Dogs Today_May_2021 : simplebooklet.com

Inside this month News features 4 Editor s letter will we all be buying I love Sir Iain Our buddy dog service can be 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 6 Sam is my best friend but a dog He helps me do everything 8 Jago 26 12 14 18 20 22 a 10 year old boy with Retinitis Pigmentosa 38 Duncan Smith T shirts Golden Balls and his Cockers the Beckhams know a lot about wags Pet food banks helping more and more families get a balanced diet Raising Hope this newborn pup s chances were as tiny as she was Dogs are not wheelbarrows it seems obvious but not in the eyes of the law Big love Fran s Irish Wolfhounds aren t just tall they re living long too Raw truths we asked readers what happened when they changed their dogs diet Freedom Project lockdown intensified domestic abuse especially for pet owners Debbie Bridges visits the Running Deer school and discovers that all creatures great and small play a role Henry the hedgehog detection dog the rescue dog rescuing our wildlife Over to you 32 Postbag what matters to you 40 Great debate should the Queen have gone 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 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 Sophie Jack Russell 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 online for her Corgis Training behaviour 48 Victoria Stilwell encourages you to get inside your dog s mind 52 Peter Neville s True Case History Steve was dogtired and it was making him grumpy Opinion 66 Confessions of a dogaholic when opportunity knocks should you answer the door Investigation 36 Q A how to get your Miniature Pinscher Photo posed by a model teeth into better dog dental health 42 Dog crush Miniature Pinschers small wonders A charity registered in England and Wales 209617 and Scotland SC038979 GD0359 02 21 Competitions shopping 50 Subscribers can win some special pet theft campaign memorabilia 56 Pop the kettle on and tackle our puzzles and competitions 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 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 May 21 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 May 2021 Dogs Today 3

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Beverley Cuddy Y et again it s been a very busy month but I am feeling more hopeful of a change for pet theft The campaign really needed a prominent politician to get behind it and push and Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP seems determined to solve it It s not that he s a Lady Gaga fan especially it was one of his own constituents that radicalised him on this issue A lady in her 70s was assaulted by young men who stole her dog She d gone to the police and was disgusted that nothing had been done about it For the past five years I ve been doing media days for Direct Line to encourage discussion on pet theft and in that time we ve seen crime reports rise by 33 per cent We re so lucky that such a huge company has invested in all those FOI requests as it has really helped the Stolen and Missing Pet Alliance prove to politicians like Iain that this issue needs addressing Iain s wife is the chair of Medical Detection Dogs and they have two super sniffers living with them MDD prefers its dogs to live a normal family life when they are not working as it makes them much happier than going back to a lonely kennel Iain feels we badly underestimate dogs by categorising them as chattel He said on Anna Webb s excellent Podcast A Dog s Life that dogs are the only species that are as dependent on us as we are on them He feels passionately that it is time the law reflected the special status of dogs Iain revealed he has formed a WhatsApp group with 60 or 70 likeminded MPs keen to change things for dogs He now thinks it is unstoppable He understands that pets tend to get lost in the Theft Act and are shuffled down by the sentencing council to a lower level than the crime should be and that they need Beverley Cuddy is Dogs Today s Editor and publisher She shares her life with Betty an Old English Golden Retrieverish dog from Many Tears She grew and grew and grew soon after this photo was taken 4 Dogs Today May 2021 For all life stages Illustration by Beverley Cuddy Dear readers to stiffen up their guidance to judges He says they are looking at defining a new category He thinks cash sales of dogs should be banned because that worked for scrap metal Then there s the microchip muddle he wants to make it compulsory for vets to scan If all else fails there s a chance to put something in the Crime and Sentencing Act that s going through parliament He is determined to make a difference Do have a listen the podcast was a positive round table discussion The wonderful Debbie Matthews founder of Vets Get Scanning and the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance brought up that there are now 15 databases for chips and she touched on the mayhem that s been going on with the largest one PetLog Hot on the heels of the Kennel Club s database issues we ve had a major software change at PetLog with so many records appearing to disappear causing huge concern to owners of lost and stolen pets Sir Iain is keen to bring back the dog licence Apologies if this feels a little like Groundhog Day Dogs Today has been around for so many decades that we ve seen this idea go in and out of favour so many times What do you think needs doing I ve written a piece this month around the law and some despicable people treating dogs as commodities Dogs deserve so much better don t they We ve got the I love Sir Iain Duncan Smith T shirts ready do cheer him on Email your MP now and encourage them to join the MPs pet theft WhatsApp group P Listen to Anna Webb s It s A Dog Life podcast here https share transistor fm s 53221dad Episode 49 is the pet theft edition FOR ALL LIFE STAGES BRA N NE D W AN UN D IQU E 01409 251063 info gentledogfood co uk www gentledogfood co uk

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Words BERNARD BALE Family Beckham is a global brand with David Victoria and their kids attracting huge followings But they are all upstaged by the true megastar wags of the home 6 Dogs Today May 2021 Photo Instagram victoriabeckham N obody could ever accuse international star David Beckham of lacking passion He has a zest for life a passion for football a passion for his family a passion for his work and best of all a passion for dogs I ve always had a love of dogs he revealed Growing up in east London just about everyone had a dog they were all neighbours and when you saw them out and about you talked to them just as you would the human neighbours I ve always been the same and never found it easy to ignore a dog even one I have never met before The David Beckham story is very well known of course He is an international football star who has gone way beyond kicking a ball for a living He has a legion of fans all over the world many of whom started to follow him his wife Victoria and their children after he d hung up his boots There s a lot of kind people around who have taken an interest in me since the early days of Manchester United and I can never get used to the letters and cards that we get all the time I am still essentially the same kid who used to kick a ball about all the time and talk to the neighbours dogs even before I was a teenager By the time he was five David was spending hours kicking a ball in the local park virtually teaching himself the skills that later made him famous Apart from his family who It s quite a leveller to know that your dogs have as big a following as you do In fact I am expecting one day for the dogs to be so famous that they will not talk to me Photos Instagram davidbeckham Golden balls and his Cockers were Manchester United fans few took him and his football abilities seriously If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world I would have told you it was a fantasy he said I know I am fortunate to have realised those dreams and I am grateful to all those people who gave me a chance David s career is a legend all of its own and he has far from finished with football yet as he has been very involved in creating Club Internacional de Futbol Miami best known as Inter Miami CF I don t think I will ever be far away from football and I wouldn t really want to be he said I loved it as a young fan and as a player and I think I would always want some kind of involvement It is a part of you I don t think you ever stop being a fan Although David is in demand to model and represent numerous high profile companies all over the world he is a dedicated family man My family mean everything to me he said I was an only son with two sisters when I was growing up and I have always tried to remember how I felt about things and how my own family must feel about things now David and Victoria have four children Brooklyn Romeo Cruz and Harper and they also have several homes one of their favourites being in the Cotswolds It is the dogs favourite too One of my favourite times is when we all go for a walk with the dogs said David There is nothing quite like the English countryside and the dogs love it as much as we do I grew up in London and I still love London but being out in the country is totally brilliant DOG GOALS The Beckham dog team is made up of three Cocker Spaniels Fig Olive and Sage who is the youngest They are all part of the family and they know it said David They love lounging around at home but one mention of going for a walk and they are bouncing up and down as if one of them has just scored a goal It s fascinating to see them when they are out they are here there and everywhere and you can almost hear them saying to each other Here take a look at this or Have you caught a whiff of that They love being out but they love the home comforts too and sometimes you wonder who we really bought the house for Cocker Spaniels have a great sense of humour and they are very loyal dogs too If something starts getting to you they are there straight away to give you a bit of therapy I like all kinds of dogs but Cocker Spaniels are a bit special to us I can t image life without them TRAINING BUDDIES When it was International Dog Day we posted a greetings message It s good to have days like that because it reminds you that there are a lot of dogs who do not have happy homes but are willing to give you their love and their loyalty It would be great to be able to have them all rescued The dogs are great training buddies too they run for ages and never stop trying to the take the ball from their owner They keep you on your toes that s for sure he said They never seem to run out of energy so they are brilliant for your own fitness and speed of foot movement David and Victoria s dogs have a fan following of their own and any images of them posted on social media brings forth an avalanche of fun compliments It s quite a leveller to know that your dogs have as big a following as you do said David In fact I am expecting one day for the dogs to be so famous that they will not talk to me Of course if that ever happens David can always go back to talking to the neighbours dogs P May 2021 Dogs Today 7

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Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI Pet food bank With the unprecedented economic challenges and disastrous loss of income caused by the Covid 19 pandemic more and more people across the UK are turning to food banks to put food in the table and in the dog bowl Photo Nathan Marshall Photography Cardiff nor should beloved companions have to be placed into shelters due to tough times Debi says We are finding that human food banks are contacting us for pet food so that it can be provided alongside human food People are feeding their pets their own food from the bank before they even think of feeding themselves ON THE ROAD A lot of the people who turned to us for help this year had never needed our services before The situation is dire so many people have lost their income Debi Emmett chief executive trustee at Cardiff based charity Pet Food Bank Service says they have gone from providing little over 3 000 pet meals in 2018 to just over 9 000 in 2020 Three months into 2021 they had already provided more than 6 000 meals and are set to quickly surpass the 2020 record We are a small charity that hates to say no as we don t believe pets should go hungry due to poverty To try to meet this surge in requests the Pet Food Bank Service has purchased a van which has been made possible with grants from the National Lottery the Kennel Club and the Aviva community fund As Covid made it unsafe for anyone to come over to us to take food for their pets we are taking it to them Debi says The van is quite eye catching and we hope more people who may need our services and may not have internet access will find out about us this way We started out as a charity focused on helping elderly people and their pets but of course now we try to help everyone along the way how could we not The Pet Food Bank Service also expanded its coverage to include Swansea Bargoed and Merthyr with plans to add even more locations this year We ve also received a grant towards creating customised donation bins which we hope to start deploying as soon as they arrive Debi adds We entirely rely on donations from the public and branded companies and they have all been generous We have been very very lucky and of course we need all the help we can get A lot of the people who turned to us for help this year had never needed our services before The situation is dire so many people have lost their income Witnessing the hardships faced by people who lost their livelihoods during the pandemic is what prompted Emma Osborne to found Patch s Pet Food Bank to help pet owners in north Devon throughout the crisis PATCH S LEGACY Emma s husband Matt committee member of the food bank says We noticed plenty of local businesses offering food to struggling members of the community and it was wonderful but we noticed no one seemed to have thought about helping their pets too So the idea of creating a pet food bank came about Emma posted to a range of Patch 8 Dogs Today May 2021 Photo Nathan Marshall Photography Cardiff A s this goes to print it s little over a year since the UK went into its first national lockdown Businesses were shut some workers furloughed many jobs lost Tens of thousands of people who had been able to get by until that point found themselves struggling to pay rent and turning to food banks for the first time in their lives in order to keep themselves and their families fed At the head of a nationwide network of food banks the Trussell Trust saw a marked increase in the number of emergency food parcels distributed by its food banks between April and September 2020 more than 1 2 million compared to about 840 000 in the same period the previous year As the country slowly exits its third and hopefully last lockdown it s clear it will be a long time before those who lost their livelihood can completely recover Emma Revie chief executive of the Trussell Trust said This pandemic has shown that the unexpected can hit us suddenly with devastating consequences for people s lives But it s also shown we can make huge changes to the way we live and look after each other It s shown that when we come together to push for change the government responds Together we can build a hunger free future Among the people working to help there are some who are making sure the entire family is fed four legged members included local Facebook groups asking for people s thoughts and opinions the response was overwhelmingly positive and donations started to come in and so Patch s Pet Food Bank was born in October 2020 The bank is named after their own dog Patch a Labrador cross who had passed away in November 2018 He was such a loving dog Matt says Setting up the pet food bank in his name seemed the best way to remember him helping people keep their pets fed so that they don t find themselves forced to rehome them There s very few of us running this it is just Emma myself Emma s mum and a couple of volunteers but we are looking to expand We delivered pet food to four households in our first week but now we can do up to 35 dropoffs a day We are currently helping to support 45 cats 21 dogs seven rabbits two guinea pigs and some rats this number is growing week on week proving the need for support and help in this area Patch s Pet Food Bank is networking with other food banks and has received plenty of support Matt says We have donation boxes set up at various locations around north Devon and Torridge Most of our pet food donations come from the public as well as from Top n Tails in Braunton We have an Amazon wishlist so people can make donations without needing to travel during lockdowns We are currently looking for May 2021 Dogs Today 9

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How to help Pet Food Bank Service Website petfoodbankservice co uk Donations petfoodbankservice co uk get involved or send a cheque made payable to Pet Food Bank Service to 67 Wheatley Road Ely Cardiff CF5 4LU Patch s Pet Food Bank Website patchspetfoodbank co uk Fundraising page www gofundme com f patchs pet foodbank Amazon Wishlist www amazon co uk hz wishlist ls 3DLB9NUE4V205 donations to help us raise enough money to obtain a storage container for our ever growing supplies If anyone can help us with one free or at a significantly reduced rate we would be very grateful And lastly we are looking for local support from businesses and local funding groups that can help us with funding and volunteers to help with fundraising collections and deliveries While Patch s Pet Food Bank was set up specifically to help pet owners through the Covid 19 crisis it is not planning to stop once the pandemic is over As long as there are people donating food and people who need it we will keep going Matt says P RSPCA collaboration 10 Dogs Today May 2021 He has actually grown to double that size which means he needs double the amount of expected food He s my life and my main source of support I couldn t imagine life without him as he is always by my side 24 7 If the food bank couldn t support us with pet food I could never give him up I always would have found a way even if that meant not eating myself I m not the sort of person to give him away He s everything to me He is my reason to get up in the morning I just wouldn t be me without him he is my family and my comfort He has got me through lockdown and Covid We just take care of each other Jason with Captain Jack In November 2020 RSPCA deputy chief inspector Alison Fletcher made the decision to link up with food banks in the area to provide pet food to struggling owners The scheme now covers almost all of Lancashire across 11 food banks Alison said We are absolutely thrilled with how well this project is going and how responsive the food banks have been in helping provide people with pet food We also hope to expand and incorporate Greater Manchester Cheshire and Merseyside in the project very soon We know just how important our pets are to us They really do become part of the family but sadly since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic we are seeing more families being unable to afford to provide for their pets Many people are experiencing tough times at the moment and the last thing we want is for a loving owner to have to give up their companion and real source of comfort so we set up this scheme in the hope that we could provide as much pet food as possible and keep families and their pets together Jason Barbour from Accrington in Lancashire is the owner of a twoyear old crossbreed called Captain Jack He gets food for both himself and Captain Jack at the Maundy Relief Foodbank in Accrington When I got Captain Jack as a two month old puppy I only expected him to grow to the size of a Staffie Jason said Dogs love to chew but traditional rawhide can cause choking and digestive problems Better Bones are safe to chew easy to digest and help maintain healthy teeth gums The areas covered by the scheme so far include Blackpool Food Bank Preston Here for Humanity Pendle Food Alliance Nelson Salvation Army Nelson St Philips Food Bank Nelson Blackburn Foodbank Ormskirk Foodbank Ribble Valley Foodbank Morecambe Bay Foodbank Burnley Together Valley Community Centre Maundy Relief Accrington Wrapped with real Chicken Breast zeusdog co uk RAWHIDE FREE AVAILABLE NOW IN ALL GOOD PET SHOPS

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Words photos LAURA MCAULIFFE Raising Hope Tiny deformed and otherwise destined to die one lucky pup found herself in safe hands W ith 30 minutes notice I was asked to collect a tiny Yorkshire Terrier puppy who was being surrendered to Epsom Canine Rescue at just eight days old The puppy was unable to walk as her back legs were severely deformed and dragged behind her She was also very weak and needed to be bottle fed so her breeder gave her up as they d been recommended that she was put to sleep if they couldn t provide the specialist care she needed When I collected her she weighed just 200g and could easily fit in the palm of my hand She looked like a tiny shiny Rottweiler and nothing like a Yorkie At her first vet trip they told me not to get attached to her and to make sure my children knew that she might not make it as many hand reared puppies that small don t survive even with the best care Her chances weren t at all good Of course we all fell in love with her and were determined to try to save her We named her Hope She needed feeding every hour day and night for the first two weeks and then every 90 minutes for another week until she could go a couple of hours between bottles I set an alarm for every hour through the night for those first few weeks and didn t really sleep in between She took so long to feed as she was incredibly weak a good feed was a tiny 2ml of milk 12 Dogs Today May 2021 It was hard to keep her warm She needed to be kept at 30 C and this was in the snowy cold snap in February so she spent a lot of the first few weeks sleeping inside my bra My Northern Inuit dog Sylvi has been her constant companion From the minute she arrived she licked Hope slept next to her box and kept watch at every night feed placing her head in my lap next to Hope as I fed her Sylvi is over 100 times Hope s size but she is so gentle with her When Hope opened her eyes at three weeks of age the first thing she saw was Sylvi sniffing her nose OVER THE MOON At three weeks old Hope had the first set of splints put on her legs to try to correct them It broke our hearts that initially she was so weak she couldn t even lift the splints and just lay down crying But the moon boots the vet made did a fabulous job and after a week of wearing them she managed to take her first wobbly steps Sylvi was there to encourage her as she started to walk using her nose to help Hope up when she faltered As a clinical behaviourist I knew just how hard it was going to be for Hope to develop normally as she was a hand reared singleton potentially a behavioural disaster and I was so worried about her missing out on early input from her mum and siblings Hope needed so much help to learn how to be a dog and Sylvi has astounded me letting Hope sleep on her playing with her and generally teaching her about being a dog The first time they played we were helicoptering ready to intervene as Hope is so tiny and Sylvi is huge but we needn t have worried as they play beautifully together I also have a Dalmatian but he thinks puppies are a bit scary so he stays out of the way Hope is now running and jumping and enjoying life but she still has problems with the ligaments in her lower legs and deformed upper leg bones It s likely that as she grows she will need ongoing physiotherapy and surgery to correct the deformity to her legs Epsom Canine Rescue is fundraising to cover all the help Hope needs It is only a small rescue yet completely dedicated to the dogs in its care Epsom gave Hope a chance when everything was against her Hope is incredibly confident and loves everyone she meets humans and canines alike She s a huge character who despite her poor start has astounded us all not just by surviving but by thriving P To donate to Epsom Canine Rescue and Hope s care there is a Just Giving fundraising page https tinyurl com cuhm9yth May 2021 Dogs Today 13

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Words BEVERLEY CUDDY Dogs are not wheelbarrows It s hardly surprising that dogs remain undervalued and underappreciated is it At the very heart of our justice system dogs are still just things we own like wheelbarrows D ogs are priceless You and I know this but sadly the 1968 Theft Act doesn t The punishment for the crime is all about replacement value If your dog is stolen the police will attach a code when they record it A stolen envelope has its own code HOC42 a stolen bike has a code HOC44 But pet theft You ll not see Line of Duty mentioning HOC49 anytime soon will you It s the code for the theft of miscellaneous items like wheelbarrows I ve said it before so much of our legislation sees the dog as just a commodity It s offensive isn t it The other day I was on a podcast with Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP A week before he d taken part in the world s biggest dog zoom and had talked eloquently AC12 says NO to HOC49 Illustration by Beverley Cuddy Over the years the narrative has changed from Are dogs really stolen don t they just go missing to people arming themselves ready to fight off thieves and police finding dozens of stolen pets being looked after by women who are also slaves What happened and why on pet theft On the same zoom was an ex policeman who revealed about stolen dogs going in the infamous wheelbarrow bracket My ears pricked up and so did Sir Iain s He was quick to stand up in parliament and get it recorded in Hansard It is shocking that an envelope has more rights than a pet Iain had become aware that pet theft was getting out of control when one of his constituents told him of a horrific attempt at stealing her dogs in a public park Sir Iain just call me Iain has two dogs himself and this really upset him His dogs have a career as well as being beloved pets They are medical detection dogs One can sniff out prostate cancer the other is still studying I think After the podcast stopped recording Iain really started to open up I d said on air that the law was out of step that dogs are now family They have human names they share our sofas Iain corrected me dogs have always been significant If we d still been recording I think Sir Iain would have convinced most of us that he s our next PM He believes dogs have always been able to read us they are the most evolved biosensors They know when we are ill when we are frightened they monitor us more closely than any machine built by man so far This is something they ve been doing for time immemorial We ve only just started to work out what it is they have been trying to tell us Iain had talked to a genius at MIT who credited the realisation that dogs are able to detect illness as being the single biggest leap in medicine in 200 years We were probably off the record at this point but I won t tell the nationals if you don t But Iain was really frustrated at the lack of vision by some medical folk who were reluctant to embrace the amazing gifts that dogs have Early in the pandemic the government had given Medical Detection Dogs a substantial grant to try to develop Covid detection dogs In theory it was entirely possible and the work went very well Claire Guest started MDD a few years ago and brilliantly bridges the gap between the scientists and the dogs We started to hear reports of Covid detection dogs being used in Australia and in Finland But what happened to our British version We d been ahead of the curve on vaccines why weren t we rolling out detection dogs too Iain didn t go into too much detail but the MDD dogs were brilliant at Covid detection They can spot a person with Covid from eight yards or I think that s what he said Covid is apparently very easy for the dogs to smell or whatever it is they pick up on We still don t know exactly how dogs can do these things we can t replicate it with computers and AI These brilliant dogs would be so valuable in our airports but they are still not being deployed to protect us BETTER PROTECTION I will try not to put words into Iain s mouth but he inferred that there was still an anti dog snobbery among academics a reluctance to believe what the science shows them that these dogs have amazing accuracy But it s hardly surprising that dogs remain undervalued and underappreciated is it At the very heart of our justice system dogs are still just things we own like wheelbarrows Iain understands the magic that is within all dogs the unconditional love that makes them want to tell us what they know A species that has been by our side throughout our evolution helping us supporting us loving us Well they deserve so much better don t they I told Iain that I d promised to wear an I love Michael Gove T shirt if he got Lucy s Law passed and how it had even been talked about in parliament I said I would definitely wear an I love Sir Iain Duncan Smith shirt if he sorted pet theft He laughed and said I d better make sure it s not made in China as they have sanctioned him But he went on to say that he was keen to change lots of things for the dog that like me he could see the system didn t do enough to protect our best friends May 2021 Dogs Today 15

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He s keen to sort out the microchip mess tackle cash sales of dogs maybe bring back the dog licence You know I think he will do everything in his power to get this done I asked him to sort out the way we license breeders too I hope to get longer to talk to him about it It really is all connected Here s my theory for what organised pet theft looks like Here s the backdrop Since the pandemic the price of dogs spiralled and the public s desire for a cross really took off This created the ingredients for a perfect storm A shortage of dogs fuelled panic buying caused by so many people suddenly having the chance of having that pup they d always dreamed of IN THE CROSSHAIRS Lucy s Law had just banned the pet shop but Covid restrictions gave licensed breeders the keys to a very much larger virtual one Bulk commodity breeders puppy farms sounds far too pretty quickly learned how to sell direct and deliver These are not illegal outfits they are licensed And here is another problem The 2018 changes to that legislation treated the small home breeder the same as those who breed dogs remotely in industrial units The cost of compliance per pup sold for the big guys was negligible and the regulations obsession with the way doors open and how easy it is to swill down surfaces were much easier to achieve in a factory rather than a house The licence legitimises the intensive farming of dogs while at the same time penalising small home breeders When the public started their love affair with doodles I don t think the Kennel Club could have foreseen the situation we are now in Crosses are much more popular than pedigrees and considerably more expensive From a pet thief s perspective this is great news Before the value of selling on a dog without its papers was much reduced these days KC certification has lost its power as you don t need papers for a Cockapoo The number of KC registered dogs is dwindling and the small good breeders are feeling lost their pedigree dogs don t fetch the big prices some say they are almost tempted to pretend they are crosses to make them seem more desirable to a fickle public So who are stealing dogs It used to be mainly an opportunistic crime but now there s so much more money in it the professionals have moved in I am told the children involved in county lines drugs are also tasked with spotting dogs Your garden is the most dangerous place that is where most dogs are stolen from I am told that the dogs are taken to a holding area where it is decided whether they are to be used for extortion breeding baiting or selling on The obviously fertile are shipped to enormous puppy farms often in Ireland Direct Line s most recent FOI police figures showed a rise in Labrador Cocker Spaniel and Springer thefts You don t need Sherlock Holmes to work out that if you add a Poodle to these dogs you can make a fortune In one farm there are nearly 1 000 breeding dogs And in this era the most profitable dogs have no paperwork TANGLED WEB The quickest payday is a direct ransom demand to an owner Often there s a no questions asked reward so that s a quick profit without risk of capture but they ll probably demand much more than advertised If they can make more online they will post next to the people reselling their now adolescent pups that were very hard to housetrain as they d come from ghastly puppy farms Having paid thousands for these very badly reared dogs they are not keen to hand them in to rescue which is eerily quiet Instead they resell them online to people who imagine they are getting a bargain in an attempt to get their money back All these ads for older dogs make it much easier for the pet thief to trade in plain sight What a mess Poor dogs Poor owners Well Iain s got a lot to sort out hasn t he Can you see why I ve joined Tailwise com We ve got to stop the dog being traded as a commodity we need to protect dogs from being bred by those who don t love them Instead we must make sure they come from one loving home to another with lots of help and support Do cheer on Sir Iain and do pass the word around about Tailwise Good breeders come and shelter with us stop rubbing shoulders with these thieves And order your T shirt now P Visit beemorebeardie s shop for cool artwork on awesome products https www redbubble com people beemorebeardie shop 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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Irish Wolfhounds are incredible dogs but they aren t a good fit for many homes and lifestyles But if you have always yearned for one perhaps there s a more practical alternative N ow that I am working with Tailwise I get to talk to lots of progressive breeders but when I spoke to Fran Barnbrook it really was my lucky day I ve always loved Irish Wolfhounds it s on my bucket list to have at least one Our paths had crossed before many years ago Here was a Dogs Today reader who was living the dream sharing their home with multi generations of these gentle giants gradually and carefully improving their life expectancy I could have talked to Fran and husband Bill all day in fact I was tempted to pack my bags and visit them as their home sounds idyllic As well as wall to wall Wolfhounds they also have free range rescue parrots People say they are troublesome when they drop them off but Fran and Bill find they are always fine when they settle in Young Wolfhounds do go through teething troubles like any other pup it s just the scale that changes Fran told me of the time she had a shower and forgot to put a youngster out of temptation s way In the time it took to wash her hair the pup had eaten not just the sofa but the chairs too The insurers at first said they d pay for a repair but when they saw the photos they agreed to fund a new suite You will probably have seen Fran Bill and the dogs if you watch 18 Dogs Today May 2021 Cloud coped amazingly well on three legs and had many happy years Cloud raised thousands for charity She visited nursing homes and hospitals and medieval re enactments even a little TV they are in so many shows particularly historical ones Outlander for example features the dogs quite prominently which was a coincidence as I d just sourced a pup for the casting director of the show Filming is great fun and the dogs are very popular on set They met archaeologist and TV presenter Neil Oliver at a re enactment and he fell for the breed and now has two of Fran s Wolfhounds He started with one but had to come back for more Fran is famously fussy about who gets her beloved dogs and I loved Neil Oliver Cloucho barks hearing the story of her grilling a couple who both said they worked Oh that won t work with Wolfhounds Fran said The lady said it should be OK she usually worked from home as she was a writer Out of politeness Fran asked what sort of writer as Wolfhounds cost a lot to maintain It was the Harry Potter books But that still didn t mean a free pass they still had to pass the interview Sadly Harry as he was called ended up staying with Fran as his busy owners unexpectedly had to go to America to fight the famous Muggle plagiarism challenge It was just after the litter was born and it took longer than hoped and by then JK didn t want to remove Harry from his family and asked if he could stay with his pack It was great to catch up with Fran and I showed her Betty and revealed I d hoped she might never stop growing and turn into a Wolfhound Fran agreed she did look a little like Pickle a very tiny Wolfhound that they hand reared against all the odds So when Fran offered to turn Betty into a Cloucho it really did make my day the long Scottish winter Fran shared them on Facebook and they were named Clouchos Cloud and Ocho made Cloucho People started asking if they too could have a Cloucho Fran was soon very busy mailing them all over the world for a donation to help others in need They each have a little of Cloud and Ocho s hair in them MAGICAL BEASTS When Fran saw how much happiness the Clouchos brought to the people who got them she had a wonderful idea She asked the other Wolfhound people on Facebook to send her hair from their Wolfhounds to put into the Clouchos so that they could also go to hospitals nursing homes and other places where people need special love and care As you can see Betty was very interested in her Cloucho and the scent of what I imagine is her spirit pack I can see why JK Rowling was so attracted to Fran and Bill s Wolfhounds They really are doing something magical P Clouchos cost 40 each and all profit goes to food banks To order email fran irishwolfhounds uk WHAT S A CLOUCHO Cloud s mum stood on her pup s hind leg when she was eight weeks old Unfortunately the vet got mixed up after X raying the pup and put the plaster cast on the wrong leg Three weeks later a second X ray discovered the mistake but by then the leg was damaged beyond repair and was removed Cloud coped amazingly well on three legs and had many happy years Cloud raised thousands for charity She visited nursing homes and hospitals and medieval re enactments About the same time as Cloud s accident on the plains of Texas another Irish Wolfhound puppy was born His name was Ocho He was also a very happy very brave puppy and he too learned to be a therapy dog He helped many children learn to read Cloud and Ocho or at least their owners met online It was imagined they got married and Fran began knitting little Irish Wolfhounds during Betty with her Cloucho Cloud Words BEVERLEY CUDDY May 2021 Dogs Today 19

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We asked our readers about their experience with raw feeding and whether it helped to manage their dogs health issues How is it for you BENTLEY S TASTE OF THE OCEAN 5 Star Dog Food Rated 5 5 onallaboutdogfood co uk Uk s First Grain Gluten and Dairy free All Life Stages Nutritionally Balanced Low Carbohydrate Diet High In Omegas FEED YOUR DOG AS NATURE INTENDED Raw truths Jayne Dendle I have a dog with a very sensitive tummy She would have days of being off colour with the runs and had several visits to the vet with blood in her stools I always kept a tube of pro kaolin in the cupboard for the times when she had an upset stomach Since switching to raw last year all of these problems have disappeared at eight years old she s fit and healthy with softer sleeker fur and no tummy troubles Even her itchy ears which the vet always said were clear have stopped bothering her I wish I d put my dogs on raw years ago Michele Brom I got my 12 week old German Shepherd and nearly straight away she came down with a poorly tummy We went to the vet s where at first we thought it was the stress of the new home We tried a variety of meds and she had blood taken for tests that came back fine But every time I tried to change her back on to kibble wet food she would have an upset stomach again with diarrhoea and it was everywhere I would feed her a few days to see if it would sort her out but it never did I was cooking chicken and rice nearly all the time I saw that rice can give a poorly tummy too so I decided to take her off that as well It was very concerning a little puppy having diarrhoea and not getting what she needed as a growing pup She was on 20 Dogs Today May 2021 chicken which always sorted her out in a day with normal poo One night I thought I m getting tired of cooking chicken all time I ll see if she ll eat raw Which she did and our raw feeding began She was on raw for the first year of her life and during that time she was fine and had no issues As a young pup going through what she did I genuinely believe that feeding raw saved her life It gave her what she needed when she needed it After 18 months she decided raw wasn t for her and she sort of stopped eating it I would make sure she had raw once a week but we swapped to kibble and she was fine In fact I could give her anything and she was fine Raw had turned such a sensitive tummy into a tummy of steel Sadly I lost her in 2019 to cancer I miss her every day I will always suggest raw to anyone because of my experience with it Nikita Norman Raw feeding was the difference between my dog scratching herself raw constantly or being comfortable She was allergic to so many foods and processed foods so it was her only option besides home cooking I lost her to something else just before I started doing that Not that it was miraculous I still had to be super careful and avoid her triggers and rotate her safe foods every two to three days to prevent her becoming sensitised to those too Evelyn Jones I have four dogs Two are on kibble one is on wet food due to old age and dental problems and one is on raw All are very healthy but the one on raw used to have dreadful skin allergies dandruff and a really dull coat She was very itchy and miserable but has had no problems or very few once I switched her to a raw diet As the others are all in perfect health I did not change their diets but if any of them develops allergies switching them to raw will be the first thing I ll try Jennifer Daniels I couldn t get weight on my show girl until I switched to raw Jacqueline Baker We adopted a Labrador with an extreme skin allergy the only thing that helped was steroids which we did not want to use long term So we researched diet and changed to raw food His allergies went away and he was fine for the next 14 years Lynn Finlay Maxwell I spent thousands on vet bills over several months to try to work out why one of my dogs was always ill He had a bad tummy trouble pooing and was just miserable I changed to raw tubs of meat and within a few weeks he was a different dog We have never looked back I couldn t believe the difference P find us CotswoldRAW or CotswoldRAW 01206 251 941 info bentleysdogfood co uk www bentleysdogfood co uk KIEZEBRINK UK Ltd FOCUS ON FOOD Exotic Animal Feeds Raw Food Diets TOP QUALITY RAW FOODS Extensive range of raw meat BARF and whole prey diets Single source proteins and elimination diets Fast frozen and next day delivery Online ordering facility See our full range of products on our website www kiezebrink co uk Email office kiezebrink co uk 01284 810779 COTSWOLDRAW COM

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Photo Richard Murgatroyd Photography Dogs Trust Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI Fleeing lockdown abuse As the Covid 19 pandemic gripped most of the world and entire countries went into lockdown a pandemic within the pandemic kept making victims Escaping an abuser is difficult fleeing domestic violence with a pet even more so During a pandemic it is a daunting prospect D omestic violence was a worldwide emergency well before the Covid 19 pandemic and the UK was no exception The Office for National Statistics paints a grim picture For the 12 month period to year ending March 2020 just as the pandemic led to the first nationwide lockdown the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that an estimated 2 3 million adults aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the last year Of these 1 6 million were women and over 750 000 were men The numbers were described as a slight but non significant decrease from the previous year And then as we all know the UK went into lockdown Millions of 22 Dogs Today May 2021 abuse victims were forced to remain home with their abuser all day long walking on eggshells and without respite Communications with the outside word had to be carried out within the abuser s earshot VICTIM SUPPORT In March 2021 a Zoom court hearing in the US involving assault charges was interrupted after the alleged abuser was discovered to be in the same room as the alleged victim something an eagle eyed prosecutor s assistant surmised from the woman s nervous demeanour and glances to the side as she gave her testimony State attorney assistant Deborah Davis said I have reason to believe that the defendant is in the same apartment as the complaining witness right now and I am extremely scared for her safety Police intervened quickly and the matter was resolved without incident but it goes a long way to show the difficulties of providing protection to abuse victims in the midst of a global pandemic forcing people to stay home as much as possible The UK s Office for National Statistics found that there has generally been an increase in demand for domestic abuse victim services during the coronavirus pandemic particularly affecting helplines as lockdown measures eased The statement continues This does not necessarily indicate an increase in the number of Alongside suffering physical abuse we know that dogs are also often used by perpetrators as a means to coerce and control their partners victims but perhaps an increase in the severity of abuse being experienced and a lack of available coping mechanisms such as the ability to leave the home to escape the abuse or attend counselling Escaping from domestic abuse is never easy let alone in the midst of a pandemic As hardly any refuge for domestic abuse victims will take in animals pet owners face one more hurdle the choice between saving themselves and leaving their beloved pets with a violent vengeful person who will not hesitate to harm them in retaliation Pets can be a major factor in people not being able to escape domestic abuse for fear of what may happen to their beloved companions if they re left behind a statement by Dogs Trust reads Dogs Trust research showed that almost half of professionals working in the sector are aware of cases where the pet has been killed Well aware of the urgency of the situation Dogs Trust has announced an expansion of its Freedom Project scheme now launching in East Anglia The Freedom Project which already covers Greater London and the Home Counties Yorkshire the north east and north west of England and mainland Scotland offers a temporary home for dogs through a network of foster carers so that people can escape their abusers Sarah Rowe Freedom Project co ordinator for the area said Alongside suffering physical abuse we know that dogs are also often used by perpetrators as a means to coerce and control their partners This is incredibly frightening for survivors and can range from perpetrators stopping their partner from accessing vet care for their dogs or spending money on dog food through to repeatedly threatening to harm kill or get rid of their dogs As many refuges are unable to accept pets survivors are understandably concerned about their dog s safety when they need to escape We appealed for people to apply to be Freedom foster carers in October the response was amazing and we ve already been able to help 20 dogs and their owners escape from domestic abuse We now have 60 fantastic new volunteer foster carers in place across East Anglia and are ready to take in dogs at a moment s notice if needed Thanks to them we can continue our life saving work May 2021 Dogs Today 23

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Photo Richard Murgatroyd Photography Dogs Trust Gemma with Dusty have been in and not seeing people by having a dog it means I walk three times a day My children now walk with me and I feel part of our local dog community as I say hello and stop and talk to people I would never normally have met before Interview Foster for Freedom Claire not her real name talks about her choice to become a foster carer for the Freedom Project Jump for freedom Gemma is a domestic violence survivor who was able to leave her abuser thanks to the Freedom Project And now she wants to repay them with a charity skydive The relationship as a whole at first was lovely Gemma recalled in a 2017 BBC interview He was going to protect me he was going to love me he was never going to let anyone hurt me He d give me the moon and stars you know everything And then it ended up going from that to a couple of months and then it went to torture Gemma s partner was extremely violent and his attacks would leave her with cuts and bruises He threatened to kill her on several occasions and Gemma has no doubt that is exactly what would have happened in the end If I hadn t walked I d be dead she said However walking was not easy while Gemma and her son could get into a refuge there was no way she could take her beloved dog Dusty her greatest comfort in the bleakest moments with her The prospect of leaving him with her abuser was daunting but that is where the Freedom Project came into play They were fantastic and within 24 hours they had found Dusty a foster home The staff on the Freedom Project showed such compassion and understanding and reassured me daily The service is outstanding and it s because of the Freedom Project that us three amigos myself my son and Dusty are still together Gemma said Losing Dusty would have destroyed me he s the one who I broke down to and the one who laid beside me every time I cried He was my comfort blanket and thanks to the Freedom Project and the volunteer foster carer he still is My life has changed and so has Dusty s and for that we are extremely grateful Gemma is now an ambassador for the Freedom Project and is planning a charity skydive on 14 August 2021 in order to raise funds and awareness I m taking a Jump for Freedom in more ways than one she says Not only to raise funds for this service but also to raise awareness that this service is up and running and available to anyone needing it 24 Dogs Today May 2021 Why did you become a foster carer I was looking to adopt from a local rescue and then saw a link to the Freedom Project and thought that fostering may be better at this current time Knowing that all the costs of dog ownership were covered by Dogs Trust helped in the current climate as we have all had financial worries due to Covid We understand we must give the foster dogs back and that we are just caring for them for someone It helps that this is temporary and that there are support systems in place for everyone The dog can be a barrier for people fleeing domestic abuse and I can help overcome that barrier Has support from the Freedom team been beneficial during the pandemic Yes knowing I can phone any time is great I have an emergency number too if it is needed and so I am never alone I can ask any question I like without feeling silly and always feel supported How does it feel knowing you have helped a family and their pet get to safety It feels brilliant to know we have helped a family and their pet get to safety Fostering feels like a win win to me as I have supported someone who is fleeing domestic abuse while at the same time my family has massively benefited from having a dog in our lives P Triple tragedy Luke s mother sister and dog were killed by his abusive father he is now an advocate for the work of the Freedom Project Pets suffer domestic abuse too We only realised after our father had murdered our mother Claire and 19 year old sister Charlotte that he had also killed one of our dogs Max just weeks before Max had died suddenly when our father was alone with him and our father claimed it was due to natural causes however we have since learned that pet abuse is a common tactic for domestic abusers Our dogs meant so much to us and leaving them behind was never an option The Freedom Project is so important because by helping pets flee to safety it gives peace of mind to victims and allows the victims to escape too knowing their dear pets are safe and sound Leads to follow For advice and support on domestic abuse contact the free 24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 200 0247 For more info on the Freedom Project visit dogstrustfreedomproject org uk email freedomproject dogstrust org uk or call 0808 196 6240 Donate to Gemma s fundraising on https bit ly 3cWZbDv What do you enjoy about being a foster carer We love the companionship that fostering brings having a reason to get up and get out by taking our dog on walks It has really helped with our family dynamics too the children want to come out for walks with me and we can chat about things away from home Rather than spending time in their rooms we sit on the settee together with the dog It has brought my family closer together and our foster dog is a focal point for us all Has the pandemic had an impact on your health and wellbeing Has having a foster dog helped with that I have had my foster dog throughout the winter months and where in normal times I would not have wanted to go out and would May 2021 Dogs Today 25

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Words DEBBIE BRIDGES At a school in rural Devon dogs are a vital part of a team giving hope to young people and vulnerable adults The dear Deer dogs T hink of therapy dogs and certain breeds are likely to spring to mind with the familiar Labs and spaniels probably right up there at the top of the list Possibly not on the list at all would be a dog like Wulf an 11 yearold Northern Inuit crossed judging by his size with something along the lines of a grizzly bear And yet for the past decade with no specific training for the role Wulf has been quietly providing his own brand of therapy to both vulnerable adults and students at a school offering high support specialist education for young people unable to access mainstream education Running Deer School was founded in 2016 by Jo Winterburn as part of the not for profit 26 Dogs Today May 2021 Community Interest Company CIC she d set up five years earlier to provide training in rural skills to the long term unemployed people not in education employment or training Neets people with mental health difficulties and those living in rural isolation Wulf was right there at the start she tells me and has been with her every step of the way And while Running Deer has brought stability and purpose to their lives they re no strangers to hardship and their early days together were far from idyllic He saw me through my darkest moments and he s the reason I m still here says Jo recalling Wulf s tranquil presence beside her through the breakdown of a relationship and subsequent periods of homelessness Above left Wulf was part of the inspiration behind Running Deer Above All friends together Wulf Willow and the horses with Charlie and Jo Right The school buildings are wooden pods which blend into their surroundings I was offered accommodation but without Wulf she says So we lived in a tent and then a van As Jo began putting her life back together she continued her work in community development with Wulf accompanying her to the office and on outreach assignments which is where his innate ability to tune into anxiety and bring solace to others became apparent Coupled with Jo s long term goal of somehow making a difference to the lives of people in difficulty Wulf s empathy was very much part of the turning May 2021 Dogs Today 27

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point when everything came together and the seed was sown for what was to come It started as a small project with a few bushcraft courses says Jo Then I was lucky enough to get one of the first grants from the Prince s Countryside Fund She downplays that initial achievement putting it down to a knack for writing grant applications along with a talent for winging it As Running Deer grew it was able to move away from being dependent on funding and is now fully sustainable with two sites located in the Dartmoor National Park A conversation with Jo can leave a person feeling mildly steamrollered She doesn t do small talk but touch on the subjects close to her heart namely her animals and the countryside and you ll unleash a torrent of thoughts and ideas on their potential to help people who may be struggling to get their lives on track I sense a single minded determination behind her words which perhaps explains how she was able to go from rock bottom to creating and managing a successful CIC and a unique school with a staff of 26 HORSES FOR COURSES Tucked away in ancient woodland the Ofsted registered independent school offers education in an outdoor setting to children who for one reason or another are unable to cope in a mainstream school Some distance away a series of rolling fields and a modest yard are home to Running Deer s three heavy horses Trelawny the Shire and foals Sonny and Jack This is where training in rural skills is offered to vulnerable adults and it s where I find Jo tending the horses alongside 16 year old Charlie Charlie tells me he came to Running Deer as a temporary measure after being expelled from school Eighteen months later he s still here having completed his formal education and moved into work placement He s part of the furniture now Jo laughs and it s clear that if Charlie has anything to do with it that s exactly how it ll stay I m planning to go to agricultural college he says And then I want to bring what I ve learned back to Running Deer It s a very different future from the one that may have been and it s a future Charlie could hardly have envisaged when he arrived at the school lost and angry and he remembers Wulf being there for him when he was unable to stop his feelings getting the better of him I d begin to feel overwhelmed which would lead to one of my episodes he says Everyone would leave the room and Wulf would come in He d just sit peacefully beside me and as soon as I put my hands on him I d start to calm down It s a sight Jo has witnessed time and again and she says Wulf is able to read a situation and react accordingly He s very sensitive and knows when someone is upset or sad Sometimes he ll simply sit with them offering silent comfort and support Other times he ll insist on cuddles or playtime as a way to break the mood or negative atmosphere This isn t something he s been especially trained to do it s an instinctive response from him to help someone who s in need It s what makes Wulf so special and so good at his job As we ve been chatting another dog has been slowly creeping into view and is now lying beside Wulf This is Willow a four year old Siberian Husky who is also part of the Running Deer therapy team but says Jo in a totally different way to Wulf PART OF THE TEAM Wulf was socialised from the moment he arrived as a tiny pup she explains But Willow was nine months old when she came to me having only known life in a cage Consequently she was frightened of everything and everyone and although she s a lot more confident now she remains reticent If she feels anxious maybe the children are being a bit noisy she ll take herself off and watch from a distance Her behaviour is like a visual aid and the children can recognise her anxiety observe how she reacts and reflect it back on themselves which encourages them to think about removing themselves from a situation rather than lashing out Jo holds strong views on the use of animals in therapy work believing it to be a two way street and their input should never be taken for granted All our animals are left to choose if they want to interact with someone she says Sometimes they re just not in the right frame of mind and we respect that Charlie has been quietly preparing Trelawny for an outing and under Jo s watchful eye is deftly Wulf with a student at Running Deer School Jo with Wulf and Willow who have their own space in her Land Rover above Herbie with a student 28 Dogs Today May 2021 Top left Charlie with Wulf Centre left Herbie Wulf and Willow with a student Bottom left Charlie sees his future at Running Deer Top Charlie prepares Trelawny for an outing Above Wulf checks out the carpentry class May 2021 Dogs Today 29

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clipping and buckling everything into place on his massive harness Trelawny stands at 19 hands which for those not versed in horsey matters is Very Big I can t imagine getting him to do anything he doesn t feel inclined to do but Jo says the horses respond to being treated as part of the team It s all about working with them not controlling them she says It s the same with the dogs Some would say Siberian Huskies should never be exercised off lead unless they re in an enclosed space and I don t agree with that They need to be free to run and play It takes a lot of time and understanding but they can be trained Despite their willing participation Jo believes absorbing someone s stress can take its toll on the animals and while Wulf isn t quite ready to be put out to grass the time s come for him to take a step back from day to day work at the school And while he s enjoying semi retirement pottering around with the vulnerable adults on the rural skills courses a young Lurcher called Herbie who has been personally mentored by Wulf will be reporting for duty with the kids RAISING SPIRITS We set off a small entourage of three people two dogs and a horse ambling companionably along the local lanes with Charlie holding the reins as he walks behind Trelawny and directs him with his voice Our little circuit takes about half an hour during which time I don t think Charlie stops smiling for a single moment Those of us fortunate enough to share our lives with animals know it s what they do they make us smile every day and they make us feel better about life and let s face it we could all do with some of that in these difficult and uncertain times A morning spent patting and hugging has definitely raised my own spirits a notch or two and as I wend my way back down the narrow lanes I m thinking about all the therapy dogs offering support in so many ways the world over For some the work involves performing complex tasks while others like Wulf and Willow simply do what comes naturally But they all have one trick in common and it s their best one just being themselves P Wish they could stay young forever Is your dog lacking energy and not what he used to be We may have the solution to give him back his youthful energy 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 Clinically proven and recommended by veterinarians to Support collagen production and reduce pain in cases of joint knee and hip injuries Protect the viability and integrity of neurons and promote neural cell survival 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 Large dog formula Cat formula Leads to follow www runningdeerschool org uk Where to buy BiogenicPET Vitality products can be purchased online at PurrfectlyYappy com Charlie with Trelawny A pleasant amble along the country lanes 30 Dogs Today May 2021 Small dog formula Students take a break with Wulf Jo with Wulf Enter The Vitality Challange To participate go to biogenic pet vitalitychallenge 15 years of proven rejuvenating effect

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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 BUYING PROBLEMS I am very impressed with the article Wise Up by Colette Kase in the March edition We all certainly need to be more discerning when buying a puppy or any dog Over 20 years ago when we bought a Curly Coated Retriever puppy we bought problems I wrote to the breeders vets magazines no one wanted to LOST SPOTS When I was writing the Amber s Pony Tales series about the ponies I d had as a child it was my husband s idea to write a story with the dogs as the main characters And so during a 32 Dogs Today May 2021 know We loved and cared for her for 10 years until she had to be put down due to cancer I rant about inbreeding to anyone who will listen The Kennel Club and vets should make this a major concern and try to do something about it Thank you for all your hard work in trying to make a better life for dogs Margaret Moore camping trip in 2019 I began the story But I was busy writing the pony books so it got put on hold while I focused on them Sadly during lockdown in April 2020 Lucy passed away suddenly during a walk It was so shocking and upsetting we just couldn t believe it Lucy was such a beautiful dog with a big personality and she was a huge miss even though we still had Petra I thought That s it then I ll never finish the Dalmatian story There just didn t seem any point But later I decided to finish it in her memory as I did with the pony stories We still miss Lucy but couldn t cope without a spotty dog in our life so we now have Join the debate 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 another Dalmatian called Bella who is almost a year old She and Petra are already the best of friends It s nice that the book is out there now keeping Lucy s memory alive and it s been getting some lovely reviews It means such a lot to know that readers are enjoying the story Helen Haraldsen Helen is currently writing a sequel to the book The Dalmatian that Lost its Spots is available on Amazon M UC KY PUP SHOP G RO O M I N G ESSENTIALS F O R YO U R POOCH

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KENNEL SUPPORT After a year of closures that has left the industry on its knees owners of kennels and catteries are calling for urgent support to avoid disappearing Fern Gresty who runs the Four Paws Doggy Daycare and Boarding Kennels in Northwich got in touch with us but there is no demand for our service because the customers simply cannot travel And even if they could in many cases they cannot legally travel to us to drop off their pets Whether you receive any help at all is a postcode lottery and many in our industry are falling through the cracks I have received no financial help since March last year things were actually simpler with the first lockdown as it was clear cut that we had to be closed and thus were eligible for help Now that we can stay open we get nothing regardless of the fact hardly anyone is using our services in the current situation The roadmap for the end of lockdown is giving us some hope but months and months of lost income will be nearly impossible to recoup Few businesses can last much longer demand is going to shoot up once the emergency is over but many of us will simply not be there any more and pet owners will have nowhere to leave their pets as they go to work or travel This will have wide reaching consequences if it is not addressed because good businesses will go under potentially replaced by inexperienced ones when the industry does eventually pick up There is a petition up for kennels and catteries to receive a support package on par with those given to hotels and airlines To sign it visit https petition parliament uk petitions 560514 Fern Gresty From Facebook 10 95 PALATABILITY 2 34 Dogs Today May 2021 Cosmina Varca COOL Sylvia Blair This is mine SE AN DI Susan Preston to improve cleaning action TM 7 OUR FOLLOWERS SHARED PHOTOS OF THEIR DOGS IN I SEE YOU HAVE FOOD INCIDENTALLY I ALSO LIKE FOOD MODE Cindy Nietz My Tervueren Karma doesn t know what personal space is when it comes to food Since I adopted her nearly three years ago she tries new ways of stealing my food every day Wouldn t have her any different Z SHAPE The Shape of AN AVERAGE CHEWING TIME OF 7 MINUTES 1 Lisa Billenstein This was the look I would get whenever I ate something Patented off with code VEGGIE10 CLE Photo posed by models Postbag continued Our businesses have been as affected as hotels and airlines yet we have not qualified for anywhere near the same level of support from the government At the moment we are classified as retail This puts us in a tricky spot because we are technically allowed to be open and therefore receive no grants VEGGIEDENT Visit Animeddirect co uk veggiedentfresh for G ES TIV E Breath VeggieDent FR3SH Dental Chews help to improve the oral health of dogs in 3 innovative ways TM 1 CLEANSE ADDRESSES ORAL CAUSES OF BAD BREATH 2 COOLS 3 DIGESTIVE FRESHENS BREATH WITH COOLING ACTION ADDRESSES DIGESTIVE CAUSES OF BAD BREATH 1 Nicolas C et al Evaluation of acceptability and chewing time of six dental chews in dogs A randomized blinded control trial Proceeding of the 31st International Conference on Dentistry Oral Care Oral health dental management 2018 17 27 2 Chaix G Lloret F Palatability in dogs of a new vegetable dental chew VeggieDent FR3SH which helps to reduce plaque and calculus formation and helps to maintain a healthy and fresh breath Proceedings of ECVD congress 2018 Offer is subject to availability and ends 31 05 21 and can be withdrawn at any time

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Photos posed by models Quick question Do you have a problem you d like answered by an expert Or do you want advice from someone with personal experience of the issue Email your question to enquiries dogstodaymagazine co uk A study from the Royal Veterinary College RVC has found that dental disease is the most common health problem in dogs How can you best look after your dog s dental health Here are some tips session until your dog will allow you to do the whole mouth in one go There are also other ways to prevent plaque build up as a supplement to brushing Dry food may seem more abrasive than wet food but it often doesn t stop plaque accumulating completely However some diets are designed to clean dogs teeth by chewing You can also try giving your dog a dental chew before bedtime which may have a mild cleaning effect as well as being a good way of keeping your four legged friend occupied Choosing a goodquality brand of complete pet food that is low in sugar is also helpful and be sure to reduce your dog s weighed out daily food allowance to account for the extra calories in dental chews HOW TO CHECK A DOG S TEETH EXPERT ADVICE Dr Jessica May UK lead vet at the video vet service FirstVet says While they are common dental issues in dogs are often preventable with a good dental hygiene routine On top of this spotting signs of dental disease early can also be hugely helpful in preventing these problems from getting out of hand so it s a good idea to regularly brush up on what you need to look for HOW TO KEEP TEETH CLEAN The most important thing you can do to keep your dog s teeth healthy is to make sure that they are brushed every day Without regular brushing plaque build ups can turn into tartar a hard brown substance that sticks to teeth and can cause an inflammation of the gums or gingivitis Inflamed gums allow bacteria to cause erosion below the gum line weakening the bond between the gum and the tooth and risking further decay In severe cases decay can lead to tooth loss or even cause bacteria 36 Dogs Today May 2021 from the mouth to be released into the bloodstream leading to heart disease There are specialist dog toothbrushes and toothpastes available as well as finger brushes Never use human toothpaste as this can upset a dog s stomach If your dog is not used to having their teeth brushed introduce them to the process slowly It should be a fun experience for them so don t try to brush all their teeth on the first go You can start by brushing the front teeth or the inside of their cheek Move on to brushing their back teeth gradually increasing the number of teeth you brush in one Small dental issues can become a big health hazard for dogs if left unaddressed so it is important to be on the lookout Owners should check their dog s mouth often ideally a few times a week This is particularly important for small dogs who are more likely to suffer from dental disease because of tooth overcrowding Some key things to look out for in these dental checks include dental tartar reddened or bleeding gums broken or discoloured teeth loose teeth or firm swellings under the eye as this could be a sign of a painful tooth root abscess Puppy pet parents should also look out for permanent teeth as they emerge Pups generally start to lose their deciduous teeth or baby teeth at around six months of age While this is happening dogs teeth should be checked more regularly Occasionally a deciduous tooth does not fall out as expected so it s important to spot if a permanent tooth is erupting beside a deciduous tooth If this occurs the puppy may need a visit to the vet and in most cases the deciduous tooth will need to be removed under general anaesthetic Signs of dental issues may also manifest themselves in a dog s behaviour Discomfort or pain caused by dental problems may lead to a decreased appetite weight loss evading attempts to examine the mouth or rubbing their head or nose on surrounding objects Bad breath can also be a sign although it can also be connected to other health issues If you notice any of these signs consult a vet While a regime of tooth cleaning and dental checks may take time it is crucial to keeping dogs happy and healthy Owners should get into the routine as soon as possible and learn what is normal for their dog in order to spot problems early P WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DENTAL CHEWS Dr R mi Mandray DMV MRCVS Field veterinary advisor Virbac It is estimated that 80 per cent of dogs suffer from dental disease by the age of two Dental disease is painful and if left unmanaged can lead to other issues either locally around the mouth or even in other organs Prevention is always better than cure so dental homecare must be considered from a very young age and done consistently We are all familiar with homecare recommendations for ourselves at least twice daily brushing The aim is to remove and disrupt a bacterial biofilm called plaque which forms naturally after eating and is the starting point of dental disease The process is identical in animals so if it isn t acceptable to leave our own teeth to get damaged why would it be different for our beloved pets Thankfully there are now lots of products available to take care of your pet s teeth Brushing or using a rinse is ideal but not suited to every animal Other options such as chews are easier and are proven to be effective if used correctly and consistently Furthermore chews are very effective on the carnassials the larger teeth at the back of the mouth which are difficult to reach when brushing In fact experts recommend using several techniques for maximum effect So how do chews actually work The main effect is purely mechanical by contact with the gum line the chew disrupts the plaque The shape of the chew should be optimised to guarantee maximum contact Some products also have added ingredients that enhance the overall effect in order to help with bad breath for example Some even combine other properties to the dental effect such as calming agents Not every product is equal Something to consider is hardness too hard can risk tissue damage too soft won t allow enough time to work Digestibility is also key if accidentally swallowed will it dissolve in the stomach and prevent a blockage And finally acceptance will the dog actually want it Good quality chews can be a very useful tool to control dental disease in dogs It is important to choose the product carefully however and also consider if any other methods of homecare could be used alongside to keep your canine companion s teeth nice and healthy Every pet is unique so do not hesitate to ask your vet practice about the most suitable solution for you and your pet May 2021 Dogs Today 37

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Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI Louise Henry Photo Becky Favier R escue Springer Spaniel Henry did not have the best start in life By the time the energetic puppy found his forever home with Louise Wilson of Conservation K9 Consultancy he had already been adopted and returned several times But with 18 years of experience in training detection dogs Louise could give Henry the perfect home and the perfect job As hedgehogs are nocturnal and quite shy finding them to keep track of their dwindling numbers poses a challenge Dr Lucy Bearman Brown a senior lecturer at Hartpury University turned to Louise to test how effective a wildlife detection dog could be in locating hedgehogs and Henry was the right fit for the job Louise recalls We were asked to train a detection dog to help find hedgehogs both in daytime while nesting and at night to compare Henry s effectiveness to other methods of search such as spotlighting and infrared thermal cameras Henry proved himself to be very effective and capable of covering a large area in a short time He was able to find animals burrowed quite deeply in the most unlikely places even when the thermal camera had been unable to pick up their presence One time he signalled the presence of a hedgehog in the middle of a field Louise recalls I really thought he must be wrong but there was a hedgehog hunkered down in the grass They really burrow in the oddest places and they are especially hard to find during the day or while hibernating in winter but Henry never misses a beat No matter how well hidden they are he just follows his nose to them Henry is currently the only dog in the UK trained specifically to find hedgehogs but his high success rate opens up exciting possibilities for the use of detection dogs in their conservation Henry can help conservationists keep track of the UK s hedgehog population sniff out hedgehogs in places where their presence may not be known and upon occasion alert on their nests before any landscaping work takes place a bit perhaps start working on hedgehog free areas they tend to move around and won t stay in the same spot too long A little compassion is all that s needed Henry has proven so successful he may not remain the only hedgehog detection dog in the country for long The work of detection dogs will allow us to understand hedgehogs better and understanding is the key to saving them so they can remain part of the British countryside for a long time to come P HOORAY HENRY Henry was trained as part of a joint project with the People s Trust for Endangered Species https ptes org the British Hedgehog Preservation Society www britishhedgehogs org uk and Hartpury University www hartpury ac uk For more information about Conservation K9 Consultancy visit www conservationk9consultancy com Louise says We are getting interest from some people and London parks requesting us to check for hedgehogs before doing landscaping work which can save lives If hedgehogs are found we can t just pick them up and move them but it may help landscapers work around them The best advice is to leave them alone for KEEPING TRACK Hog dog Hedgehogs are among the UK s most beloved wildlife but their numbers have been dropping sharply in recent years Keeping track of their dwindling population poses serious challenges but it s nothing a dog s keen nose can t handle 38 Dogs Today May 2021 We started training with Henry in 2018 and it took about eight months to complete it because we had to go in areas where we knew hedgehogs were we wanted him to indicate where they were in a non invasive way Of course in order to do this we had to make sure he had no prey drive or desire to interact with the hedgehog once found A lot of people think that dogs with prey drive would make good conservation dogs but it is often quite the opposite I trained Henry in a similar way to how I train explosive detection dogs making sure he wouldn t be overly interested in the odour he s looking for What Henry really wants is his tennis ball so that is the reward when a hedgehog is found not the hedgehog itself Henry and I have a quick play session while Lucy checks on the hedgehog and then we move on to look for the next one May 2021 Dogs Today 39

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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 Did the Queen set a bad example by buying a puppy online Melissa Hale It would just be nice to see more people in power and influence rescuing animals helping be part of the solution I do understand the love of certain breeds though and I don t think that will ever go away for some people I m a fellow Corgi lover I rescued my little guy from a shelter but after living in Houston and seeing how animals are treated like trash I ll always rescue even if it means I ll never get to have a Corgi again Jan Cook I don t think she did buy a puppy online Wasn t it a gift from a friend Sophie Jewett It is frustrating We go on and on about making sure you get puppies from reputable breeders and the Queen buys a puppy from a breeder who wouldn t even bother to find out who it was going to Anyone willing to give away a pup to a third party who won t reveal the name of the owner doesn t sound like someone reputable to me Lettie Hammond In the light of recent events it s probably best not to have an opinion about the internal workings of the palace Lou Lumsden I wish they d adopted a dog instead that would really encourage others to do the same Karen Forbes She is 94 let s cut her some slack 40 Dogs Today May 2021 This month s result 10 50 40 Ralph Reed It seems a strange story She s the most famous Corgi owner in the world and finding a breeder with pups available would be a doddle for her staff I d be surprised if Corgi breeders wouldn t jump at the chance to supply the pups to her for publicity Debbie Shawn I could cut her some slack if this were a reputable breeder but the fact the person that came forward admitted she had sold the puppy without knowing who the actual owner was going to be is a huge red flag to me I would never sell a puppy without knowing the owner The fact she did research and found out the woman who picked up the pup worked for the royals only after handing him over it just doesn t look good does it Anne McGarvey As long as she did her research into the breeder or a member of her staff did then there s no issue with her buying a puppy online Yes No Maybe Thelma Mitchell I bought my current dog through Pets4Homes but I made certain to see him with his mum and saw his dad as well This was a year before Covid was even heard of and the breeder was registered Ann Hesketh I am surprised her staff needed to go online to buy a pup Contacting the appropriate breed society would have put her in touch with all the top breeders As with horses the best ones are sold without any need to advertise Julie Kennedy Mcgregor Of course she didn t buy online Valerie Fawcett Yes absolutely Sue Edwards She has contacts with top reputable breeders Buying online Don t think so P Di Martin Yes bad example Lesley Anne Hall The Queen was the most famous backyard breeder herself creating Dorgies another ridiculous designer crossbreed Kimberley Snelling How are you meant to purchase a puppy if not online I got my first dog out of a local advertisement in a newspaper You don t get these types of adverts any more I found my puppy online and I couldn t be happier As long as the puppy is well bred with relevant health tests and the parents are seen what s the problem Next month s topic is Should we ban the import of dogs with cropped ears in the UK 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 May 2021 Dogs Today 41 Ye Ma No

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N My Dog Crush Photos by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk o taller than a school ruler the Miniature Pinscher is small but mighty Clever alert and always on the go Min Pins can run rings round their owners but will always leave you with a smile on your face 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 Miniature Pinscher 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 Our owners tell us that their dogs are bright active and ever alert Nearly all of them are loving and affectionate and like to follow their owners everywhere But they are not push overs only 20 are obedient and a mere 2 are described as docile Lots of owners mention how entertaining their Min Pins can be They re fun loving explains one it s better than watching TV 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 May 2021 Miniature Pinscher Health Around half of our owners say their dogs have had hardly any health issues The breed is prone to patellar luxation when the kneecaps slip out of place Min Pins can also be a bit greedy over half of our sample will eat anything which can cause difficulties Lots of vet appointments for swallowing foreign objects on walks Training exercise These are smart dogs and will respond to training although they can be a bit stubborn Despite their size most Min Pins are up for a fairly long walk and many of our sample also have a go at agility and obedience Min Pins can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to recall especially if there is something to chase they were once ratters after all Most of our owners exercise their dogs for around an hour outside the house but expect them to be full of beans at home and in the garden too Coat care Half of our owners say they don t really notice shedding A regular comb of the dog s short easy care coats should make any shedding manageable 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 May 2021 Dogs Today 43

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My Dog Crush Downsides Can be very vocal Have a bit of a guarding instinct Not always easy to housetrain Origins T he Miniature Pinscher known as the Min Pin to admirers in the English speaking world and the Zwergpinscher in its native Germany is not as many believe a much reduced Dobermann Pinscher The Dobermann is a more recent addition to the canine family while the Miniature Pinscher was known in Germany at least 300 years ago and is in fact a reduced Pinscher a breed not widely known in this country Early Min Pins may have been crossed with Italian Greyhounds which would explain the Min Pin s elegant highstepping trot These early prototypes were kept for vermin control and were bulkier than the breed we know today The German Pinscher Club was founded in 1895 The Min Pin became popular in the United States in the 1920s there wasn t a Miniature Pinscher Club in the UK until the 1950s 44 Dogs Today May 2021 Traits Fun Energetic Loving Alert Confident Sociable Owner s view T ereza Watkins has 10 dogs most of them are gundogs but she has two Miniature Pinschers four year old Dave and Mike who is two They are a strong willed breed says Tereza and the Min Pins are definitely in charge in her house Indeed she warns if they were bigger dogs they d be hard to handle Despite being classified as a toy breed by the Kennel Club they are more like terriers in character They have attitude Tereza says Dave and Mike can be manipulative but they are mainly hilarious Small in size big in confidence massive in personality They are absolutely cracking little dogs 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 May 2021 Dogs Today 45

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My Dog Crush Love the breed Shop the breed A quirky depiction of a Min Pin riding a crane available in a print mug tote bag and cushion cover From NobilityDogs on www etsy com Min Pin watercolour print in seven size options from A5 8 01 to 13x15 inches 25 65 from GenefyArt on www etsy com A kitsch shoulder handbag 47 10 from PetussoShop on www etsy com v The Starry Night mug inspired by Vincent Best names Rocky Zach Percy Chica Rio Storm Cuthbert Doris van Gogh is dishwasher and microwavesafe and can be personalised with your own Min Pin s name 19 84 from PawPalettes on www etsy com v Vinyl sticker for your car or laptop or anywhere Available in black with ears up or half up and half down or chocolate 4 07 from BT2MPS on www etsy com Note cards from an original watercolour design by Jess Chappell available either as a pack of five or as an individual card Jess is an ink and watercolour artist living in York 3 14 each or 8 05 for a pack of five from AnimalArtByJess on www etsy com Best Facebook groups Miniature Pinscher UK UK Miniature Pinschers 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 May 2021 May 2021 Dogs Today 47

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Victoria Stilwell Making memories Understanding the dog s brain is an important first step in teaching them to learn 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 May 2021 T he way a dog learns is influenced by a number of factors including how they are bred how instinctively skilled they are the influence of hormones and chemicals early experience and how they are raised Dogs are a highly adaptable species because they have good problemsolving skills which are particularly useful for seeking out hunting and catching prey Some dogs are more adaptively intelligent than others in that they re able to learn easily and solve problems by themselves but these valuable skills can also be learned by watching other dogs or humans solve problems first While some dogs are independent thinkers and are less reliant on human intervention to help them others rely solely on people for guidance Regardless what kind of learner your dog is it s important to understand what happens inside your dog s brain to facilitate learning and to help transition that learning into your dog s long term memory Even though a dog s brain is smaller than a human s they have the same basic structures particularly in parts of the brain that process emotion These similarities have led scientists to believe that dogs and humans process information in similar ways The human brain contains approximately 80 billion neurons while a dog s brain contains an estimated 5 billion The human brain is only two per cent of the body s weight but uses 20 per cent of the blood flowing from the heart and 20 per cent of the oxygen we breathe While the human brain has been studied for more than 100 years it s only in the last 10 or so years that scientists have taken more interest in dogs cognitive abilities Thanks to new technology this has led to some pretty extraordinary discoveries The Family Dog Project in Budapest Hungary and the Dog Project in Atlanta Georgia were the first research facilities to look into the brains of dogs by using functional MRIs By training dogs to lie still in MRI machines with no physical restraint or sedation while images were taken of brain activity researchers could see into the dog s brain in a way that had never been done before For the first time functional MRIs showed how the brains of dogs responded to different stimuli without sedation The researchers started by seeing how dogs brains responded to hand signals that the dogs associated with the delivery of a food treat When people anticipate things they like an area of the brain called the caudate nucleus responds or lights up The same response was seen in the dogs brains when they saw the food is coming hand signal meaning that anticipating food made the dogs feel good SCENT OF LOVE What was even more amazing is that when these dogs were presented with smells of people and other animals this reward response only occurred when they smelled people in their own household and not for other dogs Food was not directly linked to these odours which led researchers to believe that what they were seeing was hard evidence that dogs might experience something like love for the people in their lives The brain creates memories by encoding different experiences starting with the senses If you go back to a significant event in your life like meeting your partner for the first time or going for the interview that landed you your first job the memory you have of these events starts with your senses The information from what you saw heard smelled tasted and touched in these situations ends up in the hippocampus your brain s memory centre The hippocampus integrates everything that you unconsciously or consciously experience In animals the hippocampus is important for spatial memory or remembering where things are This is where the frontal cortex also known as the thinking part of the brain comes into play It helps the hippocampus analyse and filter all the information you receive by using the brain s language of electricity and chemical messengers Humans have a much larger and more developed frontal cortex than dogs meaning that humans have more control over their emotions develop sophisticated language and are better at mediating conflicts Nerve cells connect with other cells at an endpoint called the synapse The brain has trillions of these bulb like features Electrical pulses carry messages that jump across tiny gaps between cells triggering the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters The most common neurotransmitters are dopamine epinephrine and norepinephrine When they move across gaps between cells they attach themselves to neighbouring cells through receivers called dendrites branchlike extensions that reach out to nearby brain cells These attachments are incredibly dynamic and are continually growing and shrinking When I teach a dog and client new skills I encourage my client to practise the skills they have learned with their dogs daily so that both human and dog can retain the information Training is like learning a dance and it takes practice to know how all the steps fit together When you learn a new skill different brain cells process different kinds of information working in sync with each other Synapses are strengthened and the more the same signal is sent the more you practice the stronger the connection becomes PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Introducing new skills and challenges is important because each time your dog experiences something new her brain rewires slightly to accommodate these new experiences causing new dendrites to form Repetition also causes existing dendrites to become more entrenched which is very important for learning fluency transitioning memory and building resilience As you and your dog learn new things more connections are generated in the brain while some may weaken The brain continually organises and reorganises itself in response to the experiences you have the challenges you negotiate and the memories you make As you learn new information and practise new skills the brain builds intricate circuits of knowledge and memory If you keep practising a certain skill such as playing the piano or doing agility repeated firing of certain brain cells in a certain order makes it easier to replicate this firing later on This means that eventually you will be able to play the piano or your dog will fly around an agility course without even having to think about it If you stop practising for long periods of time you won t be as proficient as you once were and your dog might have a harder time remembering what to do because the brain dendrites assigned to those particular skills will start to wither away They can however be strengthened quickly once the skill is practised again In 2019 scientists discovered what they called forgetting neurons These neurons are most active at night because sleep is the time when the brain reorganises itself and prepares for the next day of information That is why getting a good night s sleep is so important for people and their dogs During sleep the body consolidates and transfers short term memories into long term ones Research has shown that most people can only hold up to about seven items of information in their short term memory at any given time a shopping list or a telephone number for example Short term memory is closely linked to the function of your hippocampus whereas long term memory is linked to functions of the cerebral cortex Memory does not work without retrieval When you call up a memory you fetch the information on an unconscious level and drop it into your conscious mind This is why it s important to keep you and your dog challenged Repetition and problemsolving are vital for keeping the brain and memory fit and healthy By understanding how the canine brain works we can appreciate the dog s experience a little more and make it easier for them to learn and be successful The more we know the more we will forgive the mistakes dogs make and ensure that their learning experience is a good one P May 2021 Dogs Today 49

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True Case History by Peter Neville Basset Hounds can look glum even when joyfully happy but Steve looked glum and felt glum even though he lived a life that other dogs would envy The clients Owners Emma and Ewan Barry Address Bournemouth Dorset Name Steve Breed Basset Hound Age 5 years old Sex Neutered male E Hi Peter My usually friendly Basset Hound Steve has forgotten that he is a nice dog and has recently started behaving aggressively towards visitors and any dogs he meets His doggie daycare called to advise me well complain that he was growling and mock charging most of the dogs at the daycare except for Emily his sibling He has also started barking at people who arrive at the house and will charge at them He never bites anyone and will stop after two or three paces after which he will lose interest and then retreat to his bed It all seems like bluster but he sounds fierce with his deep voice I just don t know what s suddenly started going on with him I don t think he s very happy any more Please can you help us Kind regards Emma and Ewan 52 Dogs Today May 2021 mma was completely despondent when I called her to find out what was going on with Steve She immediately asked to book an online appointment so that we could get to the bottom of Steve s behaviour problem Emma was a devout Basset owner and had had the breed her whole life Steve and his litter sister Emily had been bought from a breeder at the same time and the two were inseparable The dogs had attended puppy class and training classes until they were three years old and Emma and Ewan did their best to give the dogs everything they needed They walked them at least once a day for an hour usually twice they provided a large variety of toys for the dogs and played with them often The dogs were groomed at home every second week and attended a daycare facility from Monday to Friday while Ewan and Emma worked Everything was pretty perfect in their lives which is why they were so surprised when Steve had recently started being aggressive It was so contrary to his normal disposition that Emma first thought it must be pain related and had immediately taken him to the vet for a thorough check up After several tests Steve s results came back clean everything physically was 100 per cent fine and so the vet then suggested that his problems were likely of a learned behavioural nature which is how he ended up with me Early investigations Since I could not visit Steve in person I asked Emma to send me a few film clips of Steve to get a better idea about what was going on with him I received them a couple of days later and they showed Steve at home mooching around and lying curled up with Emily or chewing a toy or out on a walk In another clip I saw how Steve behaved when a guest came to the house though it was somewhat less than impressive He sat up when the doorbell rang and when the guest walked through the door he got up and charged at them but it was quite the most half hearted canine charge I ve ever seen He managed two or three steps grumbling throughout both of them and then flopped down again and completely ignored the visitor In the third clip filmed at the daycare centre I saw Steve lying to one side fast asleep when two young dogs came bounding over towards him They roughhoused right up to him and only at that point did he wake up and snap at them giving a stern growl afterwards to warn them away At first the two dogs didn t seem to hear him but when he added the growl and then a bark to the warning they quickly moved off The daycare attendant mentioned in the film that Steve did that quite frequently If any dog came near him he became grumpy and annoyed with everyone and every dog around him and would then take it out on the closest dog to him unless that was Emily whom he by passed His grumpiness was getting so bad that the daycare folks were considering banning him something which obviously distressed Emma and Ewan a lot The background I had an online Zoom conversation with Emma and Ewan to find out more about what Steve did and when this had all started Ewan said he had first noticed it when they were out on walks or when he dropped Steve off at the daycare centre in the mornings It had started out gradually Steve would be really happy to meet up with everyone initially but if they mobbed him he would growl On walks he seemed to get crankier the further they went and soon he started to be cranky all the time except Emma had noticed on weekends Then Steve tended to be much more like his normal jolly self although if they took the dogs on two walks a day he would start charging at dogs who came near him but only on the second walk This raised a red flag to me and so we started to plot Steve s day on the essential Coape Emra charts used by all Coape International diplomates see www coape org for further details I soon saw that Steve was a highly active Basset which was not necessarily a good thing Bassets are better known for being extremely easygoing laid back dogs not at all like Border Collies but I fell that Steve s hedonic budget could keep any Border Collie exhausted for days He simply didn t have a single free moment to relax in his normal day Steve s owners were incredibly well meaning but in their quest to keep their dogs enriched stimulated and socialised they had unfortunately swung to the other side of the pendulum leaving their dogs overstimulated over enriched and in Steve s case utterly exhausted When he came home from daycare he would collapse in his bed and would sleep for hours if he was left alone but usually he only got an hour or so to rest and then it was time to go for a walk or feeding time or play time 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 May 2021 Dogs Today 53

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True Case History This resulted in a dog who was so tired that it was affecting his general mood state and emotional well being In short Steve was cranky because he was perpetually tired and so he had started to associate anyone coming into his home or coming near him outdoors or at the daycare centre as further unwanted disturbance he was just too tired to have anything to do with anyone or any dog who wanted to play with him or pet him or engage with him at all Treating the problem The poor guy needed a holiday from his life And so that was exactly what we decided to do for Steve We stopped daycare for him his walks were cut down to one 15 minute walk a day at his pace in a field where he could be off lead and we changed the way play and enrichment were made available to him Instead of his owners initiating these activities they would wait until Steve showed interest and asked for interaction or brought out a toy to engage them with Steve s sister Emily still enjoyed going to the daycare centre so the decision was made to send her there on her own but to monitor her closely to see how she fared without Steve The feedback from the centre was that she enjoyed herself tremendously without her previously grumpy brother and by Peter Neville would play for short 15 minute sessions several times a day After hearing about Steve the daycare decided to introduce a relaxation area for dogs and managed and supervised it carefully The new area had comfortable beds well spread apart with soothing classical music playing and dogs were only allowed in there if they were relaxed As soon as they started playing they were moved to the play area to allow the other dogs still sleeping to do so uninterruptedly The result For the first week at home on weekdays Steve did nothing but sleep Emma and Ewan were quite worried about him but we had agreed to leave him for at least two weeks to see what happened while at the same time monitoring him closely with a webcam so that they could keep an eye on him from work I assured them that this was nothing to be worried about and after a week Steve s disposition had changed very clearly He was far more relaxed and calm and once again sought attention and play from his sibling and guardians when they were home His tail started wagging and he stopped charging at guests when they arrived He slept for longer periods of time between play and walks and even started playing with other dogs on his walks again Emma and Ewan could not believe their eyes They decided not to send him back to the daycare centre to allow him time on his own to recharge when Emily was at school She was a far more active five year old than he was and she enjoyed the playing and noise at daycare Emma and Ewan sent me their last mail a week ago giving me the good news that Steve had started asking for his chew toys again He would take a toy and go to his bed where he would lie chewing for a good hour before napping again He was a far happier and more content dog than the one I had met remotely a month earlier and it was really the best news Balance is key Have and do all things in moderation sound advice for anyone I think P R E T R A C TA B L E L E A D S MADE IN GERMANY GIANT Walk with the Best www flexi de en 54 Dogs Today May 2021

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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 S M A L L M U N S T E R L A N D E R C W M S W E D I S H L A P P H U N D S N R L O T F C D X G H U V C U V Y O R K I O I K V L S T U R K I E P T B G Q C D R A N R E B T S C Q M G M N I O D I O U Q C S O S A C T E E S H E T L A N D S H E E P D O G O A A R G E I R J G U G R N T Z W R L N L E Z U H E O R L L M Y I I L I A P A H X E X L N I G Y J G K F K I A H R G W U I I T R W U M R A D L I T L O X S A J T E S A R H I O T O M E O V E R Z H W U U C T M E E C L Y F E I I V F E E N H R T S R L S U Z B I K T H X M T T O C S H I H T Z U I D K E S V V F R Y V W H I F J R K P J R G R A A S G L R I I I Q L K E N R N Z A I M O J I B A I A S X D Q I S T A F W L E I N A P S X E S S U S C N R S A G D A R W E F I P P E T E T D A N A B E P L P I M A R A N E R L K W O R T F Search up down forward backward and on the diagonal to find the hidden breeds Scottie Sealyham Terrier Segugio Italiano Shar Pei Shetland Sheepdog Shih Tzu Siberian Husky Skye Terrier Sloughi Small Munsterlander Smooth Collie Spanish Water Dog Staffie Check your chip St Bernard Sussex Spaniel Swedish Lapphund Thai Ridgeback Tibetan Mastiff Turkish Kangal Utonagan Vizsla Weimaraner Welsh Terrier Westie Whippet Yorkie In the ring Can you come up with a witty and amusing caption for this photo Can you find the names of three great British breeds Clue for the missing letters a great big horse A B CO C Winning caption Annette Alder Pop goes the Beagle Cross Question Can you guess which breeds Henry s parents are April Caption Runners up Pupcorn Gayle Conboy Petflix and chill Clare Williams It had been a ruff day time to relax Sherri Lynn Elliott Wylie April Cross Question Solution Fiep s parents are an Italian Spinone and a Labrador The first correct answer came from Louise Fuller In the ring answer A English Setter B Welsh Corgi C Scottish Terrier 56 Dogs Today May 2021 May 2021 Dogs Today 57 Labrador Italian Spinone by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk Send your Breedsearch Cross Question Caption Competition entries together with your contact details via email to comps dogstodaymagazine co uk or post to May Competitions Dogs Today The Stables Saddlers Halt 86 High Street Chobham Surrey GU24 8LZ to arrive by 21 May 2021 W TRIR Don t know which database your dog s microchip is registered with Type your chip number into www check a chip co uk How to enter TEST 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 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 LG EN 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 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 Just for fun Unscramble the jumbled letters in the circles Do you have a funny pic you d like us to feature Please email it to us at the address on the facing page S H K A N G A L E H E S H A R P E Caption this Photo submitted by Jen Dearlove Tea break

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Prize crossword Compiled by Gyles Brandreth Quick clues Down Across 1 2 People who keep dogs perhaps 6 3 Term referring to longer hair on dog s chest below the neck 5 4 See 11 Across 5 Hound s howl 3 6 Sense of regret or guilt 7 7 Native of South American mountain range 6 11 Germany s national dog 5 4 13 Mountain Dog Portuguese breed 7 14 Silk Dog former name of Cuba s national dog 6 15 And 12 Across Compact large breed with silky coat 6 9 18 Swimming pools 5 20 Stinging social insect 3 1 4 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 19 20 21 22 Cross between Mastiff and 11 Down 4 East Laika spitz type breed 8 Habitat for breeding or supporting animals 7 Hungarian herding dog 4 Barbet s nationality 6 And 4 Down Alsatians 6 9 See 15 Down Expends carelessly 6 Ancient breed of large hound 6 Hunting dog will go for it 4 Type of collie 7 Nationality of Akita and Shiba Inu 8 Go below the surface 4 4 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 19 1 3 2 4 5 8 6 7 20 21 9 22 10 11 12 13 15 17 16 18 20 22 Name _________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Postcode _________________ Telephone _____________________________________________ Email address ___________________________________________ Breed type of dog _______________________________________ 58 Dogs Today May 2021 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 2 They admit to being possessive types 6 3 On stage protection for cook 5 4 See 11 Across 5 Noise made by hound in seaside area 3 6 Sorrow regarding a TV detective 7 7 A northern clergyman from mountainous region 6 11 Hans Christian Andersen synonymous with this breed 5 4 13 Breed accepted among closest relatives 7 14 Keep girl say in Caribbean city 6 15 And 12 Across Good old terrier even turned out a popular breed of dog 6 9 18 Idols lounging around pools 5 20 Worker has letter read aloud 3 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 win a Family not Commodity classic T shirt Show the world that dogs and wheelbarrows are not equal despite what the law says when it comes to pet theft Available in sizes small to 5XL and in a whopping 17 colours there s definitely one to suit all tastes If you re not lucky enough to win one the design range including journals water bottles blankets phone cases and much much more is available from www redbubble com people beemorebeardie shop Good luck 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 21 May 2021 to May 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 April Solution Can you crack the code to find this poor dog joke We ve given you the word DOGS to get you started Across 1 Pacify 4 Blasts 9 Lucerne 10 Flair 11 Alaskan 12 Lion 15 Bearded Collie 17 Dogs 18 Theatre 22 Evade 23 Trainer 24 Tussle 25 Street Down 1 Puli 2 Cecil 3 Fireside 5 Life 6 Spaniel 7 Springer 8 Red and White 13 Obedient 14 Hovawart 16 Afghans 19 Range 20 Heel 21 Trot A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VWX Y Z 19 10 9 11 20 25 3 ___ ___ ___ 22 25 1 22 25 3 D ___ O ___ G ___ 19 9 10 17 ___ ___ ___ 3 25 1 13 1 17 20 1 22 9 24 24 1 ___ ___ ___ ___ 19 20 O ___ ___ 22 22 9 25 1 24 ___ ___ ___ 22 25 1 S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 3 7 26 S ___ ___ O ___ ___ ___ 8 1 ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 16 8 D ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Hovawart by Tim Rose www timrosephotography co uk 21 To Salvation Army leaders it s a large fighting dog 4 Laika s nationality southern Spanish 8 Slope for novice skiers where tender plants may be seen 7 Hungarian dog one on wet earth 4 Dawn s Poodle described thus 6 And 4 Down Dogs for Lutheran pastors 6 9 See 15 Down Fails to take advantage of uncultivated regions 6 Hound a little child s brought round lab perhaps 6 Pastime of hunted animals 4 Bed dear needs to be rearranged for a breed of collie 7 Tarzan s girl entertaining father with Eastern Chin for example 8 Deline to identify a kitchen feature 4 Down 14 19 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 13 1 15 7 18 ___ ___ ___ 22 25 1 8 S ___ ___ O ___ ___ 8 25 9 20 How to enter Email your answers to comps dogstodaymagazine co uk and put May 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 May 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 21 May 2021 will win the prize For full terms and conditions see page 3 May 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 In accordance with the government road map 01430 430 677 vivienne sweeting btinternet com DOG FRIENDLY BREAKS PEAK DISTRICT Very dog friendly family run Country Inn with self contained rooms in the grounds Open e from th l 12th Apri 2021 Dog Partridge 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 We can t wa it to see you Fabulous Beer Garden Terrace serving Dinner Lunch and Drinks Overnight stays short breaks available from 12 4 21 In room dining also available for all meals including breakfast and drinks 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 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 FROM ONLY 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 Food of the Month The name Kiezebrink has been connected for generations with European poultry farming Still controlled by its founder Kiezebrink is now an international seller of animal food The UK division is located at Barrow in Suffolk since 2002 and is directed by Alasdair Gordon 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 Kiezebrink offers an extensive range of natural raw dog foods which are either produced by ourselves or sourced from our reliable accredited suppliers We only us the best fresh ingredients available to ensure you are giving your dog the very best quality natural raw dog food Brecon Road Pen y Cae Powys SA9 1GL www kiezebrink co uk Pet Product of the Month Dogs Today Today July May 2020 2021 60 6 0 Dogs Focus on Food has long been the raison d etre of the company and they have made it their mission to supply high quality reliable animal feed along with excellent advice and service to its customers Nature s Greatest Secret We are delighted to be nominated as Pet Product of the Month May 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 Charity Month DogsRescue For Good JR Whippet was founded in 1971 by the late Mrs Joanna Russell when she realised there was aofneed to rehome Whippets due to a change in their Dogs for Good needs your help to double the number people with disabilities Dogs for Good needs your help to double the number of people with disabilities owners circumstances Aexploring mentionways in herdogs breed note column in Dog World we can support with dogs We re an innovative charity we can support with dogs We re an innovative charity exploring ways dogs can help resulted in donations being made to help her with task can help people overcome specific challenges and enrich and improve lives people overcome specific challenges andthe enrich and improve lives and communities and communities We are passionate about our future and how we can help We are passionate about our future and how we cancan helpoffer moreapeople with the use of If you would consider giving a home to a rescue Whippet or short term foster more people with the use of our assistance dogs our assistance dogs home for a Whippet in need whilst they are waiting for their permanent loving home Discover all of the ways we help Discover allwith of the ways we help or if you are willing to help transporting the Whippets please contact Beverley Assistance Dog our assistance dogs support adults and children with a rangedogs support adults and children with a range of Assistance Dog our assistance on 01359 259300 or email rehoming whippetrescue org uk of disabilities and also children with autism disabilities and also children with autism Community Dog our community dogs and specialist handlers to To support the their rescue you can become a member of and Thetheir Friends of JRhandlers Whippet Rescue Community Dog our help community dogs specialist help to improve improve their independence andCall skills and you will receive a newsletter wellbeing twice a year Dot Graham on 01505 503238 or email deltamikegolf btinternet com their independence wellbeing and skills Family Dog our Family Dog team gives adviceFamily and support to help families Dog our Family Dog team gives advice and support to help families with an to find out more 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 Dogs For Good For more information please visit our website and see our online shop at www whippetrescue org uk www dogsforgood org 01295 252600 info dogsforgood org www dogsforgood org 01295 252600 info dogsforgood org www dogsmonthly co uk May 2020 2021 62 6 2 Dogs Today July March 2020 81 Pet Service of the Month Petdentist July 2020 Dogs Today 63 Toast_Classified indd 1 Petdentist is an established and respected manufacturer suppling a wide variety of pet dental care products Our goal is to be your one stop pet dental health supplier whose mission is to translate the love and passion for pets into highly rewarding loving and fun experiences by providing quality and effective dental care products 07 10 2020 14 33 Petdentist has a passion for helping others succeed in the maintenance and improvement of their pets oral health conditions as well as improving the quality of their lives with good health vitality and happiness At Petdentist our goal is to provide you with a product that offers maximum benefits that are functional and luxurious for the discerning pet owner using our dental experience passion and professional knowledge in the pet dental health products market We only use 100 natural ingredients that are produced in GMO HACCP ISO9001 Dr Deepak Songra BDS Founder Petdentist www petdentist co uk May 2021 Dogs Today July 2020 Dogs Today 663 3

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barkingmaddogrescue bmdrdogs www barkingmaddogrescue co uk CharitySpotlight Spotlight Charity Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service But many more masks are needed We are established 1958 a non destruction sanctuary for abandoned unwanted dogs Registered Charity No 1077588 Welcome Welcome to to Charity Charity Spotlight Spotlight a handy reference point for good PRIORY ROAD ASCOT folk le of folkdoing doinggreat great work work We re We rehelping helpingto toraise raise the the profi profile of this BERKSHIRE SL5 8RJ diverse 01344 882689 diversegroup group of of people people and and we weencourage encourage you youto to get get involved involved The next pet saved could be yours with withthem them be beitit fundraising fundraising or or even even volunteering volunteering 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 You can donate via www smokeypaws co uk or email info smokeypaws co uk Registered Charity No 256728 rescue and rehome aving We collies and collie crosses throughout the UK Why not orkshire s subscribe to our Border World quarterly ogs Collie magazine Only 10 00 pa Sponsor a puppy from just 1 a week To rescue COLLIE rehabilitateTRUST and rehome BORDER GB vulnerable atour risk dogsforfrom Yorkshire Please contact usand or visit website 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 Become a Companion AS Keep Tails Wagging SEEN ON N1EL BCT_0310 4x1 indd CHANWith a Regular Gift Registered Charity in England and Wales No 1139999 4 As a rescue charity Rushton helps abandoned Bringing pets abused and unwanted dogs on a international and people scale Rescuing dogs from all over the world especially the meat trade in Asia and China closer together A charity registered in England and Wales 209617 and Scotland SC038979 4 1 10 16 55 42 woodgreen org uk www foreverhoundstrust org Call Now 44 0 1823 49 10 52 mail rushtondogrescue co uk edch org uk Registered Charity No 298348 00526nc0819 Scottish Charity No SC006914 Senior Staffy Club 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 Charity of the month Mayhew Chilterns Dog Recue Charity of the month We are an animal welfare charity working to improve the lives of dogs cats andChilterns communities in London and CDRS overseas Founded in 1963 Dog Rescue Society has a long 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 WE RESCUE KILL SHELTER AND ABANDONED DOGS FROM ROMANIA AND REHOME THEM IN THE UK AND GERMANY barkingmaddogrescue www petsavers org uk Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service July 2020 Dogs Today 65 But many more masks are needed history of rescue and rehoming and continues to grow thanks to t Mayhew we aim to promote the dedication and enthusiasm of many dog lovers animal welfare A A please call us on 01276 402591 for more details DogsToday TodayMay July2021 2020 64 64Dogs 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 Registered Charity No 1077588 by delivering a broad range of communitybased veterinary welfare and education services fter many years of hard workWe run unique CDRS is an independent charity It programmes like Pet Refuge CDRS bought its own premises receives no Government funding and offering a fostering service for owners going in Chivery near Tring Herts and relies entirely of the through a short term crisis on andthe wegenerosity raise awareness developed purpose built facilities forthe realities publicand to continue vital rescue about impact ofits animal welfareand dogs with nowhere else to turn rehoming work support would to bring about change to helpYour animals like Cyril The Rescue Centre has 40 pictured kennels above be greatly appreciated Cyril was rescued from a puppy and a small team of highly trained farm and was in a dreadful state traumatised staff who provide outstanding further After information please in and covered For in wounds several months care for dogs of all ages types contact CDRS and then found his ourand care he slowly recovered backgrounds in need of protection Tel 01296 623885 forever home training and rehoming in addition enquiries cdrs org uk Our teams are constantly workingtoto save animals from a life of cruelty and a 5 star licence boarding www chilternsdogrescue org uk neglect support for local people in crisis and find forever homes for animals in need kennels under floor But Large we receive nohave government funding Any amount you can give will help heating plenty of of animals natural light with save hundreds in need indoor and outdoor areas Green technology has been incorporated to reduce running costs Sensitive landscaping has created a woodland walk for adopters tothemayhew org get To potential find out more visit or call us on 020 8962 8000 to knowYou thecan dogs wildlife andour work at themayhew org donate If you d like to see your donate to areas support organisation featured in these two DogZones to provide or grassy by calling 020 8206 5870 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 rescue and rehome Saving We collies and collie crosses throughout the UK Why not Yorkshire s subscribe to our Border World quarterly Dogs Collie magazine Only 10 00 pa Registered Charity No 1167291 To rescue COLLIE rehabilitateTRUST and rehome BORDER GB vulnerable atour risk dogsforfrom Yorkshire Please contact usand or visit website more information Heathway Colton Rugeley Tel WS15 07562 Staffs 3LY 986101 Tel 0871 560 2282 Email savingyorkshiresdogs gmail com www bordercollietrustgb org uk Web www sydrescue org uk Reg Charity No 1053585 Find uscentre on Rescue open daily 9 11 am 2 4 pm Become a Companion AS Keep Tails Wagging SEEN ON N1EL BCT_0310 4x1 indd H C ANWith a Regular Gift Registered Charity in England and Wales No 1139999 4 As a rescue charity Rushton helps abandoned Bringing pets abused and unwanted dogs on a international and people scale Rescuing dogs from all over the world especially the meat trade in Asia and China closer together 4 1 10 16 55 42 woodgreen org uk Your chance to win at www aht org uk lottery Call Now 44 0 1823 49 10 52 mail rushtondogrescue co uk Registered Charity Number 209642 Registered Charity No 298348 00526nc0819 Scottish Charity No SC006914 Senior Staffy Club Dogs Today 2018 Charity spotlight lottery23 01 2018 advert v3 indd 14 47 10 1 Our aims are Rescue and rehome sta ordshire bull terriers and sta y cross dogs aged 7yrs Recruit foster carers all over the UK Encourage volunteers at En our kennels in Sta ord and Worcester www seniorsta yclub co uk seniorsta yclub hotmail co uk Rescue and rehoming centre for dogs and cats www leicesteranimalaid org uk Tel 01455 888257 Registered Charity No 242560 Finding the cures for serious pet illnesses helping them live longer healthier lives barki www petsavers org uk Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the fire service But many more masks are needed www May 2021Dogs DogsToday Today665 July 2020 5 We r of do

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For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Confessions of a dogaholic W hen Lord Rothermere sold me Dogs Today for a pound I presumed it was because he saw something in me an inner entrepreneur buried so deep even I had not suspected it was germinating I was sure he had every confidence in me It never crossed my mind that he thought me sweet but deluded for trying to make his idea work where others far more experienced had failed Lord R knew his team were the best in the world the top dogs if they d not been able to make Dogs Today profitable what chance was there for this enthusiastic young pup in front of him With a straight face he explained that his financial advisor his dog Ryu Ma had told him to invest in my new company but that it was very important that I kept the majority share He was giving me 10 000 for the proportion of shares he wanted To me this was a fortune I now realise that for Lord R the seventh richest man in Britain it wasn t even pocket change He looked at me very seriously and said I was to be very very careful not to borrow any money to not get myself into any trouble LEAP OF FAITH 66 Dogs Today May 2021 Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 UK 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 BLAST FROM THE PAST I discovered I had interviewed some of the most famous people in the world about their dogs when the phone rang Hello it is you I recognise your voice My mum saw your piece in today s paper There couldn t be two Beverley Cuddys It was James from my uni days he d tracked me down You re only a couple of hours away I m getting in the car now I m coming to see you What s your address Well that was a surprise James and I had met in the first week of college and he d said something odd like You re the only real person here He d never made a move I d assumed he was either gay or more likely didn t find me attractive We were both young we didn t talk about such things He d taken me home to meet his mum I taught his younger brother Patrick how to do Venn diagrams He was very posh and rather dashing but I assumed that his interest in me was purely platonic I d eventually got a boyfriend and we drifted apart For a while I suppose he was sort of my Mr Darcy terribly polite but rather removed As I put the phone down I wondered whether I should have mentioned I now lived with Brian the Aussie journalist It just hadn t come up P 100 2020 WINNER REVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLAR look down I was already planning the next issue It was coming up to Christmas and we needed to find ourselves an office as John was running out of patience with us squatting It was a big ask to find something dog friendly and cheap in a horrifically expensive area For some reason the journalists at the Mail had a soft spot for us and my by line kept appearing in the paper often on stories I hadn t written 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 I still hadn t yet recovered the power of speech so I nodded and floated back to Windsor dazed but elated The team were thrilled John the publisher was a bit miffed My brother who is older and wiser was more practical Don t do it he urged He can afford to lose 10k This is madness Give this up now and get a proper job What do you know about publishing About running a business When you take a leap of faith sometimes it helps not to Don t look down 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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