Gooch's Pooches

13/08/2024

Very important post! Please watch the video 🐾

𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 - 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲

My dog Buddy has arthritis and we do as much as we can to help him live more comfortably with it.

Most people associate it with older dogs, however, contrary to this belief, arthritis often develops in dogs at a young age with routine screenings revealing that 2 in 5 young dogs have arthritis 😱.

Arthritis is a common condition in dogs and it can cause pain, inflammation, reduced mobility and progressive joint deterioration.

Spotting the signs of arthritis is crucial for early intervention and treatment and this link includes a BRILLIANT video by Dog Arthritis AWARE showing some of the signs to look out for.

https://dogarthritisaware.co.uk/about-arthritis

They include:

🐶 A spinal sway
🐶 A bunny hop
🐶 A sloppy sit
🐶 A small dog skip
🐶 A duck feet pose
🐶 A head bob

Behavioural changes can also occur and these can often be misread:

🐾 Laziness could be lameness
🐾 Lagging behind on walks could be hesitation or hurt
🐾 Tiredness could be tenderness
🐾 Boredom could be their pain bothering them
🐾 Being needy could be seeking comfort
🐾 Reactivity (resource guarding, growling etc) is also an early sign of pain or discomfort.

No matter how old your dog is, please do have a read of the article in the link below and watch the video as it shows some clips of dogs demonstrating the above symptoms and these may be things you've seen in your own dog but which you may not have realised, might be linked to arthritis. 🐶

https://dogarthritisaware.co.uk/about-arthritis

23/07/2024

Pain is part of life sometimes. A small injury or illness can cause days of discomfort. As our dogs get older though, they can suffer joint pain that's often ignored because we just assume they are getting old. If you think your dog might be struggling, it's worth a closer look. Ask yourself if you recognise any of these signs. If you need any help with understanding and caring for your older dog, drop us a line in the comments.

11/06/2024

Hey Handsome ❤️

08/06/2024

We have been doing very slow introductions with these 2 amazing little boys. Taking everything at their pace and not rushing them. Frank and Albie you are both an absolute pleasure to spend time with. I look forward to lots more walks and fun times together ❤️

07/06/2024

Beautiful morning with lovely Lexie ❤️🌞

05/06/2024

Been getting to know this gorgeous boy for a while now. Stanley you are an absolute sweetheart ❤️

01/11/2023

Been getting to know this amazing boy the last few weeks. What an incredible character 🐾 He has been thoroughly enjoying his walks. Meet Snoopy 💕

05/10/2023

Been getting to know this gorgeous, very sweet girl for a few weeks now. Meet Rosie 🥰

03/10/2023

Dasher looks so tiny next to Lexie ❤️

03/10/2023

YOUR DOG OWES YOU NOTHING, DIDDLY SQUAT, ZILCH, NADA

Your dog didn’t choose to come into your life. You wanted one, so you got one. The dog got no say in the matter. This is a great privilege that we as humans have. One that dogs don’t have.

However, with privilege comes responsibility.

This responsibility involves treating our dogs with respect, empathy, and compassion. Making sure that we meet their basic needs such as food, water, medical care, enrichment, and safety. If you see any of these things as being conditional on how much your dog ‘Respects’ you, you need a reality check.

Trust is earned, not given. It is your responsibility to make sure your dog feels safe and that they can trust you. This takes time and the ability to see things from your dog’s point of view.

Your dog doesn’t owe you obedience. If you want your dog to listen to you, it is your responsibility to train them, without fear or pain, to achieve what you want.

It is your responsibility to learn your dogs’ body language, how they communicate and to change your environment to encourage the behaviour you want.

It’s your responsibility, not your dogs.

07/09/2023

Due to the heat this week some of the dogs had very early morning walks and some had pop ins. Alma doesn't have a garden so we made use of the trees outside the front of her home. We sat in the shade, with water and watched the squirrels and the birds, then popped some treats in the tree bark for Alma to find and get, then continued her enrichment indoors with her snuffle/activity mat. We had a lovely time 🐾💕

28/08/2023

Handsome boys ❤️