Town & Country Pet Sitting Services

29/04/2023

Dogs all over England are smiling today. As of Feb 1st 2024 remote electric (shock) collars will be banned in England. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for 10 years to get this done! The dogs thank you!
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2023/april/cruel-electric-shock-collars-banned-in-england/

22/04/2023

Yesterday I saw a video from a well-known trainer on social media that discussed how there is no such thing as “too much exercise” for dogs. This discussion was accompanied by b roll of dogs fetching balls in a variety of places.
I don’t usually get involved in trainer arguments but I need to say something about this.
There ABSOLUTELY is such a thing as too much high-arousal exercise. And you probably don’t want to find out for yourself what happens next.
Activities that tend to *physically* wear dogs out the fastest are also the ones that create the highest excitement levels. Fetching balls. Playing frisbee. Racing around at the dog park. Chasing water from the garden hose. Running next to a bike.
All of these are physical exercise, but they also create intense arousal states. And if you put your dog into high-arousal states repeatedly you better know how to train around this, too.
I have a lot of students who fell into this trap. They got a high-energy dog (a GSD, a herding breed mix of some sort, a retriever etc.).
They figured out that the fastest way to make the dog physically really tired (the tongue-hanging-to-the-floor-kind-of-tired) was by playing chuck-it for half an hour. Or by taking the dog to the dog park every day for a wild romp.
The dog started to crave these arousal states (as programmed in their DNA).
But at the same time, no impulse control training happened. So now we have a dog who knows the fun of adrenaline and who seeks it, without having been taught to listen and regulate when in a state of high excitement.
This dog will start to show other problems. They might get frustrated to the point of redirecting when they cannot access fun immediately. They might be vocalizing or unable to settle and then I get messages that say “My dog just cannot be normal in public”.
If your dog gets to enjoy a high-arousal activity every time they leave the house, they will start to expect (and eventually demand) a high-arousal activity every time.
And this is not fun.
Your dog needs a balance of high-arousal and low-arousal activities. Furthermore, the more high-arousal activities your dog has, the more you have to balance these with impulse control training. It’s not fair to make our dogs crazy without teaching them the skills to un-crazy ;)
“Exercise” can have four quadrants:
- Low-arousal, not physically demanding (sniff walks)
- Low-arousal, physically demanding (hiking)
- High-arousal, not physically demanding (excited waiting while another dog works)
- High-arousal, physically demanding (fetching)

Make sure you are aware which type of exercise you are providing for your dog, and try to reach a balance that works for your dog.
If you are unhappy with your dog’s arousal level or impulse control in daily life, look at whether this is amplified by the type of exercise you are providing.

24/12/2022

19/07/2022

Dear Bark: My 12-year-old Bulgarian Shepherd, Gus, has never been very interested in play. Gus has been very restless, fussing for attention throughout the day. His behavior is making it hard for me to work. How do I get my quirky boy to play with me and work off some of this energy?

24/05/2022

Do you use an underground electric shock fence to contain your dog? Are you considering having one installed? I hope reading this will change your mind.

13/05/2022

We let dogs sniff. I think of it as a dog-led walk.

There is nothing which impresses me less than seeing a dog walking to heel. I honestly couldn't care a jot. Loose lead walking, exploring where and when appropriate, not only coping, but enjoying the environment are much more important for your dog's life. And no, this doesn't mean it's a free for all.

I have a current client who was in the army. I asked him if he liked doing drill. Guess what the answer was. Our dogs are not in the military. Marching round a hall or any other space being instructed to "heel", "about turn", "halt" while on a short lead deserves to be condemned to history. It's not enjoyable for your dog nor is it teaching much in the way of life skills.

Let's teach our dogs to be relaxed and confident and social in the world. It's not the 1950s any more.

Peace out.

10/05/2022

I see this is intended as a little joke, but I would add that just because a kitty rubs up against you does not mean they want to be petted. In their feline mind they may have a completely different agenda. I’ve learned to accept cats on their terms, not mine.

No touchy!😾😻

09/03/2022

‼️ Why are you paying someone to hurt your dog?

‼️ Why are you watching someone on TV hurting dogs?

‼️ Why do you like and comment on a social media account that hurts dogs?

Hurting? Oh.. sorry.
I mean ‘correcting’ dogs. How silly of me.

I’m seeing an increase in dog trainers locally, on social media AND on TV (don’t let a cravat and a jolly Yorkshire Accent fool you) that use
pain and discomfort in the form of leash ‘corrections’ to stop certain behaviour like barking and lunging at other dogs, pulling on lead or jumping up.

I’m talking specifically about lead/leash ‘corrections’ here..

A leash correction is when a handler pulls sharp on a dogs neck with a flat collar or a slip lead (or another aversive like a check chain or prong collar) then releases it immediately to stop or interrupt an unwanted behaviour.

Leash jerks
Leash ‘pops’

‘Just a quick ‘pop’ on the lead...

Whatever you want to call it.

It’s a YANK.. on an animals neck. 🤯

👉 It’s used to startle.
👉 To cause discomfort.
👉 To HURT.

Have you ever had whiplash? If you have, think back to that instant it happened.

I have never suffered whiplash.. however I can imagine what it’s like as I have two fused discs in my neck that have caused me a lot of pain and discomfort over the years.

The mere thought of a sharp, sudden force administered to my neck literally sends shivers down my spine.

Even if I didn’t have my neck issue, would the above stop me in my tracks.

HELL YES!

The thing is... leash ‘corrections’ work.

If someone suddenly administers a short sharp force to your neck... its going to startle you. 👀

You might feel dizzy.
Confused.
It’s going to hurt. 😔

Sure, you’re going to stop what you were previously doing a second ago!

Then it happens again, and again.

And your instinct tells you that if it keeps happening you’re going to be really injured... if not already.

So you comply. You go into survival mode.

👉 You walk ‘nicely’
👉 You pretend that other dog doesn’t exist.
👉 You exhibit behaviour that appeases.

👉 You keep your head low.
👉 You don’t want to put a foot wrong.

You may look ‘Calm’
‘Fixed’

In reality inside you feel horrendous. 😨

Confused. Betrayed. Anxious it’s going to happen again.
On edge.
That dog you are now forced to walk by... STILL scares you. Even more so now.

But you have to comply.

Because you need to look FIXED and CALM to avoid the pain.. 😣
Just because we’ve always put a collar on our dogs neck does NOT mean their necks are somehow different or like super reinforced steel.

Necks are sensitive.
Necks should be looked after.

Not caused trauma, damage and pain by unethical practices by SOME dog trainers who CHOOSE punishment and LACK the skills needed to change your dogs behaviour long term in a positive & kind way.

✅ Behaviour can be changed effectively without the use of this barbaric method.
... don’t pay someone to hurt your dog.

🌟Pic of one of my client’s dog🌟

We are helping her feel better about ‘scary’ strangers who she was barking at.
There is one at that moment walking past on the other side of the road.

✅ She is enjoying her training. We don’t need to use punishment to change her behaviour.

✅ Notice the harness and lead. Relaxed.

✅ Nothing is tugging at her neck.

Please....educate yourselves on what is ethical.
And what isn’t.

19/02/2022

What it’s like traveling with my wife, Teresa.

08/02/2022

30/01/2022

Pet cats prefer food from a bowl rather than a food puzzle toy, study finds.

22/11/2021

This has got to be understood and not the old dominance idea. I have had to explain this so many times, I become discouraged.

Your dog is NOT trying to dominate you. Dogs do whatever works to get what they want. Management and cooperation will get you both what you want.

20/11/2021

This is an X-ray of a dog’s bent front leg. See that tiny white spec? That’s a microchip! It has migrated down the leg....far from where it was inserted, between the dog’s shoulders. This is actually quite common.....

When lost pets are scanned, the entire body SHOULD be scanned to catch any that have migrated. But, as an owner, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AT THEIR YEARLY VET EXAM, to ask for a quick scan to make sure that: (1) the chip is still working, (2) the location of the chip is good, and (3) that the chip info is correct.

Remember microchips save lives and reunite families with their pet.... just have it checked regularly!

29/10/2021

We recommend that you avoid dog on leash greetings. If an unexpected encounter occurs, use these tips to keep the meeting brief and safe.

26/10/2021

22/10/2021

5 ways to use food-stuffed toys to make your dog's meals last longer, relieve boredom, keep him busy, and provide challenge and enrichment.