Pets
Ask the vet… Dogs are not small humans! We love our dogs as members of our families and we sometimes forget that they are not human. They do, however, differ from humans in terms of their health and their behaviour, in some aspects quite markedly. Just because we can eat something doesn’t mean that dogs can eat the same. Chocolate, onions and raisins can all be toxic and should be avoided. Xylitol is a common sweetener and sugar replacer in sweets and chewing gum and can cause dangerously low levels of blood glucose and liver failure. Drugs which are safe and beneficial to us may be fatal to dogs. A single 200mg ibuprofen tablet can be toxic to a 4kg dog causing
with Lynn Broom
intestinal bleeding. Even drugs which are useful in dogs often need significantly lower doses due to their smaller body size and it can be easy to cause toxicity if dogs are given or accidentally eat human medication. Dogs use different innate body language to humans. For instance we smile to show friendliness. A smile involves parting your lips and showing your teeth – in dog language this is seen as snarling which is a display of aggression. Dogs which have been raised with people have usually learnt to recognise a
smile as a positive response (and some may even copy it!) but those unused to people can find a smile threatening. Holding eye contact in the dog world is another aggressive dominant behaviour but we often stare at and hold eye contact with dogs assuming they are interacting with us. However this may be seen as a threat particularly by a nervous dog.
Companions at Peace Pet Cremation Independent family run business offering a very personal, caring pet cremation service to bereaved pet owners. Collection Service Farewell Room Out of Hours Service provided Located in a rural countryside setting on the Somerset Dorset border
WANTED SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED DOG any breed or cross breed 7 years plus good home 01929 463000
Contact us on: 07900 654 440 www.companionsatpeace.co.uk
BLANDFORD & STURMINSTER CATS PROTECTION Loving homes needed for cats and kittens in our care. For more details, please call our helpline 01258 858644 or visit our website: www.blandford.cats.org.uk
Contact us to advertise
01963 400186
Sponsored by Longmead Veterinary Practice Ltd
62
New Blackmore Vale, 21st January 2022
Dogs do not have the same social rules as us. While dogs may learn via training what we do and do not want them to do they do not understand why these behaviours are required, simply that they receive a positive response for something we want them to do. A dog which looks guilty when found with a chewed shoe is simply showing submissive behaviour because he recognises that your angry body language is associated with previous negative experiences, and he is attempting to prevent you from directing your anger at him – he does not, however, understand why you are angry.
BEAUTIFUL ROUGH COLLIE (Lassie) puppies, ready now. Excellent pedigree and show potential, lovely temperament. Home reared. Further information call 07786933733
JACK RUSSELL PUPS, bitches only, ten weeks old, wormed, micro-chipped, docs, vet papers, certificate, short legged, show winning parents. £650 per pup Tel 07779 685709
LABRADOR PUPPIES for sale,wormed up to date. Microchipped, both parents hip eye and elbow tested and both can be seen,parents are kc registered and have very good temperaments Tel 07800 755862 TWO REMAINING PEDIGREE LABRADOR Retriever puppies for sale from a litter of five: one male, one female, both yellow. Five generation Kennel Club pedigree available. Mother with good hip and elbow scores; first vaccinations given. Enquires: Robert Rhys 07803 609614
blackmorevale.net
