Dogs Today_November_2023 : simplebooklet.com

Inside this month...News & features 6 Done with Dog Daddy: the global backlash against Augusto Deoliveira’s tour 10 Who trained your trainer? The route to industry regulation 14 Shocking delay: why, five years on, is Wales the only place in the UK where e-collars are banned? 16 Shock collars don’t save ‘red-zone’ dogs; in fact, they make matters worse 18 Train reactions: living with a reactive dog is no walk in the park38 Life of Freedom: from hell in Sarajevo to foster safety with Ian Waite46 Strictly come walkies: Helen Skelton, Blue Peter Barney and Spiderman Over to you!42 Great debate: are some dogs born to be bad?56 Postbag: your letters and emails Training & behaviour20 Emotions first: emotion-centred training is the antidote to force-based bullying Opinion 66 Confessions of a dogaholic: barkily square Investigation 26 Q&A: teeth special: ultrasonic revolution plus food and water additives and the veterinary position on home dental care; fireworks fright: how do I desensitise my dog to fireworks? 42 Dog crush: meet the Welsh Springer SpanielWelsh Springer Spaniel. Photo by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk)DogsTodayEditorialEditor: Beverley CuddyArt Director: Rosie PeaceChief Sub Editor/Contributing Editor: Claire Horton-BusseyDeputy Editor: Alessandra PacelliIllustrator: Kevin BrockbankAdvertising & sponsorship Sales & Marketing Director: Mike McGlynn 01276 402591Sales Executive - Print & Digital: Tom Jones 01276 402593Office dogsBetty (Old English-Golden Retriever-ish); Honey (Cocker Spaniel); Lennie (Staffie cross); Loki (Border Collie-Kelpie cross); Vicky, Justine & Poison Ivy (Newfoundlands); Sophie (Jack Russell); Triss (Jack Russell)Betty’s Personal Trainer: Kirsten Dillon IMDT A.Dip CBMDogs Today, Brandshare Ltd, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA. 01276 402599enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk www.dogstodaymagazine.co.ukPublishers Chief Operations Officer: Graham Smith01276 402598 (graham@wearebrandshare.com)Managing Director: Beverley Cuddy 01276 402597 (beverley@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk)SubscriptionsFor subscription queries call Brandshare on 01276 402599 or email subs@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk. Initial subscription rates: UK & BFPO: 12 issues £46.99, 24 issues £85; Non UK: 12 issues £79.99, 24 issues £145.Direct Debit (UK only): £12.50 for 3 monthsThe 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 incor porating Perfect Pup is published by Brandshare Ltd, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA. Tel 01276 402599. Brandshare Ltd reg. office: The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA.Distributed by Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Pl, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU.Tel: 020 3148 3333. www.marketforce.co.ukPrinted by The Manson Group.© 2023 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.The ethical pet magazine for people who really care about dogsFacebook: Dogs Today@beverleycuddy@Dogs_TodayLIMITEDNext issue on sale: 8 December 2023To 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.ukNovember 2023 Dogs Today3Competitions & shopping 54 Subscribe and win!60 Pop the kettle on and tackle our puzzles and competitions

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4 Dogs Today November 2023 What a terrible month! The government lost the plot and brought forward the Bully XL ban, publishing a very brief blueprint that could include every stocky smooth-coated dog taller than 19 inches at the shoulder. There’s nothing XL about that size of dog – some Whippets in the show ring are taller than that! Any dog ﬁtting this ‘standard’, left in rescue on New Year’s Eve, must be killed. There has been panic online. Rescue was already at 130% capacity before all this kicked off. But no one had imagined the bar for what is considered a Bully XL would be set, literally, so low. They worried about the genuine XL Bullies being dumped, but no one imagined that all the stocky little rescue dogs would suddenly have a target on their backs, too.I saw reports of people in rescue already suffering tremendous issues with anxiety – not being able to sleep at night. And now we’ve seen the standard, it’s not 200,000 dogs affected, as predicted by the vet in the recent Efra enquiry, it’s possibly millions of dogs that could be regarded as ‘type’. How on earth will the vets cope with neutering all these dogs? And how will their mental health deal with all the killing they’d be expected to do? Killing innocent, young, healthy dogs wasn’t why any of them signed up to be vets. From 1 February 2024, it will be illegal to own a dog that the government describes as a Bully XL if it is not already registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs.From 31 December 2023, owners must keep those dogs muzzled and on a lead. They will have until the end of January to register. Dogs under one year when the ban comes in must be neutered by the end of the year; older dogs must be neutered by the end of June.The government is saying that if you don’t/can’t register, you must have your dog put to sleep and they will give you £200 to give to the vet to help fund it! A dog scrappage fee – how crass. Rescues can only claim £100 for every dog killed.How on earth did this happen? Well, I guess the government ‘did a Michael Gove’ and didn’t trust the experts. Every expert told them that breed-speciﬁc legislation doesn’t work. Well, everyone except for Dr Lawrence Newport, who was all over Twitter on the day of the announcement, bragging that his campaign had taken only 77 days to achieve this ban. The government has been shelving long-promised animal welfare reforms left, right and centre, but Lawrence’s hot-headed report, which relied heavily on rumour and Facebook posts for statistics, was warmly accepted by Thérèse Coffey, who promptly cleared her desk. (Can’t wait till she does for real, when she at last gets sacked.)In record time, we had a slipshod standard (of sorts) and a plan for the death of thousands of totally innocent dogs that will probably be mainly Lab and Stafﬁe crosses.It’s not all bad news. John Cooper KC has launched a legal challenge and there’s a GoFundMe you can donate to. If anyone can do it, he can.We put out an emergency edition – the ﬁrst time ever in our 33-year history. It will be kept up to date with campaign news.■Details of the ban: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prepare-for-the-ban-on-xl-bully-dogs■Emergency edition of Dogs Today: https://midd.me/GYLS■How to donate: https://gofund .me/0272a583Beverley CuddyIllustration by Beverley CuddyDear readersBeverley Cuddy is Dogs Today’s Editor and publisher. She shares her life with Betty, an Old English-Golden Retriever-ish dog from Many Tears, and Honey, a Cocker Spaniel.Getting every-paw-dy involved in the festivities couldn’t be easier.Burns Festive Turkey with all the trimmingsScan meto shopburnspet.co.ukFUR-GETTINGSOMEONE?

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Illustration KEVIN BROCKBANK 6 Dogs Today November 2023any millions of people, probably glued to their phone while sitting on the toilet, have watched a slightly built Gucci-tracksuited chap attempt to strangle very frightened dogs while they all try to bite him. I was blissfully unaware of Augusto Deoliveira’s curated persona, ‘the Dog Daddy’, until a couple of months ago. But, just like that meme about not being able to go to bed because someone on the internet was wrong, lots of very sensible people have become obsessed with trying to do something about him.Why? To stop any desperate people from emulating the Dog Daddy at home. I’m happy if they want to adopt his ﬂashy leisurewear choices in private, but not if they all start trying to garrotte their own dogs. Sadly, TV executives probably started the trend of putting style and quick ﬁxes above all else with the likes of Cesar Millan and, of late, our UK Poundshop version, Channel 5’s affectionately known ‘prat in a cravat’. As I’ve said before, we can all thank the Dog Daddy for one thing: uniting the dog training world. His much-publicised world tour inspired lots of activism and peaceful protests. Our RSPCA were wonderfully assertive. In the USA, the latest condemnation came from the American College of Veterinary Behaviourists (ACVB).“The training methods we see in the videos are using physical force or correction,” said Dr Kelly Ballantyne, president of the ACVB and medical director at Insight Animal Behaviour Services in Chicago. “We know that those methods are a big threat to animal welfare; they have a high risk of causing or increasing fear, panic and aggression. They also put the handler and any of those people nearby at high risk for a bite.”DADDY ISSUESZak George, a famous and sensibly dressed American evidence-based dog trainer, has become the natural leader of the Dog Daddy uprising. “Our collective aim is to illuminate the dangers and inefﬁcacies of inhumane training techniques,” Zak said. “These techniques create an atmosphere of mistrust between dogs and their owners and are associated with increased behavioural issues and aggression. “The issue we’re confronting in the dog training community isn’t conﬁned to any one individual,” he said. “Dog Daddy’s practices, unfortunately, aren’t outliers; they’re part of a troubling pattern prevalent among a signiﬁcant number of trainers employing antiquated and harmful methods.“In the current ‘buyer beware’ environment, accountability is a challenge. Many owners aren’t equipped to identify harmful practices, they are often misled by trainers who have mastered the art of pseudoscientiﬁc rhetoric. That’s why it’s imperative to rely on trainers who employ evidence-based, force-free methods — endorsed universally by reputable behavioural science organisations.”The following articles will help you identify a good trainer and understand how fear-reactive dogs can be helped with less scary and controversial methods.So, if you need help with your dog, please make sure you’re talking to someone who uses science and intelligence and not circus skills. PNovember 2023 Dogs Today 7 Words BEVERLEY CUDDYDog training attracts some very odd people, but why do we make the most dangerous ones rich and famous?MClowns to the left of me, chokers to the right...

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8Dogs Today November 2023While we may never quite know why Deoliveira’s planned classes in London were cancelled, there’s little doubt that public backlash against his methods played a part. With just under 28,000 signatures in only one month, the petition started by Jemima Harrison to keep Augusto Deoliveira out of the UK is a tangible sign of the strong opposition to his methods. Jemima, who is mostly known for Pedigree Dogs Exposed, but who’s also busy with Black Retriever X Rescue, rescuing dogs and helping their rehabilitation with modern, compassionate behavioural techniques, says, “I was shocked to the core when I saw Augusto Deoliveira’s abusive handling, and when I found out he was coming to London, I knew I had to do something. So I started a petition, got the RSPCA and Kennel Club to issue statements and made a video – ‘Why the Dog Daddy is a Danger To Dogs’ – which I posted on social media and also YouTube. “I also submitted a report to the Home Ofﬁ ce, alerting them to the fact that he would probably try to come in on a tourist visa and that the way he handled dogs was in contravention of the UK’s animal welfare laws. Zak George is the star of this, though – he’s been formidable in his persistence to get him stopped in the face of a lot of ﬂ ak.”Zak, a famous US-based dog trainer and behaviourist, has been at the forefront of this global effort to repel Deoliveira’s methods. He says, “Shedding light on outdated and harmful dog training practices is not just about better pet care, it’s about advancing public understanding of science, enhancing animal welfare, and ultimately, creating a safer, more humane society for everyone.”News that Deoliveira would not be holding his London classes was a relief, but right away focus shifted on the next country on the list of his international tour, Italy, with an event planned for Sunday 16 September in Rome. However, someone was already on the case.Dog trainer Sara Tagliati started a petition calling for Deoliveira to be kept out of the country in mid-August; by 16 September, it had gathered roughly 13,000 signatures. “I’d strongly argue that Deoliveira is no trainer,” Sara says. “As well as having no ofﬁ cial qualiﬁ cations – sadly, a problem with dog training in many countries – he has no speciﬁ c goals, and no structure. He shows up, mistreats the dog and leaves. No behavioural issue can be solved in a single session; anyone promising otherwise is nothing more than a snake oil salesman, regardless what methods are used. The fact his methods are abusive, of course, makes it even worse. Those dogs are not well trained, they are simply shut down.”Italian animal welfare organisation LAV (Anti Vivisection League) shared Sara’s petition and took a strong stance against Deoliveira’s announced arrival. Through their contacts, they soon established that he was not scheduled to hold the event in any public place.The day came and went with no event; only an Instagram reel from Deoliveira insisting that he’d not been ‘cancelled’, but rather that he’d chosen to “take some time” for himself. Still, Alessandra Ferrari, LAV’s companion animals manager, says the public conversation about his methods remains important. “Deoliveira is a well-known individual due to the visibility he has reached in marketing his product, so to speak, but not the only ‘trainer’ who employs these methods. What we truly need is a recognised programme to form professional animal trainers,” she says.PUSHBACK DOWN UNDERThe lack of regulation in the dog training industry is a sore point in the UK as well – and throughout much of the world. A notable exception is Germany, where dog training is a protected profession and candidates must pass a test to work with dogs. Famously, another controversial US dog trainer – Cesar Millan – failed to pass that test in 2014.With further protests and petitions Down Under, Deoliveira’s ﬁ nal international date in Sydney, Australia, was cancelled and he is now taking a break from global touring. But he has said that he’ll reschedule his Sydney show and remains committed to his training methods, claiming he has helped thousands of fans with their aggressive dogs.His many opponents will be ready for any new announcements. It seems the global pushback against punitive, abusive training methods is just getting started. Pissue statements and made a video – ‘Why the Dog Daddy is a Danger To Dogs’ – which I posted on social Italian animal welfare organisation LAV (Anti Vivisection League) shared Sara’s petition and took a As news spread that Dog Daddy’s classes in London had been cancelled, there was celebration, but attention quickly shifted to other countries...Global backlashPhoto @thedogdaddyofﬁ cial/InstagramWords ALESSANDRA PACELLIWondered whyI’m grumpierthese days?Scan to learn moreAPPEARANCE WALKING RELUCTANCE ENVIRONMENTATTITUDEThis may be a signI’m hurtingAn educational service from the makers of Metacam® and Previcox®. Further information available in the SPC or from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd., RG12 8YS, UK. Metacam® is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, used under licence. Previcox® is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health France SCS, used under licence. ©2023 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: August 2023. UI-PET-0114-2023. Use Medicines Responsibly.

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November 2023 Dogs Today 11 SELF-REGULATIONBack in 2008, the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) conducted a review on behalf of Defra and concluded that there was an obvious need and actual demand for regulation within the industry. Following publication of the CAWC Report, it was agreed to work towards regulation through voluntary registration of all practitioners under a professional code of practice. This led to four umbrella organisations being formed, with registration being voluntary. The Pet Education Training and Behaviour Council (PETbc) was established in 2009 initially contributing to the code of practice and creating a set of occupational standards encompassing both academic and practical skills for the various roles within the industry. In 2010, the Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners (RCDTBP) was set up to hold and manage the registers of individuals and organisations committing to the CAWC Code of Practice. Also in 2010, the Animal Training and Behaviour Council (ABTC) was formed to co-ordinate the approach to regulation and promote humane practice in training and behaviour therapy of animals. Most recently, the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter (the Charter) was founded in 2020, promoting a code of conduct and ethics based on non-punitive training methods.All these organisations continue to actively promote high standards of service provision and humane practice. However, membership of the PETbc, ABTC and the Charter is usually only open to approved professional organisations, which assess their practitioner members. The RCDTBP is open to any individual practitioner or organisation that commits to the standards set by the CAWC Code of Practice.Alongside these umbrella organisations is an increasing number of companies offering education, accreditation and membership schemes for dog trainers and behaviourists. However, these are not covered by any national standards. Educational content and practical skill requirements are set by the individual course providers or membership bodies and few courses are externally accredited, so what is learnt and how it is taught is generally controlled by the course provider. Therefore, whilst there is a level of self-regulation within the industry, it is fragmented and voluntary and in need of overarching government regulation. FIRST, REGISTRATION...Following an Apdawg (All-party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group) meeting in October 2019 asking, ‘Should trainers and behaviourists be registered?’ a working party of experienced industry professionals was formed Words CLARE WILLIAMSUntil dog training and behaviour is recognised as a regulated profession, anyone can set up to teach your dog – or even teach you to be a trainer – even if they have no qualiﬁcations and no experienceWho trained your trainer?Who Trained_NEW.indd 11Who Trained_NEW.indd 11 24/11/2023 12:5124/11/2023 12:51

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12 Dogs Today November 2023to quantify the issue in terms of public health and safety and cost to the government, to review and evaluate current accreditation, regulation and registration models; and to consider an ideal framework for registration and regulation.The working party concluded that registration was the ﬁrst step towards regulation. History shows that registration will only succeed through legislation requiring all individuals and businesses providing dog training and behaviour services to register on a government-backed inclusive register. Each practitioner would be required to provide details of experience, qualiﬁcations, CPD (continuing professional development), speciality areas etc regardless of training methods used. Individual practitioners would be allocated a registration number and would not be able to operate without that registration number.It is important to point out that this would simply be a register, not any certiﬁcation or ‘seal of approval’, but it is a ﬁrst step to understanding the composition of the industry prior to regulation. To facilitate such a register, an easy-to-use app would be developed. This would enable practitioners to input and update their information and would give access to dog owners, vets and other professionals to view the register. As regulation becomes a reality, the app could evolve to include regulatory information so both practitioners and dog owners have a ‘one stop shop’ for all the information they need. This would be the ﬁrst time that dog owners could compare local practitioners and it would be the ﬁrst time that all practitioners have had to be up front about their experience and training methods, allowing owners to make a more valued judgement on who they decide to work with.The route to regulation will be complex, as the industry will need to not only regulate individual practitioners but also the education and accreditation providers. This will need a government-backed Dog Training and Behaviour Coalition of cross-industry experts to design an accreditation and points-based system to apply to the qualiﬁcations, CPD and practical experience of practitioners, and to deﬁne education and skills benchmarks against which the educational standards of course providers would be audited. The Coalition would also create and monitor minimum standards to apply to all practitioners.ALL INCLUSIVEThe working party’s view is that the Coalition must include representatives of all practitioners within the industry. This will be contentious for many, but in an industry as divided on training methods as this one, the bumpy road to regulation can be made a little smoother by having open and honest conversations during the development phase. Regulation without inclusive industry consultation is doomed to failure.It is also important to recognise that regulation is not just about qualiﬁcations and experience; many practitioners are lone workers and the beneﬁts and opportunities provided by an industry body can help alleviate some of the pressures of working alone in an emotionally and mentally challenging industry. A compulsory register will provide the data needed to drill down and understand how best to approach regulation and will identify potential barriers to regulation. For instance, if the register shows that over 50 per cent of practitioners have no formal qualiﬁcations or membership of any organisation, insisting that they all join an organisation is not necessarily going to be the best route to regulation. Moreover, knowing the true make-up of the industry will deﬁne a representative cross-section of individuals to form the Dog Training and Behaviour Coalition.With an ever-growing canine population and increasing challenges and demands on dog trainers and behaviourists, it is time for the government to categorise the industry as a regulated profession covered by legal requirements. PDog owners have no way of comparing the knowledge, qualiﬁcations, experience and methods of all their local trainers and behaviourists, so are at risk of receiving bad advice from an inexperienced or unsuitable practitionerVISIT THEINSURANCEEMPORIUM.CO.UK/DT99or call 03300 243 980 today!DOG INSURANCELifestyle Policy Limited is an appointed representative 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.PROMO CODE:WOOF99Offer ends 31/12/2023 and is not available in conjunction with any other promo code.We have extended our range of dog insurance so you can choose a policy to suit your needs and budgetUP TO 30%DISCOUNTThe maximum available discount is 30%- this is a combination of 20% Introductory Discount, 10% Multi-pet Discount, and 5% Dogs Today reader Discount. The Introductory and Promo Code Discounts are available from the start of the policy until its rst review/renewal date.

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14 Dogs Today November 2023Shocking delay You’d be hard pressed to ﬁnd anybody in the UK willing to go on record and say they support the use of shock collars on dogs – and yet getting them banned is a chore and a half...The only country in the UK to have a blanket ban on shock collars, Wales, is leading the way, but it’s hard to tell whether anyone else is set to follow any time soon. There are still no legal restrictions to their sale and use in Northern Ireland and, despite promises to ban these devices in 2018, the Scottish government has only published guidance advising against their use – a move that has been panned as ineffective by the Kennel Club as well as the Scottish SPCA.As for England, the road to a ban has been just as uphill, and it is not over yet. Much like in Scotland, promises were made in 2018. “Following a meeting with Rt Hon Michael Gove and Ross Thomson MP just last week, it is understood that a ban on both the sale and use of shock collars is to be announced across the UK shortly, following a consultation period on the terms of such a ban, including a total import ban and a possible amnesty,” the Kennel Club stated at the time. Five years later, there is indeed a bill seeking to ban the use of shock collars in the country: the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023, meant to come into force on 1 February 2024. The announcement, made in April this year, was warmly welcomed. Mark Beazley, chief executive of the Kennel Club, said at the time, “The legislation banning electric shock collars in England, which comes into force next year, is a historic moment for animal welfare and will put an end to the misery and suffering of countless dogs who are still subject to these cruel and unnecessary devices. There is simply no excuse for using these devices, which cause physical and psychological harm, especially given the vast array of positive training methods available.“This is the culmination of over a decade of campaigning for us and we applaud Defra for helping to safeguard the welfare of our nation’s much-loved dogs. More action is urgently needed in Scotland, where regulations are needed to replace the ineffective guidance currently in place, and we will not rest until we see the complete ban on these devices that cause suffering and harm.”However, the mood has since shifted. Animal welfare organisations are now fearful that the ban may be abandoned the same way as the Kept Animals Bill, which was recently dropped in what remains the most dramatic and disappointing U-turn on animal welfare by any UK government in recent history.LATE LOBBYINGRSPCA spokesperson Chris O’Brien said, “There has been no progress for approximately seven weeks, which is causing growing concern. We understand Defra have been receiving a large quantity of emails from those lobbying for shock collar usage to continue – and there is concern they may be listening to these calls.”A poll conducted by the RSPCA found that 89 per cent of UK respondents believe that electronic collars are a cruel and outdated method of pet training. Another poll, conducted by the Kennel Club, found that 77 per cent of respondents believe the devices should be banned – and that 56 per cent of dog owners don’t think the government is doing enough to protect animal welfare in the UK.PUBLIC PRESSUREEsme Wheeler, RSPCA dog welfare expert, said, “Shock collars are totally unnecessary and risk causing pain, fear, severe anxiety and behavioural problems for our cats and dogs. They’re outdated, inhumane and put the physical and psychological well-being of pets at risk.“The ban has stalled with no progress for seven weeks, leaving many in the animal welfare sector fearing the UK government will make a U-turn.“The public must now make their voices heard and ensure this UK government keeps its promises and outlaws the use of these cruel devices in England, once and for all.”Both the RSPCA and the Kennel Club are calling for the public to get in touch with their MP and demand the ban on shock collars in England be passed into law. Mark Beazley added, “We urge dog lovers across the UK to support this ban and put pressure on the government to follow through with their promises for animal welfare.“After the Kept Animals Bill, which should have brought in Words ALESSANDRA PACELLI November 2023 Dogs Today 15 laws to tackle the cruel puppy smuggling trade and crack down on heartbreaking pet theft, was delayed time and time again, and then abandoned entirely earlier this year, we are really concerned that important animal welfare issues are disappearing from the political agenda, along with promises for long overdue and vital protections for the nation’s much-loved pets.“Research has shown there is absolutely no need for cruel shock collars, which cause physical and psychological harm, given the vast array of positive training methods available.“We urge the government to keep its promise and ban these devices as a priority. Their reputation to deliver on commitments is waning after other animal welfare legislative proposals have been dropped and since no date has been set to bring in this ban – which is already in place in Wales. Shock collars were also banned in France earlier this year, and in Scotland an independent Animal Welfare Commission has recommended a complete ban on their use. Meanwhile, in England, we are still waiting for a date to get a ban passed once and for all.“This long-awaited piece of legislation, and action on animal welfare, must not be delayed.” PIllustration KEVIN BROCKBANKA poll, conducted by the Kennel Club, found that 77 per cent of respondents believe the devices should be banned – and that 56 per cent of dog owners don’t think the government is doing enough to protect animal welfare in the UK

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16 Dogs Today November 2023A big part of my workload is working with dogs with a bite history, some of them having the potential to be quite dangerous in certain situations. Often, they are referred to me by vet colleagues when euthanasia has been considered and other training has failed. They are often described as ‘red-zone’ dogs (I hate these labels, as they are reductive and create an assumed battle of wills in order to ‘tame’ and ‘correct’). These are the dogs that are held up by some ‘trainers’ as a reason to use shock collars and other aversive methods. Without these methods and tools, they say, the dogs will be put to sleep – only they can ‘save’ them.With a shock collar ban on the horizon in the UK, it is vital we bury this falsehood once and for all. Shock collars, and the aversive treatment of dogs more generally, does not save them! Indeed, many of the dogs I get called in to support have already had the extra trauma of this treatment. Those who seek to use punishment do not understand dog behaviour; they only know how to stop it, using brutal means if necessary. This ‘quick ﬁx’ might be alluring to some owners, because who doesn’t want to stop a dog from growling, barking or biting? But the arbitrary stopping of the behaviour is not only likely to be traumatic for the dog, it inevitably makes them less safe to be around, and I will explain why.In nearly 15 years of working with dogs, and the last seven years working with the more complex cases, I can say that every case I have worked on with a dog who bites and who poses the biggest challenges was in pain. Every single one. Often, it was physical pain, but could equally be emotional pain (including trauma) and social pain (like feeling unsafe with social engagement). Emotional and social pain are no less painful and need identifying and supporting just like physical pain. Sometimes, and sadly all too often with the very complex cases, the poor dog was struggling with all three. There are three universal statements that unite us to our dogs:■The need to feel heard – to be able to communicate need without feeling ignored, dismissed or ‘corrected’.■The need to feel safe – physically, socially and emotionally.■The need to get relief – from any pain whether it is physical, social or emotional.So, in reality, all of these ‘red-zone’ dogs could not be screaming louder that they were seeking safety and relief. Relief is such an important concept in relation to behaviour. If you experience physical, emotional or social pain (or discomfort), you will seek relief. No shock from a collar, no attempts to ‘correct’ a behaviour or Words ANDREW HALE An animal behaviourist explains why, in the words of trauma specialist Dr Peter Levine, “Feeling safe is the treatment, creating safety is the work” Shock collars don’t save ‘red-zone’ dogsNovember 2023 Dogs Today 17 outdated attempts to dominate will ever provide that relief or support a feeling of safety. Punishment just seeks to stop the communication and does nothing to offer the relief seeking that is being communicated. Any punishment is simply saying, ‘I don’t care how you feel, you will stop this behaviour’. Some dogs will just stop their behaviour and therefore their communication of that need ends. The result: the owner is happy, the dog less so. However, the worst outcome is a dog who becomes so totally desperate to communicate their need that they have to escalate that behaviour to very dangerous levels indeed (often, these are the cases we read about with very tragic results).So, we must challenge the narrative around aggression and reactivity that punishment is the best approach. If we continue to focus on suppressing behaviour without listening to what the dog is communicating, we end up with a very unsafe dog to have around. NORMALISED VIOLENCEPart of the problem is that some of those who promote the use of shock collars, and other abusive methods, have found themselves normalised to the deliberate use of pain and fear. I had the cane as a child. Corporal punishment. I hear others say, ‘Well, the cane/being smacked never did me any harm’. The irony, however, is that just by saying those statements, it is proof it did do them harm. It normalised physical violence.It saddens me that so many people still do not consider the physical, emotional or psychological harm of corporal punishment, and the inﬂiction of deliberate pain on a dog using these devices. This is compounded by those professionals who convince an often-reluctant caregiver/owner that this is the best and only option. The caregiver can then feel trapped in the use of punishment, which again creates a normalisation of the use of pain. This then needs some cognitive distortions for them to show support for it – for example, ‘the shock collar saved my dog’s life’ or ‘my dog gets so excited when I go to put it on’. I hear these types of things all the time from members of the public, who have been so indoctrinated into this use of pain, they are unable to see how it affects their dogs or what it does to them.As with the banning of corporal punishment for children, I hope banning electric shock collars here in the UK will help delegitimise their use and remove that normalisation of inﬂicting pain for a future generation. Using these tools is not about a ‘difference of opinion’, as is often argued, it’s about choice. And, sadly, the normalising of violence, pain and abuse often continues to inform those choices. Far from helping dogs, these outdated methods focus instead on attempts to physically battle with dogs to support a human ego driven to show ‘results’. Consequently, they are causing too many dogs to be put to sleep or, worst, causing serious damage to others.So, we must stop excusing the use of these extreme aversive tools as somehow ‘the last chance’ or the only way to deal with dangerous cases. The dogs that pose the biggest challenges need listening to the most. These dogs are desperately waiting for us to work out their ‘survival story’ and need compassion and support, not more trauma and pain. PAndrew’s Facebook group Dog Centred Care www.facebook.com/groups/dogcc and YouTube channel www.youtube.com/c/dogcentredcareIllustration KEVIN BROCKBANKI worked with a large-breed dog recently. The dog used to bark and lunge at children. The owners employed an aversive trainer who ‘ﬁxed’ their dog in just a couple of sessions. They were so pleased, they left a ﬁve-star review. Then, about six months later, the dog lunged and bit a child. Sadly, this outcome was likely. Although the trainer stopped the behaviour, no one helped the dog – a dog that was clearly telling us they were struggling to feel safe around children. Remember, the dog used to bark and lunge; and now, because that communication was taken away, the dog had to go up a gear. No further action was taken by the parents of the child, but the dog was taken to the vet’s to be put down. Luckily, the owners were encouraged to seek my help ﬁrst. With the clinical team, we identiﬁed lumbosacral disease in the dog, which I am convinced was a contributing factor. I am glad the dog is now doing well and coping much better around children.A dog becomes safer to be around when they feel safer and they feel heard – it really is that simple!CASE STUDYIf you are a caregiver who has used aversive tools in the past, the fact you do not any more means you have learnt something important – that guilt you may feel is a sign of that learning. If you are a caregiver that is using aversives now, but feels differently after reading this feature, please reach out to a qualiﬁed force-free professional, or speak to your vet - there is no judgement from this end and together we can ﬁnd that relief for you and your dog! Equally, any professionals who use aversives and want to ﬁnd a safe space to discuss how we can work these cases in a dog-centred way, do reach out and we can talk. With increased awareness comes the opportunity to grow and change. We owe it to the dogs to stay humble and ﬁnd ways to keep growing.SAFE SPACE

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18 Dogs Today November 2023Back in 2019, we were in a position where we could get a dog, and so looked on Dogs Trust’s website. We came across a photo of a dog with a huge, lolling tongue and a big smile whose write-up said he liked “quiet countryside walks”. We headed straight to Dogs Trust, where we discovered Monty had been waiting at the kennels for around three years. He had been rehomed and returned once for biting during this time. He was reactive to both dogs and strangers. This meant that when he deemed them to be getting too close, he would bark and lunge to ask them to give him space. The ﬁrst few weeks after Monty moved in weren’t easy! He barked and lunged at strangers and dogs and we constantly had to apologise to people and tell them that he was a rescue and we’d only just got him. Walks were stressful and exhausting and we were always relieved once we got home. The thing that really changed for us was someone asking if we enjoyed our walks (no) and if Monty was enjoying his walks (probably not) and that was the turning point. We decided that something had to be done. We started making use of local secure ﬁelds, which are private ﬁelds you can hire by the hour, and these massively reduced the stress, as we didn’t need to worry about off-lead dogs approaching. At one of these ﬁelds we met the owner, who told us that in order to ‘ﬁx’ Monty’s barking, we should put a headcollar on him and pull his head the other way every time he barked. This sounded awful, but we were desperate, so we contacted Dogs Trust to ask their opinion. AVOID JERKSThey told us that Monty was fear reactive and was barking to warn the trigger away. If we were to start jerking his head when he reacted, it would be conﬁrming his fear, rather than changing his emotions around it. Jerking the lead may have stopped him from reacting, but this wouldn’t make him any less scared, and suppressing communication can lead to more problems further down the line.Reactivity is common in dogs. It can feel embarrassing, but it’s important to remember that the dog is having a hard time. Every year, thousands of people look for trainers to help them to resolve the problems that they (and their dogs) are experiencing with reactivity. They watch highly edited videos of aggressive dogs on TV and on social media, and they think this looks like a good solution. The reality is horrifying, though. If a dog learns that their early warning signals are ignored (ie when they bark, they are jerked, choked, sprayed or any other aversive equipment is used on them), they are much more likely to move up the canine ladder of aggression, which could potentially result in a bite – and euthanasia. The dog training industry in the UK is unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a trainer. So how do you ﬁnd a good trainer to help you? The best places to look are the ABTC, APDT and APBC to ﬁnd reputable, educated, ethical and qualiﬁed trainers and Words & photos HELEN CLARKSONLiving with a reactive dog can be incredibly hard and it’s tempting to believe those who promise quick results. Sadly, they are likely to compound the problem. There are no magic wands and instant cures, but that doesn’t mean progress can’t made...Train reactionsNovember 2023 Dogs Today 19 behaviourists who will do an in-depth consultation with you and provide appropriate and safe interventions. Monty has come on in leaps and bounds since we adopted him. He is now much better with strangers and has not had a big, barky reaction to another dog for over two years. We have worked with behaviourists who taught us how to pair his triggers with food. Now when he sees a dog approaching, he doesn’t go straight to barking and lunging but looks at us for treats, which is perfect, as his emotions are slowly changing. He’s a much happier dog – and we are happy humans too. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand in dog training. But when you’ve got understanding, love and a desire to do the best for the dog in your care, the end result is magical. P“The key to supporting your dog with situations they ﬁnd challenging is to work with them. Get curious about what’s going on in those moments from their perspective and dig into what they might be trying to tell you – look at how they move their body, even if it’s subtle. Dogs use their whole body to communicate – ears, mouth, tail, paws... It’s tricky to guide someone through a process if you don’t understand what they’re saying, and dogs are already pretty savvy at listening to us. Approaching training and behaviour with respect for them as an individual will at least make sure you start off on the right track. If you try to push through the challenge by ignoring or punishing your dog’s communication, they’ll likely learn that you’re untrustworthy and that deterioration in your relationship will show up in other areas for you both. Forcing someone to be quiet doesn’t stop them feeling.” Cieron and Daniella, CorAnima Behaviour and Wellbeing

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I was recently asked to write a statement for Coape Poland, which is currently petitioning the Polish government to ban aversive training methods and equipment. Given Coape International’s longstanding (and rather outspoken) position against these methods, I thought that it was a cause worth supporting. The message they are spreading deserves attention all over, so for this month’s Coape International article, I would like to share the following. There is a war going on in the dog training and behaviour industry. Two opposing sides, vehemently ﬁghting daily battles about methods and techniques: balanced training versus force-free training, clickers versus choke chains/prong collars… professionals driven to the brink of insanity because of the endless ﬁght against abuse disguised as training. For too long, this abuse happened with excuses of it being ‘life-saving last-resort treatment’ as some sort of justiﬁcation for hauling dogs up on choke chains or prong collars or delivering shocks via e-collars. Television programmes perpetuated this, with ﬂashy, charismatic (read: unqualiﬁed) ‘trainers or behaviourists’ delivering instant cures to seemingly unsolvable behaviour problems, while relieved dog owners looked on as their companion animals were being trained (read: tortured for entertainment purposes). Modern-day behaviourists and trainers have, in recent years, taken a clear stance against the use of aversives in our industry, drawing a very deﬁnite line in the metaphorical sand between what is acceptable as training and behaviour modiﬁcation, and what is downright abusive. This shift in mindset has come about because of the work of many dedicated scientists and animal behaviour and training professionals who ﬁght endlessly for the emotionally ethical treatment of animals and against the use of questionable methods. For over 30 years, Coape (ﬁrst as Coape UK and now as Coape International) has been advocating for the emotional well-being of animals and has spoken out against abusive methods and tools. Our message has not changed, and we are tireless in our determination to improve the lives of all animals living in human care. Because of their remarkable and forgiving nature, dogs have 20 Dogs Today November 2023There is no justiﬁcation for inﬂicting physical pain or emotional distress in the name of training or behaviour modiﬁcation, and no ground to argue that ‘harsh is better than dead’, because – to put it bluntly – it’s nonsenseEmotions ﬁrstWhen your dog needs help, why does it matter who you choose? Words KARIN PIENAAR

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22Dogs Today November 2023inadvertently allowed the dark underbelly of dog training to exist in the ﬁ rst place. It’s suspiciously coincidental that nobody tries to train a cat the way some people train dogs, and if you speak to any large-animal trainer, they will tell you that the fastest way to end up seriously injured (or dead) is to try to physically make the animal do anything he isn’t comfortable with. I have the ongoing privilege of working with a wide range of animals, in all shapes and sizes, domestic and otherwise, and the conclusion I have come to over the span of my career is that dogs are saints. They put up with things that no other animal will, and because of this, they are exploited and manipulated and abused endlessly. And that is why it must stop. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. There is no justiﬁ cation for inﬂ icting physical pain or emotional distress in the name of training or behaviour modiﬁ cation, and no ground to argue that ‘harsh is better than dead’, because – to put it bluntly – it’s nonsense. If it’s possible to train an elephant to voluntarily participate in anything you can think of, then it is more than possible to help dogs in ways that does not require abuse, and anyone who disagrees with that is either in denial or doesn’t know enough to do it any other way. But ignorance is not an excuse and should never be accepted as a good enough reason to let it happen. BECAUSE HE’S WORTH ITWe implore all dog lovers to join the ﬁ ght against abuse by standing up for your dog in every circumstance – and if you’re not sure that what you’re being told to do is the right thing for your dog, just ask yourself, “How would I feel in this situation, if I didn’t understand the language the person was speaking and I was scared or angry, and this was being done to me?” If the answer is anything except, “This will make me feel better/safe”, then the solution is simple: walk away and ﬁ nd someone who treats your dog as you would like to be treated. Your dog deserves it.Which brings me back to why it’s important to be selective in the advice you choose to take when it comes to help for your dog. Behaviour problems aren’t really behaviour problems, but rather, circumstances that your dog ﬁ nds emotionally challenging and where he needs help to navigate his environment. There is a big difference between seeing an undesirable behaviour as a problem or seeing it as a dog who’s struggling to cope emotionally with something. EMOTIONAL SUPPORTA dog barking when left alone does not have a behaviour problem – he is experiencing grief at being separated from someone he loves. A dog who’s growling at someone who’s coming closer to his food bowl is not being dominant – he is worried that he is about to lose something that he holds dear. And a dog lunging and barking at other dogs in the park is not naughty or disobedient – he’s scared* of other dogs and is trying to increase distance between him and the scary other dog. Each of these dogs deserves to be supported appropriately and their emotions considered when it comes to treatment, instead of being scared or hurt to ‘cure’ them. Does that mean that we should not address challenges in our pets, especially if it causes tension between us and them? Of course not. Modern behavioural therapy has many methods and techniques that allow for learning to happen and that always takes the animal’s emotional state into consideration. The MHERA Assessment protocol, developed by Coape, is a perfect example of an approach that is ‘emotion-centred’ – where each animal’s emotionality plays an integral role in how he is assessed and helped. If you would like to ﬁ nd an ‘emotions ﬁ rst’ Coape-qualiﬁ ed behaviourist to help you and your pet, head on over to www.coape.org or get in touch with us on info@coape.org P*There are of course many reasons why dogs react to other dogs – this is one simpliﬁ ed example. Coape International’s Karin Pienaar takes the baton from longtime contributor Peter Neville, to present training and behaviour features on all aspects of living with dogs. KARIN PIENAARCoape International PartnerDipCABT (Coape) OCN, CertCAB, CAPBT Practitioner, ICAN Member, CABKarin has worked in animal behaviour therapy since 1997. After more than 20 years of consulting with dog and cat owners, Karin now focuses mainly on managing Coape International (www.coape.org), presenting the Coape Diploma and mentoring students. Karin is also responsible for course advancement and developed the industry-changing MHERA™ concept. Her book, MHERA: Mood Matters, is available in both paperback and e-book format from DogWise Publishers and is a must-read for anyone working in the industry. Karin is the behaviour consultant to numerous pet companies, such as Eukanuba and Ascendis Animal Health, and is a regular contributor to several local and international magazines, as well as appearing on television and radio when time allows. She is often a guest speaker at behaviour-related events and conferences. When she has time to spare, she consults on particularly challenging cases and as an expert witness in legal cases involving animal behaviour. Bamboodles would like to introduce you to the newest way to satisfy your dog’s inherent need to chew. The Bamboodles T-Bone is created using a bamboo and nylon mix. The natural strength of the bamboo ﬁ bre combines with the nylon ﬁ bres to create a longer-lasting, chew toy that is not only satisfying but also durable – for even the most aggressive of chewers.The amazing T design means dogs have the autonomy to use their paws and hold the bone upright, giving them ease and independence to gnaw away to their heart’s content. The raised nubs help to control plaque and tartar build-up, promoting clean teeth and healthy gums. Get a grip!ADVERTISING FEATUREDid you know that chewing is scientiﬁ cally proven to calm your dog down? These T-designed Bamboodles help your dog to hold their own chew while they blissfully gnaw away Designed to make your dog’s tail wag■Occupy your dogDiscourage destructive chewing■Care for their teethRaised nubs help to control plaque and tartar build-up, promoting clean teeth and healthy gums■Easy to useThe ‘T-bone’ shape allows your dog to hold their Bamboodle with their paws and keep it stable while chewing ■Enjoyable realistic textureMimics wood for an authentic and satisfying chew experienceyour dog’s tail wagThese cool T-Bone chews come in three sizes and three flavours (beef, chicken and peanut butter).For more information, visit www.bamboodles.co.ukor check out Bamboodles on Facebook and Instagram

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Best in ShowCreated by loving dog owners like you, the fabulously festive gifts from Best in Show are must-haves for your Christmas list. Filled with toys and healthy UK-made snacks, their range is ﬁt to burst with no-nasties goodness.Treat your pooch to something special with their own Christmas Cracker, Tower of Treats, or perhaps even a luxury Dog Hamper, each teeming with toys and nutritious delights.Visit their website to take a look at the extensive range of gifts on offer. Plus save 10% on your ﬁrst order with code DOGSTODAY. This exclusive offer ends 20.12.2023.www.bestinshow.co.uk @bestinshowukChomp & Chew At Chomp & Chew, we know that your dogs are more than just pets – they’re family. That’s why we’re committed to providing 100% natural, safe and delicious chews and treats, as well as useful advice and a great selection of toys and grooming products. Our popular selection of chews and treats includes options for dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds, from bite-sized training treats to long-lasting XL chews and beyond.Show your dogs some love with our healthy and delicious treats and chews that help keep their teeth clean, their minds happy and their tummies full!www.chompandchew.co.uk help@chompandchew.co.ukSix of the bestChristmas Gifts, Treats & ToysTopLife Formula’s Bedtime Milk for Dogs Developed to encourage a good night’s sleep or for situations where a pet becomes stressed, such as Christmas and New Year.The original TopLife Formula of highly digestible goat’s milk has less lactose and smaller fat globules, so is easier to break down and digest. It contains no artiﬁcial ingredients, colours, ﬂavours or preservatives. Bedtime Milk has added chamomile and honey, which can relax dogs to aid a good night’s sleep. Given as a treat before bedtime, either straight from the carton or gently warmed.Also available from B&M stores and Amazon.com https://shorturl.at/cuCE2Duncan Stewart Experience the comfort and charm of our Snuggle Touch Dog Blanket, designed here in Britain. This delightful creation features an embroidered paw print and can be customised with your pet’s name, adding a personal touch to their cosy space. Crafted with affordability in mind, it strikes the perfect balance between quality and cost-effectiveness. Simple yet stylish, this blanket promises easy maintenance and endless warmth for your beloved furry companion. Don’t miss out on our limited-time offer! Use code DOGSTODAY for a 10% discount on Personalised Pet Gifts before the end of 2023. www.duncanstewart1978.co.uk 01903 201251 customerservice@duncanstewart.co.uk Irresistible treats: sold in aid of dogs in needOver the last 10 years, we have donated £650,000 worth of our delicious treats to UK rescue centres. In fact, every time you buy a packet of our Yummy Liver Treats, we give a packet to a dog in need. We make Beautiful Joe’s Ethical Dog Treats in small batches using pasture-fed British beef and lamb. They are 100% natural with nothing added. Dogs ﬁnd the taste irresistible and our little yellow tin (just shake) makes training easy. Please help us to help dogs in care this Christmas. www.beautifuljoes.comBarjo crates & guardsCelebrating our 50-year anniversary this year, we are the leading manufacturer in bespoke dog crates and guards for your car and home. We are a family run business with many years of dog experience passed down the generations. We specialise in keeping you and your best friend safe and secure. All our products are individually hand-welded by our fully trained skilled engineers – no machine batch building – to ensure your product is strong and robust. Our policy is safety and comfort ﬁrst. Our service is second to none, rated excellent on Trustpilot.www.barjo.co.uk24 Dogs Today November 2023 Total Dental Care From toothbrushes to complementary products such as Beaphar Dental Powder and Beaphar Plaque Away the comprehensive Beaphar Dental Range helps provide complete protection for a healthier mouth.beaphar.com

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Inever did like calculus at school; it totally put me off pure maths. But I hate it even more on Honey’s teeth. All types of calculus are hard. When plaque (a mix of bacteria, saliva and food particles) combines with the minerals in your dog’s mouth, it forms calculus, and you can’t get it off with a normal toothbrush. Plaque is like a magnet for more food debris and bacteria. The more calculus, the higher chance of accumulating even more.SMALL DOG, BIG PROBLEMSWhy does our big dog, Betty, have no problems with tartar while little Honey does? Well, people say it’s just a fact that some dogs mineralise plaque quicker than others. I guess not all dogs’ saliva is the same. Anecdotally, small dogs do tend to have more dental issues than big dogs.Betty, aged nearly nine, looks like she’s been to Turkey for veneers. When a vet looks into her huge mouth, they are amazed at her tip-top dental hygiene – and I feel like a total fraud. She was just born this way. Her brother Dylan is the same. They won the genetic lottery.But little Honey’s mouth was grim, despite eating roughly the same food and treats as Betty.I’ve tried pretty much everything others swear by – stuff in the drinking water, putting stuff in her dinner, and, of course, 26Dogs Today November 2023 Time tobrush up on teeth cleaning!There’s been a silent revolution – a breath of fresh air. Us dog owners no longer need to feel guilty about our dogs’ teeth. Hollywood smiles have never been easier to obtainTeethSpecial featureNovember 2023 Dogs Today27Words BEVERLEY CUDDY the obvious: putting stuff on a toothbrush! Her calculus is even harder than standard deviation was at school!We’ve just moved vet (an independent one has opened up in Guildford that does its own emergency cover!) and had a vet check-up scheduled for routine ﬂ ea and worming stuff. I was dreading the look-in-the-mouth bit, but the vet didn’t think we needed to put her under for a descale; things were not quite that bad yet. For not quite three years old, her teeth were not great. So, what next to try to get her plaque sorted out? ULTRASONIC BOOMI remembered hearing about an ultrasonic toothbrush. Could it be the magic wand we needed? I put a shout-out on my social media to see if anyone local had one that we could try before we buy. Within minutes, I had several offers. I was obviously late to this party. What does ultrasonic even mean? I’d stupidly assumed they were just a dog-size version of a normal human electric toothbrush. No, the buzzy thing we use is called a bog-standard sonic toothbrush and there’s no way Honey would like one of those beasts rattling around in her tiny mouth. I was quickly educated; ultrasonic toothbrushes don’t move and are pretty much silent. So, I wondered, if they make no noise and don’t move, how do they work? Loyal Dogs Today readers will recognise the name Katie Rourke. In the 1990s, she was very often in the magazine – she was once featured wearing only dog hair! Katie is now a fully qualiﬁ ed, much-in-demand dog groomer, running Centre Stage Dogs in Ascot. She has been at the cutting edge when it comes to teeth, long ago deciding to include ultrasonic teeth cleaning in every groom she did. Katie’s grooming set-up is, as you’d imagine, state of the art; she has so many innovations to make dogs feel safe and Honey was soon happily wearing what looked like a purple coat that was anchored to quick-release points above the table. It seemed to instantly calm her – a bit like the Thundershirt, I guess. It also meant that Katie could safely have both her hands free to work on Honey’s mouth.Katie gave me a 2.0 Emmi-Pet to hold. She turned it on and I felt nothing at all. I really couldn’t tell the difference between on or off.Katie had a good look at Honey’s teeth and checked her gums. It’s essential that dogs with tooth decay or infected gums go to the vet and get worked on under anaesthetic. Katie stressed there is no replacement for veterinary dentistry if your dog has painful decay or gum issues. This was like us going to the dental hygienist – although much gentler than the one I usually go to! Katie said an upside of doing teeth cleaning is that she no longer encounters doggie bad breath when she’s up close and personal with the scissors! Initially, Honey’s teeth-clean was anti-climactic. Katie added some of the special toothpaste (it’s meant to create nano bubbles, whatever they might be!) and held the silent and still brush against each of Honey’s teeth for six to 10 seconds. DAZZLING SMILETo be honest, there wasn’t any visible difference. But the ultrasonic waves had been effortlessly breaking down the plaque’s powerful bonds because previously the nasty brown stuff had been set like concrete on Honey’s molars. I am told the waves also travel to the back of the teeth without the brush even needing to touch them.Next, Katie got a rosewood stick and plaque started pinging off all over the place - revealing Honey’s now much cleaner, shiny white teeth!I have to say, I was dazzled.I showed her pearly whites off to our regular groomer and now she’s planning on getting kitted out so she can offer the same service to all her customers, too.In between Honey’s teeth-cleaning sessions, I went online to ask others about their experiences and found some surprising areas of sensitivity. >is no replacement for veterinary dentistry if your dog Katie Rourke with HoneyKatie using the Emmi-Pet 2.0 on Honey & her teeth before brushing (inset)

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November 2023 Dogs Today27Words BEVERLEY CUDDY the obvious: putting stuff on a toothbrush! Her calculus is even harder than standard deviation was at school!We’ve just moved vet (an independent one has opened up in Guildford that does its own emergency cover!) and had a vet check-up scheduled for routine ﬂ ea and worming stuff. I was dreading the look-in-the-mouth bit, but the vet didn’t think we needed to put her under for a descale; things were not quite that bad yet. For not quite three years old, her teeth were not great. So, what next to try to get her plaque sorted out? ULTRASONIC BOOMI remembered hearing about an ultrasonic toothbrush. Could it be the magic wand we needed? I put a shout-out on my social media to see if anyone local had one that we could try before we buy. Within minutes, I had several offers. I was obviously late to this party. What does ultrasonic even mean? I’d stupidly assumed they were just a dog-size version of a normal human electric toothbrush. No, the buzzy thing we use is called a bog-standard sonic toothbrush and there’s no way Honey would like one of those beasts rattling around in her tiny mouth. I was quickly educated; ultrasonic toothbrushes don’t move and are pretty much silent. So, I wondered, if they make no noise and don’t move, how do they work? Loyal Dogs Today readers will recognise the name Katie Rourke. In the 1990s, she was very often in the magazine – she was once featured wearing only dog hair! Katie is now a fully qualiﬁ ed, much-in-demand dog groomer, running Centre Stage Dogs in Ascot. She has been at the cutting edge when it comes to teeth, long ago deciding to include ultrasonic teeth cleaning in every groom she did. Katie’s grooming set-up is, as you’d imagine, state of the art; she has so many innovations to make dogs feel safe and Honey was soon happily wearing what looked like a purple coat that was anchored to quick-release points above the table. It seemed to instantly calm her – a bit like the Thundershirt, I guess. It also meant that Katie could safely have both her hands free to work on Honey’s mouth.Katie gave me a 2.0 Emmi-Pet to hold. She turned it on and I felt nothing at all. I really couldn’t tell the difference between on or off.Katie had a good look at Honey’s teeth and checked her gums. It’s essential that dogs with tooth decay or infected gums go to the vet and get worked on under anaesthetic. Katie stressed there is no replacement for veterinary dentistry if your dog has painful decay or gum issues. This was like us going to the dental hygienist – although much gentler than the one I usually go to! Katie said an upside of doing teeth cleaning is that she no longer encounters doggie bad breath when she’s up close and personal with the scissors! Initially, Honey’s teeth-clean was anti-climactic. Katie added some of the special toothpaste (it’s meant to create nano bubbles, whatever they might be!) and held the silent and still brush against each of Honey’s teeth for six to 10 seconds. DAZZLING SMILETo be honest, there wasn’t any visible difference. But the ultrasonic waves had been effortlessly breaking down the plaque’s powerful bonds because previously the nasty brown stuff had been set like concrete on Honey’s molars. I am told the waves also travel to the back of the teeth without the brush even needing to touch them.Next, Katie got a rosewood stick and plaque started pinging off all over the place - revealing Honey’s now much cleaner, shiny white teeth!I have to say, I was dazzled.I showed her pearly whites off to our regular groomer and now she’s planning on getting kitted out so she can offer the same service to all her customers, too. >is no replacement for veterinary dentistry if your dog Katie Rourke with HoneyKatie using the Emmi-Pet 2.0 on Honey & her teeth before brushing (inset)Teeth Special_NEW.indd 27Teeth Special_NEW.indd 27 12/12/2023 21:2212/12/2023 21:22

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28Dogs Today November 2023 < In between Honey’s teeth-cleaning sessions, I went online to ask others about their experiences and found some surprising areas of sensitivity.I heard that some groomers had been mercilessly bullied online when they advertised that they were intending to offer their customers ultrasonic teeth cleaning. Some had been warned off and told they’d be breaking the Animal Welfare Act if they went ahead. I did a bit of probing and discovered some of the online agitators had been referencing a statement from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about the horrors of ‘anaesthesia-free dental procedures’ for cats and dogs.I had to read it closely and there was only one mention of the word ‘ultrasonic’ – but it was talking about something obviously very invasive and quite different to the totally passive, gentle toothbrushes I’d seen being used. The statement said, “Tooth scaling requires the use of sharp instruments and/or ultrasonic or sonic scalers cooled by water jets.”Well, there was no heat or water jets in the toothbrushes I’d seen. I looked even closer and although this statement was being shared in October 2023, it had been written in 2014! I approached the RCVS press ofﬁ ce for an updated statement. They came back with this up-to-date advice: “Cleaning a dog’s teeth to maintain good oral hygiene is not an act of veterinary surgery. This means it can be done by anyone. We do, however, recommend that owners seek veterinary advice on how best to look after their animal’s teeth.CAUTION ADVISED“Notwithstanding this, and as the (2014) statement says, ultrasonic/sonic tools can create a false sense of conﬁ dence because the teeth aesthetically look better but have not actually been properly examined by a veterinary surgeon. Therefore, we recommend due caution and the seeking of veterinary advice to ensure that any services offered are in the interests of animal health and welfare, and do not fall under the list of procedures that the RCVS statement says would be counted as ‘anaesthesia-free dental procedures’, which are acts of veterinary surgery.“Where lay people other than the animal’s owner are offering teeth-cleaning services, they should be careful not to suggest that the cleaning will treat dental disease or other issues. To reiterate, owners should always seek veterinary advice on the best way to look after their animal’s teeth and ensure teeth are checked regularly by a vet.”Well, without throwing the 2014 statement under the bus, the RCVS were saying that cleaning a dog’s teeth isn’t something only a vet can do, but that no one outside the profession should tackle dental disease or give advice on dental issues.I could understand why some people were so grumpy; it is possible to misuse these powerful devices to get spectacular results. A lovely vet nurse pointed out some irresponsible teeth cleaning being shared online of rescue dogs with the most terrible teeth. While the ultrasonic toothbrush can almost work miracles, it isn’t a magic wand. After years of neglect, the vet must be your ﬁ rst call to remove any rotten teeth and treat painful gums.Just before Honey’s second teeth-cleaning session, we were having lunch in a local pub.As usual, she wanted to say hello to the dog at the next table. The owners told us the vet had said their dog couldn’t get overexcited, as she’d recently had a big operation to remove 12 teeth. That could have been Honey’s future if we hadn’t discovered ultrasonic toothbrushes.This obviously adored little dog was not yet seven years old. How long had she been troubled by painful teeth? How many other people think doggie bad breath is just something we must put up with?Wouldn’t it be great if, when everyone got their next dog, someone whispered in their ear to say they could get one of these devices and their dog’s teeth will last a lifetime. I am pretty sure that lovely couple aren’t the only people who never clean their dog’s teeth. TEMPTED TO TRY IT?If you’ve not yet seen enough to want to invest in your own kit, why not get a trusted, qualiﬁ ed groomer to give you a demo, or book in for regular brush-ups? The Groomer’s Spotlight only lists qualiﬁ ed groomers in your area: www.thegroomersspotlight.com/ownersIf you fancy having some of the gadgets that Katie has in her salon, here’s where to ﬁ nd all those gizmos too. https://centrestagedogs.co.uk/product/491-centre-stage-safety-equipmenthttps://www.absolutelyanimals.biz/shop/3-in-1-hammock/ >TeethSpecial featureHoney’s teeth before brushing with the Emmi-Pet 2.0 (top) and after (below & inset)was talking about something properly examined by a veterinary surgeon. Therefore, we recommend due caution and the seeking of veterinary Teeth Special_NEW.indd 28Teeth Special_NEW.indd 28 12/12/2023 21:2312/12/2023 21:23The Shape ofBreathVEGGIEDENT ®TMVeggieDent® FR3SHTMDental Chews help to improvethe oral health of dogs in 3 innovative ways: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 dent manag 2018. 17:272 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, 20181.CLEANSEADDRESSES ORAL CAUSES OF BAD BREATH.2.COOLSFRESHENS BREATH WITH COOLING ACTION.3.DIGESTIVEADDRESSES DIGESTIVE CAUSES OF BAD BREATH.95% AN AVERAGE CHEWING TIME OF 7 MINUTES 17PALATABILITY 2PatentedZ SHAPE to improve cleaning action1.CLEANSE1.CLEANSEPALATABILITY 2 CLEANSE COOL DIGESTIVEVIR 5739 Veggiedent A4 Ad AW.indd 1 24/03/2020 16:01

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30Dogs Today November 2023 TeethSpecial feature< There appear to be only two ultrasonic toothbrush brands, but which is the best? To be honest, it’s hard for me to pick, as so far I’ve only seen one in action. CleanyTeeth is more expensive. Emmi-Pet has 96 million air oscillations per minute and CleanyTeeth has 60 million. TALKING HEADSMost people in my teeth-cleaning survey had experience with the Emmi-Pet and most didn’t know there was another brand! Pretty much everyone was delighted with their toothbrushes, no matter which brand (although some had mistakenly sent them back assuming they were broken because they didn’t make any noise!). I did ﬁ nd a few people who had started with Emmi-Pet but had later switched up to CleanyTeeth.The Emmi-Pet has replaceable brush heads, like we do with our human electric toothbrushes, so if you want a brushhead for every different dog, you can easily do that. With the CleanyTeeth, you just replace the bristle section, which is a bit ﬁ ddlier, but I guess you could just sterilise the head if you wanted to use it for multiple dogs.I am picking up from my survey that they are both lightyears ahead of conventional toothbrushing – it’s like comparing car travel with ﬂ ying. And you will still get to your holiday destination quicker whether you’re sitting in economy or ﬁ rst-class! >Here are some of the best food and water additives we could ﬁ nd – and some good old-fashioned toothbrushes and paste if you’re still not ready for an upgrade!CleanyTeeth www.techmira.com/cleanyteethdogsEmmi-Pet 2.0 www.emmi-pet.comULTRASONIC TOOTHBRUSHESAffordable things you can try...THINGS TO SPRINKLE ON THEIR DINNER(Most of these have seaweed as their main active ingredient)Benyﬁ t Natural Dental Topper £11.40Chomper by Dog’s Lounge £17.50Cytoplan Plaque Away £13.50Pets Purest Plaque Removal Powder £11.99Plaque Buster – Bounce and Bella £7.99PlaqueOff ProDen Powder £12 Tartar X Tartar Control and Breath Freshener for Dogs by Phytopet £9.99Total Pets – Plaque and Tartar £9.49Vet’s Best Dental Powder £15.99Vet’s Kitchen – Dental Care £10.95HOMOEOPATHIC FOOD ADDITIVEDorwest Fragaria 3C £9.90POTIONS TO ADD TO THEIR DRINKING WATERArm & Hammer Coconut Water Additive £8.39Beaphar Plaque Away £6.45Fortan Dental Dog Care £11.79Pucker Up Itch £19.11NutriPaw £24.99 Nylabone Advanced Oral Care £24.99Pet Wiz £9.95Petlab Co Dental Formula £23.43Plaqtiv+ Oral Care £15.22TropiClean £7 Vet Aquadent Virbac £13.44Vettiq 2 in 1 Denti-Care £4.99Virbac Aquadent £16.53TOOTHPASTES AND KITSBeaphar Toothpaste £3.99Dog’s Life Dog Toothbrush with Toothpaste £12.49Dorwest Roast Dinner Toothpaste £12.50Trixie Dental Care £5.38Virbac Enzymatic Toothpaste Kit £12.71POTIONS TO ADD TO THEIR DRINKING WATERTeeth Special_NEW.indd 30Teeth Special_NEW.indd 30 12/12/2023 21:2512/12/2023 21:25Cleaning yourdogs teeth athome is easywith Emmi-pet Non vibrating, stress freeultrasonic toothbrushEnquirieswww.dogtoothfairy.co.ukthedogtoothfairy@gmail.comFollow on social media@thedogtoothfairyPromotes Healthy Teeth andGumsReduces Plaque and TartarPrevents Dental DiseaseRemoves Bacteria and Bad BreathCMYCMMYCYCMYK[Print] Advert 90x134mm - The Dog Tooth Fairy.pdf 1 31-10-2023 22:24:50More information: go to techmira.comResellers contact: Pet Trade Limited info@pettradeinnovations.comGroomers training &purchase: http://www.absolutelyanimals.biz/The CleanyTeeth for Dogs toothbrush removes or reduces bad breath and gum inﬂammation using gentle, motionless ultrasound.BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfterStop bad breath and inﬂammation.Remove tartar without anesthesia.Developed and manufactured in Germany31_Cleany Teeth_Trixie_Tooth Fairy.indd 3131_Cleany Teeth_Trixie_Tooth Fairy.indd 31 06/11/2023 21:5306/11/2023 21:53

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30Dogs Today November 2023 TeethSpecial featurebut it’s more powerful. Emmi-Pet has 96 million air oscillations per minute and CleanyTeeth has 60 million. I won’t claim to understand the science, but I am told the higher the frequency in ultrasound, the lower the power. TALKING HEADSMost people in my teeth-cleaning survey had experience with the Emmi-Pet and most didn’t know there was another brand! Pretty much everyone was delighted with their toothbrushes, no matter which brand (although some had mistakenly sent them back assuming they were broken because they didn’t make any noise!). I did ﬁ nd a few people who had started with Emmi-Pet but had later switched up to CleanyTeeth.The Emmi-Pet has replaceable brush heads, like we do with our human electric toothbrushes, so if you want a brushhead for every different dog, you can easily do that. With the CleanyTeeth, you just replace the bristle section, which is a bit ﬁ ddlier, but I guess you could just sterilise the head if you wanted to use it for multiple dogs.Emmi-Pet is made in China, CleanyTeeth’s factory is in Germany.I am picking up from my survey that they are both lightyears ahead of conventional toothbrushing – it’s like comparing car travel with ﬂ ying. And you will still get to your holiday destination quicker whether you’re sitting in economy or ﬁ rst-class! >Here are some of the best food and water additives we could ﬁ nd – and some good old-fashioned toothbrushes and paste if you’re still not ready for an upgrade!CleanyTeeth from £239, www.techmira.com/cleanyteethdogsEmmi-Pet 2.0 Basic set from £138.33, www.emmi-pet.comULTRASONIC TOOTHBRUSHESAffordable things you can try...THINGS TO SPRINKLE ON THEIR DINNER(Most of these have seaweed as their main active ingredient)Benyﬁ t Natural Dental Topper £11.40Chomper by Dog’s Lounge £17.50Cytoplan Plaque Away £13.50Pets Purest Plaque Removal Powder £11.99Plaque Buster – Bounce and Bella £7.99PlaqueOff ProDen Powder £12 Tartar X Tartar Control and Breath Freshener for Dogs by Phytopet £9.99Total Pets – Plaque and Tartar £9.49Vet’s Best Dental Powder £15.99Vet’s Kitchen – Dental Care £10.95HOMOEOPATHIC FOOD ADDITIVEDorwest Fragaria 3C £9.90POTIONS TO ADD TO THEIR DRINKING WATERArm & Hammer Coconut Water Additive £8.39Beaphar Plaque Away £6.45Fortan Dental Dog Care £11.79Pucker Up Itch £19.11NutriPaw £24.99 Nylabone Advanced Oral Care £24.99Pet Wiz £9.95Petlab Co Dental Formula £23.43Plaqtiv+ Oral Care £15.22TropiClean £7 Vet Aquadent Virbac £13.44Vettiq 2 in 1 Denti-Care £4.99Virbac Aquadent £16.53TOOTHPASTES AND KITSBeaphar Toothpaste £3.99Dog’s Life Dog Toothbrush with Toothpaste £12.49Dorwest Roast Dinner Toothpaste £12.50Trixie Dental Care £5.38Virbac Enzymatic Toothpaste Kit £12.71Cleaning yourdogs teeth athome is easywith Emmi-pet Non vibrating, stress freeultrasonic toothbrushEnquirieswww.dogtoothfairy.co.ukthedogtoothfairy@gmail.comFollow on social media@thedogtoothfairyPromotes Healthy Teeth andGumsReduces Plaque and TartarPrevents Dental DiseaseRemoves Bacteria and Bad BreathMore information: go to techmira.comResellers contact: Pet Trade Limited info@pettradeinnovations.comGroomers training &purchase: http://www.absolutelyanimals.biz/The CleanyTeeth for Dogs toothbrush removes or reduces bad breath and gum inﬂammation using gentle, motionless ultrasound.BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfterStop bad breath and inﬂammation.Remove tartar without anesthesia.Developed and manufactured in Germany

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32 Dogs Today November 2023 Poor dental health is one of the biggest issues our dogs face and, as a pet parent, you are going to want to do everything you can to help them. And there is lots you can do! But there is also much that you can’t, which should always remain in the hands of your vet...There are two sides to dental disease in our dogs: what you can see and what you can’t.What you can see are things like tartar, that brownish/yellow rough material that forms over the teeth. Gingivitis, the reddening and swelling of the gums, and halitosis, that famous doggie breath! (Which is not normal, by the way!)What you can’t see is any damage underneath the gums. This is where plaque and bacteria are often present, quietly but painfully destroying the tooth roots.Which is why simply clearing the tartar from the mouth isn’t nearly enough to give a pet good dental health and why the ‘anaesthesia-free dentistry’ is actively advised against by many professional veterinary bodies, including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.I am sure we have all seen those posts on social media proudly displaying the ‘before and after’ of a conscious dental clean and proclaiming a mouth ‘perfect’, but often, to the trained eye, it has simply exposed advanced dental damage, and my heart breaks for the dog whose painful teeth will now not be dealt with properly because their owner has been convinced that everything is ﬁne.For any dental procedure to be effective it is vital to assess and clean underneath the gum, but this is painful, delicate and cannot be done adequately or humanely while a dog is awake. WHAT LIES BENEATHAnd as well as properly probing and cleaning the teeth under anaesthesia, your vet can also take X-rays to look at the roots. It is amazing what damage we can ﬁnd that isn’t showing itself outwardly but that will be causing our pets signiﬁcant amounts of pain and mean that extractions are required.(Not that they will show that pain. Pets are incredibly stoical in the face of dental discomfort and will continue to eat and live more or less as normal. Just because they seem ﬁne, doesn’t mean they are!)There are now ultrasonic toothbrushes that can help your dog’s teeth, and these are often a service offered by groomers. From what I understand, they can be helpful in reducing plaque and bacteria levels, but for any signiﬁcant tartar, they are unlikely to be particularly effective.So my advice is: if your pet’s teeth are starting to look a little dirty, please book them in to your vet’s for a proper scale and polish. Once this is done, then home care like ultrasonic brushing can be used to maintain dental health and hopefully mean it is longer before your vet will need to step in again! PA vet’s perspectiveTeethSpecial featureWords CAT THE VET< From just two short, completely stress-free sessions using the Emmi-Pet 2.0, in the hands of expert groomer Katie Rourke, the results on Honey’s teeth are remarkable.I am really excited that Honey’s own CleanyTeeth toothbrush will be arriving shortly, and I’ll be sure to document if we can get those last few bits of brown zapped on her back teeth with regular short sessions.Katie was very careful to go slowly and gently; hopefully, if we keep this up at home, Honey will never need tooth extractions. I so wish I’d known how easy to use these brushes were earlier!Betty’s teeth will always be great, even as she nears her ninth birthday. But I’m still going to give them a brush now we’ll have our own kit. PA G I L I T YNaylor Agility iscelebrating the 40thAnniversary ofmanufacturing qualitytunnels with thelaunch of their new,NON-SLIP PLUSrangewww.nayloragility.co.uktel: 01226 444378 Textured Non Slip+ Made in the UKYears ofexcellence4Angela RollinsonProfessional dental hygiene for pets with 100% UltrasoundTOP UK DISTRIBUTORwww.emmiultrasonic.co.ukTel: Angela Rollinson 07568 340912Order from me and you will get my free support and aftercareORDER DIRECT FROMFollow me on Facebook at:www.facebook.com/emmiultrasonicORDER DIRECT FROMDorisbeforeDorisafter

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34 Dogs Today November 2023 EXPERT ADVICEAs we head into ﬁrework season, Adem Fehmi, dog behaviourist and trainer for Barking Heads, explains why our dogs might react the way they do to ﬁreworks – and the steps we can take to help them through this difﬁcult period each year.GRADUAL PREVENTION If possible, build up your dog’s social exposure before ﬁreworks night. By this, I do not mean letting off a ﬁrework in your back garden, but instead use technology to your advantage. You can ﬁnd videos of ﬁreworks on YouTube, for example. I would recommend that you start by playing these lightly in the background without any visuals at ﬁrst. If your dog copes well, you can then gradually, over time, increase the volume and introduce the sight of ﬁreworks via a screen such as your TV. You should also reward your dog for positive and calm behaviour when hearing the sound or seeing the sight of ﬁreworks – you want your dog to almost not notice and to positively reinforce this ‘not noticing’ behaviour.BE PROACTIVE Whether your dog already shows signs of stress towards the sight or sound of ﬁreworks or currently seems relaxed, it is important to be proactive with your training to either rehabilitate or prevent a behavioural issue. Remember that dogs can show no signs of fear one year and this can change the next, so it is important to not take any previous relaxed behaviour for granted. Just one bad experience can trigger a debilitating phobia for your dog and mean a lot of hard work needs to be put into rehabilitation.Don’t forget that a change in circumstances, such as your dog entering a new life stage, moving to a new house, losing another pet or human family member, the development of another phobia or behavioural issue, or a whole host of other changes your dog might have encountered over the last 12 months, can all impact on your dog’s ability to remain calm and composed on ﬁreworks night. It is always better to take the ‘prevention rather than cure’ approach where possible. DESENSITISATION TIPSSo, what is ‘desensitisation training’ in relation to ﬁreworks? Put simply, it is making the unnatural occurrence of the loud noise, the bright sight, and perhaps even the ‘gunpowder’ smell of ﬁreworks an occurrence that our dogs do not become frightened by or, at the very least, an occurrence that your dog is able to get through with as little stress as possible. It is teaching our dogs that this event is nothing to be worried about. This training should happen before ﬁreworks night (or any other time ﬁreworks might be set off), and the earlier you start this training the more effective it is likely to be. Think ‘weeks’ in advance rather than ‘days’.■Exercise your dog before embarking on any introduction to the sight or sound of ﬁreworks. Think about how exercise can calm us as humans and help us to forget our worries and relax. A well-exercised dog is more likely to rest and settle than one with lots of energy.■Build up your dog’s exposure to the noise and sight of ﬁreworks slowly. Start to play the noise quietly and only increase the volume when your dog does not show any adverse reaction to the sound. The same is true for the sight of ﬁreworks – allow your dog to observe these from a distance before making them more prominent. If your dog displays an adverse reaction, don’t be afraid to take a step (or two!) backwards. You never want to cause a negative reaction; you should always work from the point that your dog is not reacting and build their conﬁdence and exposure from this point.■Use something your dog enjoys to reward their positive, non-reactive behaviour towards the sight and sound of ﬁreworks. Think favourite toy or super tasty treat!■Start by introducing and playing the noise or introducing the sight of ﬁreworks while your dog is happily focused on another activity. How do I desensitise my dog to ﬁreworks?Quick questionPhoto posed by a modelSMALL&Everything you wanted to know about your poochy pals in all their diﬀ erent shapes and sizes!FOR DOG LOVERSB G

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36 Dogs Today November 2023 ■Patience and repetition are your friends! Take your time with your training, build up your dog’s exposure and conﬁdence little by little, keep training sessions short and sweet, and always end on a positive note.HOME ACTIVITIESTo help your training get off to a good start, I have put together a few easy exercises that you can structure into your training schedule with your dog.As a word of caution, if your dog already shows signs of fear or anxiety towards the sound of ﬁreworks, other noises, or in other contexts, seek behavioural advice before carrying out any activities such as those detailed below. This is because the activities may be overwhelming for your dog and a different approach may be needed for your individual case.■Train while you walkPlace your mobile phone in your pocket and play the noise of ﬁreworks from this device while you walk your dog. Introduce the noise at the end of your walk when your dog is more tired rather than at the beginning. Start by playing the noise quietly and building the volume up over time as your dog grows in conﬁdence.■Train while you playPlay the noise of ﬁreworks lightly while you play a food game, toy game or train your dog when at home. You could also show the sight of ﬁreworks via your TV, initially with no sound, as you play with your dog.■Use food-dispensing toysOffer your dog a food-dispensing toy stuffed with your dog’s favourite treat while lightly playing the sound of ﬁreworks or showing the sight of ﬁreworks (with no sound initially).Over time, as your dog becomes accustomed to the sight and sound of ﬁreworks individually, you can then start to combine the two together while your dog is focused on an activity, like the ones described above. The aim is for the sound and sight to become part of the everyday so that it does not come as such a shock on 5 November, Diwali, New Year’s Eve or on any other day when someone might choose to let off ﬁreworks.You will need to build your dog’s experience and exposure up over time, working at your dog’s individual pace. This can take several weeks, so it is better to start earlier than later.ON THE NIGHT...■Be prepared! Check with your neighbours and local authority as to where ﬁreworks might be being held so that you can be prepared for what is to come. If you know that your dog has an adverse reaction to ﬁreworks and you cannot avoid the direct sight and noise, it may be better to arrange for your dog to stay with a friend, family member, or sitter – somewhere they will be away from the direct action.■Exercise your early in the day. As mentioned previously, a well-exercised dog is more likely to rest and settle than a dog with unspent energy that can turn into anxious energy. If you exercise your dog early, you are also less likely to encounter a ﬁrework being let off while you are out.■Remain calm. Avoid making a big fuss about noise, as this can unintentionally send a signal to your dog that there is something to be afraid of. Although we want our dogs to feel that we are there for them, we need to show that there is nothing to be afraid of by modelling the desired behaviour and remaining calm ourselves.■Set up a safe and inviting area for your dog. Close curtains or blinds and keep your dog as far away as possible from any ﬁreworks that may be let off.■Play calming music to drown out (or, at least, soften) the sound of any ﬁreworks that may be let off. I like to play Classic FM loudly on ﬁreworks night until I am sure that the ﬁreworks have ﬁnished.■Distract your dog by playing games with them or offering a long-lasting chew or fun food-dispensing toy to tuck into. Keep the distractions positive and begin before any ﬁreworks can be heard or seen. If your dog is already fearful, they are much less likely to accept a food toy or chew from you, and they may not be able to embark on a game they might usually ﬁnd enjoyable due to their level of anxiety. If you start your distractions before they become fearful, you are more likely to prevent fear and anxiety from developing.■Seek veterinary and behavioural advice before ﬁreworks night if you know your dog is likely to suffer. A vet might be able to administer medication that can reduce your dog’s anxiety while a behaviourist should be able to get to the root cause of the issue and help you to work on alleviating your dog’s phobia. PPhoto posed by modelsQuick questionForsomeinlife,destinyisjust...A mysterious chocolate Labrador Retriever appears one day and begins to change the lives and fate of those he encounters.Eight-year-old Eddie Dunmore has a perfect life until chance throws him a curve ball on a damp and foggy December morning. A ﬁ re breaks out at school and traps ﬁ ve classmates inside the gym. By the end of the day, four students and a school janitor are dead, with only Eddie le alive.For years a er the tragedy, survivor’s guilt haunts Eddie spiraling him downward until one night, he discovers the truth and begs God to grant his one wish.  e following morning in a garbage-ﬁ lled alley, he awakens and begins a journey that will change his future forever...One Wish Away is the second novel of Michael E. Riley, author of the well-received mystery novel  e Long Last Out, two screenplays and countless short stories relating to the human condition.  e diverse people and situations he encountered throughout his extensive career conducting and documenting criminal investigations in the law-enforcement sector have become the sources for his novels’ memorable characters and unique plots. He started writing professionally at the age of 70, guided by one philosophy: “You’re never too old to shoot for the stars.”Scan the QR code to order or search for “One Wish Away” on Amazon.co.ukOUT NOW!Available in the UK from Amazon.co.uk as a Perfect Bound Paperback and a Kindle EditionPUBLISHED BY

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38 Dogs Today November 2023t had been 195 days since I last held her. The wait had, at times, felt never ending, but at last Freedom was here. She greeted me with a wagging tail and wiggle and lots of kisses. It seemed a lifetime away from the public asylum where we found her – myself, Ian Waite and Kim, our treasurer trustee, all volunteers for the small UK charity Saving Strays.I thought about her journey – not just her physical journey, but her sentient journey as she had navigated all that was placed in her path. All too often, we don’t consider how our companion animals are experiencing this world; it is something we need to consider more often. We have no idea why she was abandoned, but when we found her, you could not tell if she was a girl or a boy. Her coat was caked in blood and faeces, with painful dreadlocks hanging from her body. As we looked around, we saw decay and imminent death for so many of these dogs, but there she was, with a few others, pushing forward to say hello, to offer a paw and a nose kiss to us, the human intruders whom she and her friends decided to trust in that moment.DOGS’ TRUSTThat very act in itself is one of great bravery because all these dogs had suffered at the human hand, but here they were, taking a chance, because maybe this time things might be different?And they were, as the Dogs Today Words & photos MARIA SLOUGHFreedom, the ambassador for abandoned dogs, is safe in foster care with dancer Ian Waite, the patron of Saving Strays. But many others remain in dire need of help...Life of FreedomINatural, Healthy, HappyYOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!We are raw dog food suppliers who have a real passion for what we do. Our aim is to help you understand the proven benefits of feeding a SARF – Species Appropriate Raw FoodTM diet – the appropriate raw food for dogs, rather than commercial synthetic human made biscuit/tinned “foods”. A SARF diet will ensure that everything consumed in the form of food will assimilate into the body at a cellular level and the waste created from processing will be eliminated efficiently, this means it doesn’t back up in the body leading to inflammation and ultimately disease – dis-ease of function or motion. The natural result of this is, of course, a reduction in vet visits as well as bills.With a SARF diet, you can essentially remove the chance of a negative impact on health by understanding the root cause of issues such as arthritis, lack of energy, allergies, skin conditions, dull coats, bad breath, smelly dogs and more. Feeding your pet a SARF diet and when done correctly will be beneficial for both their physical and mental health.www.sure4pets.ukJOIN OUR SARF COMMUNITYFree advice, guidance & support available for all our regular customersAlpha Canine Health (ACH) has evolved from sure4pets knowledge and experience of the benefits of feeding a SARF – Species Appropriate Raw Food diet™. The whole purpose of ACH is to benefit both you and your dog through education and healing enabling your dog to live a long and healthy life. There are a number of key areas that ACH aims to help:#1 Is to help you treat health conditions using the most natural approach possible - the Canine Bio-mineral Balance™ – dealing with the issue at the root as opposed to just treating the symptoms. #2 Is to provide you with the knowledge that will help you truly understand the meaning of the phrase “we are what we eat” whereby using and following the Canine Bio-mineral Balance™ you are able to feed the correct food in the correct amount – and nothing else.ACH will help you truly understand your dog as a species by showing you the difference between the raw diet and sure4pets SARF – Species Appropriate Raw Food diet™. In conjunction with this you will gain a deep insight into the causes of disease and how to prevent it. Prevention is, of course, better than cure.The Canine Bio-mineral balance™ is a totally natural dietary approach that works with the body at the cellular level and when dealing with disease in particular, it applies an Intra-cellular Chelation™, alongside an Intra-cellular Revitalising™ process which allows the body to use its own innate healing ability, fundamentally allowing the body to first eliminate the cause of the problem followed by assisting in the regeneration. The result is function with ease rather than dis-ease. To book a consultation that will help you understand the root cause of disease as well as introduce an approach that allows us to work with your dog’s body cleansing and revitalising at the cellular level helping to bringing health and vitality back, please contact Alpha Canine Health.Email: enquiries@alphacaninehealth.comTel: 07908 090892 His body was close to giving up when all it was screaming for was to stop having the meds from the vets and to allow his body to heal with natural remedies. Before anyone allows their pet to get to this stage please just see this man and get some advice! He truly knows his stuff. THANK YOU!“AfterBefore

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40 Dogs Today November 2023cover story of June told. Freedom and four of her friends made it out and so their journey to recovery began. With multiple health issues, including skin problems, cracked teeth and total malnourishment from starvation, the team at Saving Strays, working with our incredible kennel partners, Mersad and Melisa, took these dogs on the road to recovery, a recovery that is still ongoing for some as they settle into their new homes.Grady, who was so thin with open sores to her bones, is now happily settled into her new foster home with Sharne, another volunteer who was with Grady when she was rescued.INSTANT CONNECTIONSalma, the young Husky named and rescued by our treasurer, will be setting up home with Kim and her canine family, and Lawrence, the Labrador cross whose laidback nature surely saw him survive the public facility, has a wonderful home with a loving family. The little white dog Jed, who never left Freedom’s side, has found his inner dog and is waiting patiently to meet his new family with several potential adopters coming to see him.But what about Freedom? I remember the moment that we met her. We knew she was special and we knew that she would change lives on her journey. A natural ambassador for abandoned dogs, naming her in the vet’s that day felt like a deﬁning moment – that the meaning in her name would help so many others like her, hoping for liberation and kindness. She personiﬁes all that the world needs more of: positivity and gentle curiosity; bravery and happy abandonment. I remember the look on our patron Ian Waite’s face when he ﬁrst entered the public asylum. I watched as the horror registered; the more he looked, the more suffering he saw. Time was suspended and there was an earthly sharp intake of breath. Since that day, Ian has continued to support the Freedom Fund that was created in her name to help the charity continue its work with stray dogs in the UK and overseas, and his deep personal connection to both Freedom and Jed grew. Some time after his own beloved companion, Olly, passed away, Ian decided to foster Freedom, to get her used to life in a home. Help with toilet training and socialisation is going well with the help of Ian’s other dog, Cooper. I have no doubt that Freedom recognised Ian when they were reunited at his home; it was a very special moment for all of us.“It feels so surreal,” Ian told me with great emotion as we sat on the ﬂoor and Freedom sank into his lap. “To think that she was there in that public asylum with no hope, and now here she is with me, learning how to be ready to settle with a family and have an amazing life. As soon as I saw her in there, I connected with her. She is so calm and relaxed and she wants human contact. “With my exacting schedule, it is difﬁcult to manage too many dogs, as I rely on family support when I am away, but in my quieter periods, fostering is a very special thing to do, giving a dog the right environment to learn how to manage the sounds and activities of a house. This is something that people often forget can be overwhelming for a dog and it is a real honour to be a part of the process. It is hard work and it requires patience and love, but along with the support of the charity who will match her with the right home, it is a real blessing to be on this journey with her and she will always have my love and support as her foster dad in her future.”STILL WAITINGThere is no doubt that the future is full of hope and love for these dogs and we are so thankful to Ian for being with us on this journey. But let’s not forget those in our care who are still waiting for the chance of a foster family or adoptive parents – and, of course, those still in the public asylums that we have yet to help. With the cost-of-living crisis still governing our existence, all we ask is that people share Freedom’s story and the fund created in her name. Together with kindness, we can make great change happen. Pwww.justgiving.com/campaign/thefreedomfundNovember 2023 Dogs Today41Christmas wellness, lifelong happiness!Cracked paws from the cold, ﬁ reworks and visitors causing anxiety, and eating things they shouldn’t – just some of the many things that happen to our dogs over Christmas. So, if you’re looking for unique gift ideas this Christmas, consider the gift of good health with a range of natural products for your pet. Our products support multiple aspects of dogs’ wellbeing. From soothing balms to digestive aids – we have you covered this Christmas.Vet approved; our 100% natural products are hand-made in small batches to guarantee the best quality supplements for your pet. www.holistichound.dogRockster This Christmas, why not ﬁ ll your best friend’s stocking with the taste and health beneﬁ ts of life-enhancing ingredients with Rockster Boeuf Du Cap Super Treats? Hailed as “more than just food”, Rockster is the only bio-organic dog food in the world that is certiﬁ ed as a superfood in its own right. With both Super Treats and seven canned recipes available, you can treat your dog to something that is as good for their body as it is for their tastebuds this festive season.Find out more and purchase at: www.therockster.comUltimate Outdoor Accessory The Ruffwear Powder Hound is a hybrid dog coat that offers the warmth of synthetic insulation with the range of motion of technical stretch fabric. This weather-resistant and insulated jacket is ideal for cold-weather activities. Ruffwear’s Powder Hound Jacket comes with recycled 250g of high-loft polyester insulation, providing warmth to your dog without weighing them down. The reﬂ ective trim ensures that you can keep track of them during twilight walks. Find your four-legged friend a Ruffwear coat and many other outdoor accessories at Purrfectly Yappy.www.purrfectlyyappy.com Teddy MaximusThese luxury dog carriers from Teddy Maximus are ideal for travel. They provide a happy place when you are out about, to the vet’s, on the bus, in a cafe, on the train and even double as a dog bed on the go! The pawfect puppy accessory to take your little four-legged friend wherever you go! Check out their new tote-style carrier bag (right) and dog-walking bag too – such a stylish way for you and your pooch to travel around town.www.teddymaximus.comAmbient Lounge Put your canine on cloud nine! We have perhaps the world’s most beautiful dog beds – made with washable faux-fur covers that zip off, waterproof and chew-resistant bases (that are breathable), and a hybrid ﬁ lling of sustainable foam/microbead. In four sizes, you can mix and match the covers – choosing from faux fur, organic cotton and quilted sheets.Search #ambientlounge on Instagram and see over 50,000 dog owners worldwide posting about these beds – we want more UK dog lovers to discover them!See how much dogs love their Ambient Lounge beds and choose which one your dog would pick.www.ambientlounge.co.uk/pages/dogbedsPigs in blankets What says Christmas more than pigs in blankets? An iconic, natural stocking ﬁ ller for your best friend. These fun treats are made from sausage wrapped in pork skin, making them deliciously crunchy on the outside with a slightly softer inner to really get dogs’ tails wagging this Christmas. Suitable for most dog breeds and sizes.Sniff out this, along with a huge range of other natural, packaging-free treats inside all Just for Pets stores and online.www.justforpets.co.ukPigs in blankets for your best friend. These fun treats are made from sausage wrapped in pork skin, making them deliciously Six of the bestChristmas Gifts, Treats & Toys

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44Dogs Today November 2023 Emily Davis✗I couldn’t disagree more with the notion that some dogs are ‘born to be bad’. The XL Bully ban and other similar measures are ineffective. Surely, after over 30 years of the Pit Bull ban, the public should have seen that! It’s our responsibility as pet owners to provide the right care, training and socialisation for our dogs.Gillian Murphy✓Unfortunately, yes – when you breed dogs of bad temperament with each other for generations, what you get is a dog who’s almost doomed to be aggressive. I say ‘almost’ because I am sure an expert dog owner might be able to own one of these dogs and keep everyone safe – and the dog happy – but let’s face it, most members of the public don’t have nearly enough expertise to be this ideal owner.Alison Binnall✗Certainly not! Genetics play a key role, certainly; how the puppy was reared is important, along with the parentage: if the environment is a calm, loving environment surrounded by family and exposure to noises/experiences, although not a guarantee, you are more likely to get a puppy which is well rounded and happy. If not, you will get a shy, scared little dog. The right training environment is important too: punitive methods cause shut down, and this is where ‘out of the blue’ attacks can come from. A growl is a warning: a dog punished for growling and for giving that warning feels they have no option to bite if they feel threatened or scared. No dog is born bad, they are a creation of their environment and exposure to experiences. Dogs are amazing and we truly don’t deserve them.Rachel Carter✗No, dogs aren’t born bad. Breed-speciﬁ c bans, including the XL Bully ban, often miss the mark and don’t address the root causes of aggression in dogs. It’s all about responsible ownership and nurturing a positive environment for our pets.Liam Parker?I don’t believe in the concept of some dogs being ‘born to be bad’. I can, however, see how some dogs are engineered to be reactive, with selective breeding of dogs with such character traits. Once you add people looking for a status dog in the mix – and who else would buy a dog from these bloodlines on purpose? – you have a recipe for disaster. A possible solution could be mandatory castration of all dogs in certain breeds unless they pass a behavioural assessment with an expert, but I have no idea how that would even be policed.Lesley-Anne Hall✗There are a lot of lies that the government has put out about bites and attacks from XL Bullies. It is already being argued in parliament that the ﬁ gures Rishi Sunak has used are a complete lie and far higher than the actual ﬁ gures provided by the police. This man has his own agenda and needs to be removed as prime minister.Ava Williams✗While I understand concerns about certain breeds, we need to consider the individual dog rather than stigmatise the entire breed.Olivia Brown✓While not all dogs of a certain breed may be dangerous, I think we should acknowledge that some individuals can pose a risk due to their genetic predisposition. How do we handle this? I don’t have a solution, unfortunately. JJ Thompson✗Absolutely not! The XL Bully ban in the UK might be well intentioned, but dogs aren’t inherently evil. It’s a matter of responsible ownership and training. Breed-speciﬁ c bans aren’t the solution; education is. PNext month’s topic is: Are vet-run pet health clubs value for money? For a monthly fee, the clubs offer ﬂ ea and worming treatments and other perks, and they have become a popular choice for many. But some are complaining they are an expensive option and a ploy to stop clients moving vets or going online for better discounts. Let us know what you think!Email editorial@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk with your thoughts, putting ‘Great Debate’ in the subject line or write to ‘Great Debate’, Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AANoYesMaybeThis month’s result69%23%8%Great DebateDog-friendly Warwickshire HolidaysVisit us with your four-legged friend this festive season and the New Year. Enjoy a relaxing stay in our 4 AA Red Star hotel with 10 acres of stunning grounds to explore with your pup!MALLORY COURT COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL AND SPA, HARBURY LANE, LEAMINGTON SPA, WARWICKSHIRE, CV33 9QB | MALLORY.CO.UKEstablished 1958PineRidgeDogSanctuaryWe are a small, independent dog rescue organisation which was established in 1958 by Bernard Cuff to rescue and rehome stray and unwanted dogs and continues to be run today by his widow Connie and her loyal team who work night and day in the hope of giving the dogs in our care a better future.Pine Ridge relies solely on donations from the public, whether through monthly direct debits from keen animal lovers, one-off donations, or monies raised from fundraising activities.These are clearly difﬁ cult times for everyone, but your help is needed now more than ever, so if you are able to give a gift to charity this Christmas, you can be assured that every single penny you donate goes towards our dogs’ welfare. ● By sending a donation to Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary, Priory Road, Ascot, SL5 8RJ. We can supply standing order forms if required● By making a bequest in your will to Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary● By organising a fundraising function - a coffee morning, sponsored walk or bring and buy sale, for example● By offering a home to one of our rescue dogs● By introducing our work to dog loving friendsPlease call 01344 882689 or email pineridgedogs@yahoo.co.ukwww.pineridgedogsanctuary.org.ukRegistered Charity No 256728How you can helpOpen by appointment 7 days a week Please call 01344 882689 to book

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46 Dogs Today November 2023 elen Skelton has achieved so much that it would be an understatement to simply refer to her as a TV presenter or personality. Her career on the small screen is only part of the story, which started on a Cumbrian farm.“I grew up on a dairy farm owned by my dad,” she said. “That was just a wonderful place to be for fresh air, having animals all around me and learning about the land and farming from a very early age. I have never tired of it since growing up and I returned there not long ago when my marriage broke up. Cumbria gives me – well, all of us, really – a great sense of freedom. I just love it.“When you live in a city, because of having to be near a TV studio, you cannot go anywhere without making some effort to look nice. Here on the farm, you can just be casual the whole time, just as when I was a little girl.“Being on a farm means animals and that also means dogs, and I have been used to having dogs around all my life. We have two dogs at the moment and one of my biggest mistakes was in asking my two sons to name the latest arrival. It was a bit embarrassing when I was being interviewed on TV and had to reveal that our lovely Labrador is called Spiderman and that, yes, I have been known to call ‘Spiderman!’ across a ﬁeld more than once. Barney, our other little dog, is a rescue dog and was with me back in my Blue Peter days.”CAREER PATHSJournalism was a career that beckoned to Helen and she gained all her qualiﬁcations at college.“It was another career option for a time,” Helen explained. “I knew that I wanted to be involved in the performing arts, but words always fascinated me and if things didn’t work out, the options of being a teacher or a journalist were not bad alternatives. As it happens, I was lucky enough that things turned out as I had hoped. “I went into press relations for a little while and then joined the newsroom of CFM radio and Border Television before becoming a breakfast show presenter. I also did some children’s TV with Newsround, HPhotos © Instagram (@helenskelton)Strictly Come WalkiesDogs are Helen Skelton’s very best friends and they like to share her life – and the limelight!November 2023 Dogs Today 47 so my wish for television work and journalism went hand in hand. There is always the next challenge though.”Helen likes nothing better than a challenge and has a reputation for being much more than an excellent television presenter. She is also an all-round athlete and an energetic mum of three.“When I went into Blue Peter, part of the job was the willingness to take on challenges and that was something I always enjoyed,” said Helen. “Perhaps being brought up in the great outdoors gives you an extra charge of energy, I don’t know, but I always liked running and climbing, so being asked to tackle various challenges for Blue Peter was just fantastic.”Helen joined Blue Peter in 2008 and stayed for ﬁve years.“It was a fantastic experience and I enjoyed every minute of it,” she recalled. “I learned a lot and had a lot of fun with the various challenges. It also led to me doing some sports presenting and since I have always been quite sporty, I really enjoy that.“I think I’ve been fortunate to have been asked to do things that I like, whether it’s skiing, running, dancing – even boxing. I did a boxing match for charity once and I am pleased to say I won. I really enjoyed it, but I don’t think it was ever going to be a career option. I also cycled to the South Pole and went by kayak down the Amazon. I am really grateful that my television work has given me such great opportunities – experiences I would probably never have had but for my broadcasting career.”STEPPING OUTHelen’s dance skills not only qualiﬁed her as a teacher but won her countless competitions and certainly led to some great performances on Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Gorka Marquez. “I didn’t think I was very good, but it was fun to do and lovely to be able to dance with such a great professional partner,” Helen recalled. Helen has also presented farming programmes and Countryﬁle, both of which have taken her back to her roots.“When you are presenting a TV programme, you need to feel at home and I could not have felt more at home than presenting shows about farming and the countryside,” she said. “Being so familiar with such things is all down to my upbringing in Cumbria, there is no doubt about that.”Throughout this time, there have always been dogs, as featured on the popular TV series Walks With My Dog.“That was perfect for me and great to do, getting paid to walk my dog in superb countryside was just perfect. During times when I didn’t have a dog myself, I used to go home to my parents who had dogs, and many of my friends have dogs, so I have never been apart from them, really,” said Helen. “I think it is very important to have dogs when you have a young family. It is good for children to learn about life through animals, and dogs are especially good at that. They have such a great sense of humour too and they are so clever – they know exactly when to let you down. Once, when I was doing another interview on TV, Barney just barked and barked and would not shut up. It wasn’t just the noise but the fact that everyone found it hard to talk because they were laughing so much. The dog won again!“For me, dogs are just so special because they are a constant whether you have had a great day or an awful day. They are brilliant company and they love you no matter what.“What would the world be like without love? What would the world be like without dogs? Not nearly as much fun!” PWords BERNARD BALE“I think it is very important to have dogs when you have a young family. It is good for children to learn about life through animals, and dogs are especially good at that”

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48 Dogs Today November 2023 My Dog CrushMany 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.Welsh Springer SpanielNovember 2023 Dogs Today49The Welsh Springer Spaniel might be smaller than its English cousin – in size and in number – but it is mighty in spirit and heart. English & WelshThe Welsh Springer is smaller than the English and has relatively smaller ears. But aside from the physical differences, our survey respondents had other observations.“Welsh Springers are calmer and more laidback,” was the general consensus. One enthusiast said, “There really isn’t any comparison between the two breeds, in my opinion. Apart from the word ‘Springer’ in their title, they are completely different dogs.”Character“They are affectionate, devoted, clever, sensitive to your moods, silly and beautiful,” summed up one owner. “The most loyal, loving, dedicated, sweet natured, funny and cheerful dogs I’ve ever met,” echoed another. With sweet temperaments, they are energetic and outdoorsy, but more laidback than many gundogs, and utterly devoted to their loved ones. Serious and dedicated when training and working, they can also be fun, comical clowns and thrive in the company of their loved ones. They are not called ‘Velcro dogs’ for nothing! Training & exerciseA working dog at heart, the Kennel Club says this busy spaniel needs more than two hours of exercise a day. 18% from our survey gave their dogs this amount, but most gave their Welshies an hour and a half. Prospective owners should stock up on dog towels, Our survey of Welsh Springer Spaniel owners revealed:blankets to protect the car and invest in good mud mats for the home. One owner told us their dog had the nickname of swamp donkey “because if he ﬁ nds a muddy puddle no matter how big or small, he’s straight in it”. Only 8% from our survey were not keen on water – the rest love a dip.One warning: a well-fenced garden is a must to stop escapees – and make sure there is no way of tunnelling underneath, as they can be accomplished diggers too! Agility, obedience and scentwork were popular pastimes for our busy Welshies, as well as gundog work. “Make sure you have enough time to socialise and train your puppy, and keep up with both for the life of the dog,” advised one Welshie fan. HealthOnly 9% of our respondents said their dog had made the vet a fortune. 27% said the Welshie was the healthiest dog they’d ever had, and 64% said their dog was as healthy as any other breed. The Kennel Club recommends hip-screening, eye-screening and gonioscopy (to check for primary glaucoma and give the dog a grade based on the result). The Welsh Springer Spaniel Joint Health Group also cautions against primary epilepsy (where a copy of the faulty gene must be inherited from the father and the mother). It recommends that parents of known ﬁ tters should not be bred from again and that extra care needs to be taken when breeding from the siblings of ﬁ tters.Photos by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk)SPONSORED BY

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My Dog CrushOriginsThere are descriptions of a red and white hunting dog in medieval Welsh literature, and similarly coloured spaniels are described by royal physician Dr John Caius in his book, Dogs of Britain, in 1570. These are likely the forerunners of the breed we know today. Although now known as the Welsh Springer Spaniel, the breed was called the Welsh Spaniel originally and is said to have contributed to the parti-coloured Cocker Spaniel. Spaniels, like all other dogs, were used and bred according to need and function rather than against a breed standard, but with the advent of showing, breed distinctions were made. Originally shown alongside the English Springer in the show ring, the Kennel Club recognised the Welsh separately in 1902 and the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club was formed in 1923, making this a special, centenary year for enthusiasts. 50Dogs Today November 2023 ●Loving ●Loyal ●Gentle ●‘Velcro’ dog●Intelligent●Quirky●Energetic●Sweet●Happy●CheekyTraits●Merlin ●Ruby ●Deri●Morgan ●Cerys●Bryn●Delilah●Bronwyn●Cooper ●Megan Best namesNovember 2023 Dogs Today 51 by Jane Sutherland I’ve worked with gundogs and Welsh Springers all my life; I grew up with Welshies in the family and got my own Welsh Springer over 29 years ago. Like all the gundog breeds, Welsh Springers are active and inquisitive. They love nothing more than being right in the middle of family life; in fact, they can become bored easily if they are left alone for long periods, when they will soon ﬁnd their own entertainment! As a breed, they have the nickname of ‘Velcro dogs’. They’re extremely affectionate and form very loving bonds with their family. A medium-sized spaniel, they ﬁt easily into your home. The coat is silky and of moderate length, a rich red and white, which does need some care: a rinse clean and towel dry after a muddy walk and a daily brush and comb to keep it clean and tangle free. They can be sensitive in nature and have a wide naughty streak, but they respond very well to ﬁrm, gentle handling and are accomplished working dogs if given correct training. The goofy side of their character, however, means that plenty of patience is needed – they do love to fool around! As a compact, medium-sized companion, though, they are highly adaptable and their enthusiasm for taking part in anything you’re doing means that they enjoy success in many different activities, including agility, scent work, rally and trail work. Many also qualify as therapy dogs, their gentle, friendly nature making them ideal for this. I currently have ﬁve Welshies, all, as I write, spread out on the sofas and armchairs! A note of caution: if you like white carpets and furniture, they may not be the breed for you – they all love to sofa surf and their highly intelligent and ingenious nature means they’ll soon ﬁnd ways to access areas of the house you thought they couldn’t. WELSH WALKSThey enjoy the company of other dogs, and our breed clubs often organise club walks that are very well attended with a marvellous, merry gathering of happy Welshies and their people, all enjoying a day out in the countryside together. Unlike many of the gundog breeds today, the Welsh Springer is truly dual purpose and I’ve always worked my Welsh in the ﬁeld as gundogs, also competing in ﬁeld trials and working tests where they’ve won awards, as well as shown them to both show Champion and full Champion level. As the breed isn’t divided into a ‘working type’ and a ‘show type’, they can segue seamlessly from one activity to the other. If you’re thinking about having a Welsh Springer, then it’s a good idea to get in touch with one of our four breed clubs and go along to an open show to meet the dogs and talk to the enthusiasts there. They’re not a common breed and it’s always a good thing to meet them in person. If you decide on a Welsh Springer, you will have to prepared to wait for the right puppy. Not many litters are bred each year, but if you decide on a Welsh then it’ll be worth the wait. My lovely Welshies share in everything we do, and I could never be without them. POwner’s view

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54Dogs Today November 2023 Dogs Today is only £12.50 quarterly if you pay by Direct Debit* ■Save more than £20 over the year■Delivered free to your door Plus you also get:■A £15 voucher for PurrfectlyYappy.com(minimum spend £75). Call us for the special code!■The chance to win one of 50 Nerf dog toysJoin our exclusive Sub Club! Call 01276 402599 (lines open weekdays 9am-5pm) or subscribe online www.dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/product/dogs-today-uk-subscriptionsAll new subscriptions will commence with the current issueOverseas prices: £79.99 for 12 issues or £145 for 24 issuesWith newsagents and supermarkets reducing their shelf space for magazines, it’s getting harder to ﬁ nd us. Help us by subscribing – and reap the rewards:The ﬁ rst 50 new or renewing subscribers this month will receive a fabulous Nerf dog toy – so even your dog can beneﬁ t. It’s a win-win-win situation!Please remember to include your dog’s breed/size and age in ‘Dog breed and size’ during checkout. Subscription gifts are only available to the ﬁ rst 50 subscribers each month (sorry, UK subscribers only).Help us by subscribing – and reap the rewards:Buy direct and save more than £20 a year!*UK only. By entering, you conﬁ rm that your details will be passed on to the company providing prizes for distribution & marketing purposes.SUBSCRIBE NOW& start saving today!Telephone: 07910 944 826Email: lordsteph@hotmail.co.ukwww.theknifesharpenerguy.co.ukThe Knife Sharpener Guy sells the World’s BEST knife sharpener. Sharpens any steel blade including some scissors. The brand new Pro Chef Rnage is now available in Brass, Copper and WolframTHE KNIFE SHARPENER GUYThinking about spending moretime with your dog this winter? www.snowpawstore.com0345 026 8045All the equipment you need for CanicrossBikejoringScooteringK9 AdventuresDog PawtraitsWhy not treat yourself to a unique, special portrait of your favourite pooch or as a gift for a friend. Cost depends on size and complexity. A4 size (painted or pencil) from just £195 (+p&p). For more details just get in touch - I’m friendly! PET portraits by Graham Henderson, GAvANellie Maisiemy Lottygrahamhe@hotmail.co.uk tel: 07747 529880 www.grahamhendersongava.co.ukGraham Henderson, GAvA Aviation

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56Dogs Today November 2023 Your news & viewsGet in touchWe love to hear your news and views, and see photos of your dogs! Email editorial@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk Write to us at Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AA Join the debateVoice your opinions on news stories and other topics on our Dogs Today Magazine Facebook page or through our website www.dogstodaymagazine.co.ukREACTION TO THE XL BULLY BANThe Dog Control Coalition (Battersea, Blue Cross, British Veterinary Association, Dogs Trust, the Kennel Club, RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and Hope Rescue)The Dog Control Coalition agrees that urgent action needs to be taken to protect the public from out-of-control dogs, but we are disappointed that the government hasn’t taken the opportunity to completely overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act. With its continued focus on speciﬁ c breeds, rather than a focus on prevention and implementation of tougher penalties for those owners not in control of their dogs, it is not ﬁ t for purpose. After such a worrying few weeks for dog owners, we are relieved that the government has conﬁ rmed that responsible owners of American Bully XLs will be able to keep their dogs, subject to them being registered and following the rules on muzzling, neutering and insurance. However, we have serious concerns about the very short amount of time in which owners have to comply with the rules, especially as the government is yet to release information on how owners can register their dogs. We are also concerned about Defra’s deﬁ nition of an American Bully XL type, which is not only hugely subjective and open to interpretation for the individuals enforcing this legislation – creating a lack of consistency across the country – but it also places a burden on owners to interpret the guidance and determine whether their dog is or is not an ‘American Bully XL type’. Government urgently needs to provide more clarity for owners on how to interpret this deﬁ nition, so they can understand if it will affect them and their dog. There is currently no clear understanding of how many tens of thousands of dogs could fall within this breed speciﬁ cation, and we urge the government to ensure that the teams responsible for enforcing this law – the police and local authorities – have the resources and training they need before the ban begins to avoid any more dogs than absolutely necessary from being caught up in this. As a coalition of the country’s leading dog welfare and veterinary organisations, we have only just seen the information published by Defra today and will take time to thoroughly review this, whilst continuing to support owners in any way we can, including offering support and advice. We will also continue to support those working in the animal welfare sector who care for American Bully XLs, and the vets who may ﬁ nd themselves asked to euthanise healthy dogs for no other reason than how they look. Lorenzo I am sure I don’t have a Bully XL, but I am very worried that some over-zealous ofﬁ cial will accuse my boy of being ‘of the type’ purely because of his size. >PostbagSo many dogs are currently coming into rescue with all manner of problems from hereditary defects because of lack of health-testing parents. Others are pure lunatics having received no training whatsoever and a lack of socialisation. Some have been physically and mentally abused. All these problems cost charities a huge amount of money and time to put right.Lack of fundraising events has added to the problems faced by many smaller charities. With vet fees now set at an all-time high, what cost £500 a few years ago, now costs £1,000. The Labrador Lifeline Trust relies heavily on its supporters to help out in times of need and to this end has a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/labradorlifeline1976) where those on social media can keep abreast of events within the Trust. Legacies also play a huge part in the future of the Trust and allows us to help dogs like Barney.You can become a Friend of the Labrador Lifeline Trust and receive our newsletter which is published in March and September and contains news of dogs and interesting articles on a variety of subjects ranging from food to training. You can join via the website and visiting the shop. Annual membership is £15 and Life membership is £50.info@labrador-lifeline.com www.labrador-lifeline.comReg charity 1076061CALLING ALLPET BUSINESSESOWNERSDon’t waste time and visit us at: www.ShakeYourTail.comAre you a passionate pet owner who's turned your love for pups into a thriving business?It's time to take your business venture to the next level with ShakeYourTail, the ultimate pet business software that's tailor-made for entrepreneurs like you!Powerful and easy to use, book appointments to your team members and view your colour coded schedule, ‘at a glance’.We’ll take the strain by automatically sending your clients, their appointment reminders, confirmations, ‘Miss You’s and No Shows, by text or email.Managing your clients and their pets is effortless; Record their details, add emergency contacts, Medical Notes, Grooming notes, view their appointment history, set alerts and much more…WHY SHAKEYOURTAIL? HERE'S WHY YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE:ScheduleClients & PetsNotifications &RemindersUSE CODE "YOURDOG" AND GET 30% OFF ANY SUBSCRIPTION FOR 6 MONTHS.This oﬀer expires 31/01/2024

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58 Dogs Today November 2023 YRSCommercial It isn’t an XL Bully ban. It’s a large Bulldog ban.XLbully I’m terriﬁed of losing my dogs. I won’t be able to look my daughter in the eye. We are in rented accommodation, so I don’t know what will happen with our housing, but I will not give up my dogs to be killed.Hannah Whjacko92I’m a Pug owner, so the ban doesn’t affect my Bella, but that’s not the point! Bad owners should be to blame. Any dog can be dangerous. Muzzle all dogs who have a history of biting or show any aggression. I’ve donated and I’m against the ban. Craig Shaw I condemn the pitiful actions of the Dog Control Coalition and Apdawg, for sitting back for years and allowing all the innocents to be maimed and murdered by those Pit Bull Bully XLs. I want justice – nothing more, nothing less.German Shepherd Rescue Elite Make no mistake, they will come after the next ‘violent breed’ in the same way; no breed is safe! The selling by unregistered and unlicensed breeders on unregulated selling pages on social media and the internet needs to be stopped; this is where these status breeds start.Don’t Ban Our BullysAs the owner of four American Bullies from different classes, I fear that all my dogs may fall foul of the vague deﬁnition. The features are all similar – only the height is different. This is causing a lot of worry for us.From the I newspaper, 4 November 2023Debbie Connolly, a dog behaviourist: “There is ‘no way’ authorities will be able to deal with the inﬂux of thousands XL Bully cases they expect in the ﬁnal three months before 1 February 2024.“Dog legislation ofﬁcers (DLOs) are the only police ofﬁcers trained to identify illegal breeds, most forces only have one or two DLOs, while even the larger ones, such as the West Midlands and the Metropolitan Police, have no more than three or four.“There’s no way tens of thousands of dogs are going to be sorted and exempted by the end of January. The police are already run off their feet; there are not enough ofﬁcers. I have worked with 12 police forces recently that are already struggling for kennel space to deal with dangerous dogs.”Vet David Martin, group animal welfare advisor for [vet chain] IVC, told MPs at the Efra enquiry that a survey of 200 newly graduated vets found 94 per cent would refuse to euthanise a healthy XL Bully with no behaviour issues. “We are allowed to refuse to euthanise a healthy animal under our code of conduct and, as a business, we support all our vets who refuse to euthanise a healthy animal,” he said. Mr Martin says there are at least 5,000 XL Bully dogs registered at IVC practices, which account for around 10 per cent of UK vets.Sophie Wrenn Luna, our Cane Corso-XL Bully cross, has been a big change to our lives. There’s so much stigma around these dogs that I never knew existed till owning one. I have experience with many different breeds from all backgrounds; I feel that any breed of any size holds a potential threat to mankind.I agree that these dogs are at their most dangerous if they are with people who use them as an ego extension or a status symbol, but I’ve also seen very uneducated families and children not being able to view their own pets’ body language and make the correct judgement on how their dogs could react in a situation – such as allowing children to poke, climb, pull and tug. These actions will provoke any dog into an action that could lead to an attack; this can be with any breed of dog and yet irresponsible parents allow this.I have three children aged nine to 14; I have a Shiba Inu as well as the Cane Corso-XL Bully cross. I have followed strict rules going back years to never allow a dog to cross their boundaries with humans and to also never allow my children to disrespect their boundaries towards the dogs. It’s about respect and responsibility on both the children’s part and the dogs’. Responsibility falls on the owner to set these rules up and to ensure their dogs have their needs met. My children are always monitored around the animals. They are encouraged to feed the dogs and train them alongside me; these things build trust and a connection.I don’t think a ban on one breed is the answer. There are so many people out there, like myself, who take ownership and control seriously and yet feel judged and penalised for owning such breeds. There are such loyal, sweet, well-controlled bullies. My Luna is a credit to me and my family; she has opened our minds to the world of XL Bullies and brought forth a ﬁght worth ﬁghting for.Your news & viewsPostbag

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60Dogs Today November 2023 Tea breakName: _________________________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Postcode: _________________________Telephone: _____________________________________________________Email address: ___________________________________________________Breed/type of dog: _______________________________________________October Solution: Across: 1 Lhasa; 4 Bernard; 8 Pointer; 9 Short: 10 Otter: 12 English; 14 Man bites dog: 17 Settler; 18 Lassa; 19 Corgi: 21 Ireland; 23 Spooner; 24 Saint. Down: 1 Lapdog: 2 Ami: 3 Aster: 4 Border Terrier; 5 Resigns; 6 Ado; 7 Dutch; 11 Toast; 13 Irons; 15 Belgian; 16 Bardot: 17 Sacks; 18 Leeds; 20 Roo; 22 Ali.591210201481715321131618122274196231 12524Gyles Brandreth’s Prize Crossword!Complete the crossword grid, then post your entry to arrive by 30 November 2023 to: November Crossword, Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA. The ﬁ rst correct entry drawn after the closing date will win a Kong Wild Knot bird - a squeaky plush toy, with internal knotted rope and minimal stufﬁ ng for minimal mess! Available from PurrfectlyYappy.com The judge’s decision is ﬁ nal. How to enterPut the kettle on and have a go at our competitions!Quick Clues Across1 Silky-haired Greyhound (6)4 Type of spaniel (6)9 Put this round Fido’s neck (3,6)10 Former inhabitant (2-3) 11 Type of sheepdog from Spain (7)13 Dwarf toy dog, shortened (4)14 Opening (7)15 Hit with the foot (4) 19 (And 24 Across) Large gundog (13)22 A trained assassin from feudal Japan (5)23 ... de Gascogne (5,4)24 See 19 Across25 Film-star dog (6)Quick Clues Down1 Lure away (6)2 Means of illumination (5)3 Hillock (5)5 Fearsome giants (5) 6 Australian sheepdog (6) 7 Steal cattle (6)8 Type of terrier (4,2,5) 12 Run this, when out of control (4)13 Favourite animals (4) 15 Dog’s outside home (6) 16 Dog with biblical associations? (6)17 Game bird (6) 18 Large bird of prey (5)20 Girl’s name (5) 21 Stories (5)Cryptic Clues Across1 Dog half saluting king (6)4 Dog champion meets queen (6) 9 Churchman’s canine restraint? (3-6) 10 Tax tailless pet, possibly, one no longer in Britain (2-3)11 Spanish breed and feline facing a man (7) 13 Dog expressing out loud feeling of annoyance? (4)14 Maybe I – I force an opening (7)15 Not how you should treat a pet, to get a thrill (4)19 (And 24 Across) Dog gives spooky TV character a heavy blow (13)22 Mutant type of turtle has some fun in January (5)23 French type responsible for darn bulge? (5,4) 24 See 19 Across25 Seal is turning into a performing animal! (6)Cryptic Clues Down 1 Look! French duke is captivated, lead astray (6) 2 Heavy, black dog twice fails to match this description (5)3 Almost recognise two lakes on hill (5) 5 Giants making some progress (5)6 Aussie dog that is buried under seaweed (6) 7 Jack the terrier is heard to make a gentle sound (6)8 Flog animal ‘e trained, a terrier (4,2,5) 12 A donkey with tail removed is in a frenzy (4) 13 Dogs and cats walk around (4)15 Little Kenneth and Nellie provide a shelter for Rover (6)16 Dog caught with one kind of bread (6)17 Complain… if the hunting dog fails to locate it? (6)18 Bird hiding among Beagles (5)20 Girl renamed Diana? (5)21 Stories of dogs’ ends, do you say? (5)Complete the crossword grid, then post your entry to arrive The Old Print House, November 2023 Dogs Today61Does Noel Fitzpatrick do tongue Does Noel Fitzpatrick do tongue extensions? Asking for a friend…extensions? Asking for a friend…Winning captionPhoto submitted by Leann Clark Newfoundland & Rottweiler (by www.timrosephotography.co.uk)Stacy McEvoySeptember Caption Runners-upCross QuestionCan you guess which breeds Pi’s parents are? I’m playing the tuberSue Withyhays BrownI prefer Walkers!Kaylee HarrisSorry, but once I pop, I cannot dropClare WilliamsMy nose tingles for PringlesShirley ParrottCan you come up with a witty and amusing caption for thisphoto? Do you have a funny pic you’d like us to feature? Please email it to us at comps@dogstodaymagazine.co.ukThe winning caption will win a Fuzzu A Gorilly Named Billy Dog Toy worth £13.99 from www. purrfectlyyappy.comThe person who sends the ﬁ rst correct answer to the Cross Question will win a pack of SmartBones, a healthy alternative to rawhide, from www. purrfectlyyappy.comWinners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will win a prize from Purrfectly YappyEmail your Caption Competition & Cross Question entries together with your contact details to comps@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk or post to: November Competitions, Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AA, to arrive by 30 November 2023How to enterWinners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will win a prize from Purrfectly YappyWinners of the Cross Question and Winners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will win a prize from Purrfectly YappyLexy & Dylan. Photo submitted by Hilary BackhouseCaption this!September Cross Question SolutionLucy’s parents are a Newfoundland and a Rottweiler The ﬁ rst correct answer came from Tony Good+

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62Dogs Today November 2023 6644Julywww.foreverhoundstrust.orgPRIORY ROAD ASCOT BERKSHIRE SL5 8RJ01344 882689We are a non-destruction sanctuary for abandoned & unwanted dogsRegistered Charity No. 256728established 1958ecueCharity SpotlightWelcome to Charity Spotlight - a handy reference point for good folk doing great work. We’re helping to raise the proﬁ le of this diverse group and we encourage you to get involved with them, by offering a forever home, fundraising or volunteeringIf you’d like to see your organisation featured in these pages, please call us on 01276 402591 for more detailsNEUTER AND SPAY,NO MORE STRAYSWe neuter and spay thousands of dogs and cats in Romania every yearCharity No: 1172316www.animalsni.ukPayPal email: donations@animalsni.ukwww.animalsni.ukSanterpawsWe started very small, initially homing half a dozen puppies we had found abandoned. Quickly, it became clear that many more dogs were in need, and, in 2015, Santerpaws Bulgarian Rescue (UK charity number 1183401) was born. We maintain an individual and carefully ﬂ exible approach to adoption; with three trustees and three core volunteers, Santerpaws probably knows its dogs (and cats) and owners better than any other rescue, resulting in 6,000 successful matches in eight years.As well as our core function of rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming (mainly to the UK but also other European countries), we neuter and vaccinate dogs and cats free of charge for local owners in Bulgaria. We also provide necessary veterinary care for local dogs. Packs of roaming street dogs and litters of puppies by the roadside are a thing of the past in our village.In 2016, we were the ﬁ rst in Bulgaria (with the help of our amazing vet, Zari) to conquer distemper; we spun our own serum and saved Prince! We are never now without serum and dogs with distemper no longer face certain death if brought to us.Every dog is assessed, vaccinated and Canine Brucellosis tested prior to adoption, exceeding UK importation requirements. We are delighted to have recently welcomed UK government bodies Defra and APHA to visit our rescue shelter in Bulgaria and are proud to share how impressed they were with our facilities.We retain contact with the majority of dogs homed. Our thriving online owners’ club keeps everyone up to date with progress and achievements; when families post ‘pupdates’, like mastering the recall, it is celebrated by hundreds of cheering adopters! Settling-in niggles are often resolved through friendly advice and words of encouragement within this group and get-together walks are locally arranged.Sometimes circumstances change or an adoption does not work. We have dedicated rescue back-up provision, including an in-house behaviourist support volunteer on hand to advise owners. Every dog adopted from us who needs a new placement for whatever reason is reassessed (if required) and rehomed. Our commitment to each dog is life-long.contact@santerpawsbulgarianrescue.comwww.santerpawsbulgarianrescue.com Registered Charity No: 1183401Charity of the monthNovember 2023 Dogs Today636644JulyJuly6655As a rescue charity, Rushton helps abandoned, abused and unwanted dogs on a international scale. Rescuing dogs from all over the world. especially the meat trade in Asia and China.Registered Charity in England and Wales No. 1139999Call Now:+44 (0) 1823 49 10 52To rescue, rehabilitate and rehome vulnerable and at risk dogs from YorkshireSaving Yorkshire’s DogsRegistered Charity No 1167291Tel: 07562 986101Email: savingyorkshiresdogs@gmail.comWeb: www.sydrescue.org.ukFind us onWE RESCUE KILL SHELTER AND ABANDONED DOGS FROM ROMANIA AND REHOME THEM IN THE UK AND GERMANYwww.barkingmaddogrescue.co.uk@barkingmaddogrescue @bmdrdogs www.petsavers.org.ukFinding the cures for serious pet illnesses, helping them live longer, healthier livesBecome a Companion & Keep Tails WaggingWith a Regular GiftScottish Charity No. SC006914www.seniorsta yclub.co.ukseniorsta yclub@hotmail.co.ukSenior Staffy ClubOur aims are:www.leicesteranimalaid.org.ukTel 01455 888257Registered Charity No. 242560Rescue and rehoming centre for dogs and catsRegistered Charity No. 1077588We rescue and rehome 100s of dogs and cats in London every year Please help us to help more www.themayhew.org020 8962 8000 Sponsor a puppy from just £1 a week. Visit guidedogs.org.uk/DogsToday A charit y registered in England and Wales (209617) and Scotland (SC03 8979).Please contact us or visit our website for more information.Heathway, Colton, Rugeley, Staffs WS15 3LY Tel 0871 560 2282www.bordercollietrustgb.org.ukReg Charity No 1053585 Rescue centre open daily 9-11 am 2-4 pm We rescue and rehome collies and collie crosses throughout the UK. Why not subscribe to our ’Border Collie World’ quarterly magazine? Only £10.00 pa.BORDER COLLIE TRUST GBAS SEEN ON CHANNEL 4woodgreen.org.ukBringing pets and people closer togetherRegistered Charity No. 298348 00526nc0819Smokey Paws provides pet oxygen masks to the ﬁre service.But many more masks are needed. You can donate via www.smokeypaws.co.uk or email info@smokeypaws.co.ukThe next pet saved could be yoursRegistered Charity No. 1077588Help us to help moreWe rescue and rehome 100s of dogs and cats in London every year themayhew.org020 8962 8000We are a small dog and cat rescue that specialises in the rehabilitation of pets who need their second chance at happiness. No matter your age, location or family status PAWS gives everyone a chance to be a part of the rescue story. www.pennineanimalwelfaresociety.orgGreyhounds make great pets★ Lincolnshire Greyhound Trust has been rehoming Greyhounds since 1988★ We have rehomed over 2,300 retired Greyhounds★ Kennels in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire & Epping Greyhounds since 1988 We have rehomed over 2,300 retired Greyhounds Kennels in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire & Eppingwww.lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.co.uk07941 313025kev@lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.comRAYSTEDERegistered charity no 237696www.raystede.org01825 840252Rescuing and rehoming animals in Sussex

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64Dogs Today November 2023 Pet CorrectorWhether you’re struggling with barking, jumping up, bad house manners or aggression, Pet Corrector provides a distraction that enables you to retrain and reward your pooch. Loved by millions of owners around the world, Pet Corrector helps you put a stop to bad behaviour.Created by renowned dog behavioural expert Dr. Roger Mugford, the Pet Corrector Spray uses compressed air to mimic the natural warning hiss that swans and other animals make. When used as part of Dr Roger’s tried and tested W.A.G. training technique, you can disrupt the unwanted behaviour, giving you the opportunity to teach your dog the rules of the house.When you witness bad behaviour, act immediately and give one short burst. Remember to direct the can away from your dog as they only need to hear the noise. When your dog stops the unwanted behaviour, give them a command (e.g. quiet) and reward them, either with lots of praise or a tasty treat. www.companyofanimals.com | 01932 566696Canine Control Product of the MonthAdvertising featurewww.dogs-holiday.co.ukDogs stay free!Boturnell Farm CottagesHome from home for you and your dogs. If they are relaxed, then you can relax. Every cottage has an enclosed garden for those late night & early morning comfort breaks. PLUS: 8 acres of woods ● Throws for the furniture ● Animal ﬁ rst aid kit Want to advertise your business in our classiﬁ ed adverts section?Call Mike McGlynn now on 01276 402591 or send an email to mike@dogstoday magazine.co.uk6622JulyHolidays, Charities, Services & ProductsClassiﬁ ed advertsNovember 2023 Dogs Today65Craig Y Nos CastleHalf-way between Swansea and Brecon, Craig Y Nos Castle is an excellent venue for your wedding in Wales and also for dog-friendly accommodation in South Wales.With some great deals to choose from, Craig Y Nos Castle is the perfect place to stay. There are loads of excellent walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park and all our B&B deals include full cooked breakfast while there is a well-stocked bar and á la carte meals served in the evenings. We offer Dinner Bed & Breakfast deals throughout the year – dates are subject to availability and will be listed on our website.Dates are regularly added and if you wish to be added to our mailing list please email info@craigynoscastle.com - and you will be one of the ﬁ rst to know.www.craigynoscastle.comHoliday Venue of the MonthAdvertising featureNOW TAKING CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS

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Dogs Today has always been more than just a magazine; we just can’t help straying into creating strange happenings in our spare time. Early on in our history, we’d been inspired by a beautiful Bull Terrier, who claimed to be a top business bitch. She threw famous Christmas parties for all the clients of a top PR ﬁ rm where she worked. We proudly put Miss Daisy on the cover and launched a competition for other career dogs. Of course, we all took our own dogs to work with us – but how many others did? Could we inspire employers to be a bit more dog friendly?We were astounded by the media excitement to our new awards. It attracted hundreds of entries and almost as many journalists who wanted to attend the ﬁ nal. As usual, we had created a monster! Who could host this epic gathering of doggie professionals? Back then, many places were strictly no dogs and we didn’t have any money to spend on the event, even if they did let us in! A BIG ASKI was never afraid of being cheeky. Probably because I had no idea how audacious I was being – it was before the internet, so I couldn’t look anything up. Lord Rothermere, our founder, loved the awards concept and said I should talk to one of his friends, Mark, as he took his dogs to work with him, too. As this was long before Google and I was just a girl from Liverpool, I wasn’t aware that Mark ran probably the most famous and exclusive nightclub in the world. But I knew that Berkeley Square was a very posh address; it was just around the corner from my old employer, the Kennel Club.Wikipedia now tells me that Diana Ross and Tina Turner had both performed to guests at this intimate venue. Apparently, even the Queen enjoyed their gin martinis (without lemon). I know now that this venue is where the royals and the jet-set partied in secret. The Beatles were once refused entry because of their footwear. Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson turned up dressed as policemen the night before Fergie married Prince Andrew.CHAMPAGNE & CANAPÉSI blush now at my cheek in asking Mark if he would host our ﬁ rst Dogs at Work Awards. His club was called Annabel’s. So, me asking if Dogs Today could use the nightclub for free and invite the media inside was quite a big ask. Especially as the press had never been allowed inside before.Bless him, Mark didn’t even ﬂ inch; he said yes and even threw in free Champagne and canapes for everyone. He wasn’t in the least worried that the dogs might wreck the place, but he was a bit jumpy about the journalists’ behaviour.Katie Boyle and Gyles Brandreth were on the microphones. For some reason, Michael Jackson’s party organiser volunteered to help pack the place with celebrity guests who doubled up as the judges. It felt like every journalist in Britain was inside; the place was packed.The celebs were rather an eclectic bunch. Actor Burt Kwouk admitted to me he didn’t like dogs. David Van Day, one half of Dollar, ate a lot of the canapes. But it was the dogs that were the real superstars. We had no idea our Dogs at Work Awards would go on to be celebrated globally. Dogs Today founded the ﬁ rst Take Your Dog to Work Day. We didn’t copyright it, of course! We just released it to the world and let it grow, and now loads of other people claim they started it. But we know otherwise, don’t we! PIllustration KEVIN BROCKBANKogs Today has always been more than just a magazine; we just can’t help straying into creating strange happenings in our Lord Rothermere, our founder, loved the awards concept and said I should talk to one of his friends, Mark, as he took his dogs to work with him, too. As this was long before Google and I was just a girl from Liverpool, I wasn’t aware that Mark ran probably the most famous and exclusive nightclub in the world. But I knew that Berkeley Square was a very posh address; it was just around the corner from my old employer, the Kennel Club.Bless him, Mark didn’t even ﬂ inch; he said yes and even threw in free Champagne and canapes for everyone. He wasn’t in the least worried that the dogs might wreck the place, but he was a bit jumpy about the journalists’ behaviour. Confessions of a dogaholic66Dogs Today November 2023 Barkily SquareREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARStops dogs pulling on the lead and gives you back control.Life-Changing products for you and your dog!Also available: Collars, Non Slip Leads and Gripper Training Leads oﬀering added security and conﬁdence throughout the winter months.NO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORT‘Matching accessories in a selection of colours’ with high quality workmanship and ﬁttings.Endorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour AssociationCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk WINNER2020Global100Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 – UK‘PRODUCT I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT’For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Winners 2013-2023AWARDED ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020-21 - UK’ and Most Innovative Dog Collar Manufacturers 2019

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