Cocker hoop Careful spaniel eyes are impossible to resist TikTok time bomb Clare Andrusyk is reeling A very fond farewell to Victoria Stilwell Peter Neville Love all Sue Barker s rescue dogs are looking forward to extra time DogsToday A nose for news easy on the eye and a heart of gold More bite more heart The KC wants you to BePuppywise Pound stretchers money saving tips for dog insurance August 2022 4 75 BeMoreMosquito says Marc Abraham OBE Sail away with you The dog love boat Great debate We asked should the import ban exempt rescues Chipping hell Are you the 1 in 3 Lost data lost dogs
DogsToday Inside this month The ethical pet magazine for people who really care about dogs News features 6 Chip failure why is the system so broken 12 Love all Sue Barker s perfect doggie match 14 Our favourite mosquito vet Marc Abraham s 18 I N C I N E M A S J U LY 2 9 30 38 42 Facebook Dogs Today world changing book Tick tock TikTok dangerous dog content is being lapped up by kids The Volpino foxy by name and in looks BePuppywise when it comes to puppy research says the Kennel Club Pound stretcher money saving tips for dog insurance Sales Marketing Director Mike McGlynn 01276 402591 Office dogs Betty Old English Golden Retriever ish Honey Cocker Spaniel Lennie Staffie German Shepherd cross Obi collie cross Vicky Justine Poison Ivy Newfoundlands Sophie Jack Russell Betty s Personal Trainer Kirsten Dillon IMDT A Dip CBM Europe exempt rescues 34 Postbag what matters to you as Dogs Today Brandshare Ltd The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA 01276 402599 enquiries dogstodaymagazine co uk www dogstodaymagazine co uk Training behaviour 26 Victoria Stilwell it s not goodbye but au revoir 52 True case history the final column after 30 years Publishers Opinion 66 Confessions of a dogaholic blood s t and tears Investigation 44 Dog crush meet the Cocker Spaniel 50 Q A how can I relocate smoothly with pets LIMITED Chief Operations Officer Graham Smith 01276 402598 graham wearebrandshare com Managing Director Beverley Cuddy 01276 402597 beverley dogstodaymagazine co uk Competitions shopping 32 Subscribe and win 56 Pop the kettle on and tackle Subscriptions our puzzles and competitions U LT I M U T T P E T F O O D PA R T N E R Or visit burnspet co uk DCLeagueofSuperPets T s and C s apply Go to www burnspet co uk Closing date 30 9 22 2022 WBEI TM DC For subscription queries call Brandshare on 01276 402599 or email subs dogstodaymagazine co uk Initial subscription rates UK BFPO 12 issues 39 50 24 issues 61 EU countries 12 issues 65 20 Rest of the world airmail 12 issues 79 80 Direct Debit offer UK only 9 99 for 3 months with 1 month free trial and a 1 sign up fee Cocker Spamiels Photo by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk SCA N HERE TO EN TER beverleycuddy Advertising sponsorship Over to you 22 Great debate should the import ban from eastern as Editorial Dogs_Today Editor Beverley Cuddy Art Director Rosie Peace Chief Sub Editor Contributing Editor Claire Horton Bussey Deputy Editor Alessandra Pacelli Illustrator Kevin Brockbank Proof readers Katie Horton Bussey Alys Horton Bussey The editor is always pleased to consider articles and photos from freelancers However there is often a considerable delay before material can be assessed Please include an SAE if you want your work returned While every care will be taken no responsibility for loss or damage can be accepted Competition sponsors and their families are not eligible for any competition Dogs Today incorporating Perfect Pup is published by Brandshare Ltd The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA Tel 01276 402599 Brandshare Ltd reg office The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA Distributed by Marketforce UK Ltd 2nd Floor 5 Churchill Pl Canary Wharf London E14 5HU Tel 020 3148 3333 www marketforce co uk Printed by The Manson Group 2022 Dogs Today The world copyright of the editorial matter both illustrations and text is strictly reserved Registered as a newspaper for transmission in the UK Next issue on sale 25 August To download Dogs Today for iPad go to the App store Android and PC versions are available from Pocket Mags the Kindle edition from www amazon co uk August 2022 Dogs Today 3
Dear readers Beverley Cuddy Beverley Cuddy is Dogs Today s editor and publisher She shares her life with an Old English Golden Retriever ish dog called Betty from Many Tears and Honey a Cocker Spaniel 4 Dogs Today August 2022 Illustration by Beverley Cuddy I n 2016 it became law for dogs to be microchipped But it s just an invisible code there were four databases for owners data I recently read up Hansard and the government imagined implantation would be the major cost But the databases charge much more to maintain and update the records There are now 19 of them probably more by the time this comes out If you have more than one pet chances are they are all on different databases All charge slightly differently for changes when you want to move home or change a telephone number Some databases didn t collect email addresses so had no affordable way to keep in touch with owners Betty is now officially a veteran but the very first contact I have had from her database in all these years was when I told them I was moving to a new database one that made it free to keep up to date and add temporary details when we go on holiday for example Imagine your precious dog or cat in pain dropped off by a good Samaritan at an out ofhours emergency vet She was run over How do the vets decide whether to risk being unpaid if they operate Of course you d want them to do everything possible to save her life But when they scan for a chip they just get a code to input into a website that hopefully reveals which one of the 19 databases to contact There s often only one vet on at night they re stretched thin They will need to contact the database to try to trace an owner All have slightly different systems I ve been talking to those on the front line in the pounds the rescues the dog wardens the vet nurses Very often after a lot of chasing they find the chip record blank or out of date After that happens a few times will very busy people bother with unproductive goose chases MAKECHIPSCOUNT When you report your pet missing then you discover the missing data issue but what if it s too late and the vet couldn t reach you to consent to lifesaving treatment So how can we all makechipscount That s the sort of hashtag Marc Abraham OBE would approve of I interview him this month about his new book BeMoreMosquito He reveals how to unite people and encourage them to provide politicians with solutions not just problems It s very apposite as chips have become as much of a pain in the neck as mosquitos PetDatabase com have so far found one in three chips checked had no data recorded on ANY of the 19 databases There appears to be a huge amount of pet data missing People need to check Was it ever there Has there been a massive loss and if so why did no one warn the pet owners If you go to PetDatabase com you can use their free Checka Chip service and if you d like them to look after your records going forward so you can check and update your records any time you like day or night at no cost just tick those boxes and they ll sort it all out for you And from that point on if someone puts your dog s chip number into any Check a Chip search you ll get an email alerting you So my fellow mosquitos how do we warn the public that the chip in their dog s neck may be totally useless If you d like to help I ll start a Facebook group called Let s MakeChipsCount https www facebook com makechipscount and you can all excuse the pun chip in with your best ideas P
Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI Illustrations KEVIN BROCKBANK In 2017 roughly a year after microchipping became mandatory for dogs explained away as teething problems however it soon turned out they we wrote about some concerning issues At the time they could be were here to stay But for how much longer Chip failure I n our June 2017 issue we ran two features looking at how well the microchipping system in Britain was working about a year since chipping dogs became mandatory in April 2016 Two issues were immediately clear first far too many dogs taken to rescues across the UK still had no microchip Secondly Battersea Dogs and Cats Home told us too many of those chipped were found to have outdated details and sometimes no details at all making the microchip entirely useless It was concerning but it seemed something time and improved public awareness could yet correct The other problem brought to our attention was more even troubling a reader Caroline got in touch to tell us that her dogs microchip details had been changed without her knowledge or consent while her dogs were being kept by a person who refused to return them after promising to look after them for a short while When Caroline attempted to log on to Petlog to flag the dogs as stolen she realised they were no longer registered as hers She had not been warned of the change nor had she authorised it After some back and forth Dogs Today was told by a Petlog spokesperson that it was possible for someone to change the details on a pet s chip by simply giving the microchip number and describing the dog without showing paperwork and without the registered keeper being contacted We were told that in certain circumstances the keeper would be contacted to confirm the change but were not told what those circumstances would be Needless to say Caroline was 6 Dogs Today August 2022 unimpressed They should at the very least have called me to ensure everything was regular she said What is the point in microchipping your dog if anybody at all can put their own name on it with no basic checks in place Overall the situation was both concerning and puzzling on the one hand too many people did not know or care to keep their pets microchip details up to date and on the other it seemed all too simple for someone to change a dog s details on what was and still is the biggest microchip database in the UK without the dog s owner having any say in it As the issue went to print thinking of these issues as teething problems took a good deal of optimism Five years on has the situation changed Well it has in a way we re pretty much out of optimism What we have now is an increase in pet ownership which soared during the pandemic and a rise in pet theft as unscrupulous individuals immediately got to work in order to cash in on the demand In this situation an efficient microchipping system is more vital than ever BROKEN SYSTEM And yet the system is broken with 18 Defra approved microchip databases all private enterprises to add to the confusion According to a 2021 survey by Tailster com 34 9 of pet owners surveyed did not know which database their pet was registered with making it very unlikely they are keeping their pet s details up to date In the same year Battersea s microchipping report stated Five years on from the law changing 23 of dogs who are found as strays do not have a microchip implanted Furthermore only 26 of stray dogs were fully compliant with the microchipping regulations This means that 74 of stray dogs handled by local authorities cannot be quickly and simply reunited with their keepers solely using their microchips as they should be LOST DATA One of the biggest issues is people failing to update microchip records 63 of stray dogs implanted with a chip have an inaccurate record Most of these are new keepers or owners failing to update the microchip record or to create a microchip record on a microchip database when they get a dog But surely keeping one s dog s details up to date would be anyone s priority we all wish to be reunited with our pets as quickly as possible should they ever go missing A lack of care distraction or confusion can explain some of the problem but not all Could some of the data have been lost The database with the lion s share of the market is Petlog which was set up by the Kennel Club In March 2021 it made headlines when it suddenly asked the owners of pets registered with them which numbered millions to create a new online self serve account as customers found themselves unable to access their pets data Despite reassurances that all the data was safe and that all users were being contacted so they could create a new account reports of data protection breaches flooded in with users gaining access to other people s and pets details while attempting to log in being unable to re register their pets chips or finding that their missing or stolen pets were no longer flagged as such Another reason for concern was that many owners received no communication on the situation or the need to re register and only found out on social media Some did not find out at all In December 2021 one user wrote Had a flyer put through my letterbox about a cat being taken to the vet it was our cat I spoke to the people who took him I said he was chipped they said the vet said he wasn t I contacted the vet to be told he had been hit by a car and had to be put to sleep I asked what was wrong with the chip She said they saw he had a chip but there was no info A quick look on the net and August 2022 Dogs Today 7
received reports of homeless pet owners being charged for changing their pet s details and even cases when a vet who tried to intervene was asked to pay in their stead There is not one answer as to why the microchipping system is not working as it should there are many factors at play and confusion is probably among the main ones It is not easy for someone who is not particularly tech savvy to navigate 18 different Defra approved private databases and some scam ones that are not especially as the database the dog is registered with was likely chosen by the breeder or by the rescue rather than the owner Even if the dog s details are all correct and up to date they are not guaranteed to return home M A D E W I T H 1 0 0 B R I T I S H M E AT S BLANK CHECKS I am a local authority animal warden and I m finding reuniting dogs so much harder nowadays than it used to be Getting through to the microchip databases is a nightmare They either don t answer or it s push button one two or three and listen to a long data protection spiel It takes ages when you re sitting at the side of a road in a van and the kennels are closing shortly I found the BBC story on Petlog Never knew about it I don t do Facebook and there was no communication from Petlog no email no text message disgusting My pet was put to sleep hopefully for the right reason without my knowledge Complaints about difficulties changing pets details make up a large share of the company s negative reviews we even found a story eerily similar of Caroline s with a user saying the keeper details on their dog s microchip had been changed without her knowledge or consent after someone they trusted took their dog Whilst no microchipping database can adjudicate on legal ownership their remit is to record details of the keepership residence 8 Dogs Today August 2022 of a pet to aid reunification we will never transfer keepership of a pet if we have been advised that the pet is missing or has been stolen was Petlog s response although this does not help if the change happens before the dog has been flagged as stolen PAYING THE PRICE And then there is the fact that changing one s details on the database costs money something nearly all the Defra approved databases have in common whether it is through paying a premium service or as a one off payment It is unfortunately easy to see why some may put it off in the midst of a cost of living crisis in which people are even resorting to rehoming their pets Dogs Today has Amy Wigg from PetDatabase com says What we have currently is an imperfect situation in the UK kind of broken really There are now 18 different microchipping databases including ourselves Defra compliant databases have to comply to very minimal standards maintain records answer telephone and online requests at all times and back up all data to a secure off site facility every day Yet we have had cases of people signing up with us and then when it came to contacting the old database it turned out it no longer had their contact details at all All the databases must connect to a central information point It s supposed to make things easier for vets and anyone else scanning the chip When a lost pet is scanned it reveals a 15 digit number Every Defra compliant database is required to have a Check a Chip search facility on their homepage When a chip number is typed in each database must answer true or false as to whether it is one of their numbers You don t find out anything more than which database to try PetDatabase com think the Check a Chip service could be improved to reveal more than just true or false It could show if the pet has been reported stolen or missing and how recently the data was updated and whether the New Ambient Treats Available Now BEEF PADDYWACK LAMB SHOULDER STRIPS FISH SKIN CUBES CHICKEN SAUSAGES PIGS EARS 10 OFF CODE DOGSTODAY22 10 discount code applies to all products Single use only Valid until 31 07 22 O R D E R O N L I N E T O D A Y AT W W W N A T U R A L I N S T I N C T C O M OR CALL 01276 608500 June 2020 Dogs Today 11
Amy Wigg PetDatabase com database is actually holding any contact details Very many chip numbers have completely empty data fields Wouldn t it be brilliant if the Check a Chip could reveal a contact number for the owner Some of the other databases are understandably reluctant to let go of their paying customers when they want to move to PetDatabase com Some have even tried to charge people to transfer One of the arguments used is that having your data on two databases could be confusing Isn t it better to have too much data than none With so many databases there s a real danger that should one of them go out of business their data could just disappear too A reader who asked to remain unnamed told Dogs Today I am a local authority animal warden who has been in this profession for over 20 years and I m finding reuniting dogs so much harder nowadays than it used to be There are way too many microchip databases I can log in and find owner s details to some databases but others will not give me a login Today we had two strays in kennels They were picked up by our out of hours contractor last 10 Dogs Today August 2022 night One was chipped but to an old address the other wasn t chipped at all I did manage to reunite both Neither had ID tags I rarely pick up a dog that has an up to date microchip Getting through to the microchip databases is a nightmare They either don t answer or it s push button one two or three and listen to a long data protection spiel It takes ages when you re sitting at the side of a road in a van and the kennels are closing shortly EASIER ACCESS It could be argued that one single centralised pet database similar to those in other countries may offer a much better solution but Amy says it s much too late for that A single central database is not possible because let s be honest 18 private enterprises will never agree to just share the data they have Plus there are different standards PetDatabase makes changing details entirely free we cooperate with DogLost send owners a ping any time their pet s microchip is checked and will not change details without the authorisation of the registered keeper I cannot see different databases with different rules merging CHANGES AHEAD That change at least may be coming soon In 2021 the Pet Theft Taskforce made several recommendations to improve microchipping legislation with its report stating that new requirements to register additional details and a single point of access to microchipping databases will support tracking lost and stolen dogs A public consultation on Defra s proposed changes closed in May Defra stated The consultation seeks views on new requirements for registering additional details and a single point of access so microchip records can quickly be accessed by approved users to help identify the owners and keepers of pets The transferring of keepership records will also be strengthened to prevent lost or stolen animals being re registered without the keeper being aware and to stop the creation of duplicate records The proposals aim to improve breeder traceability by making it compulsory for the breeder s details to remain on the database for the lifetime of the animal even when the animal changes keeper or when the microchip record is transferred to another database As this goes to print the results of the consultation have not yet been made public I do hope they implement those changes Amy says Our own input was the suggestion to implement functional tests so that all databases every six months confirm their details check how old they are whether any are incomplete and so on Microchipping databases are relying too much on pet owners taking initiative to keep the details up to date and paying for it Clearly that is not working and lost pets pay the price P SuperDog takes our 50 years of award winning nutritional expertise even further all the innovation and careful effective formulation you d expect from Vitabiotics now available for your special companion From vitality to healthy joints and bones SuperDog formulations provide optimum levels of micro nutrients to safeguard the diet of your furriest family member Joints Bones Health Vitality 60 Chewable Tablets 60 Chewable Tablets Proud supporter of Battersea caring for dogs and cats since 1860 Amazon Ocado Paws com and Vitabiotics com From 2022 07 07_ADSPDCONP Being able to see the owner s details from a single point of access instead of having to call whatever database crops up would make things much simpler We are entirely behind the campaign to make the scanning of dogs mandatory but if that is not happening at least making data easier to access would encourage more people to scan However being able to see the owner s details from a single point of access instead of having to call whatever database crops up would make things much simpler We are entirely behind the campaign to make the scanning of dogs mandatory but if that is not happening at least making data easier to access would encourage more people to scan Nielsen GB ScanTrack Total Coverage Value Unit Retail Sales 52 w e 23 04 22 To verify contact Vitabiotics Ltd 1 Apsley Way London NW2 7HF Vitabiotics Ltd will donate 35p VAT from the sale of each SuperDog product to Battersea Dogs Home Limited which donates its profits to Battersea Dogs Cats Home registered charity number 206394 Stockists may vary June 2020 Dogs Today 11
Words BERNARD BALE Photos KEVIN SMITH www kevinsmithphotography co uk Sue Barker knows all about keeping order especially when she was hosting and a gritty opponent during her days as a tennis champion But when it comes to refereeing the unruly team clashes in TV s A Question of Sport She was also pets Sue is beaten game set and match to the dogs ticket by working hard and having some success in the tournament Clearly those tactics worked because Sue s outstanding ability took her to number three in the world and among her many triumphs was winning the coveted French Open I regret not winning Wimbledon but I came close few times so I can t complain At the end of the day I just loved playing tennis watching tennis and anything to do with tennis The fact that I had a tennis career was a real bonus Turning to TV presentation gave me a new career I had a few engagements as a tennis pundit and I just found that I loved broadcasting and was fortunate enough to get other opportunities 30 LOVE Perfect match I have had dogs for years at least 30 years said Sue I cannot imagine how it would be if there was not at least one dog around People who don t ever have a dog don t know what they are missing They are fun they are loyal and I think everyone says this they don t care who you are what you do for a living or anything like that They are only interested in you for you 12 Dogs Today August 2022 Sue Barker first became famous when she was a teenage tennis star and since then she has had more than one successful career I started playing tennis before I was a teenager Sue recalled I was born in Paignton and went to a local school where we were encouraged to try different sports I just took to tennis and when I was 10 I was selected for special training by Arthur Roberts who was one of the most successful coaches in the sport He was brilliant to me and I learned so much He was a hard taskmaster but very fair and always encouraging I remember he started entering me into tournaments overseas and used to tell me that he was booking a one way travel ticket and that I would have to earn the return This year s Wimbledon was Sue s last as a presenter after 30 very successful years There were tears all round when she left the court for the final time and many lovely tributes from tennis stars across the decades Leaving A Question of Sport was similarly emotional I have had some great experiences and a lot of fun especially with A Question of Sport No two shows were the same and at any time anything could be said or done that just turned the whole thing into an hilarious riot That sounds a bit like having dogs around the house a riot can break out at any minute Sue is a fun loving lady and that reflects in her dogs but she has a serious interest too One of the many things my husband Lance and I share is a love of dogs all kinds of dogs and it is heartbreaking to hear of some of the stories of dogs that need someone to rescue them When I came across the K 9 Angels charity I was delighted to see that someone was making such a great effort to help dogs that were in need in places like Romania I took an interest and made some donations and the more I saw what they were doing the more I wanted to help They asked me to become a patron so I did and I highlight their work as much as possible Lance and I went through a tough time as we lost two dogs to cancer First our beloved Bosley went He was aged nine and was very special When he died I said to Lance We can t just replace him with another Rottweiler so we got Charlie a four year old Cocker Spaniel rescue dog Then Nina our lovely placid Rottweiler died too aged eight leaving another hole in our lives So we came to hear about Baiatu He was a black and brown crossbreed who had been rescued by K 9 Angels from a pound in Romania A whole pack of dogs had been rounded up and rehomed but he was the last one left and that really got to us All those dogs go through a terrible time and I couldn t bear the thought that after all that he was left on his own so we met Baiatu or Batty as we call him We did wonder if we were making a big mistake How would he take to living in a house Had he ever walked on a lead K 9 Angels were brilliant Not only had they saved him but they were full of advice for us and even said that if things didn t work out they would take him back until they could find another home So we welcomed him to our home and he has been brilliant ever since We need not have worried at all He settled in pretty quickly he was very clean and it took him just a few minutes to find his own comfy sofa spot He carries quite a few scars from his previous life but we love him to bits and he really does seem to appreciate having somewhere to call home ANGEL MISSION K 9 Angels do such a fantastic job The charity is run by Victoria Eisermann and singer Pola Pospieszalska with a small team of trustees and their mission is to save as many of the world s stray dogs as they can Well worth supporting Sue and Lance obviously have a lot of fun with their family of dogs but is it as good as the days when she was at the top of the tennis tree That was good in its own time but now life is different she said I still play tennis and I enjoyed my TV work and a few other things that we like to do but the real joy is in taking our dogs out into the Cotswold countryside and just having a great time together When a dog enters your life they immediately win you over game set and match P K 9 Angels works to relieve the suffering of animals worldwide but particularly in eastern Europe Cyprus and Asia and have not only rehomed hundreds of dogs but also funded aid for shelters to help with food medical supplies and regular neutering and vaccination programmes Find out more about their work at www k 9angels org August 2022 Dogs Today 13
Words BEVERLEY CUDDY M y first Facebook live after coming out of hospital was with Marc Abraham OBE He was very gentle with me but I d forgotten to send him the invite and also stuffed up the broadcasting tech side of things But as ever he was calm collected and empathetic all the sort of qualities his new book Be More Mosquito recommends when running a campaign I realised I d already broken so many of Marc s golden rules that evening Preparation is key and I d got distracted when speed reading his book and had run out of time to do a test broadcast so had to wing it Probably the quality a campaign mozzy needs the most is creativity Marc had to work out how to make democracy work with trial and error but thanks to his generous book you can take some shorter routes to success but be prepared for a long journey many twists and turns and maybe even a change to your eventual destination Allow the journey to influence and inform so you can adapt to produce a solution to a problem that will unify support without alienating the politicians Politicians are time hungry you need to know your subject and be able to give them credible bite sized information that reveals the problem you want to solve and the solution Create a winwin for them so they can back something you can prove is worthy achievable cost effective and popular with the voters PEOPLE POWER It sounds simple when Marc explains it all but he navigated the system and found a way through for the general public to communicate their feelings direct to their elected representatives He harnessed the advent of social media to empower animal lovers to join together and get their voices heard Our favourite mosquito It s hard enough for most people to get into vet school but Marc has added animal welfare campaigning to his skill set and his latest book gifts all those valuable lessons to anyone else who wants to change the world 14 Dogs Today August 2022 so that political parties started to realise the power of the sector on the doorstep Marc made animal welfare legislation highly desirable for politicians desperate for us to like them again MUTE TROLLS The book is scattered with inspirational quotes The one by Arthur Ashe seems apt Start where you are Use what you have Do what you can If there were to be a mantra it was to swap anger and negativity for proactive positivity which is a great way to live your life especially when dealing with online trolls who can quickly damage even the most stable of people s mental health Marc s tips are don t block them just mute them Blocking gives them attention and energy which makes them feel relevant they feel they must have hit home Not reacting and ignoring is what we all know also works well with attentionseeking behaviour in dogs If injustice is your motivation for change to prevent tragedy keep that your focus Do not be distracted by others who may be stuck in a negative defeatist rut The majority of trolls won t have an alternative solution to the one you are fighting for If they do have anything constructive to say listen and engage and try to work together if you both want to solve the same problem The three steps Marc outlines are 1 Raise awareness 2 Change behaviour 3 Change the law August 2022 Dogs Today 15
No one person can do everything but everyone can do something No one person is ever bigger than the campaign You need to set a tone empathy compassion kindness and a simple clear mission statement And even with minimal resources a passionate team can bring creativity authenticity and integration to get noticed and encourage the public to get involved Chapter two is all about branding something Marc grew up surrounded by His father an artist and advertising creative created many famous brand identities The purpose of branding is to make an emotional connection explains Marc And while that is created with a blend of shape colour and typography the words are also significant If you don t get a clear idea of what it is you do it s going to be an uphill battle He gives Deliveroo s tagline as a good example Food We get it Now one of my Facebook followers the amazing Colette Kase who started Dogs Trust s project for the homeless many years ago questioned the wisdom of calling the book Be More Mosquito when the insect is responsible for millions of malaria deaths But Marc came up with this clever title as it s derived from the famous Dalai Lama quote If you think you are too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito Marc was cutting his teeth on branding in 2009 when Facebook was just starting out He launched Pup Aid a fun dog show judged by animal loving celebrities He wanted a vehicle to help people pull together 16 Dogs Today August 2022 to try to end puppy farming In the book Marc retells the cases that set him on this crusade At the vet surgery in Brighton where he worked he saw a succession of tragic cases of very similar puppies dying from the ghastly disease parvovirus With some amateur detective work he discovered the source of these sickly pups and posed as a buyer to see if the puppy farmer was warning people that their pups were incubating this killer illness With no attempt at grilling Marc the breeder was delighted to offer him one of the pups which he politely declined It made Marc start exploring the shocking world of intensive farming and third party selling of puppies TWEET DREAMS If you are going to be a campaigner you must have the same sort of fire in your belly to succeed a belief that if something is badly broken that it can be fixed One of the tools a good campaign also needs is a memorable hashtag Marc s Where sMum is brilliant In years gone by MPs were often briefed behind closed doors As one or more charities in the animal welfare sector were actively blocking Marc s campaigns it was essential to develop a way of delivering messages direct and the amazing APPG All Party Parliamentary Group named Apdawg was launched five years ago These APPGs are co chaired by an MP and an expert Marc was able to quickly make these meetings a melting pot of ideas and discussion that was extremely popular with MPs Social media is hugely helpful to demonstrate to politicians that the cause is not only worthy but also well supported Marc shares some very good hints for getting tweets reshared A loaded tweet is not a carrier pigeon it s a conventional Twitter message that has between one and four images attached Each image allows you to tag a number of people crucially without eating into the maximum number of characters for that tweet On the Facebook live Marc described how he created loaded tweets after a parliamentary debate he used a number of screengrabs from Parliament TV tagged the MPs and used quotes from them taken from Hansard MPs love getting mentioned on social media and he found many MPs started retweeting the tweets mentioning them Secretary of State at the time Michael Gove even did it twice Tagging celebrities and supportive organisations campaigners may also result in shares further raising awareness of your cause And maybe some of that person s followers might be open minded enough to consider supporting your campaign On the flipside running a popular Twitter account means also being helpful and supportive of other campaigners and sharing what they do too if you approve If you try to have as many followers as those you follow others will assume you are friendly and open to following back which really does help grow your reach Another great hashtag Marc helped with was Jordan Shelley s FlopNotCrop campaign against ear cropping There is so much else covered in the book but I ll end on another of Marc s life lessons Try not to alienate people politicians want to be popular I guess the caveat to that is choose who to alienate Pet theft for example has no worries in vilifying those who steal dogs as they are very unlikely to lobby their MP to make it easier to steal pets P Marc Abraham s book Be More Mosquito is available on Amazon and other retailers now And you can view the Facebook live video here bit ly bemoremosquito June 2020 Dogs Today 17
Words CLARE ANDRUSYK Tick tock TikTok ARE YOU WALKING ONE OF THESE WHILE HOLDING ONE OF THESE With a billion users and animal content being used to garner likes dangerous video content is being shared that harms not only dogs but also the children that watch them T iktok has fast become the favourite social media platform in the past two years with its popularity rapidly rising during lockdown It has over a billion users across the world with almost half under 21 years of age It is free to join and encourages people to make public video creations that others can like people can follow your account for more content if they like what you produce TikTok s clever algorithm susses out your interests and then 18 Dogs Today August 2022 suggests relatable content in the For you newsfeed Even if you hover watching a video for just a few seconds the algorithm will detect that and give the video creator more distribution on the For you page It will also show you more videos adverts of this nature regardless if you liked or followed that creator s content NOT FUNNY I was a TikTok addict myself and have gained over 14 5k followers for my force free educational dog training content thepuppymasteruk Sounds great so far doesn t it The problem is that creators on TikTok have found that animal content regardless of what it is gets more views likes and followers Kids love animal content especially and have easy access to hugely concerning videos of funny animal content which unfortunately is mostly nothing more than abuse for laughs People with millions of followers have a whole account dedicated THIS TOO Poo bag problem There is a better way and it s coming soon Watch out for the September edition of Dogs Today thedoopod
to videos of them filming their dogs in distress their reactivity and anxiety provoking extreme responses for the comical pleasure of others Why TikTok creators who earn a certain number of followers can opt to earn tips and be paid for their content as well as selling products and merchandise through their own shops I have earned these privileges myself So in short it is in the content creator s benefit to put out more videos so they can earn more money or status being TikTok famous is a thing TICKED OFF We now have a new generation of kids addicted to TikTok that will see these animal videos with millions of likes and assume that this is a great thing to replicate or attempt themselves just for fun Replication of these types of videos will have dire consequences leading to serious injury or death The Canine and Feline Behaviour Association reported a 54 increase in dog attacks between 2020 and 2021 with six child deaths from dog attacks in the first five months of 2022 I am not holding TikTok responsible of course but it is highly probable that if you have a child that uses TikTok they will have seen a funny video of a dog suffering abuse for likes They will learn from outside their own parental education that disrespect for animals dogs is acceptable or humorous Unfortunately I have first hand experience of this with my own child who has been raised with dogs since the day he was born He is the reason I was inspired to write this article because even though I have raised him to be aware of animal body language respect and love towards any living creature the evil of TikTok animal abuser content creators captured him He sent me a link to a video on WhatsApp with a LOL I sat and watched a grown man with a Mickey Mouse puppet and voice terrorise his own dog provoking it to attack the puppet and him The dog was resource guarding a bag of cheese on the floor and the puppet was trying to get near him with a comical Mickey Mouse voice I can see why children and some stupid adults would find this funny but I was personally horrified The message it sent was terrorise your dog for likes The creator s whole account is dedicated to making this dog attack him or something else He has 2 4 million followers and has earned himself a verified account blue tick He got a blue tick on his account for dog abuse RUNG DOING Sadly he is not alone There are hundreds more creators making similar videos for reactions and gaining followers I have seen parents filming their children sticking their hands into dog bowls while the dog is eating dogs attacking other dogs or people dogs having their tails pulled dogs having their noses bopped to see their reaction dogs being kissed on the face to see their reaction toddlers sat inside locked crates with the dog in order to prove their dog loves their child Let me assure you that every dog needs and wants their own safe space in order to get away from overzealous children or other I have seen parents filming their children sticking their hands into dog bowls while the dog is eating dogs attacking other dogs or people dogs having their tails pulled dogs having their noses bopped to see their reaction dogs being kissed on the face to see their reaction toddlers sat inside locked crates with the dog in order to prove their dog loves their child 20 Dogs Today August 2022 animals It is not OK for you to allow your child near a sleeping dog in its bed or a dog eating its dinner it will not teach the dog to respect or trust them it could result in the dog defending its area a little harder next time It can cause the dog to be highly frustrated and they will climb the canine ladder of aggression rapidly If you don t know the warning signs of a dog saying no then allowing children to get in the faces of their own family dog is never a good idea Whether it looks cute or not there is always a canine body language expert like myself watching cringing and in despair We also have the added misery that unqualified dog trainers that use outdated dominance theory and corrections are putting out their videos for the world to watch and copy that is a whole new article for the next edition of Dogs Today I fear that the ease of access to such content will provoke more animal bite cases in the years to come with more dogs ending up in rescue or sadly euthanased after relentless antagonising from a child for TikTok worthy content If you are a dog owner with a child that has access to TikTok I strongly urge you to monitor what they watch or remove the app completely TikTok should have a rating of 18 years purely because of the type of content they can come across accidentally due to the algorithms used P NutriPaw Supplement Chews NutriPaw is a one stop shop for over 30 000 health conscious dog owners across the UK NutriPaw have developed natural supplements to support key areas of dog health including stress fear anxiety itchiness scratching digestion immunity gut health joint strength 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Photo posed by a model Great Debate If you have an opinion on this subject that is not already covered here email enquiries dogstodaymagazine co uk putting Great Debate in the subject line Please limit your response to 100 words Julie RoutledgeMartin I think they should lift the ban Legitimate rescues follow the rules Emma Judson No If people feel extremely strongly about being involved in rescuing dogs from eastern Europe then they can move to a country where they can do that There are plenty of dogs elsewhere that require help and there s plenty of help that can be given to dogs from eastern Europe that doesn t involve having to bring them here The long term answer to the rescue problem is education not shipping dogs anywhere I think the ban should stay until we have a way of verifying not just that a rescue charity is a registered charity but that the charity is sustainable is educating and working to solve the problem rather than simply mopping up the mess and is actually meeting animal welfare standards and working within the law There are multiple registered UK charities who operate outside the UK and break the laws in the countries they work in are dubious about donations are hoarding animals neglecting animals etc It is not the Charity Commission s job to ensure an animal charity is actually meeting animal welfare requirements It is currently extremely easy to set up a dodgy charity that fronts a secondhand dog resales business and furthers the trade in mentally and physically unwell animals Jane Johnson No I think it should stay at the moment People are forgetting the reason why it was imposed which is the risk of rabies I m sorry for those that say rescues aren t letting them have a dog but they need to wait a bit longer and look a bit harder further afield in the UK Why risk rabies on everyone else s dogs already here Kirilynn Talbot Rescued animals coming in must have a home or an accredited shelter to go to A lot of this issue has been caused by wealthy EU countries including the UK buying lockdown puppies from eastern Europe Ergo we need to help clean that mess up I volunteer helping get animals out of Ukraine and see the effects of the ban every day Senseless bureaucracy Great Britain has temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs cats and ferrets from Belarus Poland Romania and Ukraine This ban includes rescue animals as well as puppy sales but should it be tweaked to exempt dogs coming from rescue charities Kirilynn Talbot Animals are literally starving to death and rotting in shelters because of this ban It s had a huge knock on effect and has put these countries rescue efforts years behind I don t think they ll ever get on top of it again Pets lost and abandoned by fleeing Ukrainians have the winter to look forward to yet Unacceptable and inhumane Jacqueline Baker A dog s life is a life wherever it is from However it should be strictly policed to ensure all health and welfare requirements are met 22 Dogs Today August 2022 Jenny Nethell We are waiting on a dog from Romania She s been looked after by a Romanian charity while this ban is in place but they could extend it again We both work from home and have an enclosed garden but still struggle to get a dog from a UK charity We already have three happy loving dogs but want a fourth Yes there are plenty of UK charities but every dog we have chosen has been snapped up quickly the rest of the dogs available are not suitable for our pack or household as some need to be the only dog or are not good with children or cats The dog we have chosen needs to be rehomed with other dogs is good with cats and great with kids She s 10 so I m desperate to get the old girl over here to live out her remaining time with us I d be devastated if they extend it again Nik Oakley Banning imports doesn t really solve the problem Anyone can set themselves up as a rescue and use it as a money making operation with little or no principles The sector needs regulating Much as I see real rescues struggling with numbers I do feel that leaving street dogs in the hands of those with little empathy is wrong Education is needed in these countries but that is a long term strategy However I do support the ban on commercial imports Colleen Stead For those responsible rescues who follow the rules tick every box and who have always rescued legally and responsibly knowing where every dog came from and where they are now then yes please lift the ban There are still dogs coming in from other countries And I would think the majority of those saying the ban should stay have never stepped foot in a Romanian public shelter I think their view would be very different if they did Sue Cooper With the difficulties that all rescues in the UK have at the moment bringing more rescue dogs in to the country can only put further pressure on already struggling charities I know it s hard but we have to be sensible about this Mandy Jervis I think the vast majority of dogs coming into the country are going directly to their new homes The dogs from abroad aren t causing problems for UK rescues they re all passported vaccinated and going to their forever homes Defra just can t be bothered to process them It s a farce We re supposed to be a country of animal lovers so let s get back to showing it I m heartbroken at all these set backs We were originally expecting our dog to arrive home on 3 June There are so many dogs over there needing help Carole Morton The ban should stay and maybe for longer Rescues are finding it difficult to accommodate all the lockdown dogs entering rescue with some proving hard to home without bringing in others Sarah Halsey I believe reputable rescues who do everything by the book vaccinations making sure they have a home to go to etc should be exempt The rescues in these countries are bursting at the seams with more dogs and cats coming in every day There s no space no resources The way the animals are treated in these countries is disgusting thrown in rivers bins out of car windows left on a chain outside to guard the house You try to rescue in this country if you have children and work full time it is near impossible These animals have homes to go to They don t have to be a risk There are plenty of tests available to show they are not carrying diseases Yvonne Bushill The temporary ban on foreign imports from four countries has put an extra strain on the rescues in these countries The ban came about from improper paperwork by people not following the rules this put the UK rabies free status at risk However a dog is a dog no matter where it comes from Dogs don t understand borders What difference does it make where a dog comes from As someone who works with a Romanian rescue we are desperate for the border to open again We have dogs waiting for their loving homes and we have food donations waiting to travel back to Romania Why should we stop importing dogs because we follow the rules and others don t There are drivers who don t follow the rules and go on to injure or kill others but we are not all banned from driving Responsible rescues UK and foreign will check homes assess dogs and match dogs to adopters They will also take the dog back in the same way a responsible breeder will What difference does it make to the origin of the dog they don t care why should we Paul Watkinson It is a very fine line While our own rescues are at breaking point we must not turn our backs on war torn animals that so desperately need our help It is a very fine line though that must be monitored as the system is already being grossly abused to get smuggled dogs and puppies into the UK to pass them off as rescues There urgently needs to be an independent body that monitors the growing and overstretched rescues we have here in the UK Let s face it if they are as has been reported at breaking point then why are puppy farmers still churning out puppies for sale Nancy Abner It s so sad of course they should allow rescues Poor babies Shame on you UK August 2022 Dogs Today 23
Great Debate Pam Burns Responsible charities should have always been the exception to this ban It s disgraceful and downright insulting to lump these wonderful and hardworking charities with ones that only see dogs and cats as commodities where the welfare of the animals is of no interest to them Fingers crossed the ban will be lifted and those animals who are in dire need of a loving home can start their journey to a new life here in the UK Isobel Deeley My view is stark while rescues in this country are at breaking point due to people giving up their pets in unprecedented numbers because of the cost of living crisis all puppy sales whether from abroad or nationally should be suspended until there is more balance between the numbers of dogs in rescue and new dogs being bred I know my view will not be shared by breeders but there it is As someone who has been involved in international rescue campaigns I d say if dogs have set homes to go to and come from reputable rescues then yes they should be allowed but it is a double edged sword since a home given to a rescued animal from abroad is obviously going to mean one less home available for a dog in a UK rescue It all depends on the numbers involved so it s hard to give a black or white answer although my general feeling is that rescues should be allowed Moira Doig I think it should be lifted for legitimate rescues who comply with all the necessary paperwork These rescues are in a dire state at the moment run mostly by dedicated volunteers who are at breaking point If we don t help them out who helps these dogs 24 Dogs Today August 2022 Advertorial Emma Winter No not right now Our rescues are at breaking point from a combination of economic reasons lockdown dogs and imported dogs that are often rehomed to people who can t deal with or understand issues that the dog comes with It s heartbreaking to hear what is going on but we can t break our own rescues and the people there in the process Karen Carter The current ban makes no sense It is a crude and blunt instrument Of course everyone wants to protect the UK from rabies but banning the import of dogs from some countries won t do that Good rescuers are extremely diligent about testing and vaccinating their dogs before they come to the UK If someone wants to get around the rules they will do so via another country What is needed here is a framework and compliance to the rules and more checks on dogs coming in One solution would be for all dogs to be held at the incoming kennels for longer than the current 48 hours to allow Defra to do more spot checks Rescuers and transporters caught breaking the rules should be severely punished and the transporter s licence removed At the same time it is really time we looked a bit more closely at what is going on in the UK Way too many people are breeding their pet dog for a quick buck and offering no back up at all should the new home not work out This month s result 15 52 33 Yes No Maybe Jo Maisey Nope The ban is in place due to a rescue s forged paperwork The risk is too great Rebecca Atkin I absolutely think rescues should be allowed to transport again Most charities who rescue from abroad go above and beyond health checks There are dogs there waiting to travel who have people here waiting for them who may not have been allowed to adopt from their local centre for whatever reason I don t think these dogs should be punished because people over here bought puppies on a whim in lockdown with no thought for what happens after and greedy breeders pumped out puppies to satisfy the demand Hearing how some Romanian shelters inhumanely deal with the excess dogs is heartbreaking Public shelters there are nothing like the rescue centres here P Clipit reinventing the way we clip In grooming circles Clipit is known for its hair resistant protective workwear But now it is excited to launch a new cordless lithium ion clipper called the Clipit Quattro Exclusive to Clipit and developed from 30 years of its grooming expertise the cordless Quattro couldn t look more different from the usual heavy cumbersome clippers that have previously dominated the market In fact the Quattro looks more like a trimmer but it s as punchy as some of the big names Delivering 8 000 strokes per minute it is the fastest machine in the clipping marketplace but its shape and weight make it easy to manoeuvre in even difficult to reach places and on small animals The cool running titanium 10 clipper blade runs at a constant 8 000 strokes per minute from a brushless motor Email editorial dogstodaymagazine co uk with your thoughts putting Great Debate in the subject line or write to Great Debate Dogs Today The Old Print House 62 High St Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA You have converted a cordless hater into a cordless lover What a great piece of equipment you ve designed I ve never liked cordless clippers I find them heavy to use and with not enough drive to glide through the coat until now The Clipit Quattro is just the kind of cordless I d been waiting for lightweight with easily changeable blades fast running speed and plenty of charge time What s not to like Joanne Angus award winning groomer A three hour charge delivers six hours of constant clipping Can be used cordless or corded Incredibly lightweight just 254 grams Super slimline ergonomic design Power indicator function With so many benefits the Quattro is set to take the professional grooming and avid home grooming market by storm For more information visit clipit grooming com g entle cold pressed dog food Yes 52 No 33 Maybe 15 Gentle cold pressed is a complete dog food and naturally as close to raw feeding as possible suitable for all breeds and life stages and can be fed alongside raw Stop press the ban has been extended to at least 3 September 2022 Next month s topic is Increasingly councils are banning dogs from public spaces after complaints often from dog owners about other dog owners Should the default rule be all dogs on lead in public spaces unless marked as an off lead space before even more places become totally off limits Original Flavours Small Bites Fish Goat Free from gluten artificial flavourings artificial colouring preservatives animal experimentation and GM products gentle by name gentle by nature E info gentledogfood co uk M 01409 251063 W gentledogfood co uk
Victoria Stilwell Au revoir After 14 fabulous years as a columnist Victoria is hanging up her writing hat to concentrate on other projects but it s not goodbye Victoria Stilwell is a world renowned dog trainer best known as the creator and host of the international hit TV series It s Me or the Dog as well as Greatest American Dog on CBS Dogs Might Fly on Sky One and her web series about police K9s and their handlers Guardians of the Night A passionate advocate for positive dog training methods she is the founder of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training Behavior www vsdta com and the CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training www vspdt com Visit www positively com for news about Victoria s work and details about her books The Secret Language of Dogs Train Your Dog Positively and It s Me or the Dog Illustration KEVIN BROCKBANK 26 Dogs Today August 2022 I hate goodbyes Leaving family members or colleagues at work is always difficult for me even if I know I will see them again soon To soften the blow my father taught me Never say goodbye just au revoir But that s goodbye in French I answered I know he replied it just doesn t sound so final After 14 years of writing for Dogs Today magazine I have decided to hang up my writing hat This has not been an easy decision for me as I love this magazine and have never run out of things to write about but as I expand into other areas of work and interest both in and out of the dog world I find myself travelling and filming even more and my writing is taking a back seat As sad as it is to leave I do believe it is also a good thing to make way for new and enriching voices I wrote my first article for Dogs Today in 2008 It was titled Lead Laws and Dog Parks and explored the differences between domestic dog life in the UK and the United States I am fortunate to live and work on both sides of the pond which gives me a unique perspective enabling me to compare and contrast dogs lives in both countries Lead laws in the States are very strict and it is hard to find places in towns and cities where dogs can run free Dogs in the UK have more off lead opportunities For example a third of London is made up of green parks and gardens but dogs in US cities can only run free in designated dog parks enclosed spaces that are beneficial for socially confident dogs but not for dogs that have difficulty coping in social situations I have covered many different topics in my articles from resource guarding to potty training separation issues to how dogs think and along the way I have flown the banner of positive humane training sharing the battle and sometimes the burden of being a known influencer in the dog training industry Some of my articles have received high praise while others have pushed the envelope and garnered some criticism but through it all you have been dedicated and receptive readers and for that I thank you I have fully embraced the opportunity the wonderful Beverley Cuddy and Claire Horton Bussey gave me all those years ago and written about subjects that I hope have educated engaged and empowered readers It has been an honour to do that every month ALWAYS LEARNING As behavioural and cognitive science sheds new light on our canine companions I am one of the thousands of trainers out there that have adapted accordingly It has been a challenging but exciting journey and continues to be so as we make even more progress We are now on the verge of another big change in the industry as we go back to basics building relationships by focusing on dogs needs and wants rather than putting such an emphasis on obedience training and getting dogs to do things for us for rewards Teaching life skills as I call them sit stay and come when called etc is still important but we are taking the emphasis off these training mechanics stripping away all the frills and delving deep into truly understanding who dogs are while we devise ways to make their lives easier in the modern world they inhabit I care greatly for the dog training industry and all the wonderful trainers in it but it is still an unregulated industry which is why VSPDT Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training and VSA Victoria Stilwell Academy are proud to be founding members of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter which provides assurance to the public and other professional bodies that the practitioner they employ has been checked supported and monitored by a reputable accredited member organisation This is the first time that major dog trainer groups organisations and schools have joined together remarkable for a historically competitive industry but much needed All charter organisations share a vision of standards and accountability for the sector and seek to provide a collaborative approach to the many challenges that lie ahead for the dog trainer industry including regulation and dog welfare issues To find out more about the charter and to find a trainer visit www dogcharter uk KEEP IN TOUCH If you want to stay connected with me I am always on social media VictoriaStilwell for Facebook and Instagram and VictoriaS for Twitter You can take some fun and informative courses and get great information about dog training and behaviour by going to my website positively com and if you are interested in becoming a dog trainer I hope to see you at the Victoria Stilwell Academy VSA vsdogtrainingacademy com If you are already a dog trainer and want to join a great team VSPDTs are some of the best trainers out there And last but by no means least you can get information on how to raise and train your dog through my books podcasts Positively TV or from excerpts from my latest series of It s Me or the Dog on the It s Me or the DogYouTube and Facebook channels So with that I will say au revoir Thank you for reading my articles and for all you do to make the world a better place for dogs And thank you to all those who write for edit and design Dogs Today magazine I will miss you but will continue to be an avid reader of what I believe is the best magazine dog lovers can buy P August 2022 Dogs Today 27
Bizzie Lizzie Fleur Gemma Gena Photo Faith Whiteley Words CLAIRE HORTON BUSSEY They need brushing a couple of times a week to keep their coats in good condition and mat free However they are very clean dogs and only need a bath maybe once or twice a year as a general rule They should not need to go to a groomer if their coats are regularly brushed at home On the way up Is it a German Spitz or a white Pomeranian Neither but closely related to both Meet the Volpino Italiano 28 Dogs Today August 2022 farmers to nobility and royalty Fortunately some of their past admirers included artists that immortalised the breed The Volpino appears in Vittore Carpaccio s 1502 work The Vision of St Augustine and owner Michaelangelo painted one on the Cistine Chapel SPITZ PULL A breed standard was established in 1913 and its popularity waxed and waned before a revival once more in 1968 when it was formally recognised by the Italian kennel club the ENCI And now more than half a century later the Volpino has caught the attention of some UK dog enthusiasts It was the spitz look that first attracted Faith Whiteley to the breed In 2000 I wasn t travelling as much and really wanted another dog Faith explains Having owned a gorgeous Samoyed when I was first married I wanted a similar breed but as I had a very painful back I wanted a dog that was similar but small intelligent and easy to control I met a rather mad Japanese Spitz and decided that was not for me and then found the Italian Volpino on the internet Faith was put in touch with Roberto Francini an eminent breeder who had a puppy for sale I flew to Pisa and met Leo a agility with a number of Volpinos no easy feat when you re in pain and with limited mobility I am on crutches so the dogs have to be intelligent listen carefully and be able to work at a considerable distance from me Faith explains LITTLE GUARDIANS Gena now aged 10 has recently gone blind but she still loves training for agility She goes in and out of tunnels and she loves to jump if I tell her when Gemma her sister from the same litter is a comic who loves showing off and also enjoys doing agility Bizzie Lizzie aged six is the boss Tireless endlessly curious always sure she is in charge she s a super intelligent agility dog who adores everyone and is sure they will adore her This month sees Bizzie Lizzie and her mum 12 year old Fleur compete in the UK team for the ParAgility World Championship in Voghera Italy It is exciting to bring two Italian Volpinos I have bred to compete to Italy if a little daunting Faith says And it s not just agility in which the breed excels Another dog that Faith bred Geno gained his level seven agility by the age of five and has also been trained by his owner Lisa Tarry in flyball I love this breed principally for their characters says Faith Lively intelligent funny curious loving courageous always up to something and up for anything They adore to be cuddled and are sure that you are part of their family They always communicate and they are devoted and if necessary protective of their owner In Italy they are known as The Little Guardians They are also exceptionally beautiful Fortunately their beauty isn t down to hours of intensive grooming Yes they need regular brushing and the coat might look very glamorous but it is entirely practical Faith explains Their double coat is waterproof and the hairs of the outer coat are hollow and insulate them from the heat and cold Their coat has the properties of Teflon Bring a muddy wet dog into the house and 20 minutes later the dirt Geno Photo Lisa Tarry T aking its name from its foxy appearance the Volpino is an Italian spitz that is recognised by the FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale in Europe but not yet by the UK Kennel Club The first tentative steps towards recognition here have been taken though and although there s a long road ahead breed enthusiasts are committed to the cause Descended from the European Spitz which harks back to the Bronze Age the Volpino has long been a feature of Italian life With its alert nature the breed made an excellent watch dog and guard and was popular with people in all walks of life from peasants and very sweet beautiful outgoing dog who was a few months old I was enchanted I couldn t believe I could be so lucky He was half brother to Geo Roberto s World Champion Roberto was so thrilled to sell a Volpino puppy to a UK owner that he agreed to keep Leo for his entire quarantine and then delivered him to the middle of France to give him to me when he was a year old He was a huge success gentle lively alert curious and loved everyone especially children He was a devoted companion who loved learning tricks Leo lived a full life and a long one He was just a few weeks off from 17 years old when he died But that wasn t the end of Faith s love affair with the breed as she d already bought other dogs and started her own breeding programme after learning that there were only 500 Volpinos worldwide With difficulty no one wanted to sell their bitches Faith bought Nuvola a three year old bitch in 2003 from Roberto with the intention to breed Nuvola came into the country pregnant from Geo Faith says All told she had 20 puppies Leo was father to two litters and Bluff do Faldo from Portugal sired the last litter in Ireland 20 minutes later we were on the boat back to Holyhead Fleur was her last daughter Nuvola died when she was 16 a few weeks after Leo Both dogs live on through their offspring and remain a central part of Faith s life Dorabella Leo and Nuvola s daughter died last Christmas at the age of 14 having contracted an antibiotic resistant infection that affected her kidneys She was in the PAWC ParAgility World Champion team for four years and Faith now has two of her daughters Gena and Gemma Faith has bred and trained for August 2022 Dogs Today 29
Bizzie Lizzie Photo Faith Whiteley AGILITY STARS I brush mine comprehensively and gently once a week with an anti tangle wet brush which is quick and efficient at removing loose hair They groom themselves frequently Of course when they are in moult there is a lot of hair I have had the hair spun and it makes a beautiful fine soft wool which is immensely strong To avoid brown marks under their eyes they need to be wiped every day with water In common with their other spitz relations they have phenomenal hearing and an energetic bark They were used by carters in the 18th 19th century to warn of highwaymen on the road and to guard their loads Faith explains Their sense of guardian duty hasn t been lost in the intervening years One of my bitches defended my house says Faith She attacked an intruder who was searching the sitting room She barked leapt on a chair and propelled herself up at him banging him with all four feet 30 Dogs Today August 2022 on his chest and torso She did not bite but he left the room in a hurry I arrived just in time to see the drama The guarding instinct is said to be accompanied by a watchful slightly standoffish attitude towards those outside the family unit But in Faith s experience the breed is very friendly provided socialisation has been done It is often said that the Volpino only likes to acknowledge their family However mine meet lots of children with their parents as I teach at home My Volpinos are desperate to meet anyone who comes within their orbit they love to be petted and played with As you d expect from a breed that does so well in agility the Volpino is an athletic dog that can use its agility to its advantage Faith says They are highly inquisitive confident and nosy and are quick to steal someone s lunch should the opportunity occur They are exceptionally athletic some can jump at least four times their height not to be encouraged and are adept at thieving from kitchen work surfaces and tables It was through agility that Sarah Claydon discovered the Italian Volpino My daughter was learning to do agility at the time with our rescue Pug cross and we wanted a younger dog for her to continue with her agility I was introduced to the Italian Volpino through Faith and her agility dogs Volpino however she was unable to register them at that time The other problem is that any of their puppies cannot be registered if their parents are not ROYAL APPROVAL But funnily enough although it s a long road ahead before the breed can compete at Crufts actually the Volpino competed at the first ever show in 1891 Queen Victoria imported several Italian Volpinos from Florence bred them and showed them at Crufts but in private conversations and her diaries she referred to them as Toy Poms which has led to a lot of confusion over the years especially as they also became known as Victorian Poms after the Queen Until the Volpino s return to the show ring at Crufts it can still compete in the agility competitions which is clearly the breed s forte You don t need to be an agility competitor to have one though They are adaptable dogs and suit many types of home Provided it s someone that s done their homework Faith wouldn t rule out a first time dog owner but a home with young children isn t recommended as the Volpino could be injured by boisterous play or accidents These are really versatile dogs they love to play and then curl up of the sofa with you in the evening says Sarah They love their walks Our bitch has fantastic recall and is brilliant off the lead but our male likes to chase birds and prefers to come back in his own time The other training area that will need particular attention is the speak shush request necessary for all dogs and particularly terriers and spitz breeds Volpinos were bred to be alert dogs and they make fantastic doorbells says Sarah Their alert bark is loud and training from a young age is essential to control this The breed is certainly one that more people should consider and their fans are keen to make the dog community aware of their existence The Italian Volpino is a fun intelligent little dog who will steal your heart and somehow manage to get you to do exactly what they want They make very endearing pets who thrive on human interaction and become loyal and loving member of the family P Visit Sarah Claydon s website about the breed and her kennel Alfoliz at https sadiewhittaker wixsite com italianvolpinouk The UK Volpino Italiano breed club can be found on Facebook shorturl at rV078 has dropped off them they are sparklingly white and there is a pile of dust on the floor Once they have their adult coat it is not necessary to bath them at all unless they roll in something disgusting They do not have a doggie smell even when they are wet Faith put us in contact with Roberto Francini who let us have our first male Volpino UFO Del Colle Degli Ulivi who is now two years old We fell in love with the breed and I became interested in their history and aware of their rarity did some research on them and decided to look into breeding In 2021 we bought a bitch from Vito Lairo called Fragola We had to be careful to find a bitch who was not related to our male dog and was of good breeding A Danish breeder was kind enough to help us to find Fragola Sarah has been in close contact with the Kennel Club with a view to securing the breed s future in the UK and found them to be very helpful and supportive She says Any Italian Volpino in the UK must be registered with an FCI recognised body Our Volpinos were only registered with the ENCI so we needed to register with the United Kennel Club and then transfer to the American Kennel Club FSS Foundation Stock Service in order to register any future generations This way all our current and future bred Volpinos will have official recognition that the UK Kennel Club can accept In order to get the Italian Volpino on to the import register here we must have 30 or more FCI registered Volpinos in the country with a sufficiently diverse gene pool The KC Breed Standards Committee can then be approached to request their addition and on the way out This month we look at two shorter legged breeds the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Lancashire Heeler F rom its registration figures the Kennel Club identifies which breeds of British and Irish origin are at risk of disappearing Those breeds with fewer than 300 registrations a year are classed as vulnerable and those with between 300 and 450 are put on the at watch list Cardigan Welsh Corgi 123 registered in 2021 PIXEL These are active clever dogs who are easy to live with once their brain has been engaged Anne Rayner EARLY DAYS So it is very early days given that there are currently very few FCI registered Italian Volpinos in the UK In fact I believe I own the only two currently registered with the ENCI UKC AKC in this country says Sarah There are other Volpinos who have proved to be 100 Volpino according to DNA testing but these are currently not registered with a FCI recognised body Faith s Volpinos are also 100 Italian Lancashire Heeler 114 registered in 2021 ASTRA This is a long lived generally healthy small dog with a big dog s stamina and attitude Comical to live with easy to train intelligent and willing to please owners this is a herding dog in a terrier sized body Maggy Jones August 2022 Dogs Today 31
Join our exclusive Sub Club With newsagents and supermarkets reducing their shelf space for magazines it s getting harder to find us Help us by subscribing and reap the rewards d Buy Get your first issue for only 1 Then it s 9 99 quarterly by Direct Debit irect and save more than 17 a year UK only Save money enjoy a 17 04 saving over the year Delivered free to your door 15 voucher for PurrfectlyYappy com minimum spend 75 Call us for the special code Chance to win one of 50 Nerf dog toys Get the magazine before it s in the shops Call 01276 402599 lines open weekdays 9am 5pm or subscribe online www dogstodaymagazine co uk product dogs today uk subscriptions All new subscriptions will commence with the current issue Overseas prices Europe 65 20 for 12 issues Rest of World 79 80 for 12 issues The first 50 new or renewing subscribers this month will receive a fabulous Nerf dog toy so even your dog can benefit It s a win win win situation Please remember to include your dog s breed size and age in Dog breed and size during checkout Subscription gifts are only available to the first 50 subscribers each month sorry UK subscribers only By entering you confirm that your details will be passed on to the company providing these prizes for the purposes of distribution marketing 32 Dogs Today August 2022
Postbag Your news views Get in touch We love to hear your news and views and see photos of your dogs Email editorial dogstodaymagazine co uk Write to us at Dogs Today The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA Join the debate Voice your opinions on news stories and other topics on our Dogs Today Magazine Facebook page or through our website www dogstodaymagazine co uk GET WELL SOON MEET PIPPA When I lost my dog Scrappy I was broken and decided to foster for Blind Dog Rescue UK so that when I said goodbye to a dog it was for a nice reason Pippa was my first foster and yes I fosterfailed She walked in and I knew she had chosen her home it felt like Scrappy had chosen Pippa to help heal my heart She arrived as a nine monthold pup who had spent the last few months at the vet s having been attacked with a machete and fighting distemper After adopting Pippa I found out that it was Annie s Trust who had cared for her so I began volunteering for them too Pippa is living her best life now making friends everywhere she goes She loves going out and about in the countryside but is equally happy exploring London She is chill with staying at home as well She loves other dogs and has had birthday and gotcha parties with her dog friends She loves all of the children who visit her and has even helped some overcome their fear of dogs Pippa also helps every foster dog that comes to us learn how to be in a home and somehow tells them that humans aren t all bad Pippa is my perfect pup and I m so glad we can give back to Blind Dog Rescue UK and Annie s Trust as well Rachel Sutton 34 Dogs Today August 2022 Dear Beverley I am so sorry you ve been ill Your magazine Dogs Today is so utterly lovely and touching and funny and sometimes heartbreaking You must live forever to go on editing The June issue is particularly enchanting Kratu is so divine Please take care of your precious self Lots of love and admiration Jilly Cooper
Photo posed by models Postbag continued AGEISM IN RESCUE Regarding the postbag from Lancelot Walton May issue on being too old to rescue at 78 if you look at other requirements from rescue centres age isn t the only problem They want large secluded gardens with a 6ft fence if you already have a dog it has to be a young dog and they only want you to walk your rescue in an area where it won t meet other dogs Honestly Then they complain about having so many dogs wanting homes We are in our 70s with two elderly working Cocker Spaniels and we have just rescued a Breton Spaniel from a shelter in Spain We think he is about three We have had him three weeks now and he is a delight I recommend Animal Angels Global who arrange everything they were brilliant I feel sorry for all the dogs in the UK wanting homes but if the rescue agencies don t lighten up and get a bit more sensible with their requirements then these dogs will be in shelters for years Sheena Standring From Facebook Some of our followers have shared with us their dogs greatest acting skills She has figured out that if she starts limping while out on a hike we ll get worried and carry her The limp miraculously disappears once we get to the car I had her checked by a vet and nothing was amiss She really just played me like a fiddle Nelly Ballard Mine does the limping thing too When I learned better than falling for it and began ignoring it my dog resorted to throwing himself on the ground in the most dramatic way possible Rita Valdez I taught my boy to toilet outside by giving him a treat each time he d poo in the grass He did his business and then came to look at me expectantly After a while he began to pretend pooping so he could come and collect the treat He went into tall grass and I d go mad trying to find it and bag it Took me a frankly embarrassing amount of time to figure out I was being duped Louise Ferguson The Oliver Twist act Huge eyes Please sir may I have some more look like I didn t watch her destroy a full bowl of food five minutes earlier Colin Gardner 36 Dogs Today August 2022
Buying and owning a dog is a big responsibility yet research by the Kennel Club has found that more than one in 10 puppy buyers wish they had spent more time researching their decision BePuppywise ARE YOU READY The first step is deciding whether you re genuinely ready for a fourlegged friend Make a start by asking yourself Do you have the time to give a dog all the care and attention they need Think about both the shortand long term responsibilities remember your small puppy will become an adult dog If your life is already busy will you have the time to exercise bath groom feed train and care for your dog Dogs are timeintensive and require a lot of attention especially while they re young Have you considered the full costs of having a dog across its whole life and being able to cover any eventualities like trips to the vet Are you active and mobile to provide enough exercise and mental stimulation every day all year round for your dog s life Dogs need to be walked and interacted with every day come rain or shine Have you got plans to grow your family or move elsewhere The size of your home and your future life plans can determine which dog which might be most suitable for you them healthy and happy Others will be fine with just a couple of short walks a day although they will still need the same amount of your company The secret to finding the right dog for you is to realistically match what you can give to what each breed needs For example citydwellers in a smaller flat looking for a dog with moderate exercise needs could consider a Yorkshire Terrier while those after a bundle of energy that will give exercisefanatics an excuse to get lots of fresh air may prefer a Springer Spaniel For those looking for their first family dog there are breeds particularly well suited to living alongside children which tend to be patient enough to handle a child s energy and curiosity strong enough to handle the way they play yet gentle with affectionate personalities Learn as much as you can about breeds you re interested in both their good traits and possible downsides Do your research and speak to experts or people you know who own the breed you re interested in The Kennel Club s Discover Dogs event takes place in London in October and is a great place to meet all different types and breeds of dogs and speak to experts about each breed s needs and what they re like to live with THE BEST START Choosing the right breeder is vital A great place to start is asking friends family breed clubs training clubs or your local vet to see if they have any recommendations The Kennel Club Assured Breeder scheme is another way to find a well bred puppy Breeders on the scheme health test their dogs are MEETING YOUR MATCH E xpectations and reality won t always align when getting a puppy but by doing thorough research you can know more about what to expect and avoid unwelcome surprises and potentially devastating consequences To encourage responsible puppy ownership we re sharing the Kennel Club s BePuppywise step by step guide to finding and caring for a happy and healthy canine companion bringing with it a lifetime of happiness fun and a new best friend 38 Dogs Today August 2022 If you ve considered all of the elements of dog ownership and think you re ready for a canine companion it s really important to do your research to find the best match for you your family and your lifestyle There are well over 200 breeds of dogs in the UK and plenty more crossbreeds and rescue dogs of all shapes and sizes and each one is going to be different Be very honest with yourself when it comes to considering what you can give a dog in terms of time exercise training and grooming How much noise you are prepared to put up with how much shedding how affectionate do you want a dog to be Does your dog need to be child and pet friendly Some dogs are higher maintenance and will need a good two to three hours a day every single day of exercise plus training to keep August 2022 Dogs Today 39
regularly inspected to ensure they adhere to certain high standards and it s the only organisation accredited by UKAS to certify dog breeders across the UK All good breeders will be able to answer your questions thoroughly and informatively and you should expect to be asked lots of questions too it shows they care that their puppy is going to a good home Responsible breeders will also perform relevant health testing and screening before breeding to increase the chances of producing healthy happy puppies Ensure you See the puppy with its mum and in its home environment more than once Are provided with paperwork including relevant health test results for the puppy s parents a contract of sale vaccinations and microchip details Are prepared to be put on a waiting list a healthy happy puppy is worth waiting for ROGUE BREEDERS Puppy farmers are clever and via the guise of the internet can disguise horrific breeding conditions often selling poorly puppies to unsuspecting new owners who go on to pay the price in vet bills and heartache It s vital to know the tricks of the trade Look out for Breeders who won t let you see or meet the puppy its mum and littermates Sellers who won t show you where the puppy has been bred and raised or who ask to meet at a neutral location Adverts on multiple sites or signs that the breeder is trying to make a quick sale The breeder not being interested in you and not asking questions about your own knowledge or situation and equally if the seller has limited or superficial knowledge themselves YOUR PUPPY PLAN From doing your research and finding the right breeder you are well on the way to providing your puppy with the best start So what next When you come to bringing your new best friend home make sure you are well prepared and remember that these formative months where they learn and absorb their surroundings are crucial The Kennel Club website has advice and practical tips for when you first bring your puppy home suggestions on how to puppy proof advice on settling them in and socialisation guidance You ll also need to think about puppy training The Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme is a good place to start you can find a local club on the Kennel Club website Some other pointers to map into a puppy plan might include Establishing a routine with feeding walking sleeping and training Creating positive socialisation opportunities including introducing your puppy to new sounds experiences and environments Managing doggie life admin like booking vaccinations arranging insurance and updating microchip details Dogs welcome Receive award winning service from our friendly teams catering to every canine need We provide our paw some guests with a welcome letter dog bed and plenty of other treats and extras Our hotels are the ultimate retreat for dog owners to relax Dog ownership brings much happiness and by being puppywise you can make sure your four legged friend is a happy healthy new family member For more information and advice on responsible puppy ownership and how to ensure the reality lives up to expectations visit thekennelclub org uk bepuppywise EDENHOTELCOLLECTION COM 26_07_2022 EHC indd 1 26 07 2022 11 17
Words BEVERLEY CUDDY Vote Money savers What s the b est money savin g idea you ve disco vered https www surveymonke y co uk r costof dog living2022 The cost of living crisis continues to bite hard and bills are soaring Pet related costs are no exception but together we can pool our knowledge and tips This month is pet insurance still worth it PART 4 I ended up going to the financial ombudsman with a 2 000 bill that my insurer refused to pay and the ombudsman got them to pay up immediately Worth a try Lottie Bennett I don t have insurance for my seven dogs only one keeps breaking the bank I wish there was an insurance for only the really big claims Jaime Hepburn My premium is going up The only issue we had with a claim was due to veterinary error when completing the forms The information given by the vets must be black and white or the insurer will find a loophole Susan Webb I don t have pet insurance but I put money aside each month to pay for vet fees It costs less than insurance But by choosing to own a breed with few health problems and keeping the dogs fit active and slim I rarely have vet s bills Margaret Sierakowski Sadly I think dog insurance is a rip off but if you save you really must have thousands set by for unexpected serious emergencies We tried not insuring one of our dogs but soon after adoption he developed sudden unexplained myocarditis which required expensive emergency specialist care and tests at the RCVS which ended up costing 8 000 and heartbreakingly he died of it anyway In countries like France and Italy pet insurance is rarely used and vet fees are far more reasonable I am convinced that it is partly due to pet insurance that vet fees in the UK have soared so much Isobel Deeley I ve just spent 1 500 on various blood tests that my insurance won t pay until there s a diagnosis Debbie Norley 42 Dogs Today August 2022 I spent 3 500 on Buzz when he swallowed a mini tennis ball The insurer wouldn t pay out and said I should have known better but I didn t give it to him he pinched it off another dog Gillian Kedzierski Our insurers are always quibbling and don t cover dentals Unfortunately we are stuck as the eldest are over eight so it s hard to move them to a different insurer Isobel Deeley I cancelled my pet insurance and joined Dogs Trust to get their public liability for 12 50 per annum for all three dogs Joy Flowers I have a separate credit card for the dogs vet bills It helps me keep track Bridgette Evans Check your house insurance as you may already have third party liability cover Fran Yates I have no tips but my God is insurance expensive now And most of the cover is rubbish Hannah Maria Ditch pet insurance get a 0 credit card and pray Sam Bawden We put 100 a month in Premium Bonds for vet fees with the bonus of our numbers coming up for a win We ve had a few 25 prizes and the money remains ours Rita Lankester Having had a dog that needed specialist vet treatment I d say please do not scrimp on pet insurance Beverley Keen Yes dog insurance seems like a rip off if you are lucky and don t need to use it It is a lifeline to others Karen Rhodes Always recheck your insurance and see if you can get it cheaper at the renewal Or look at increasing your excess to reduce your premiums Sharon Hough Just be aware that if you do move you won t be covered for pre existing conditions Jane Clarke For renewal with the same company it doesn t hurt to ask if you can reduce the premium without changing what is covered especially if you increase your excess It never hurts to ask Sharon Hough Sell your unwanted items on eBay and Facebook marketplace and save it up for an emergency fund for your animals Trish Smith Next month General money saving tips for dog owners August 2022 Dogs Today 43
W My Dog Crush Photos by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk ith an ever wagging tail and sweet nature this happy little spaniel isn t called the merry Cocker for nothing Sponsored by For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR Our survey of Cocker Spaniel owners revealed Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2018 UK Winners 2013 2019 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Endorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine Feline Behaviour Association Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk Character M any of us have dog crushes soft spots for breeds or types that we love but know we ll probably never own for lots of terribly sensible reasons Maybe you don t have enough hours in the day for the dog you dream of Perhaps you have a wandering eye and there are just too many dogs to fit into a lifetime Or you already have a house squashed full of adored allsorts that chose you In this feature we go through popular dog crushes and take a fresh look at what it would be like to actually live with them 44 Dogs Today August 2022 Cocker Spaniel Gentle and affable the Cocker Spaniel is a friend to many Loving was the word that appeared most often when our survey respondents were asked to describe the breed and 80 describe their dogs as very affectionate Happy contented creatures 80 of those surveyed described Cockers as the merriest creatures on earth with 76 saying they are friendly with everyone they meet 79 said the Cocker lives to please its owners Their close bond with their loved ones might partially explain why 33 of those surveyed said the breed experiences separation distress if left Our survey respondents said the breed suited most types of home townies country folk young families or the retired provided sufficient companionship and exercise could be offered The only home that was universally advised against was one where the owners work all day and a dog walker visited Health There are a number of health tests needed for the breed They should be BVA KC ISDS eye screened and also have a gonioscopy eye test for primary glaucoma DNA tests are also required for prcd PRA an eye disorder called progressive rod cone deterioration progressive retinal atrophy familial nephropathy a genetic defect that causes kidney damage acral mutation syndrome the self mutilation of limb extremities due to pain and adult onset neuropathy an inherited neurological disorder that causes weakness lack of coordination and lameness Hip screening for dysplasia is also recommended Only 7 of our survey respondents said their dogs had made their vet a fortune with most saying they breed was no more or less healthy than any other dog 27 of those surveyed had experienced cancer in their dogs 36 eye problems 46 ear problems and 38 anal gland issues Exercise The breed standard explains that the Cocker is full of life and exuberance and this is certainly an active energetic gundog at heart 19 of all respondents gave their dogs 45 minutes of exercise each day 32 an hour 28 an hour and a half and 20 had two hours or more Do working Cockers need more exercise than the show type 29 said the working Cocker did and 18 said the show Cocker will take all the exercise you want to give but they have an off switch which some working dogs don t 39 said both types are active intelligent dogs and 29 said it was impossible to generalise as it s down to the individual dog rather than type Training behaviour 80 of those surveyed said the Cocker is intelligent but easily distracted But when focused this is a smart cookie 78 found them easy to housetrain and no one said they were difficult 46 said their dogs were terrible food thieves with various anecdotes having us in stitches One of my boys stole a fisherman s sandwich said one Another reported that their dog had opened the oven to get to a roast chicken and then raided the freezer the next day Some Cockers have a bit of a fruit fetish She ate all the strawberries from my garden said one owner Another said their dog pulled a chair to the dresser to steal a banana peeled it and ate it NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR 9 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 2021 UK For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Global 100 2020 WINNER Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK Winners 2013 2022 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk August 2022 Dogs Today 45
My Dog Crush Best names Origins T What s the difference between show and working types Head shape size and build Show type has long low ears and a rounded head Show Cockers have thicker muzzles and are heavier set Working Cockers are more energetic Show Cockers have longer fur and longer ears Show Cockers have a domed head Workers are slimmer Show Cockers aren t as crazy 46 Dogs Today August 2022 Loving Jarvis Floyd Fun Maya Happy Fern Lively Woody Sweet Cooper Playful Miller Friendly Margot Bonkers Bailey Willow Owner s view What would you change about them A bit less energy More room in my bed Stop the thieving Nothing Add an off switch A longer lifespan H oney is the first Cocker Spaniel I ve lived with and I am continually surprised by how affectionate and happy she is says our editor and publisher Beverley Cuddy I spend a lot of time on Zoom calls these days and I often find I am wearing her like a scarf and having my ears cleaned Any bit of visible flesh is licked Honey is the happiest creature on the planet until she isn t Her sad noises when someone has to eventually go home would win Oscars And she waves at them at the window giving the full effect of the beautiful tragic spaniel expression But this beautiful pocket rocket is all gundog when she s outside she almost gets those lazy crows as they take off and won t ever stop trying until she succeeds She refuses to believe any creature is bigger than her and is very bossy towards our other dog Betty and she has the personality and swagger to pull this off Honey is also a terrible snitch should Betty be using her height advantage to steal food off the kitchen counter Cockers definitely need plenty of mental and physical exercise They really love companionship too And those ears well they need continual combing and removal of food But I have to say that is her only design fault Honey here was no separation of spaniel breeds originally they were all grouped together under the name of Land Spaniels or Water Spaniels and selectively bred for working ability rather than appearance At the end of the 1800s however cocking spaniels those who hunted woodcock were identified as being under 25lb with field spaniels and springing spaniels being larger At first Cocker Spaniels in the show ring were mostly black in colour with parti colours being introduced through outcrossing with the Welsh Springer Traits NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR 9 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 2021 UK For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Global 100 2020 WINNER Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK Winners 2013 2022 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk August 2022 Dogs Today 47
My Dog Crush Best Facebook group Love the breed Shop the breed Cocker Spaniels UK Cute little handmade soap with bergamot sweet orange and ylang essential oil 3 50 from Heathers HandsSoaps on etsy com Handmade resin Cocker Spaniel statue 40cm and it won t dig your garden 39 99 from the PrettyUnusualGifts store on etsy com Working Cocker natural stone coaster 5 95 from CarrotTopsNFreckles on etsy com Advice for wannabe owners Always visit the litter more than once make sure you see mum and try to see dad too Non stop walks and training will be rewarded Be ready to have your heart and sanity stolen Research research research Invest in an excellent positive reinforcement trainer and socialise your dog in a variety of situations Teach the dog to settle and to be happy with alone time to avoid separation problems Make sure you have the time and energy before committing Ears The long silky ears are perfect for stroking and they are a stunning feature of the breed But they dangle in food the hair can knot and they can be prone to infections Thankfully our respondents had lots of advice Snoods are great Use a soft scrunchie Keep the hair in the inner ears short and trim the inside of the flap Dry the ears after swimming Check daily and remove any foreign objects Use spaniel bowls Brush ears every day Flip the dogs ears up when they re sleeping to get some air to them Use Stinky Stuff NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR 9 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 2021 UK For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST 100 Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK Winners 2013 2022 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Cocker cookie cutter Perfect for making birthday treats for a breed lover or dog biscuits for the special Cocker in your life 10 16 from Bakerlogy on etsy com Beautiful blank photographic greeting card of a working Cocker Spaniel Delivered with a quality white envelope 2 95 from Gruffpawtraits on etsy com A blank greeting card featuring an endearing portrait of a Cocker Spaniel called Millie 3 50 from Bowwowsketch on etsy com NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR 9 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without Global 2020 WINNER Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk 48 Dogs Today August 2022 v Snood ear protection when feeding against grass seeds etc A range of materials and designs some waterproof From 6 99 from TopDog ShowSupplies on etsy com Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 2021 UK For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Global 100 2020 WINNER Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK Winners 2013 2022 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk August 2022 Dogs Today 49
Crossbreed posed by models Quick question Do you have a problem you d like answered by an expert Or do you Email your question to enquiries dogstodaymagazine co uk throughout the process and should your pet require any regular medication it s best to try to stock up on supplies ahead of your move so that you have some time in your relocation country to set up a new prescription Lucile mentioned passports and vaccinations were essential Due to pet passports and vaccinations we could not move the cats right away as they had to have had their vaccine booster more than three weeks before moving and we could not manage this timing How can I relocate with my pets as smoothly as possible EXPERT ADVICE Moving with a pet can be stressful let alone when the move is to another country Lucile Taillandier compliance manager at Remitly recently moved from Luxembourg to Ireland and is keen to share her experience and advice Plan well in advance Relocating your beloved pet to a new home abroad is definitely not as simple as buying a ticket turning up at the airport and getting on a flight When there s an animal involved you should factor in that the process can take from as little as three months to as long as a year depending on where you re relocating from and to It certainly pays to factor in realistic timescales at the very beginning of the process so that you can be as sure as possible that your pet can be with you from the very beginning of your new adventure rather than having to join you later 50 Dogs Today August 2022 want advice from someone with personal experience of the issue Consult your vet It s imperative that you consult a trusted vet ahead of any international move They ll be able to tell you if they have any concerns about the health of your pet how travel may impact them and crucially they can advise on what s needed for the country you re travelling to so that all vaccinations and treatments are fully up to date It s useful at this stage to get a full copy of your pet s medical records as you ll need these Find out the pet import laws for the country you re moving to Every country is different when it comes to pet import rules so this stage will take some thorough research Sadly there s no one resource that summarises absolutely everything you ll need to know because there are so many different caveats This resource www bringfido co uk is an excellent starting point for an overview of what each country is looking for and how strict they are on letting in different species and breeds with regards to rabies Lucile who spoke to her vet prior to moving her pets was advised of different laws regarding mandatory microchipping She said The vet added a microchip to my cat who at the time only had a tattoo on his ear because tattoos are not officially recognised any more which I was not aware of However the best possible advice here is to search for importing an animal into insert your destination country and you ll be served with the relevant page from your relocation country s government website This will list all the requirements and considerations for everything you ll need to prepare in advance of you and your pet s move Speak to your travel provider When you know which airline you ll be flying with call them as soon as you can to discuss their pet guidelines It s likely they ll have their own rules for travelling with an animal but even if not you ll be able to find out what you ll need to do on the day of travel and what you need to bring with you Lucile who looked into airline travel opted for a ferry to move her pets She explained We searched all over the internet to find the best solution to relocate our pets At the time we needed to relocate them the only solution we could use was actually the ferry We were not keen on them taking the ferry originally as it is a long journey for pets But it turned out this was our only available solution eventually so my mum kindly brought them over to us by sea Airlines would not accept for one person to carry two cats and eventually it became impossible to organise our pets relocation by the air Get paperwork in order Treat your pet s paperwork with as much care as your own passport and wallet Investing in a good quality document wallet is a good starting point so that you can easily keep all necessary documentation in one place You ll need to include vaccination records and certificates your pet s passport and a health certificate from your vet as an absolute minimum and also ensure that you have abided by the documentation requirements of your airline and relocation country It s well worth making copies of everything too so there s no last minute stress if you inadvertently misplace a key letter certificate or piece of signed paperwork Prepare your pet for the move Whether you re travelling with a cat dog or any other animal they will need to be in a suitable crate for their journey Similar to the first time you take them to a vet in a basket or crate it will definitely help if they are acclimatised to their travelling surroundings as soon as possible as it s likely they ll take a bit of time to associate their crate with positive feelings and behaviours If you re unsure talk to your vet to get some further tips and expertise on how to do this most effectively but a good starting point is to fill it with some of their favourite treats and comforters such as blankets bedding and toys Lucile said I am amazed at how our cats adapted immediately to their new environment This after a first trip by car for several hours spending two weeks in a different unknown house and a new journey of over 18 hours car ferry car again It s all in the timing Sometimes the timing of your move is out of your hands and has to be done quickly to take advantage of a new job offer or the perfect accommodation that s become available If this is the case consider whether it s best to move your pet at a later date when you re settled and have the right amount of time to finalise all the necessary paperwork Although this won t be possible for everyone perhaps your pet could stay with a family member or close friend while you relocate and arrange the move If time is on your side and you can select a date at your leisure make life as stress free and comfortable as possible for your pet by selecting a flight when it s neither too hot nor too cold and outside of peak periods P August 2022 Dogs Today 51
True Case History by Peter Neville It s rare to be asked to help a perfectly well behaved dog but with a newbie joining The client Owners Tanya Anton Williams Address Mowbray Cape Town South Africa Dogs Barney Luna Breed Dachshunds Age 3 years old and 12 weeks old Sex Male neutered female intact Problem New puppy in the house Hi Peter We have a perfect dog I know that this is probably not the usual way that dog owners begin their emails to you but please read on Barney a three year old male Dachshund has been part of our family since he was eight weeks old and after putting in all the hard work that comes with having a new puppy training boundaries that we stuck to management supervision consistent feedback and lots of love along with ongoing socialisation toys and frequent walks we ended up with a dog that I can honestly say is nothing but a pleasure to live with Barney is a sweet affectionate friendly dog who loves spending his days lying at our feet while we work or finding a sunny spot in the garden to snooze or to chew a toy He enjoys playing with our cats and us and his manners are impeccable He won t run out of the gate even if it s open he comes when we call him he walks well on and off the lead he doesn t jump up and he doesn t bark excessively He likes it when we tuck him in under a pile of blankets at night where he will snooze until morning but not too early he doesn t like the cold So why you may ask am I contacting you We did something that we fear Barney may not forgive us for We messed with the tranquility and got a new puppy Luna is the sweetest little girl who at eight weeks of age when she arrived latched on to Barney like a well barnacle She wants to play 24 7 she s mouthy she jumps on him and chews his ear she wants to share his food out of his bowl and she wants to sleep pretty much under his skin She cries when she can t see him and for 10 days he tolerated this constant onslaught of puppiness without so much as a grumble The last couple of days though he has started to hide from her He finds anywhere he can where she can t get to him and he actively tries to put distance between them I think we need to help him What we thought would be the best thing ever for him is starting to look like a mistake but we already love Luna and can t bear the thought of the two of them not getting on What can we do to help our two dogs to get on well Kind regards Tanya 52 Dogs Today August 2022 T anya s email caught my eye one afternoon when I was scrolling through my inbox because it doesn t happen very often that I get a mail that starts by extolling the virtues of a pet so I was definitely intrigued by this one The more I read the more I wondered what the problem could be until I reached the description of Luna and then my sympathies immediately went out to the family It can be so upsetting when a family gets a second pet who then promptly and usually innocently overwhelms the existing resident In Barney s case Luna was just being a perfectly normal puppy but at an intensity that was causing poor Barney great distress Dachshunds are in my experience usually quite socially tolerant little dogs if socialised of course so for Barney to have to resort to hiding away from his new housemate told me that he really must have reached his limit with Luna I made an appointment for that afternoon to meet the family to see what we could do to help resolve the problem the household trouble was brewing in paradise Meeting the client Tanya and Anton clearly loved their dogs Barney was a lovely fellow who greeted me at the gate with a song literally Tanya came out and explained that they didn t have a doorbell Barney was it He absolutely loved people and he loved singing hello to them Since it only lasted for five seconds and he so enjoyed doing it it didn t bother them and they had come to rely on that singing to alert them to the presence of visitors at the gate As I walked in through the gate Barney enthusiastically sniffed my shoes all the while wagging his tail so hard that I thought his bum would fly off A few seconds later a small blurry brown streak came tearing out of the house aiming straight for Barney Luna at 12 weeks was a bundle of excitement and energy and after quickly saying hello to me she launched herself on to Barney grabbing his collar and playing tug with it neck and all The poor dog sat down and tried his best to ignore the puppy hanging on to his neck but you could see he wasn t enjoying this at all When Luna let go and grabbed Barney s ear instead she bit hard Barney yelped and tried to move away but Luna persisted until he eventually growled and air snapped at her He didn t make contact and he was very careful just to warn her but too careful perhaps since Luna took no notice and simply latched on to his collar again and shook it Barney stood up and tried to squeeze in between Tanya s ankles to shake the puppy off and then Anton picked her up and held her so that Barney could move away Luna just wriggled furiously trying to get down to the ground so she could carry on pouncing on Barney The background In the lounge we had tea while Anton put Luna behind a baby gate with her lunch This allowed Barney some peace and quiet while we discussed the two dogs history Luna wasn t very keen on this strategy According to the couple whenever she was separated from them or Barney she would whine non stop even when she could see them I asked Anton and Tanya why they had decided to get another dog Tanya sighed and told me that it was because so many people had told them that poor Barney needed a friend and so despite their better judgement they had decided to adopt another Dachshund thinking that he would enjoy having a playmate Initially he certainly did but the non stop onslaught soon became too much for him They tried separating the two dogs for short calming down periods using the baby gate but then Luna would cry incessantly and that was distressing for them too They simply didn t know what to do to because Luna was the polar opposite of Barney Anton held Tanya s hand while he asked me to be honest with them If I felt that it was better for Barney if Luna were rehomed then they would do it but for them the first prize would be to keep both dogs and have them both happy I assured them that rehoming would not be necessary and reminded them of the amount of work they had put into Barney s early education and the amazing results they had achieved Luna needed the same now so she too could grow up to be a confident but calmer dog Peter Neville is an adjunct teaching professor at The Ohio State University USA and a director of Coape International an online education provider of pet behaviour therapy courses www coapesa com and www facebook com COAPEInternational Peter has presented a behavioural case history from his practice for Dogs Today since the very first issue He now lives in Finland with his partner Stella their Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Spooch and cats Bulldozer and Asla but he frequently disappears to Africa to help guide safaris specialising in tracking and studying African Wild Dogs and other large predators with Rae Safaris www raesafaris co za After more than 30 years this is Peter Neville s last True Case sob He is hanging up his pen to concentrate on safaris books the WorthWildAfrica charity and other projects and we will all miss his regular contributions But he is passing on the baton to the wonderful Karin Pienaar at Coape International so we remain in good hands August 2022 Dogs Today 53
True Case History by Peter Neville Crate space Tackling the problem We had to start by addressing the elephant in the room Unless Luna was comfortable being alone occasionally we couldn t give Barney time away from her So our first order of business was to create a puppy play area where Luna could spend first a few and then up to 20 minutes a few times a day on her own Learning to cope when nobody else is around is a critical skill every dog should learn if not it sets the stage for separation problems to develop which is a horribly distressing experience for any dog and possibly costly for the owners So Luna now had to have short alone time sessions where she had so much to occupy herself with that she would barely notice that she was on her own We didn t want to make the sessions too long at first If she became distressed it would amplify her reluctance to be alone it had to be done gradually and always pleasantly Luna was teething which meant she needed to chew so we decided to combine chew time with alone time She would be put behind the baby gate with a couple of delectable chew toys to keep her busy Tanya or Anton would hang around close by but disinterested until she was engrossed in her chewing and then they would step gradually out of sight as long as Luna was comfortable Before she was finished with the chew and before she could whine they would come back and casually open the baby gate If she slept they would just open it softly and leave it open helping her to learn that being alone is a nice calming experience We also hid treats around the puppy play area to encourage her to sniff around and explore on her own and to learn to solve life s little problems and enrichment in the shape of puzzle feeders to help her learn frustration tolerance and more problem solving skills 54 Dogs Today August 2022 Tanya had already bought a crate for each dog Barney loved his and preferred to sleep inside during both the day and at night He didn t mind Luna sharing his crate at night as the extra hot body made the bed extra snug and warm That was a great sign to me if we could emphasise all the great things about Luna Barney would hopefully soon see her as a good friend instead of an increasingly annoying hassle As the crates were already in place we could start using them to our advantage Each dog was to be fed in his or her own crate with the door closed so that Luna couldn t access Barney s food bowl I suggested scheduled feeding for both not only to control the eating process but also to monitor their respective food intakes Barney had been getting quite chubby from all the puppy food he was managing to purloin while Luna was getting slightly skinny because she was largely only eating Barney s light kibble in return as they swapped bowls By feeding them in their indoor kennels we could cratetrain and manage the eating simultaneously Gently does it Gently does it Finally we had to resolve the issue of Luna constantly jumping on and biting Barney Tanya and Anton would have to be far more hands on with her If she made a beeline to him every time they met they had to preempt and distract her with a toy We taught Luna the leave cue and I showed the couple how then to redirect her attention elsewhere This was the hardest part of the programme because they were going to have to be very attentive 24 hours a day except when the two dogs were physically separated which would be after Luna had first learned to cope with being apart from everyone Luna already had very good bite inhibition she was simply annoying Barney by being far too enthusiastic all the time in trying to get his attention and play with him According to Luna s breeder her litter had played non stop when they were awake and the play was fairly rough so this is where she had learned to behave like this with other dogs But if Luna did not stop rough housing Barney when asked she was to be taken calmly away from him for 20 seconds or so to calm down before being brought back if she was calmer By being consistent with this Luna would soon learn that gently meant not jumping on or chewing Barney When she played with him using a toy and could be around him without overwhelming him she could spend as much time as she wanted to with him but any excessive excitement resulted in loss of access The result With Tanya and Anton on the case I bade my farewells with the promise to follow up in a month s time but to be there on the end of a phone or computer if they needed some ongoing advice When I called to check on progress I was very pleased to hear that Luna s behaviour had improved dramatically She was a much calmer pup who enjoyed playing with Barney using a tug rope and Tanya said that Barney was also a much happier dog now too Luna still tried to occasionally jump on him but he didn t seem to mind it now and if he did start showing any discomfort they would still intervene immediately The two dogs were now sleeping together during the day in the sunshine too and overall Tanya and Anton and felt that the situation had improved a lot It had been and still was hard work Tanya admitted but definitely worth it P Fun times Then we had to set about trying to restore and then improve the bond between the two dogs I suggested giving them tug ropes and tennis balls so they could play fetch and tug together Walks could happen after Luna s final vaccination and when the dogs were walked together Tanya and Anton had to make sure that Luna did not jump on Barney She could also learn to walk on a lead behind him which would help with the being away from Barney tolerance August 2022 Dogs Today 55
Just for fun Use the clues to fill in the words below and solve the anagrams of some breeds with countries in their names Words can go across or down Letters are shared when the words intersect Caption this Can you come up with a witty and amusing caption for this photo 1 Across 5 newsgirls planisphere 6 club dr flog hen 7 drawing teashops 2 Down 1 3 alienation nips 2 thirstier escort 4 3 denser diarist therewith 4 eggshell hidden poos 5 Do you have a funny pic you d like us to feature Please email it to us with Caption pic in the subject line 6 7 In the ring Since April 2016 it has been compulsory for all dogs over 8 weeks of age to be microchipped and details registered and kept up to date with an authorised database Have you checked that your dog s chip is working is correctly registered and all contact information is up to date Don t know which database your dog s microchip is registered with Type your chip number into www check a chip co uk TIP Keep a note of your dog s microchip number and database details on your mobile phone Notify the microchip company immediately if your dog goes missing and register on www doglost co uk Just for fun Unscramble the jumbled letters in the circles Can you find the three hashtags for dog related campaigns A B MEW HE SUM R IAKC C P FOOL NO TCP Winning caption Suzie Day The winning caption will win a Fuzzu A Gorilly Named Billy Dog Toy worth 13 99 from www purrfectlyyappy com The person who sends the first correct answer to the Cross Question will win a pack of SmartBones a healthy alternative to rawhide from www purrfectlyyappy com How to enter Send your Caption Competition Cross Question entries together with your contact details via email to comps dogstoday magazine co uk or post to August Competitions Dogs Today The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA to arrive by 25 August 2022 Cross Question July Caption Runners up Trailer for the new Spaniel Craig movie Kirsty MacLennan Something touched my foot Sierra DB Can you guess which breeds Jon s parents are Part of your wooooooorld Sarah Hatton Steve Backshall And oh my God the rarest of all creatures the Spanner River Dolphin This folks is a special moment Isn t he awesome Emma Carpenter The synchronised swimming team still needed a little practice Jackie Salmon July Cross Question Solution Linc s parents are a Dobermann and a Dalmatian The first correct answer came from Alice Barnes In the ring answers A WheresMum B FlopNotCrop C MakeChipsCount 56 Dogs Today August 2022 August 2022 Dogs Today 57 Dobermann posed by a model Dalmatian by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk Check your chip The Olympic artistic swimming competition was going fantastically well when suddenly out of the corner of her eye Petra noticed a duck Winners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will win a prize from Purrfectly Yappy Photo submitted by Hendrawan Barli Criss cross answers 1 Italian Spinone Scottish Terrier 3 Irish Red and White Setter Old English Sheepdog 5 Welsh Springer Spaniel 6 French Bulldog 7 Spanish Water Dogs Photos by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk Criss cross Put the kettle on and have a go at our competitions Photo submitted by Penelope Malby www penelopemalbyphotography co uk Tea break
Prize crossword Quick clues Cryptic clues Across Down Across 6 Mastiff oriental breed 7 1 6 Giant eats live breed of 7 2 Abandon 6 Facial feature of some collies 5 Stereotyped name for dog 4 hound 7 3 More than a hundred such dogs 8 Muscular German breed US spelling 8 7 in a Disney cartoon 10 10 Description of a lapdog maybe 4 4 See 15 Down 11 Notable marking of 3 Down 4 5 Blanc et Noir and 13 Greek restaurant 7 Tricolore two French hound breeds 8 14 Summer period for canines 3 4 16 in Show award at competitions 4 Canadian hunting dog 4 6 Stravinsky 4 12 Purebred dog s line of descent 8 18 Terriers from north of the border 8 and Don 8 houses 4 11 Place name for dog 4 declare this the place to eat in Athens 7 15 And 4 Down Black and tan 20 His tales featured animals with human Scottish gundog 6 6 foibles 5 16 Snapping 6 21 Reindeer Herder European working dog 7 19 Siberian Laika spitz type 4 14 Hot times for Rover 3 4 16 Possibly bets dog is such a friend to man 4 17 Return of American soldier 2 3 4 5 dogs 8 7 6 20 Fabulous writer striking a pose 5 9 8 21 Sounds like complete type 10 of hound 7 Down 11 1 13 12 Dog I d located in Foreign Office 4 2 Leave uncultivated region 6 14 16 15 3 Alan admits wild dogs 10 4 See 15 Down 17 19 18 22 21 5 Assisi s saint keeps a Blanc et Noir for example 8 9 After November racing 21 event I ll find a home for Canadian retriever 4 6 Name _________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Postcode _________________ Telephone _____________________________________________ Email address ___________________________________________ Breed type of dog _______________________________________ 58 Dogs Today August 2022 We occasionally loan our address list to charities and companies we feel may be of interest to you Please tick if you do not wish to receive this information Q breeding gee displayed with pride 8 15 And 4 Down So don t regret retraining dog 6 6 16 Keen though unfriendly dog might be doing this 6 19 Each street direction 4 P S E S O I U A E U N S E N A P A J S K J H W E O U F C K Q F A M M E R A M Y V O R O H C O I C H Q P O V Q A G T J B O N P V N S N N O O B N K S O D S Z Z B Z I T W O S F N F A R F D O C O S U A A S C D U Q L L R W O T W P E X E F T E B X T I Q T S A Y S L E L A I W W V E D Z Z B U L L T E R R Z P L N I W Y U S T J E E W C M E S I P R B E V E R D Y U T W W W O X E T L A M C How to enter I Complete the crossword grid then post your entry to arrive by 25 August 2022 to August Crossword Dogs Today The Old Print House 62 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8AA The first correct entry pulled out of the hat after the closing date will win the prize The judge s decision is final R R R R X S O B O D E D S T Can you find these breeds that can be white Search up down forward backward and on the diagonal to find them July Solution Bichon Frise Maremma Coton de tulear Bolognese Kuvasz Japanese Spitz Poodle Maltese Bull Terrier Samoyed Komondor Westie Across 1 Whelp 4 Belgian 8 Salukis 9 Coton 10 Extensor 11 Diet 13 Basset Hound 17 Ivan 18 Griffons 21 Grand 22 Iron Age 23 Scholar 24 Fleas Down 1 Washed 2 Eclat 3 Pekinese 4 Boston Terrier 5 Lice 6 Istrian 7 Ninety 12 Woof woof 14 Azawakh 15 Dingos 16 Assess 19 Orate 20 Idol Maremma Sheepdog posed by a model 12 Proof of dog s good I Just for fun R S A Z H W A W S C M O Y A D Saluki by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk 20 Win this The winner of this month s crossword will receive a pack of Soopa Cranberry and Sweet Potato Dental Sticks Find more Soopa dog treats at PurrfectlyYappy com or Russian 4 18 Sir Walter is keeping English T E 10 Very small pet in Yorkshire 13 Worker returns about to B Z L Wild creature finally acquired what collie has 5 8 Dog trained by Amber 9 Duck Tolling Retriever 17 First name of Russian composer 1 Wordsearch Compiled by Gyles Brandreth August 2022 Dogs Today 59
Classified adverts Holidays Training Services Products Want to advertise your business in our classified section Email mike dogstoday magazine co uk or call now on 01276 402591 Classified Adverts Boturnell Farm Cottages Dogs stay free Holidays Products Luxury self catering lodges in the Yorkshire Dales Want to advertise your business in our classified section Contact james petsubjects co uk Home from home for you and your dogs If they are relaxed you can relax Every cottage has an enclosed garden orthen call now on 01276 858 880 for those late night early morning comfort breaks PLUS 8 acres of woods Throws for the furniture Animal rst aid kit In accordance with the government road map www dogs holiday co uk Open e from th l 12th Apri 2021 Dog Partridge Fabulous Beer Garden Terrace Yorkshire Cottage Style Double Storey Lodges two bedrooms sleeps 2 to 4 Set in a peaceful valley just over one mile from Richmond in North Yorkshire are these Self Catering Yorkshire Cottage Style Lodge Accommodations They offer great value Yorkshire Dales self catering holidays all year round 01748 822406 info flowerydell lodges com L U X U RY PEAK S E L F CDISTRICT AT E R I N G A C C O M O DAT I O N Dog Very dog friendly family run Country Inn friendly with self contained rooms in the grounds We can t wa it to see you Three beautifully converted Victorian farm stables ooer elegant luxury and serving Dinner Lunch and Drinks peaceful retreats situated on our working farm surrounded by the beautiful Overnight stays available from Saltmarshe Delph Nature short Reservebreaks and bordered by the River Ouse 12 4 21 In room dining also available for all meals Comfort really is at the heart of Appletree Cottages spacious single story layouts meansincluding weary legs can easily rest after a day exploring before you breakfast and drinks discover one of our lovely nearby pubs 01335 343183 Visit appletree cottages co uk 01430 430 677 vivienne sweeting btinternet com www dogandpartridge co uk Now with Hot Tub www yorkshirelogcabins com Dog friendly holiday park in Cornwall theparkcornwall com Over 15 of our properties are dog friendly with enclosed gardens complimentary dog bowls and even a doggie bag full of goodies will be waiting your arrival There are many pubs and restaurants in the area that welcome dogs with open arms O N T H E P E M B R O K E S H I R E C OA S T Call us on 01437 772 742 Theenquiries kateboats co uk WooF Guide www kateboats co uk Phone 01926 492968 Email Or Visit thewoofguide com BY COASTAL COTTAGES 60 Dogs Today August 2022 With some great accommodation deals to choose this is the perfect Canine Product of the Month My Anxious Dog has launched a new lead for dog owners who feel hesitant about telling others their dog needs space Sarah Jones founded a range of Yellow Space Awareness products to help her own anxious Cocker Spaniel Bella and they soon became a hit with other pet parents Sarah explained We have a KEEP AWAY range but found that people felt it was a bit abrupt and that they needed to explain what their dog needed So the new KEEP DOGS AWAY range means they can feel more confident going out knowing that if they see another dog and the owner is considerate they won t let their dog approach them The new lead has a twist locking carabiner clip which adds security and peace of mind with a rotating clip to prevent the lead from twisting It s a shorter length so owners can feel their anxious dog safe and close Our mission is to make owners feel as confident as possible while out and about with their anxious dogs and I hope this more polite version of our lead will help even more Sarah said www myanxiousdog co uk www facebook com myanxiousdog August 2022 Dogs Today 61 Advertising feature We are a family owned business with self drive narrowboats for weekends and short breaks and week long holidays from both bases Stockton or Warwick We also have boats available 2 PEOPLE for longer hire periods when you want to escape and include your canine family member 4 NIGHTS This is not camping on water the boats come equipped with everything you need for a ONLY relaxing holiday afloat fully equipped galley including fridge and 4 hob gas cooker a bathroom with aFROM flushing toilet and a shower plenty of hot water central heating and a TV for the days you need to catch up with the real world Don t forget with narrowboat hire the boat is the holiday you don t need to allow for those expensive days out during the week Our quoted prices INCLUDE diesel and damage waiver and linen and car parking if you are comparing prices with other narrowboat holiday firms make sure you compare like for like T C s Apply Star ratings for each narrowboat are displayed on the relevant pages H and availability and o l ionline d a y s yo u r d o g wo u lreservation d l ove is now also a feature but feel free to phone or email if you would like to discuss your canal holiday plans Advertising feature DOG FRIENDLY BREAKS Holiday of the Month
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CharitySpotlight Spotlight Charity established 1958 We are a non destruction sanctuary for abandoned unwanted dogs Charity of the month PRIORY ROAD ASCOT BERKSHIRE SL5 8RJ 01344 882689 Greyhound Rescue We rescue and rehome 100s of dogs and cats in London every year themayhew org 020 8962 8000 Registered Charity No 256728 A charity registered in England and Wales 209617 and Scotland SC038979 4 1 10 16 55 42 4 Bringing pets and people closer together woodgreen org uk www foreverhoundstrust org Registered Charity No 298348 00526nc0819 WE RESCUE KILL SHELTER AND ABANDONED DOGS FROM ROMANIA AND REHOME THEM IN THE UK AND GERMANY Chilterns Dog Recue barkingmaddogrescue Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service We rescue and rehome 100s of dogs and cats in London every year Please help us to help more www themayhew org 020 8962 8000 But many more masks are needed Registered Charity No 1077588 The next pet saved could be yours You can donate via www smokeypaws co uk or email info smokeypaws co uk rescue and rehome Saving We collies and collie crosses throughout the UK Why not Yorkshire s subscribe to our Border World quarterly Dogs Collie magazine Only 10 00 pa Registered Charity No 1167291 To rescue COLLIE rehabilitateTRUST and rehome BORDER GB vulnerable atour risk dogsforfrom Yorkshire Please contact usand or visit website more information Heathway Colton Rugeley Tel WS15 07562 Staffs 3LY 986101 Tel 0871 560 2282 Email savingyorkshiresdogs gmail com www bordercollietrustgb org uk Web www sydrescue org uk Reg Charity No 1053585 Find uscentre on Rescue open daily 9 11 am 2 4 pm Become a Companion AS Keep Tails Wagging SEEN ON N1EL BCT_0310 4x1 indd H C ANWith a Regular Gift Registered Charity in England and Wales No 1139999 4 As a rescue charity Rushton helps abandoned Bringing pets abused and unwanted dogs on a international and people scale Rescuing dogs from all over the world especially the meat trade in Asia and China closer together 4 1 10 16 55 42 woodgreen org uk Your chance to win at www aht org uk lottery Call Now 44 0 1823 49 10 52 mail rushtondogrescue co uk Registered Charity Number 209642 www greyhoundrescue org uk 2022 DogsToday TodayAugust July 2020 64 64Dogs bmdrdogs www barkingmaddogrescue co uk A please call us on 01276 402591 for more details Visit guidedogs org uk DogsToday Reg Charity No 1053585 Rescue centre open daily 9 11 am 2 4 pm EL BCT_0310 4x1 indd CHANN1 G indoor and outdoor areas Green technology has been incorporated to reduce running costs Sensitive Facebook greyhoundrescuecharity landscaping has created a woodland Amber Hill Boston Lincolnshire walk for potential adopters to get 07811 296029 to know the dogs wildlife areas and If you d like to see your Registered Charity No 702522 organisation featured in these two DogZones to provide grassy pages please call us on 01276 enrichment paddocks for the dogs to If you d like to see your organisation featured in more thesedetails pages 858880 for play socialise and relax Sponsor a puppy from just 1 a week Please contact us or visit our website for more information Heathway Colton Rugeley Staffs WS15 3LY Tel 0871 560 2282 www bordercollietrustgb org uk AS SEEN ON Greyhound Rescue has spent over 40 years rehoming ex racing Greyhounds all over the UK and is entirely self funded so the cost of living crisis is hitting hard Can you help them please reyhound Rescue is a self funded registered charity 702522 based in Boston Lincolnshire which has spent over 40 years caring for and helping rehome this kind gentle affectionate and appreciative breed We are dedicated to giving shelter to ex racing Greyhounds and rehoming them into family life as pets Many of these dogs retire at three or four years old and so have many years of life left We rehome all over the country As with any animal welfare charity our funds are limited and recent times Charity of the month have been especially difficult We were forced to stop fundraising overnight in Founded in 1963 Chilterns Dog Rescue Society CDRS a long March 2020 because of thehas pandemic and continues now the cost of living is to history of rescue and rehoming and to growcrisis thanks hitting hard The price of food heating the dedication and enthusiasm of many dog lovers oil and electricity is just frightening on top of our usual veterinary costs There are various ways people can help even if people cannot adopt they work can donate food and fter many years of hard CDRS is an independent charity It blankets buy from our online shop on our website CDRS bought its own premises receives no Government funding and www greyhoundrescue org uk in Chivery near Tring Herts andor donate online relies we entirely on the generosity of the have a PayPal donate button and a Give as you Live developed purpose built facilities for public to continue its vital rescue and button on the home else pagetoofturn our website rehoming work Your support would dogs with nowhere Greyhounds great characters and have The Rescue are Centre has 40 kennels be a greatly appreciated great humour New homes and asense smallof team of highly trainedalso soon realise how kind gentle and affectionate these dogs information please staffloving who provide outstanding For further are It is widely believed that ex racing Greyounds care for dogs of all ages types and contact CDRS need copious amounts of protection exercise when inTel fact 01296 623885 backgrounds in need of two 20 minute walks a day are usually suffi cient training and rehoming in addition to enquiries cdrs org uk followed by a comfy bed or sofa They are just so a 5 star licence for boarding www chilternsdogrescue org uk grateful the comfort and affection they don t Largefor kennels have under floor receive they are racing heating while plenty of natural light with We rescue and rehome collies and collie crosses throughout the UK Why not subscribe to our Border Collie World quarterly magazine Only 10 00 pa BORDER COLLIE TRUST GB Registered Charity No 1077588 Welcome Welcome to to Charity Charity Spotlight Spotlight a handy reference point for good folk le of folkdoing doinggreat great work work We re We rehelping helpingto toraise raise the the profi profile of this diverse diversegroup group of of people people and and we weencourage encourage you youto to get get involved involved with withthem them be beitit fundraising fundraising or or even even volunteering volunteering Help us to help more Registered Charity No 298348 00526nc0819 Scottish Charity No SC006914 Senior Staffy Club Dogs Today 2018 Charity spotlight lottery23 01 2018 advert v3 indd 14 47 10 1 Our aims are Rescue and rehome sta ordshire bull terriers and sta y cross dogs aged 7yrs Recruit foster carers all over the UK Encourage volunteers at En our kennels in Sta ord and Worcester www seniorsta yclub co uk seniorsta yclub hotmail co uk Rescue and rehoming centre for dogs and cats www leicesteranimalaid org uk Tel 01455 888257 Registered Charity No 242560 Finding the cures for serious pet illnesses helping them live longer healthier lives barki www petsavers org uk Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service But many more masks are needed www August 2022Dogs DogsToday Today665 July 2020 5 We r of do
For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Confessions of a dogaholic S ally s bottom often cast a shadow over my social life but I still loved her dearly I warn you now that this is even for me a stomach churning story It gave me even more nightmares than sneaking in to see Carrie when I was only 14 That s the movie and not the PM s other half It was a huge relief that Sally s general health was starting to improve John Carter the pioneering cancer vet in Harrow had put her on a diet of raw lamb s liver and organic carrot juice Remember this was long before the raw feeding revolution But for possibly the first time she wasn t having her usual toileting issues That was until the morning I had to nip into London An experienced dog sitter was already on the way I ve previously told you about Sal s dirty protest on meeting my Aussie boyfriend s parents and her services to credit control when she sprayed a slow paying advertiser with liquid poo Then there was the time she almost put me off chocolate mousse after being briefly left in the car at a posh dinner party at a house full of dog phobic cats That car s velour seats never recovered SPLASH OUT 66 Dogs Today August 2022 100 2020 WINNER Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR I asked boyfriend Brian to drive us to the local vet for a quick check up I didn t ever really want to leave her even on a good day I sat in the back of the car comforting her while Brian drove as quickly as he could As we parked up at the vet s Sal stood up and I recognised with dread her familiar arching body language She moved her tail to one side and I thought I knew what was coming next but this time she surprised me Stops dogs pulling on the lead and gives you back control Life Changing products for you and your dog 9 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without REDDY TO WEAR Within seconds there was blood everywhere even splattered on the white ceiling of the car We hadn t phoned ahead to the vet but when I carried blood soaked Sal through the door I didn t need to say a word and we were ushered straight through I had been wearing white and as Sally was a very pale cream dog the contrast was dramatic It looked as if we d both been in a very serious car accident I am only surprised no one in the vet s waiting room fainted or threw up The vet examined Sal and thankfully said he wasn t too worried It was just a very upset tummy and all the blood was probably just watery stomach lining He sent us home with some electrolytes and said to keep her hydrated The valet centre didn t even raise an eyebrow and asked zero questions The car interior couldn t have looked more bloodspattered if I d brutally murdered someone I took the posh invite from the mantelpiece and chucked it in the bin secretly relieved not to be going It would have been my first party at 10 Downing Street But it was near the end of the John Major era and animal welfare wasn t ever strong under him P NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT AWARgDCoEllDar Best Do r 2020 21 UK re tu c fa u n a M tive Dog Most Innova cturers Collar Manufa 2019 Illustration KEVIN BROCKBANK For the London do I was wearing new clothes as it was a very posh function Buying new clothes was very much easier than ironing something and getting all the dog hair off We d not long moved house and I later wondered if that might be what had spooked Sal or she might have sensed that me wearing new stuff meant I was planning on leaving her with someone I was rather concerned as her protest poo had been streaked with a little blood Blood s t and tears Global Also available Collars Non Slip Leads and Gripper Training Leads offering added security and confidence throughout the winter months Endorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine Feline Behaviour Association Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk Winners 2013 2022 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Matching accessories in a selection of colours with high quality workmanship and ttings