Welcome to April’s Edition of your Free Newsletter.

I usually put a dog quote in here, but in honour of April Fools Day I thought I would put in a couple of my favourite dog jokes instead (if you can do better, please send them to me, I would love to read them and the best, and cleanest, may make it into next months newsletter):

What do you get if you cross a dog with a rose?       A collie-flower

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If you know anyone who may benefit from Free Training and Behaviour Tips, News and Information please forward this on to them or reply to this message with their name and e-mail address.  Or they can sign up for their own free copy at www.gooddoggie.co.uk/newsletter.htm  

If there is anything you would like to see in this newsletter such as a new item, dog breed or special feature, please let me know, you can reply to this e-mail with your suggestions I can’t wait to hear them.

What do you get if you cross a dog with a lion?       A really terrified postman

Your question

Sally from Antrim asks:  Why do dogs bark at the postman?

This is a very common problem, the reason dogs bark at the postman is because they have done it once and the postman went away so the dog thinks he did a good job scaring away the intruder, he doesn’t know the postman was going to leave anyway!  This is reinforced every time the postman comes, the dog will bark and away he goes so this is a very difficult habit to stop.  Many people find they have a similar problem with dustman too.  If you know your postman well you could ask him to wait at the door until the barking stops (this could take a while) and then post a treat through the door with the mail, or maybe you know a local teenager that could do with a few extra quid who might do it for you on his way to school every day, be warned that this type of problem could take a long time to completely disappear. 

If you have a question you would like answered please reply to this message and I will try to include it next month.

What did the dog do when he was followed by a man eating tiger?       Nothing it was a man eating tiger, not a dog eating one

Travelling with your dog

Hopefully, the weather will continue to improve and many people will be looking forward to nice days out and weekends away with the dog, so I wanted to talk about travel safety for the dog.  When travelling with your dog in the car it is important to secure your pet, if you were to be involved in an accident and your dog were loose in the car he would fly through the car like a projectile and could seriously injure himself and/or another passenger.  There are several options to consider when securing your dog; you could travel with him in the boot, this is a popular option as it reduces the mess brought into the main part of the car but I suggest you invest in a dog guard, this will stop your dog from being able to climb out of the boot and will keep him contained in the event of an accident – you can get dog guards for your car from most pet shops but please make sure it fits your car securely other wise you needn’t have bothered, most car manufacturers produce dog guards which are properly designed to fit your exact car and when fitted properly at the dealership are a much better solution.  You may also consider a car harness for your dog, this is a harness that goes around the dogs body and secures to the seat belt of the car, this is a good option if you like your dog to travel in the car with you, again the car harness is available at most good pets shops.  Alternatively, you may choose to secure your dog in a crate, if you like this option make sure the crate is fixed into the car either by the seat belt or some other means, this can be good for the nervous traveller too as you can cover it so that he can’t see out.

Did you know 1 in 3 dogs suffer car sickness, signs include excessive drooling, anxiety, panting and of course vomiting.  Puppies are often car sick, but not all grow out of it, if this is a problem for you, it may be due to a lack of vitamin B6, try giving your dog a vitamin B complex, a basic one from most chemists is fine or even a multi vitamin which contains vitamin B, (don’t just give B6 as dogs need vitamin B to be balanced across the range).  As well as the vitamin B, you can also get ginger capsules from health food shops, Ginger is well known to help settle the stomach and one capsule, 30 minutes before travel should help a lot, if not a couple of ginger biscuits could help too, although if your dog is a little excitable at times I would avoid anything with sugar or artificial ingredients such as preservatives or colours.  Incidentally, if your dog can get a little hyper at times then a multivitamin containing vitamin B could help with that too, as a lack of Vitamin B6 and D have been linked to hyperactivity.  Car sickness can also be caused by a conflict of information between the eye and ear, this happens when the inner ear is detecting movement but the eye can only see a fixed object, in this case try moving your dog to a position where he can see out of the car and make sure there is plenty of fresh air too.  If you still struggling, your vet can prescribe medication that will help too. 

Anxiety, when it comes to car travel could be caused by many things including an upset stomach.  If your dog does get anxious in the car I would suggest first of all treating for car sickness, if this hasn’t helped after a week or two, then also try him in different places in the car to see if that makes a difference.  Failing that, your dog may have a fear of the car, to cure this you must do everything you can to make the car exciting to him, try opening all the doors and having the kids climb in and out of the car, throw toys and treats in and through the car to encourage him to get in and out, make it as fun and exciting as possible.  Once he is more comfortable with this, put him in the car and get in as if you are all going out, sit quietly for a few minutes and then all get out, repeat this a few times and then do it all again but this time turn on the engine, again repeat this a few times, next drive the car down the drive, repeat this over and over until he is calm and relaxed in the car, now you are ready to make your first journey.  Take him somewhere exciting like the park or beach, or if you have a very food focused dog – try the local drive-through and get him a burger (if you decide to get him a burger, please note that you must be careful to monitor his weight).  Make sure that you only visit fun places for a while so that you don’t set yourself back with the training, if you have to take him to the vet then do so, but if possible take him in a different car, if that is not possible, then monitor his reaction to the car and if necessary fast track him through the training as before.  If you have a puppy, then it is a good idea to get him used to the car as quickly as possible, take him on short journeys to the park or beach regularly to build his confidence.

Remember, it can get hot very quickly in a car – please don’t leave your dog in the car for any length of time, heat stroke can kill a dog very, very quickly.   

What do you do if you find a 500 pound dog asleep on your bed?       Sleep on the sofa

Days out with the dog

Taking your dog for days out can be great fun for the family and especially your dog, but be prepared, here are what you should be taking with you:

ü       A large bottle of fresh water

ü       A water bowl – to save space in your bag you can now get collapsible and disposable water bowls

ü       A towel – if your dog likes to get wet and dirty, you may prefer him not to tread this through your car on the way home, it could also come in useful if your dog has an injury and cannot walk comfortably – especially if he is too heavy to carry, pass it under his belly and hold on to both ends so as to support his weight for him.

ü       A pet carrier – ideal for small dogs that can’t walk far, you can pick him up and carry him when he gets tired, you can even get ones like the pouches you use for babies that hang across your chest.

ü       A first aid kit – you never know!

ü       Poo bags – remember that other people use the area too.  Did you know that if you get dog poo in your eyes or mouth it can make you blind, it would be very easy for a child to fall and put their hands in it and then rub their eyes if they are upset and that would be a tragedy.

ü       Some shade, if it is going to be a hot day your dog will suffer in the heat, you can get specially designed tents for dogs (just like pop-ups tents for kids) which can provide a cool place to rest and the good thing is that they fold up so they won’t take up much room in your bag.

ü       A bag to put it all in – did you know that you can get backpacks for your dog – so why not make him carry all his own stuff!

ü       Toys and treats

This is not an exhaustive guide – know your dog and use your own common sense whilst out and about with your dog.

For a massive range of travel accessories for your pet including most of the products I have mentioned and more go to: http://www.doghaus.co.uk/

 Dog Breed of the Month – Irish WolfHound

If you are looking for a big dog, they don’t come much bigger than this.  At around 36 inches in height and standing at well over 6 foot when on their back legs they are big dogs, but don’t be put off by their size, these are gentle giants, they are loyal and affectionate and make great family pets, however this is not a cheap dog to look after - as a puppy they will put on 1lb in body weight every day and grow two centimetres a week, these dogs cannot live on just any dog food either, due to the way they grow only the best will do!  This is a medium energy breed and so does not need quite as much exercise as their size may suggest, slow and steady is the Irish Wolfhounds Motto.  This is an ancient breed dating back to 3500bc when early settlers arrived in Ireland, originally used as guard dogs and dogs of war, more recently they were used to hunt Wolves and Boar – maybe they did too good a job as now both species are extinct in Ireland.  The breed almost became extinct in the 19^th century and was re-bred using the Deerhound, Great Dane, Borzoi, English Mastiff and Tibetan Mastiff mainly.  Now the breed mostly puts his feet up to enjoy a quiet family life, these days this breed makes a fairly poor guard dog and should not be relied upon, although his sheer size and deep bark may be all that is needed to put off unwanted visitors.  This is a very short lived breed, his average life span could be as little as 6 years.  For your information, this dog will cost approximately £900 for a pedigree puppy and pet insurance will likely cost around £20 per month.

Product of the month - Non-spill water Bowl

There are many ‘non-spill’ water bowls available, but this one is pretty good. This water bowl is great for dogs that travel a lot but is also perfect for dogs that make a lot of mess when drinking, the bowl has a floating lid which only allows a mouthful of water at a time, so it encourages your dog to lap the water rather than gulp and because only a small amount is available it really reduces any spillage, this bowl is available at Pets at Home.

Last one, I promise…

James walked into the police station to report that his wife was missing. The sergeant began writing up the case.
"How tall is she?"
"About so high, give or take a little."
"How much does she weigh?"
"About average, I guess."
"Eye colour?"
"Neutral. I'm not too sure."
"Hair colour?"
"I don't know. It changes."
"What was she wearing?"
"I suppose a hat and a coat."
"Was she carrying anything?"
"Yeah, a dog on a leash."
"What kind of dog?"
"A pedigreed Brown and Black medium haired German Shepherd, weighing thirty-nine pounds, brown eyes, 29 inches high, wearing a black collar with silver studs, slightly deaf in the left ear, front left paw all black and answers to the name of Sam!"

Until next time,  

Caroline Jenkins

caroline@gooddoggie.co.uk

www.gooddoggie.co.uk

08454 385522

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter or have received it in error, don’t panic, simply send me an e-mail to caroline@gooddoggie.co.uk and please accept my appologies.