Hairy Hikers of Sale

19/05/2024

02/04/2024

11/02/2024

Settling in nicely

11/02/2024

The cuddliest boy

11/02/2024

Exploring the woods

11/02/2024

Enjoying a sniff

11/02/2024

Another water lover

11/02/2024

Sometimes, it's nice to watch the world go by.

11/02/2024

Enjoying a dip

11/02/2024

Friday gang

11/02/2024

Nothing will stop this boy going in the water - ice or no ice!

11/02/2024

Lovely boy!

11/02/2024

A very rainy day

18/12/2023

To all of the lovely dogs I walk, and their owners, wishing you a merry Christmas and thanks for all of the great walks this year.
I don’t send cards or buy presents for the dogs as I know that they are all truly spoiled and adored on a daily basis!
Instead, Hairy Hikers will make a donation to charity, this year it will be Doodle Rescue (charity no 1193956) which rehomes poodle cross breeds.
Wishing you good health and happiness in 2024 🦮🐕‍🦺🐾

15/10/2023

1.....2...3...Separate.
If you watch dogs you will see this can be a normal pattern of behaviour that many dogs display when they naturally encounter others and we can mimic this.
You may have even experienced meetings which suddenly turned about 5 seconds after they met, one dog suddenly got snappy. They may have hung around too long and social cues may have been ignored.
The 3 second "rule" is a good way to help dogs that struggle with reading other dogs.
However, this is NOT for dogs that are hyper excited and are "digging" in to meet others....this likely won't help.

🔵If you have a puppy/dog that is calmer and perhaps unsure, this can help.
🔵Choose your dogs wisely for this and watch the body language of BOTH dogs.
🔵Just because 3 seconds is mentioned....if you see an issue before 3 seconds, advocate and remove your dog.
🔵You can do this on a lead BUT remove the tension on the lead, Tension creates tension.
🔵You can repeat this if signals are good after the first meeting. Some dogs will need 4 - 5 micro meetings over a few minutes to be comfortable.
🔵Don't even attempt if either dog is giving a very clear "No"
🔵Dogs do NOT need to meet every other dog they encounter and encouraging that can be dangerous as you know nothing about the other dog....be choosy with this.
✅If your dog doesn't want to engage with any dog, that is just fine. Every dogs sociability is fluid and many do not enjoy the company of other dogs, and even when they do, they can be very choosy.

If you haven't tried this give this a go.... with a well thought out calmer dog to help your puppy or dog that may be struggling.

Everyone is free to share these posts on social media, however off social media use is protected.
Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make . All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright. Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters etc. Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for Graphics

07/10/2023

There is so much more I wanted to say on this subject, but it wouldn't fit on the graphic. Some other points I wanted to make about letting dogs meet by pulling towards each other.

🔵 Face to face meetings are not common when dogs are interacting off lead.
🔵 You have no idea if the other dog yours is desperate to meet is friendly...or not.
🔵 The majority of dogs are very choosy who they interact with....encouraging them to pull towards dogs doesn't allow them to take time to read the other dogs behaviour or body language.
🔵 They will ALWAYS do this if this is encouraged.
🔵 Encouraging dogs to meet face to face will encourage your dog to go directly to dogs faces whether off lead or on.
🔵 Dogs will take just a few seconds to decide if they like each other, if they are face to face (and with tension) it can end very badly.
🔵 Dogs read energy, the other dogs, the other guardian/owners and yours. If they sense an increase in respiration, heart rate or stress hormone release.... they can interpret that as danger and will react to that perceived danger. They cannot flee, they could fidget, they may freeze......but many will go straight to fight.
🔵 There is a period of time (just a few seconds) when dogs do meet face to face which can be filled with tension (you may notice dogs are excited to pull towards and then stiffen when there)...that is a very dangerous time...and your dogs face is right beside a dogs mouth.
🔵 It can take just one negative experience for dogs to develop reactivity...and having a tense lead with no other options to escape a situation can cause a lifelong issue with lead reactivity and dog reactivity.

Everyone is free to share these posts on social media, however off social media use is protected.
Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make . All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright. Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters etc. Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for Graphics

30/09/2023

Thank you to Rachel Bean for a really informative and invaluable canine first aid course today. Learnt lots and am now better prepared for when I’m out and about!

30/09/2023

Puppy toileting issues are just as common as feeling the puppy blues .....and often they go together. It can be incredibly frustrating for everyone ,including your puppy. This graphic goes over some important points when toilet training a new puppy. One very big issue that some people don't realise is many puppies/dogs tend to like to urinate in separate areas to where they defecate.
Some more tips on puppy toileting......

🔵You could be waiting and waiting for a p*e and not realise this is where they actually defecate the majority of the time.

🔵Toileting puppies should be on a lead and it should be a bit boring.....it isn't fun or play time until they have finished. Opening doors for puppies and not supervising allows puppies to freely wander an area where they may soon forget they even need to urinate.....They are off playing with a leaf. Then they come back after 15 mins and have an accident.

🔵Be aware that some puppies p*e twice. You have taken them to their urination spot, they have gone wees (great!) you praised and go back inside.....they then proceed to squat on the carpet and do another wee. So if you have a double p*e pup....walk back to the house....turn around before you enter and go straight back to the urination spot.

🔵Praise is great. Some people actually go really overboard with praise and can scare their pups with their loud "Hurrah's" and scoop up their puppy for kisses. Puppies can easily make a negative association with toileting.....so yes praise but maybe at a lower level if you are a little too enthusiastic.

If your puppy has an accident.....it is ok. Don't rub their nose in it, don't scold, don't discipline....just quietly clean it up and aim to get your timing better or watch those signals more.
Puppies will always have accidents.

The second part of accidents is a medical issue (and I am always wary of discussing medical issues as I am not a veterinary professional... but it is important).....it is fairly common for puppies to have UTI's (urinary tract infections), and the signs can be more accidents, urinating right in front of you, changes in frequency and attempting to urinate again and again (they certainly aren't all the signs though, just some common ones).
Blood in the urine (visible blood) or red tinged/pink urine is a trip to the vet asap but many UTI's grumble away without those visible signs....the urine can look fairly normal....but urination habits have changed. Don't ignore those changes, speak to your vet.

Toileting is a very private time for many puppies and dogs.....so a toilet area that is on the quieter side of the house would be a wise step too.

Everyone is free to share these posts on social media, off social media use is protected.
Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make . All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright. Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters etc. Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for Graphics

25/09/2023

Do you love dogs, but can't commit to one full time? 🐶
Become a Barking Mad dog sitting host! 🐾
https://ow.ly/LjVZ50PL5wr

08/09/2023

Lovely to be back walking now that the holidays are over, shady walks this week and time for lots of sniffing in the woods - 3 varied one hour routes from Priory woods, lucky to have this on our doorstep 😄

18/07/2023

Love these guys, happy, happy dogs, who always give me the warmest welcome 🤗

Am on holiday for the next few weeks, catching up with my daughter who has been travelling around south-east Asia, before she heads to Australia🇦🇺

10/07/2023

Great walks right on our doorstep here in Sale, this morning we looped from the water park, along the Mersey to Chorlton Ees and back. Our next walk went along the TransPenine trail and into Dainewell woods - all before lunch!

29/06/2023

Lovely walks this past month, we walk early in the day on shaded paths and in the woods to stay cool ☀️

25/05/2023

Another lovely week walking Duggee, shady walks in the woods when it’s warm and as a pup he’s enjoying taking it all in and loving life!