More lovely Christmas festivities are coming up on Saturday 6 December 2008! Sussex Alsatian Rescue are holding their Christmas Bazaar and Fun Dog Show. Starting at 2 pm in the Conservative Hall in East Preston, there are classes for all dogs, not only Alsatians so spruce up your pooches and join in the fun!
Any enquiries, please telephone 01903 873172.
Unfortunately, many people take on a pet without any prior knowledge of how to care for it.
Some people then read up or take professional advice regarding the care of their new addition, which is great. However, there are a disturbing number of new pet owners who seem to believe that all they need to do is choose the cutest animal and give it a pretty name. That is not the case and sadly recently at Grove Lodge we have seen some tragic examples where preventative treatment could have avoided premature deaths.
Take fleas as the first example. Make your pet a bit itchy, don’t they? Bit of scratching maybe and they can get in your carpets, which is unpleasant. Not really a health issue though, surely? Wrong. An animal with a large flea burden can become anemic. In a kitten, this is usually fatal. Spot on flea treatments cost approximately £1.50 a week for a cat – a very small price to pay to save your pet’s life.
Next up is vaccinating your dog. Surely this isn’t necessary, diseases like distemper and parvo have been wiped out haven’t they? Nope. There have been a number of cases of parvo in recent weeks. Parvo is an extremely unpleasant and usually fatal disease, easily avoided by an annual vaccination at a cost of approximately £38 a year – less than 75p a week to keep your dog safe.
Next one is ensuring your dog is properly trained. Why include this one? Why would a dog die because of its behaviour? Well, if you have a dog and neglect to socialise, train and stimulate it, you can end up with an out of control, dangerous dog. This can lead to someone being injured and your dog being put to sleep. Start early with training, using consistent positive reinforcement. Make your training sessions fun! There are a couple of ideas on our website. Be very careful – always choose ones that train using positive methods. In addition, always think carefully about the breed of dog you are considering. Do you really want a lively, working breed if you live in a flat and are out at work? Dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time, they are sociable animals and need stimulation. Think carefully about your lifestyle before you get a dog – it will save heartache in the future.
If you would like to discuss any of the issues mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to call us here at Grove Lodge. We are always happy to help you and answer your queries.
It is true that your puppy should know you are the ‘leader of the pack’ but be careful – you must always achieve this using positive reinforcement.
So how can you do this? You can ask your puppy for a ‘please’ before giving him anything - think of it as he gets ‘nothing for nothing’. Ask for a sit/paw/down etc before giving treats/feeding meals/letting out/putting on a lead etc. Always use a lovely, happy voice when your puppy gets it right!
Confirmation that you are a good leader can also be achieved by you taking control of play sessions. When you play tug of war, ensure you win the toy more often that your puppy – simple, but effective! Also, when your puppy wants to play, always ask him to sit/give paw before the game can start. The game is then the lovely, fun reward!
Any negative reinforcement, ie hands on, physical punishment or even excessive verbal reprimand will ensure your puppy does not trust you and will therefore ruin any bond you may have had.
Remember: a good leader should be trustworthy, predictable and fair. Your reward will be a trusting, well-adjusted and well-mannered dog who is a pleasure to be around.
Don’t forget, at Grove Lodge we have a behaviourist who can discuss training and behaviour. Please call 01903 234866.