The sun has got its hat on....

We are all enjoying the warmer weather and although I nag you all at the classes about keeping your dogs cool and being aware when travelling, I can't help but nag you again.  Check out the website and FB page for our information on 'Keeping your dog cool this summer'.
We have had some great new dogs join the groups over the past couple of weeks:- A Podenco,  a chihuahua, a chihuahua x JRT, a JRT, an Irish setter, a border collie,  and the list goes on and on.  I will post some photos and keep you updated on their progress.
Chilli has been trying the waters in the puppy class now and is doing so well, she has really turned a corner, meeting and greeting really well, just the lead issue to settle down now.  Basil is growing well and providing a lovely foil for Chilli's exuberance.
Rubens, the Jack-a-bea is improving, he had some quiet fun today which is always a blessing as he does like to be heard.
Miss Olive has had us worried with a womb infection (pyometra), these are serious things, luckily hers was an open pyo and as I got her to the vets before she became poorly the antibiotics seem to have done the trick.  She will be spayed in 6 weeks unless the infection kicks in again.
I would urge all of you who have entire bitches to monitor them closely during and after their seasons, pyometras can be fatal if the infection takes hold. Have a read of the Wikipedia info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyometra.  I am all for spaying bitches but as a behaviourist I prefer them to have one season first, Miss Olive was on her second as I simply forgot to get her booked in.  Luckily I noticed the signs before she was too ill.

Responsible Dog Ownership????

I visited Crufts on Sunday, it is a wonderful experience for any dog lover and something I have done for the past 10 years.  Seeing the best examples of a breed, presented to the best of their owners abilities, interacting with other dogs and so many people reminds me why I love dogs so much.

This year I didn't stay to watch Best in Show at the NEC, opting to get home for an early night instead so I watched the Toy & Utility group judging and the Best in Show presentation from the comfort of my own sofa.  The dogs were gorgeous (with one exception, the GSD which is another story) and I felt the dogs that won, the Flat Coated Retriever and the Petit Basset Griffon Vandeen, were exceptional and deserved to win.
I then watched the programme 'How to Buy a Puppy' and was incensed to say the least.  It seemed that yet again the documentary producers were labelling all dog breeders irresponsible as well as people that buy puppies.  I don't know about the rest of you, but when I saw the images of the poor animals at the puppy farms, I just wanted to bring them all home and I am sure any other dog lover felt the same.  To hear Professor Crispin refer to these poor animals as 'products' that should be refused as faulty was a shock.  They are living, sentient beings that through no fault of their own have been born into a life of suffering.  Now I appreciate the implications of the health and mental well being of puppy farmed dogs, I am a behaviourist and help deal with these issues everyday but to tell people to speak with their cash is just not possible.

After the shocking programme 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed' the KC invested in the Bateson report, implemented the Accredited Breeders Scheme and promoted the Fit for Function tag, the RSPCA got up on their moral high ground and berated breeders and the show community but what has happened? Nothing.
As a nation we have been trying to stop Puppy farming for 20 years or more, yet it still goes on with heart breaking consequences.  The Dangerous Dogs Act was brought into force to remove dangerous dogs from our streets yet Bateson himself confirmed what we all know and that is that there are more Pit Bulls on our streets now than there were when the DDA was introduced.  Why is that?  It is because nothing is enforced.
Not the unethical breeding of puppies, the sale and ownership of banned breeds, not even the failure to clean up after a dog.  Nothing is enforced.

The experts were talking of compulsory microchipping & puppy contracts in an attempt to increase traceability and accountability of the dogs, their breeders and their owners but as with all things the only people that will do this are responsible breeders and owners.  In the most part this is already being done but the problem is that even if they bring this in no-one will enforce it.

So how do we combat this terrible culture of breeding bad dogs for good money?  How do we ensure that dogs are only going to permanent, loving and caring homes?  I can't say that I have the answers but it would seem to me that bringing in laws, legislation and Acts will not improve anything if there is no-one to enforce them.

So who is responsible for a loose dog???

I was walking some clients dogs this afternoon and when I looked up there were 2 huskies trotting up the road, follwed by a police car.  As I had small dogs with me, I dipped into a garden and the dogs went on past.  The police car stopped, I whistled to the dogs and shouted for them to stop as they were heading straight to the main road.  They unfortunately didn't take any notice. The police trailed them on foot to the corner of the road where the dogs had turned right, narrowly avoiding being hit by cars, the officers then sauntered back to their car, drove to the top of the road and turned left!!!

I had some other dogs with me that I needed to take back and low and behold as I turned into the road there were the huskies at the end, trotting in and out of gardens.  I had to wait until the dogs went up another side road and then took my little charges home and called the police.  The police were aware of the dogs and said that the police had left the dogs in sight of the owner?  Not sure how that worked because I was the only person about when the officers got back in their car and headed back towards the station.

I left my little charges and went in search of the dogs, the police still on the phone asking if I could catch sight of the dogs, which I did, I then had them penned in a garden for 30 minutes and the police could not get anyone to assist me or get in contact with the owner. 

I walked back to the van to get some leads and treats and there was a gentleman there who seemed to be looking for something, I asked if he might be looking for the dogs and he was but not because they were his, because they had attacked his poor cat on his driveway.  

The dogs got out of the garden where they had been scavenging and I set off after them again, the man who's cat had been attacked helped me and then his son came along.  I called the police again, still no help.  The dogs got split up as they came out of one of the side roads.  I called the dog warden, thinking that was who would come and help.  I was told that because they are based in Basildon they wouldn't come to Canvey!! 

I now had a bowl full of nature diet and a nervous husky just off the main road in a Doctors car park, some impatient what-sit trying to get in tooted his horn and spooked her and the cat owner and I cage chase as she ran off along the main road.  Thankfully she turned down the next side road and we had her cornered, I got her attnetion with some more food, told her to sit and thankfully she did and I was able to get her on a lead.

We had someone watching the road where we had last seen the other dog so we headed back there in the hopes we could catch that one.  What we didn't know was that there was a derlict house with access into farmland.  There was no sight of him. 

The owners came to collect the bitch just as I was putting her in my van.  I had logged the first call with the police at 2.14pm, it was now 3.39pm!!  I had to go and see to another dog so off I went after exchanging numbers with the owner.

I walked the dog and was on my way home when I saw him in a field so I called the owner and followed the dog but I lost sight of him moments before the owner arrived.  He set off across the fields looking for him and I went back to the garden where we had lost sight of him.  After riding around for another 40 minutes I had to give up and head home.  Thankfully the owner called me about 10 minutes later to say he had found the dog and was on his way home.

A frustrating and harrowing afternoon but I couldnt leave these poor dogs to do more damage or get hurt themselves.  But who should be responsible for stray dogs?  I thought it was the dog warden, but obviously I was wrong unless they are right on their door step.  I thought the police were also supposed to prevent as well as solve problems, these dogs could easily have caused a serious accident, or it may have been more than a cat that they attacked. 

I will be following this up with the council, the police and the newspapers.

February News

Oh how the weather has been cruel to us this month!!  We have got absolutley soaked to the skin and frozen to the bone but we still had fun and some break throughs with the dogs.
Keila, the GSD rescue is relaxing well and totally adores he new owners.  Once he comes to understand her and lets go of the loss of his old dog I think they will be fine.  It;s always tough taking on a rescue, especially if you are a bit too hasty after the loss of a previous dog and this is made even worse if the new dog at all resembles the old one. 
Young Chopper, the Stafford, joined us at the beginning of the month, at 7 months old he is your typical teenager but he adores the girls so we are moving forward with an all female front to start with, then introduce some of the lads when he is less hormonal.  I am sure he will relax once his thinking shifts back to his head  ;-)

Our first Kids class started in January and it has been great fun for all of us.  The kids excelled and at the end of their 6 weeks they showcased all they had learnt in a short routine.  I was so impressed and I think they enjoyed it because they all signed up for another 6 weeks!!

January News

Well the New Year has already brought us new puppies and dogs to the social and recall groups, the start of new classes for kids and lots of new dogs in our beginners’ classes at Southend and Basildon.

The new kids and dogs classes are going well and I hope the kids are enjoying them as much as me.  So far we have worked on spins, play bows and paw and we are only on week 3.  There is a lot more to learn and with places already filling on the next course I think it was a good choice.

Treats are back in stock but I am still having problems with Nature Diet so for now you are advised to speak to me about the best places to buy it from.  They seem to be having a problem with sealing the packs and I am getting 3 or 4 out of a box that have blown.  If you want more information on the best foods to choose for your dog then check out our Face Book page and under Notes you will find our feeding information.

I would like to welcome Cheryl & Kim on board as they are helping out at the Kids and Dogs classes and new beginners group at Highlands Methodist Church, they want to become instructors with K9 Solutions, crazy fools that they are, so they are getting a baptism of fire at the new venue with a totally new course.  My thanks to you both, and of course to Alison for your continued help and support.

We have new courses starting again in February so check out the website www.k9solutionsdt.co.uk for the start dates.

Don’t forget that if you have any questions or problems then give me a call on 07776 334481 as it is not always possible to find the time during the classes. 

Happy 2011 to you all and I hope it brings you all that you wish for.

X

Pooch Party

Well the Pooch Party was a great success, we had a good turn out and it would seem that everyone enjoyed themselves.  The games all had prizes and people were keen to take part.

It was so hard to be heard over all the noise that I still haven’t got my voice back!

We played pass the Paw-cel with Ralph the bulldog winning a very impressive knotted dog toy and Millie the Labradoodle taking home a lovely purse.  I would say that the owners were too polite here, gently removing one layer of paper at a time, personally, I would have passed it to my dog who would no doubt have torn off the lot in one go.

Then on to the sausage race, a game of skill and tactics, well, not really.  The dog has to eat a line of sausage pieces quicker than the other dogs, very simple really, or so you would think.  We run heats of 4 dogs although we did allow the tiny Chihuahua’s, Beau-dog & Lady to team up. There was a bit of cheating going on here with people veering into the other dogs lane in an attempt to distract them, pushing of owners, it was a mess!!.  The overall winner was the lovely Oscar, a rescued Border Collie. Olive my little Weimaraner, demonstrated the ease in which only a weimaraner can devour food and should really have won. 

The owners went to a lot of trouble with fancy dress outfits, Olive was a fairy Princess complete with wings and wand, Roxy & Py were Christmas trees, Mille was a Christmas Sack, and Breeze the Rottweiler came in a cunning disguise as her brother, Jeeves, the Russian Black Terrier!!  (Very well done Breeze, or so we thought until the sausage race when it became apparent that we had been misled and it was in fact Jeeves!! )

Les judged the costumes and first prize went to Elsa who came as a K9 Solutions Puppy School boy complete with baseball cap, shorts and braces.  Well done Ruth & Elsa for keeping the costume on.

Runner up prizes went to Lyca & Zeke, the Papillon & the Tibetan Spaniel, Jura the weimaraner and Millie the Labradoodle.

We had a raffle with various prizes, the top prize being a free one to one training session with me which is usually £30.  Oscar the rescue Border Collie won this and I am looking forward to our training session, he is such a sweet lad.

Cheryl with Teddy received a consolation prize for her sad face when she thought she had won something on the raffle and special mention has to be made of her catching abilities.  Well done Cheryl. 

Then the final event of the evening …….. the cup race. 

The owner has to carry a cup full of water whilst holding their dogs lead spilling as little as possible.  By the time we got to the final, I was soaked and we had had to empty the mop bucket twice!! We had to up the game for the finalists, Beryl & Jet, Kim & Ruby and Ian & Jeeves and Cheryl & Teddy & Millie, we also had to employ a few distraction tactics, which involved me standing and jumping in their way, calling their dogs and throwing treats on the floor, needless to say I got very wet again. 

Beryl & Jet were not to be distracted though and took the prize.  Well done to them.  There are videos and pictures on our Facebook page so take a look.

My thanks to the team for their help and support, not only at the party but all year through and to all of those who came along and made the Pooch Party such fun.

Have a great Christmas everyone and looking forward to seeing you all in 2011.

December is upon us already

Well today is the 1st of December.  Where has this year gone?  To me it only seems like a blink of an eye since we were playing in the snow last winter but play we did.  Unfortunately, I have had to cancel today's classes (Morning & evening) as I fear the travel conditions are too bad.  It took me an hour to cross the Island yesterday and I know from friends that travel to Leigh or Southend was terrible.  A friend of mine left home at 9am to visit Southend hospital and got home at 4.30pm!!

The dogs are enjoying the snow though, Colin loves it and throws snow in the air at me, the other dogs and anyone else in throwing distance.  Trouble is that he eats as much as he throws and then spends the rest of the day and night peeing gallons!

Saturday workshops went well again with Tye the 3 legged staff really taking on the role of policing the ruffians in his group.  His 'Mum' was so proud of him again as were the rest of us.  It is lovely to see a dog that has come from such a poor start, with some rather strong issues, finding his place in the doggy community.

Biggles, the SBT, is a lovely lad with a peculiar fetish.  He tries to steal other dogs collars.  Most strange!!

Well finaly on Saturday he achieved his aim on Saturday and was seen haring off across the field with poor Millie the labradoodle in hot pursuit.  He had stolen her collar and was as pleased as punch with himself.  It took a little more convincing from Trev, his owner, to get him back than it usually does.

Send me your pics of your dogs enjoying the snow.