Puppy Problems? Wood Green are here to help

Puppies welcomed into new homes during lockdown have missed key learning experiences and will soon be reaching adolescence, a time when they typically display more challenging behaviours. Wood Green, The Animals Charity has services to support puppy owners in need of advice, behavioural support and if they are no longer able to care for their pet. Wood Green’s Pet Support team has begun to see an increase in enquiries about puppies like Trinity the Lurcher, who was purchased at the beginning of lockdown. The new owners were led to believe that she was eight weeks old, but the vet confirmed that she was only six weeks old and too young to be separated from her mother. Trinity’s owners described her as sweet and well-behaved most of the time, but she began mouthing which caused the children in the home to be afraid of her. When advice from a paid behaviourist didn’t help, Trinity’s owners contacted Wood Green in July and made the hard decision to hand her over. They said: “We decided to bring Trinity to Wood Green because we realised that simply selling her may result in her being resold again due to her mouthing issues and, in the long term, she may end up at a rescue centre with even more behavioural problems. “We believe that Wood Green can provide the training she needs and have the experience to find her the best home. Giving Trinity away was a heartbreaking experience, but all we want is for her to be healthy and happy.”

Specialists at Wood Green are available to pet owners facing difficulty with a puppy, or any other pet. The team has decades of experience in dog behaviour and training, offering free one-to-one behavioural support and a range of training classes for a nominal fee. With a dramatic increase in puppy scams over the past few months, the charity can also advise anyone looking to get a new pet and guide them through the process. Sue Ketland, Dog Behaviour & Training Specialist at Wood Green, said: “We understand that puppies can be hard work at the best of times, and even more so given the current circumstances. Social distancing has made it more difficult to socialise puppies with other dogs and people, face-to-face training classes haven’t been possible and with everyone spending more time at home, puppies may struggle to cope when left alone. It’s not too late to resolve any issues, like Trinity’s puppy mouthing, and we are here for every pet owner.” Life can be unpredictable and some puppy owners may no longer be able to look after their pets. Whatever the reason, be it work or financial pressures, health, or simply not having enough time to dedicate to a pet, Wood Green can help. Their friendly team will listen, advise and, if someone needs to hand over their pet, will take the animal into their care to find them a loving new home.

Talk to Wood Green’s team on 0300 303 9333 or visit www.woodgreen.org.uk