Pets Corner

Meeting Adolescence

Pets Corner with Leonie St Clair | www.londondogstraining.co.uk

The teenage period is when most dogs end up in rescue and when many cats go missing, having decided to widen their feline horizons. This is the time the ‘perfect puppy’ goes AWOL and is replaced by a furry lunatic that has no manners, boundless energy and drives its owners insane. For owners that have raised children, dog adolescence may seem like Groundhog Day. For those who have not, teenage hounds are a rude awakening. Teenage cats are less of an issue but they too go through a period of exploration and boundary pushing- mostly involving other local cats. Young cats can go missing for weeks as they get to grips with location, territory and the competition. For dog owners, the best advice is to prepare, stay calm and manage expectations. Adolescents are still developing. They may look like adults but are still learning about life and refining social skills. A process of neural pruning is underway where practised behaviours are consolidated and others are discarded. Consider what your dog is doing. If he is still mouthing, humping, overly familiar with strange dogs, not coming back when you call him, then take steps now to reduce those behaviours- he won’t just grow out of them. On the contrary, they will become more entrenched.

Issues To Expect Include

Young, unneutered males reeking of testosterone, may find themselves in trouble with older intact males who feel compelled to see off the competition. Those same hormones can prompt the younger male to front up and try to throw his weight around- owners should supervise and intervene when necessary. Degrees of posturing and snarling are normal. The key is not to make a fuss or rush to judgement, simply move your dog on and ramp up socialisation and training. Many teens have to go onto a training line for a while. The girls can also get into trouble. The first season may involve changes in behaviour- some girls get clingy and needy, others grumpy or picky over food. Watch out for behaviours that might point to a phantom pregnancy- nest building and guarding, treating inorganic objects like puppies- washing them and taking them to the ‘nest’. Resource guarding may occur. Puberty and early adulthood are not the time to end training. Quite the opposite; core skills learned at puppy class must now be practised and refined, day in, day out. Try to continue training classes until your dog is a year old and preferably two- especially if you have a working breed. Keep boundaries and feedback consistent. Your youngster needs a decent amount of physical exercise every day, but please do not forget brain work. Equally important is continuing to teach your dog the art of settling, relaxation and switching off. Those back teeth will be bedding in until he is 12 months, so chews are essential and will aid relaxation. Discuss neutering carefully with your vet. Dogs need hormones for optimal physical, mental and social development, but once puberty is underway there is no ideal age to neuter. It all depends on medical risk factors and overall behaviours exhibited. Fearful behaviours may increase in young males after castration, but testosterone may also compel the youngster to seek potentially risky situations he’d be better off learning to avoid- with the result that he gets into trouble and more fearful still. Bitches exhibiting certain types of aggressive behaviour may or may not be improved by neutering. Neutering should be considered on an individual basis, taking the dog’s behaviours into account.

National 1-7 November 2021 www.apdo.co.uk Organising Week

National Organising Week (NOW) is approaching and is run by the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (www.APDO.co.uk). From 1-7 November Britain’s organising experts want to motivate you to clear the clutter and help get the most out of your space, time, and belongings! We’ve asked CPO ® Certified Professional

Organizer, Katherine Blackler of SortMySpace Ltd and Past President of APDO for her top tips on getting more organised this month.

“Like with like”

Gather all your similar items in one place, including shoes, CDs, books, food items, jewellery, paperwork and loose batteries. You’ll be able to see exactly how many duplicates you have, what’s no longer serving a purpose for your household and what could be thrown away or gifted onwards. Once you’ve decluttered, keep similar items together to make it easier to always find them in defined ‘zones’. Katherine believes in practicality over perfection “Even if it’s not immaculately organised within that space, it’ll save you time if it’s just the one drawer or one cupboard you need to dig around in!”

A place for everything

The goal is for everything to have a dedicated place to ‘live’ so, even if you and your household members aren’t naturally tidy, a short burst of sorting and re-homing will return your space to one you can think straight in. Create an area as close to the front door as possible for anything with what Katherine calls an ‘exit strategy’ e.g. items to be returned, posted, donated etc. “Scan the pile each time you leave the house to see if anything’s on your route that day to move it onwards and stay on top of things”.

Start Small

Don’t get overwhelmed trying to tackle the entire house at once. Choose a room and focus on just one area at a time (e.g. the floor, countertop, cupboard, drawer). If you ultimately need to deal with the whole house, Katherine suggests starting with your bedroom: “It’s the first thing you wake up to and that can influence your energy levels for the rest of the day”. Alternatively, focus on the bathroom because out-of-date medicines and congealed toiletries are an easy target for letting go of. The bathroom usually contains fewer sentimental items too that can be emotional stumbling blocks to making progress. “Have a “sentimentals box” to put trickier decisions into until you’ve warmed up your decluttering muscles” she advises.

Prime Property

Consider what items you use regularly and their location. Countertops, surfaces and any shelving or cupboard space you can access without overstretching or bending down to access items is your home’s ‘prime property’. Dedicate this valuable space to storing items your household use on a regular basis. Areas that are harder to reach (kitchen wall cabinets etc) can benefit from having items rallied up into containers. Then it’s just one box to manoeuvre to the countertop and pick a jar or packet from. In turn, it’s just one container to return to its rightful place rather than 12 jars now strewn across the countertop so it becomes easier to maintain clear surfaces!

Sort first, shop later (if at all!)

Katherine cautions against buying ANY storage or organising solutions until you’ve reviewed and decluttered first to know what volume of each category of items you’re likely to need to house – and where. “If you buy beautiful containers in advance you’re more likely to keep unnecessary items in them to justify their purchase”. Most households have plenty of suitable containers kicking about so rally up any delivery boxes, shoe boxes or ice cream containers etc to help with the initial sort-out to gather like-with-like.

CwS | Smart Business Networking

meets on the last Wednesday of every month.

Now back in person at The Lordship Pub, 211 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich SE22 8HA Find out how to register for FREE at: www.cookingwithscissors.com | e-mail: sbn@ cookingwithscissors.com Next Meeting: Wednesday 24 November 2021 - 6.45pm

Around Dulwich is the community website covering in and Around Dulwich including Dulwich Village, East and West Dulwich, Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park. Up to date events, more stories and news.

www.arounddulwich.co.uk | Follow us @SEMags_AroundDulwich

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Friday 12 November: LMP at the Crystal Palace Tango Café

7:30pm-9pm. Tango! Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla reinvented the genre of his homeland into ‘tango neuvo’, and in his centenary year, London Mozart Players and tango dancer Leroy Tango Cat, bring Piazzolla’s Latin infused rhythms and melodies to their ‘Tango Café’ at St John’s, Upper Norwood – for one night only! Join the London Mozart Players at SE19’s cosy and atmospheric pop up Tango Café for a night of hot and cool music that will have you reaching for your dance shoes, and a dancing partner!

St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, Sylvan Road, SE19 2RX.

Saturday 13 November: LK Christmas Artisan Craft & Gift Fayre – Christmas Market

11am-4pm. A time to have a fabulous Christmas Shop in a wonderful location right in the heart of Dulwich Village. Over 40 amazing individual stalls showcasing their wonderful craft and bespoke gifts. An event for the whole family, from a treat for the children to something special for a loved one you will find it all under one roof. Free Entry https://www.lkpopupfayres.com St Barnabas Parish Hall, 23 Dulwich Village, SE21 7BT

Monday 15 November: EC Local Meeting: Dulwich

6pm-8pm. (Registration from 5.30pm). The Best Networking Event in Dulwich! Join your fellow Dulwich business owners for our Entrepreneurs Circle Local Meeting. https://eclocal.co.uk/ Dulwich/join/. If you are already member you can register here: https://eclocal.co.uk/Dulwich/

Thursday 18 November: Online Wine & Cheese Tasting in aid of local charity

7pm-8pm. Local charity, Link Age Southwark have partnered with GreatWineOnline to bring you an exclusive online wine and cheese tasting event in aid of the charity's work to support older people and people living with dementia. Join them for this fun and informative tasting experience, where you'll be guided by the GWO experts in the comfort of your home. It's the perfect opportunity to get your friends and family together and begin the festive celebrations early! For full details go to

https://www.linkagesouthwark.org/.

Tuesday 23 November: Lev Parikian: A British Year Through Japan's 72 Seasons

7pm-8pm. Join Lev Parikian - bird-watcher, nature writer and conductor- as he discusses his wonderful new book, Light Rains Sometimes Fall: A British Year through Japan’s 72 Seasons. Don't miss this fascinating event that will make you see the British year afresh and experience a new way of connecting with nature. Dulwich Books, 6 Croxted Road, SE21 8SW.

www.dulwichbooks.co.uk.

Wednesday 24 November: Cooking with Scissors

6.45pm-8pm. An opportunity for local business professionals to meet, make new contacts and gain new business. The last Wednesday of every month. Free Admission. To find out more or register your interest visit:

www.cookingwithscissors.co.uk.

The Lordship Pub, Lordship Lane, SE22 8HA.

Thursday 25 November: The Fell by Sarah Moss

7:30pm-8:30pm. At dusk on a November evening in 2020 a woman slips out of her garden gate and turns up the hill. Kate is in the middle of a two-week quarantine period, but she just can’t take it anymore – the closeness of the air in her small house, the confinement. And anyway, the moor will be deserted at this time. Nobody need ever know. Bell House, 27 College Road, SE21 7BG. www.bellhouse.co.uk.

Thursday 25 November: Charter School North Dulwich Christmas Fair

5.30pm-8.30pm. The Charter School North Dulwich Christmas Fair is back. Bigger, better and more beautiful than before. Entry is only £1 and all proceeds will go to supporting our wonderful community school. Charter School, Red Post Hill SE24 9JH

Friday 26 November: Martin Simpson, Liam Cooper, Creeping Jane

7pm-11pm. Martin Simpson is universally acclaimed as one of the finest ever acoustic and slide guitar players. Whether interpreting traditional material or singing his own powerful self-penned songs, Martin is a remarkable storyteller: captivating and profoundly moving. Liam Cooper is a South London based folk singer, performing his own unique arrangements of traditional songs from England, Ireland and elsewhere, with guitar and mandola accompaniment. Creeping Jane are Nygel Packett and Sue Whitehead, who started The Goose Is Out! in 2008, have been running it ever since, and now sing together. The Ivy House, 40 Stuart Road, Nunhead, SE15 3BE. #ivy_house

http://thegooseisout.com/find-us/

Saturday 27th November: Christmas Market at The Iconic Lambeth Town Hall

11 to 5pm. Expect to find Brands like Rock and Ruby; Tansey Designs; Brixton Gin; Lazy Scientist Sauces; Bed straw and Madder and more. Keep up to speed with all our events on our instagram page @designersevents2021. The Assembly Halls, Acre Lane, Brixton SW2 9SA.

Saturday 27 November: The Workshop Sale

10am-4pm. Designer/Maker workshop sale – up to 70% off a beautiful seletion of handcrafted gift ideas, samples, seconds and ends of ranges at bargain prices. Christ Church Centre Dulwich, 263 Barry Road, East Dulwich, SE22 0JT. Admission Free. www.theworkshopsale.co.uk.

Saturday 27th November: Dulwich College Christmas Fair 2021

11.30am-4pm. The Master, Staff and Friends of Dulwich College are delighted to announce that the College will once again be hosting the Christmas Fair. Our regular visitors and stallholders will know what an enjoyable day this will be. This event generates great publicity through local press, online and advertising. The College typically welcomes about 2000 visitors, there are approximately 160 stalls, selling fantastic and diverse products to meet everyone’s taste. www.dccf.org.uk