Dog Identification in the UK

The Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that "any dog in a public place should wear the name and address of the owner either inscribed on the collar or a name place or disc attached to it" and soon it will be compulsory to microchip your dog, so what does this all mean?

The information required includes the owner's name and full address including the door number and full postcode. A phone number should also be on the dogs tag and it is recommended that you express that the dog is microchipped, guidance on what to include can be found here.

Microchipping 

What is it?

A microchip is a small electronic chip, which is implanted under your dog's skin between the shoulder blades using a special implanting device. The chip must be implanted by a veterinary professional or an implanter who has received government approved training.

How does it work?

Each microchip has a unique code which can be read by a scanner. It is important that the chip is registered correctly with an approved microchip database.

What is the purpose of the microchip?

The owner's contact details are logged against the microchip number on a central database. If the dog was ever found to not be with its owner then it can be scanned by the local authority, vet practice or animal welfare organisation in order to find the owner's details, contact them and reunite them with their dog quickly and safely. It is the duty of the owner to update their details with the database should their details ever change, for example you move house or the dog changes ownership. A small administration fee will be charged each time a change is made.

Is it a legal requirement? 

It will be compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped from 6th April 2016 (The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2014). Owners who do not comply could face fines of up to £500.00.
From 6th April 2016 all puppies must be microchipped and registered before they are 8 weeks old, proof should be sought from the breeder that the chip has been administered and registered correctly.

Where can I get my dog microchipped?

Petlog, who are the largest database have details on their website for finding a local microchip implanter.

The Dogs Trust are also running a free microchipping service throughout 2015, more details can be found here.

How much does it cost?

Costs will vary depending on who is implanting the device but average cost should be between £10 and £30.

Further information can be found via the Kennel Club here.

What to look for when selecting a Dog Walker or Day Care Pet Service Provider

I was shocked recently by a story in the Telegraph about a man who was knocked over by a dog walker’s dog. What concerned me the most was that not only did the dog walker not have insurance; the owners had not insured their pet.

In the past few years I have been working hard towards setting up my own dog walking and doggy day care centre and during my years of researching into what works and what doesn’t it appears not every dog owner is sure what to look for when selecting to send their dog to a dog walker or day care centre.

The benefits of using a dog walker or day care centre are numerous, with the increased demands on people’s time a dog walker can come in handy to ensure that your dog is getting the required level of physical and mental stimulation that it requires. Hiring a dog walker or sending your dog to day care will give you the comfort that whilst you are at work or away from home for long periods of time, your dog is still able to relieve themselves and gain both human and canine interaction, which is turn will improve your dog’s social skills and give you the comfort that you can return home in the evening to a chilled dog and no accidents in the house.

Benefits include:

• No more accidents in the home – though not a 100% guaranteed!
• Increased exercise, mental and physical stimulation
• Reduction in unwanted behaviours such as chewing, digging and soiling
• Increased socialisation with other dogs
• Assistance with behavioural training
• A tired and relaxed dog on your return home

So, what should you be looking for when selecting a dog walker? It is a growing industry and at the moment is not regulated so anyone can set up a business, therefore it is important to check that as a minimum the dog walker is:

• Fully insured for professional dog walking, including loss of key cover should they have a copy of your key to pick up your dog
• Has appropriate vehicle insurance to transport your dogs
• Does not walk more than 4-5 dogs on each walk – most professional insurance will place a limit of the number of dogs they can walk at once
• Can evidence that your dogs will be transported to walks in an appropriate vehicle
• Offers a free consultation to meet with your dog and chat through their services
• Offers a trial walk to ensure your dog gets on well with their other dogs and the handler
• Has experience with dogs either as a pet owner/trainer/assistant etc.

If you feel your dog would benefit from attending a day care centre, and I can give you plenty of reasons why you should, then be sure that as well as all the above as with dog walkers, to check the following as a minimum before signing up to the service.

• Adult to Dog ratio

If dogs are well behaved, a ratio of 6-8 dogs to one trained member of staff should be sufficient.

• Screening Process

There should be a procedure in place for taking on new dogs and introducing them to the existing dogs and you should ask what this procedure is. Most day care centres will insist that dogs attend for a minimum of one day a week and will not take on any ad-hoc bookings to ensure dogs have consistency. All dogs should be fully vaccinated have up to date worming and flea treatments.

• Security

Fencing should be at least 5ft and secure so that dogs cannot jump over or dig under the fences.

• Emergency procedures

The centre should have their own emergency procedures and have a relationship with local veterinary practices.

• Experience of the staff

The staff should be confident handlers who are aware of body language, signs of stress, and basic animal care. Ideally they might have a certified animal behaviour specialist who attend the site regularly or better yet, oversee the staff.

• Facilities

As well as sufficient outdoor space, there should be sufficiently heated indoor areas with comfy beds for the dogs to rest on.

• Visit for yourself

Ensure you visit the site and check if it is safe, if the fencing is secure, are the dogs having a good time and is there plenty of space for the dogs to get some rest?

• Behaviour Management Policies

Ensure that the day care centre you choose believes in positive reinforcement and force free handling.

• Consistent schedule

The dogs should be given organised play, basic training, cleaning and feeding. There should be dedicated time for your dog to rest throughout the day and appropriate sheltered accommodation for them to do so.

• Cleanliness

The day care centre should be cleaned using dog-safe products to prevent the spread of infection.

• Honesty

Day care is not suitable for all dogs and might prefer having their needs met by a dog walker, the day care owners should be honest as to whether they think day care suits your dog and advise you of the same. They should be in it for the love of the dogs and not the money!

Benefits of more than just a walk

As 2015 approached I started to think about new activities to get Cookie involved in. We have decided to undertake a 6 week agility course having attended at taster session with the lovely Jenny Green at Bells and Whistles in my local area. 

Having enrolled in the course, lots have people have asked me why I decided to get involved and take up every Sunday to run around in the cold attempting to jump over jumps and weave around sticks! Well the easy answer is because I am a crazy dog lady and would rather spend my Sunday mornings doing something fun with my best friend than nurse yet another hangover!

There are a multitude of activities that you can get involved in with your canine companion(s) and there are a number of benefits that come with them, to name just a few:

• Increase the bond between you and your dog 
• Training your dog should not stop when you leave puppy school, dogs require constant training throughout their lives and the more you do with your dog, the greater the bond you find you will have and reinforce basic obedience commands
• Provide your dog with mental stimulation
• Taking your dog to new environments keeps them on their toes, prevents boredom and promotes confidence
• Allows your dog an outlet for their natural instincts
• Teaches an "old dog new tricks"
• Mixes up your routine 
• Bored of walking the same route every day? Then taking up a new hobby with the dog can alleviate the boredom
• Health benefits 
• Both you and your dog will benefit from introducing different exercises into your routine
• Your dog will keep healthy agile and limber
• Exercise can help keep the dogs weight under control
• You might find you lose a few pounds from the change in exercise

• Socialisation
• Classes with other dogs will continue to keep your dog well socialised and able might help build your dog's confidence and trust around other dogs and humans
• You will also get to meet lots of people if the activity you choose involves group classes, they might also be a good way to involve your children in training the dog
  
• A tired dog is a happy dog! 
• Starting new activities will provide both physical and mental stimulation for your dog and should help reduce any unwanted behaviour caused by inactivity 

Activities and where to find them 

It is often a good idea to choose activities that suit your dog’s natural instincts; however, most dogs are capable at having a go at any form of exercise so why not give it a go.  The Kennel Club is a great place to start when looking for clubs in your area: Kennel Club Activities Page and Happy Dogs Training also provides a number of different training activities for you and your dog to enjoy, see the list here. 

• Agility 
• The handler directs a dog through an obstacle course including jumps, tunnels, a-frames
• Hellwork to Music
• Requires the dog to walk in one of the 8 prescribed heelwork positions and the handler to choreograph that heelwork to a piece of music
• Flyball
• Teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball
• Showing 
• Each pedigree dog is judged against the official Kennel Club Breed Standard
• Competitive Obedience 
• Competition to test how obedient and well trained your dog is 
• Canicross 
• Cross country running with dogs, click here for more information 
• Working Trials 
• Developed to test the ability of your dog in the arears of nosework, agility and control
• Field Trials 
• Developed to test the working ability of gundogs in competitive conditions. The trials resemble a day’s shooting in the fields
• Geocaching
• Geocaching is a treasure hunt where caches are hidden in location for people to find. Read a recent article about the activity here
• Treibball
• Dogs gather and drive large exercise balls into football goals. Read more here.

Don't forget the vet!

If you are thinking of starting one of the above mentioned activities then it might be a good idea to take the dog for a quick check up at the vets to check whether your dog is up to starting the exercise. Take into account the breed of dog you have and any limitations that might cause to starting certain activities and also the size and age of the dog. 

Looking out for your dog this Christmas

Christmas is a time for fun, festivities and lots of food! As us humans start to get excited about the holiday season and time with our friends and family we should take a moment to consider any potential hazards that the festive season can present to your dogs. Here are a few that you should keep in mind, whether you are having Christmas at home or visiting friends! 

Food Hazards

We all have a tendency to over indulge over the Christmas season and it is nice to be able to share a few of these with your dog, by all means a small amount of meat and vegetables shouldn’t cause them any harm but be careful that you don’t feed them any chicken or turkey bones, which can get stuck or splinter in the throat. Also avoid over feeding which might lead to digestive issues!

A number of foods that are in high human demand at Christmas are in fact dangerous to dogs, be sure that your dog does not get hold of the following and be sure to advise any guests that they must not allow your dog to ingest these:

• Chocolate – contains a compound called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs
• Onions and garlic – contains compounds that can damage dogs red blood cells
• Holly Berries and Mistletoe – can result in vomiting and diarrhoea
• Horse Chestnuts – can result in vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain
• Raisins – Associated with the development of kidney failure
• Grapes – Associated with the development of kidney failure
• Alcohol – even ingesting a small amount can cause significant intoxication in dogs

People Hazards

Over the Christmas period you might be having a number of people over to visit and some of those might even be bringing their dogs with them, if your dog is not used to this then they might find it a little unsettling. Try to take the dog out for a nice walk an hour or so before visitors are due to arrive and on return leave your dog in a quiet room with their favourite toy to allow them to relax. As people begin to arrive then you can introduce the dog to them a little later.

Children can become over excited at the thought of Father Christmas coming to pay them a visit, emotions can be running high and become overwhelming for the dog. It is not a good idea to leave the dog and child unsupervised during these times as even the calmest of dogs might react through fear or self-defence. 

Hazardous Objects

Christmas trees can cause all sorts of problems for the unsuspecting dog; all the hanging baubles and tinsel along with the presents under the tree can be too much of a temptation to some dogs, especially puppies. One pull at a bauble might cause the whole tree to fall over so it is wise to place a barrier in front of the tree to prevent access to the dog.

Be sure to tidy up as you unwrap all the presents. In the excitement of opening them you might not notice the dog chewing on the paper or worse, the new PlayStation! Always supervise the dog whilst presents are being opened and tidy as you go!

Candles should be placed on shelves where the dog’s tail cannot reach as you wouldn’t want the fire service being called!

Most importantly Christmas should be a day enjoyed by the whole family, remember that the dog will need the usual routine of walks and meals. It is also important to check the opening hours of local vets over the holidays and have their contact details to hand.

If you are visiting friends with your dog then be sure to take precautions as above as well as establishing boundaries with the family that you are visiting. Just because your dog gets pride of place on your sofa for the Queen’s speech does not mean that this will be OK in your friends or families house. Respect their rules and you might get an invite next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

I am currently in the process of starting up my new company, HoundsLand, where you will be able to get news and views on all things dog! Follow me @Hounds_Land on Twitter. More coming soon!

Hungarian Vizsla Breed Profile

Hungarian Vizsla Breed Profile

The Hungarian Vizsla (Vizsla) is the smallest of the all general purpose gundogs, with a distinctive short haired rusty-gold coat. They are natural hunters with an excellent nose, stable point, good retrieve and good in the water.

As the name suggests, the breed comes from the central plains of Hungary and was originally bred to hunt game birds and hares.

Temperament 

The Vizsla is a sensitive breed who enjoys being active and learning, They are fun, lively, loving and protective of their family, thriving on human companionship. Early socialisation is important as they can become shy and timid and become difficult to handle. The breed gets along well with other dogs and cats, especially if they are raised with them, it is not advisable to have them in the home with other small pets e.g. rabbits, gerbils or birds. The Vizsla is freindly and tolerant with children, however their liveliness can overwhelm younger children. 

Practical Considerations 

The Vizsla is a large dog who would suit living in larger houses in the country. They require at least two hours of exercise per day, which if not met could lead to destructive behaviour. They make good jogging partners and enjoy games of fetch and other dog sports. They do not suit being left for long periods due to their propensity to suffer from separation anxiety and should not be kept outside as their coat will not protect them from cold temperatures. The Vizsla has a short, smooth coat needing just one weekly brush and they don't have a strong doggy odour. 

Ease of Training 

Easy - The Vizsla is eager to learn, they are intelligent with a good memory and responsive to consistent and kind training. 

Known Possible Health Problems

• Epilepsy
• Hip Displasia
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• Polymyositis

Average Lifespan

• 10-14 years

Summary 

Breed: Hungarian Vizsla 

Size: Medium/Large

Coat: Short 

Official Group: http://www.vizsla.org.uk/ 

KC Assured Breeders: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/acbr/Default.aspx?breed=Hungarian+Vizsla

I am currently in the process of starting up my new company, HoundsLand, where you will be able to get news and views on all things dog! Follow me @Hounds_Land on Twitter. More coming soon!

Your dog, your responsibility

More than 200,000 people a year are estimated to be bitten by dogs in England, many of these take place within the private residence of the dog owner. The laws on this matter have recently changed and it is now against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, including the owner’s own home. Dogs are a part of many families but it is important to understand that even if you have the most docile of dogs, there is always the chance that it could attack both strangers in your home and members of the family, no matter what breed it is. An appreciation is required that dogs are not human – although an important part of the family, they are animals and need to be treated as such.

Often we will hear in the news that the dog that attacks is usually not aggressive or worse still that reports have been made that the dog is aggressive but nothing effective is done by the authorities. Either way it is important that you have full control over your dog both in and outside your home to prevent accident s from happening.

Take the time to train your dog from a young age that people coming to the door and/or entering the house is a positive experience. In the first few months after bringing the pup home try a number of different friends and relatives visit you. Have the visitors come to the door and knock on the door, then when they enter allow the pup go to the visitor and ask the visitor to give lots of affection and positive praise. This will ensure that the puppy gets comfortable with human touch and affection.

Also focus on training your command for “go to bed”, choose whichever phrase you wish but remain consistent when training. It might also help to have regular visitors practice this command with the dog so that they will get used to having to go to bed not only for the family. This is a valuable command and can teach the dog that when people come over it is their cue to have some time out.

Teaching the “Go to bed” command

Make the dogs bed a safe haven and have some interesting toys for the dog to sit with. Use positive reinforcement techniques to teach the dog that going to bed is a positive experience and not only used when they have exhibited some undesirable behaviour. A dog’s bed should be where they go to relax and sleep.

Choose your designated spot and your chosen command and stick with it!

1. Stand around 1 metre from the spot and say the command whilst pointing at the spot, whilst saying the command throw a tasty treat onto the spot.
2. The dog should rush over and collect the treat – as soon as they do give lots of positive praise.
3. Repeat these steps a number of times to reinforce the behaviour.
4. Gradually increase the distance between where you and your dog are standing to the spot and continue with the steps above.
5. Once the dog has successfully completed the above steps, change the treat from being a lure to being a reward for the desired behaviour i.e. use the command and point to the spot, if the dog goes to the spot then give the dog the treat and lots of positive praise.
6. If the dog does not go to the bed then repeat steps 1-4 again (think about changing the treats you use if their interest waivers).
7. Continue with step 5 over and over again but remember that training should be staggered and you will probably only keep the dogs attention for around 15 minutes, also incorporate changing the place where you tell your dog to complete the command e.g. a bed in a different room.
8. Once the dog has completed each of the above steps then add in other distractions e.g. another person in the room playing with a ball or eating food.
9. After a while fade and vary the reward – give the treat every third time the dog completes the command.

Understand that not everybody likes dogs and this must be respected when you have visitors (the postman for example!). If the person visiting is unsure of dogs then you could either put the dog on their bed with a tasty bone in another room or spend some time letting the nervous visitor meet the dog when they arrive. Even if you are confident that your dog will remain relaxed around the visitor it is neither fair nor enjoyable to have your visitor feeling uncomfortable.

It goes without saying; NEVER leave the dog alone with a baby or minor. No matter how well trained the dog is, they can sometimes be unpredictable around children (especially if the child likes pulling dog tails like my niece!) This is an absolute rule that all dog owners should adhere to and it is so upsetting that many serious dog attacks on minors have taken place when the victim is alone with the dog.

If your dog starts to develop undesirable behaviour when people come to the house, such as barking, jumping up, humping etc, then seek advice from a behaviourist. It is important to nip these issues in the bud at the earliest opportunity and will also ensure that your friends still come to visit you!!

These steps should help to ensure that your dog remains safe with visitors to your home and families can live in harmony with their pet.

I am currently in the process of starting up my new company, HoundsLand, where you will be able to get news and views on all things dog! Follow me @Hounds_Land on Twitter. More coming soon!

To lead or not to lead - that is the question!

There has been recent debate on whether or not dogs should be allowed to run free, off lead in parks in the UK. The current law states that it is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, one of these places being a public place including parks. The fine for breaking this law is up to a £5,000 fine or a 6 month prison sentence. Further, local councils can issue Dog Control Orders DCOs which mean that you may have to keep your dog on the lead in that public area.

My view on this subject is simple and echoed by many dog owners across the UK – dogs require sufficient exercise which includes being allowed to run freely off lead – therefore it would be ludicrous to enforce a law stipulating that dogs should be kept on leads in all public places. Enforcing dogs to be on leads in public parks will only deter dog owners from visiting these areas, and also further the gap between dog lovers and dog haters!

I understand that this debate has been somewhat forced by the unfortunate instances which can occur when a poorly trained dogs are allowed off lead and resulting in either the dog itself, another dog or a human bring injured. There also still exists those dog owners who refuse to pick up their dogs waste – for this there is no excuse and I for one wish it was more easy to police and fine people who fail to do it.

I can sympathise and agree that some dogs can be a nuisance in public places, every morning there is an unruly labradoodle running up to us and then following us home, the owner does not even attempt to recall the dog or seem bothered when we have to take him back to him by the collar!!

My personal view is that the law is sufficient as it is – I believe that owners should be held to account if they do not have sufficient control over their dog in either a public or private place leading to accident or injury.
Know your dog and its limitations, if your recall is no good – practice, practice, and practice some more. Practice at home and in the park and in a variety of other environments with a long line so that you can perfect your recall and be sure that wherever you are, you have full control of your dog no matter what distractions may arise.

Until you are 100% sure your dog will listen to your instruction when off the lead, keep them on a long line to allow them to run a little. Perhaps you could take your dog for a run on the lead to help exercise the dog and improve your own fitness!

DCOs have their place and in areas where there is livestock I agree that dogs should be kept on a lead, even if you have a good recall, certain breeds might allow their natural instincts to kick in and see a field of livestock as an open invitation to chase.

I am currently in the process of starting up my new company, HoundsLand, where you will be able to get news and views on all things dog! Follow me @Hounds_Land on Twitter. More coming soon!