Thinking of Getting a Puppy?

Thinking of getting a puppy? Please think twice.

I’ve said it before, and I’ve said it again, but ‘just to be sure’, here it is again!!

Sadly, puppy farms exist. Sadly poor breeders exist. Sadly people still get puppies for Christmas (yes of course, many work out fine – I hope that’s you). Sadly, many times, instead of bringing happiness, the new wee bundle of fun can turn life upside down -financially and emotionally.

If you’ve just welcomed a new puppy into your home, congratulations! As you may know by now, there are lots of free puppy training help notes on the PawsAbility.co.uk web site, including help for the most common problem such as toilet training, socialisation and puppy biting. Happy reading.

However, if you are thinking of getting a puppy soon and haven’t actually got it yet, then please do read on to make sure that your puppy journey is as happy as possible.

Puppy gifts – please do consider whether this gift is really wanted. So many dogs and puppies are abandoned to rescue centres at this time of year. And according to DogMagazine.net at least one eight week old puppy has already, in the past weeks, been bought, not wanted and abandoned to the dog rescue.

Puppy source – please do your research. Poorly bred puppies from puppy farms and from poor breeders will cost you much more money than the ticket price. It sounds quite unbelievable, but a Kennel Club study found that:

• ·      One third of puppies are bought from disreputable sources including internet sites, newspaper ads and social media.
• ·      Nearly half of these puppies, who haven’t been seen before buying first, fall sick.
• ·      One in five of these puppies cost £500 - £1000 in vet bills in the first 6 months.
• ·      Over one third of people who ended up with a sick puppy bought this way, experienced financial and emotional problems.
• ·      Over one third of these puppies were spur of the moment decisions.
• ·      And these poorly bred puppies are far more likely to suffer from behavioural issues.

So, please plan carefully. It may seem that money is saved at the outset, but it is highly likely to cost you more in the long run.

Is the time right? – please think long and hard about whether this is the right time to get a puppy. Puppies should not be left home alone for more than two hours (this is after they are old enough and have been accustomed to being on their own).  They also need you to be able to spend 1-1 time with them for socialisation, training, and play. Many puppies can take up several hours in your day.

Family – a new puppy will affect the whole family so please do make sure that everyone in the household really, really – I’m gonna say it again – really, really wants a puppy. I know this sounds obvious. But I have worked with many families where it transpired that at least one adult family member was strongly opposed to the new addition.

Four paw families – also, please consider the other pets in your household. How will the addition of a puppy affect your cat? Will your older dog be able to cope with a jumpy, bitey, annoying little puppy? Are the other dogs in your house well enough trained? Do you really need another dog to join the pack?

I know, and I’m sorry that this all sounds so negative. Of course, we love our pets and we do think that we’ve weighed up the pros and cons and are making the right decision. But, sadly, many new puppy purchases just don’t work out. So, if you are about to take that step, it’s not too late to change your mind and do more research – even if you have paid a deposit!

Please think twice, then it’ll be alright (maybe).

I do hope this has helped with your contemplations. There are, of course, more resources on the PawAbility.co.uk web site to help you to choose where and when to get a puppy, or you can email your questions to anna@pawsability.co.uk.

For more information and help, including great web sites on puppy costings and questions to ask your breeder, please look here - Getting a Puppy.

Article originally published in the Northern Times, Dec 2016.

Keep safe and happy with your pet at Xmas

Gosh, it's been a while - I can't really believe I've not posted here for a year!! Surely the dates must be wrong.

Anyway, here's some helpful advice on keeping safe with your pet at xmas.

Are you stressed out by Christmas yet? Well, why not sit down, have a cup of tea and spend just a moment or two thinking on how our dogs or other pets may be affected. Here are a few tips to help to reassure ourselves that they will be safe and happy.

First, let’s consider the now well-known phrase: ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas’. It may seem a perfect time to add a new furry to our family, taking advantage of being off work for a little longer. However, for the most part, this time of year is really busy for us. The best advice is therefore to consider a calmer time in our lives so that we can give our full attention to our new puppy or rescue dog.

Sadly, rescue centres are frequently inundated with abandoned pets at this time of year.  Perhaps it’s worth thinking about the future, before extending your family. Or perhaps you may wish to donate a little to your local rescue centre to help those in unfortunate circumstances.

Next, please consider general safety. During the festive season we may have gifts, decorations and extra food around, all of which can be dangerous for our pets. Dogs and puppies in particular will be very excited with something novel lying on the couch or under the tree, and may well decide to investigate. Whilst presents under the tree do look nice, they may well be too much of a temptation, as may tinsel and other tree decorations. So, please consider how you can keep your tree safe. Perhaps putting a smaller tree on a table would help, or how about a decorative fence around the tree?

Food and treats can also be a hazard. Chocolate, grapes and macadamia nuts (well we may well have them at xmas time) are all poisonous to dogs, along with many other xmas treats. Even feeding your pet some special meal or turkey left overs can upset their digestive systems. Obviously it’s nice to treat our pets, but, just a tiny amount of something safe will feel special for them.  Take care with xmas plants too which are frequently toxic to pets.

Next, it’s worth considering how our change in routine affects our dogs. Can they cope with more visitors? If not, then consider introducing a safe den area in the house for them. Can they cope with being left for longer when you are out at a party? If not, perhaps they would be happier having a friend or neighbour pop in to see them.  But certainly, make sure that you’ve left enough time to give them an extra walk before you go.

And finally, we want to avoid the issue that frequently arises after the holidays. Some dogs who had seemed perfectly happy being left at home whilst you were out at work, can suddenly no longer cope. And, when you return to work, they may bark a lot, toilet in the house or destroy things. It’s a common problem. To avoid this, try to keep their routine similar, and give them a little home alone time.

So, in summary, please try to keep your dogs safe from the food, decorations and presents and aim to keep their routine as consistent as possible.

We hope you have a safe and happy Pawsmas. For more information on dog poisons and keeping your pet safe and happy, please visit Pawsability.co.uk.

Author : Anna Patfield

First published, Northern Times Dec 2016.

Further Reading : More on Xmas by Denise Nuttal 

New year, new dog, new you….

As each New Year comes around most of us promise ourselves that we’re going to make changes in our lives. We will lose weight or get more exercise, or eat more healthily for instance. Sadly, most new years resolutions are broken within a few weeks, I believe.

So how about making a promise with your dog and having a New Years Resolution Dogs Buddy? Here are some win-win ideas.

Weight loss:

Many many dogs are overweight. Unless there are health problems going on then being overweight is a result of too many calories balanced with the amount of exercise taken. So if your dog is overweight, how about setting up a new diet and exercise regime.  You could for instance put 1 spoonful less food in your dogs bowl and add 10 minutes onto their daily walks, or add in an extra brisk walk. This regime obviously hasn’t been scientifically proven, but it seems to make sense to me. You get the added benefit of the extra exercise and you could always join them in eating smaller portions for your meals (if this applies to you Ofcourse). Please always check with your vet before embarking on any significant exercise regime change; it may not be healthy to overly-exercise an overweight dog.

Be happier:

If you’re stressed your dog may well be too. They want you to be happy and content with life just as much as you do. So, have a look at your dog and have a think about what would make them even more happy: more walks, more time outside, more physical exercise; more play time? All of these things can equally benefit us. If you play a new game with your dog, then you’ll get some fun out of that too, and I’m sure you’ll have a laugh in the process. Mental stimulation can also help to improve how your dog feels. I wonder if there are any basic training exercises that could be improved with your dog or perhaps you could look at some tricks, agility or some doggy dancing steps. They’ll all be great fun for you both.

And of course if your dog has some behaviour or training problems, then why not make a new years resolution to get help and get them fixed. That will certainly lead to less stress in both your lives.

Be healthier:

A good diet is also important to give us the best chance at being happy and healthy. So perhaps reviewing and changing your dogs food would help too.

Please note that you should of course always carefully consider whether any changes you make in your dog’s life is appropriate for them. For instance, playing Frisbee with a young dog when they jump up and potentially damage their limbs on landing isn’t going to be good for them. Or, if you’re dog is aggressive with other dogs then taking them to the park more often may not be the right course of action.

If you’d like any help with any behaviour or training problems then please have a look at the Pawsability.co.uk web site or email anna@pawsability.co.uk.

Or why not join us on Facebook.com/Pawsability and share your New Years Dogs Buddy Resolutions. 

Author: Anna Patfield, First Published in the Northern Times, Dec 2014

What's the most common cause of behaviour problems in adult dogs?

insufficient - 

carefully introduced - 

polite exposure to life’s experiences -

as a puppy!

Probably!

It’s all very easy for us dog behaviourists and trainers to presume that pet owners know things. We know that there’s been a lot of work done on the important topics. We probably presume that everyone gets a puppy pack from the vet or a ‘best puppy’ book that helps new owners ensure that their puppy gets the best start in life. It’s probably fair to say, that, indeed, many people do know about the Critical Socialisation Period for puppies.

But, experience from seeing a few behaviour cases last weekend tells me differently. Therefore, it seemed perhaps helpful to share some information.

Aggression, separation issues, fireworks fear, barking, pulling, jumping – all the big problems - can be largely avoided by adequate socialisation and early training. (And carefullly selecting where you get your puppy from in the first place - another blog on that to come soon...).

To explain further – There are 2 critical things going on as your puppy is growing. Firstly, their brains are developing extremely quickly: at 16 weeks old (less than 4 months), their brains are 90% grown. Secondly, when they are born, they don’t ‘feel’ fear. The chemicals in the body that cause them to actually feel scared start to kick in about the 5 week mark and build up to being fully functional about 16 weeks. (All dogs are different in this respect – generally, Germans Shepherds feel fear earlier and Labradors later – but individual dogs are affected differently).

It’s therefore crucially important to get as much experience ‘knitted’ into that exponential brain growth whilst these new things aren’t being associated with fearful feelings. This Critical Socialisation Period is usually accepted as being 8-12 weeks of age.

So, what do they need to be exposed to? Well, all of the things that they are going to have to cope with as adult dogs: all sorts and shapes of people, young and old; motor bikes and people wearing hats and helmets; built up areas; noisy traffic; open country-side; objects and noises such as wheely bins, carrier bags, squeaky gates, washing machines, hoovers, fireworks; other puppies, dogs and animals; being handled; and how to be polite through early training. (There’s a puppy socialisation full checklist available for freeon the Pawsability.co.uk web site.)

Ok, so many of you may be saying: ‘But I got a puppy and didn’t bother with anything, and they are fine!” Well that’s great news, but why risk it? Even if there’s only a 50/50 chance of things going wrong, surely it’s better to work hard over the first three months to save your dog from troubles later (and to save you from a lot more hard work, stress and expense in the future).

It seemed worth mentioning this at this time of year too as many people still think about xmas puppies (not usually advisable). But whether then or at another time, please make sure that you have plenty of time set aside for your puppy’s first few months. It’s hard work.

So what else can we do? Well, firstly please quiz your breeder about socialisation. Secondly, encourage your vet to start safe puppy parties. And, thirdly, enroll early in a puppy training class or early learning session. (Ofcourse, please also take your vet’s advice on safe exposure during the vaccination period.) And please please please don't get a puppy who was brought up in a barn, or from a pet shop or where you don't get a good feeling when you see Mum - there's more info on how to choose a puppy here.

As always, there’s loads of free help on the Pawsability.co.uk web site to prevent puppy problems, and please do feel free to get in touch directly – anna@pawsability.co.uk.

Author : Anna Patfield, First published in the Northern Times, Oct 2014

The menace of fireworks for dogs (and pets)

Most dog owners know that dogs are scared of fireworks. Those who have an affected dog may indeed presume that it’s just a thing - that all dogs are scared. Well, strangely, many dogs don’t bat an eyelid - only about 40% are affected. So the question really is why are some dogs scared? Well, we really just don’t know. 

Maybe it’s similar to people being scared of spiders or snakes. Maybe it’s an inherited phobia. Maybe it’s a result of their first experience. Maybe we cuddled them and coo-cooed and told them all was ok. So, perhaps it’s about nature and nurture.

The thing is, I’m convinced that for a large number of dogs, it just never has to be that way. I’d like to start a campaign to stop it. And hopefully one day in the not too distance future I shall. If anyone else is interesting in doing so, I’d be only too happy to help! All puppies and scared dogs can benefit from desensitisation: a program that carefully exposes them to the noises of fireworks and helps them to learn that it’s nothing to be bothered about.

But, in the mean time, what can we do?

Well, firstly, I’d request that everyone who ever breeds puppies gets hold of a fireworks desensitisation program and works through that, carefully, with their puppies, starting when they are only 4 weeks old.  And, I’d like to ask vets to promote this to all breeders.

For puppy owners to-be, please discuss this with your breeder and give them a CD  or downloadfile / DVD and instructions on what to do to help to reduce the likelihood of fear.

For dog owners whose dogs are already scared, October is almost perhaps too late to work on a desensitisation program. Usually these are best carried out before it’s dark at night – because many dogs associate dark with the possible risk of fireworks. However, it’s still worth doing some work over the next few weeks. Ceva, the company that makes the Adaptil (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) product has done tests that show that noise desensitisation programs with best when the Adaptil product is used in conjunction with the noise exposure. The best product appears to be the Sounds Scary program, which has been recorded with special combinations of noise. However, the program takes 8 weeks. I'd also add that it always helps to look a that the big picture - does your dog have other behaviour problems? It's quite common for dogs who are scared of fireworks to have other behaviour issues too. So, rather than just working on the fireworks fear cd, it may be worthwhile seeking professional behaviour help to put everything into perspective.

In the mean time then, please look at what else you can do for your dog. There is a free fireworks fear help guide guide on the PawsAbility.co.uk web site to help you with setting up the best den area and with ways to keep your dog distracted and to ensure their safety.

You may also benefit from speaking with your vet for medication. There are drugs that can be used to limit the fear affect, but also to ensure that you don’t take backward steps in your desensitisation program over the actual fireworks period.

Please don’t just live with it. Please share this information. Wouldn’t it be nice if our children didn’t still have to face these same problems with their dogs? Together, we can help many many dogs and puppies to feel ok around fireworks. Let’s do this!

For your free dogs and fireworks fear guide, and for products to help, please look here.

And look here for a dog behaviourist near you to help you - www.capbt.org, who will help you devise a behaviour program to build your dogs confidence in general, and help with their fear.

Author: Anna Patfield, first published in the Northern Times, Oct 2014