Pets

PAWS FOR THOUGHT with Sarah Fung

MEEK ON A LEASH

Common dog-walking pitfalls, and how to fix them.

Are you walking your dog, or is your dog walking you? Our canine companions need multiple exercise breaks every day, which means it’s crucial to get them to behave when we’re out and about. We speak to Sebe Dalrem, dog trainer and the founder of Project Obedience, for his advice on how to perfect your pup’s leash manners.

A LOOSE LEASH

Novice dog owners might think that a sturdy harness is the safest tool, but according to Dalrem, you’re setting yourself up for an endless tug-of-war. “When a dog pulls against you in a harness, it creates what we call an opposition reflex, in which the animal finds reward through pulling, and is motivated to pull harder against you,” he says.

Stick with a simple collar and leash setup - so long as they can’t slip it off their heads. “It’s kinder to the dog to teach them to walk on a loose leash with soft hands, rather than a harness where you have to continually pull and yank to keep the dog with you,” he adds.

START WITH BORING WALKS

Dalrem recommends a combination of leashtraining, counter-conditioning and desensitisation. “In order to get a dog walking on a leash nicely, first you need to teach them that not pulling is the more rewarding behaviour,” he says. Start by walking your dog in a relatively unstimulating environment, such as a carpark, an alleyway, or even in your home, showering your dog with positive enforcement, like praise and food, any time they display the behaviour you want. “Then, you can practice starting, stopping and changing direction to make sure they’re paying attention to you,” he adds.

SLOWLY BUILD UP TO BIGGER ADVENTURES

“You need to gradually build up your dog’s tolerance for stimuli. For example, if they’re afraid of traffic, don’t go straight out and put it behind a motorbike,” Dalrem says. “Find somewhere that they can observe cars from a safe distance, far from triggering sounds and smells. Once they’ve built up a level of acceptance, you can get a little closer in stages until they’re walking safely on a busy street,” adds Dalrem.

ADOPTION CORNER

Looking for a fur-ever friend? We’re working with local animal charities to help find animals a loving home.

JARED Male, 1 year Jared is a very friendly boy! He’s well-socialised and comfortable around people and dogs. He's medium-sized (16 kilos) and an easy-going pup in general. Jared would make a perfect addition for anyone who is looking for a playful and active dog.

Interested in adopting Jared? Contact Hong Kong Dog Rescue, hongkongdogrescue.com

MAKE SURE THEY COME BACK TO YOU

Most importantly, make sure your dog is listening to you; in dog-training circles this is known as recall - the ability to bring your dog back and give you its attention, no matter what it was doing before. “Engagement training is really the basis of obedience training. It’s defined by your dog’s ability to focus on the handler and tune out distractions," he says. "As dog owners, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and equip ourselves with the tools to handle our dogs safely."

Learn more about Project Obedience at projectobedience.com MICKEY

Female, 4 months Mickey suffered a serious injury to one of her paws, which unfortunately resulted in amputation. But that hasn’t slowed her down at all! She is very playful and affectionate, and even gets along with cats. She would be perfect for just about any type of family.

Interested in adopting Mickey? Contact Paws United, puc.org.hk

Sarah Fung is the publisher of Liv Magazine. A recent pet-owner, she's on a mission to learn all she can about caring for animals in Hong Kong. Email her with your pet news at sarah@liv.media.

@hkcleanup

@malbertlee

@amberlescelle

MONTHLY MANTRA

@myeurekalife

“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.”

― Rumi

@blissbodyretreat_hk

SHOW US HOW YOU LIV!

Tag us at @liv.magazine for a chance to be featured in our monthly Instagram roundup!

@feathernbonehk

Pick up a copy of Hong Kong’s wellness magazine at 200+ locations citywide

CAUSEWAY BAY Bodywize Fivelements Natures Village the work project Yoga Aloha

CENTRAL Alive Wellness Annerley Asia Medical Specialists Atria Properties Austy Lee Baked Bakehouse Balance Health Barre 2 Barre Be Earth Be-Juiced Blend & Grind Byrne Hickman Central Cafe 8 Caffe Habitu Central Minds Central Wellness City Osteopathy Classified Classified CranioSacral Therapy HK Defin8 Dragon-i Duddel's Elevate Elu Spa Eric Kayser Feather & Bone Feather & Bone Feather & Bone Clearwater Bay Feel Good Factor Fete Up fete up fete up Fitness Compass Flawless Fresca Glow H-Kore Healthy Chicken HSBC Gary Allen I-Detox IMC Hong Kong IMI Impakt MMA Iyara Cochrane Street JAB Studio Karma Yoga Mana mindful wing chun momentum Nature’s Village Okooko Optimum Performance Studio Central Options Studio Pilates Paul Gerrard Peak School Pherform Posture Plus Queen’s Garden Clubhouse R&R Bagels R3 Personal Training Sense of Touch LKF Soul Feet Strength Culture The Executive Centre The Firm The Murray The Right Spot Topfit Townplace UP! Health Urban Bakery Virtus Medical Group Waveworks weStretch XP Fitness Hub

HAPPY VALLEY Classified Ekologic Eric Kayser Feather & Bone HKFC Resiglow ISLAND SOUTH Beef & Liberty Byrne Hickman - Repulse Bay Classified Hong Kong Parkview Island Wake, Stanley Limewood South Island School Stanley Wellness Centre The Aberdeen Marina Club The American Club The Round Clinic Thrive health TREE

KOWLOON Beacon Hill School Goji Studios Mong Kok Jockey Club Sarah Roe School Justin Leung K11 management office KGV School Kowloon Junior School Oootopia Oootopia The Hive Lai Chi Kok USRC Weave Co-Living

KENNEDY TOWN Crossfit Asphodel Foodcraft Infiniti C Jaspas Kennedy Town Maison Eric Kayer Makerhive Spicebox organics kennedy town Townplace Utime Kennedy Town

MID-LEVELS Blend & Grind Bradbury School Chicken on the Run Elephant Grounds Eric Kayser Feather & Bone Glenealy School Organic Plus - MidLevels Queen's Garden Spicebox Organics The Adventist The Matilda

NEW TERRITORIES Clearwater Bay School Feather & Bone Shatin College Shatin Junior

QUARRY BAY/ ISLAND EAST Blueprint ESF Head Office Fete Up Healing Kingdom Healthy Chicken O:RIN Quarry Bay School total loyalty company

SAI YING PUN/ WESTERN 14 South Lane Eric Kayser F45 Feather & Bone Garage collective Goji Elite infiniti c Kennedy School Oootopia Organic Oasis Organic Plus Spicebox Organics Weave Suites West Island School

SHEUNG WAN All About You Wellness Centre Brew & Crew Classified Emmanuel F Eric Kayser fete up Found Goji Studios Central Grain of Salt House of FItness Kita Yoga Knead maximus studio Oolaa Sweetpea Patisserie vibes the place vulkano fit Yoga Room

NEW TERRITORIES WEST L'hotel Management Company Limited

WAN CHAI 12NOON Wan Chai Dwellworks Eric Kayser Feather & Bone Food for Life Wan Chai honbo Le Pain Quotidien Natures Village VSH Hong Kong

DISCOVER THE BEST OF THE BEST IN WELLNESS

Find the full list of winners in OCTOBER'S ISSUE

of Liv Magazine

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

GOLD SPONSORS: