pets magazine november 2014
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Pets Magazine
November 2014
How to keep your dog calm this firework season
IN SEARCH OF DOG- FRIENDLY BRITAIN!
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Pets Magazine
FIREWORKS CAN BE a huge
issue for many pet dogs and
their owners, not least because
it is normal for a dog to avoid
or move away from loud noises.
Wolves and other wild canids will insure survival by moving
away from loud random noises
such a volcanic eruptions,
landslides or stampeding herds.
To your dog, the sound of fireworks can be very
distressing, especially if it
cannot be avoided.
So, here’s what to do!
Think ahead: make sure your
dog is inside during the
firework season, get your walks
done earlier in the day, a tired
dog has less energy to worry!Have a safe, secure and
comfortable area for your dog
to settle in. I always leave a
radio tuned to a classical music
station. The Colorado State University has proven that this
type of music significantly
reduces stress in dogs,
something I have witnessed
often whilst working in boarding and rescue kennels
over a 15 year period.
Additionally I often prepare a
food dispensing toy with my
dogs’ meal in it to keep them
busy during the height of
activity on fireworks’ night
(7-9pm.) Remember though, once a dog has become fearful,
it is unlikely she will eat; in
which case let your dog settle in
her area, as quietly and calmly
as possible.
Desensitize: This is best to do
throughout the year on several
occasions before all the action
starts. In order to desensitize you must start with low levels
of sound, scent and potentially
visual exposure to fireworks.
Leading canine behaviourist ADEM FEHMI reveals how to keep your dog calm this firework season
Cool, calm & collected...
Pets Magazine
I tend to play firework displays from my Smartphone, tablet etc
whilst I am exercising the dogs, while they eat, or play with me, or each other. As I see the dogs either don’t react or improve their reactions towards the sounds and sights I increase the volume or exposure. Some dogs are more into picking up scents, sounds and visuals, and so it is important to observe
your dog calmly and work on the necessary areas at your dog’s pace.
Think of your own behaviour: Often, dog owners pamper their dogs when they show signs of stress, which of
course can reward or promote the behaviour.
An owner who has control of a dog is more likely to experience decreased stress levels as the dog can look to them as a guide. A dog who manages her owner does not have this option! The dog needs to see a calm and relaxed owner, as this will help reassure her rather than lots of fuss and telling the dog ‘its ok’
‘don’t be silly’, ‘good girl’ which just adds to the dog’s anxiety.
Sedation: For me sedation is for the extreme cases and as a last resort. It is essential that any drugs are dispensed by a veterinary surgeon after they examine your dog. Sedatives
must be used along with all of the above steps.
Remember, a fearful dog’s behaviour can change and it is important to appreciate this. In extreme cases, a dog behaviourist should be able to help.
Working across London and the South East, canine behaviour specialist Adem Fehmi BSc (Hons)FMCFBFBA/FMGODT from Dog-Ease (www.dog-ease.co.uk) also runs classes in obedience and agility as well as working with gun dogs from his Hertfordshire base.
Adem Fehmi runs Dog Ease
Pets Magazine
CAT LOVER AND owner
David Cliff, MD of Gedanken, a company specialising in coaching-based support and personal development, reviews an “astonishing book” with a wide appeal.
Love in Small LettersBy Francesc Miralles£7.99 paperbackPublication date: October 2014
I was pleased to review Love in Small Letters by Francesc Miralles published by Alma books Ltd.
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which was a rare treat to enjoy on a rainy Saturday afternoon with nowhere to go due to the weather!
There is a delightful simplicity in Miralles’ writing which makes the book ultimately readable. Short succinct chapters seem to create context markers for the different
themes developed in the book and the delightful references to literature spanning from diverse a range as Goethe to Buddha. The lead protagonist not only prepares for his role as a university lecturer, but also considers his existential position as a person feeling very much alone in the universe. He becomes ‘connected’ by a set of unrelated, synchronistic events that of themselves are insignificant but together add to a rich journey exploring friendship, love, our sense of separateness as individuals and the nature of life itself.
Of course, the undersung hero within this book is a cat called Mishima, who through typical cat wilfulness is the “cat-alyst” to so many of these events of
synchronicity from which the plot ultimately unfolds.
Mishima’s owner by default and the book’s key (human) protagonist Samuel, develop friendships that are as unusual as they are diverse. Many sub-characters within the plot enigmatically explore the nature of the universe and how our very observation of it ultimately alters that which we observe.
Whether you’re into cats, philosophy, quantum physics or simply a good afternoon read on a rainy day, I can heartily recommend “Love in Small Letters”. Hailed as an international best seller, I can well see why and I look forward to Miralles’ next publication but then me being handed this small book to review is just another small, synchronous event that makes that prospect an inevitability!
The book is an incredibly enjoyable read with a light hearted humour and a touching of common humanity that connects us all. Compassion, understanding, tolerance, the questioning of our lives and their function are all rolled into this piece of work which will be an excellent gift in particular, for the more thoughtful people in your life!
Pet Tales book reviews
Pets Magazine
JANE COMMON, who along with her Battersea dog Attlee edits
www.phileasdogg.com and wrote the best-selling travel guide ‘Phileas Dogg’s Guide to Dog-Friendly Holidays in Britain’, reveals the runners
and riders in this year’s Kennel Club Discover Dogs contest to find the most dog-friendly destinations in Britain.
In search of dog-friendly Britain
Pets Magazine
THE votes
have been cast,
the numbers
crunched and,
on November
8th – 9th, at the Kennel
Club’s Discover
Dogs show at
Earls Court in
London, the winners will be
revealed in the
society’s
annual contest
to find Britain’s most dog-
friendly destinations.
Hotel/Places to Stay:Attlee and I are lucky enough to have just returned from a
week’s break at last year’s
winner in this round –
Helsbury Park, in Cornwall. It
really is Disneyland for dogs with rabbit holes to stick snouts
down, 10-acres of grounds to
explore, fields to chase tennis
balls through, woods to chase
squirrels through and a river to jump in for the aquatically-
inclined.
The four cottages are perfectly
set up for dogs too, with slate and wooden floors to
accommodate muddy paws,
throws on every sofa so Rover
can relax after a busy day sight-
smelling, enclosed gardens
(and a secure paddock) to stop
any Houdini hounds in their
tracks and kennels in the
garden, should Sir Wagger require some me-time away
from his humans. High paw
Helsbury!
*Helsbury Park, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9RH Tel: 01566
781753; website:
www.helsburypark.co.uk
Prices start at £795 per week;
£20 charge per dog per stay.
Pub/Bar:This is always one of the most
keenly contested categories and
Attlee and I travelled to Wiltshire to check out The
Millstream in Marden, near
Devizes, for the Kennel Club. A
water bowl was set out awaiting
Attlee’s arrival – tick; a great
fuss was made of him by the
waiter – tick; and, when it was
time to pay the bill, he and his canine companion Jodie were
both given complimentary
treats. That’s a double tick!
Attlee’s a big fan of the contender’s offering Mutts
Menus as well – Brandling Villa
in Newcastle has roasts for
Rovers of a Sunday and pigs’
ear tacos, should Fido fancy foreign fare, while The Orange
Tree in Thornham, Norfolk has
a full menu of Scooby snacks.
*The Millstream, Marden, Devizes, Wilts SN10 3RH Tel:
01380 848490;
www.themillstream.co.uk
A real dog’s dinner at The Millstream
Pets Magazine
*Brandling Villa, Haddricks
Mill Road, South Gosforth,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 1QL
Tel: 0191 284 0490; website:
www.brandlingvilla.co.uk
*The Orange Tree, Thornham,
High Street, Thornham,
Norfolk, PE36 6LY Tel: 01485
512213; website: www.theorangetreethornham.c
o.uk
Dog-friendliest Town or City: One of the most hotly contested
categories is always Britain’s
dog-friendliest town. Keswick
won in 2013 but apparently
Buxton is snapping at its heels this year.
Our top tip for dog-
friendliness, however, is
Glastonbury in Somerset.
Its hippie peace and love vibe –
with a crystal shop on every
corner; incense-scented
emporiums purveying angel wings and goddess robes; and
postcards in windows offering
every alternative therapy under
the sun (including Reiki for
dogs) – definitely extends to canine-kind. Attlee was warmly
greeted in every cafe, pub,
restaurant and shop we popped
into. There’s also a Tor to
explore and an ancient Abbey to stroll around.
Camping/Caravanning:Phileas Dogg’s camping
correspondent Evie gets in-
tents when she’s seeking a canine canny campsite but the
good news is more and more
are realising the potential of the
hound pound and welcoming
waggers.
One to watch for 2015 is
Bivouac in Yorkshire which
announced it was becoming
dog-friendly last month – news
we’ve been waiting for since it
opened in 2012.
Providing eco-friendly glamping in the grounds of the
Swinton Park Estate, Bivouac
boasts eight Mongolian-style
yurts, six wooden tree-house
style ‘shacks’, a 12-berth barn for larger groups, a cafe and
shop, hot tubs and, best of all, a
spotless shower block.
Attlee at Glastonbury Abbey
Pets Magazine
It’s glamping with the emphasis
firmly on the glam and Attlee
and I are already booking our
spot for next summer.
*Bivouac, High Knowle Farm,
Knowle Lane, Masham, Ripon,
North Yorkshire HG4 4JZ Tel:
01765 535020;
www.thebivouac.co.uk
Prices start at £93 per night for
a wooden shack, £64 for a yurt
and £20 per person in the barn.
Prices for dogs had not been confirmed at time of going to
press.
Beach: The best beach competition always creates waves – after all, what do dogs love more than a stretch of sand to play Frisbee on and some surf to ride?
A few of our favourites, which are dog-friendly all year round too, are up for the honour, including Brancaster and Holkham in Norfolk, Watergate Bay in Cornwall and Bamburgh in Northumberland.
Indeed, Northumberland’s one of the best destinations for a beach holiday for bow-wows in Britain, with all bar one of its beaches dog-friendly all year round.
The other categories in the awards are Day Out; Cafe/
Restaurant; Great Outdoors; High Street and Large Organisation. To find out more log on to www.bedogfriendlyawards.co.uk – winners will be published on the site after they’re announced.
Phileas Dogg’s Guide to Dog-Friendly Holidays in Britain,
published by Constable at £12.99, details over 300 dog-friendly destinations around the country. It’s available now on Amazon and in all good bookstores.
Pets Magazine
I’d placed my black bag on
the counterpane and knelt
down. From under the bed
a pair of green eyes blazed
at me.
‘Come on Crackerjack,
there’s a good puss,’ I
pleaded as, peering into the
gloom, I cautiously slid my hand towards the cat. My reward was a deep snarl and a show of
needle sharp teeth. I sat back on my heels to
consider my next move. Meanwhile his owner,
Miss Jameson, stood in the doorway, grey shawl
drooping from her shoulders, hopped from one
foot to another like an agitated heron.
‘I’m so sorry he’s playing up,’ she said. He’s not
usually so naughty. But with the Guy Fawkes bonfires last night and all those fireworks going
off… well, it’s scared him.’ She bobbed her head
down level with the bed and addressed the dark
shadow beneath it. ‘Now Crackerjack, if you
behave yourself, I’ve some nice coley for you afterwards.’ The reply was another venomous
hiss.
I jumped to my feet, grasped the brass head rail
and wrenched the bed away from the wall.
Tales from the sharp end of veterinary practice
MALCOM D WELSHMAN is a retired vet and author of three pet novels. The first, Pets in a Pickle, with a foreword by James Herriot's son, reached number two on Kindle's bestseller list.
The third, Pets Aplenty, has just been published. The Sun says:'It’s perfect for animal lovers the world over.' Malcolm shares with Pets Magazine readers his short story called Crackerjack. one of many stories based on his years as a vet.
Pets Magazine
There was a flash of black as
Crackerjack bolted from his
hideaway. ‘The door,’ I yelled
turning to Miss Jameson.
Too late. The fur bomb had exploded onto the landing and
was now no doubt hurtling
down the stairs, making
for the cat flap.
‘Well, his annual
vaccination will just have
to wait,’ I muttered,
snatching up my black
bag. ‘But do make sure you keep him in the kitchen next
time. Next time was a mere two
days later.
‘I’m so sorry to call you out at this time of night,’ apologised
Miss Jameson as she opened
the door. ‘But Crackerjack’s
been missing since this
morning and only just returned. Poor thing doesn’t
seem at all well.’
I glanced up the stairs. Miss
Jameson caught my eye. ‘Yes, he’s up in the bedroom,’ she
confessed, fluttering her hands
in the air.
I found him not under the bed but lying on the counterpane,
panting, eyes glazed, clearly in
distress. There was no snarl as
I bent over to examine him.
His pupils were dilated, his breathing rapid. Gently I
pressed his toes to unsheath
the claws. They were shredded.
I turned to Miss Jameson.
‘Crackerjack’s been hit by a car,’
I said.
Miss Jameson’s lips quivered. ‘But he will be all right?’ she
faltered.’
‘Well he’s in a state of shock at
the moment,’ I explained. ‘And
there seems to be a problem in
one of his back legs.’
Crackerjack growled as I raised
his right hind. ‘But don’t
worry. We’ll hospitalise him
overnight and see how he is in
the morning.’
Crackerjack seemed much
brighter the following day to
judge from the way he spat
vehemently at me from the back of his hospital cage. But
he wasn’t putting any weight on
his right leg.
Once anaesthetised, an X-ray showed a dislocation of the
right hip joint. Being such a
well-muscled cat, it wasn’t easy
manipulating the joint back
into place. Eventually I managed it with as much
swearing and cursing as
Crackerjack might have done.
There was one more thing. I’d
suggested to Miss Jameson that
it might be a good time to have
Crackerjack neutered. It would
probably stop him fighting and
calm him down. And possibly
lessen the rampages under the bedroom furniture. So while he
was still under the anaesthetic,
this was done.
‘So how is he?’ I enquired when I went round to visit Miss
Jameson a week later.
‘Oh he’s fine. Using the leg
well.’
‘And where is he?’ I hardly
dared to ask.
‘I’m sorry but he’s up in the bedroom.’ She looked guiltily
at me. ‘Well, poor thing, he’s
been through such a lot lately.
Besides,’ she added as we
climbed the stairs, ‘he does so like the bedroom. He’ll sleep
all day on the counterpane if
you let him.’ She opened the
bedroom door.
‘Now Crackerjack, here’s your
nice doctor to see
you….Crackerjack? Where are
you?’
There was a familiar snarl from
under the bed.
Malcolm D. Welshman is
author of Pets Aplenty published by Austin Macauley
(0207 038 8212) at £7.99
Kindle version £2.05.
‘Gently I pressed his toes to unsheath
the claws...’
Pets Magazine
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