Unsuitable Christmas gifts

As we are well in the swing of the festive period, it is a good time to remind everyone that:

DOGS AND CATS DO NOT MAKE SUITABLE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

Every year, Dogs Trust and Cats Protection are inundated with unwanted dogs and cats who have been given as Christmas gifts, only to find themselves surplus to requirements once January comes around.

There are many reasons why this is a very bad time to introduce a new pet to your home. You will undoubtedly have more visitors than at other times of the year, all of whom will be louder than usual and full of festive cheer! This could terrify a new puppy or kitten and leave a lasting impression that visitors are scary and to be barked at/avoided at all costs, leading to behavioural problems in the future.

There will also probably be Christmas decorations in your home, just right for puppies and kittens to sink tiny teeth into, resulting in choking and even death.

In addition, it is very likely you will have more chocolate and festive food lying around. all of which is completely unsuitable for your pets to eat and in the case of dark chocolate and poultry bones a very small amount can be fatal to animals.

If you are planning to introduce a kitten or puppy, or indeed an adult cat or dog, to your family in the near future, wait until after Christmas. You will have something lovely to look forward to and what better way to banish those January blues? Take a look at the page on the blog for lots of info to help you.

MYTH NO 4: Take puppy’s food away to prove you are boss?

Unfortunately this is a very common misconception and can lead to your dog becoming food aggressive.

It is very important to remember that dogs are pre-programmed to protect their food.

It is true that you should be able to ‘control’ the food but we need to build up the puppy’s trust so that they realise they will get the item back if they give it up willingly.

The best method is to teach your puppy that ’hands come to give, not take’. This can be done by approaching your puppy’s bowl whilst he is eating and then dropping something better into it – chicken/ham/sausage/cheese etc. This way he learns that you coming towards his bowl is a good thing as you bring yummy treats!

Eventually you will be able to put your hands into the puppy’s bowl – ensuring that each time you bring him/her something delicious.

This training should also be done with bones/chews. Holding one end of the chew you can lure your puppy away from it with an even tastier food treat. Allow the puppy to come a sufficient distance away from the chew, give him the treat and then give him the chew back! This is a win win situation for your puppy and he/she learns to trust you when you approach his food.

If you need advice on training or behaviour issues, please call our behaviourist Jo Raine on 01903 234866.

A dog is for life ….

…….. not just for Christmas.

Dogs Trust are celebrating 30 years of their famous slogan, which was the brainchild of Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust (pictured here with Philip Daubeny).

In 1978 when the slogan was first used, 20% of dogs were given as gifts. That figure is now just 1.8%, although this still means 131,400 dogs are being given as gifts. Dogs Trust are using their anniversary to highlight the continued relevance of its slogan and to remind everyone that dogs must not be bought on impulse and are not a disposable item to be discarded after a few months.

For the full story, take a look at the Dogs Trust website, where you can also see the lovely rescue dogs needing new homes around the country.

If you are thinking of adding a dog to your family, take a look at a page on the Grove Lodge blog posted earllier in the year for some things to consider beforehand.