Winter 2023 - Vanity Fur Magazine

MEDICAL DETECTION DOGS The amazing role dogs play in detecting human diseases

PUPPY FARMS

We talk to the amazing Fiona Baird, a life-long, responsible dog breeder on the do’s and don’ts when buying a puppy.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Unleash the holiday spirit with pawsome presents for furry friends and their human companions!

WIN PART OF £1000 PRIZE PACKAGE From Monty’s Larder

GERMAN SHEPHERD Fact file on this popular breed

THE PULI

A look at this beautiful Hungarian herder and why it is the breed of choice for actress/writer SALLY LINDSAY

WINTER 2023 | £4.99

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CONTRIBUTORS

Dear Readers,

As the holiday season approaches, our furry companions bring an extra dose of joy and cheer to our lives. It’s that time of year when

we celebrate the love and loyalty that our dogs shower upon us unconditionally. In this special Christmas edition of Vanity Fur Magazine, we aim to capture the essence of the season and share stories that warm your heart and inspire you.

With Christmas just around the corner, we understand that finding the perfect gifts for our four-legged friends can be quite the task.

Fear not! Our team of experts has curated a selection of gifts that will

Editor Diane Tremarco

make tails wag and bring smiles to both you and your beloved pups.

While the holiday season is undoubtedly a time of indulgence, it’s

important to remember that not all dogs are fortunate enough to have a loving home. This Christmas, let’s embrace the spirit of giving

by advocating for those in need. We feature heartwarming stories of

rescue organisations and how they are making a difference in the lives of abandoned and neglected dogs. Let’s join hands and support them in their noble missions.

As we reflect on the year gone by, let’s take a moment to appreciate

the remarkable bond we share with our dogs. Their unconditional

love, unwavering loyalty, and infectious enthusiasm remind us of the

Broadcaster, nutrition and behaviour expert Anna Webb Dog friendly breaks Claire Robinson muthapuppa Giuseppe BloomMangione Dog behaviouralist Patricia McGrady First Aider/Vet Rachel Bean RVN MCFBA Police Dog Handler Steph Allinson Dog Walker Vannessa Jones

true meaning of Christmas - spreading joy and kindness to all. In this

edition, we have incredible stories of dogs who have made a positive

Digital Content Editor Jade Tremarco

impact in their communities and beyond, showcasing the incredible ways in which they contribute to the greater good.

From all of us here at Vanity Fur, we wish you and your furry

companions a joyful and magical Christmas. May your days be filled with love, laughter, and endless tail wags. Remember to cherish

every moment and create beautiful memories with your four-legged friends. They truly are the best gift one can receive.

Head of Sales Ian Murphy

Diane FRONT COVER Photography of Monty courtesy of Rita Kochmarjova

Vanity Fur Magazine Ltd. Registered in England and Wales Reg. No. 13906826 | hello@vanityfurmagazine.co.uk | 0151 558 1007 Instagram: @vanityfurmag | Facebook: Vanity Fur Magazine | X/Twitter: @vanityfurmag

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6. A FEMALE DOG CALLED DAVE Actor/Producer Sally Lindsay talks about her Puli, Dave

28. DESTINATION DOG Fabulous Dog friendly places to stay

10. PULI FACT FILE A closer look at this Hungarian herding dog

30. XMAS SELECTION Amazing present ideas for you and your dog

12. CUSHIONS Fab Christmas-themed cushions

32. CANINE CONNECTIONS THROUGH COLLAGE Violet Von Riotshares some of her wonderful artwork

14. MONTY’S LARDER Win 6 months, chef made, free food for your dog

36. DOGGY DAY CARE A look at one of the leading DDC brands in the UK

16. MEDICAL DETECTION DOGS Exceptional dogs diagnose human disease

38. SUE-PER WOMAN A profile on unsung hero Sue Wright

20. DAISY THE DETECTION DOG Life-saving Labrador puppy

42. A HEARTWARMING TALE OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP Adventures with Skippy (not the Kangaroo)

22. ONE REPUTABLE BREEDERS MISSION Fiona Baird shed some light on detecting puppy farms

44. IN THE DARK Poppy finally has a diagnosis!

24. POLICE DOG FILES A look at the life of a Police Dog Handler

46. STYLISH WEEKEND BREAKS Weekend Candy shares another stylish getaway

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50. THE GERMAN SHEPHERD A legacy of loyalty and versatility

68. PAWS & PIXELS Unleashing the art of dog photography

52. WELLIES A selection of a British staple

70. PROTECTING OUR PROTECTORS The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals

54. MUTHAPUPPA Their mission: rescue dogs

72. ANXIETY - THE SILENT EPIDEMIC Discover ways to help your dog cope

56. WALKIES! Hilbre Island - Dog walk with Vannessa Jones

74. XMAS GIFTS More ideas for both you and your dog

58. TOYS Stocking fillers from Sophie Allport

76. PUPLICATIONS Put down your phone and read a book! A few suggestions for you

60. A BUNDLE OF THERAPY A rescue dog who turns rescuer

78. FIRST AID Sound advice - CPR Basics you need to know

64. CHARLEY CHAU Winter hygiene tips for your dogs bed

80. CONDITIONING AND FITNESS Looking after our dogs: all ages and abilities

66. CALMING SUPERFOODS Relieve stress and anxiety in your dog using suppliments

6 AN INTERVIEW WITH SALLY LINDSAY

A FEMALE DOG CALLED DAVE ACTOR, WRITER AND PRODUCER, SALLY LINDSAY RESCUED A DOG FROM HUNGRY. DAVE IS A PULI, AN ANCIENT HUNGARIAN BREED AND IS ALSO A GIRL.

How a Rescued Puli Transformed the Lives of Sally Lindsay and Steve In the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, Sally Lindsay, acclaimed actor, writer, and producer, found her heart captured not by fame or fortune, but by a four-legged friend.

This heartwarming tale recounts the journey of Sally and her husband Steve as they welcomed a rescued Puli into their lives, and how this extraordinary dog has become an inseparable part of their family.

As a courting couple, Sally and Steve often talked about their future and how they wanted marriage, children AND a dog called Dave.

The Unexpected Bond As fate would have it, Sally’s friend, Jonathan Harvey, a talented writer and proud owner of Hungarian Pulis, played a significant role in the couple’s decision to rescue a dog. Despite Sally’s allergies, a visit to Jonathan’s home introduced her to the magic of Pulis, and the couple’s curiosity was piqued. A little research led them to Hungary Hearts, a remarkable charity that rescues dogs from the streets and brings them to the UK with utmost care and compassion.

Dave’s Journey to a New Life Dave’s arrival was marked by physical scars and emotional trauma. Shaved and treated, she was a timid and fearful creature. Sally and Steve were committed

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8 to helping her heal, but the initial months were challenging. With patience and love, they witnessed a remarkable transformation. Dave’s dreads grew back, and her confidence blossomed, culminating in a memorable encounter during a park stroll, where she embraced the company of other dogs, signalling her newfound happiness.

A Unique Breed The Puli is an ancient Hungarian breed known for its distinctive dreadlocked coat.

Traditionally used for herding sheep, the Pulis protected their flock from predators, while the larger Commodore breed would confront any approaching danger. Dave’s unique blend of 75% Puli and Tibetan Mastiff heritage gives her a larger stature compared to most Pulis, embodying the strength and resilience of her lineage.

A Loving Home and Daily Routine Dave’s everyday life revolves around a loving and nurturing environment. She sleeps downstairs at night but eagerly jumps on the bed each morning for a cuddle. Maintaining her iconic dreadlocks requires regular attention, with Sally and Steve carefully separating any matting and using scissors to keep her coat healthy and beautiful.

Training and Socialisation Dave’s intelligence and eagerness to learn have made her an excellent student. House training was a breeze, and she quickly adapted to signals indicating her need to go outside.

Her natural herding instincts occasionally manifest as barking when unfamiliar faces enter the house - a testament to her protective nature and desire to create a safe space for her loved ones.

Playtime and Adventures Dave’s boundless energy finds an outlet through her beloved teddy bear, which prompts mad playtime sessions with Sally and Steve. Afterwards, she relaxes on the settee, joining

9 her human companions for a bit of television. Regular walks and visits to doggy daycare ensure she stays entertained and socialised, fostering her mental and physical wellbeing.

Nutrition and Pampering Dave’s discerning palate initially led to her refusal of dog food, but the discovery of Butternut Box changed everything. This high-quality and nutritious brand has become a staple in her diet, providing all the essential nutrients she needs while satisfying her taste buds. Dave’s toy collection is a testament to her pampered lifestyle, with countless toys scattered throughout

the house, each cherished and loved.

Sally Lindsay’s journey with Dave exemplifies the transformative power of rescue and the profound bond that can form between humans and animals.

Dave’s presence in their lives has brought immeasurable joy, reminding us all of the incredible impact that a rescued dog can have on a family. As Sally, Steve, and Dave continue to embark on adventures together, their story serves as an inspiration to all those considering opening their hearts and homes to a furry friend in need.

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PULI FACT FILE

The Puli is a small-medium breed of Hungarian herding dog known for its long, corded coat. This breed has a fascinating history, originating from ancient communities in India, western China, and Tibet. They were brought to Hungary by the Cumans, a Turkic nomadic people, who fled the Mongol invasion in the 13th century.

Characterised by their intelligence and active nature, Pulis are extremely dedicated to their families. However, they have a strong herding instinct and may try to nip at the ankles of both animals and humans. Training is essential to manage this behaviour. Despite their manipulative tendencies, Pulis are known for their happy and playful nature. They are also hardworking, affectionate, and loyal.

In terms of size, Pulis typically weigh between 11.5 to 16 kilograms. Females of the breed tend to be on the lower end of the weight spectrum. There is not much difference in height between males and females, with the average male measuring around 44 cm and the average female approximately 40 cm.

The most distinctive feature of the Puli is its corded coat. Maintaining this unique coat requires a significant amount of effort. Prospective Puli owners should thoroughly research and understand the grooming requirements before bringing one home. The cords, formed by the intertwining of the under-coat and upper coat, take up to five years to fully develop.

Regular grooming is crucial for a Puli’s coat. Starting from a young age, brushing helps stimulate the natural cording process. It’s important to separate the cords and prevent matting, paying special attention to areas behind the ears, legs, and under the tail. This grooming process should continue throughout their lives to keep their coat in top condition.

Different Pulis may have varying types of cords, ranging from fat to ribbon-like, but each individual has the same type all over with varying widths.

To prevent matting, each cord must be teased away from the skin and kept free. The eyes, ears, and tail require extra attention to maintain cleanliness and prevent matting.

Bathing is an essential part of the grooming routine, as it helps firm up the cords and keeps them free from dust and dirt. However, rubbing the cords during bathing should be avoided to prevent skin irritation. Drying involves blotting rather than rubbing, and it may take some time.

While the Puli’s coat naturally grows to floor length, trimming is necessary to prevent tripping. Regular paw trimming is also important. Although it requires significant effort, grooming becomes second nature over time. Consulting with a Puli specialist or groomer can provide valuable guidance to keep the coat in perfect condition.

Pulis come in various shades, including black, white, brindle, cream, brown, and grey. Each colour may feature either a solid coat or small amounts of opposing coloured hairs.

These intelligent dogs are quick learners and eager to please their owners.

They get along well with children and are playful companions who will also protect them. However, it is advisable not to leave them alone with children, as with any breed of dog.

Pulis are easily trainable and excel at herding work. Once fully trained, they can also make excellent therapy dogs.

With a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years, Pulis may be prone to certain health conditions such as canine hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, deafness, degenerative myelopathy, and patellar luxation. Regular veterinary visits, plenty of exercise, and love and attention are essential for ensuring their wellbeing.

In return for your care and dedication, you will be rewarded with a beautiful, happy, and loyal Puli that will love you as much as you love them.

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Monty’s Larder chef prepared meals for dogs are cooked fresh in our own kitchen. You don’t need to guess what’s in a Monty’s Larder meal. You can see it, smell it, and taste it. We see it simply. Eating highly processed dog food can lead to a range of health issues. Feeding your dog fresh, cooked food just makes sense.

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FROM THE FARM, TO OUR KITCHEN, STRAIGHT INTO YOUR DOG’S BOWL. MONTY’S MEALS All Monty’s Larder chef prepared meals have been made by hand in our own kitchen in 4 varieties and 3 different weights (400g, 700g, 1.0Kg) to choose from.

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MEDICAL DETECTION DOGS

THE FUTURE OF DISEASE DIAG-NOSE-IS IS FURRY!

Dr Claire Guest OBE, Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Medical Detection Dogs uses the amazing power of the dog’s nose to detect human diseases. Our research is based on the dog’s ability to detect minute odour traces created by diseases.

Claire used to train cancer detection dogs in her dining room, that’s where Daisy started her training as a pup. Medical Alert Assistance Dog Programme Manager, Simone used to get samples from the bottom drawer of the freezer for preparation and come through the kitchen with a tray.

Back then neither Simone or Claire knew where it might lead, but not many people came to dinner.

Take a look at their website to see how you can help to support this amazing charity - www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk

It’s 9 am, the car park is filling up and the most enthusiastic pupils you’ve ever seen are arriving for lessons. Their uniform is a smart red jacket and red and black collar, and their bags are full of biscuits and toys. They are dropped off and kissed goodbye but most of them barely look back as they’re so excited to start their day.

At the front of the queue to get into the classroom is Florin, a beautiful, petite, Fox Red Labrador. She is the teacher’s pet – her knowledge and understanding of her subject is world-leading and her teachers are actually learning from her a lot of the time as well as the other way round.

Florin is a Bio Detection Dog at the charity, Medical Detection Dogs. She is trained to detect the odour of disease using her incredible sense of smell. Her nose has 300 million scent receptors compared to us humans with just 5 million. She can detect smells at parts per trillion – imagine a spoonful of sugar in the equivalent body of water held by two Olympic sized swimming pools.

Her classroom is a state-of-the-art training Centre, and her friends are all shapes and sizes. Her colleagues include a Hovawart, a Dachshund, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and a Golden Retriever. The training room where she works has boxes of treats on the shelves and tennis balls hidden from view – although Florin and her colleagues somehow always know when they’re there…

Outside the training room are offices with all sorts of big comfy beds. Despite this, Florin’s colleagues can often be seen poured into the smallest one they can find or even better, squished in next to their best friend.

Florin’s ‘subject’ is prostate cancer detection, and she was one of a team of dogs which scientifically validated that their noses can detect the most aggressive forms of the disease with high specificity and sensitivity.

Not only that, but they can also find it in urine from patients who have other diseases of the prostate.

Florin’s work could pave the way for an urgently needed, more accurate and non-invasive method of early prostate cancer diagnosis which could support the PSA blood test. This is the test most widely used at the moment and the results are so encouraging because one of the challenges of this test is that

SPONSOR A PUPPY, YOU COULD CHANGE SOMEONE’S LIFE!

other conditions can cause an elevated PSA but that does not necessarily mean you have cancer.

9-year-old Florin has also moved the charity one paw closer to translating, in time, the ability of a dogs’ nose to an electronic device.

The results of the study that Florin worked on were published in the highly respected journal, PLOS ONE. The study by Medical Detection Dogs, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University was the first-time researchers combined three approaches – dogs’ noses, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted chemical analysis of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine samples, and microbial analysis of urine samples of men undergoing biopsy for suspected prostate cancer.

Results showed the dogs’ noses were 71% sensitive – the rate at which the dogs correctly identified positive samples and 73% specific – the rate at which the dogs correctly ignored negative samples including those with other diseases – when detecting Gleason 9 prostate cancer, the most aggressive kind. The dogs also correctly identified when 73% of patient samples did not have the disease. This compares favourably to the most commonly used prostate cancer test, the PSA blood test, and demonstrates how a new screening method based on the dog’s nose could support the PSA test and improve early diagnosis, leading to better health outcomes and saving lives.

This was the first truly controlled study – both human researchers and dogs were double-blinded on which samples were from cancer patients versus otherwise healthy patients, meaning neither dogs nor trainers knew where the positive samples were so there could be no question of bias.

The findings demonstrate that dogs can be trained to detect the most aggressive and lethal form of prostate cancer from their VOCs. Identification of the exact molecules in the odour could lead to the development of an artificial dog nose that detects prostate cancer in urine the same way biosensing mac-

Sponsor our puppies today and share their amazing adventures as they train to become a life-saving Medical Detection Dogs By sponsoring a Medical Detection Dogs puppy, you’ll be making a huge difference by helping to support their care and training. Sponsor a gorgeous puppy from just £5 a month and watch them grow from a bundle of fur to a fully qualified Medical Detection Dog. It can take up to 2 years to train a puppy and costs £29,000 to care for, train, place and support a dog and his or her partner to become an accredited assistance dog team.

During their training they live with volunteer socialisers and their families. For as little as £5 a month you can help us create lots more life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dog partnerships. After completing their advanced training, your puppy will give freedom and independence to one of our clients – what an amazing gift.

hines are being used to sniff out drugs and explosives, which also have unique molecular odorant signatures.

Prostate cancer is just one of the diseases that Bio Detection dogs are learning the odour of at Florin’s workplace.

Teams of dogs are also detecting Neurological disease such as Parkinson’s, bacterial infections such as Pseudomonas and E. coli, other cancers such as bowel cancer and canine cancer and most recently, COVID-19, among others.

Parkinson’s disease affects one in every 500 people in the UK. People with this complex progressive neurological condition can be left struggling to move, speak, swallow and even breathe. There is currently no definitive test for Parkinson’s. Diagnosis is usually made in response to the individual exhibiting motor symptoms, such as tremor and rigidity and non-motor symptoms such as feeling tired and having sleep problems. Sadly, there is no cure and Parkinson’s symptoms typically only start when more than half of the relevant nerve cells in the brain have already been lost, which the latest research suggests is up to 20 years after the disease first occurs.

Being able to diagnose the condition earlier would lead to treatments starting sooner and greatly increase the chances of developing those which slow progression of the disease, or even of finding a cure.

Medical Detection Dogs, in collaboration with Manchester University and Edinburgh University, has been working on a ground-breaking proof of principle study which has determined that dogs can detect Parkinson’s disease, possibly many years before symptoms start to show.

Florin’s colleagues on this study include a big, handsome, Golden Retriever, called Bumper. Bumper is very economical with his movement outside of the training room, but like so many of the four-legged team, cannot wait to get started when it’s their turn. Bumper and his team tested several hundred samples and were trained to respond with simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ indications. These results were very positive and will enable the collaborators in the next stage of this research to home in on the specific chemical linked to Parkinson’s.

Some other colleagues were trained by the charity to identify bacteria associated with serious lung infections. A major cause of lung damage in people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is infection with bacterial pathogens. The most prevalent of these is Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa), which chronically infects around 60 per cent of the 10,000 patients in UK. The major findings, published in the European Respiratory Journal, showed that Medical Detection Dogs can differentiate between Pa and other bacterial

pathogens that affect people with CF by sniffing bacteria grown in a nutrient liquid.

The study was supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and conducted by Imperial College London and Royal Brompton Hospital, and concluded that compared with existing technologies, dogs may ultimately prove more sensitive or more affordable for screening lower airway infection in people with CF. People with CF could ultimately monitor their lung infections from home by sending in samples for the dogs to check which would be faster, more accurate and non-invasive.

When the recent pandemic struck, many of Florin’s furry friends were trained to detect the odour of COVID-19. In the first phase of this study, which was carried out in the charity’s Bio Detection training area, dogs were trained to identify the odour of the virus from a small piece of sock worn by an individual suffering from the virus. Six dogs were taken to trial and proved that COVID-19 infection has a distinct smell, which specially trained dogs can rapidly, non-invasively detect with up to 94.3% sensitivity and up to 92% specificity. The dogs were able to detect odour from individuals who were asymptomatic, as well as those with two different strains, and with both high and low viral loads.

Team members for this study included a Cocker Spaniel, a Golden Retriever and fellow Labradors like Florin. They provided researchers with valuable knowledge and techniques which could be applied in response to any future disease outbreaks.

All Medical Detection Dogs live in family homes with volunteer Fosterers and Socialisers. During the working day, they are in offices with the charity’s staff and volunteer dog walkers arrive to take them all out for free runs at lunchtime.

Florin lives with the charity’s CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, Claire Guest, who co-founded the charity 15 years ago and has proven that dogs can detect the odour of all kinds of diseases, rapidly, accurately and non-invasively. Florin’s housemates include fellow Bio Detection specialists Iggy – a cheeky, Wire-Haired Dachshund who is in the early stages of his life-saving journey, Tala, a laid back, yellow Labrador who was part of the COVID-19 detection team and Asher, a quirky Cocker Spaniel who is now a retiree.

In between sessions in the training room, Florin can usually be found lounging about in Claire’s office, resting her head on whoever Claire is meeting with, or curled up as tightly as possible in her bed – often with a Dachshund draped across her.

But when her trainer, Mark, comes to the door she springs into action, tail wagging, eagerly for her turn to play the ‘game’ - a game which harnesses her natural desire to use her nose and could be a game changer for the future of disease diagnosis.

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DAISY THE DETECTION DOG BRIDGET WOOD

Bridget Wood always knew her beautiful Labrador puppy, Daisy, was special but never in a million years did she ever think she would become a life-saving Bio Detection dog. Bridget tells us how it all started.

There were some very special Labradors at my daughter’s riding school, and we were told they came from Riversway Gundogs. We were looking for a mate for our truly adorable black Labrador Tara and found handsome Soames. Tara produced a litter, and we kept her daughter Tilly. Tilly was everything we could ask for, a wonderful temperament, beautiful and a great gun dog, just like her mother.

Tilly gave birth to eight pups at Riversway Gundogs and on 14th August 2004, one of which was Daisy. It’s difficult to explain why she was my favourite. Maybe it was her endearing brown eyes that held your gaze, or that she was the only fox red, but I knew she was a special little girl from the start.

A young American woman rang enquiring about my Labrador puppy litter, “Hi, do you have a fox red girl?” “I do, yes.” “Well, my partner and I want to have kids but would like to try with a dog first”. Alarm bells! I asked if she was working and away from home. “Yes, but that’s fine, I’d be back at lunchtime, feed and let her out, my partner at teatime and then we’ll be there every evening and night, it’ll be fine.” I replied, “I’m so sorry but I can’t let you have a puppy of mine, you need to be there all the time for a puppy.” A hard conversation with by now a rather sad and angry caller but I was extremely fussy about their future homes.

When the next phone call was another request for a fox red girl from a stranger, I replied somewhat warily “I do - but someone is interested in her and I’m waiting for them to come back to me. But do come and have a look at her anyway” (in other words, I want to have a look at YOU, whoever you are!). When this person Claire arrived and took my puppy into the garden, I was delighted to see the way she behaved with her, throwing tennis balls, playfully hiding behind trees, taking time, and thought. When she came in and said she’d be very interested in her, I said “She’s absolutely yours!” “But I thought you said...?” I blushed and laughed, explaining “Actually, I lied. I

just didn’t know what to say if I didn’t think you were right for her! And I believe you are.”

Claire then explained she had just begun training dogs to detect cancer. It sounded fascinating. If my special puppy could help save lives it was a winwin situation. Dr Claire Guest OBE and Dr John Church had joined forces to discover if the many anecdotal stories of dogs warning their unsuspecting owners they were ill, had some scientific foundation. Dogs that licked moles which turned out to be melanomas; dogs that lay across the owner’s tummy to find out later they had ovarian cancer, etc.. They proved it had, writing an article for The Lancet and thus the charity Medical Detection Dogs was fully formed in 2008.

One day, when Daisy (who was being trained in prostate cancer trials, later receiving the Blue Cross Medal) was about two years old, Claire, Daisy, and two other dogs went for a walk. Claire drove home and opened the back of the car to let them out. They all jumped out and ran indoors, except for Daisy.

Instead, Daisy just stared into Claire’s eyes, banged her nose against Claire’s chest and stared at her again. She repeated this. Claire wondered about this unusual behaviour, which was like the day before but also felt her chest was a little sore. Assuming it was just a cyst, she visited her GP, who did diagnose a cyst, but because this GP believed in her work so much, he sent her away for more thorough tests. The result, in addition to the small cyst, Claire also had breast cancer. It was at such a very early stage and so deep-seated it would probably not have been discovered while it grew for another six or seven years, with an NHS breast-screening for the over 50’s. The prognosis may well have been very different indeed, had it not been for Daisy.

At this stage of the charity’s development, many revered professionals were very dismissive of the idea of dogs overriding man-made diagnostic machines. It dampened Claire’s spirits to be told by these experts that her work was very charming but had to be ignored. But Claire knew how incredible dogs’ noses were. It has been proven that a dog’s nose is the best bio detector on earth. A dog can detect a teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools of water. As can rats, sharks and bears… dogs are rather easier to train! Dogs’ noses have 300 million sensors, compared with our 5 million.

The olfactory part of their brain is 40 times larger than that of ours. They are just phenomenal.

Claire continues with this amazing charity, which has now grown exponentially in just 15 years and is acclaimed worldwide. It has trained the world’s first dogs to detect airborne nuts to save the lives of nut allergy sufferers.

Dogs are trained, amongst other conditions, to detect Parkinson’s, Malaria, and COVID-19. It now has over 100 Assistance Alert dogs, trained to warn their owners to take avoiding action 20 minutes before an attack occurs, such as Type 1 Diabetes, POTS, Addison’s Crises.

Andreas Merchin of M.I.T is basing an electronic nose on Florin, Daisy’s niece that he had flown over with Claire. MDD’s patron has been the Duchess of Cornwall (now Her Majesty the Queen) almost since the start, who arranged for a demonstration in the Royal Mews to mark the charity’s 10th anniversary in 2018. When Queen Elizabeth II was told of this, she asked to attend and was truly fascinated and amazed by the way the dogs worked.

To have come this far in such a short time bears testimony to the original concept: the dog’s nose knows. Thank goodness I paid attention to my gut-feeling and Daisy went to Claire, and it continues; we have Daisy’s nephew Skipper and seven of his puppies from various litters, who are now part of the MDD team.

NB: There is no government funding, and the charity relies solely on the generosity of the public.

For more information on the fabulous work, they do and ways to donate, please visit www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk

Joules Cotton Rich Dog Crew Neck Jumper with Wool £69.95

22 FIONA BAIRD

ONE REPUTABLE BREEDERS MISSION NO ONE SHOULD BUY FROM PUPPY FARMS. RESPECTED GOLDEN RETRIEVER BREEDER, FIONA BAIRD TELLS US WHY, WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR, AND HOW TO ACT ON IT. Fiona Baird grew up in Sussex and has been a professional dog breeder and trainer all her life. Her family have had the same line of working Golden Retrievers for generations. Her grandfather started the line over eighty years ago, which her mother continued prior to Fiona. She grew up with dogs, started working them, then went on to train gun dogs.

is the clincher. Imagine turning up at a reasonably nice house in suburbia to view the potential new member of your family. The dog of your dreams; the dog your child has cried for over the past three weeks, only to find that they came from a puppy farm. You’d be devastated. That’s what happened to Fiona’s dear friends.

Fiona began residential training of other peoples’ dogs and now breeds dogs that become Medical Detection Dogs (MDD). Fiona supplies pups which are placed with their first foster family. Family members bring the dog up, integrating and associating it into family life. Members of those foster families take the dogs to MDD, a business owned by Dr. Claire Guest OBE. The dogs undergo training after which, they move on to their ‘forever home.’

Owners of a Dalmatian dog already, Fiona’s friends visited a house where they bought their gorgeous dogs. Her friends were the least likely people in the world to fall for the trap, yet what they hadn’t considered was if the bitch was the mother of the pups. Did they look at the bitch’s undercarriage?

Did she look like she’d been feeding puppies for the last eight weeks? Both her friends realised after the event, they had been conned and their dogs had come from puppy farms.

Fiona Baird is a leading voice in the training and breeding field and gained so much experience, she wrote ‘Training Your Puppy,’ published by Merlin Unwin, ISBN-13: 978-1906122829 which retails at £9.99 and is available from Amazon.

DECEPTION AND A HEARTBREAKING DISCOVERY IN SUBURBIA

Fiona told Vanity Fur Magazine, “Having bought the puppies, which all seemed terribly above board, it was only when they got the puppies home, both were found to have numerous health issues. They thought, hang on a minute, when we picked up our ‘last puppy,’ almost certainly the next ‘last puppy’ was probably shipped in. This happened quite a while ago.”

The classic advert with a headline stating that there is only one puppy left

It would be easy to think to ourselves, ‘avoid buying puppies online’ but

there are legitimate, reputable breeders who do advertise online. Fiona explained, “A friend of mine got a puppy via an online ad. It was from a breeder who had a bitch, and wanted a litter but they didn’t have a clue as to how to sell them, so they advertised them online. When my friend arrived, the bitch was obviously present with the litter. There was lots of clean bedding, and they were clearly being looked after well. It was very obviously ‘above board’ to the buyer.”

me through the pictures she’d received of the litter. What the prospective buyer saw was a cute litter of puppies. What I saw was there was a bit of manky old newspaper, enough to see it looked like some dirty old garage. It just didn’t look right. I told her to walk away and ask some more questions.

She agreed it didn’t sound right. It transpired the breeder didn’t want to know anything about the buyer. If the breeder doesn’t want to send pictures of the litter together, walk away.”

In an ideal world everybody would get recommendations from friends or by word of mouth then find the dog of their dreams. Realistically though, people will go online. Having found a breeder online, Fiona recommends the first thing you should do is call them.

The growth of puppy farms, which occurred during the Covid lockdowns could be slowed considerably if everyone stopped buying from them, and over time they would not exist. They would have to close.

“The first thing to note is the breeder. Are they asking you lots of questions?

If they don’t ask you questions like, why do you want this breed? Why do you want a puppy? Have you thought about it? then there’s a chance they may not be reputable.”

Fiona explained that when people contact her, she quizzes them at length.

Importantly, she went on to say, “If the breeder doesn’t want to know anything about you, walk away. Walk away before you ever go near those puppies! Once you see the litter, you’re doomed! Now they’re cute puppies and you may feel the urge to ‘rescue one,’ even if something doesn’t quite seem right. Thus, the whole cycle just keeps going.”

“When you arrive, some of the more obvious things to look for and ask about include making sure that the bitch is present and is fully engaged with her litter. Where are they? Are they in the house? There are perfectly nice puppies being born in kennels, but is it clean? Do they have nice bed? Next, you shouldn’t normally expect to see the Sire. I never have the Sire present, but you should certainly ask who fathered the litter. I’ve driven for four hours to get my bitch mated because of the care I have taken to get the right breeding.”

In Fiona’s professional opinion, asking questions is the most crucial aspect to buying a puppy. Some key questions she suggests people should ask breeders include, “What’s your bitch like?” “What’s her temperament like?” “Who’s the father?” “Why did you choose the father?”. Fiona went on to say, “If it’s a puppy farm, they’re going to cough and splutter. They won’t have a clue about the father, that’s just another dog being used as a stud at the puppy farm.”

“I’ve talked with people who said they found a puppy online and told me the breeder even offered to deliver it to them, unseen! Unfortunately, alarm bells did not ring. This will save the breeder a fortune; they can now ship the pup straight to your house, and you don’t have to go through the middleman, carrying out the pretence in a nice little semi-detached somewhere.”

Fiona described once warning a buyer off from a sale, “She had gone online, even after I’d warned her, and found a litter of Spaniels. I asked her to send

Fiona said, “It’s such huge business and it is terrifying. You don’t know [they’re from a puppy farm] until you get your puppy home. Also, people need to be better at walking away. At the point they get to see these puppies, they kind of realise it’s not quite right. They’re not sure why it’s not quite right, but now they’ve got a cute puppy in front of them and it’s going to cost them a fortune in vets bills. All puppies are cute, but we don’t know at eight weeks old what their temperament is going to be like. I am a huge believer in genetic nature, not nurture with dogs’ temperaments. You can turn a good puppy bad by ill treatment, but if the correct genes are not present, you’re duped.”

Fiona advises it is wise to ask how many litters the breeder has on average each year. “If they innocently answer, ‘six,’ then this sounds like it’s kennels and a house and a pretty hardcore business. I mean, I have a litter possibly every two years, could be every three, mainly because I’ve got a long list of people who want them. I shall have a litter this year because I need to introduce a new dog to another one. I spend hours and hours looking at pedigrees and talking to friends.”

Finally, if you’ve decided on a particular breed to buy, Fiona recommends finding out if there’s a breed society or club and getting in touch with them.

This is because, often they may recommend one of their members who is having a litter. You could search for a particular breed online, but Fiona recommends going through the Kennel Club first, to help confirm seller credentials via their Puppy Register.

We owe it to our furry friends to give them the best life. It begins with choosing where your dog comes from very carefully. Finding genetically, healthy, and socialised dogs which you can feel confident have been ethically bred, must be something we must all aspire to, right?

Vanity Fur Magazine thanks Fiona Baird for sharing her story and of course, her wisdom.

24 STEPH ALLINSON

POLICE DOG FILES STEPH WORKS FOR CHESHIRE AND NORTH WALES DOG HANDLING SECTION. EACH EDITION WE ARE TREATED TO A LOOK AT HER WORKING LIFE AND THAT OF HER THREE BEST FRIENDS, JAX, OTIS AND HONEY.

Since Otis retired and put his paws up, I have been on the look out for a replacement working dog, that I can train to become my next Police dog.

I had spoken to my contacts at the rescue centres to keep their eyes peeled, as I am open to giving an adopted dog a chance at a working career.

unwanted pet that was yet to be offered to anyone else.

I visited the dogs home the next day to see if the dog had what it takes. I didn’t want to miss out on a potential new pup. Out came a beautiful Golden Labrador puppy full of energy and fun called Honey.

I am also at the point in my career where I am wanting to train my own dog from scratch and be a part of the full process. I find this most rewarding.

I tested that she was confident in herself and new surroundings, mad for the tennis ball, and a happy, friendly dog. She was and I was thrilled. I thought she deserved a chance.

One morning in June I got a phone call from my contacts at Cheshire dogs home. They said they had just taken in a 6-month-old Labrador handed over as an

A quick phone call to the boss to confirm I could go ahead, and there I was signing paperwork and arranging the adoption fees. A few days later I picked up Trainee

26 Police Dog Honey. Excitement hit me. A new challenge.

She started her training with me straight away, and gently, she had to learn to be comfortable jumping in the van and driving around all day. I took her to DogFest to meet the public - she was even filmed for Blue Peter.

We call this her environmental training, ensuring she’s confident in every situation and every location. We have her jumping on furniture, going up and down stairs, out in the dark, walking over different surfaces, jumping in and out of cars - all places she would be expected to search.

She has been brilliant; nothing phases her, other than stairs, she didn’t know how to go up the stairs when I got her, but she soon conquered that.

We’ve been playing with her Kong (large rubber ball reward) and tasking her to retrieve it when thrown. This then developed into throwing it into long grass and get her to search for it. Now I can hide the Kong anywhere and send her to find it. She loves this game. This is teaching her to use her nose rather than her eyes.

This week we have been working on reducing the size of the Kong and encouraging her to really use her nose to find it. When she does, she gets her full Kong reward. It’s great fun for Honey, and watching her develop makes me really happy. She’s so driven to play the game.

She is now nearly 10 months old. She will carry on with this kind of training

until she is mature enough at 12 months old to start imprinting her on different odours. Then we will look at adding a different odour to the Kong so she learns to associate and recognises the scent, which then develops into no Kong being hidden.

Honey’s job is undecided at the moment. She might be a drugs, cash, firearms detection dog, just like Otis was, or she might be a digital media detection dog. I don’t mind what she does, I just can’t wait to work her on the streets.

When she is ready to start training, the force will decide what skill is needed the most.

Honey has slotted into my pack brilliantly. She loves Jax, and adores Otis.

She buddies up with Otis in the kennel and they all get along really well, which makes my life easier. I’m hoping that soon enough Honey can drop the Trainee part and will be a successful, licensed police dog.

Otis is enjoying retirement. He enjoys snoozing on the sofa and trotting around the park, but still wants to be out in his kennel with the pack in the evening. Otis has been signed up to the Thin Blue Paw foundation who support retired police dogs in their later life.

Jax is doing just fine. We’ve had lots of operational success and we’ve also had a year anniversary of licensing. We are looking forward to a dedicated relicensing training week next week. Fingers crossed for the training ahead.

28

DESTINATION DOG DOGFRIENDLYDESTINATIONS.COM

Dog Friendly Destinations launched during the pandemic in 2020 - not an ideal time for a business sharing dog friendly places to stay, eat, and go across the UK. With thousands using the site each month to plan dog friendly adventures, and a following of over 50,000 on social media, it’s safe to say that co-founders, Lauren Jones and Rachel Southern are providing an in-demand service.

Vanity Fur: A website brimming with dog friendly recommendations?

Tell us more!

Rachel Southern: Yes, we feature lots of lovely dog friendly cottages, lodges, hotels, and even a treehouse or two, that are delighted to welcome four-legged as well as two-legged guests. But alongside recommendations for places to stay, we’ve also combed the UK for great dog-friendly pubs and coffee shops, and the most stunning dog walks that you can enjoy while you’re away too. We have a small team of roving re-paw-ters who share fantastic local recommendations on the website, ones that you might miss if you’re not from that area.

VF: What was the inspiration behind starting Dog Friendly Destinations?

Lauren Jones: I rescued my Collie, Milo, when he was eight months old (he’s now 11) and because of how badly he’d been treated, he suffered from terrible separation anxiety. As a result, he accompanied us – my husband and I - everywhere. We took him, and continue to take him, on days out, weekends away, holidays. Milo even came to our wedding!

I knew I couldn’t be alone in not wanting to leave my dog at home, and with Rachel’s love of dogs and background in communications and digital marketing, we set about creating a website to help others whose dogs form an integral part of the family.

Launching in lockdown was quite a challenge. It kept us both VERY occupied with having to home-school too. But we got through it, and with everyone looking for entertainment to pass the time, it gave us a tremendous opportunity to work on and grow our social media channels.

VF: What did you both do before starting the business?

LJ: I’m a qualified teacher but moved in to social media management after the birth of my first son, five years ago. I’m also currently studying for a marketing qualification.

RS: I’m a former communications manager in the automotive industry but more recently I worked as a digital marketing consultant prior to starting Dog Friendly Destinations with Lauren – who’s also my sister-in-law.

VF: What makes a great dog friendly destination?

RS: This is such a great question and something that I’ve changed my mind about. When we first launched the website, we had very strict criteria in mind. We’ve since relaxed our opinions quite a bit based on feedback from other dog owners.

29 Initially, when it came to dog friendly holiday homes, we would have said that they need to have dog beds, bowls, treats, doggy washes, fully enclosed gardens, etc. However, some of our most popular properties don’t tick all the boxes and yet anyone who has visited them with their pooch has had an amazing time because of the charm of the property, the location, and the incredible walks from the door.

We no longer try to second guess what people consider ‘dog friendly’, and instead offer criteria they can choose from to narrow down their search and find a destination that works best for them. The key thing is that they find a fantastic place to go where the whole family can have a positive experience.

VF: How do your own dogs get involved in the business.

LJ: Milo is exceptionally talented at seeking out snacks in coffee shops and restaurants. He’s fully able to advise other pooches on which places welcome you with the best cuddles.

RS: Lyra likes to try and test recommendations for dog walks in and around North Wales and Cheshire, particularly if they end at a lovely pub with a roaring fire and a doggy menu.

VF: You’re based in North Wales. Can you share some favourite places to stay, eat and go?

RS: I’d recommend making Ruthin your base as it’s a really welcoming market town, has amazing walks but is only a short drive away from the beautiful North Wales coast.

Stay at: The Longbarn at Caerfallen, a beautiful three-bedroom barn conversion set in 70 acres in the Vale of Clwyd.

Stop by: The Cabin coffee shop in the centre of Ruthin, a dog friendly gem serving mouth-watering cakes (and doggy treats).

Head to Moel Famau: As the highest summit in the area, it offers incredible

views every which way you turn, from Snowdonia to Liverpool and across the Cheshire Plain.

LJ: I’d recommend heading a touch further south and staying close to Tywyn. The coastline is equally as stunning but you’re also amid Snowdonia National Park.

Stay at: Dove Cottage, a grade II listed cottage on The Llanfendigaid Estate, which also has a fabulous swimming pool for guests to use.

Stop by: the George III pub in Penmaenpool. On the banks of the Mawddach estuary, the scenery is stunning, and it’s extremely dog friendly.

Head to: Tonfanau beach, an unspoilt stretch of sand that’s perfect for a quiet dog walk.

VF: How can readers get involved in and join in with sharing great recommendations?

LJ: Well, we run a regular photo/video competition on Instagram. There’s a monthly prompt, usually something simple and seasonal like ‘morning walks’ or ‘signs of summer.’ All people need to do is upload a photo or video and use the hashtag #adventuresonfourpaws. Many follow the hashtag for dog friendly ideas and inspiration. We share our favourites on the Dog Friendly Destinations account - @dogfriendlydestinationsuk – and have a monthly prize too. We’d love for more people to join in. There’s been over 30,000 photos uploaded since we launched in 2020.

VF: What is next for Dog Friendly Destinations?

RS: As well as adding more great places to stay, eat and go on the website, we’re developing comprehensive guides for specific locations across the UK, both web-based and physical maps. As we live in the area, we’re starting with North Wales and by the time this interview goes to print, Vanity Fur Magazine readers should be able pop over to our website (www.dogfriendlydestinations.com) and order one.

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xmas selection...

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1. Chinoiserie Pug and Cherry Blossom On Pink Cushion £72 fabfunky.co.uk 2. PetLove Barn Buddies Oinky Tail Dog Toy £11.99 mikkipet.com

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3. Scottie Dog Baby Walker £109.95 littlebirdtoldme.com 4. Fetch Dog Walking Bag £19.50 sophieallport.com 5. Top Dog Spaniel Water Bowl Mint Green £38 habulous.co.uk 6. Weekend Bag - Best In Show £29.95 rexlondon.com 7. Short Sleeve All Over Dog Print Fleece Pyjama Set £16 bonmarche.co.uk 8. Chinoiserie Pug Twins on Pink £65 fabfunky.co.uk

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9. Beagle Wine Snob, Antique Book Print, Framed White £95 fabfunky.co.uk

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CREATING CANINE CONNECTIONS THROUGH COLLAGE INTRICATE PET PORTRAITS

In the quaint town of Frome, Somerset, resides a remarkable artist, Violet, whose story and unique artistic journey have touched the hearts of many. A collage artist with a passion for portraying the profound bonds between people and their pets, she brings a fresh perspective to the art world. Meet Violet Von Riot, a dedicated mother, an autism advocate, and a true connoisseur of canine connections.

Violet’s artistic journey began just four years ago, sparked by a simple piece of collage brought home by her daughter. Prior to this discovery, she had dabbled in portrait painting, however, the world of collage opened up a new dimension, allowing her to explore depth and meaning in her art.

As a lifelong dog lover, Violet’s special interest has always revolved around these loyal and loving companions. With two furry friends of her own—a Lurcher and a Frenchie—Violet’s connection to dogs runs deep. Her venture into pet portraiture took an unexpected turn. She realised that people didn’t

merely want an image of their pets; they desired the essence, the love, and the unique bond they shared with their four-legged family members.

Violet’s creative process is nothing short of magical. Using bits and pieces from old magazines, she constructs intricate pet portraits, capturing the individuality of each dog. Clients often request personal touches like names, dates, maps of favourite walks, references to cherished toys and treats, and even using treat images to create fur textures. The result is not just a portrait but a piece of art that embodies the spirit of a cherished relationship.

What makes Violet’s work truly special is the limitless potential of collage.

Hidden gems and personal touches are seamlessly integrated into her creations. For instance, one of her pieces featured characters from “The Fast and The Furious” discreetly woven into the dog’s coat, paying homage to the pet’s unique

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backstory. The possibilities are endless, and Violet’s commitment to realising her clients’ visions is unwavering.

Violet’s medium of choice involves using recycled magazines, embracing the challenge of working with the available materials. Her primary source is National Geographic, known for its thick paper and vivid colours, perfectly suited for her art. Other favourites include “Country Living” and “Gardeners World,” which provide not only beautiful backgrounds but also flower petals that transform into exquisite dog tongues.

In the process of creating her masterpieces, Violet has honed her ability to focus, much like solving a crossword puzzle, to quickly identify the right word or shade. This skill allows her to breeze through magazines without getting side-tracked by interesting headlines and articles.

Apart from her artistic pursuits, Violet’s deep love for dogs extends to fos-

tering. She has provided temporary homes to 13 dogs until they found their forever families. While saying goodbye can be challenging, she finds solace in knowing the magic they bring to their new homes.

Looking ahead, Violet is excited to be part of a dog-only art exhibition in Brighton, alongside acclaimed artists like Sally Muir, Sarah Gooder, Sophie Thurlow, and Joanna Osborne. Her passion for portraying the incredible bonds between people and their pets will undoubtedly shine at this event.

Her work not only captures the nature of our beloved furry friends but also resonates with those who treasure the unique and unbreakable bonds we share with our pets. Violet Von Riot is an artist with an extraordinary talent for celebrating the love that knows no bounds.

Website: Violetvonriot.com Facebook page: “Violet Von Riot”

36

DOGGY DAY CARE BRUCESDOGGYDAYCARE.CO.UK

Bruce’s is one of the leading doggy day care brands in the UK and boasts nine state-of-the-art centres across the country with services also encompassing dog training and grooming.

The company, founded by South African-born and Australian-bred Bruce Casalis, does, however, come from humble beginnings. Bruce is a lifetime dog owner and dog lover. From his early days as a toddler where he’d regularly be found sleeping in a crate with a litter of puppies, Bruce has been genuinely passionate about dogs and dog welfare.

Bruce moved to London in 2007 and had a successful career in the world of sales but was beginning to feel unfulfilled in his 9-5 office job. When Bruce’s cousin told him that dog owners in the UK pay for dog walkers, something he’d never experienced back in Australia, Bruce couldn’t quite believe it. The idea that people would pay him to spend time with their dogs and keep them happy seemed almost too good to be true. His sales brain quickly worked out that he’d only need to walk eight dogs in a day to match his office salary, which he could do in just a few hours.

This got Bruce thinking that if dog owners were willing to pay for their dogs to be taken for a walk in the park, surely, it’d be better to be able to take them somewhere that was fully bespoke and designed to fulfil the dog’s every need. This is when, in 2008, the idea for Bruce’s Doggy Day Care came about. Bruce began to canvas Clapham Common with a simple survey asking dog owners their views on his new concept of dog day care.

In 2009, Bruce launched Bruce’s Doggy Day Care in a few acres of Surrey countryside in Cobham, understanding the love that pet owners have for their dogs and basing his business model on that of the nursery sector. The unique

model proved a revelation in the pet care industry. Fast-forward 14 years and Bruce’s Doggy Day Care has become the UK’s recognised market leader in dog day care and socialisation, with nine sites across the UK and plans for further expansions throughout 2023.

To help drive the business forward in this exciting next chapter, Bruce’s recently appointed Ben Mann as its new Managing Director. Mann has worked at Bruce’s in various roles for over five years, and his career predominantly being in the events & hospitality sector, has allowed him to bring a fresh and innovative approach to taking the business to the next level.

Mann said: “Both sides of my career revolved around people. You start to build themes for catering, from seasonal ingredients and new menus through to wine pairings. For doggy day care, walking, playing, and caring for dogs is one thing, but how do you enrich the overall experience for staff and dogs alike?

“Throwing an afternoon tea party for dogs might seem cute and lovely, and is certainly more interesting for our staff, but how do we make it engaging for the dog? Can we hide items around the centre for them to sniff out, create food and drinks that are stimulating? Can the dogs chase and run and play?

It’s thinking about what everything you do means for the customer, and that’s largely our dogs.

“I believe we do enrichment better than anyone else in the world and my plan is to be the best dog hospitality provider in the world. Disneyland for dogs if you will”.

Keen to push the boundaries of marketing in the pet industry and help set itself apart from its peers, Bruce’s appointed Stir, a creative PR agency, for 2022/2023. Spanning multiple timely news moments, the brand has launched campaigns that have featured a variety of adorable furry friends.

Bruce’s creative marketing endeavours have included launching the UK’s first ever advertising campaign made specifically for dogs, consisting of bus stop advertising placements that promoted its newly launched North London site, and a doggy tea paw-ty event, complete with lookalike Queen Elizabeth II, to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

Bruce’s also got involved in celebrations for National Walk Your Dog Week, where Bruce Casalis himself made a world record breaking attempt to walk 37 dogs simultaneously, grabbing various national newspaper headlines along the way!

The most recently opened site for Bruce’s also marks its first in the midlands, as Bruce’s Solihull opened its doors following a ribbon-cutting with the local mayor on Monday 5th December. The site sits in the idyllic location of Umberslade Farm Park, where local dogs enjoy a paradise in which they can stretch their legs and socialise in the beautiful West Midlands countryside.

The centre is Bruce’s first expansion out of the South and Southeast of England, where it has built a glowing reputation for its unrivalled premium dog care service. The launch of the site has included a flurry of activity to engage the local community including a pop-up doggy kissing booth for dog lovers on Valentine’s Day and an Easter egg-stravanganza open day.

Kevin Fyffe, Operations Manager at Bruce’s Solihull, said: “The most incredible part of our opening in Solihull has been the integration and acceptance of Bruce’s into the local community. From Local Councillor, Mark Cargill, attending our opening to cut the ribbon, to all the incredible people we’ve met at our Valentine’s and King’s Coronation events, it’s really felt like Bruce’s has been welcomed with open arms, and has been a real hit with the people in the town.

“We have a wonderfully friendly team at Solihull, but the real Superstars are the dogs! We’ve welcomed them in all shapes and sizes, ranging from a Great Pyranean to a Chihuahua! Most of the dogs who attend are chauffeured in our pioneering, air-conditioned Bruce’s doggy buses to and from site, where they enjoy the beautiful Umberslade countryside at our 5-star 5-acre site.”

The Solihull opening is the latest development in an extremely exciting time for the Bruce’s business, which shows no signs of resting on its laurels as it continues to expand and set the precedent for doggy day care in the UK. With a brand-new site confirmed to open in August at the beautiful Battler’s Green in Radlett, and multiple other sites being considered across the country, visit bruces.dog to explore your nearest centre and sign-up your four-legged family member for a taster session they will never forget.

38 A DEDICATED RESCUER AND UNSUNG HERO

SUE-PER WOMAN SUE WRIGHT WEARS MANY HATS IN HER DAY TO DAY LIFE BUT HER LOVE OF DOGS ALWAYS SEEMS TO SHINE THROUGH. WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE WONDERFUL PROJECTS SUE HAS BEEN INVOLED WITH OVER THE YEARS.

Sue Wright is a rare breed of human. With a Finance Law Degree, she was called to the bar in 1993, a lifetimes achievement for most. Sue went on to win a Woman of the Year Award, saved a suicidal teenager from a motorway bridge, fostered and adopted five children, and spearheaded over £2.5M in fundraising. An exhaustive list - I’m sure you will agree. But it is her love of dogs that we are celebrating and the endless work she does for our fourlegged friends.

I think you’ll agree that dogs are a great source of reliable, consistent love and affection, and are almost always considered part of the family.

Our readers may remember a tragic incident that occurred in late 2014, where more than 40 dogs were killed in the fire

at Manchester Dogs Home. The dogs that survived were moved to the Cheshire Dogs Home in Grappenhall whilst they assessed the situation and determined their next steps. Many charities and individuals stepped in immediately to help, both practically and financially. Sue was one of those people.

Taking on the role of PR and press at the charity, the news spread across the world, and the fire became one of the most trending topics, second only to the Oscar Pistorius trial.

An aircraft hangar was quickly located to store dog food, beds, coats, and leads.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of stock accrued and a fundraising page was set up on JustGiving so that the dog’s home could raise money to rebuild. They

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40 raised £2.3M. The team reached out to all large construction companies and asked them to donate what they could; even Dulux donated paint.

Animal rescue is a female-dominated industry, and Sue has always been involved with it in some way. She helps to move dogs from one part of the country to the other, never taking fuel money.

“You’ve not lived a day until you’ve done something for somebody who cannot repay you. I take my hat off to those who help rescue animals. It’s a financially demanding job, and they put feeding the dogs before feeding themselves. They’re incredible.”

Whilst on holiday in Morocco in 2022, Sue was appalled by the overpopulation of stray dogs where she was staying. Each day, she and her family would go to the beach and see hundreds of dogs looking for food, water, and shelter.

Of course, Sue found a way to help. Each day she would fill bin liners from the hotel room full of sausages, bacon, and another other meats found at the breakfast buffet, much to her partner’s embarrassment.

“The dogs live in packs on the beach, and they have their own territories.

One day, I went down to feed a pack, and a starving male dog approached the territory and overstepped the mark. Several of the dogs ran over and pinned him down, attacking him. All I could hear was him yelping and crying for help. I was thinking, “Oh my god! I caused this.

“I was desperately trying to save the dog, who I thought had a fractured leg, by googling rescues/shelters. Sadly, I had no choice but to let the dog go and contact a small shelter I found. They advised me to ring them back when I found the dog again.”

Moroccan authorities round up stray dogs and put them in a room called a ‘death camp’. They are basically left to starve and end up eating each other.

Once Sue learned of this, she and her partner Faisal hired a sand buggy, whilst the children were in the kid’s club. They searched for the male dog that was attacked - whom she had now named ‘Bobby’.

“We found him panting in the heat, under a bit of shade, about three miles away. I sent Faisal back to be with the kids and called the rescue shelter with my location. I gave him some water and stayed with him for an hour until Lucy reached us. En route, driving down roads she’d never been down before, Lucy found an 18-month-old German Shepherd lying on the side of the road with his back leg hanging off. So, she scooped him up and put him in the back of her small Peugeot 205. When she arrived, I just couldn’t believe the state of this poor dog. It was so sad. There I was, dipping in and out of dog rescue, but this was just ONE hour of Lucy’s life. Unbelievable!

I decided there and then that I would commit to paying the vet fees for the two dogs – whatever that entailed: amputation for the German Shepherd, vaccines etc.. I wanted to bring Bobby home to the UK and have him rehomed here.”

Leaving Morocco and arriving home, Sue was introduced to a kennelfree rescue in Manchester. She explained what she had done historically regarding fundraising and donors, and said she would be willing to help them if she could have some help in return. You guessed it! Bobby and the German Shepherd, now named Brago, were to be shipped over to a rescue. By this point, Brago’s leg has been amputated and he was recovering well.

It took approximately four months to get Bobby travel-ready, at the correct weight and vaccinated. A volunteer drove him from Morocco to Paris; then another volunteer brought him across the English Channel. They collectively

41 paid for a pet transport company to take him from Dover to Manchester.

He arrived in the freezing winter of the UK, bewildered, not really knowing what was happening to him. He stole everyone’s hearts at the dog rescue and was fostered. He was the perfect house guest. It was funny really, because he was never house-trained, but he instinctively knew what to do when nature called.

Sue’s motto is “Adopt, don’t shop”, something she would dearly love to become more popular.

Currently, Sue has a Rhodesian ridgeback called Ruby. She was a quasirescue and returned to a breeder, which the breeder then didn’t want.

Brago is vaccinated and ready to come to the UK, but the backlog of dogs waiting for their new home is so great here that Brago will have to stay where he is for now. He’s doing just fine. The rescue centre has, however, just raised £400,000 and bought a new 45-acre site.

“We had two other dogs, including a rescued Staffy, a few years ago. She was on death row, and the vets diagnosed her as terminally ill. She had four weeks to live, so they wanted somebody to give her end-of-life care. She was in Bournemouth at this point, so volunteers passed her from pillar to post all the way up the M6. My now ex-husband said she was like the Olympic torch. Tammy came for four weeks and defied everyone’s expectations as she lasted four years!

“I’ve had lots of dogs, but I lost two in lockdown. I lost Tammy and Bodie, my border collie. She was 11 and was a rescue dog. Her legs just went from under her one day, and she never recovered.”

“I would love to do the free rescue on Wirral and replicate what they’ve done in Manchester because it’s the most amazing place. The dogs live in harmony. There’s no barking, no crying or screaming. There’s just peace and quiet”.

The love, care, attention, time, energy, and generosity of Sue Wright knows no bounds. As Sue rightly said: “In a world where relationships are hugely fractured because of their history, the love that comes from any dog you home is unconditional.”

Just a few months ago, he was adopted by a family who wanted a smaller dog to keep their other dogs company. They have renamed Bobby ‘Omar’ and have invited Sue to visit him.

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Nigeria: A Heart-Warming Tale of Love and Friendship As a young child growing up in Nigeria, I experienced endless possibilities and exciting adventures. My family and I resided in a spacious single-story house on the outskirts of Aba. With its wide-pitched roof and sturdy columns supporting a sprawling veranda spanning the front of the house, it boasted a perfect escape from the intense sun and oppressive humidity. This feature provided a comfortable and refreshing place to sit with family and friends. We even enjoyed sitting on the veranda in winter, frying plantain as we soaked in the warm sun.

One of my favourite pastimes was visiting the local market with my family.

The market was a bustling hub of activity, with vendors selling all types of goods on the streets, filling the air with the scent of exotic spices and fresh produce.

We weaved through the maze of stalls and kiosks, mesmerised by the variety of displayed items. The intricately woven baskets and brightly coloured fabrics caught our attention, and we couldn’t resist admiring them. The locals haggled over prices with voices raised in excitement, and I found their negotiating skills fascinating. Our visits to the market were not just for purchasing goods but also for immersing ourselves in Nigeria’s rich culture and traditions.

The devastation brought by the Biafra War severely impacted Nigeria, with one of its most significant consequences being the widespread food shortage it caused. The intensifying fighting forced people to abandon their homes and flee to safer areas, leaving their crops and livestock behind. As a result, people resorted to hunting and fishing to survive and to sell live animals like chickens, goats, and cows for meat in the markets.

Unfortunately, despite the availability of some livestock in the markets, the war also led to widespread famine and malnutrition. Many people, especially those living in rural areas, could not access enough food to survive. This dire situation forced many to eat whatever they could find, including insects, rats, and other animals not traditionally considered food.

While exploring the bustling streets of the local market one day, we noticed a vendor holding two puppies by the neck in the crook of his elbows. Our hearts broke for the helpless animals when we realised the vendor intended to sell them for food.

Without hesitation, we purchased one of the puppies, a beautiful mixedbreed native dog of Nigeria. We named her Skippy after a popular Australian television show about a kangaroo that aired during the 1960s.

Skippy quickly became an integral part of our family, and we were amazed by her intelligence, agility, and spirited personality.

Reflecting on those cherished memories, I now realise Skippy was more than a faithful companion. Though she has long passed, her impact on my life will never diminish, as she transformed my life in countless ways.

From Fields to Friends: Growing Up in Rural Sussex When my family and I returned from Nigeria, we settled back into our home on the outskirts of a quaint village near Ashdown Forest in Sussex.

Luckily, my grandparents had a smallholding nearby that felt like a second home to me, and I was fascinated by the various animals surrounding me. My brother and I often took on the task of bottle-feeding piglets and lambs near the Rayburn in the kitchen. Providing these tiny creatures with the extra care and warmth they needed was an enriching experience. But it wasn’t just the farm animals that grabbed my attention.

My Hungarian grandmother was a devoted animal lover, and her collection of pets was nothing short of impressive. I can still recall the sight of her strolling down the lane with her seven dogs and fifteen cats in tow. Being surrounded by all those furry friends was pure bliss.

I could spend hours with the farm animals and my beloved pets. Polly and Toby, my ponies, were a particular favourite of mine. I loved grooming and riding them around the Ashdown Forest, while Champers the hamster, Mopsy the guinea pig, and Snuggles and Pepper the rabbits provided endless entertainment. During this time in Sussex, a Miniature Schnauzer named Sport was gifted to us by Texan friends and became a part of our family after spending six months in quarantine. With his friendly and cheerful personality, he always welcomed me with a gleeful woof.

Animals have a unique way of touching our hearts and souls, and they can teach us so much about affection, devotion, and empathy. Growing up surrounded by animals gave me a profound appreciation for their companionship. I’m grateful for the joy and comfort they bring, and I’ll always hold the memories of my childhood pets in high regard. They left an indelible mark on my life, reminding me that the simple pleasures of spending time with animals are some of life’s greatest treasures.

Life Lessons: Reflections on Love and Compassion After feeling unfulfilled in my corporate role within the insurance industry, I took some time to reflect on my choices. As a result, I discovered a new path and decided to become a virtual assistant, working from home. Although

the transition was challenging, it was also satisfying, and it filled me with excitement about the possibilities of this new direction.

Pursuing my dreams and passions has opened up new opportunities and allowed me to shape my future with purpose and meaning. As I continued down this path, I encountered unexpected sources of inspiration and guidance - one of which was a sweet little puppy named Bramble.

Bramble quickly showed me what mattered in life. As a puppy, she was curious and always eager to explore the world around her. Watching her bound through fields, chase after balls, and play with other dogs reminded me of staying present and enjoying life’s simple things.

Her wagging tail and happy disposition always lifted my spirits, no matter how bad my day was or how stressed I felt. She was always there for me, offering unwavering support and affection and teaching me valuable lessons about love and compassion.

The Ripple Effect of Kindness: Transforming Lives and Building a Business I received a call from an elderly neighbour who was unwell while I was at home with Bramble. He asked me to help him walk his Cocker Spaniel.

I eagerly accepted the opportunity and arrived with Bramble to find Pippa eagerly waiting at the door, wagging her tail furiously as she greeted us.

After securing her lead, we set out for a walk around the adjacent farmland.

As we roamed, I could feel the stress and tension of the day fading away.

Pippa was a friendly and affectionate dog, and it was evident that she was delighted to be outside and have some company. Once our walk was over, I returned her to her owner. He was profusely grateful for my help and thanked me for my kindness. It felt gratifying to know that I had made a difference in someone’s life, even in a small way, and I was happy to have been able to help a neighbour in need.

That simple act of kindness had a ripple effect that would ultimately change my life. As I continued to walk Pippa regularly, I realised how much joy and fulfilment I derived from spending time with her. Soon enough, I started considering a career in dog walking and pet care and began researching what it would take to start my own business.

I took action and enrolled in courses on animal care and management, behaviour, training, and first aid while networking with other pet care professionals in my area. By December 2003, I had launched my dog walking and pet care business, quickly gaining momentum thanks to word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients.

As my business expanded, I saw first-hand the transformative power of kindness. I earned a living doing something I enjoyed and improved the lives of the pets and owners I worked with. Walking dogs or checking in on pets while their owners are away could significantly impact their wellbeing.

Throughout the years, I have cared for hundreds of animals, each with unique personalities and needs. Whether it was an early-morning walk or late-night pet sitting, I was there for my clients whenever they needed me. In return, they became an extended family.

The Power of Connection: Reflections on a Journey of Self-Discovery As Bramble grew older and faced health challenges, she taught me about the inevitability of change and the importance of resilience. Despite her struggles, she remained positive and determined, never giving up on her zest for living.

In 2016, Bramble passed away after 15 wonderful years together, leaving me utterly heartbroken. Bramble taught me the essence of unconditional love, unwavering companionship, and loyalty and made my life more fulfilling.

Her spirit remains with me, and I feel her guidance.

Reflecting on my journey, I often wonder if my DNA has passed down my love for animals from generations of animal lovers before me. Or is it a product of my environment, experiences, and learned behaviour that has become so ingrained that it feels like second nature?

Looking back, I am fortunate to have discovered a purpose and a passion that aligns with my core values and brings me immense joy and contentment.

I recall how one small act of kindness created a successful and impactful business. It’s a testament to the power of compassion and its positive impact on the world.

Approaching the 20th anniversary of my business, I feel grateful and proud.

My life with animals has given me a unique perspective on life and taught me valuable lessons that will stay with me forever. I am thankful for the experiences that have shaped me into who I am today and excited to continue making a positive difference to the pet community around me.

Animals have always been essential to my identity, and I feel a deep connection to them that I can’t quite explain. They hold a special place in my heart, and my life would not be complete without them. My love for animals is integral to who I am, and I embrace it wholeheartedly.

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IN THE DARK THEUNDERDOGSTRAINING.COM

Our story started back in early 2020 when COVID hit. Everything went into melt down and Poppy, my 5-year-old Pomeranian, was acting oddly too.

When she was about one, she had a handful of funny spells, unable to stand, seeming like she was in pain then falling over and generally losing balance. It was put down to an undetermined neurological issue, but the MRI scans were clear and there were no obvious signs of anything else. The random episodes eventually stopped on their own. Fast forward four years and I worried that her swaying on the spot, staring into space, refusing to walk sometimes and just generally feeling like she wasn’t present in the moment, was down to a neurological issue again. I took her to the vet.

On the first two visits they didn’t know why it was happening. We were told to monitor the behaviour and try to get videos, which we did – but trying to show the vet videos through the window of my car in the rain and then passing over my sweet, confused Poppy to go into the vet alone, was heart breaking. I would wait in the car anxiously, distressing about her being on her own as I wasn’t allowed to go in with her. I thought they would bring her back and tell me she was severely poorly and wouldn’t have long to live.

On the third visit, the vet phoned me as I sat in the car and asked me to go into the surgery, I was anticipating the worst – I knew it was bad if they wanted me to go in amidst all the social distancing rules. I went and sat nervously in the waiting room, chewing the skin on my fingers, and eventually she walked in with Poppy.

She sat on the other side of the room, as Poppy tottered over to me. I knew it was something awful, that look in her eye – the part of her job she least enjoyed… dishing out the bad news. I braced myself as she started talking and all I heard was her very soft empathetic voice saying, “She’s blind.”

Blind? This hadn’t even crossed my mind. I had focused on the fact there was something awfully wrong with her brain, her vision hadn’t even come into question. It seems so silly saying that now, but I was stumped. At first, I didn’t react at all, I sat there while she calmly explained to me the little obstacle test they did, but I didn’t really take anything in. She was lovely but when I asked how to get support, I was just told to Google it – apparently there was lots of information on the internet. I started crying and wondered what was happening to us! I was crying as Poppy did a huge steaming poop on the waiting room floor. It was all a blur.

In my mind I felt like I had lost a little bit of her, like life as we knew it wouldn’t ever be the same. Was it my fault? Did I do something wrong for this to happen?

The guilt flooded me. What was the cause? Would she get her sight back? Would everything be okay?

At this point in time, the ophthalmology department were only taking on “serious” cases during COVID. Poppy’s blindness wasn’t considered serious because she wasn’t in pain. So that was that. What could I do? I picked her up, carried her to the car and wept into her soft fur. She must have wondered what on earth was happening - her human sobbing in the darkness.

I drove home, glancing over at Poppy and wondering what on earth we were going to do. The one thing that never crossed my mind though, was ending her life. My best friend was sticking with me, and I knew I was going to help her, I just didn’t know how… yet.

The first few days were awful, now I was aware of the blindness it was so obvious, and I hated myself for letting her struggle for those weeks we were trying to diagnose it. I went into a shell, I spent a lot of time crying and wishing it wasn’t happening. I Googled, but finding someone who understood me was so hard. After a lot of research, I concluded that she was blind from SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome) due to the speed it had happened.

One day, about a week later, I woke up and thought “no, this is NOT going to be how things are.” My upset and devastation were making her worse, more confused, lost, lonely, and I’m sure she felt like this darkness was the worst thing in the world with me being such a rotten mess.

The following weeks were hard. If I tried to get her to play, she wasn’t interested.

The one thing that had drastically changed was her appetite! She started to eat anything and everything, which she never did before, so I started doing some training with her. Positive, reward-based training. She loved it, even re-training basic steps like ‘sit’ and ‘down’ were fun and lit her up.

I started to understand more by doing training courses. We would go away together and learn together; I was adapting to suit her needs and she was loving the time we were spending with each other. The feeling of getting things right gave her confidence and she really started to wake up to life again. I loved her enthusiasm and decided that I wanted to help other visually impaired dogs and their guardians, so I set up The Underdogs Training.

One of the first things I did was create a Facebook group where I offered free advice and tips particularly aimed towards people whose dogs had lost their sight.

It’s such a terrible thing to happen and sadly, I know of times, even to this day, where people have put their dog to sleep due to blindness alone. I wanted to offer a space where people could talk openly, share experiences and support each other with the aim that people might see a brighter side and put the effort in to helping their blind dog thrive again.

Having taken a little bit of time to gain traction, I now work with people globally to help them support their vision-impaired dogs through the struggles they face and get them to a place where they can enjoy life together again. Earlier in the year I was overjoyed to meet Theo Paphitis from Dragons Den to collect my Small Business Sunday award from him. I have also been lucky enough to be featured on BBC’s East Midlands Today and became an instructor at Grisha Stewart’s Academy.

I’m so grateful to be able to do something I love every single day. I’m also able to work from home which means I get to spend a lot of time with Poppy, Jake – my blind rescue dog, and Jimmy who is my little Jack Russell. I never imagined what a happy life Poppy would lead but I feel blessed that she’s here and love how resilient she’s become.

Blindness isn’t the end, it’s just a new path to follow.

Instagram @theunderdogstrainer YouTube @theunderdogstraining TikTok @theunderdogstraining

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46 WEEKENDCANDY.COM

DOG FRIENDLY UK BREAKS A COSY COTTAGE WINTER ESCAPE FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG, HIDDEN ON WOODED HILLSIDE IN THE BEAUTIFUL MALVERNS

There are rural getaways, and then there’s Elsie’s Cottage. Hidden on a hillside within the rolling woodland of the Malverns, this is a weekend home that will seduce you with its seclusion and romance you with its rustic charm.

Crafted from Malvern stone and replete with bare oak rafters, this holiday cottage truly does capture the spirit of the surrounding landscape inside its solid and safe walls. With garden views across a wooded valley and a wood-burning hot tub, it’s the perfect base for daytime escapism and evening-long relaxation for four of you and your beloved pet.

The one thing you won’t escape at Elsie’s Cottage, however, is luxury. Alongside limestone flooring and copper finishing throughout, a rainfall shower and iron

roll-top bath mean this is private holidaying with a distinctly plush feel.

Beautiful inside, it’s the kind of place where you light the fire and just forget the outside Closing the door on the outside world is easy at Elsie’s Cottage. Top to bottom, this lovely cottage has been carefully and thoughtfully decorated by her owners to ensure every room is a joy to walk into.

Upstairs is an oak-framed master bedroom of mint greens and peach, boasting chandeliers, majestic king-sized bed and leather-bound books doubling as bedside tables. Downstairs, you access a garden bedroom from the hallway, with French doors allowing sunlight to flood in from the terrace, and bedding that can be ar-

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ranged in either twin or king-sized configurations. For your dog, there’s a doggy bed and bowls.

Move through to the living area where old meets new in the rustic country kitchen. Here, underfloor heating keeps proceedings snug and homely, in which those opulent touches of high-class fixtures and fittings – the worktops are all marble – lend an air of sophistication.

In terms of equipment, it’s all business – a large retro fridge freezer, dishwasher, electric hob and cooker, Denby crockery and all the utensils you could need make cooking as practical as it is pleasurable. Of course, it’s not all work – benches and velvet-backed dining chairs mean this is a lovely spot for a coffee, quick snack, or a more substantial family meal.

Step into the lounge and it’s impossible to miss the huge inglenook fireplace.

Two comfy sofas are ready to wrap their arms around you as you warm yourself by the fire, with books, games and a TV providing yet more entertainment (if you REALLY must stay connected to the outside world, of course).

With unbeatable views from the hot tub, don’t be surprised if you stay longer than planned For your dog to wander and sniff about in, there’s a terraced garden at Elsie’s Cottage, which cascades down the hillside from a lawned area at its upper reaches. Surrounded by colossal Scots Pines, and offering the most incredible views, you and your pet can easily lose hours exploring its many hidden nooks and crannies.

You reach the terrace from the lounge – and boy, do the views impress. A charcoal BBQ, fire pit and pizza oven mean every al-fresco dining delight is available to you, with sail and festoon lights providing an atmospheric canopy to catch a sunset if the winter weather holds.

As a fabulous final flourish, you can enjoy a spell in the secluded wood-fired cottage hot tub, with privacy guaranteed by a ring of oak sleepers.

The Malvern Hills are on your doorstep and there are plenty of walks from the off.

The Malvern Hills are a glorious string of hills, roughly 12-miles long, that straddle Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Hugely popular with dog-loving families and walkers, they offer panoramic views across the Severn Valley and over many English and Welsh counties.

Elsie’s Cottage is an escape from the real world, yes, but not so disconnected that you’ll feel isolated. In fact, there are easy walks right from the front gate into the heart of the Malverns and you’re no more than half an hour away from Hereford, Cheltenham and Worcester – if you need a little town life.

There are several dog-friendly pubs a short drive from the cottage, including the Farmers Arms Birtsmorton, The Swan Inn and The Inn at Wellend, all serving up local ales and great food.

Stay at: Elsie’s Cottage, the Malverns, Sleeps 4, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom.

From: £80pn.

To book: Call Charlotte on 07841 447339 Email: charlotte@hussh.co.uk Visit: www.secretbolthole.co.uk/elsies-cottage-malvern-hills

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THE GERMAN SHEPHERD A LEGACY OF LOYALTY AND VERSATILITY

In the vast tapestry of dog breeds, one stands as a paragon of loyalty, intelligence, and versatility: the German Shepherd. Revered worldwide, these canines have carved their niche as leading actors, protectors, and companions.

Their unswerving devotion, boundless energy, and penchant for both mental and physical challenges set them apart. Today, we delve into the world of German Shepherds, exploring their heritage and the unique characteristics that make them a breed apart.

Despite their time-honoured status, German Shepherds are a relatively new breed, tracing their lineage back to the visionary efforts of Captain Max von Stephanitz. In 1899, this German cavalry officer embarked on a mission to craft an unparalleled herding dog, setting in motion the creation of the German Shepherd breed.

German Shepherds are celebrated for their unwavering bonds with their human handlers. Their affectionate nature thrives when treated with kindness and respect. These intelligent canines find their utmost joy when living indoors with their human family, with the added privilege of a spacious, enclosed yard.

Characterised by their activity, intelligence, and adaptability, they demand a dynamic lifestyle to flourish. The German Shepherd’s devotion and valour know no bounds, and their versatility is truly remarkable. Highly intelligent, these dogs require ample attention and stimulation, returning this devotion with unwavering loyalty and unparalleled guarding abilities.

Training a German Shepherd is a rewarding endeavour. Their quick response to training, especially to well-toned voice commands, makes them eager learners. Reward-based training techniques are particularly effective, with crate training often useful for housebreaking and managing separation anxiety.

Socially, German Shepherds tend to have a reserved demeanour around other dogs and pets in the same household. Their strong protective instincts also contribute to their proficiency as vigilant guard dogs.

German Shepherds, fondly nicknamed “German Shedders,” require daily grooming to manage shedding. Regular brushing effectively removes dead or loose hair, and bathing should be conducted as needed. Their coat is of short to medium length, and shedding can be mitigated through diligent grooming.

The well-being of these remarkable canines hinges on the proper balance of exercise and diet. Meeting their daily physical and mental exercise needs is non-negotiable, as a lack thereof may manifest as barking or destructive behaviour. Maintaining an ideal weight, where their ribs are slightly detectable, is crucial for their health.

A typical German Shepherd enjoys a lifespan of 10 to 14 years but can be susceptible to hip dysplasia. It’s essential to monitor exercise for young puppies to prevent long-term joint issues.

Talents and Intriguing Facts German Shepherds are more than loyal companions; they are exceptionally talented. They excel in various domains, such as agility, tracking, rescue work, and personal protection. Their impressive bite force, military history, and early prominence in the world of cinema are but a few of their captivating facets.

For those curious about the ‘Alsatian’ moniker, it’s worth noting that the breed is officially known as the German Shepherd Dog (GSD). However, in the United Kingdom, they were previously recognised as ‘Alsatians.’ It wasn’t until 1977 that the breed’s name was restored to “German Shepherd.”

In conclusion, the German Shepherd stands as an embodiment of devotion and capability. Their legacy spans generations, from herding livestock to Hollywood stardom, and their enduring loyalty knows no bounds. As we celebrate these remarkable canines, we’re reminded of the timeless bond that exists between humanity and the dog, with the German Shepherd shining as a beacon of fidelity and skill in our shared journey.

KEY BREED FACTS HEIGHT: 55-66CMS (AT THE SHOULDER) WEIGHT: 34-43KGS LIFESPAN: 10-14YRS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: GERMANY BREED TYPE: HERDING DOGS NICKNAME: ALSATIAN

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54 SHOP, DONATE, OR SUBSCRIBE AT MUTHAPUPPA.COM

MUTHAPUPPA IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE MUTHAPUPPA STORY SO FAR, WELCOME BACK. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW HERE, MUTHAPUPPA IS ON A MISSION TO RESCUE DOGS. We’re going to open our own dog rescue and rehoming centre, but instead of just relying on donations to fund this, we’ve launched www. muthapuppa.com an online shop where you can get everything for your pup, delivered right to the door. Every time you shop with muthapuppa, you help support our mission to rescue as many dogs as we can.

Winter is here, the weather is getting colder, and soon we’ll be spending time indoors, staying cozy with our loved ones. I know exactly what you’re thinking, what a perfect time to adopt or foster a dog! Not only would you be bringing a bundle of joy into your world, but you’d also be helping dog rescue and rehoming centres. They are overrun now more than ever and could really do with your help. Check out our ‘Rescue’ section at www. muthapuppa.com for a list of amazing UK dog shelters; Blue Cross, All Dogs Matter and Battersea Dogs, to name a few.

When I started muthapuppa, I had no idea that I’d be doing so during one of the harshest economic climates ever. It’s tough for small businesses like ours right now but many smart people have said that ‘great businesses are born out of a recession’. So based on this logic, we are moving full steam ahead with our plans.

A big focus for this year has been expanding

the range of products we offer; we want you to be able to buy all your favourite dog related items at the very best prices. If we’re going to build a business big enough to power our dog rescue efforts, this must be top priority.

We’re always open to suggestions, so feel free to message us if you’d like us to stock a particular product or brand for your pooch.

We’ve held more pop-up shops, events, and meet-ups, which started at the end of Spring.

It’s been amazing meeting you all.

I’ve managed to keep myself out of the limelight so far (I have a face for radio) but that changed this year. We embraced social media and took the opportunity to share more about our dog rescue efforts.

Fortunately, a local social media whizz has kindly offered to give us a helping hand with this. So, if you haven’t already, feel free to follow at @muthapuppa on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. For Facebook it’s @ muthapuppadotcom Finally, we ramped up our activism and lobbying, particularly around the breeding of dogs for the pharmaceutical industry.

Did you know that there’s a company based in Cambridge that breeds Beagles for the pharmaceutical testing industry?! You do now! Check out www.thecampbeagle.com to learn more and find out how you can help put a stop to this.

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07486999028 Vannessajones@hotmail.com Fully insured dog walker covering Ellesmere Port and Neston.

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56

Walkies!

HILBRE ISLAND – DOG WALK WITH VANNESSA AND NALA HER FRENCH BULLDOG

Grade – Easy Distance – 7KM there and back Time – 2 hours Terrain – Sand and Rock Parking – West Kirby Concourse (Pay and Display £1.00 per hour) There is parking available closer however at the time of writing, this is currently unavailable due to developments being made to carpark.

Hilbre Island is the most perfect walk for these sunny days, it’s not always a readily available walk due to the tide. The islands are cut off from the mainland around 5 out of 12 hours so forward planning and checking the tide timetable is essential. I chose this walk due to the openness of the sandy beaches on the approach, it gave me the perfect opportunity to let Nala, our own recently rehomed dog to be off lead for the first time in public.

The walk consists of three individual islands situated at the mouth of the estuary of the River Dee. Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre Island itself. Its worth noting tthat here are no public facilities available on the island however public toilets are available at the start/ end.

The walk starts at the Dee Lane slipway in West Kirby, you walk directly ahead to Little Eye the first island. From there we walked across to Middle Eye - Sometimes referred to as Little Hilbre and then onto Hilbre Island itself. Once on Hilbre Island dogs must be always on a lead as Hilbre Island is a nature reserve. We planned our walk to allow enough time to stay on Hilbre for around an hour, we brought a picnic and there is plenty of space to sit back and enjoy the views before heading back. Its worth mentioning you leave yourself enough time to walk back before the tide comes in.

The islands are steeped in history, there have been stone graves found on the Islands dating to the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 13th Century a Chapel was built on the Island and the Pilgrimage to the island to hear mass was open to the residents of West Kirby. The island has also been used for Salt refining in the 17th and 18th century’s and even a public house is recorded in the late 18th Century. The Lifeboat station although closed in 1939 is a fascinating look at what life on the island looked like back then, I particularly enjoyed seeing the old fireplace that still stands. Currently There are a few privately owned cottages on the Island as well as the remains of a 1841 telegraph signalling station.

The wildlife on and surrounding the Islands is one of the many reasons thousands of visitors year after year visit. Grey seals can be spotted most days, we were fortunate enough to see them swimming around the top of the Island from the slip road to the old lifeboat station.

Dolphins and Whales have also been spotted. The island is also excellent for bird watching and the a key feeding spot for migrating birds.

To say we thoroughly enjoyed this walk would be an understatement. I am so incredibly proud of Nala and how well she put the training we have done with her into practice and enjoy a off lead walk together. I can’t wait to keep you all updated on future Ness and Nala adventures.

57 MAP SHOWING WALK FROM MAINLAND TO HILBRE ISLAND

Hilbre Island To Hoylake

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Little Hilbre

Little Eye

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Marine Lake

West Kirby

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To Heswall

KEY Land Red Rocks Footpath A540 Water

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toys...

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All from sophieallport.com £13 - £20

60 BELLA THE BICHON FRISE RESCUE

A BUNDLE OF THERAPY HAVING BELLA HAS CHANGED MY LIFE COMPLETELY. SHE HAS ENABLED ME TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MY SYMPTOMS AND NEW CONFIDENCE IN DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH THEM.

On Christmas day I registered with Bichon Frise Rescue UK, after losing my own little Bichon. We were lucky enough to rescue Bella as a tiny pup aged 20 weeks. She was timid, shy, skinny, very unkempt and smelly, and extremely fearful of humans. We were not allowed to see her beforehand, but we were determined she was coming home with us, no matter what.

From the day we collected her she slept next to me. During the night she would lick my left ear and then lick the back of my neck - we soon made the connection she was actively waking me up from a nightmare. When she licked my ear, it was to wake me, she calmed me down by licking my neck. That’s when I realised what a special and empathetic little soul she was and that I needed her as much as she needed me.

Bella passed her assessment for Pets as Therapy aged 9 months. We went on to work in special needs schools, mainstream schools, hospitals (ITU, CCU, A&E, Children’s wards, and palliative care) even going into the anaesthetics room with the child until they were put under. Bella always snuggled in closely. During those visits Bella demonstrated a real comfort and calmness, easing many peoples stresses and anxieties.

I served in the military for 14 years on Tanks with 14/20th Kings Hussars.

I have CPTSD and have struggled over the years with anxiety and anger. I was finally diagnosed in 2018. I was fortunate to be counselled by the NHS Transition Intervention Liaison Service (TILS), now known as Operation Courage. Bella was present throughout my 30 sessions and helped to bring me comfort and a sense of wellbeing. I see her as part of a team, in many ways my co-worker. She remains an important part of my healing process.

Bella has made such a difference to me.

In recognition of Bella’s ability to help me, I knew I needed to share her incredible therapeutic qualities with fellow veterans also suffering with their mental health. I wrote to Combat Stress offering our services and we are now accepted as part of the clinical therapeutic team. Prior to COVID we would make monthly visits, sometimes more often, if required. The unit re-opened in July 2022 for continued residential care.

When Veterans are starting their course of treatment, they can feel an array of emotions including apprehension, fear, anger, and sadness. Some have dogs at home whom they miss dearly. Bella appears able to sense who needs support the most and approach them first. If they wish to pet Bella, she will sit with them for as long as they desire, often giving deep pressure therapy, a method of helping the veteran to feel a sense of calm. If a veteran does not feel at the stage where they wish to interact, Bella moves on to the next person. Her demeanour and temperament help them to relax.

We sit with the veterans, gauge the atmosphere, and when appropriate we chat, laugh, joke, and enjoy the old familiar military banter - something that feels so comforting to anyone who is ex-military. We soon establish a rapport to help veterans through the first stages of treatment by means of effective communication. Bella’s visits can indeed be the start of a talking point for some veterans and is viewed as a very positive approach

to treatment.

The team at Combat Stress are incredible in their care and compassion for veterans. However as with most charities there is little financial help available, so when we are not at the treatment centre, we fundraise and promote awareness at our local Sainsburys and Morrisons stores and annually at the Eastbourne International Air Show.

With guidance from Psychiatric Dogs UK, Bella undertook extensive training to reach the required standards to become an owner trained PTSD Assistance Dog. Bella demonstrated her effectiveness from her training in her ability to care for me on several occasions during the early years. I had a panic attack in the town which was extremely busy with shoppers. I could feel my heart pounding and felt unable to breathe. She picked up on this very quickly, by edging me towards a wall where I knelt. She placed her paws on my knees and did not break eye contact with me. I was able to concentrate on her eyes until I felt grounded in the moment. I now only point to my eyes, and she will sit patiently giving me effective eye contact. She is my grounding tool.

Indeed, Bella has helped me gain a degree of inner resilience and a sense of acceptance of my past. With Bella’s support and encouragement, I am now capable of going to places that I would have previously avoided. Having Bella has changed my life completely. She has enabled me to gain a better understanding of my symptoms and a new confidence in dealing effectively with them.

Bella loves her life. She loves meeting people, when working in her ‘pets as therapy’ role she loves the cuddles and all the treats. Bella walks proudly with me in her PTSD role and instantly knows which uniform determines which job she is undertaking. Bella and I also volunteer at Raystede Animal Sanctuary, and we are currently in talks about volunteering as part of the Family Educational Team.

Bella is the kindest, cutest, most sensitive and loving little dog. She is loved very much and is a treasured family member. She has virtually grown up with our 9-year-old granddaughter. She is besotted with people and dogs alike.

She enjoys the beach and running on the sand. She adores the park, watching birds and chasing them around the fields. Bella loves our regular trips to a London hospital on the train, staying in hotels, visiting the Shard, and sitting on their posh sofa, having photographs taken with the staff and manager.

Through Bella’s work at Combat Stress, we were fortunate enough to meet a young veteran who was in residence for treatment. However, we were unable to attend on a prearranged date due to a family issue that occurred during the night, so we rescheduled for the end of the week. The young lad wrote on a social media about how sad he was that Bella had been unable to visit as planned as he’d had a difficult session in therapy. When we finally arrived at the centre, he was thrilled to see Bella and hugged her silently for a long while, buried in his thoughts. He then announced that he needed ‘a Bella’ in his life, that he felt this was what his life was lacking. Following much searching this fine young man was successful in finding a Bichon, he brought her home and now has a little dog who comforts him, as Bella does for me.

This felt like such an incredible achievement, knowing he now has ‘a Bella’ to help him through the tough times.

Bella owns a lot of toys, but her favourite is her woollen ball. It’s the size of a football and she carries it to the car and runs home with it after an outing.

She will bring it to you, but you can’t have it! It is old and tatty; it has been stitched back together numerous times over the years, but it remains her firm favourite.

She also owns a lick mat which we spread with doggy peanut butter, enabling her to relax whilst enjoying a treat. She loves it, spending up to 30 minutes at a time concentrating on getting every last bit of the peanut butter. Bella also loves doggy ice-cream, and in the summer, she walks toward the ice-cream hut on the beach and waits patiently for me and Bella’s mum to catch up. She then demonstrates her best ‘please’, by sitting up smiling with her tongue hanging out and holding her left paw up. How could anyone refuse?

The power of dogs! All dogs are therapy – it’s just that some are undercover.

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WIN ‘THE SLEEP YOUR DOG DESERVES’ WITH £300 TO SPEND AT LUXURY DOG BEDDING COMPANY CHARLEY CHAU www.charleychau.com

What could be dreamier for a dog than settling down for a snooze on a cold winter’s day in a dog bed, that is designed to be as comfy as canine-ly possible? That’s what you might be able to treat your dog to if you enter our brilliant competition with luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau.

One lucky winner will receive a £300 gift voucher to spend on the bed of your dog’s dreams from Charley Chau’s extensive collection of uniquely styled dog beds and blankets, in a beautiful selection of fabrics and styles to suit even the most discerning of hounds and their human owners.

Whatever bed you choose from Charley Chau, rest assured it will offer supreme canine comfort, gorgeous styling, and exceptional quality. Designed to be as practical as they are gorgeous, beds are ‘machine washable everything’ including removable covers. You can also add extras such as waterproof liners and spare covers for wash days for the more practical aspects of managing the cleanliness of your dog’s bed!

Shop for your dog’s finest sleeping comfort this winter and festive season at Charleychau.com

If you’d like your dog to experience Charley Chau levels of comfort and feel cosy, comfy and cared for this winter and beyond, enter this fantastic competition now: www.vanityfurmagazine.co.uk/charley

Terms and conditions:- The prize is for a Charley Chau gift voucher to the value of £300. No cash alternative is available.

WINTER HYGIENE TIPS FOR YOUR DOG’S BED FOR THAT COSY, CLEAN AND CARED FOR FEELING CHARLEYCHAU.COM WHATEVER THE WEATHER, THE AVERAGE DOG SPENDS 12-14 HOURS PER DAY SLEEPING, SO A COMFY DOG BED IS A MUST FOR NAPPING BLISS! BUT THE PERILS OF WINTER – THE COLD, DRAUGHTS, WET COATS, AND MUDDY PAWS – CAN SPOIL SNOOZING. DOGS ALSO PICK UP MORE DIRT IN WINTER, MUCH OF WHICH GOES BACK TO THEIR BED, CREATING A BREEDING GROUND FOR NASTIES IN THEIR DWELLINGS AND THE WIDER HOME. DEDICATED TO CANINE COMFORT FOR OVER 12 YEARS, THE TEAM AT AWARD-WINNING DOG BEDDING COMPANY CHARLEY CHAU ARE BRIMMING WITH ADVICE TO HELP A DOG FEEL COSY, CLEAN, AND CARED FOR ALL WINTER LONG. CHARLEY CHAU CO-FOUNDER CHRISTINE CHAU SHARES HER TOP TIPS, SO YOU CAN WORK YOUR MAGIC ON YOUR DOG’S ‘HOME’: MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

DRAUGHT PROOF YOUR DOG’S BED

If your dog’s bed is damp, your dog will never reach peak cosy. From paws to their underbelly, dogs get wet on winter walks and so will their bed. Drying your dog post walk helps but other tips include:

Think about what’s happening at ground level.

If it’s draughty for your ankles, it’s draughty for your dog, so exclude with these simple steps:

Opt for a moisture-wicking fabric such as Weave and Velour for bed outer covers, as they take moisture away from your dog’s body and dry quickly. Avoid cotton beds – cotton is highly absorbent and retains moisture - but if that’s what you have, placing a moisture-wicking layer of Fleece or Faux-Fur on top of their bed creates a barrier.

Avoid placing your dog’s bed near external doors and windows. Instead try somewhere protected such as pushed up against a sofa or an internal wall.

Air your dog’s bed regularly. Strip off the covers and pick it up off the floor, so air can circulate freely around and through it. This is very important in winter when homes are less ventilated, the heating is on, and windows remain closed.

CHECK FOR CONDENSATION. It may seem bonkers that a cold, damp dog bed can occur in a warm room, but it can, and it’s invariably caused by excessive condensation forming in your dog’s bed. As well as feeling yuck, it can lead to the growth of mildew and other types of mould in the mattress - and breathing in fungal spores is not good for hound or human.

Check for condensation regularly through the winter by feeling the underside of your dog’s bed with the flat of your palm. It will feel relatively cold, but if it feels even slightly damp then it’s almost certainly caused by condensation, which you can prevent by: Moving the bed at least 1m away from the radiator, especially if you have hard floors.

Placing a rug under your dog’s bed to create a barrier between the floor and bed.

Raising your dog’s bed off the floor so that the underside is not in contact with the floor – even a rattan dog basket can create enough lift to stop condensation.

Check for draughts and if you find any, move the bed.

Create a cosy cocoon by opting for a dog bed with deep sides, which will protect your dog from cold draughts and trap warm air to keep them toasty.

Consider adding scatter cushions to your dog’s bed such as Charley Chau’s Mini Bolster Pads.

Effective draught excluders for all, they are also helpful for senior dogs, who suffer deeper joint issues in colder weather and who will welcome something warm to snuggle against.

MANAGE SURFACE DIRT Rain and mud are just a few things that make our dogs (and their beds) muckier. Try a few tweaks to give surface dirt the brush off: Again, avoid cotton and choose intelligent fabrics that don’t absorb moisture, as they handle surface dirt better. Velour is great, as it can be wiped clean with a damp cloth in between washes or try Charley Chau’s Faroe fabric, with the feel of an upholstery wool without the maintenance headache and with a built-in stain-guard treatment, making it brilliant for spot cleaning.

If you love pale colours, a pale dog bed can still work in winter. Try moving the bed further from any external doors that give your dog access to the outside world, so by the time they’ve reached their crash pad their muddy paws will have gone.

Invest in doggy blankets, as they are fab for protecting a dog bed from surface dirt and are easier to wash versus stripping the whole dog bed.

DISCOURAGING DUST MITES These critters live in our homes all year round, but they can be a real problem in the winter, especially for allergy sufferers. Dust mites love warmth and humidity and a dog bed in winter offers one of the warmest and most humid places in your home for them to thrive. Plus, your dog has a never-ending supply of food such as dander and dust from their coat for dust mites to feast on, so help keep them at bay: Invest in a Waterproof Liner. They will protect against moisture, act as a barrier to the mites and will keep the animal dander, dirt and dust out of the mattress – meaning less food and a less hospitable environment for dust mites.

Choosing hypoallergenic fabrics and fillings can also help to discourage mites, so check the fillings and materials used in your dog’s bed.

Charley Chau’s standard deep-filled dog luxury mattress is filled with an insulating hollowfibre that’s also used to fill hypoallergenic cushions for human use.

WASHING AND MAINTENANCE To maintain optimum health and hygiene for your dog’s bed and your home, and prolong the life of their pad, we recommend: Regular washing. Dog beds (the outers at the least) and blankets should be washed once a week or at a minimum every two weeks to maintain the optimum health and hygiene.

If you don’t have a regular washing routine for your dog’s bed, we recommend washing your dog’s bed the whole way through (mattress included) to start afresh. If your dog’s mattress is beyond redemption, replace it & then care for it.

Before washing, check the common care symbols on your dog’s bed to see if/how it can be washed. Not all dog beds are machine washable, but if like all of Charley Chau’s fabric dog beds, yours is, then wash your dog’s bed at the right temperature. While high heats may be tempting to kill germs, they can damage the fabric, so we advise 30 degrees because it’s still delicate enough not to cause the bed’s fabric to shrink, bobble or change texture.

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Lower the spin, as spinning can cause fabric fibres to twist together, resulting in shrinkage or, with fluffy fabrics such as faux-furs, pilling where long fibres clump together and the fabric loses its fluffiness. Also avoid the quick wash cycle, as it delivers severe levels of agitation in the drum, so it’s basically beating up the fabric.

Use an antibacterial, pet-friendly washing powder or liquid to kill bacteria. Should your dog have soiled their bed, an enzyme cleaner will get rid of pet odours and stains, which in the case of pet urine might stop repeat ‘marking’ behaviours.

Use a Waterproof Liner on the mattress, so you won’t need to wash the bed as frequently. Also consider investing in spare bed covers. Not only will they make wash days less busy, but they will also provide back-up for any winter accidents and messes.

In between wash days, spot clean any obvious dirt on your dog’s bed. A quick wipe with a damp cloth and pet-safe anti-bacterial spray in between washes makes all the difference, not just on visible dirt but hidden dirt that you can’t see but can smell.

Help your dog feel cosy, clean, and cared for this winter, and discover dog bed solutions that have been making hounds happy in over sixty countries around the world at Charleychau.com

66 ANNAWEBB.CO.UK

CALMING SUPERFOODS BEHAVIOUR AND HEALTH PROBLEMS LIKE DIGESTIVE ISSUES, BARKING, REACTIVITY, EVEN PULLING ON THE LEAD CAN ALL BE NEGATIVE EFFECTS CAUSED BY STRESS AND ANXIETY IN YOUR DOG. When a dog is stressed, their body releases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which can have a variety of negative impacts on their health, including behavioural changes, digestive problems and a weakened immune system.

Therefore, it’s important for dog owners to try to minimise the stress their dogs experience to help them maintain optimal health and wellbeing. Unlike us, dogs do not understand a lot of modern stress. They simply have a fight or flight response.

Anna Webb – Nutrition & Behaviour expert has studied at the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT). Anna is host of the award-nominated podcast A

DOG’S LIFE, and regular BBC contributor.

Here she shares some of the ‘superfoods’ which can help your dog stay calm, provided it is combined with training and mindful de-sensitisation.

Anna is passionate about teaching people to speak dog. She explained, “it’s our duty of care to understand dogs, and what they are communicating to us through body language. Ensuring that messages do not get lost in translation.”

For example, yawning is a behaviour that indicates that your dog could be feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and might be better off being removed from that situation

rather than heighten the stress and accidentally rewarding it.

when it comes to stress and helps your dog’s body stay healthy too.

Heavy breathing and panting is one of the main signs a dog is stressed, which over time puts pressure on its breathing. A stressed or anxious dog will see its heart rate increase, this means that more oxygenated blood is pumping through the body, demanding more oxygen from the system.

It is suggested that the welfare of sheltered dogs may be enhanced through exposure to appropriate forms of olfactory stimulation. Chamomile appears particularly beneficial, resulting in activities suggestive of relaxation.

Thyme, one of the main ingredients in Calming by Pawable, is a superfood herb when it comes to increasing your dog’s respiratory function and helping them cope and feel more relaxed.

Understanding the huge benefits of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Pawable has taken the interesting approach to eliminate any potential risk of fish oils oxidating and being redundant to any health benefits.

Rather, Pawable has selected minimally processed Schizochytrium Algal Omega-3 Powder, which as a Phytoplankton, is a highly bio-available source of essential fatty acids comprising both Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Gingko Balboa has also been shown to increase blood flow to the brain in dogs, helping dogs to stay calm. Just like thyme, this is a superfood herb

Studies have shown exposure to ginger and coconut resulted in significantly lower levels of vocalisations and movement compared to the control conditions, while coconut and ginger additionally increased levels of sleeping behaviour.

There are of course, plenty of calming supplements available. My advice is to always read the label and check on the processing and manufacture. Look for some of the wonder ingredients I’ve mentioned when you are choosing what to supplement with.

Also bear in mind that stress is contagious! A study from Belfast University confirmed that dogs smell our raised cortisol levels. In another Italian study, scientists compared bloods from stressed owners and their dogs, finding that these dogs also had raised cortisol levels when compared to dogs with less stressed owners. In my experience, I have seen how stress is contagious, as these studies imply!

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PAWS & PIXELS UNLEASHING THE ART OF DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

National Dog Photography Day, which fell on the 26th of July, was founded

by Kerry Jordan, a professional dog photographer, back in 2018.

When Kerry, a former wedding and family photographer, started taking photographs of her own whippet out in the gorgeous UK countryside, she never imagined the change it would make in her life. People started to take notice, and commissioned Kerry to take photographs of their dogs too, and from there it grew until she launched Fur & Fables to focus entirely on dogs.

So, what is National Dog Photography Day? National Dog Photography Day is a day to celebrate the growing love of dog owners taking and sharing photographs of their pooches. How many dog social media pages and huge influencers do you see daily? It’s safe to say that, as a nation, we love seeing photos of dogs pop up on our feeds.

Here are some top tips from Kerry: My dog won’t look at the camera.

Make unusual sounds that your dog won’t have heard before, ones that work for me are high pitched ‘keening’, ‘pa pa pa’, ‘brrrrrrr’ in different tones, crumpling a crisp packet above the camera. You may even get a cute head tilt! Why not play the video from today and see if your dog reacts?

For those who aren’t sound orientated, one that seems to always work is the fake throw. Pretty difficult to do if you are on your own, but not impossible! Pretend to throw something over your dog’s head in a short sharp movement.

Do you have a phrase that gets your dog’s attention usually? My lot always focus on me when I start with ‘do you want’ so ‘do you want a biscuit’ ‘do you want to go for walkies’ - set yourself up to take the photo, then say your trigger words.

Bonus points for anyone who can do a video of your dog reacting to some silly sounds!

What happens if my dog hates the camera?

For those who seem to not like the camera at all; treat this as a training exercise. Bring out your camera and put a treat next to it - get them comfortable coming close and seeing it as a positive thing.

When they are comfortable, pick up the camera and start adding a training word like ‘Say cheese’ - make sure all the time it’s super fun for your dog.

Then start pointing the camera at your dog, without worrying about taking a photo - keep up the excitement and the ‘say cheese’ or whatever word you choose so that your dog associates the camera with something super positive. I’d love to hear how you get on!

Stop taking photos of lots of grass!

A lot of people take photos from a standing position, pointing the camera down on their dog – this means that you get a lot of ground in the shot. By bringing your camera down to your dog’s level, you include more of the interesting background.

Light.

For me, this is THE most important lesson for taking a great photograph of your dog. All the other lessons can contribute to it, but getting the lighting correct will be a huge help.

Before you even raise the camera to take a photo of your dog, I want you to look at their face and see how light is hitting it. Is one side in shadow? Is the face quite dark? Can you see any nice little spots of lights in the eyes?

If the dogs face is in shadow, can you move them round? Can you move around?

Print your photos.

One thing about photographing your dog I would always recommend, is getting them printed. Having digital is fab, but unless you are super organised, you can lose your best photos in the other 12,340 photos of your dog!

When looking for somewhere to print, I would advise not to get them printed at high street printers, chemists or supermarkets - they don’t always colour correct photos (so they could come back looking completely different, and can have an odd tint), the paper quality isn’t great, and the images tend to fade quickly. If you are going to invest in getting something printed, find a proper printing company, most of them will have an online option to send files so it does not need to be local.

People from all over the world, including celebrities and brands, take part every year by sharing photos of their dogs using the hashtag #nationaldogphotographyday, and you should too!

So, mark it in your diary: 26th of July 2024. I can’t wait to see your photos!

69 www.nylabone.co.uk

70

‘PROTECTING OUR PROTECTORS’ NFRSA.ORG.UK

A few months ago, The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) received a frantic call from a police officer, whose beloved retired police dog was in surgery, fighting for her life after having suffered a stomach torsion, or ‘bloat’ as it is sometimes called.

Retired Police Dog Keela, a German Shepherd, had served for nine years alongside her handler Sam, with Kent Constabulary, dedicating most of her life to keeping her communities safe. For larger dogs a twisted stomach is a life-threatening condition, and Sam was terrified, but at the back of her mind, there was another reason to be worried – the surgery was going to cost in the region of £6,000. While it was unthinkable her beloved dog was not going to receive the help she needed, the financial implications were just as frightening.

Happily, she was told by a colleague about the NFRSA, and was able to turn to them for the help she needed. There was no hesitation from this new charity, and the bill was paid instantly. Sam’s relief was immeasurable; she would have re-mortgaged her home to pay for Keela’s care and while the economic strain would have been hard, there was no doubt in her mind that her beloved work partner would get through her ordeal. Keela is now fully recovered and continues to enjoy her well-deserved retirement, but the outcome could have been so different.

NFRSA is a registered charity, supporting retired dogs and horses from the police, fire and rescue, prison, border force, and National Crime Agency (NCA), by helping with medical and veterinary bills, which inevitably occur as age advances.

When serving dogs and horses retire, the support they have enjoyed whilst working including food, kennels or stables, medical and veterinary requirements, training, and equipment, even toys, comes to an end. They are no longer affiliated with the body to which they once belonged and in essence, become pets, or ‘private citizens.’

This is not a criticism of the services they belonged to, it’s just a fact. Although we would all love to think that retired service animals should receive a pension, it’s impossible. We all have to pay into pensions throughout our careers - dogs and horses don’t receive a wage. Our services all have strict budgets and while everyone who reads this will be an animal lover, there are those taxpayers who may not necessarily agree with the payment of vet bills from the public purse for older animals that no longer work.

Unfortunately for the families they now belong to, meaningful, or if available at all, affordable insurance is almost impossible to obtain due to the animals age and training. This is obviously a worry for those who have their own financial obligations. Any pet owner knows that medical bills can, on occa-

sion, become a real challenge.

As is widely acknowledged, the relationship between a handler or rider and their working mate is second to none. They have spent years together - having each other’s backs in sometimes dire situations - and their dearest wish is to be able to keep their partner once they retire. It’s unthinkable that the pair may be broken up merely due to financial pressures. It seems almost cruel, but this does sometimes happen, and it causes great distress for the handlers and their families. In some cases, a dog may be rehomed due to other factors, such as space, or situations, but even when rehomed, the same financial responsibilities apply.

The NFRSA is there to help to ensure these wonderful animals can either stay where they belong, with the families they love, or remain supported in their new homes as the years advance. It’s the least they deserve when they’ve devoted most of their lives to keeping the public safe – often in ways we could never understand or imagine. In the case of police horses, some do go to live at The Horses Trust, but many pass into private hands and live out their later years being enjoyed and gently hacked. It is those animals that the NFRSA cares for. Their job, quite simply, is to ‘Protect our Protectors’.

The NFRSA was founded by The Countess Bathurst from Cirencester Park in the Cotswolds. Lady Bathurst served as High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 2016-17 and being a devoted animal lover, she spent time with the dog and mounted sections. It was here she learned that once service animals reach the end of their careers, there is no pension in place or financial support, and she vowed to do something about it. The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals was launched at the National Police Dog Trials, held at Cirencester Park in May 2022, and it has spent its first 12 months doing just what it set out to do – supporting retired service animals.

The NFRSA supports dogs by providing regular medications for ongoing conditions, such as for Rolo, a retired Border Force Detection Dog, who suffers with epilepsy. Retired Police Horse ‘Little Dave’ (or PH Bowron as he was known in the City of London Police), needed three teeth extracting.

Retired HM Prison Service Dog ‘Jay’ who had a painful ear hematoma, also benefitted from the NFRSA’s help. The NFRSA has just celebrated its first birthday, with a reception and charity auction at Christie’s in London, attended by people such as Sarah, Duchess of York.

Gifts were donated to the cause by donors, including Charlie Smith, an upand-coming sculptor who promised a commission of a bronze dog’s head to the winning bidder. Other items auctioned included the opportunity to name a litter of puppies from the Metropolitan Police Dog Section; a day’s training with the West Midlands Dog Section; and a bottle of 32-year-old Dalmore

71 single malt whisky, taken from a single cask and bottled exclusively for the NFRSA. The NFRSA is lucky enough to have a powerful stable of ambassadors, including Dragons Den’s Deborah Meaden, actress Minnie Driver, Carol Vorderman, and cricketer David Gower – they are all hugely supportive of the work.

Minnie Driver says: “To be involved as an ambassador for the NFRSA is my way of showing support to the leading role these extraordinary dogs and horses play in our everyday lives. Quite simply, they keep us safe. We should do the same for them when their work is done.”

The charity, which is run entirely by volunteers, with an incredibly hard-working management committee and overseen by a board of trustees, has already gifted over £30,000 to retired dogs and horses from across the country, including Scotland.

The NFRSA is also keen to work alongside the established local retired police dog charities, who already look after police dogs in their individual counties, and Lady Bathurst is quick to acknowledge their existence.

“We are hugely aware of the Association of Retired Police Dog Charities with their 18 members across the country, supporting 30 out of the 43 constabularies and we cooperate closely with them, and are enormously proud to call them our colleagues.” She stresses, “It is not a competition, as long as someone is taking care of the retired animals, that’s all that matters, and we have no wish to eclipse what they do. We simply fill in the gaps, and of course give full support to the services who have no help.”

With the rise in the cost of living, the charity anticipates the demand for help will grow, and it is very much focused on fund-raising.

Along with public donations, the NFRSA has several major events in 2023.

Crufts in March was the perfect venue at which they were able to highlight the charity and its work; the birthday party at Christie’s was an invaluable showcase, and there are two further major dates planned in the diary.

On June 11th, The Lord Margadale generously offered his home, Fonthill Estate in Wiltshire, as a venue for a garden party exclusively for the NFRSA. The event team, consisting of the dedicated management committee, worked tirelessly to make it a huge success.

In September, the charity’s founder, Lady Bathurst, rode her Porsche electric bike from Land’s End to John ‘O’Groats to not only raise further funds, but to also highlight the exceptional work these extraordinary animals do throughout the country. She started her epic journey at the tip of Cornwall, travelling up to the tip of Scotland, stopping off along the way to visit police dog sections, mounted horse sections, prisons, fire and rescue stations, as well as Border Force agencies. She was accompanied by several of the charity’s ambassadors, including Ben Miller, Nick Knowles, and Adam Henson, all of whom joined her for various legs, as well as officers and staff from the services the NFRSA supports.

“It’s certainly took me out of my comfort zone” she says, “At times I questioned my own sanity and it was incredibly hard on the days when it was raining, when I felt exhausted –I would do anything for the animals we support.”

Plans for the future include encouraging satellite fund-raising committees to form across the country and encouraging more public donations. The NFRSA hopes everyone who loves dogs, and supports our wonderful emergency services, will feel inspired to get involved.

With this exceptional and dedicated team, it can only go from strength to strength and the brave dogs and horses from the five services it supports can look forward to a happy, safe and above all, healthy retirement with the NFRSA at their side.

For more information on how to donate, or get involved – please visit: https://www.nfrsa.org.uk

72 BEMOREDOG.CO.UK

ANXIETY - THE SILENT EPIDEMIC MORE AND MORE IN MY CONSULTATIONS I AM BEING PRESENTED WITH DOGS THAT HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF ANXIETY, AKIN TO WHAT WE WOULD CALL GAD (GENERAL ANXIETY DISORDER) IN HUMANS. THIS DOES CORRELATE WITH ‘LOCKDOWN PUPPIES’ BUT ALSO MANY DOGS BORN OUTSIDE LOCKDOWN ARE PRESENTING HIGH LEVELS OF ANXIETY. The anxiety itself is a symptom of other underlying issues. Common causes of anxiety are poor gut health, early neutering, genetics, learned behaviour, and lifestyle factors. The dogs with high levels of anxiety tend to show unwanted behaviours such as being anxious when left, reactivity and aggression, being unable to settle, restlessness, excessive energy levels, and fear.

It is important to help dogs suffering from anxiety because, if left untreated, it can have damaging long-term effects on the dog’s mental and physical wellbeing.

Too many stress hormones in the body

can lead to diabetes, adrenal fatigue, and a shorter lifespan. When I am working with a dog that presents the unwanted behaviours that I believe are linked to anxiety, I like to do a complete overhaul of the dog’s life and lifestyle, looking at everything from diet, exercise, daily routine, toxin intake and owner attitude.

It has been proven that the gut is directly linked to the brain via the vagus nerve, and supporting good gut health will promote healthy brain function. You only have to think how you might feel after eating a tonne of junk food, compared to eating a healthy meal. I firmly believe in a

raw diet for dogs. Raw food has not been processed and has more ‘good’ bacteria than processed food, which support the microbiome - the microbiome is often called the second brain. 90% of serotonin (the happy hormone) is produced in the gut. We must feed the gut well. Raw meat contains essential amino acids such as tryptophan. Tryptophan produces serotonin and melatonin (the sleepy hormone).

Many dogs nowadays are not getting enough sleep. This is partly due to lifestyle but partly due to energy levels from the diet. I see it all the time during my consultations, high-energy dogs that can’t settle. This is why one of the first things I will recommend for anxious dogs is a change to a raw diet.

Another area I will look at under a behaviour modification programme is lifestyle, exercise, and stimulation, and trying to achieve appropriate mental and physical exercise. Letting your dog continuously retrieve a ball to ‘tire it out’ is not recommended, this will only serve to produce excessively high levels of adrenaline and cortisol, which can take days to leave the system and can stop the dog from being able to settle. A much more beneficial walk would be one involving sniffing, and exploring, with different natural terrains and surfaces. Working the dog’s olfactory system will be mentally tiring without making the dog wired. Twenty minutes of sniffing is the equivalent to a long walk, so you don’t need to walk for hours to provide your dog with a workout. I encourage lots of ‘nose’ work for anxious dogs, scent games, exploring and processing. This releases endorphins which will really help anxious dogs become calm and settled.

We can also help anxious dogs by teaching them to self-regulate via training and games involving self-control, waiting, pausing, down-stays, and so on and increasing the length of time as the dog becomes more proficient.

Start with a few seconds, or as long as your dog can do, and with low level distractions, for example within the home, before increasing duration and distractions.

A lot of the dogs that I see with anxiety are lacking in sleep, either due to the anxiety itself preventing the dog from relaxing, or environmental factors such as noise, children disturbing the dog, phobias and over stimulation. Create an environment for your dog where it can truly relax and where it knows it will be undisturbed. Feeling on edge will prevent the mind from switching off because the dog will be existing in fight or flight. Sleep does not come easy in this state of mind. So, dogs that get pestered and startled by young children can really struggle to relax after time as they are expecting to be disturbed. Create a safe area for the dog where it will not be disturbed by people or noises.

Natural supplements may help, and prescription medication will certainly help reduce the anxiety but I would only recommend this if the dog has extreme anxiety and alongside the behaviour modification programme.

If your dog is suffering from anxiety, seek the help of an experienced behaviourist who will take a holistic approach.

Further reading https://www.science.org/content/article/do-gut-bacteria-make-secondhome-our-brains https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12091259/ https://bemoredog.co.uk/blog/diet-the-gut-and-behaviour-raw-vs-kibble/ Patricia McGrady is owner and founder of Be More Dog Essex. She is certified with the CIDBT, a Kids Around Dogs professional, and a certified full member of the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association www.bemoredog.co.uk www.facebook.com/bemoredog.co.uk info@bemoredog.co.uk

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11 1. Supersized frog cushion £14.99 dobbies.com 2. Dalmation Twosie £8 tesco.com/clothing 3. Sausage Dog Cushion Cover £8 marksandspencer.com 4. Matalan dog knottoy blue £3 matalan.co.uk 5. Hanging Felt Dog in a Stocking Decoration £4.50 dunelm.com 6. Emma Bridgewater Dogs all Over half pint Mug £23 daisypark.co.uk 7. ZA213 £35 joebrowns.co.uk 8. Matalan Dog Food Tin with Scoop £16 matalan.co.uk 9. Caroline Gardner Spot Dog Harness £26 johnlewis.com

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10. Amuseable Nordic Spruce £29.99 dobbies.com 11. Everyone nose a white Christmas is the best Christmas £4.50 medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk 12. Grey Stone Effect Classic Country Greyhound Dog Ornament £32 next.co.uk

76 PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND READ A BOOK!

PUPLICATIONS

“Adore Your Adolescent Dog” is a ground-breaking dog training book by author Jo Sellers addresses the phase from six months to two years - a tumultuous period that often leads to dogs being surrendered. This book aims to demystify the erratic teenage stage, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to forge the ideal relationship with your pet.

Adolescent dogs can be demanding, seemingly forgetting prior training and challenging your authority. Jo’s book covers various common dog training topics while shedding light on how an adolescent dog’s developing brain alters their worldview. Recognising their confusion becomes pivotal, emphasising two-way communication through understanding body language.

The guide highlights reward-based training and staying calm rather than

being frustrated, aiming to guide rather than scold. It delves into typical teenage dog issues and provides compact training advice and interactive games to improve focus and strengthen your bond. Armed with this accessible guide, you’ll decode your dog’s behaviour, and shape your rebellious adolescent into a loyal, responsive friend.

“STOP Walking Your Dog” challenges conventional dog-walking norms in a thought-provoking book by Niki French. While the title might seem controversial, the book offers insights for dog owners with nervous, reactive, or over-excitable pets, for whom daily walks pose challenges.

French suggests that traditional walks, a human construct, might not suit every dog’s needs. While exercise, mental stimulation, and nature exposure are essential, some dogs benefit from reduced walks or breaks to alleviate stress.

The book advocates understanding a dog’s individual needs, offering diverse ways to fulfil their physical and mental requirements. It aims to release owners from societal pressures regarding dog-walking routines,

providing practical training, alternative activities, and lifestyle tips.

Whether training a puppy at home, coping with weather constraints, or accommodating health issues, it empowers owners to create enriching lives for their pets. Accessible in various formats, STOP Walking Your Dog provides guidance and links to instructional videos, reflecting Niki French’s expertise and dedication to dogs’ well-being.

“The I Love Shelties Annual” drawing inspiration from classic annuals like The Beano and The Dandy, stands as a loving tribute to the Shetland Sheepdog breed. Conceived from Camilla Fellas Arnold’s childhood desire for more sheltie representation, the annual came to fruition after her tenure as a freelance designer and the establishment of her company.

Now in its fourth year, the annual remains a cherished and eagerly awaited part of the Sheltie community. Opening submissions in spring, sheltie lovers worldwide contribute their stories and photos. Camilla, overseeing editing, design, and compilation, transforms these submissions into an autumn-published book, a testament cultivated by the community.

A portion of the proceeds from sales supports charitable causes, having raised £750 for the welfare and rescue coordination of the English and Yorkshire Shetland Sheepdog Clubs. The 2023 edition’s sales will contribute to Pet Blood Bank UK, with the final donation total to be disclosed later this year.

“Howard of Pawsland Saves Fishlypool” represents author Mark Taylor’s third addition to the Howard of Pawsland book series. Inspired by Mark’s beloved bearded collie, Howard, a gift from his partner, Annette, these books bear the essence of a profound personal journey. Mark faced a breakdown triggered by job pressures and the responsibility of caring for his bedridden mother suffering from advanced dementia, a challenging period in his life. Howard and Annette became his pillars of support, encouraging Mark to translate Howard’s love into a series of children’s books, advocating love, kindness, and sustainability for young readers aged three to seven.

Set in Pawsland, ruled by King Paw Adore, the books follow Howard

on quests addressing sustainability issues across the land, from Whistledown’s mountains to the fishing village of Fishlypool. With delightful hand illustrations, these books invite readers to embark on magical adventures alongside Howard, spreading messages of love and compassion.

“How to Train Your Dogl.” Adhere to these straightforward guidelines, and your puppy is set to blossom into a delightful, loyal, and cherished part of your family. This non-furry companion will not only offer great companionship but also bring enduring happiness for years ahead. Amid the plethora of puppy-training books, none rival the clarity and coherence found in this guide. Fiona Baird’s methodology carries a robust logic, instilling confidence in both the owner and the puppy. Her approach makes training an enjoyable, simple, and easily comprehensible experience. With a professional background in training numerous puppies, Baird has amassed a following of devoted clients. She stands out as the epitome of expertise, earning the reputation of being the ‘Mary Poppins

of puppy training’. Her methods ensure a journey toward a well-behaved and adored canine family member.

Adore Your Adolescent Dog Jo Sellers ISBN-13: 979-8373479240

www.pippinpetsdogtraining.co.uk

STOP! Walking Your Dog Niki French ISBN-13: 979-8757531021 www.puptalk.co.uk

I Love Shelties Annual 2023 Camilla Fellas Arnold ISBN-13: 978-1913916152 www.iloveshelties.com

Howard of Pawsland saves Fishlypool Mark Taylor ISBN-13: 978-1910356807 www.middletonpress.co.uk

Training Your Puppy Fiona Baird ISBN-13: 978-1906122829

77

78 WWW.RACHELBEAN.CO.UK

FIRST AID RACHEL BEAN RVN MCFBA FIRST AIDER/VET I was on the Canine Institute of Dog Behaviour and Training stand at Crufts this year, and it was great to spend time with likeminded colleagues and meet visitors and other stand holders and learn more about them.

I was also really excited to spread the word about canine first aid on national television, showing presenter Radzi Chinyanganya, how to perform CPR on a dog as part of Channel 4’s coverage of the show, on the Saturday afternoon.

Crufts is an opportunity to see some stunning dogs, and this year was no disappointment. I was blown away by some of the amazing grooming skills on offer and visited the iPET Network and Four Paws Groom School stands for a catch up with Sarah Mackay and Fern Gresty about their amazing push on qualifications and training.

So, to celebrate all things Crufts, I want to share the basics of CPR, just as I taught Radzi. Don’t forget, nothing says quality and competence than taking a canine first aid qualification.

Another fun moment came on the Paleo Ridge stand, where I learned just exactly what goes into my dogs Chilli and Wisp’s raw dog food and gave a canine first aid demonstration on their Instagram live feed.

Sammy Feehan, 23 from Albrighton near Wolverhampton is a professional dog walker and takes pride in keeping her knowledge and skills up to date.

In 2019, just before the pandemic, Sammy took the iPET Network Canine First Aid course with me, as a way to stay safe while she was working with pets.

The course has stood her in good stead in her Doxie Canine Services business, but never more so than when, in a dramatic life-saving scenario she performed CPR on her own beloved dog George, 16.

Sammy picks up the story: “I have had George since I was seven years old, and he is 16 now, with a few health issues. He is a Yorkie Dachshund cross and a really important member of our family.

George started to have seizures, one in the night, which was witnessed by my parents, and then a more severe one the next day which left him really agitated and restless.

I tried to calm him down and give him a cuddle, but suddenly, he just collapsed on my lap.

He looked dead, and it was so traumatic, but having the first aid knowledge allowed my training to kick in, and to do the right thing and give George the chance he deserved.

His breathing was shallow, but he was still there, and I started doing the CPR that Rachel taught us in training.

I could feel his breath, but it wasn’t like a proper breath, it was really scary, but I carried on with the CPR for five minutes. The vet was on the phone and said to bring him in, but I was so worried that he wouldn’t make it that far as the vet isn’t that close to our house.

But because of the training I was able to care for him all the way to the vets, remembering what Rachel told us, and after some medication and oxygen at the surgery he has rallied round!

It was such a shock, and I still can’t believe that it has happened, but I am so grateful that I knew what to do. My instincts just kicked in, but afterwards you realise just how scary it really was and what could have happened.

For the first three nights after it happened, I slept on the floor with him to make sure that he was alright through the night.

I think it is so important that pet professionals get this training, and when you are choosing a pet professional you should question them like they are on trial.

I did the course because I want to show my clients that they can trust me with their family members, and all dog walkers, groomers and anyone else who works with your pet while you are not there should do the same.”

In other news, a lot of dogs love tennis balls, and whether you throw one for them to chase, or they like to carry it in their mouth for the walk, the brightly coloured items are a staple part of life with a canine companion.

For many of our dogs a walk just isn’t the same without their treasured tennis ball, and we all have seen the tremendous lengths that some dogs will go to retrieve a ball, leaping into the air, or even jumping headfirst into water.

But, what many of us won’t know is that your dog’s tennis ball can actually save their life, so I’m sharing a top tip, which every dog owner should know.

Canine First Aid is far from just the basics of CPR and choking first aid, some techniques are bordering on genius.

This is an injury I have had experience with working in Veterinary Practice and is more common than you think.

If a dog lands on a fence post or a sharp broken branch they can damage the brachial artery which runs through the armpit. Like humans, it’s a difficult place to tourniquet, so the best action is to apply pressure immediately using your fist, hands, and fingers.

Your dog’s tennis ball is a great object to use to help reduce blood loss. If a ball is squeezed in the armpit, it compresses the brachial artery, stopping the blood flow.

Jam it in the armpit and keep it there as hard as possible until you get to the vets. It may just reduce blood loss enough for the dog to recover and save their life.

And if you have a dog that loves to fetch, it is also very useful to know how to deal with a stick injury.

This can happen occasionally and can occur when the dog bites the tongue or bites down on a sharp stick, which should be avoided.

It usually looks worse than it is and after a few minutes it can stop. Saliva contains proteins which play a role in the different stages of wound healing.

Saliva also contains substantial amounts of tissue factor, which dramatically accelerates blood clotting.

If the injury is minor but does not clot quickly and stop bleeding, then do call the vet as there could be a clotting issue.

If the tongue is split, then a veterinary visit will be necessary as they often need stitching.

The most serious tongue injury is when the lingual artery is severed, usually by a stick injury or similar.

This can be life threatening owing to the severe blood loss, you must rush your pooch to a vet immediately, without delay.

To find out more go to www.rachelbean.co.uk

CPR BASICS Remember your ABCs: A stands for airway, which is where you need to check if the dog is having a medical emergency. Look for blockages, and attempt to remove anything you find with your fingers.

B stands for breathing. Is the dog breathing? If the dog is breathing, starting a CPR technique could hurt them.

C stands for circulation. Does the dog have a pulse? You can check for this by pressing your ear to the left side of their chest.

Performing CPR: Small dogs under two kilograms: Compressions are over the heart itself between the thumb and two fingers or two fingers over two fingers - You need to do 30 Compressions, two a second.

Dogs between two and 10 kilograms: Use the heel of your hand then the second heel of your hand over the

heart area, wrists locked, elbows locked for 30 hard compressions.

For dogs over 10 kilograms you need to do thoracic compressions: This is doing the compressions over the highest part of the middle of the ribcage and with each compression you have to lift off completely - 30 vigorous compressions needed.

With large bull breeds they may benefit from the compressions being done with the dog on its back and over the sternum area: After each 30 compressions you need to do two breaths.

Close the mouth with both hands and place your mouth over the dogs nose completely including the nostrils. Breath gently out which should inflate the lungs. Once the chest stops rising, take your mouth off the nose the chest should deflate, and repeat.

Hopefully this valuable information could save your dog’s life.

80

CONDITIONING AND FITNESS DOGTRAININGESSEX-SUFFOLK.CO.UK

Why is Canine Conditioning important?

Conditioning for Dogs is for all ages, body types and abilities. It’s often considered a way to help dogs after an injury, but conditioning is also great to give dogs a strong and healthy structure to help prevent injury and keep them mobile for longer.

It focuses on moving the body to help strengthen muscles, ligaments, tendons etc., which all come together to support the joints, and supported joints are less prone to issues.

We can start at home, building up your dog’s muscle strength, coordination, balance, and general body awareness - and we don’t need any special equipment either, just things already found around the house.

Conditioning dogs can come in the form of workshops, 1-2-1 sessions as well as online masterclasses, so it’s now easier than ever to support our dogs for their futures.

It’s always important to warm our dogs up before starting exercise or activity.

Conditioning helps to prepare dogs for more activities in the warmer months.

Going from one or two road walks a day to a longer hike on varied terrain can be a lot for a dog and can cause injury, strains, or muscle fatigue. If your dog is involved in a sport there may be more training, competitions, and activities available.

Slow twists and spins, guiding your dog into a stand from a sitting position.

Moving a treat from the end of their nose in a nice slow circle so your dog can follow it and move in a circle. Do some one way then some the other way but remember to ensure the floor isn’t slippery, and that your dog isn’t doing this on their back legs while bouncing as this isn’t appropriate for a warm-up. This one requires no props so it can be used at home and at the start of walks.

How can we include Conditioning into our Dogs’ lives?

Stepping over Rolled Towels: 2-5 hand towels or small blankets will work

great; just roll up, place on the floor approximately 30cm apart and slowly walk with your dog so they step over each towel. We are looking for them to step with each foot independently rather than bunny hopping. You can help by placing a small treat on the floor just after each towel, so your dog is looking down. This exercise helps utilise the leg muscles and the joints ready for faster exercise later.

If you have thin poles, a couple of broom handles or even narrow guttering to turn upside down to form bumps can be used instead of towels.

Bring your dog in front of you in a sit or stand. Use a treat on the nose to guide the head left for a second, give a treat, then the same to guide the head to the right for a second and give a treat. Repeat this 5-6 times each side for a little stretch of the neck, shoulders, cervical spine, and weight shifting, with muscle engagement of the front legs, shoulders, spine, pelvis, and hips. This can also be done with your dog in a ‘Peek-A-Boo’ position between your feet which can help keep them in one place to turn their head.

A few examples of main exercises.

Moving into main exercises, be careful to go slowly and build your dog up at their pace as starting to increase activity can lead to muscle fatigue and can affect them for the following few days. By working on preparing our dogs for their epic adventures later this year we can protect them from injury or accidents. Typically, ‘quality over quantity’ is the way forward, so doing 2-3 repetitions well is far more beneficial to dogs than trying 10 repetitions that are done partly or incorrectly.

Here are some foundation exercises that can help start our dogs with some strengthening and general body awareness.

Front Paws Up: take a low item such as a hard backed book or the lid of a storage box for example. Stand opposite your dog with the item between you and use a treat to lure your dog to place a paw on the item, giving them plenty of praise to build their confidence. Slowly move on to placing both front paws on the item.

Once your dog is placing both paws on the low item and is standing, we can hold the treat slightly higher than nose level and ask for a ‘paws up stand’ for a few seconds. Give them a treat and allow them to step off if they want to before repeating. While standing like this all the weight is moved to the rear end which engages the muscles to work without causing impact or stress on the joints. A few repetitions for this will be fine in a session, and if out on a walk, some front paws up on a small tree stump, a narrow secure fallen tree, low sea defences on the beach or some low steps would be a great way to incorporate this regularly as well.

Static Stands: teaching your dog to stand still for a few seconds and building up to 20-30 seconds is a great non-impact way to engage so many muscles, which in turn supports from head to toe. Lure your dog from a sit forward into a stand - with a treat - and reward and praise to get started. Gradually hold the treat for longer in front of your dog’s nose to help them stay still, then reward.

Teaching a stand stay can be harder than it looks as it’s easier for a dog to move a paw slightly and then carry on walking compared to when they sit or lay down and stay. Keep your hand signal and treat, level with your dog’s nose, as looking up can initiate a sit!

Ramps and slopes provide a natural weight shift, so going uphill on a slight incline sends the weight to the rest-end and encourages muscle engagement, whilst walking down a slope sends the weight to the front end.

If you have hills where you currently walk you could also go up and down normally a couple of extra times before continuing with your walk or, if there is a hill on one side of the path, you and your dog could zig zag up and down as you move forwards.

Cooling down is so important as it helps reduce injury or issues from the body cooling too fast, it also helps the body with overall healing and recovery.

Neck and Spine Stretch: Guiding your dog to stand across you (you can stand or kneel for this) use a treat on the nose to lure your dog’s head away from you towards their shoulder/hip direction. By having your dog across your legs, you can help them not keep turning in a circle. Hold the stretch for just a second or two and treat. Don’t force your dog to turn their head and neck -

if new to conditioning they may have a smaller range of motion. Do this 2-4 times and repeat in the opposite direction. This is a great stretch for the neck, spine, shoulders, elbows, toes, and even the hips!

The Play bow Stretch is another great one for the back, but is also good for the hips, pelvis, ankles, toes, elbows, and shoulders too. Start with your dog standing alongside you, place your hand under their belly the other holding a treat to nose. Lower the treat hand for your dog to follow and keep the other hand under the belly to prevent a flat lay down. Treat and praise any attempt to lower the front end even if not a full bow yet and gradually your dog will get lower and lower and not need the hand supporting the rear end.

If you’re finishing a walk with your dog then ensure your dog doesn’t finish by running straight into the car for example - instead have a few minutes walking to help your dog’s body cool properly before they go lay in the car etc..

Most of all take this time to bond and have fun, as both you and your pooch will reap the benefits.

We had Canine Fitness Month in April, and our fun training and information is still available in our Facebook group if you’d like to learn more. Join us on Facebook in the group ‘K9 Conditioning with Joe Nutkins’ for challenges, tutorials, lives, and advice for our dogs for puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs.

Joe Nutkins Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer and Kennel Club Accredited Dog Trainer.

Dog Training for Essex & Suffolk

Award Winning On Location Dog Photography

by Nigel Wallace, as featured on BBC and ITV Would you love images like these of your dog?

If yes contact me on T: 07720 834868 E: wallacenigel@ymail.co.uk nigelwallacephotography.co.uk

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