24 Eastern Shore Sun December 2020
PET OF THE MONTH COMPETITION WINNER Proudly sponsored by Eastlands Pet Supply
Pet Talk
Get down
Narla is a Netherland Dwarf Rabbit. She loves her grass hay and carrots as well. She is 11 months old and also loves her cuddles too.
Eastlands Pet Supply
Congratulations! Please contact Eastland Pet Supply on 6244 2673 to arrange collection of your prize. *Winner has 30 days from distribution to claim their voucher in store. In the event of a tie, the prize will be split.
To enter your pet in next month’s “Eastern Shore Sun’s Pet of the Month” please email a photo and a few words about your pet to Louise at: advertising@easternshoresun.com.au All entries will be shared on our Facebook page and the winner will be the entrant with the most “likes” at the end of voting. The winning entry will feature in next month’s Eastern Shore Sun and will win a Eastland Pet Supply $50 voucher*!
Entries for January close: Voting starts: Voting finishes 5pm:
Wednesday 13 January Thursday 14 January Tuesday 19 January
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The Dog Grumbler I SPEND a lot of time with dogs. We visit places where dogs are comfortable and welcome. Dog parks are pretty much my office and I’m happy to say they grow more numerous and better equipped all the time. I rarely have aggression issues and I’m often asked to help with dogs that are deemed antisocial. I start by explaining that there is no reason for two dogs to fight on neutral turf except to defend their owners — or their owners’ personal space. I like to demonstrate this by walking their dog safely through a park, engaging with as many strange dogs as possible. I have an advantage
– I don’t smell or act uncomfortable. I also know how to tell every dog in the park that my companion and I are friendly and eager to chat. When a dog looks at us or approaches, I squat next to my dog. This elicits the same response as a play bow — it makes friends. Most dogs approach and interact with my canine company, some then come and touch noses with me. This is how animals introduce themselves; they smell each other’s breath. That’s why dogs jump up on people they like. Of course, just understanding this doesn’t stop owners feeling uncomfortable but there are other things you can do to let your dog and the dog world know that you are not stressed by a situation. I believe dogs can smell a range of human hormones, but if they only smell one it’s probably adrenaline — the fight or flight hormone. Dogs disperse unwanted adrenaline by yawning. You may notice rising excitement in your dog as you approach a known fun location. Drive on past and your dog may yawn — that’s
why. If you yawn, you will smell less excited. Your dog will understand this much better than anything you might say. You can also look away and blink your eyes slowly. These things won’t work like magic, but they make a lot more sense to your dog than the standard human overreaction. They all help lower your own stress level and make you smell more relaxed. Unpleasant dog interactions invariably happen on lead. They begin when one owner smells tense. At this point, each dog — if it has been socialised enough to learn standard protocols from experience with other dogs — will present its credentials and expect to pass unhindered. The first step for each is to move towards the other respectfully while establishing a perimeter around its owner. If this is made impossible by a leash and a scared human, all you get is exponentially increasing human panic signals. If leashes are mandated, just crouch down with your dog. It’s international, timehonoured body language
— try it. It says “Who wants to friend me? Just check with my gatekeeper.” Your dog will get the message that you want to be friends with the stranger. Social dog problems are invariably the result of humans expecting dogs to understand English (or Swahili or Greek — there are probably lots more). Learn a couple of phrases in Canine. A handy one is “Let’s be friends”. What have you got to lose? When a dog looks at you, squat down and see what happens. Try it with your own dog, try it with strange dogs. Your dog is always looking to you for guidance. When it gets too excited, yawn, look away, blink slowly and move on. You just said “big deal — this is small potatoes”. Your companion will follow the lead of its unfazed leader. To your dog you are the Fonz. Stop panicking and smell the roses. And when you come across a potential new friend — be Kool & the Gang. Get down.
