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!

Top Tips When Leaving Your Dog Home Alone

This week’s theme is an attempt to remind owners of the importance of looking after your pooch when leaving the house. I often get judged for owning a dog but working full time and having to leave Cookie alone in the house for long periods of time. Here are some top tips to make sure your dog is left happy and safe whilst you are out.

Note that it is not advisable to leave puppies alone for more than two hours at a time and even then separation should be trained in gradually before leaving for large chunks of time!

Tire them out

 

Taking into account the age, size and health of your dog along with the weather conditions it is important that your walk prior to leaving the house is strenuous enough to result in your dog panting and lying down on return to the house. If you are not sure of how tolerant your dog is to exercise then seek the vet’s opinion.

If there is still time when you get back home then take 20 minutes to play some games as well to tire them out even more!

Leave them in a safe place

 

Ensure that your dog is left in a room in the house where it can be least destructive, do not allow them to have access to all rooms in the house as they please – the kitchen is always a good option! Be sure that you clear the room so that there is nothing to tempt the dog into displaying destructive behaviour e.g. cushions or easy to reach food containers! Their bed should be in the room and perhaps their favourite toy (if it is safe to leave them with this). We also put Radio 2 on so that the sounds of the voices provides some comfort. Leave a window ajar (if safe to do so), especially on a warm day, to ensure the dog is kept cool.

Adult dogs need more sleep than you think and although you may assume your dog will be bored at home, they might actually enjoy the time out!

Engage their brains

 

There are numerous products out there which can be left out with your dog for some mental stimulation. Remember that 10 minutes of mental stimulation is equivalent to an hour long lead walk so will help in keeping your dog entertained.

Examples include food dispensing toys like the Kong which can be stuffed with your dogs favourite treat, or treat puzzle toys such as Nina Ottosson’s range which come in variable difficulty levels. Be sure that it is safe to leave your dog alone with these toys and that there are no small objects that could cause choking.

Take Precautions

 

Anti-chew products exist and can be a life saviour for chair legs and skirting board corners! Be sure to follow instructions carefully.

Employ a dog walker

 

We have the dog walker 3 days a week; prices should vary from around £10.00 to £15.00 per dog for an hour long walk. Employing a walker will not only allow your dog to relieve themselves sooner but they will also get the chance to spend time with other humans and possibly dogs, so will only act to improve their socialisation skills! If your dog does not enjoy the company of other dogs a walker will usually offer a reduced price service to come to your house and let the dog in the garden for 30 minutes or so.

If you have a higher budget then you could also consider daycare, either at a pet sitters house or at an establishment. Though expensive this will allow your dog to remain in the contact of humans and other pets all day everyday!

Still concerned?

Keep an eye out for any signs of separation anxiety, which might include:

Urinating and defecating in the house

Chewing, Digging and destruction

Barking and Howling

Pacing

Being overly excited on your return

If you are concerned that these signs are present in your pooch, then consult the vet or your local animal behaviourist who can give you some training tips on how to reduce these symptoms.

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!
     

     

Dangerous Dog Owners and Proud – Reality TV at a new low?

As I settled down to watch TV on Monday I was not sure what to expect from the Channel 5 programme ‘Dangerous Dog Owners and Proud’. Being an owner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier myself and having to deal with the prejudices that others have over her breed, I was interested to see how these dogs and owners would be portrayed.

Cookie - My soft staffie!

It was silly of me to think that a "Reality TV Show" in this day and age would choose to use this opportunity to show how dogs deemed as dangerous due to their breed or appearance, can actually be well trained and socialised animals. Instead we were presented with an extremely small population of this country who were proud to own a dangerous dog and in most cases were deliberately training their dogs to be dangerous!!

A number of dogs on the programme were Pit Bull Terriers, which are one of four banned breeds under UK legislation; however there were also Staffordshire Bull Terriers whose owners were attempting to train them to attack on command. It gave me great pleasure to see the owner failing to make her new puppy aggressive, if you know the breed well you will know that they are particularly social with people and if socialised correctly at a young age will also be friendly with other animals!

It was a scary sight given that these individuals saw themselves and were being described as "gifted dog trainers". In reality a dog is a dog and however well trained, has the capacity to act out of character or attack. We have all heard numerous stories of children and adults losing their lives from dog attacks, according to the Office of National Statistics, 23 deaths following dog attacks were registered in England and Wales from 2006 to 2012 – only 2 of these reported deaths involved illegal dogs. I think it was wholly inappropriate give these people a stage to show the wrong that they are doing to these animals.

I would question why Channel 5 felt the need to spend budget on filming and broadcasting this show. Yes, there are a number of abhorrent dog owners in this country who will use their animals as status symbols and train them to act dangerously should they so direct them to. However, this only adds fuel to the fire in portraying certain breeds as having dangerous reputations. It will only slow down the work done by certain charities to educate the wider public of those breeds tarnished with a bad reputation. For example, the "Staffies. They’re softer than you think" campaign by Battersea Dogs & Cats home. It is these initiatives that should be given more air time and celebrated, rather than a bunch of scared people thinking they have the right to train their dog to protect them in a way that is socially unacceptable.

How I long for the day where I will be able to walk down the street with my staffie and not have people cross the road or shoot me an evil look. Some of us dog owners out here are trying our hardest to raise dogs who are socially acceptable and not aggressive, however this programme had only the potential to dampen my spirits that there will always be small minded people out there training and breeding dangerous dogs.

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!