Puppy class is on TONIGHT, 6pm in the fine City of St Albans (also on the Monopoly board!)
It is your last chance to come and join in the fun till my next one in April....sooo
be there or loose your hair, and have 'a mare' trying to train your puppy 😆.
You will notice I did not excel at poetry at school hence my current occupation! You can secure your spot here: https://www.stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk/puppy-classes
Happy National Whippet Day! Let’s see your gorgeous whippets! Does anyone remember Lady, Niles’ dog in Fraiser? She was a little whippet! Let's see your beauties.. do they go to cafe's with you?
PS: Mine's a Double decaf non-fat latte, medium foam, dusted with just the faintest whisper of cinnamon.. not really.. just a tea! 🫖
Photo of a beautiful dog who is grey with mottled spots laying on the sofa.
It was great to meet the children at Prae Wood Primary School and do a Blue Cross talk all about dog body language and how to interact with dogs. 🐾
🌲Visitors over the holidays - consent petting and more.
Puppy class is in Jan! Come and learn some skills.
Canine Christmas Visitors - what to think about 🐶
A save haven can be a dog's own room, a cosy crate, a place behind the sofa - when they are there visitors don't disturb and look in or touch them .. a safe space is not just for Christmas!
🎄Christmas hazards can include chocolate grapes and mince pies.🍇 🍫
Will chicken make it all better? Decompression is key, aswell as having an excellent understanding of body langauge. Lili Chin's book Doggie language is brilliant!
Is your dog stressed in the car?
Car travel can be stressful for many dogs but of course, trips to the park, vets, groomers and holidays can all be reasons you may need to travel in the car with your dog. Heart and respiratory rate can change when a dog is stressed.
Stress can activate the HPA Axis (the Hypothalamus – Pituitary – Adrenal – Axis). Stress can involve an increase in neutrophils. Neutrophils are a white blood cell, they can increase when attempting to deal with an infection or inflammation.
Lymphocytes are also a white blood cell, they can decrease in stress related travel – which can result in a high risk of infection.
Glucocorticoids can also be released (these are steroid hormones and control metabolism in muscles and bone.. they can also affect mood and sleep as they affect the brain too). Therefore a dog can be more grumpy and less able to relax after a car trip.
Catecholamines can also be released – they are created by nerve cells and high levels can result in pounding in the chest and anxiety.
So potentially, stress related travel can make a dog poorly.. behavioural and physical health are linked.. one always affects the other. That’s why it is so important to work on vet referral and with a qualified behaviourist… it’s not always as simple as putting a dog in the car with a kong and classic fm!!
References
Chmelíková et al., 2020. Salivary cortisol as a marker of acute stress in dogs: a review. Domest Anim Endocrinol. 72:106428
