Adopting puppies in lockdown has given many people a lifeline. Dogs offer invaluable company and support to see them through the lonely, worrying and isolated times. They can give absolute loyalty and love and ask very little from us in return. They grow up to accept that life is the way it is presented to […]
Author Archives: Helen Atton
As soon as your puppy leaves his mother and comes to you, the socialisation clock is ticking. Up to about 14 weeks of age, however shy or outgoing your puppy is, he will be able to take new experiences in his stride. After this time however, puppies start to become more wary of things they […]
These strange times of being isolated at home and restricted from approaching people even when we do venture outside are changing the relationships we have with our dogs. Dogs are very intuitive creatures and although it may not be obvious, they can become stressed and anxious quite easily. They respond to signs of stress in […]
You have probably had it drummed into you that dogs need daily exercise. A tired dog is a good dog, walks offer mental and physical stimulation, walks emulate the primal dog hunt, etc., etc. Walking does of course give your dog mental as well as physical stimulation but not as much as you might expect. […]
The word ‘dominance’ is thrown about so much in the dog world. It stems from the idea that dogs are effectively domesticated wolves, which were said to live in hierarchical packs, with an alpha animal leading, and other pack members taking subordinate roles. The theory was that this hierarchy was maintained by force and aggression […]
At last the sun is shining and all the plants in the garden and countryside are sprouting and aromatic, with their glorious fresh spring colours and scents – and my dogs are doing a good impression of sheep! Watching my pup with weeds hanging from the side of her mouth prompted me to write a […]
If you search online for information about the best way to feed your dog, you will be inundated with many different views, most of them adamant that their ideas give the best and only ways to feed dogs. There seem to be as many different ideas as there are people proposing them. So how […]
If you feel stressed, so will your dog, so the main approach to dealing with stress in your dog is to address it in yourself. The calmer you are, the more your dog will reflect your state of mind and relax as well. Here are some tips, in no particular order, to help you to […]
Dogs chase things because they love it. It’s a self reinforcing habit, which means that the more they do it the more they want to do it. Your dog doesn’t need a reward to learn to chase things like he would in order to learn a command like ‘Sit’ or ‘Stay’. Chasing is what is […]
One of the biggest concerns new dog owners have about their new puppy is how to house train her effectively and quickly. There are several approaches you can take to house training a puppy and I will describe here the method I’ve used successfully for years. Keep in mind that your young dog has very […]