What Is Puppy Socialisation And The Benefits?

What Is Puppy Socialisation?!

A process for puppies to start get used to different dogs and people and how to interact – all animals go through this stage and sets them a blueprint for later life!

When does socialisation start?

Socialisation starts around three weeks to twelve /fourteen weeks of age so most of this work is done before they leave the breeder. This is why it is so important to ensure our puppies have been brought up in a good environment and have already been exposed to experiences and socialised at an early age.

Things to consider?

When we are looking at taking our puppy out and socialising we want to ensure we let them go in their own time and they can get back to us the owner easily and ensure there is space for them to move away from situations.

We want to be looking for body language that is soft and playful- make sure you look out for stress signals such as panting, wide eyes, yawning and take them out of that situation we don’t want them to be worried.

What can I do to help with socialisation pre- vaccinations?

Pre- Vaccination- Depending on the vaccinations it can feel we have a hold on when our new puppies can go out and explore the world. Always check with your vet what is safe!

We can carry them and get them used to the world – get used to noises of traffic, people and everyday life. You can start taking them to dog friendly places such pet shops, family and friends to start the socialisation.

You can also play soundtracks very low to start with this is important and gradually increase the volume each session this might be for thunder, fireworks, traffic.

Common mistakes people make

Puppy classes and socials

Adolescence 

This often happens around 6-9 months of age we start to see changes in hormones in our dogs and we can often see changes and some things that didn’t worry them before might during this stage so we need to ensure we keep socialisation and experiences positive and happy.  It is harder to socialised at this stage due to hormones and another level we need to consider. At the age of around two they reach social maturity.

Some Great Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Dogs

Some Great Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Dogs

There are many benefits to giving our dogs coconut oil it gently elevates the metabolism, provides a higher level of energy and vitality, protects your dog from illness, and speeds healing. Unrefined virgin coconut oil contains medium triglycerides(MCT’s) with antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

Healthy Skin and Coat

Improves Digestion

 "Superfood" Benefits

Top Tip: It is recommended 1/4 tablespoon of coconut oil per 10lbs of body weight twice daily for basic MCT support.  Just add it to your dog’s food!

Sensory Gardens For Dogs, What Are They?

Sensory Gardens For Dogs, What Are They?

Sensory gardens are becoming more and more popular with dog owners, what are they and why are they now a thing?

Here are some reasons why

Dogs Trust's training and behaviour team advised green-fingered dog owners to keep the following points in mind.

Some of the plants that can be used in your sensory garden:

How To Care For Your Dog In The Heat This Summer

How To Care For Your Dog In The Heat This Summer

Heatstroke

Your dog, just like you, can suffer from heat stroke. Heat stroke in dogs can develop rapidly with exposure to high temperatures, humidity and poor ventilation. Symptoms to look out for include:

Generally, we find that puppies and elderly dogs in summer tend to be more susceptible to heat stroke. Also we aware of dogs with thick, heavy coats or dogs with an existing cardiovascular or respiratory condition can be affected too. Certain breeds with narrow airways, such as bulldogs, are particularly prone to heat stress. If you’re worried about any form of heat stress, the best course of action is always to seek prompt vet attention!

Sunburn

Another danger to be aware of is dog sunburn. Many believe because dogs have fur, they are not susceptible to sunburn. Some dogs however can get burnt, especially if their hair is light and thin. Some dogs even have no hair at all in areas such as around the nose, and these areas can be easily burnt when out in the sun.

Paw pads can be burnt when on a walk. If it is a particularly hot day your dog may struggle outside, especially if you are walking on surfaces that heat up quickly. The best way to check if it is too hot is to press your hand on the surface, if you can’t hold your hand there for long it’s too hot for your pooch to be walking on. If this is the case, walking on grass might be safer.

How to keep your dog cool

Make sure your dog has access to clean water at all times, ideally a large bowl filled to the brim. Carry water and a bowl with you on walks. On hot days, walk your dog during the cooler parts of the day, in the early morning and late evening. Watch your pet for signs of over-heating, including heavy panting and loss of energy. If you recognise these signs when on a walk, stop, find a shady spot and give your dog water.

Make cooling tasty treats by making ice cubes with your dog’s favourite food inside or stuff a Kong and pop it in the freezer!

Reasons Why You Should Have Your Dog Trained

Reasons Why You Should Have Your Dog Trained

Whatever the dogs age, breed, or temperament, every dog can benefit from undertaking training Here are some reasons for training your dog whether that be on a 1-1 basis or enrolling on a group class.

  1. Training benefits both dog and owner

One of the best ways to build a healthier relationship with your dog is to understand how your dog learns and use the principles of positive training to make learning as rewarding, successful and easy as possible. Positive training, rewards and motivates a dog for good behaviour, allows you to build a relationship with your dog based on mutual trust and respect. Working regularly with your dog helps you to understand his/her needs better, making you an even better owner as well. It can also be a great source of exercise and open up new possibilities for you—the better behaved your dog is, the easier it is to take him/her along wherever you go.

  1. For their own safety

The better you can control your dog with voice commands, the better you can protect him/her when unrestrained. A dog that bolts when off the leash is much more likely to run in front of a car, or to slip out the front door before you’re ready to leave.

  1. It helps your dog to be more sociable

As your dog learns to respect boundaries and behave properly in social situations, other dogs (and people) will be more comfortable and at ease around your dog.  As a result, more of these interactions will be positive experiences for your dog. Training your dog to have good manners and behave well in different situations requires effort, but consistent commitment ensures success. We have high expectations for our dogs, encouraging them to be friendly with everyone they meet, even if they are uncomfortable in certain situations. It is therefore vital to socialise your dog by giving them good experiences in the presence of all kinds of people, animals and environments and social situations.

Doing so at a young age will give confidence and lessen the chance of experiencing anxiety and discomfort in adulthood.

Socialisation does not mean your dog has to always physically touch another dog or a person. Humans ‘socialise’ all the time without physically touching each other. Exposing your dog to different situations where they can observe at a distance is as important. People are naturally drawn to interact with a cute pup and when dogs greet each other some physical touching is likely to take place.

Socialisation is all about keeping your dog comfortable in these social situations while taking care not to force them into a situation they might find uncomfortable. Not all dogs, like people, are social. Understanding how your dog copes will determine how far you can go and even though having a social dog is preferable in our society, it is not a failure to keep your dog out of a situation she finds uncomfortable. Observing how your dog copes will help you respect and understand their limits.

  1. Because you can teach old dogs new tricks

There are plenty of myths out there that might be stopping you from moving forward with your dog’s education. But many of them are just plain wrong, and some may even be causing you to encourage bad behaviour. A dog’s age is no indication of their capacity to be trained. Older dogs may be need a few physical accommodations, particularly larger dogs or those with weight problems, but they can learn to take instruction just as well as younger dogs.

  1. To Avoid Problem Behaviours

Training your dog builds up a language of communication between you that promotes security and comfort. The more time you invest teaching your dog to live successfully in a human world the more you will avoid problem behaviours that come from lack of understanding. Many dogs respond well to cues such as sit and stay in the classroom, but remain unprepared to deal with life’s pressures in the real world. Make sure that every cue or action has a purpose behind it such as sitting at before crossing roads.

  1. It Teaches Life Skills

Every dog needs to learn how to live successfully in a home environment. Teaching your dog basic manner skills and providing them with enough mental enrichment and physical exercise will prevent developing anxiety and other stress related behaviours such as destructive chewing, inappropriate barking and aggressive display. An important part of the learning process is to set your dog up for success by managing her environment and making it easy for your dog to do well.

Behaviour Training Methods Using Muzzles

Behaviour Training Methods Using Muzzles

Every dog owner has their own opinions on muzzles in most cases the main reason people develop a negative opinion is because they associate a muzzled dog with aggressive behaviour and a dangerous dog.

This however isn’t always the case...

There are various different types of muzzles, two of the main ones are:

Basket muzzles which are bulkier, but have advantages over most other muzzles. It's easy to feed dogs through the slots of a basket muzzle, and basket muzzles allow dogs to pant (sweat) and drink usually are made from plastic or metal.

Mesh-type muzzles which are ideal for quick use, such as at the vet, and are easier to transport due to their lightweight design. For all muzzles, make sure you have the right size and the proper fit to help your dog avoid discomfort.

The use of a dog muzzle should always start with positive training.

There are steps that should be implemented for the use of a muzzle it’s not a simple as just putting it on, this can cause distress and anxiety and often make behaviour worse instead of better.

• Muzzles can be used to help with desensitisation processes such as the vets, groomers as some dogs snap when having nails clipped, being brushed, or being vaccinated.

• Muzzling an aggressive dog can be a good management solution in a particular situation, but a muzzle should not be used as a substitute for behaviour modification you should always seek help to change the behaviour.

It is NOT appropriate to use a muzzle to prevent a dog from barking, or to reduce destructive behaviour (e.g. chewing). These along with other stress-related behaviours need the underlying motivations to be addressed.

There are many positives to muzzle training and something that should be trainer from a young age where possible as you never know when you might need to use one. In some cases it can just be for peace of mind when working on certain problems.

Ideas of Exercising Your Dog In Winter

Ideas of Exercising Your Dog In Winter


Some great options such as feeding balls:

Trixie Dog Activity Snack Ball 9 cm
Trixie Dog Activity Snack Ball
To view this item on Amazon,
click here.


Interactive Dog Feeding Toys & Puzzles such as:

AICHO New: Dog Puzzle Toys, Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy with Non-Slip, Increase IQ, Fun Flower Slow Dispensing Feeding Pet Dog Training Games Feeder for Mini Dog Puppies

Dog Puzzle Toys Dog Training Games AICHO Interative Treat Dispensor For Your Dog
To view this item on Amazon,
click here.


Interactive Dog Feeding Toys & Puzzles such as:

Prom-note Dog Sniffing Mat Round Dog Sniffing Carpet Washable Dog Snuffle Mat Large Flowers Shaped Pollutant Free Soft Dog Training Feeding Foraging Skill Blanket Dog Play Mats Puzzle Toys

Dog Puzzle Toys Dog Training Games AICHO Interative Treat Dispensor For Your Dog
To view this item on Amazon,
click here.

How Clicker Training Works For Dogs

How Clicker Training Works For Dogs

There are many different methods to training one of them is Clicker training. What is this? ……An animal trainer called Karen Pryor came up with the idea of using a signal to tell the animal when it had done a great job. This is where the clicker came in!

The Sound of the click is to identify accurately, the specific achievement for which it would now get a great reward which becomes a marker for your dog.  So basically when your dog does the behaviour you want them too they will start to associate the click with positive association.

It can be used not only to teach dogs to respond to cues with basic behaviours like ‘sit’ or ‘down’ but also to teach dogs to carry out behaviours that they would never do naturally such as turning on light switches which would be done via shaping the behaviour.

Always make sure that you have plenty of treats at the ready for training sessions!

Be aware that some dogs can find the click sound daunting at first so you might have to muffle the click to begin with such as covering with a cloth or click in your pocket.

Clickers can be purchased at most pet stores and online some links below:

PetSafe Clik-R Training Tool, Obedience Aid, Clicker for Dogs
Clicker Tool For Dogs Recommended
To view this item on Amazon,
click here.

Trixie Dog Activity Target Stick

Trixie Clicker Tool For Dogs Recommended
To view this item on Amazon,
click here.

How To Make Dehydrated Dog Treats

How To Make Dehydrated Dog Treats

At the weekend, I bought my first dehydrator so far it is worth its money in gold. I have recently been making dog food from scratch so my dogs get the best food and quality my fur babies deserve. It is fair to say so far they have loved it!

What I have made so far:
• Banana
• Apple slices
• Sweet potato

Using this machine saves time and you are guaranteed great results there is no way you can overcook, burn or undercook a product you dehydrate, just perfection.

This week I am moving on to try dehydrating meat for my pooches:
• Chicken
• Sea bass jerky
• Salmon jerky
• Beef jerky

The Dehydrator that I bought was from Amazon, which was equipped with an efficient flow-drying system, the dehydrator slowly and evenly extracts moisture and preserves food by using low levels of heat. This process inhibits bacterial growth, preserves food for months and retains nutrients and flavour. Ideal for fruits, meats, fish, vegetables, greens, herbs, yoghurt and bread.

• Large 5 Tier / Trays. Each tray can hold 1kg. Fan from the top of the unit. Temperature control from 40-70℃. Includes an air duct inside to keep the temperature stable in each tier/tray. Powerful 350W motor, top mounted fan, ventilating function and overheat protection. Easy clean trays and removable dishwasher safe fan. Includes instruction manual with temperature and drying time guidelines.

• Dimensions: 33cm x 33cm x 29cm. Tray depth: 3cm

I have added the link for anyone that would be interested in the product to make their own dog treats. With a dehydrator, it is really trial and error you need to play around to get it perfect, I made sure the slices were really thin and put in on the highest setting and check on it every few hours.

I will keep you up to date with my dehydration journey and new ideas! Making your own dog treats and food can work out not only cheaper but better quality and a product you can trust as you know exactly what is in the food.

Here is where you can get your own, click the image or link below:

Vivo © Professional 5 Tray Food & Fruit Dehydrator Machine

To view this item on Amazon,
click here.