TN8=&docid=eZL_nYJcjv2LrM&sa=X&ei=MI00UtukBMq57Abq-4DICg&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQ9QEwAw&dur=444

Website: http://www.theyellowdogproject.com/The_Yellow_Dog_Project/Home.html

Dogs Love, But Not Always Other Dogs

Many people think their dogs should be sociable, they think all dogs will love each other as much as they love their owners. But this is often not the case.

Dogs have been bred to love people, we domesticated them for many reasons, but in recent years this reason has been to keep them as companions. We all want to be loved and dogs give unconditional love, but this only to people, especially their owners.

People seem to have this idea that their dogs should be friendly with all dogs, just because your dog likes people it does not mean they like dogs. Just like some people don’t like the company of other people.

With the growth of dog walkers and doggy day care, dogs that could avoid other dogs while out walking are now been thrown into contact with other dogs. This can lead to “surprise” aggression and problems for both dogs. The owners are always shocked if when someone tells them their dog is not sociable, they often day things like ” He is always sociable when I walk him” or “He is always wagging his tail when we see other dogs”, this might seem the case for many owners but they are often now aware of the subtle body language that dogs display to ether invite or keep other dogs away.

Having a dog that does not like other dogs is not a disaster, not all dogs will like other dogs. All this means is that the dog is always more focused on your when out for walks, and prefers human company. This can be great for competition dogs, as they are more focused on your than the other dogs in the area.

You might have to change your routine though, getting a bit earlier to walk to avoid other dogs, not going to training classes, warning others that your dog is not comfortable with other dogs. These small changes can make your dog happier. You could try forcing your dog in other dogs company, or making him play with other dogs in a pack but he would never be happy and would also upset the other dogs.

As long as your dog is happy why force it to be friendly with other dogs? As long as it enjoying it time outside, its time with you and its family then why try and turn its world up side down.

 

This is something to bare in mind when thinking of getting another dog or a puppy. Does your dog want another dog? You might think they would love the company but would they? If in doubt ask those people your walk with, or meet in the parks on if your dog is social or not. Contact a professional or speak to your family. Not all dogs will love a new doggy friend.

 

Breeding Season In The Bitch

So while talking to people I often found that they owned entire females but have no idea of the breeding cycle of one, often being shocked when they come into season and the mess they make as well as behavioral changes.

So after attending an online course in Canine Breeding on Cousera (https://www.coursera.org/), an online community that holds oline lectures taught by lectures at top Universities around the world.

Anyway after doing that I put together a little document that can help the average owner understand when not to take their dog outside to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

The first cycle can occur anywhere between 6 and 24 months, the smaller dog usually comes into season earlier than the larger breeds. So a Jack Russel Terrier is more likely to have her first season at 6 months with a larger dog such as St Bernard possibly taking up to 24 months to have her first season.

The season is as follows:

Proestrus

Lasts about 9 days

Vulva size will noticeably increase.

The bitch will NOT stand to be bred, but the male will approach.

If bitch is not keeping herself clean then use a damp cloth or baby wet wipe.

This is the stage everyone notices as the dog will bleed around the house and owners often get upset, its is natural, if you don’t want to deal with it then get her neutered.

Estrus

Lasts about 9 days

Ovulation usually occurs 2 days into this stage, releasing eggs.

Discharge becomes straw- coloured.

Bitch will stand to be bred, and tying will occur between the bitch and dog.

You cannot separate them at this stage, the dogs penis is now stuck inside the female, pulling it out will damage both the male and female.

Diestrus

Occurs 6 days after ovulation.

Discharge will occur for 1 or 2 days.

Then continues into the uneventful Anestrus till the next season begins

So this all happens about every 7 months in most dogs, so about twice a year. During this time there is a change in behaviour in the bitch, she could become more unpredictable or aggressive. They could also begin nesting at some point, this could lead to stealing cloths and shredding paper.

How To Hold A Lead

Many people are holding leads while out walking their dogs in a dangerous way, that could lead to them being hurt or the dogs getting loose very easier if something were to go wrong.

I learned the correct way to hold a lead while working with Security Dogs as they need both perfect control, as they cannot let go by accident but also to reduce the likely hood of injury to themselves when the large dogs lunge or pull suddenly.

Below are the several ways most people hold a lead.

This is how most people hold a lead, they this is safest as the lead can’t slip off that easily and they can use their wrist to brace when a dog pulls. This is VERY dangerous. Even a small dog, never mind a 10 stone Rottweiler at the end of it. Having the lead like this when a dog pulls can very easily dislocate or break your wrist, if it didn’t break it fully you could have a small fracture appear that could become worse over time.  It might seem comfortable or easy to do but it is not safe and not how you should hold a lead with any dog.

Some people hold the lead just in the palm of their hand, they can shut their hand around the lead when needed to take the strain of the pulling. Having it in this position leaves it far too open to letting go of the lead. Far too often I have seen people dropping the lead when the dog pulls suddenly, when the dog gets loose anything could happen.

This is what I deem to be the MOST dangerous way to hold a lead, it cannot be removed easily, it can get stuck very easily as it pulls tight, it can break your wrist and you could be dragged by a bigger dog if you were caught off guard. DO NOT have your lead like this unless you are wanting an accident to happen.

This in my opinion is the safest way to hold a lead. You have almost a hook to hold back the lead with if the dog suddenly pulls, also the hand can hold the lead close to the hand and creates a lock. Yes you could break your thumb but that is better than breaking your whole wrist, you can still grab a dog if needed. It is the way I was taught when handling dogs that are lunging and barking at people.

These are just my opinions on handling a lead through experience, feel free to try them out yourself and comment if you think any differently from me or have more information.

Dogs in the Heat Wave

We have all been loving the sun recently! It is has been lovely to sunbathe or to be outside enjoying time with the family. People now include dog as part of the family and take them everywhere, this can lead to some serious problems happening.

Dogs can get heat stroke or exhaustion just like people, they so not  sweat like people. Dogs loose heat through circulating bloody through the tongue and getting it to cool through the air. That is panting, that is why the tongue will expand to create a larger surface area to disperse heat from. They also loose heat through their paws, which depending on where you live won’t help as the pavements and roads are always hot at the moment.

Think about where you walk during the day as keeping to grass or wood land could keep your dogs temperature down. Don’t be fooled, thinking just because your dog has a short coat it won’t get as hot. They will heat up just as much as a long coated dog as they are not used to cooling the body as efficiently as a long coated dog.

I would always recommend getting the dog clipped in the summer, removing hair helps air circulate to the skin cooling the blood as well as well as reducing the weight they carry in their fur.

Most people when they travel with their dog will at some point will have to leave it in the car, most people think it is fine to leave the dog to “pop” into a shop or to a friends. They think it will be fine as the windows are cracked, even those that put the AC on are putting their dog at risk. This is a video illustrating how quickly a car can heat up: http://mentalfloss.com/article/51528/why-you-shouldnt-leave-your-dog-car

There are loads of ways to keep your dog cool, while at home or even out and about.

1. Bring plenty of water! I mean loads, let the dog drink it but also get that dog wet! Will cool the body down quickly, but be sure to use room temp water. NOT ice water as this will actually cause the dog to heat up more as the veins will restrict reducing the blood flow to the surface.

2. Get your dog a pool! Most dogs will love it, yeah some will  not go near it. But don’t force the dog to go in, may pop them in and play with them in there. Make it a fun place, not somewhere you throw water on them suddenly and scare them.

 

Not all dogs love it, but they will feel better after it.

3. Ice treats. Feed your dog it dinner or a snack in an ice cube. Freeze dog food or bit of meat into plain water or flavor it with a stock cube. Leave it over night and then give it the next day, some dogs need some help so maybe smear peanut butter or marmite on the outside to get them licking it. Can do similar with a Kong. I like to soak dog food over night, then put it in a kong in the morning, should be frozen by afternoon. I mix the food with peanut butter to make it sticky.

4. Get your dog a cool coat! Cool coats are genius! They are a non drip, cold jacket for your dog. It is activated in water, just drown it in water for a minute then pop it on the dog. It won’t drip the water out or loose the water on contact with the sofa or carpets. It just keeps the dogs cool, it covers their delicate internal organs. I walk several dogs in them and they hardly even pant on their walks, they are a comfortable temperature while wearing it. They stay wet for about 4 hours but can be topped up any time by using some more water.  http://www.prestigepets.co.uk/cool-coat/. Please have a look at them, they are really worth the money and will last a life time.

Always acclimatize your dog to the heat, don’t just head out for the day in the sun with the dog being used to walking only in the cool evening or not going out at all, get them used to the heat before you go in it for hours. Acclamatize your dogs body to it. It will reduce the chances of problems.

Please think of your dog before you take them in the car on a hot day to be out in the heat. It is nice to have a day out with the family, including the dog but it is reducing the welfare of your dog. It could even kill it. Think about it before you go. If you dog doesn’t want to go for a walk don’t make it, they know when it is too hot for them and will refuse to go.