Pets Corner

Christmas Checklist for Dog Owners

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

The increase in dog ownership continues and many of you will need to take a moment to consider how to keep you and your dog happy and safe over the festive season.

Separation Training

Top of the list for Lockdown dogs at Christmas is to avoid reigniting separation issues. Having everyone at home again for a few weeks can cause separation training to regress. Make sure you try to stick to a routine that echoes that which your dog is used to. If your dog has started to cope with some alone time or is already coping, then ensure you build in periods during the day and evening when your dog is given time by himself, just as you would normally.

Christmas Hazards

Our curious, social hounds love the smells, noises and excitement of Christmas. Christmas foods, decorations and festive plants are probably just as enticing to dogs as they are to us. However, be sure to supervise your dog around all three categories. A raft of seasonal foods are toxic and even fatal if ingested. Decorations can also be harmful if ingested or the dogs gets tangled up, and certain types of decorative plant are also dangerous. Be sure to do your homework and check up on foods and plants that are toxic to dogs. The last thing you want at Christmas is an emergency visit to the vet!

Outdoors

If the weather gets colder or damper, keep older dogs and short coated breeds wrapped up. Damp can be bad for older joints and skidding around on wet leaves, snow or ice can easily lead to joint injuries at any age. If the temperature plummets, watch out for salted paths or roads. These can cause skin irritation, especially to the pads. Wash paws on your dog’s return. Even more deadly is anti-freeze which some use to clear ice on car windscreens or pathways. To a dog it tastes like nectar but a few licks can lead to serious organ damage and death. Hairy dogs can develop painful ice balls between their pads. Remove these as soon as you can with a flannel and warm water. Ears scratched with wet, muddy paws can lead to ear infections. Again, a quick paw wipe and clean, when you return home, will help keep your dog healthy. As ever, endless running around is not the best or only way to exercise your dog. Mix physical exercise with brain games- games like ‘find’ can be played indoors as well as outside. After exercise, many dogs benefit from having a chew to help them settle and relax. Stuffed Kongs are another option. Random fireworks will continue well into the New Year. Be careful about walking your dog or puppy after dusk.

Christmas Puppies & Teenagers

A final word about the need for extra vigilance around exploratory youngsters. For many this will be their first Christmas with a puppy or adolescent dog. With all the excitement that is part and parcel of this time of year it is very likely bad habits like nippy behaviour; humping or ‘house destruction’ can re-emerge or suddenly intensify. This is just the pup’s way of burning off steam but bad habits can also stick and we don’t want that. Those of you with young dogs will need to be more vigilant. If you cannot supervise then ensure you have a nice, safe and comfortable space where your dog can be kept out of harm’s way, for periods when you are busy or just ‘resting with your eyes shut’ after that extra glass of wine. Merry Christmas!

SE22 Councillors

Councillor Charlie Smith - Goose Green Labour Councillor | charlie.smith@southwark.gov.uk

New Council Homes In East Dulwich

There 16,000 applications on Southwark Councils housing list. Southwark Council has pledged to build 12,000 new Council homes over the next few years. This building programme is well under way with new flats and houses being let to overcrowded and homeless families every month. Here in East Dulwich several sites have been identified and are underway.

The old prefabs in Underhill Road will be replaced with smart town houses at social rent. The garages in Bassano Street will become four houses with gardens also at social rent. Another site in Henslowe Road will begin construction shortly. We are also looking at other sites in East Dulwich where to build new Council homes.

Crime In Goose Green

Councillor Victoria Olisa and I attended a recent Police Ward panel meeting. Crime figures in the Goose Green Ward are relatively low compared with other parts of London. Some crimes have risen recently. Theft from motor vehicles have gone up. This is more relevant given the run up to Christmas. Police advice not to leave any presents etc visible on the back seats. Snatching of mobile phones by thieves on bikes is on the rise. Police warn not to use mobiles in public places. Finally, bike thefts have increased. Please come and have your bike marked the next time the police set up their stall in Lordship Lane.

Support Your Local Shops & Retailers

The last two years have been tough on our local shops because of the Pandemic. One retailer told me business is currently running at only 40% of pre COVID times. Now is the time to come out and support our local shops, bars and restaurants in Lordship Lane, North Cross Road, Melbourne Grove and Grove Vale.

Visit to Goose Green School

Councillor James McAsh and I recently visited the Goose Green Primary School. The school have put in a bid to the Cleaner, Greener Safer fund for an edible living wall and eco garden in the playground. It has been a very difficult time for all of us this last two years. Many of us have lost loved ones due to the virus. We may well have to wear face masks for the foreseeable future. Vaccination and booster take up will certainly help eradicate this threat to public health in the long term. On behalf of all the East Dulwich Councillors I would like to wish you all best our wishes during the Christmas holiday period and have a safe and peaceful new year.