Dogs Today_March_2021 : simplebooklet.com

Inside this month News features 4 Having Covid has one advantage dog vomit doesn t smell Major change at the White House the First Rescue Dog has indoguration 26 Debbie Bridges shows us that the precious National Animal Welfare Trust needs our help 32 No more blanket no pets rules but the clause is not legally binding R E T R A C TA B L E L E A D S 6 MADE IN GERMANY Special report Make 2021 count 8 Licence to swill dogs are not protected by our laws this needs to change 16 Legal aid new charity APS is bringing justice to dog hating criminals as RSPCA steps away 20 Criminal damage pet thieves are getting bolder 22 Colette Kase on what makes a really good or bad breeder Over to you 36 Postbag what matters to you 40 Great debate students are getting predicted grades could dogs become virtual Champs DogsToday The ethical pet magazine for people who really care about dogs Facebook Dogs Today Editorial beverleycuddy 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 Roving Reporters Owen Haatchi Advertising sponsorship Advertising Sponsorship Manager Mike McGlynn 01276 402591 Office dogs Betty Old English Golden Retriever ish Madi collie cross Nellie Staffordshire Bull Terrier Isla Lurcher Beth Justine Poison Ivy Newfoundlands Betty s Personal Trainer Kirsten Dillon IMDT A Dip CBM Dogs Today Pet Subjects Ltd The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ 01276 402599 enquiries dogstodaymagazine co uk www dogstodaymagazine co uk Publishers Training behaviour 48 Victoria Stilwell is your dog all ears How music can change their mood 52 Peter Neville s True Case History how to stop your puppy thinking you re a squeaky toy Opinion 66 Confessions of a dogaholic burning issue Investigation 34 Q A Brexit means huge changes for pet travel 42 Dog crush there s no glossing over Old English Sheepdogs needing brushing Competitions shopping 56 Pop the kettle on and tackle our puzzles LIMITED Chief Operations Officer Graham Smith 01276 402598 graham wearebrandshare com Managing Director Beverley Cuddy 01276 402597 beverley dogstodaymagazine co uk Subscriptions For subscription queries call Pet Subjects 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 NEW NEON Walk with the Best www flexi de en Old English Sheepdog Photo by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk and competitions 58 Subscribers can win a mask 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 Stables Saddler Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ Tel 01276 402599 Brandshare Ltd reg office The Stables Saddler Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ Distributed by Marketforce UK Ltd 2nd Floor 5 Churchill Place Canary Wharf London E14 5HU Tel 020 3148 3333 www marketforce co uk Printed by The Manson Group 2021 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 March 19 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 March 2021 Dogs Today 3

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Dear readers Beverley Cuddy Beverley Cuddy is Dogs Today s Editor and publisher She shares her life with Betty an Old English Golden Retriever ish dog from Many Tears She grew and grew and grew soon after this photo was taken 4 Dogs Today March 2021 Illustration by Beverley Cuddy I do hope you re all OK To say it has been a difficult month is quite the understatement I have been shielding since March last year first to keep Grandpa Bob company and also as I do have some underlying health problems myself Sadly lovely Bob recently passed away It wasn t Covid despite the hospital putting him on the Covid ward by mistake But then the funeral has had to be delayed Graham and most of the office somehow tested positive It was inevitable I d get it too but I found it very much harder to shake than everyone else As I am typing I am doing my best not to cough or fall asleep It s usually one or the other It was very scary at first I d been so afraid of catching it but losing my sense of smell couldn t have come at a better time Our lovely designer Rosie had sent me some fruit and a very exciting box of chocolates I had only eaten a few while my sense of taste is poor it seemed a waste so they were locked away in the dining room for another time Betty is a usually a very sensible dog but overnight she pushed open the French doors and ate the chocolates Betty is very communicative and came straight upstairs and woke me up to confess She took me downstairs to show me the empty box and promptly vomited chocolates all over the carpet As soon as I would clean one pile up another would appear I thought I had done a great job cleaning up but when my husband walked in it was clear he d fully recovered from Covid You could see the stink hit The carpet has been cleaned twice now I would have had no idea I was pretty certain that Betty had brought it all up The volume in the bin bag was roughly the same as the empty box of chocolates and most had thankfully been white or milk not the most dangerous dark The next day Betty was due to have surgery on a broken tooth so when the pre op blood tests showed some strange levels I immediately worried that she d actually damaged herself that the online chocolate poisoning calculator hadn t been correct But the vet assured me that it would have been her kidneys if that had been the issue Instead Betty was showing strange liver readings not strange enough to delay her operation but needing further investigation When Anne the vet Wolfgang has left sadly came to look at Betty s teeth it turned out the broken tooth was only cracked and could be filled But she found a strange growth on Betty s gum that needed removing and analysing and two teeth that had looked superficially fine but weren t Betty has huge white teeth so it was a surprise there was something lurking Betty was very brave and we re still waiting on her test results with everything crossed We re keeping each other company having both been in the wars of late It seems fitting that this issue looks at what more can be done to protect our best friends the law just doesn t reflect how important they are to us does it Keep safe Hopefully next month will be a bit less stressful here P

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Words BERNARD BALE Meet the new First Dogs Dogs Y More than half of America celebrated when Joe Biden became the new president World leaders sent their congratulations and everyone wanted to speak to the new man in the White House And as we all know behind every great man there is a great lady and even a great dog or two 6 Dogs Today March 2021 es Joe Biden is in danger of his fantastic dogs getting more of the spotlight than himself After all it is the first time a rescue dog has been resident at the White House Sadly neither dog was available for interview so we just had to listen to their mum and dad instead We have always liked having dogs round said Dr Jill Biden I can t imagine what life would be like without them President Biden agreed Being in politics seems like a fun job and sometimes it is but there s a lot of pressure too and having a dog to walk and talk with is just about the best adviser and therapy you can get The dogs are German Shepherds named Major and Champ It seems a bit bizarre but there was even a ceremony to introduce Major to the White House it was called the indoguration and it was not quite as crazy as it might seem since it was streamed on air and organised by the Delaware Humane Association who were among the beneficiaries of the 200 000 raised Why was it only Major who took part in the ceremony Well Champ is no newcomer to the spotlight When he was just a pup Joe Biden was vice president to Barack Obama himself a dog lover and Champ sometimes accompanied Joe to events and meetings at the White House I don t think I would have accepted the job if we couldn t take Major and Champ with us President Biden joked Dogs get under your skin they demand your attention and you cannot resist them They like to play and you being tired does not let you off the hook President Biden is something of an expert on this subject having broken his right foot last year when Major tripped him during a play session He knew there was something wrong when I said ouch or something like that He checked me out and then decided that I was OK to carry on playing Sometimes I wonder who the boss is around here I don t know why I wonder I already know who the boss is and I don t think it is me The First Lady also enjoys fun with the dogs and sees them as great exercise companions Major and Champ are just fantastic like all dogs she said They are loyal they are fun and they like nothing better than to have a power walk with you If you want a good exercise partner make sure you have a great dog Major and Champ never seem to tire and I am exhausted long before they even take a second breath You always feel safe with them too The dogs moved into the White House a few days after the Bidens Totally housetrained they gleefully explored the entire building and found a comfort patch on the carpet outside the Oval Office almost as if they were on guard duty They were even heard to bark during a televised interview clearly not wishing to be left out of the debate The dogs were introduced to new beds when they arrived at the White House and took to them instantly perhaps delighted by their location close to a very large fireside Major being younger was more interested in exploring the vast lawns at first but soon agreed that a place by the fireside seemed a fitting relaxation zone for the president s closest allies Major is the star of the show because he is a rescue dog the first in the White House and it is hoped that his publicity will Major is the star of the show because he is a rescue dog the first in the White House encourage many other people to take rescue dogs into their homes A spokesperson for the Delaware Humane Association explained There are always dogs needing a new home and now and then a celebrity will rescue a dog which is just great When the story appears in the media a lot more people come forward to provide a new home for a dog Since Major has been seen there have again been more enquiries and that has to be good news for dogs not just in the USA but hopefully globally Of course there have been many other presidential dogs at the White House but none since Barack Obama s Portuguese Water Dogs Bo and Sunny were in residence Donald Trump was the first US president in a century not to have a dog President Harry Truman famously said that If you want a friend in Washington get a dog and many successors have followed Truman s advice The first President Bush once said There is nothing like the unconditional love of a dog to help you get through the rough spots President Biden agreed of course When the polls are going against you just ask your dog how you are doing and they will encourage you to keep going he said So like many great dogs before them Joe and Jill s two German Shepherds Major and Champ are living the American dog dream taken from obscurity and installed in a life of media attention and they are loving every minute of it However the peace and serenity of the dogs life in Washington might be short lived No there is no political coup forthcoming something much worse and turbulent than that the Bidens are thinking of introducing a cat to the White House P March 2021 Dogs Today 7

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SPECIAL REPORT Make 2021 count The law defines our best friend as chattel leaving them prone to legal breeding slavery and violent theft We will change this we must D ogs have never been more firmly placed at the very heart of the modern family They have human names can sleep where they like and we worry about their happiness and well being In contrast breeding slavery in the UK is thriving The beloved pups of a very woke generation have mums who will never know love or kindness In fact commodity breeders are maximising profits by using illegal fertility drugs to breed more pups in every litter and even speeding up the gaps between litters Mum is just a womb to rent to these people but they re licensed they re paying their taxes and they re charging three times as much as people who actually love their dogs It s no surprise that many stolen dogs end up as breeding slaves We only rediscover them when they are no longer productive and they are dumped The problem at the heart of all this are the laws of our land Dogs are family to us but only objects in the eyes of justice It s not all bad news We have some new superheroes intent on hunting out criminals exploiting dogs and taking them to task but we also have old ladies learning to kickbox to be ready to take on dognappers People are living in fear of this high reward low risk crime Colette Kase has written a very thoughtful essay on her perception of breeders It s fascinating that there are wrongdoers at both ends of the scale Let s change the system and encourage small ethical breeders and progressive rescues Let s pull together change the laws and put dogs first and all else second The pandemic has touched all of our lives and shown us what s really important 8 Dogs Today March 2021 Words illustrations BEVERLEY CUDDY Licence to swill In the last few months I have spent many hours talking to small breeders or more importantly listening to them I think government may have gone ever so slightly mad a few years back when they passed the new dog breeding act Before Covid we seemed to have a global plague of stupidity The Boaty McBoatface debacle was probably the start Then Brexit and Donald well I could go on In 2018 the government decided to make it really really difficult for people to have a litter of puppies in their own home But why The local authorities don t seem terribly keen to implement this bizarre attack on normal folk even if they could work out what this weird piece of legislation actually means The other day the All Party Dog Animal Welfare Group Apdawg took a look at breeding dogs It wasn t just Schnauzer eyebrows that were twitching about the website Pets4Homes being invited to speak What next electric shock collar manufacturers As it was a virtual meeting over Zoom there was very little chance of rowdiness as the 500 strong audience were definitely on mute There was no chance of parish council level disruption and Jackie Weaver interventions Pets4Homes for those not yet up to speed is not the superstore Pets at Home Pets4Homes is one of those online classified ads sites like Gumtree Well what was once a family business has been bought by a big shiny Scandinavian company that has also just bought the Italian version They are keen to look like a modern caring altruistic responsible pet trading magnate and are rapidly trying their best to clean up their act while still being a mega online pet shop a virtual Exchange and Mart does that still exist I digress down memory lane When Dogs Today began we grew tired of the sad stories of badly bred pups that often died so we took regular adverts in all the shabby advertising papers offering free independent advice Our aim was to rescue the public from the puppy farmers and put them into the safer hands of people who actually love their dogs legislation it s slightly different outside England but it s probably the vast majority of ads that are covered by the 2018 act The nicely spoken Pets4Home spokesperson said it s only if you breed more than three litters in a year that you need to have a licence But is it Maybe I am just not reading it properly You have a go Get a cup of tea and a highlighter pen VIRTUAL REALITY Pets4Homes are definitely on a charm offensive and they seem to be successfully wooing all the charities Defra and the great and good campaigners Cynical me thinks they just want to protect their expensive asset from a possible ban on virtual pet shops Realistic me we should welcome any improvement it s better to work with them as everyone else is intent on looking the other way and whistling I ll get to the point soon but I was glued to that Apdawg Zoom and all the things Pets4Homes were doing to get rid of the scammers Did you know they rejected 140 000 adverts in just one year When you see what they published the mind boggles I decided to ask a question about dog licensing It got asked but without my name and the answer had me doing what I imagine was a pretty accurate Miss Marple impression nodding to myself while saying on mute Very interesting very interesting indeed Surely everyone selling pups online has to be licensed and they should state their licence number and local council in every advert Isn t that what this act states Well that s how I read the otherwise crazy 2018 Schedule 1 of the Animal Welfare Licensing of Activities Involving Animals England Regulations 2018 the regulations defines the licensable activities for each sector In all cases except dog breeding the licensable activity is solely restricted to businesses or those operating on a commercial basis For dog breeders a limit on the number of litters is also in place unless it can be proved that none of the puppies from these litters are sold Anyone breeding three or more litters in a 12 month period will now require a licence this was previously set at five or more litters As before anybody in the business of breeding and selling will still require a licence no matter how many litters they produce Guideline indicators of out of scope activities The following may assist consideration of the criteria listed above The number frequency and or volume of sales irregular transactions low and or irregular March 2021 Dogs Today 9

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YOU KNOW THAT LOOK I t s the look your dog gives you when it s time to take a break The look that says that email will numbers of adverts sales or low numbers values of animals sold are likely to indicate the activity is not commercial in its nature still be waiting even after you stretch your legs with a quick walkies enjoy a bit of play time or have a cuddle It s the look that says your dog knows how hard you work but that you should relax a little now Where an individual can demonstrate the activity is undertaken as a hobby or for education or scientific advancement and that they are only selling surplus stock without making a profit This could be demonstrated by producing evidence such as That s why you feed Celtic Connection Holistic Pet Food Because Celtic Connection not only provides the natural meat based nutrition and functional herbs your dog needs to stay strong and healthy it also includes glucosamine chondroitin and MSM to support their joints to keep them active and comfortable a Reports or studies prepared by the individual in relation to the species kept including selfpublished published for scientific journals published in the pet trade or hobby media or demonstrable contributions to conservation projects So they can continue to look after you for many years to come b Competition entry forms for the animals kept by the individual c Registered membership of a club or society relevant to the animals kept by the individual Where an individual can demonstrate that the activity of rehoming is undertaken on a not forprofit basis and does not meet the business test The government announced in Budget 2016 a new allowance of 1 000 for trading income from April 2017 Anyone falling under this threshold would not need to be considered in the context of determining whether they are a business Are you still awake Still with me To summarise I think this has to mean you need to be licensed in England if you breed three or more litters OR receive more than a 1 000 for selling puppies So that s everyone isn t it Unless you only breed one pup a year and sell it for 999 Or 10 for 99 99 each How can that possibly mean it s OK to advertise three litters in a year before you have to be licensed What am I missing Elsewhere the legislation says Any advertisement for the sale of a dog must a include the number of the licence holder s licence b specify the local authority that issued the licence If this was applied Pets4Homes would reject very many more than 140 000 adverts But it seems most local authorities don t really understand the 2018 legislation either Or they are choosing not to I was talking to a very savvy breeder recently who had made a Freedom of Information request to discover how many local authorities had trained their staff in the new licensing regulations The FOI was refused so let s assume that number isn t a very impressive one What is the purpose of the 2018 breeding licence Why did we create a system that appears to make it really really hard for good people to be small scale breeders Why is it so much easier to be a really bad large scale breeder There s something called the business test to test if the dog breeder is running a business Is it a business License it But is everyone a business by their test 10 Dogs Today March 2021 The circumstances which a local authority must take into account in determining whether an activity is being carried on in the course of a business for the purposes of this schedule include for example whether the operator a makes any sale by or otherwise carries on the activity with a view to making a profit or b earns any commission or fee from the activity What does the Kennel Club say Why haven t we had small breeders with placards What did I miss when this came out Is everyone whistling and looking the other way and saying No it can t possibly mean what it says A breeding licence will be required for anyone breeding three or more litters and selling at least one puppy in a 12 month period This is a reduction from the previous litter test of five or more litters A licence is not required if documentary evidence can be provided that none of the puppies or adult dogs have been sold So if you breed dogs that s fine you just can t sell them But the KC too don t really want to say definitively that everyone needs a licence They re probably hoping no one notices this really stupid piece of legislation Anyone in the business of selling dogs even one or two litters in a 12 month period may require a licence This is not new and has been in place since 1999 The government provides guidance on what local authority inspectors should consider when assessing whether a breeder meets the business test Grain and Gluten free Hypoallergenic 100 Human Grade Quality HGQ Ingredients Unique Patent Pending Single Source Protein Philosophy Includes both Fresh and Dehydrated Meat With therapeutic amounts of functional herbs Added glucosamine chondroitin and MSM for comfortable joints Gently steamed kibble Veterinarian Recommended Ideal for dogs with skin or digestion issues Formulated for all Life Stages Proudly Made in the U K Also available as tinned recipes PET FOOD MADE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR DOG W W W C E LT I C C O N N E C T I O N P E T F O O D C O U K June 2020 Dogs Today 11

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Look at the word may No one knows for sure do they So if you want to breed a litter from your beloved dog in your home where you and your dog live as a family what sort of things might you need to do to be licensed I quote from the guidance notes The home must be well maintained and in good repair There must not be any sharp edges projections rough edges or other hazards such as chemicals and loose cables which may present risk of injury to a dog No standing water from cleaning or urine is acceptable Well I don t know about you but how many people find houses swimming in urine acceptable Internal doors must open inwards in order to protect the health and safety of attending people and reduce the risk of escape Hmm I am sitting in the living room with my dog who is on the sofa as usual There are three sets of internal doors in this room One opens inwards the other two outwards Arrest me now But if we sit in the kitchen that same interior door magically now opens outwards It s like Schrodinger s cat Surely this conundrum applies to all doors in all rooms If the dog lives in a normal house all the doors can be both inward and outward facing depending on your viewing position How did this completely illogical statement make it into official legislation But there s more Where this is not feasible there must be a documented procedure in place to demonstrate the safety of the licensee attending people Where appropriate doors to rooms must be kept shut at night Each dog room must have a secure latch or other secure closing device But what if your dogs sleep wherever they want in their own house Betty isn t shut into one room she can sleep anywhere and the local authority are not going to tell me that it s a welfare issue What s this obsession with keeping all the doors closed If you had a pack of dogs in every room maybe But what if it s just the family dog that is going to give birth Shouldn t there be a better measure of good breeding than the absence of stagnant urine There s more Where a bitch is whelped in a domestic environment it is acceptable for a temporary disposable covering to be used What does that mean What would you be covering in a disposable manner The urine The sofas The dog itself I kid you not one home breeder revealed that her licence was dependent on them changing their living room floor to one that can withstand being bleached regularly So their local authority wants all the humans to make their home into a kennel not vice versa But bless them this breeder did even though her dogs give birth in the bedroom which is equipped with a state of theart whelping area As they get bigger they move into the purpose built socialisation room in the converted integral garage Pups are trained to pee and poo on command on a variety of surfaces before they go to their very grateful new homes The living room is where all the continent humans and dogs sit on sofas to watch the telly Another excellent breeder told me he had to put numbers on the magical doors so he could keep a record that showed which dogs were in which rooms He only had three rooms and three dogs they were his family and they weren t actually ever locked in the rooms but he had to go through this pretence to tick the boxes to get the top star rating Now there is one requirement that is radical I wonder how many local authorities have taught their employees how to check someone s workings out for a five generation coefficient of inbreeding COI on an F1b Cavapoo I am guessing not very many COI is very significant but if you re presuming the home breeder could be sitting in stagnant urine unless you tell them not to it s a bit odd you expecting them to know all about the science of inbreeding well I wonder how many of the licensed shed breeders would have COI as a specialist subject on Mastermind Our buddy dog service can be a life changing for children with sight loss Friendly well behaved dogs help to develop their self confidence improve relationships and build a greater sense of trust Find out more at www guidedogs org uk buddydogs Or call us on 0800 781 1444 if you have a child with a vision impairment and would like to sign up to one of our discovery webinars Sam is my best friend but a dog He helps me do everything Jago a 10 year old boy with Retinitis Pigmentosa No bitch will be intentionally mated when the coefficient of inbreeding of the puppies would exceed the breed average or 12 5 if no breed average exists as measured from a minimum five generation pedigree 12 Dogs Today March 2021 A charity registered in England and Wales 209617 and Scotland SC038979 GD0359 01 21 June 2020 Dogs Today 13

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Licence fees will generally be a more significant cost to a small business than a large business and this could inhibit small businesses from setting up It could also dissuade these businesses applying for a licence thereby placing the public at risk and increasing the enforcement burden for the authority for which there is no income Officers may therefore wish to consider or be asked to consider how these issues can be resolved through the fee setting process So the government don t want the cost to be too great for making everyone who breeds a homebred litter install magical numbered doors and making them live in rooms that can be swilled down with bleach Well I m calling it this is just stupid How did this happen Breeding licences should protect animal welfare should recognise that a dog reared in the home is usually the luckiest dog in the world and those breeders need encouragement not ridiculous red tape People who breed dogs like commodities however should have a very different licence one that looks at the ethics not just the aesthetics P This next one would have me cheering Imagine if this one was actually checked up on The licence holder must ensure that the microchipping database is amended with the puppy buyer s details The next one is possibly the hardest provision of all Imagine if we applied this to local government A competent person must be on site at all times The government doesn t seem even slightly embarrassed by this dog s breakfast of a breeding licence They think it s better than it used to be The Animal Welfare Licensing of Activities Involving Animals Regulations 2018 AW Regulations are an important step forward in modernising and streamlining a number of previous Acts and Regulations As well as updating the powers of local authorities to ensure high standards of animal welfare the AW regulations also provide robust charging mechanisms that allow local authorities to more effectively recover their costs for this work Locally set fees are a vital means of ensuring that costs can be recovered by local authorities rather than relying on subsidy from local taxpayers Businesses that benefit from an Animal Welfare Licence should be asked to pay any reasonable costs incurred by the local authority in providing that licence however they must also be able to depend on local authority licence fees being fair and reasonable 14 Dogs Today March 2021 If you think small ethical breeders should be encouraged do join Tailwise com Someone needs to start speaking up for the dogs Breeding slavery is thriving or are we all still on mute WALES SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND In Wales you need a licence if you have three of more litters in a calendar year under the Animal Welfare Breeding of Dogs Wales Regulations 2014 In addition these breeders should have detailed socialisation and enrichment plans Scotland has older legislation including the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 and the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Welfare Act 1999 The Scottish Government is reviewing this legislation but until then anybody breeding five of more litters in a calendar year requires a licence Anyone operating a breeding business should be licensed Northern Ireland has the Welfare of Animals Dog Breeding Establishments and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations Northern Ireland 2013 Anybody breeding three or more litters in a 12 month period requires a licence All pet sellers in Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland require a licence under the Pet Animals Act 1951 This applies whether the pet is sold via a traditional pet shop or via a seller operating out of a residential premise In September 2021 Wales plans to implement Lucy s Law so third parties will not be allowed to sell dogs and puppies Lucy s Law will also come into force in Scotland in September if new legislation is approved by the Scottish Parliament Northern Ireland is also progressing towards implementation A tasty complementary drink to your dog s daily water intake Furr Boost helps with your dog s Anxiety Digestion Healthy Immunity Metabolism Hydration Skin Coat My Hoo mum created this well being drink for me as part of a discovery journey into cleaner no junk foods for me Even though she said I was Paw fect before she wanted to ensure that I stayed hydrated with a natural ingredient drink as a refreshing complement to my water which is always readily available I really look forward to my tasty treat which can be given daily and is now made available for all dogs like yours I hope they enjoy it as much as I do From Phoebe 15 off your rst order Use code DOGSTODAY15 To nd out more please visit www furrboost com Find us on social media Facebook furrboost Instagram furr_boost

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Words BEVERLEY CUDDY ALESSANDRA PACELLI Illustrations BEVERLEY CUDDY I didn t phone my dad I wrote about it And our founder Daily Mail owner Lord Rothermere read it He was furious I didn t know at the time but he rang up the Home Secretary and invited him for dinner He refused to let him leave until he had read our article on the Dangerous Dogs Act For some time I ve been thinking the world is having a difficult latest season There have been too many disasters to be credible and not enough positive events But spoiler alert that may be about to change In early January my newsfeed contained an intriguing story It wasn t the crime of the century but I could read between the lines Something new was coming SPECIAL REPORT Make 2021 count The new justice league An unlicensed dog breeder was forced to give up two rescued pets after she became the first to have a private prosecution brought against her by an animal charity The RSPCA has made waves announcing its plan to step down from actively prosecuting animal cruelty just as a new charity emerges to take unscrupulous breeders to court A s a kid when you witnessed injustice the threat was always that you d tell your dad As you get older you find you become the person others report things to I remember in the 1990s listening to the harrowing stories of ordinary people having their front doors smashed in and their pet dog seized like an illegal firearm One story of a young teacher really shocked me They felt completely alienated they d not thought it possible that this could happen to them They had always respected the police and British justice Now suddenly they were being criminalised and persecuted Their beloved rescue dog was gentle it had never hurt anyone or anything But armed riot police took their dog away in the night because someone had thought it looked like a dog that the law had now decided to call dangerous RSPCA HANDS OVER PROSECUTIONS TO CPS With the unveiling of its 2021 2030 strategy the RSPCA has surprised many with the plan of stepping back from the role of prosecutor in animal cruelty instead passing on any evidence collected to the Crown Prosecution Service The news comes as the new bill on animal cruelty expected to bring maximum custodial sentences up to five years keeps moving steadily towards becoming law Chief executive Chris Sherwood said We re pleased that this year could see one of our hard fought campaigns to raise the maximum penalty for animal abuse from six months to five years become reality 16 Dogs Today March 2021 but this also means a big change in the way cases are prosecuted and sentenced Some of these cases will now move to crown courts and those carrying out the worst abuse could face lengthy jail terms This places a huge responsibility on a charity s shoulders We believe this responsibility should sit with the Crown Prosecution Service which is a statutory public body with regulatory oversight Alongside this we re seeing trends with cases with hardened criminal gangs involved in puppy farming dog fighting cockfighting or hare coursing sometimes with millions of pounds changing hands We re an animal charity and our concern is welfare but these complex cases can involve serious offences such as fraud or weapons We ve already seen puppy farming reports to us increase five fold in a decade and with the increasing demand for puppies during lockdown we believe more of these complex cases will come our way Let me be clear that we wouldn t be stepping back from prosecutions only from our role as the prosecutor Our inspectors would still be rescuing investigating and collecting evidence of cruelty and abuse and seeking to hand Breeder licensing is a minefield Some local authorities say if you don t have three litters a year you don t need a licence Yet the legislation says if you take more than 1 000 from puppy sales you need to be licensed So is that three litters only if you give them away These days the price of just one pup is usually more than a grand When the licensing rules changed no one trained the local authorities how to apply it In some places the 1 000 level is being vigorously applied with home breeders having to make very peculiar changes to their homes to comply with legislation obviously never intended for them One breeder had to change their living room floor to one that would withstand bleaching in effect turning a home into a kennel that the humans shared with the dogs But Covid has meant that licensing visits are as rare as hen s teeth and even people determined to become licensed are being rebuffed this over to the CPS We believe that there may be a better way to ensure animals get the justice they deserve by bringing together our expertise in investigations with the CPS s skills and resources We d like to reassure the public that we will not step back from the role of prosecuting until we re assured that the CPS has the commitment the resources and the expertise to make sure that animals continue to get the justice they deserve He added However we reserve the right to take a prosecution in future if we feel that justice is not being done for animals This way of operating would That news piece in the Telegraph opened a can of worms What do over stretched local authorities normally do when someone presents evidence of a bad unlicensed breeder or someone breeding many more dogs than they are licensed to do Not enough is usually the answer When I imagine a superhero they usually have a costume or a back story that gives them a superpower So far as I know no one at Animal Protection Services has been bitten by a spider or has a Lycra number on under their civilian clothes But they do have a tips line where you can report any wrongdoings where animals are being hurt No criminal too scary either They re not going to cherry pick the easy wins they want to change things I was slightly nervous that they could be extremists that hate all breeders good and bad and dogs being kept as pets or think assistance dogs are being exploited But I asked the questions and in my opinion they re not like that at all I was further reassured to hear they are working with brilliant lawyers Pamela Rose and James Parry well known to regular readers for their years of fighting against injustice to dogs Apparently APS has unlimited capacity to prosecute the bad They are already working on nearly 100 of the worst cases and have a team of experts that will investigate the tip offs I can t help but think that s such a cool job I can just see this being made into a Netflix series APS were reticent to reveal how they can afford to do this but they obviously have a fairy dogmother father with very deep pockets or several Every pound they get will be spent not mopping up the problems caused by people treating dogs as commodities but dissuading them by making crimes against animals have a consequence That first case against the rescue volunteer breeding from rescue dogs was pretty untypical of the cases they bring the RSPCA in line with the SSPCA in Scotland which passes on cases to the Crown Office We want statutory powers to help our inspectors do more to help animals and with these increased powers it makes sense that we separate out these functions Sherwood added We know this system has worked successfully for decades in Scotland Under this proposed model we would continue to have a key role in making sure animal abusers don t go unpunished investigating complaints of cruelty and abuse and would pass our evidence to the CPS for the long term work of prosecuting those responsible March 2021 Dogs Today 17

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usually tackle but that was just the one that made it to court first If like me you go on to the Charity Commission website to look them up you ll find it strange that there are no details of who the trustees are That s because the work they do is so dangerous just like Batman they must conceal their identities The bad guys they are tackling are very often career criminals Profit drives criminals towards dogs the threat of consequence and punishment should divert them from our sector A few weeks later I got a call from the spokesperson Did I know anything anything about illegal ear cropping Then a couple of days later the Mirror broke the story about a raid in central London Cops have busted a suspected illegal puppy breeding operation worth 80 000 London s Metropolitan Police raided a property in Hounslow west London and seized 12 dogs as part of a long running investigation in a dawn raid The operation was conducted with Hounslow Council s Animal Control team and charity Animal Protection Services All dogs have been moved to safety where they will be cared for while the investigation into the case continues Animal Protection Services have also launched an investigation into illegal ear cropping That was quick It s great to see councils and police working with this new charity As you know ear cropping is on the rise Instagram is full of celebs who have bought mutilated dogs and the crooks have been chopping bits off their pups to make extra money These pups are keeping their ears and another unlicensed breeder is shut down APS has set up a specific appeal for these cases saying We have already undertaken one raid last week I am committed that my team carry out more warrants across England and Wales to prevent this cruelty and suffering that is inflicted on puppies and dogs I am confident that with your support my team will identify those responsible and bring them to justice My team is taking direct action on the ground right now But as a small animal charity we need your help P If you want to support their campaign to bring people cropping ears to justice visit https justgiving com campaign operation predator To find out more details of how you can help APS visit https animalprotectionservices co uk CRUELTY UPDATE On Wednesday 3 February the Animal Welfare Sentencing Bill which aims to increase the maximum jail sentence for animal cruelty cases in England and Wales from six months to five years cleared the committee stage of its passage through the House of Commons The bill will now be moving on to its final stages in the House of Commons before moving to the House of Lords 18 Dogs Today March 2021 CROPPED PUP TRAGEDY ADVERTISING FEATURE ADVERTISING FEATURE Our furry family members deserve the very best The body of a puppy of about 10 weeks of age was found dumped in a bag by council workers in Gravesend Kent on Friday 29 January The puppy had cropped ears and a broken neck Animal rescue officer Brian Milligan said Vets examined the body and found his neck had been broken The puppy also had blood around his mouth and infected cropped ears We believe the puppy s neck may have been broken deliberately which is absolutely abhorrent But the question remains as to why One theory is that he d fallen ill as a result of the barbaric cropping of his ears Perhaps he lost a lot of blood or the infection in the wounds had made him poorly and the breeders felt it would be too expensive and would raise too many questions to seek veterinary advice Vets don t believe the cropping has been carried out by someone who knows what they re doing so it looks like a do it yourself job as the wounds hadn t been stitched up I want to know what happened to this puppy but I m also extremely worried about his littermates There could be more pups with infected cropped ears who are getting sicker and sicker who need urgent veterinary attention Anyone with information is urged to contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018 New figures released by the RSPCA show a 621 per cent increase in the number of reports of ear cropping and cropped ears made to the animal welfare charity in the last six years Jordan Shelley director at the Focus on Animal Law Foal Group launched a petition to outlaw the importation of cropped dogs in the UK last year While the petition has now closed without reaching the 100 000 signatures necessary for a debate in parliament the response so far has been encouraging and Jordan is already working to get a second petition online He said We almost got halfway with the first petition and it started from nothing now we have a lot more awareness support and animal welfare organisations on board so we have a head start I am sure we will reach the signature target this time And at Horse Groom we believe every bath time should be a soothing and restorative treat for your dog With none other than our finest quality Epsom salt Completely pure just as mother nature intended H orse Groom deliver the finest quality Epsom salt so your beloved canine companions can benefit from them every day Epsom salt has been enjoyed by people for over 400 years so we felt it was about time our four legged friends got to enjoy these healing benefits too Our Epsom salt is only ever the highest quality and free from all anti caking agents artificial colours and additives the perfect natural addition to your dog s grooming regime Simply dissolve our salts in warm water and use as a soak spray exfoliator or rinse to keep your dog looking and feeling their best We re accredited by the Pet Industry Federation to give you the confidence in providing only the best for your dogs because we understand just how important they are to you EPSOM SALT BENEFITS Calms nervousness and anxiety Conditions all coats Relieves aches and pains Soothes arthritis www horseandgroomepsomsalt co uk March 2021 Dogs Today 19

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Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI SPECIAL REPORT Make 2021 count Criminal damage Despite reports of pet theft increasing year on year calls to make it a specific offence with custodial sentences have been ignored and thieves are getting bolder as they cash in on the high demand for dogs and puppies in the midst of the Covid crisis I Illustration by Kevin Brockbank 20 Dogs Today March 2021 n April 2016 a new law came into effect making it compulsory for all dogs in England and Wales to be microchipped and registered on an approved database Owners are required to ensure their dog is chipped and that the registration details are kept up to date and face fines if they do not comply However one thing never became compulsory scanning dogs for said microchip While it is considered best practice and highly recommended rescue centres dog wardens and veterinary professionals are under no obligation to check for a microchip when a lost dog is taken to them or when a vet registers a new patient This has resulted in heartbreaking cases with lost dogs falling through the cracks and being rehomed or worse put to sleep despite having a microchip registered to an owner desperate to find them One such case is that of 18 month old Tuk a rescue dog from Romania who was put to sleep without the knowledge of his registered keepers the original rescue But as the vet never scanned him for a microchip they never noticed the discrepancy and just like that Tuk a healthy young dog who had travelled to the UK for a better life was gone A few seconds that s all it would have taken Elaine Young Tuk s foster carer told Dogs Today in 2019 If the vet had simply scanned him he would have realised the dog was registered to someone else and certainly you wouldn t put to sleep a pet registered to a third party without at least trying to get in touch with them But this did not happen because while microchipping your dog is mandatory scanning them is not This loophole needs closing and we owe it to Tuk to do it A petition to make scanning for microchips mandatory called Fern s Law after a dog who was reunited years after being stolen thanks to her chip received over 112 000 signatures Vets can play a valuable role in reuniting missing microchipped pets We have microchipped our pets with the expectation to be reunited if the worst happens and they are lost or stolen the petition reads If just one organisation is not committed to scan and check microchip registration the whole system fails and is not fit for purpose Legislation is needed to replace halfhearted strengthened best practice recommendations The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Defra has since launched a consultation on whether to make microchipping compulsory for cats and whether the scanning of pets microchips should be compulsory As this goes to print the consultation has just closed and the outcome is still unknown VET VETO While campaigners feel strongly that scanning should be mandatory the British Veterinary Association BVA is opposed saying it can put veterinary professionals in harm s way in a worst case scenario as well as discouraging whoever has a stolen or missing dog from seeking veterinary attention BVA senior vice president Daniella Dos Santos said We recommend that vets should scan for a microchip where appropriate across a range of different scenarios However we strongly oppose calls to make it compulsory Making vets enforcement officers of any kind risks compromising trust between vets and owners and could deter some people from accessing vital care and treatment for their pets Scanning in certain scenarios could also present a risk to the client for example if someone fleeing domestic abuse has their details passed on to a former partner who registered the pet It is for cases like this that we feel that the vet must be able to make a judgement call about what approach is best for the welfare of both the animal and the owner Incorrect information on microchipping databases is one of the most common reasons why vets are unable to reunite pets and owners We encourage our members to advise clients on the importance of keeping microchip details up to date to aid reunification While it is considered best practice and highly recommended rescue centres dog wardens and veterinary professionals are under no obligation to check for a microchip The BVA also argues that while it may appear to be a simple task to scan a microchip to check ownership of a pet there is no central portal and there are now 15 different databases we have to grapple with to find the owner Any pet can be registered on more than one database which can lead to heartbreaking ownership disputes Campaigners for mandatory scanning recognise that the co existence of several databases including some that do not meet the government s standards disrupts what should be a quick streamlined process to identify a dog s registered keeper An additional petition has been launched for the creation of a single database and has so far received over 14 000 signatures https petition parliament uk petitions 551556 The response reads The government is aware that some people and organisations would like to see changes to the dog and cat microchipping legislation including a single pet microchip database and a requirement for veterinarians to check the keeper records linked to microchips when pets are first brought into their practices The government is responding by reviewing existing microchipping regulations and by consulting interested parties to hear their views on these two suggestions As part of the post legislative requirements the government is reviewing the Microchipping of Dogs England Regulations 2015 the 2015 Regulations This review is currently being undertaken by researchers from the University of Nottingham who are due to report their findings very shortly The study includes the use of multiple databases and whether there should be a single database SINGLE MINDED Dr Sharon Alston believes a single database on which individual licensed databases can replicate their registered data would solve many of the issues in the system She says Vets support microchipping and all aspects of welfare including getting lost or stolen pets home Vets are however very busy professionals usually working under a huge amount of stress and time pressures The current system where checking a chip can be problematic and take considerable time makes compulsory scanning a virtual impossibility A single national database makes this a very simple process Dr Alston is involved with the development of an app in Ireland called Chiplink which she says would simplify the process by far Presently if a pet is scanned the vets and staff can write down the chip number go online to seek out which database the chip is registered to then log into the relevant database as an authorised user to find the details for the owner and then contact them she says With the Chiplink app once logged in with their unique authorisation anyone currently authorised to access microchip data will simply March 2021 Dogs Today 21

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Words COLETTE KASE I d researched these breeders and they were highly regarded within their breed community They were Championship show judges and were considered extremely responsible with waiting lists for their puppies Everyone I spoke to in the breed spoke of them highly so I didn t have many concerns and was excited to be adopting a dog from such fantastic breeders SPECIAL REPORT Make 2021 count Siberian Husky Photo posed by models scan the pet and get the same information instantly The app would also allow for the data to be fed back to the appropriate authority in case the dog turns out to be missing or stolen Vets wardens welfare organisations will not be jeopardised by having to tackle anyone directly if it is neither appropriate nor safe to do so Dr Alston says The police can then follow up their investigations with reliable and accurate data This overcomes one of the biggest concerns voiced by vets over compulsory scanning OFF THE SCALE VIOLENT CRIMINALS Vets have good reason to fear for their safety should they find themselves confronting an individual with a stolen dog as pet thieves have been known to resort to violence on several occasions On 15 December 2020 a dog named Ted was stolen from a pensioner in a violent robbery while out on a walk in Cannon Hill Common near Morden London Two men pushed Ted s owner Mike Jasper to the ground with one of them standing on his hands when he desperately tried to grab his dog s lead as he was taken away Ted is microchipped and has been logged as stolen but despite media coverage he has yet to be found The following month on 11 January a Plymouth student called Allie Knight was violently attacked while out walking her Pug Paddy Two men shoved her on the ground and struck her in the face before searching through her pockets Finding nothing of value they set their sights on Paddy Then they went for the dog but I kept hold of the leash and I remember they kept trying to take it from me Allie later said I had my motorcycle gloves on so I gave a few punches back grabbed my dog and tried to run but one of them grabbed my wrist and they both took me to the ground again and started hitting me in the face while I just gripped her as tightly as I could The sound of a car approaching finally caused the men to flee leaving Allie bruised and shaken but still holding on to her dog P 22 Dogs Today March 2021 Wise up When it comes to finding a good breeder people need considerable help to sort the good from the bad and the ugly I spent 20 years working in animal behaviour and welfare professionally in the UK During that time I was fortunate to be part of thousands of dogs lives Some of those dogs were my own companions some belonged to clients some to students Many of those dogs were being sheltered in the hope of adoption The majority of dogs I ve worked with have been pure breed dogs and while I ve never purchased a dog for myself from a breeder I have done so on behalf of clients I have also adopted a pure breed dog through a breed rescue directly from breeder I want to share with you what my own experiences with purebreed dogs breeders training behaviour and animal welfare have taught me about how pure breeds fit into families and communities and the repercussions of bad breeding I ll start with my personal experience of adopting a rescued pedigree dog of Champion bloodlines I will not mention the breed to protect people s identities I decided I wanted experience as the owner of a particular breed As all of my dogs were adopted I contacted a number of breed rescues recommended by the Kennel Club They put me in touch with a breeder who had a six year old bitch looking for a home We hopped in the car and drove to meet her The breeders lived in a vast property which can only be described as a mansion They greeted us at the door of their gorgeous immaculate home with two dogs from a breed different to the one I had hoped to adopt They explained that they kept this breed as pets and the others for show The breed kept for show were all kennelled We were not given the opportunity to see the kennels but the breeders apologetically told us that the dog we were there to see was a bit overweight They explained that she had ghost seasons and had been unable to produce puppies After all this time they felt it was best to adopt her out to a good home They said that she had put on weight because they were spoiling her as they felt sorry for her having lived in their kennels for her whole life Nothing they could have said would have prepared us for what they led into the living room 10 minutes later The dog was morbidly obese Her stomach was touching the floor She was covered in weeping sores and smelled septic I didn t wait a single second I didn t care what she was like or whether I liked her or not I knew I had to get her out of there I asked them if they had any vaccination records for her and their response still rings in my memory She s never seen the vet We put her in the car got her home bathed her as best we could and arranged to take her to the vet the following morning They were of course horrified It turns out that she had been living with a chronic uterine infection possibly for years In fact when she was spayed the vet said her uterus fell apart in their hands She lived out her life with us joyfully and we loved her dearly until she died two years later from health problems related to breeding This is when I fully understood the resistance of the dog breeding community to any sort of regulation or oversight The dog world protects its own and does not want scrutiny because so many of them wouldn t pass muster Within my animal welfare work whenever purebred dogs came to us for rehoming sometimes as puppies we would do our best to trace the breeders This was before microchipping became compulsory but often we were still able to as the owners would provide us with the dog s pedigree papers We would always ask the owners if they d contacted the breeder and what the breeder had said It was invariably the same story They would tell us the breeder told them that they would take the dog back but couldn t guarantee that they wouldn t put it down The majority of my puppy class clients were affluent and were able to acquire a puppy of their breed of choice with the breeder providing no checks on their suitability beyond cursory questioning and no legitimate aftercare or support That s why these people would choose to go to a rehoming organisation that had a nondestruction policy When we d contact the breeders ourselves we were usually met with hostility the breeder refusing to take any responsibility for medical or temperament issues which we could patently see could have been prevented by better breeding and husbandry practices and never offering to help supplement the cost of caring for the dog until a suitable home could be found I must add that there were rare occasions when we dealt with truly responsible breeders who were terribly upset that one of their dogs had come into our care and they would work with us either taking the dog back themselves or getting it into an appropriate breed rescue programme As a puppy trainer and behaviour consultant over 95 per cent of my clients were purebred dogs The majority of my puppy class clients were affluent and were able to acquire a puppy of their breed of choice with the breeder providing no checks on their suitability beyond cursory questioning and no legitimate aftercare or support There were two breeder sales practices in particular that we dreaded seeing the outcome of One was selling unsocialised puppies at an advanced age because they had been holding on to them to see how they developed or even though they would tell our client that was the case we would later discover the puppy had been returned by a previous purchaser due to temperament problems The other practice that always set owners up for failure was selling littermates so they could keep each other company We would often ask the owners what the breeder bred for specifically as a matter of interest and never once were we told as companions and yet that was what the majority of the puppies would end up being It can t be surprising that dogs bred solely for extreme conformation features or working ability would fail in normal family homes UNFIT FOR PURPOSE Fortunately our clients had a lot of support and we as a team with their veterinary practices could help them overcome some of these issues Unfortunately not every owner has this sort of support A good breeder of course would have known this and either not sold them a puppy or helped them create one There are not a lot of good breeders There are great breeders and those are not the breeders that this article is focusing on although those are the breeders already doing things that are important and they are the breeders from whom I have learned so much about what makes a good breeder Clients would often enlist my services to help them find the best breed and breeder for March 2021 Dogs Today 23

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HOUNDS ON THE REBOUND Breeders are placing the financial burden of their bad decisions on the shoulders of the general public who support animal rehoming organisations with their donations Over half of the dogs in their care are coming from the pedigree community and while there are some very hard working well organised and caring breed rescues they clearly do not have sufficient resources from their own community If they did there would be far fewer dogs in rehoming centres around the country The dog breeding community should be supporting and paying for the fallout caused by their own bad practices not the general public Commercial breeding of 24 Dogs Today March 2021 pedigree and now a variety of purpose crossbreed puppies has always been of concern to those who care about dogs There has been a well documented upsurge in dog ownership across the UK during the Covid 19 pandemic Purebred dogs have been produced in huge numbers by puppy farms both in the UK and abroad to meet the demand Puppy farms are not the only problem though in fact all breeders have some responsibility for the number of puppies being bought from puppy farmers Those who care about the welfare of dogs have been trying for decades to encourage the dog breeding world to self police effectively They just won t do it Those among them who do find it a constant struggle and are always in conflict with those who oppose high standards because of course if you ask any dog breeder they will always tell you that they are responsible and follow the highest standards There are only a few reasons for breeding pedigree dogs Some do it for huge profits and those are the puppy farmers No one who cares about dogs likes them or wants them to operate The other reasons people breed purebred dogs are for show or as some claim to preserve the breed and others for specific working roles So who exactly is breeding dogs specifically for the purpose of being companions Cross breeders loathed by pure breeders are finding great success because they CONSUMER WATCHDOG There s a new idea that s come to fruition and I like it Since the dog world will not self police nor will they band together to support legal enforcement that would eliminate irresponsible breeding and puppy farming the only option left is to educate consumers and encourage them to wield their power After all whenever a puppy fails in a new home in my experience the breeder will invariably blame the new owners So let s give the new owners a different playbook and direct them to the breeders who are doing it right It s called Tailwise I am excited by the quality of breeders I m already seeing signing up and looking forward to seeing the public learn that there is a way to identify quality and it s not sadly through the Kennel Club But what do we mean by doing it right Well this is when we get to the nitty gritty As someone with a broad view of how puppies impact society whether by becoming heroes who work with disabled people sniff out drugs provide love and companionship or on the flip side leave families in tatters with children needing cosmetic surgery family decisions about rehoming or euthanasia I know how important dogs are to us all So I will share from a welfare and behaviour perspective what I hope Tailwise will help owners think about when they look for a breeder of a companion dog For the sake of succinctness I will leave out health testing simply because I know that this will be a priority and it s not my area of expertise So let s assume that any breeder I am talking about is already doing all recommended and available health tests related to the breed QUESTION TIME Why is the breeder breeding If it s for show or to improve the breed what are the characteristics other than conformation and health that they are selecting for If temperament what type of temperament are they selecting for What is the breeder doing to ensure that the temperament they are selecting for matches potential puppy buyers Is the breeder asking buyers for any professional references such as from vets trainers and pet sitters relating to previous pets or if a first time dog owner how are they ensuring that you will provide the puppy with a suitable home What other types of matching and checking are they doing What qualifications and ongoing training does the breeder undertake Have they done courses in genetics animal welfare ethics canine health behaviour etc Do they participate in continued professional development If not what sort of expert support in these fields do they receive and rely upon How do they refer to themselves as a breeder and do their activities represent that How do they keep their dogs In their home In kennels Are you able to visit the dogs in the location where they live If not are you able to send a representative to do so How would they feel about you hiring a professional to advise you on your puppy selection If they object what is their reasoning Irish Wolfhounds Photo posed by models Siberian Huskies Photo posed by models them assess and select the best pup from the litter I was fortunate to get the opportunity to work with some incredible breeders as a result According to a 2017 study on pet ownership demographics among veterinary clients in the UK over 80 per cent of dogs owned are pure breed So it may come as no surprise that when I did a quick survey of the nearly 300 dogs available for adoption in one of the large UK animal rehoming charities that approximately 65 per cent of the dogs in need of a new home were purebred dogs If most of these dogs had been bred and placed in homes responsibly it would not be falling to animal charities to take on the burden of their care are doing exactly that Like the pure breed community there are not many responsible breeders but the popularity of the dogs they are producing is proof that the dogs they are breeding are in demand You see while health testing must be a priority for anyone breeding dogs if they want to be considered responsible it s temperament that leads dogs to fail in their new homes When you combine selling a dog with an unsuitable temperament as a companion without carefully screening the home adequately socialising the puppy and providing little or ineffective aftercare the chances of a puppy ending up needing a new home dramatically increase WHEN BREEDERS ARE REALLY REALLY GOOD Beverley Cuddy I have always loved Irish Wolfhounds but their short life expectancy puts me off So when I talked to a lovely lady in Scotland about the dogs she breeds I started to feel really optimistic for the future Fran s not all that bothered about showing All her many Wolfhounds live in the house with her rescued parrots She seems to attract them people bring her more and even the naughtiest parrot seems to love her home everyone does I want to move in too Fran s Wolfhounds are regularly living to 11 years old which is amazing She s a longtime Dogs Today reader who won a past competition when her hero Wolfhound pulled her out of the way of an oncoming car Fran is what being a good dog breeder is all about Happy dogs living long healthy lives and becoming beloved dogs that change other people s lives too She was one of the first to sign up to Tailwise She didn t need to her dogs are in huge demand But she wants dogs to be bred by those that love them She wants to help change the system BRACHY HOPE I was dreading screening Bulldog Cavalier and French Bulldog breeders but found I was really so impressed by those people stepping forwards and self identifying as wanting to make the world better for the dogs they love There are super heroes walking among us One lady was ill in bed but still giving really honest advice to people online about the realities of having a litter and the risks of things going wrong for mum Straight talking mentorship vision These folk are out there breeding for health trying everything to make life better for the dogs There are people wanting to set up a network of doggie midwives to make pregnancy and home births safer There are people whose strengths are early learning antenatal classes for dogs People are writing online courses to educate each other on how to do things really well There is hope Let s encourage the good people to strive for the very best for our best friends What kind of socialisation and habituation programme do they have in place for their puppies Will they allow you visit or speak to other people who have purchased their puppies What has happened to previous puppies if things haven t worked out in the new home What is their policy and is it in the contract What kind of aftercare and support do they provide once you have purchased your puppy and how long will that continue If there are medical or temperament problems that clearly stem from the breeder s practices are they insured to compensate new owners There certainly are so many more things that potential puppy owners can and should look for and while I and other trainers and behaviour consultants have provided a service to assist puppy buyers with the process there certainly is room for a service that has centralised breedspecific information access to a wealth of knowledge and a list of breeders keen to raise the bar P March 2021 Dogs Today 25

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Words DEBBIE BRIDGES The last year has been challenging for all charities but for the NAWT it s been one thing after another It never rains but it pours Above centre manager Tracy with Megan and Billy in their cosy room at Trindledown Far left staff members don their cozzies for a photo call Left a Trindledown staff member takes to the water Below entire fields disappeared under the flood Top right sadly it was impossible to keep Rocco at the centre due to his earthy vocabulary so he was fostered by a member of staff our doors again Tracy says But Covid put paid to that Six months down the line Trindledown remains closed to the public but as I drive through the main gate I notice there s a good deal of activity and I find Tracy in a remarkably upbeat frame of mind Animals still have to be fed and cared for despite the centre losing an estimated 225 a day due to cancelled income streams such as corporate activity days But Tracy is determinedly focusing on the positives which go beyond an opportunity to freshen up the paintwork HEAD ABOVE WATER R emember January 2020 A wet but otherwise unremarkable start to the year which saw most of us bimbling along blissfully unaware of a looming global pandemic and all the changes that would soon affect our everyday lives so profoundly 26 Dogs Today March 2021 But the New Year had hardly got into its stride when staff at the National Animal Welfare Trust NAWT in Berkshire found themselves battling a major catastrophe and their Trindledown Farm site was forced to close in the wake of extensive flooding We needed a Land Rover with a snorkel just to get onto the site says manager Tracy Waldron as she recalls entire fields disappearing underwater and the unstoppable destruction of shelters and fencing The secure fence around the dogs exercise area was a write off she says On top of everything else we had to exercise the dogs on long lines take them off site for lead walks and try to tire them out with brain games It was nearly three months before the water levels started to recede but as staff and volunteers were picking themselves up and dusting themselves off or wringing themselves out events had moved on and the reopening they d been working towards was impossible for another reason By the end of April we were just about recovering and ready to open We ve learned a lot and might do things differently in the future she says For instance we ve taken our pet shop online and offer click and collect or personal shopper services As well as being a registered tourist attraction Trindledown is very much part of the local community and having no visitors drastically reduces donations But the team has managed to keep some money coming in by releasing more stories of animals to the media stories such as Rocco an African Grey Parrot who was picked up the previous year as a stray and whose somewhat earthy vocabulary made the possibility of keeping him at the centre a non starter A member of staff fostered him Tracy says Rocco made himself at March 2021 Dogs Today 27

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home and quickly worked out how to operate Alexa Coming home Marion wouldn t only find Rocco s favourite music playing Kings of Leon in case you re wondering He started online shopping too says Tracy CUPBOARD LIFE Rocco now has a forever home with Marion who s learned to make frequent checks on her virtual shopping list and while his is the sort of quirky tale that makes a good splash others such as the story of Roxy and Drago are nothing short of heartbreaking During a drugs raid police discovered Roxy an 11 year old Bullmastiff in a dingy cupboard under the stairs with no light or water It s believed she spent her entire life in that cupboard producing puppies fathered by her son Drago who d been The NAWT is the first rescue and rehoming charity in the UK to adopt the Open Paw programme devised by Kelly Gorman Dunbar a respected behaviourist in the US and her husband Dr Ian Dunbar a British vet behaviourist and author The scheme provides rescue animals with the enrichment training and social skills they will need to make them easier to rehome spirited away prior to the raid Fearful sad and alone Roxy arrived at Trindledown where animal care leader Natasha set about the difficult task of befriending her Four months later Drago was picked up by the dog warden and there wasn t a dry eye in the place at their joyful reunion After rehabilitation the plan was to rehome mother and Top Roxy where she was found by police in the cupboard under the stairs Above Animal Care Leader Natasha worked hard to help Drago overcome his anxieties Right life couldn t be more different for Drago who is a now a much loved Cathcart family member 28 Dogs Today March 2021 son together but it wasn t to be Shortly after Drago s arrival Roxy was struck down by a degenerative disease of the spinal cord It proved to be one fight too many for the elderly dog who d suffered so much and as Natasha held her in her arms in her final moments she promised her friend she d take care of Drago And that s what she did working tirelessly to gain his trust as she d gained Roxy s and helping him accept all the things he d never experienced in his seven years Within a few months he was ready for his new forever home with Kathy and Ian Cathcart who couldn t be more pleased with the over sized and affectionate addition to their household and Kathy tells me there wasn t even the slightest problem with him settling into family life His tail was wagging from the moment he walked through the door she says recalling Drago s excitement as he investigated every inch of his new home He just loves people and he s incredibly gentle especially with our 18 month old grandson He s absolutely the light of our lives and we adore him There s no doubt Drago has landed on his great big paws LITTLE ANGEL Through all the difficult times the team at Trindledown have continued rescuing and rehoming in limited numbers with intake reduced only to welfare cases and rehoming to people known to the centre or by conducting home visits on good old Zoom Trindledown is geared up to care for older animals and they come in all shapes and sizes Horses ponies alpacas sheep and pigs graze peacefully in the farm s rolling fields and dogs are housed in spacious home from home rooms complete with sofas curtains and televisions Like Drago Staffie cross Angel was also slightly younger than the usual Trindledown clientele when she arrived following the death of her owner during the first lockdown With no friends or family members able to take her in Angel was home alone and in desperate need Unlike Drago Angel had been used to life as a pet and it soon became clear the deluxe accommodation wasn t quite enough for her No visitors means no one passing by on a regular basis and Angel who also loves people was running herself ragged in her room on a daily basis So for the NAWT centres run a free Pet Care Card scheme guaranteeing to take care of people s pets in the event of their death nine weeks of her stay she took up residence in reception during the day returning to her room every evening and settling down contentedly for the night and her delighted new owners report no issues with separation anxiety JUST KEEP SWIMMING For some dogs simply having a view is luxury enough and taking a quick tour of the dogs rooms with Tracy I meet new arrivals Megan and Billy Billy is stretched out in his favourite spot on the back of an armchair watching the world go by They lived in the back garden in what I can only describe as a box Tracy tells me It had no windows and was hardly big enough for them to turn round In the few days since their arrival the pair have also discovered the delights of squashy furniture soft dog beds and in Billy s case squeaky toys And for dogs whose Above Angel made herself at home in Trindledown s reception during lockdown and is now happy in her new home top centre Right new arrivals Megan and Billy have discovered life s luxuries since their arrival at the centre Top right Billy particularly enjoys watching the view from his window and playing with squeaky toys left March 2021 Dogs Today 29

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Staff members at NAWT centres are trained by Ally to offer a support service for people experiencing the loss of their companion animal socialisation can at best have been only limited they re unbelievably friendly and I have the distinct impression they won t be at Trindledown long There have been many changes at Trindledown Farm in recent years including the addition of Baileys Cafe Smithy s Pet Shop and Trindledown Treasures where donated and handmade goods are sold There s Guinea Pig Village Rabbit World partially constructed and a blueprint forming in Tracy s mind for Tortoise Town There s always an educational element where people are viewing the animals she says And everything is made by our volunteers using reclaimed wood where possible Volunteers are normally an important part of the centre s dayto day work but with the advent of Covid they ve been unable to report for duty in the usual way However I hear they re far from idle and are busy making items that can be sold online from snufflemats to tealight holders They re clearly a committed and multi talented bunch and regular volunteer Julian Rota has even written a book offering a warts and all account of his volunteering experiences And it isn t just us outsiders who might find the behind the scenes shenanigans a bit of an eye opener There were quite a few surprises in Julian s book for me Tracy laughs In common with so many businesses and charities the last year has been all about adapting and surviving But what next Above volunteer and author Julian Rota with Tia right and Oscar Right Rosie Marcel aka Holby City s Jac Naylor is a staunch supporter of Trindledown and surprised everyone when asked to pose with a copy of Julian s book top right Left inside Trindledown Treasures Below Guinea Pig Village 30 Dogs Today March 2021 I tentatively ask Tracy if there s been the time or inclination for thinking about future plans and am instantly met with a barrage of rapid fire ideas including a buggyhire scheme resulting from Tracy s experiences with her own three Border Terriers as they aged In the meantime there are phone calls every day asking if Trindledown is open yet and more than anything Tracy and the team are looking forward to welcoming their visitors back We can t wait to be open again she says We want to see the people as much as they want to see us P Leads to follow www nawt org uk centres berkshire 01488 638584 Animal Trust by Julian Rota available from NAWT M UC KY PUP SHOP G RO O M I N G ESSENTIALS F O R YO U R POOCH

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Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI Pets in lets In our February issue we talked about the struggle of renting with pets and the choice too many pet owners can face giving up their pets or becoming homeless with them As the campaign for Jasmine s Law continues change is on the way E 32 Dogs Today March 2021 Meanwhile a new standard tenancy agreement is expected to make it easier for tenants with pets to find rented accommodation Under the new model tenancy agreement which was announced by Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP on Thursday 28 January landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on pets in what could be a game changer for thousands of pet owners In this government s recommended contract for landlords consent for pets will be the default position and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason to deny the request RENTS FOR PETS Housing Minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP said We are a nation of animal lovers and over the last year more people than ever before have welcome pets into their lives and homes But it can t be right that only a tiny fraction of landlords advertise pet friendly properties and in some cases people have had to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live Through the changes to the tenancy agreement we are making today we are bringing an end to the unfair blanket ban on pets introduced by some landlords This strikes the right Posed by models very year pet owners who are trying to move into new rented accommodation are faced with the reality that their family could be torn apart Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell a long time dog owner is looking to place strict limits on landlords ability to impose no pets policies in rented accommodation To this end he brought into Parliament the Dogs and Domestic Animals Accommodation and Protection Bill or Jasmine s Law named after a dog who was separated from her owner due to a blanket ban on pets at his rented accommodation According to Zoopla one of the UK s biggest property portal websites only about seven per cent of landlords advertise their properties as pet friendly Blanket bans on pets make the already difficult market near impossible to navigate for pet owners who find themselves with far fewer properties to choose from and sometimes can simply find nothing suitable within their budget forcing them to make the heartbreaking choice of giving up their pets or becoming homeless themselves Jasmine s Law which is backed by animal rights and animal welfare organisations including Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Dogs Trust the RSPCA Cats Protection and Dogs on the Streets has yet to receive its second reading balance between helping more people find a home that s right for them and their pet while ensuring landlords properties are safeguarded against inappropriate or badly behaved pets While this clause is not legally binding it has been welcomed as a step in the right direction by charities and dog welfare organisations including rehoming charity Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Peter Laurie Battersea s interim chief executive said At Battersea we see far too many heartbroken owners forced to give up their pets due to housing problems it s the second biggest reason people bring their dogs and cats to us Yesterday s announcement demonstrates the government s clear continued commitment to improving access to pet ownership for renters as well as helping to support and promote responsible pet ownership Dr Ed Hayes head of public affairs at the Kennel Club said This clause within the new model tenancy agreement is certainly a step in the right direction encouraging responsible pet ownership as well as benefiting animal welfare According to government figures currently just seven per cent of private landlords advertise pet friendly properties and most contracts don t allow them meaning many caring and responsible owners struggle to find a suitable home with their pet In some cases this can also lead to people having to make a heart breaking decision to unwillingly give up their pet all together He added For years thousands of owners have faced the reality that finding a place to live might mean permanent separation from their pet With interest in dog ownership during the pandemic increasing and when so many people are isolated it is vital that society adapts its rules and takes a long term vision to ensure that our pets can continue to be safely cared for and accommodated in our lives on the long term basis that they deserve and need MARCHING ON Whilst this clause isn t legally binding we encourage landlords to adopt this as best practice and put a stop to unfair blanket bans on pets which clearly the government now recognises is a problem It is of course crucial that these owners ensure their pet who is living alongside them in rented accommodation is well trained and happy in its environment in order to be a responsible owner and tenant Andrew Rosindell welcomed the news and pledged to increase his efforts to see Jasmine s Law become reality While I was live on air on BBC Radio 2 the government announced it was changing the model tenancy agreement to make it easier for tenants with pets to move into rented accommodation he wrote There is more to do to enshrine this in law but this campaign is changing lives He later stated This is a significant step As the housing minister made clear in his statement blanket bans on pets are unfair and these changes are clear indications that the government recognises the extent of the problem I am delighted to have played a role in securing this change Nevertheless the model tenancy agreement is just a template It is not legally binding Consequently this campaign must continue and we must turn these proposals into law to ensure a pet in every home P March 2021 Dogs Today 33

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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 How have the rules for travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland changed on 1 January 2021 Here s what you need to know GOVERNMENT S GUIDANCE TO TRAVELLING TO AN EU COUNTRY OR NORTHERN IRELAND You can no longer use a pet passport issued in Great Britain England Wales and Scotland for travel to an EU country or Northern Ireland You can still use a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland your pet needs A microchip A valid rabies vaccination An animal health certificate unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland Tapeworm treatment for dogs if you re travelling directly to Finland Ireland Northern Ireland Norway or Malta These requirements also apply to assistance dogs You ll need to go through a travellers point of entry when you arrive in an EU country or Northern Ireland You may need to show your pet s animal health certificate along with proof of their 34 Dogs Today March 2021 Rabies vaccination Tapeworm treatment if required Your pet will need a new animal health certificate for each trip to an EU country or Northern Ireland A repeat rabies vaccination will not be needed so long as your pet s rabies vaccinations are up to date Tapeworm treatment is needed for each trip if travelling directly to Finland Ireland Malta Northern Ireland or Norway You cannot take more than five pets to an EU country or Northern Ireland unless you re attending or training for a Competition Show Sporting event You ll need written evidence of registration for the event when you travel All your pets must Be attending the event or training Be over six months old Meet all the other requirements for pet travel to that country Travellers from the EU and other listed third countries with pets need to wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel into GB There are different requirements for pets entering from certain third countries such as a rabies blood test If travelling from countries not free from tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis you ll need to take your dog to a vet for an approved tapeworm treatment You must do this no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours five days before entering GB The treatment must approved for use in the country where the treatment is applied Contain praziquantel or an equivalent proven to be effective against tapeworm Be You do not need to treat your dog for tapeworm if you re travelling directly to GB from Finland Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland Norway or Malta Your pet must have one of the following documents when entering or returning to GB An EU pet passport issued in the EU or in GB if issued before 1 January 2021 or a pet passport from another Part 1 listed third country The animal health certificate AHC issued in GB used to travel to the EU which you can use to re enter GB for up to four months after it s issued A GB pet health certificate for travel into GB only Your pet will not need this documentation if entering GB from Northern Ireland The Channel Islands The Isle of Man Check the routes before you travel You must travel using approved routes Your pet s documents and microchip will be checked when entering GB Owners of assistance dogs returning from the EU do not have to travel on approved routes You must notify the point of entry in advance that you re travelling with an assistance dog to ensure the appropriate checks are done You do not have to travel on an approved route if you travel to GB from Other UK countries The Channel Islands The Isle of Man The Republic of Ireland Talk to your vet about what preparations you need to make before you travel from these places If you re a UK national living in the EU and plan to travel with your pet using a UK issued pet passport you should speak to your vet who will help to ensure you re compliant with EU pet travel regulations If you have a pet passport issued by an EU member state you can use it to bring your pet to GB Speak to your vet to find your nearest official vet Many veterinary practices will have one in their team You cannot bring more than five pets into GB unless you re attending or training for a Competition Show Sporting event You ll need written evidence of registration for the event when you travel All your pets must Be attending the event or training Be over six months old Meet the pet travel rules PET TRAVEL HELPLINE Telephone 0370 241 1710 Mon Fri 8 30am to 5pm closed on bank holidays Email pettravel apha gov uk GOVERNMENT S GUIDANCE TO TRAVELLING TO GREAT BRITAIN WITH YOUR PET An EU pet passport issued in a member state is still valid to enter Great Britain Illustration by Kevin Brockbank Check the rules of the country you re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel If you re travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in early 2021 and have a pet passport issued in Northern Ireland contact your vet for advice before travelling You can also read about changes to pet travel on the NIDirect website www nidirect gov uk Microchip want advice from someone with personal experience of the issue Before they enter Great Britain all pets must be Microchipped Vaccinated against rabies your vet needs proof that your pet is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating them March 2021 Dogs Today 35

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Photo posed by models 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 Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ Wish they could stay with us forever Our best friends depend on us so give them the ultimate rejuvenating supplement and they will give you more memorable years BiogenicPET Vitality is a natural remedy for dog and cat ailments and its patented active ingredient contains naturally occurring growth factors which provide daily regeneration of damaged tissues and revitalization of aging cells 15 years of proven rejuvenating effect Clinically proven and recommended by veterinarians to Support collagen production and reduce pain in cases of joint knee and hip injuries Support the regeneration of epithelial cells during dermal injuries and hair loss Optimize the endocrine system during separation anxiety and environmental stress Minimize the side effects of NSAID steroid drugs and protect the intestinal mucosa BiogenicPET Vitality products for dogs and cats RENTING WITH PETS Reading John Chadwick s story in your magazine brought tears to my eyes I almost went through the same nightmare and it s horrible to know it keeps happening Six years ago my landlord decided to sell the property I was renting in London and gave me a two month notice to leave I had a rescue dog at the time who was very well behaved at home but finding another place where she could come with me proved to be nearly impossible most rentals did not accept pets and any viable place that did was well above my budget At the end of the two month period I hadn t been able to find a new home where Evie would be welcome She went to temporarily stay with a friend and it took me two more months to finally find a pet friendly rental within my budget BETTER BEHAVIOUR To encourage dog owners to promote a better public image of themselves perhaps you would care to publish this photograph 36 Dogs Today March 2021 I slept in a motel over that period of time renting storage space to keep my things Motel stays are much more expensive than rent and this depleted nearly all my savings A few more weeks and there wouldn t have been enough left to pay the deposit and rent any place at all It took me time to recover financially as well as emotionally Had my friend not been there to take Evie for a while I would have faced the choice between giving her up or becoming homeless with her There were moments when I thought it would come down to that choice regardless and it was a very dark time in my life Mine is far from a unique case and many are not as fortunate as Evie and I were This needs to change I hope Jasmine s Law goes ahead Buying property is almost impossible for many people in the taken by me on 27 December 2020 The security bolts on the hut s window shutters and door have bags of dog excrement tied to them Disgusting enough but even more so considering that the hut is a lifeguard watch hut overlooking an isolated Cornish beach Lifeguards give their time and often risk their lives to safeguard swimmers and surfers It is shocking that they have to remove these bags of dog excrement before they can access their vital equipment Steve Marriott Join the debate Large dog formula Small dog formula Voice your opinions on news stories and other topics on our Dogs Today Magazine Facebook page or through our website www dogstoday magazine co uk UK A lot of us are stuck renting and the prices are extortionate enough without this added hurdle It is unreasonable for landlords to have blanket bans on pets regardless how well behaved the pet is Pets should be allowed as a default unless the tenant is found not to be a responsible owner Too many people and pets become homeless because of this and how many people out there would love to rescue a pet but cannot because of a blanket ban on pets in rentals Robie Wilson COVID WOES This is the moment Maggie found out her favourite bar had temporarily shut due to Covid She was distraught Michela Kalowski Cat formula Where to buy BiogenicPET Vitality products can be purchased online at PurrfectlyYappy com Visit us and redeem 10 Your code GIFTAFRIEND BiogenicPetVitality eu Dog Insurance with up to 30 off Visit theinsuranceemporium co uk DT99 or call 03300 243 980 today Entertainment Leisure Insurance Services Entertainment Leisure Insurance Services Limited and Lifestyle Policy Limited are appointed representatives of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited The Insurance Emporium is a trading name of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited registered in England and Wales no 294940 which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority no 202748 The 30 discount is made up of 20 Introductory Discount plus 10 Multi pet Discount if appropriate The Introductory Discount is available for the rst 12 premium payments on lunar and calendar monthly policies or one premium payment on annual policies O er ends 31 12 2021 and is only redeemable on monthly policies and not where premiums are paid annually Our Defaqto 5 Star Rating applies to Lifetime Gold Pet Insurance policies 2021 Dogs Today indd 1 24 11 2020 10 40

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Obituaries Your tributes If you want to pay tribute to a departed pet or have a suggestion for a lost star dog write to us at the address on page 3 or email editorial dogstodaymagazine co uk and put Tribute in the subject line Cleopatra 4 April 2008 21 December 2020 It s with a very heavy heart that I write this about my Cleo my first Galga how different she was to my ex racing Greyhounds and Lurchers She was so smart having come over from Spain via Greyhounds in Need after probably living on her wits and oh so beautiful with dark chestnut brown fur and flecks of brown that sparkled in the sun like gold dust Love just oozed from every single hair on Cleo when she wasn t getting into mischief She d nudge me to fuss on her I ve had endless mugs of tea splashed on me when Cleo caught me off guard Cleo spent most of her time being a little minx she slept in my bed every night and since the angels called her I ve barely slept I miss her fidgeting her lying across me her snoring twitching sharing my pillow She really had me wrapped around her paws and she knew it When I caught her doing mischief her little ears would go up her tail would wag and she d have the biggest smile on her face because she knew that even if I d caught her she could get away with it She was such a happy soul Cleo would welcome all new dogs into our home so much so that we called her the mama When I so sadly lost Ella Billy and Arthur it was Cleo who put her head on my chest and then nuzzled into my face drying my tears with her fur and giving me such huge comfort Cleo had been having some breathing problems after a chest infection X rays revealed nothing then tablets were given and Cleo was back to her usual cheeky self Then on Sunday 20 December she just seemed a little quiet so with Christmas coming up I booked her in at the vet s for a check up the following day But just as we were about to leave for the vet s Cleo collapsed By the time we got there she was very poorly The vet staff were waiting for Cleo and as soon as we pulled up they rushed her in I had to wait outside The vet came out and told me her heart was giving up Cleo was not coming home her big warm loving heart had given up on her It was a hard decision to let her go but the right one for Cleo All the vet staff were wonderful and all safety measures were in place I was then allowed to be with Cleo in her last few minutes on Earth I held her close to me her eyes never left mine her little face wet with my tears as I watched the light go out on her eyes Her body relaxed and she left to join the Campbell canines who waited to walk her across the bridge welcoming her with open paws and heart My little furry soulmate had left me breaking my heart Rest in peace little girl Thank you for all the love you shared with us You will never ever be forgotten Be a mama to those you ve joined You will always be kept safe in my heart Sleep well baby Loving you always Mummy brothers Tobi and Teddy sisters Sophie and Layla From Facebook OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS SHARED SOME PHOTOS OF THEIR DOGS TAKING OVER THE BED Claire Stacey Meet Ziggy Jennifer Clare These are my dogs in the morning Anne Mercer Do not disturb 38 Dogs Today March 2021 Mark Rigby They take the bed and the couch Donna Wileman Castellani This is my Scottie Dasher

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Illustration by Kevin Brockbank 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 Teri Burke I think those genuinely caring for the protection and preservation of our breeds will simply suck it up and look towards the future In the grand scheme of things one two or even three Crufts is meaningless All that matters surely is that we keep alive our adherence and determination to follow and uphold the standards of our breeds Winning is a bonus it s not the be all and end all Certainly not for me Due to the ongoing pandemic numerous events and competitions have been cancelled meaning that many dogs will never win the awards they were destined for or the chance to qualify for Crufts Could show dogs be judged remotely based on images and quality of breeding much like pupils exam results will be estimated this year Mandy Maidment Absolutely not Too much room for error I have dogs that would should have done well in the ring during Covid and a youngster who hasn t can t qualify for Crufts When we are all allowed to show I will do my best to make up for lost time I want my dogs to be seen in the flesh with hands on assessment Lynsey Forrester Definitely no No dog will suffer from not having its Champion title If it deserves being included in the stud book it will either have won it prior to Covid or will win it after 40 Dogs Today March 2021 Sherril Goodwin Spitewinter I don t believe this is possible but l do fear for the organisers of this show as few will attend So maybe it wouldn t be cost effective to hold one l have at least six dogs not qualified due to not being able to attend the qualifying show I feel these six would have easily qualified but it isn t to be Perhaps a simple option could be to leave it open to any dog to enter this time Suzanne Crow If the dog is good enough then having a year or so off won t stop it becoming a Champion Julie Botterill There are enough dogs who have qualified to hold the show Judging isn t all about looks movement and temperament are massive too Jane Johnson I ve seen photos of dogs that looked great then I met them and they were really poor examples of the breed they just had clever photographers Sarah Haysham Going entirely online for everything concerning dog shows until most people have been vaccinated seems safer than holding the competition at all There is no guaranteeing how long it will be before holding competitions is safe I still think that letting Crufts go ahead last March with Covid cases rising exponentially was absolutely irresponsible Lorna Dandy You can t go over a dog virtually The coat hides things and clever handling can disguise faults or minimise them A virtual Champion is never going to be the same as a Champion made up at a dog show Unfortunately due to the pandemic things probably will have to change but I don t see virtual Champions being the answer Rachel Berrington I m a teacher Even with teacher assessed grades there s years of work and assessment and evidence building behind those grades Those grades also affect the future of those children I have some very nice dogs here and a couple of youngsters that have missed their puppy career However the lack of showing has had very little impact on them They don t care if they are titled It doesn t affect their ability to live life They still know they are loved run about like lunatics love their walks and spend their evenings asleep on my lap Title or no title shows or no shows their life is no different Only five per cent of my dogs lives involve showing The remaining 95 per cent of their lives continues as normal Can t compare the two Darla Smith Why not For one year it could do Especially as I don t think it is wise holding Crufts at all even in summer There will be too many people from different countries and no idea what the infection rates will be then How many international competitors would even come or be allowed to come As far as I am concerned it should either go virtual for one year or not happen at all Lorraine Daly Don t agree with the idea for KC to judge by Zoom etc without a hands on assessment or seeing the dog in the flesh as an alternative to lack of shows Lots of exhibitors who have puppies won t have shown dogs and dogs coming out of junior and blooming also missed out Unfortunately that is the way it is My show dogs love showing and if I have walked past with a travel box they have got somewhat excited thinking they are off to a show then again they could be thinking I am taking them to the seaside as well Julie Hampson Things should stay the same I m crap at taking photos so I can t do my dogs justice plus I don t have many show photos as I go on my own and am always in the ring This month s result 9 Louise Chett I could see something like this becoming a separate type of award perhaps to reward exceptionally good breeding practices with the dog s health as the most important factor The highest standard should be the norm but it sadly is not However I m not sure I can see it replacing hands on assessment by a judge Kim Ellis Definitely not As a judge many dogs that look impressive standing absolutely fall apart on the move clever handling can t hide poor movement I rarely have any decent photos of my dogs in show pose it s OK if you have someone to help you get that elusive photo when they are looking their best Also it s a fact that many photos these days are doctored what you see is not always what you get Julie Woodhams We could end up with too many Champions well more than normal Even in usual times we ve all seen dogs deserving of CCs who don t get them because the competition is strong The well worn phrase these are unprecedented times comes to mind It s horrible I m fed up with not being able to show but it s a global pandemic We should just put up with it being different at the moment 9 82 Yes No Maybe Marilyn Anne Evill You can t possibly judge the dog from photographs only Kitty Gray It s too much like compensation culture for me There were no shows in the two World Wars either A shame for those who missed JW or who were waiting for one last CC with a dog that may be past its prime when shows restart but it is what it is You only have to look at the virtual shows held this year to see how difficult it can be to judge dogs without having them in front of you There are dogs winning virtual CCs that would be lucky to be placed in their breed normally Jacqueline Cobb Hands on is so important Tracey McGowan I have a youngster that has missed out but she will win anyway if the judges deem her good enough She will be nicely matured by the time we get back to it and as Champions can also come from veterans then her career has a way to go yet P Next month s topic is The RSPCA is seeking statutory powers to enter private land and outbuildings without seeking police assistance first if they think an animal is suffering Should it be granted Email editorial dogstodaymagazine co uk with your thoughts putting Great Debate in the subject line or write to Great Debate Dogs Today The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High St Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ March 2021 Dogs Today 41 No Yes Ma

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F My Dog Crush Photo by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk un friendly eager to please and always up for a cuddle an Old English Sheepdog will bring a smile to the face of everyone they meet 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 Old English Sheepdog 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 42 Dogs Today March 2021 Old English Sheepdog An Old English Sheepdog certainly makes an impression and you re likely to attract a fair amount of attention It is impossible to take a quick walk with one of these Everyone wants to say hello and a Sheepie knows how to work a crowd says one owner That s fine though because these dogs are very friendly and generally enjoy the fuss These are gentle unflappable dogs and quite a few of our sample volunteer as therapy dogs Affectionate comical and a little clumsy Old English Sheepdogs make entertaining companions She makes me laugh every day She bumbles about and doesn t realise how big she is Training exercise As you would expect from a pastoral breed the OES is super smart This coupled with the fact that they love nothing more than to please their owners means they respond well to training They seem particularly good at learning to respond to lots of command words Some of our owners even claim that their dogs can count or read words Not surprisingly many of our owners participate in obedience training The OES is playful and enjoys tricks and games They can even play hide and seek says one owner but they try to cheat It s important not to over exercise young dogs but once they are grown up they love a good run about and most of our owners exercise their dogs for between one and two hours a day Coat care These dogs have a lot of coat and keeping them clean and tidy can entail considerable work A third of our owners do some kind of grooming every day and half groom their dogs once a week An OES in full coat is a labour of love explains one owner The show dog look is a bit too much bother for some owners and there s no reason why you can t have them clipped short to make life a bit easier Not everyone agrees though 22 of our owners wonder why you d get a hairy dog if you re just going to shave it off Others compromise and opt for a shorter look in the summer season Despite all the hair they don t generally shed a great deal if they are combed regularly but if they mat you have a real problem on your hands Health Screening for eye conditions and hip dysplasia are recommended DNA testing for PCD primary ciliary syskinesia and MDR1 multi drug sensitivity are also advised 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 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 March 2021 Dogs Today 43

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My Dog Crush Downsides Can be a bit vocal Mud magnets Massive grooming commitment Origins T he Old English Sheepdog is almost certainly related to the Scottish Bearded Collie and there were possibly some other European herding dogs thrown into the mix as well The breed is probably not therefore actually English Nor despite the name is the breed really a sheepdog It s probable that these dogs were mainly kept as cattle drovers rather then sheep herders In recent years the number of Old English Sheepdogs has fallen to such an extent that the Kennel Club has warned that the breed could face extinction A coat of paint For many people the Old English Sheepdog will forever be a Dulux dog This is thanks to a longrunning advertising campaign for the paint brand that famously features an OES The breed first appeared in the adverts in 1961 and there have been a total of 14 doggie performers since then 44 Dogs Today March 2021 Owner s view Traits Bouncy Goofy Affectionate Loyal Playful Gentle M orag Thomson Ross shares her home with two Old English Sheepdogs Meg aged seven years and Eva aged two She must be smitten with the breed because she s owned five before the current pair Your life is never dull she says of living with Old English Sheepdogs They keep you on the go 24 7 Meg has her coat clipped because she s not keen on being groomed but Eva has a long coat which can mean two hours of combing every other day Morag recommends checking their coats when they get back from a walk to make sure there aren t any ticks or bits of twig stuck in there Eva and Meg are laid back but love their exercise they crave cuddles and want to be involved with everything The best thing about them is that they are so loving Best Facebook Groups Keep Calm and Papillon Papillon Lovers 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 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 March 2021 Dogs Today 45

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My Dog Crush Love the breed Shop the breed Best names Bubbles Dennis Lolly Dudley Martha Rupert Daphne Cosmo Machine washable fully lined cotton OES bag measuring 36cm x 26cm Available in pink or blue it costs 18 50 A matching cosmetics bag is available for 12 50 from Purrfectlywoofly at etsy com Old English Sheepdog antics Drops and rolls with legs in the air like she is riding a bicycle Eat Sleep Walk Old English Sheepdog unisex T shirt in black grey or white 14 40 from WaryaTshirts on etsy com Set of two Old English Sheepdog coasters with a fractal art design 9 50 from FractalArtworks on etsy com They take out their own toys from a toy basket with a lid and put them away again at night Rounded our neighbour up in his drive and herded him safely back into his porch He was trying to go to the shop Sleeps on back with feet on the walls There is not a door or fence that can outwit her If all else fails she destroys it Handmade hanging ceramic ornament 8 50 from lebonceramics on etsy com Best Facebook groups Old English Sheepdog Advice UK Old English Sheepdogs of the UK Reduce your plastic carrier bag usage with this cotton shopper with the option of a short or long handle 7 95 from CandSProducts on etsy com A4 giclee print from an original acrylic artwork by Sara Tuckey measuring 32cm x 25cm including a border of 1 5cm 29 95 from HeartStoneStudiosGB on etsy com For Dog People by Dog People 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 Awarded Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2018 UK 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 Winners 2013 2019 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook 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 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 Call to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www dogmatic org uk 46 Dogs Today March 2021 March 2021 Dogs Today 47

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Victoria Stilwell that over stimulation of auditory senses can have as significant an effect on our animals as it does on humans We know that dogs are incredibly adaptable but this ability to adapt along with their sensitive hearing has also done them a disservice Some dog lovers take their dogs flexibility for granted and what might be a stimulating environment for them can be a challenging environment for their dog Understanding our dogs perception and experience of sound will help us pay more attention to their needs and provide them with sensory spaces that support their behavioural balance and health Sound science Lockdowns have seen our cities become still and silent in a way we ve never before experienced How did we and our dogs ever filter out so much background noise before 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 48 Dogs Today March 2021 G reat Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado is one of the quietest places in the United States Colorado is well known for its flat plains and vast mountain ranges but Great Sand Dunes situated at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at the southern end of the Rockies is less recognised One of the first things you notice about being in Great Sand Dunes National Park is the peace It is said to be one of the quietest places on earth so quiet that any outside noise like a plane overhead can be heard from miles away The reason for this silent soundscape is because sand absorbs sound and deadens noise The only other spots in the USA that are as quiet are Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Haleakala National Park in Maui Hawaii The deep snow that blankets Yellowstone each winter acts as a sound absorber as does the sound deadening volcanic craters of Haleakala It is only when you visit places like these that you realise how noisy the world you live in really is Traffic phones microwaves sirens barking dogs and planes all form an auditory backdrop that most humans naturally habituate to and unless a sound is truly invasive or sudden we forget it is there The skill we have to naturally filter out sounds around us helps us adapt more easily to different environments but this ability means that we sometimes forget how overwhelming certain environments can be for our dogs Most dogs like humans also habituate to the sounds around them but others don t do it so easily and suffer with noise anxieties or phobias as a result Sound is one of the last senses we pay attention to when it comes to understanding how much it contributes to our emotional experience Certain sounds do indeed trigger memories of the past A tennis ball being hit back and forth for example takes me back to my childhood in Wimbledon where my house backed on to the practice courts of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships The noise of a dentist s drill puts me right back in the dentist s chair and reminds me of how terrified I was when my mother told me it was time for a check up AUDITORY INPUT But sound does much more than trigger memories of the past Our hearing is fine tuned to alert us to potential dangers in the present We no longer live in caves but our prehistoric ears still work acutely when we need them to for example when we are alone at night We often hear noises that might mean someone or something has invaded our home The same sounds are present during the day but take on a whole new meaning when they are magnified at night Because we live in a loud world we rarely experience complete silence Noise pollution has taken that luxury away from us and there are not many places left in the world where we can experience true silence Even if you live in the countryside you might still hear a plane flying overhead something that was certainly true until the pandemic How much quieter did your environment become during lockdown The absence of planes ALL BARK or cars gave us all an auditory break which many of us embraced and found disconcerting at the same time The human ear is a marvel and while our hearing sense is extraordinary our dogs hearing is much more acute a fact that tends to get left behind when we put more focus on using a dog s sense of smell or taste when teaching them A dog s sound experience however has a profound impact on their behaviour and well being and this is just one of the subjects that will be explored during my online Dog Behaviour Conference in April where I will be speaking alongside leading sound researcher and psychoacoustician Joshua Leeds founder of Through A Dog s Ear and the iCalm Dog Our talk which is titled Taking the Use of Music and Sound in Dog Training to the Next Level will take attendees on a journey through their dogs ears and show how people can create environments that have a positive impact on their dogs nervous systems Psychoacoustics is the study of the perception of sound particularly on the human nervous system and this study reveals that auditory input has a much larger impact on the mental and physical health of humans than we might think The sound of a busy city might be too overwhelming for people who live in the countryside Conversely standing in the middle of the sand dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park might be too quiet for those used to an auditoryrich environment BACKGROUND NOISE Bioacoustics is the study of sound in non human animals and is a branch of science that deals with the relation between living beings and sound Research has shown that the effects of sound are shared by people and animals and therefore the energy of sound should not be taken for granted In his book Through A Dog s Ear Using Sound to Improve the Health and Behavior of Your Canine Joshua Leeds writes The dog s hearing has served us for thousands of years because they were and still are effective alarm systems Their particular aptitude to sounding that alarm might annoy us at times but we only have ourselves to blame Humans have encouraged dogs barking ability by selectively breeding those that were loud barkers to help with hunting and protection But this ability also comes with an acute awareness of the environment around them which can become an irritant when our dogs consistently warn us that something or someone is coming Joshua and I will be exploring how music and simple sound can discharge a dog s nervous system The use of music to calm our dogs is not simply about playing classical music to them but rather how and when simple music is played There are many ways to use sound to help dogs overcome certain anxieties and phobias as well as using specially designed psychoacoustic music to help dogs with separation issues and aggressive behaviour You can find out more about using sound to calm your dog by joining me at The Dog Behaviour Conference which runs from 16 18 April 2021 Register at positively com dbc P March 2021 Dogs Today 49

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True Case History by Peter Neville It s not uncommon for pups to pose problems from both ends teething and The client Owner Bev Carey Address Winchester Hants Name Cassie Breed Crossbreed Age 9 weeks old Sex Female newspaper by the time they moved to their forever homes She was also told that the biting was quite normal and that Cassie would soon grow out of it She did advise Bev to yell loudly whenever Cassie did bite her but Bev told me that this only seemed to incite Cassie to bite harder so she definitely needed a plan B Hi Peter Assessment I have recently adopted a new puppy named Cassie She is a sweet little pup very playful and interested in everything around her but I am having trouble teaching her two things not to bite me and where to eliminate I know it s cold outside at the moment but even when I take her out and stand with her she will wait until we are back inside before weeing on the mat As soon as I try to play with her or handle her she bites me quite hard and painfully with those sharp little teeth How do I teach her where to eliminate and not to use me as a chew toy Kind regards Bev The background Bev was quite desperate She needed help fast and so I decided to see her and Cassie on Zoom the very afternoon that I received the email Cassie was a puppy from a litter of six and Bev had adopted her just a week earlier She had been hand reared in a foster home along with her littermates The pups were allowed to run amok in the house and Bev told me about how busy the household was when she went to meet Cassie 52 Dogs Today March 2021 for the first time There were the six pups three adult dogs a cat and a parrot as well as two children and two adults The result was a wonderfully bombproof well socialised pup but it appeared that Cassie s bite inhibition had been a bit neglected during her first weeks of life in the foster home The foster carer had started housetraining She didn t always get to each pup in time but Bev was told that the pups were mostly eliminating on During our Zoom consultation I could see Cassie playing in the background Bev described her as a happy go lucky easy companion who slept and played in equal amounts She was the only pet in the household and lived with Bev and her mum She slept in Bev s bed and since lockdown had had human company 24 7 Bev s mum was a very active 80 year old who took Cassie for short walks in the morning The rest of the day she was with her or Bev and she had plenty of toys lying around to play with Bev had read up about enrichment and mental stimulation and Cassie also had lots of fooddispensing toys and several snuffle mats as well as a digging patch in the garden So from a stimulation perspective she had pretty much everything she needed as a young pup Bev was quite diligent about taking Cassie outside regularly to assist with housetraining and she was always ready to lavish her toileting and Cassie was no exception with praise for any eliminating outside But Cassie just did not seem to understand what was needed She would bound outside eagerly and would then start biting Bev s ankles or she d run around the garden before dashing inside again to pee on the doormat Bev had tried to keep the door closed but then Cassie would simply sit and wait until she could get inside and then urinate on the mat Bev didn t want to scold her but she had rather run out of ideas I decided to deal with the housetraining first since that was the most pressing problem for Bev Housetraining lessons Cassie had obviously learnt that a mat or carpet was the surface that she should urinate on and she did not know that grass could also be used for the very same thing Our first step was to help Cassie learn through the use of her own scent I asked Bev to mop up some urine from the mat next time Cassie eliminated on it The collected urine was then placed in a litter tray with grass inside it to show Cassie that grass was also an option and that this should be the substrate for her latrine This grass box was placed inside right next to the mat for the first day and then the mat was placed inside the box with one half covered with grass Every time Cassie eliminated in the box on the grass she was given a huge special treat and lots of fuss was made Soon she hopped into the box without any trouble and we could remove the mat altogether The mat was placed out of sight after being thoroughly cleaned until the new toileting routine was established with Cassie She used the box like a champion but of course we didn t want her to always eliminate in the house In order to facilitate the transfer from box to lawn Bev was asked to gradually move the box out of the door and finally to have it on the lawn When Cassie reached that stage we lifted the scented lawn out and placed it on the grass where Cassie could still smell it This was the signal she needed and within a week Cassie was only eliminating on the lawn outside Bev was so relieved that she no longer had to wash mats three times a day 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 coape org 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 March 2021 Dogs Today 53

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Photo posed by a model True Case History Biting points The next problem was the biting Puppies play roughly with each other and about 80 per cent of the interactions between pups in a litter are oral in their first few weeks but hand reared pups tend not to be very good at learning bite inhibition unless they are taught specifically from a young age Cassie didn t know that humans were not chew toys and we needed to teach her as soon as possible The often recommended yelping that Bev had tried in response to feeling Cassie s teeth unfortunately had made the pup think that it was all by Peter Neville a game especially since Bev yelped in a very high pitched tone which just contributed more to Cassie s excitement I did my best on Zoom to show Bev how to let Cassie know that her bite was too hard She was offered a hand and when she was chewing or mouthing gently feedback was given Bev would praise her and throw in a treat every now and then As soon as the biting escalated Bev was asked to calmly just say Ouch Cassie and to immediately withdraw her hand She could then count to 15 before offering her hand back If Cassie chewed gently she would get a treat and her attention would be directed on to a chew toy If she bit too hard Bev was instructed to just say Too hard ouch Cassie and to then end the game and walk away This was done so Cassie wouldn t end up with a guardian who behaved like a squeaky chew toy The result Bev assured me that she was going to practise every day which she clearly did When we had our follow up consultation two weeks later she had some amazing feedback for me Cassie being such a young human focused fast learner had made great progress with her housetraining and it was time to reintroduce the mat to see if she could maintain her newly learnt toileting habits even when the old temptation was there Hand crafted made to order dog collars accessories SUCCESS I asked Bev to only put the mat down for short supervised periods of time in the beginning and to see what Cassie did Much to our amusement she ended up learning to sleep on the mat which was great since that also helped her to not see the mat as a toilet After another week the mat could be left down permanently without any hiccups The biting took a bit longer but Bev and her mum persevered She reported that Cassie started to at least soften her bite fairly quickly and after a couple of weeks of teaching bite inhibition she no longer looked to chew hands when they were offered I was thrilled especially since Bev and her mum were so committed to their dog and had put in the necessary work and persevered But I did fall to thinking how vital it is that breeders and fosterers of very young pups should get the teaching of these two issues well underway with their pups as soon as they can eliminate independently of the necessary physical stimulation from the mother or substitute up to the age of about three to four weeks Pups start to become a bit more independently mobile and interact socially with littermates and people at about the same time Then it would be a lot easier for the future owners when they take on a far livelier pup at nine or more weeks As ever those early weeks are so important and the right attention can prevent many difficulties later on P Fur Friends was created in lockdown of 2020 when my sister challenged me to make her Shih Tzu a collar From sharing that initial collar on social media people got in touch to ask me to make them something similar Before I knew it I was making 20 collars a week I hope you enjoy my products as much as I enjoy making them www furfriendsuk com fur friendsuk Fur Friends_QP indd 1 TIME FOR A NEW BED F I N D A WAR M C O S Y B E D T O DAY AT P U R R F E C T LY YAP P Y C O M June 2020 Dogs Today 25 PY_Bed indd 25 p061_DogsMonthlyApr19 indd 1 PY single page indd 1 54 Dogs Today March 2021 Est 2020 06 11 2020 16 32 25 02 2019 26 11 2018 16 16 17 58 Fur Friendsuk furfriendsuk 15 02 2021 13 01

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Put the kettle on and have a go at our competitions Winners of the Breedsearch Cross Question and Caption Competition will receive a bottle of the wonderful shampoo from The Missing Range from Completely Conkers Breedsearch A L D J K Z N F N F L V G T P X R P S Z F K O S I A T E H K Y G E A A H T H O Y J G K H Z A N K N G A H G P S N R U B Z L F A A G R G I P K X O F S S C G B T G R L R E X A F U U S I I G F N I I H E A G E A R L I G H F Q X G S N A A S J T G A R E R D A F F X F P M U O H W E N E T Y P G Z K P E S N S R E N N I K S F T O I N Q S R E H C T U B X O U G E U K A N U B A L K G C Find the pet food brands listed below Search up down forward backward and on the diagonal to find the hidden words ARDENGRANGE BAKERS BURNS BUTCHERS CANAGAN CHAPPIE EUKANUBA FORTHGLADE HARRINGTONS HILLS Check your chip Do you have a funny pic you d like us to feature Please email it to us at the address on the facing page In the ring Just for fun Unscramble the jumbled letters in the circles Can you find the names of three Chinese breeds of dog A B KGP HUZ IAMS LILYSKITCHEN NATURESMENU PEDIGREE ROYALCANIN SKINNERS TAILS WAGG WAINWRIGHTS WINALOT N EEE Eight lucky winners of the Breedsearch picked at random will win a bottle of luxury dog shampoo from The Missing Range from Completely Conkers and the winners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will each win a bottle too TH C February Caption Runners up Darn How come that squirrel s feet didn t freeze to the windowpane Clare Williams Dancing on ice Joyce Burford Dorothy wished the home schooling had gone better during lockdown If her human kids had paid more attention during spelling bee they would ve known that it s snowballs snowballs snowbulls bulls that get thrown and not snow Don t know which database your dog s microchip is registered with Type your chip number into www check a chip co uk Winning caption Alabama Et Charles Cross Question Take that and your no nipples algorithm Colette Kase I m positive there was a Frisbee Lucie Cooper Can you guess which breeds Holly s parents are Doh can we use a dark coloured ball next time please Jacky Fisher February Cross Question Solution Yoda Puddlejumper s parents are a Border Collie and a Shar Pei The first correct answer came from Lianda Healy In the ring answer A Pekingese B Shih Tzu C Chinese Crested 56 Dogs Today March 2021 March 2021 Dogs Today 57 Border Collie Shar Pei by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk 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 Send your Breedsearch Cross Question Caption Competition entries together with your contact details via email to comps dogstodaymagazine co uk or post to March Competitions Dogs Today The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ to arrive by 12 March 2021 IS DECRCS This bespoke collection of natural dog grooming products is blended using only the finest pure essential oils that smell divine Each shampoo features a very special missing dog The range is dedicated to all missing dogs wherever they may be and is inspired by Conker a much loved Spanish Water Dog who went missing on 22 November 2013 in Oxfordshire and has not yet been found The manufacturer s greatest wish is to reunite the featured long lost dogs by telling their stories on the bottles of Completely Conkers The first lost dogs to appear will be Izzy Megan Chester Lexi Hansum Hugo and of course Conker You can hear each dog s story in their owners own words at https completelyconkers co uk TIP Keep a note of your dog s microchip number database details on your mobile phone Notify the microchip company immediately if your dog goes missing and register on www doglost co uk How to enter Can you come up with a witty and amusing caption for this photo L Q A W D T M L E B N N P C R W N D N I C I Caption this Photo submitted by Suzy Hindmarsh L J O D R W W C R T O L A N I W Luna a Whippet Photo submitted by Wendy Payne Tea break

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Prize crossword Compiled by Gyles Brandreth Quick clues Down Across 1 4 9 10 1 Puppies or kittens 6 2 Breed originally trained to hunt underground 7 3 Coward writer and entertainer 4 5 Considered to be Cuba s national dog 8 6 Russian space dog 5 7 Female beast of burden 3 3 8 One of the most ancient Irish breeds 5 6 13 Biting teeth 8 15 Shops 7 16 Dinmont breed of 2 Down 6 17 Bouncy breed of German origin 6 19 Sir Edward English composer 5 21 Originally a member of Celtic tribe from north of Ireland 4 1 11 12 14 18 20 22 23 24 25 Snapping 6 Gives birth to puppies 6 hound Swiss breed 7 His Master s company with famous canine logo 5 Door leading to street 4 Tricolore popular hunting breed 8 Griffon Vendeen French breed 5 6 Pit Bull Terrier s nationality 8 Lhasa Tibetan breed 4 Lie ie keep out of sight 5 Swiss hound associated with lake 7 Emergence 6 Dogs without a home 6 2 1 3 4 6 5 7 4 9 10 11 12 14 18 20 22 23 8 10 9 24 25 What 13 Down might be doing in such a wind 6 Produces 1 Down with people assisting 6 Live with Rene s weird hound 7 Sound of evil There s nothing in it 5 Former spouse finds it way out 4 Blanc et noir for example disguised in a scarf 8 Terrier dangers bats and French dog 5 6 Breed of Foxhound Heather s introduced in the morning before noon 8 Not all Tibetan dogs can be restrained by chaps oddly 4 Thus hiding Fido prior to travel 5 Surprisingly uncle keeps royal hound in Switzerland 7 Serge s unusual 11 Across 6 Dogs called Rover 6 Down 11 1 12 13 14 2 3 15 17 16 18 19 5 20 6 21 22 7 23 8 25 Name _________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Postcode _________________ Telephone _____________________________________________ Email address ___________________________________________ Breed type of dog _______________________________________ 58 Dogs Today March 2021 13 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 15 16 17 19 21 Infectious disease requires a change at first for these young animals 6 Dog is to wander into line 7 Christmas novel with central part missing 4 He s brought in a vehicle accompanied by English breed 8 Initially like Alsatian in kennel another dog 5 Animal tearing up sashes 3 3 With glee barker prances round end of driveway an Irish barker 5 6 Such teeth can bend irons sic 8 Ruler not queen one over a group of retail outlets 7 Dinmont sounds comic 6 They are guard dogs and fighters 6 Enigmatic sort who knew the score 5 Briton dwelling in luxurious cottage 4 Not yet subscribing Visit www dogstodaymagazine co uk or turn to page 50 to rectify that immediately This month s prize One lucky winner this month will receive a fitted three layer face mask with the warning message Do not make me use my dog training voice The mask has adjustable ear straps with toggle beads and a glasses friendly nose wire for a snug fit Designed by our ever versatile editor Beverley Cuddy there are lots of other products with the same message from socks mugs and bags to drinks bottles bedding clothing and phone cases Check out the beemorebeardie shop on redbubble com for more information Win this The winner of this month s crossword will receive a pack of Soopa Kale and Apple Dental Sticks Find more Soopa dog treats at PurrfectlyYappy com How to enter Complete the crossword grid then post your entry to arrive by 12 March 2021 to March Crossword Dogs Today The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ The first correct entry pulled out of the hat after the closing date will win the prize The judge s decision is final Code Breaker Can you crack the code to find this bad dog joke We ve given you the word DOGS to get you started February Solution Across 1 Club 4 Griffon 9 Brussels 10 Gite 11 Lion 12 Poitevin 13 Nivernais 18 Sealyham 21 Sled 22 King 23 Shetland 24 Maltese 25 Sole Down 2 Larkin 3 Basenji 5 Russian 6 Fogle 7 Obtain 8 Yelp 14 Ephesus 15 Insults 16 Retina 17 Kennel 19 Light 20 Meet A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VWX Y Z 20 19 23 O ___ O ___ ___ S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 17 7 24 4 13 22 23 23 10 1 ___ ___ ___ ___ 1 22 21 10 D ___ O ___ G ___ ___ 18 4 20 23 19 S ___ D ___ O ___ G ___ ___ O ___ O ___ D ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 18 4 13 1 20 23 19 15 23 23 20 22 D ___ O ___ G ___ ___ O ___ ___ S ___ ___ ___ ___ D ___ 20 23 Basenji by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk 24 Hello subscribers We think it s time for you to get even more perks than just getting the magazine cheaper postage free and before everyone else This area of the magazine is just for you to say thank you for supporting us by buying your magazine direct We really appreciate it and it really helps us Cryptic clues Across Sub Club Dogs Today 19 24 23 2 1 18 4 26 20 4 26 19 18 9 23 ___ 4 2 1 4 8 18 S ___ ___ 21 D ___ ___ ___ G ___ ___ ___ O ___ ___ S ___ ___ ___ 20 21 1 21 ___ 26 4 ___ ___ ___ ___ 1 8 18 9 5 D ___ O ___ G ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 4 20 23 19 7 21 13 24 ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 12 4 16 24 18 13 18 How to enter Email your answers to comps dogstodaymagazine co uk and put March Sub Club in the subject line We will need your full name and address to check you are on our current subscriber list Or post the answer with your name and address to March Sub Club Dogs Today The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ or enter online at www dogstodaymagazine co uk category competitions One winner picked at random after 12 March 2021 will win the prize For full terms and conditions see page 3 March 2021 Dogs Today 59

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Holidays Products Products Classifi ed adverts Classified Adverts Holidays Want to advertise your Want to advertise your business business in ed section inour ourclassifi classified section Contact james petsubjects co uk Contact mike orpetsubjects co uk call now on 01276 858 880 or call now on 01276 402591 Luxury self catering lodges in the Yorkshire Dales 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 S E L F C AT E R I N G A C C O M O DAT I O N g Do friendly Now with Hot Tub www yorkshirelogcabins com Dog friendly holiday park in Cornwall theparkcornwall com Three beautifully converted Victorian farm stables ooer elegant luxury and peaceful retreats situated on our working farm surrounded by the beautiful Saltmarshe Delph Nature Reserve and bordered by the River Ouse Comfort really is at the heart of Appletree Cottages spacious single story layouts means weary legs can easily rest after a day exploring before you discover one of our lovely nearby pubs Visit appletree cottages co uk 01430 430 677 vivienne sweeting btinternet com PEAK DISTRICT Family run hotel near Ashbourne Good food real ales Pets welcome veggie choices and special diets catered for 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 DOG FRIENDLY BREAKS O N T H E P E M B R O K E S H I R E C OA S T 2 PEOPLE 4 NIGHTS Autumn Breaks available FROM ONLY Dog Partridge Country Inn with rooms in the grounds 01335 343183 www dogandpartridge co uk With some great accommodation deals to choose this is the perfect place to stay We are Dog Friendly so feel free to bring your little friends with you 1 Night when you come Midweek B B just 140 to stay Your subsequent nights pets can run free 50 off on our stunning grounds whilst you take in the breathtaking scenery Dog Friendly Accommodation in Wales 01639 731 167 Craig Y Nos Castle www dogfriendlywales com or www craigynoscastle com T C s Apply H o l i d a y s yo u r d o g wo u l d l ove The WooF Guide BY COASTAL COTTAGES Call us on 01437 772 742 Or Visit thewoofguide com Pet Product of the Month The world s first canine bridle anti pull dog headcollar AWARD WINNING HOLIDAY PARK IN DORCHESTER DORSET Luxury stone built self catering holiday cottages deep into Hardy Country near Dorchester in Dorset Almost half of our properties are dog friendly and the grounds include a fully enclosed dog exercise area perfect for a gentle morning stroll before setting out for the day www greenwoodgrange co uk hello greenwoodgrange co uk 01305 268874 Brecon Road Pen y Cae Powys SA9 1GL The K9 Bridle works on a similar principle to a bitless bridle for a horse so if it can stop a horse it can certainly stop a dog When the lead is tightened pressure is applied to the front of the face and tells the dog No so he easily understands this clear and precise command Importantly should the worst happen and your dog manages to get out of the bridle very unlikely there is a safety device that keeps you attached to your dog Also no strength is required making the K9 Bridle ideal for those with disabilities www k9bridle com Pet Product of the Month Dogs Today Today July March 2021 60 2020 6 0 Dogs Please do not confuse the K9 Bridle with other training halters You will have seen dogs wearing so called anti pull headcollars that move around the dog s head go into their eyes interfere with their mouth and look like a muzzle The problem with these is that the point of control is under the chin and so twists the dog s head to the side This can cause damage to the vertebrae and the dog soon learns that he can still pull if he tilts his head to the side whereas the K9 Bridle works from the back of the neck exactly where you need control Nature s Greatest Secret We are delighted to be nominated as Pet Product of the Month March 2021 Dogs Today 61

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Classified Adverts adverts Classified The Dog Lovers Registration Club Charities Products Art Charities Art Lintran K9Westie award winning dog UK ReHoming equipment transport systems Registered Charity England Wales 1108659 Scotland SC045329 Estate Cars Dog trailers pick up s vans All 4 x 4 vehicles Register your Pedigree puppies and adult dogs online for beautiful gold bonded pedigree paperwork with same day processing Westie ReHoming is a charity dedicated to the welfare and rehoming of the West Highland White Terrier We take in westies needing a new start in life and place them into a suitable home where they will be Dogloved Gunand System have their needs met T 01673 885959 enquiries lintran co uk www lintran co uk For more information visit www dogregclub co uk or call either 0161 792 2479 or 0161 729 2350 www westierehoming org information westierehoming net 0844 879 Lintran 4260 PO BoxHouse 4204 Swindon SN2 9LA SS Brentwood 30 YEARS Lincoln Road Faldingworth westierehoming4 Westie ReHoming Market Rasen Lincs LN8 3SF missed with the due to retire inspirational speaker John Rogerson Heathway Colton Rugeley Staffs WS15 3LY Tel 01889 577058 www bordercollietrustgb org uk Products Services The Emotional Art of Dog Training not to be by Toast Cartoons produces bespoke caricatures and a range of gifts Visit us online and get in touch for a quote 07970 014 576 toastcartoons gmail com www toastcartoons co uk 2020 Martin Peers Toast Cartoons Charity ofofthe the Month Charityof the Month DogDogs For GoodFor Charity Month and cat lovers weGood desperately need your help Dogs Pet Service of the Month Heal with Neil Dogs for Good needs your helpHere to double the number ofwe people with disabilities at Furever Friends give every animal chance of a better life with disabilities Dogs for Good needs your help tothe double the number of people we can support with dogs We re charity exploring We an areinnovative a non profi t making rescue rundogs by volunteers Launched in 2014 we can support with ways dogs We re an innovative charity exploring ways dogs can help can help people overcome specific challenges enrich and improve people overcome specific challenges and enrich and improve lives and communities to date we haveand rehomed thousands oflives animals and communities We are passionate about our We future and how we can are passionate ourhelp futureloving and how we can help more people the use of We do not have a main centre butabout we do have foster homes around the with UK where more people with the use of our assistance dogs our assistance dogs our animals can feel relaxed in a homely environment enabling an easier transition when Discover all of the ways we help all of the ways help following each adoption and we have they are adopted Discover Full rescue back up is we available Assistance Dog our assistance dogs support and children with atorange Assistance Dog assistance dogs support and children with a range of a fantastic team adults that are always onour hand provide supportadults and training advice of disabilities and also children with autism disabilities and also children with autism We support dogs and cats from the UK help Europe around the world if an animal Community Dog our community dogs and their specialist handlers to and Community Dog our community dogs and their specialist handlers help to improve needs us and we are there Many of our furbabies come from Romanian death row shelters improve their independence wellbeing skills their independence wellbeing and skills where the advice stray population is massive and unfortunately there are often no animal Family Dog our Family Dog team gives and support to help families Family Dog our Family Dog team gives advice and support to help families with an welfare standards in these countries to help carers prevent further suffering with an autistic child to get the most out of theirautistic relationship their petout dog child towith get the most of their relationship with their pet dog www furever friends co uk www dogsforgood org 01295 252600 info dogsforgood org www dogsforgood org 01295 252600 info dogsforgood org www dogsmonthly co uk March 2021 2020 62 6 2 Dogs Today July March 2020 81 July 2020 Dogs Today 63 Toast_Classified indd 1 I am a natural healer who connects telepathically to provide distant healing for cats dogs horses in fact any animal and humans too I cater for illness injury behavioural disorders and preparing animals or people for passing over 07 10 2020 14 33 Energy healing is a non invasive complementary yet very effective therapy that can be used to help improve health and behaviour in both pets and people I work in addition to vets doctors providing healing which can work on four different levels physical mental emotional and spiritual for troubled sick injured or terminally ill animals or people I must stress that all clients tell their vets or doctors that their animals or themselves are receiving healing Neil Grimes Natural Animal People Healer Mobile 07938 193 176 outside UK 0044 7938 193 176 Instagram healwithneil March 2021 Dogs Today July 2020 Dogs Today 663 3

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CharitySpotlight Spotlight Charity 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 established 1958 We are a non destruction sanctuary for abandoned unwanted dogs 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 PRIORY ROAD ASCOT BERKSHIRE SL5 8RJ Sponsor a puppy from just 1 a week BORDER COLLIE TRUST GB 01344 882689 Please contact us or visit our website for more information Heathway Colton Rugeley Staffs WS15 3LY Tel 0871 560 2282 www bordercollietrustgb org uk Visit guidedogs org uk DogsToday Reg Charity No 1053585 Rescue centre open daily 9 11 am 2 4 pm Registered Charity No 256728 AS SEEN ON EL BCT_0310 4x1 indd CHANN1 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 Charityofof themonth month Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary Charity the Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service Pine RidgeinDog is a small independent animal Founded 1963 Sanctuary Chilterns Dog Rescue Society CDRS has a long rescue rescue and and continues rehome dogs history organisation of rescue andWe rehoming to grow thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of many dog lovers But many more masks are needed please call us on 01276 402591 for more details 2021 DogsToday TodayMarch July 2020 64 64Dogs Registered Charity No 1077588 A 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 W e are a small independent animal rescue organisation founded in 1958 by Mr Bernard Cuff fter many yearspassion of hardinwork is an independent whose life was to rescueCDRS and rehome dogs that charity It CDRS bought own premises receives no Government funding and would its otherwise face a very bleak future in Chivery nearPine Tring Hertsis and relies entirely on the generosity of the Ridge currently run by Mr Cuff s widow Connie developed purpose built passion facilitiesand for love for public to continue its vital rescue and whose equal all canines is at the dogs with nowhere elsesanctuary to turn giving these rehoming Your support would heart of the dogs awork better future The RescueThese Centre has 40 kennels be greatly appreciated are clearly difficult times for everyone but Pine and a smallRidge team relies of highly trained solely on donations from the public who staff who provide outstanding For further information incidentally have been quite wonderful But this help please care for dogs of all ages CDRS is needed nowtypes moreand than ever contact so if anyone wishes to backgrounds in need of protection Tel 01296 assist be assured that every penny raised623885 goes to our training anddogs rehoming in addition to enquiries cdrs org uk welfare a 5 star licence for boarding www chilternsdogrescue org uk Large kennels have under floor heating plenty of natural light with indoor and outdoor areas Green If you can help or for further information please contact us technology has been incorporated By phone 01344 882689 to reduce running costs Sensitive By post Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary Priory Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 8RJ landscaping has created a woodland By email pineridgedogs yahoo co uk walk for potential adopters to get Or visit www pineridgedogsanctuary org uk to know the dogs wildlife areas and If you d like to see your Registered charity organisation 256728 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 bmdrdogs www barkingmaddogrescue co uk The next pet saved could be yours You can donate via www smokeypaws co uk or email info smokeypaws co uk Registered Charity in England and Wales No 1139999 Saving Yorkshire s Dogs Registered Charity No 1167291 To rescue rehabilitate and rehome vulnerable and at risk dogs from Yorkshire Tel 07562 986101 Email savingyorkshiresdogs gmail com Web www sydrescue org uk Find us on Become a Companion Keep Tails Wagging With a Regular Gift As a rescue charity Rushton helps abandoned abused and unwanted dogs on a international scale Rescuing dogs from all over the world especially the meat trade in Asia and China 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 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 www petsavers org uk March 2021Dogs DogsToday Today665 July 2020 5

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For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Confessions of a dogaholic I 66 Dogs Today March 2021 Burning issue drunken man started attacking my father on the train When help finally arrived the man was pleading for mercy I d jumped on his back and was pulling out his hair In retrospect John was lucky I d just burst through his door I was mainly furious with myself for not seeing this mess coming John apologised and told me that huge losses had led to the board convincing Lord Rothermere that he had been wrong about Britain wanting a dog magazine But Lord R had insisted everyone should get a good redundancy package even though there was no legal requirement It was hard telling the team in the open plan office We decided to adjourn to the pub to talk freely and drown our sorrows I picked the one opposite Windsor Castle which was now on fire The rest of the world seemed very interested in this blaze As I said at the time She s got other castles we ve only got one dog magazine My phone rang and it was Peter Smith the lovely man who had created our TV ad campaign His father in law Sir David English had just told him the news about the magazine I told him we were in the pub and he said he d join us I don t know how it happened but I decided I d try to buy the magazine so we all returned to the office to work on the next edition as if nothing had happened No one was more surprised than John to see us back at our desks and no one sobbing That night the grief hit me What had I been thinking How could I possibly save the magazine I had no money or experience I remember Sally licking away the tears P 100 2020 WINNER Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR Stops dogs pulling on the lead and gives you back control Life Changing products for you and your dog 8 TIMES WINNER OF Product I can t live without NO MORE PULLING NO MORE RIDING UP NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF NO MORE DISCOMFORT AWARgDCoEllDar Best Do 0 21 UK 2 0 2 r re tu c fa Manu tive Dog Most Innova cturers Collar Manufa 2019 Illustration KEVIN BROCKBANK was rarely ill but I had the flu and had phoned in sick that morning I was surprised to get a call from my boss John saying You need to come in He explained If you re too sick I will have to tell your staff that Dogs Today is closing and you re all being made redundant Be better if you did it I was in shock What did he just say I m on my way Why was I only hearing this now He d said we were having another round of TV advertising I stormed straight into John s office I was steaming and it wasn t just because I had a temperature Why hadn t he been open with me He looked startled I guess he d never seen this side of me before Don t get all emotional Now that really really annoyed me I am not being emotional John I am very understandably furious Why didn t you tell me we were in trouble I may have been able to do something If I were a male editor you wouldn t label me as emotional Why wasn t I crying Why wasn t I sobbing in a crumpled heap This magazine meant the world to me and my lovely staff With hindsight I can rewind to the first time I was literally knocked down I was in the first year of primary school and a huge bully from the year above pushed me off the climbing frame and I hurt my head I stormed after him I was the second smallest kid in the school and this boy had been terrorising everyone A teacher came out to see what all the noise was a lot of people were cheering me on as I gave him a taste of his own medicine I didn t get told off which probably fostered a sense of invulnerability in me Then when I was 15 I was shocked when a 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 2021 Dogmatic UK Ltd is on Facebook Matching accessories in a selection of colours with high quality workmanship andToday fittings June 2020 Dogs 67

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