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.