Enjoying Spring in the Countryside with Your Dogs

It's perhaps timely that National Pet Awareness Week is in April. It aims to promote responsible pet ownership, and April is a Month when, certainly for dog owners, there is a greater need than ever for a keen sense of responsibility.

Even if you haven't been following Lambing Live you will doubtless know that this month is the height of the lambing season when thousands of new lambs will be in fields and on open land across the country. Sadly this fact passes many dog owners by who let their dogs stray onto land populated by new lambs. This increasingly has disastrous consequences for farmers and dog owners alike. This Farmers Guardian article uses data from a Freedom of Information request to show that dog attacks on sheep are on the increase.  

In our own area we have acres of farmland together with managed moorland. This means that it's not only sheep that are at risk from straying dogs but nesting game birds too. The law provides protection for farmers to destroy animals that interfere with sheep; and gives gamekeepers powers to ban owners who allow their dogs to stray from being on land where there are nesting game birds.



The bottom line is if your dog is not under control in the countryside it could be shot and killed by a farmer quite lawfully. 

Our local newspaper, the Oldham Evening Chronicle, reported this story with a shocking photograph not only of dead lambs but the body of the dog responsible for killing them too. It is probable that the dog was a loved family pet whose family never believed could do  something like that; but as we've said before: dogs are predators and will act like them out of instinct, no matter what breed or size they are.

The law is also clear that in open country dogs must be on a lead no longer than 2 metres  between 1st March and 31st July. There is a good leaflet produced by the Forestry Commission that explains the law on dogs and the countryside here.

So, lets keep our dogs safe and respect farmers' stock, and nesting birds.

Don't Let Your Pet Become a Crime Statistic: National Pet Theft Awareness Week

The relationships we have with our pets sometimes we mean we forget their value in financial terms. This makes the tragedy of having a loved pet stolen even greater when it happens.

This week is National Pet Theft Awareness Week, aimed at helping us to take common sense precautions to combat the increasing number of thefts of dogs and cats.

Sadly it is not only the expensive pedigree dogs and cats that are stolen. A number of dogs are stolen to use, horrifically, to use as bait dogs for the sick people who still think dog fighting is an acceptable pastime.

If you saw the first episode of Dangerous Dogs this week you'll know how some unscrupulous people see what, to a dog lover, is a valued family member, as little more than a commodity to be traded.

Many dogs are stolen when unattended from gardens, so there are obvious steps we can take to ensure this doesn't happen. There are also other ways we can ensure that, if pets are stolen, they have the best chance of being reunited with their owners:

• Microchipping - ensure pets are chipped and registered: if your pet is scanned by a vet your details will be displayed as the owner
• Secure your garden - not only so your dog can't escape, but so people cannot have easy access
• If your dog goes missing, quickly get the word out on social media - at least two stolen dogs have been recovered recently when social media made them 'too hot to handle'
• Ensure that the national lost/found dogs database - DogsLostUK - is updated with your details
• Make sure that the professionals who help you care for your animals are trusted, have references and a good reputation.

The aim of National Pet Theft Awareness Week is to give us all the best chance to make sure our loved pets are never stolen, or if it does happen to make sure we are equipped to give us the best chance at getting them back quickly.

You can find out more about protecting your pets and how to use social media to spread the word about stolen or lost pets here.

How to Choose a Dog Walker

We love our job. Meeting and spending time with dozens of different dogs of all types and sizes is a great way to earn a living. 

Having a dog in your family is a fantastic experience that research shows is good for you, so it is a privilege for us to be able to help busy families share their lives with a dog. We make sure their dogs get the care they need when family members are working, or when older people can no longer give a dog the exercise they need.

So it's no surprise that dog walkers are busy. 

But how do you choose a dog walker when so many people offer dog-walking services?

We are not the only dog walkers in our area and often recommend others when we are too busy to take on new dogs, so what standards do we insist on, and what should you look for when choosing someone to come into your home to care for your pet? 

 Trust Your Dog Walker

This seems like a no-brainer but is easily overlooked when someone seems 'nice'. Someone who is going to probably have a key to your house and be responsible for your dog (that may have cost many hundreds of pounds) should be police-checked to make sure they have a trustworthy background and should be happy to provide references from other customers that you can check.

Reputation is a good guide, so ask around your local area – in the vets or local pet shops who they recommend.

Is Your Dog Walker Insured?

Your dog walker should have third party liability insurance as a minimum, and should be happy to discuss the cover provided. How will your dog be transported? Is the vehicle fit to carry animals and is it insured specifically for that purpose as a business?

Knowledge and Expertise

What experience and knowledge does your dog walker have? They don't have to be dog trainers or behavioural experts but they certainly should be experienced handlers of a wide range of types of dog.

If they are interested in dogs they will probably also be able to tell you about loads of other interesting courses or workshops they have attended too – for example they may be involved in training clubs, or breed clubs with their own dogs, or have done animal first aid training for example.

A Professional Dog Walker

Your dog walker should want to record a wide range of information about you and your dog to make sure they are equipped with enough information to look after your dog for you, including emergency contacts and vets. 

They should also been in regular contact with you with updates about your dog's behaviour, health, socialisation to help you care for your dog. 

The National Association of RegisteredPet Sitters is a membership organisation with a code of practice. Membership is voluntary but is a good guide to the standards and professionalism of your dog walker. 

We are proud to be members and agree to their code of practice and are happy to answer any questions about the service we offer, or about us or our own lovely dogs. You can find out more about us at www.animalassistance.co.uk 

Gum Disease – The no 1 health issue in our dogs and cats

Gum Disease - The Number 1 Health Issue in our Dogs and Cats

by Alison Frost

One of the things about caring for animals as a job is that you can't help but be really interested in the subject because we are dog owners ourselves. We are always on the lookout for interesting information, particularly about animal health so were surprised to learn that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of three  years suffers with gum disease (periodontal disease).

It's not just about dog-breath!

As if smelly dog breath wasn't bad enough, what is even more worrying are the potential health problems that can arise from untreated gum disease, including some heart conditions and cancers.

Spotting dental problems in animals isn't necessarily easy: no matter how painful toothache is, dogs and cats aren't good at letting us know when they are in pain. Look out for these signs:

• Change in eating habits- e.g. a usually greedy dog that is off their food or showing signs of distress when eating.
• Reluctance to eat
• Changes in behavior or temperament
• Persistent bad breath
• Unexplained weight loss
• Brownish tinge along the gum line
• Blood in the saliva

Gum disease in wild animals is unusual, so why the sudden increase in this relatively new disease?

In this excellent article about gum disease, Dr Karen Becker, suggests that what we feed our dogs and cats is causing them dental problems, together with a lack of understanding about the importance of good dental hygiene in pets.

Over the last thirty years the way we feed dogs and cats has changed dramatically with the trend towards feeding biscuit-based 'complete' food. As dog walkers we hear anecdotes of vets recommending biscuits for dogs because they 'clean their teeth', which is a bit like suggesting that a McVities Digestive is a useful tool in our daily dental hygiene routine!

So how do we protect our dogs' and cats' teeth from the dental epidemic?

• Start cleaning your dogs teeth early in life: though this is not right for everyone - I certainly know my two dogs do not like their teeth being cleaned by me! There are tooth brushes and meaty smelling toothpastes available from your local vets or pet shop.
• An “e-cloth” for teeth: Lintbells produce a natural, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal cloth cleaner which is less invasive so easier to use.
• Feed our pets well: biscuits and treats can contain lots of added sugars, which do exactly to your pets what they do to us. There are specific marketed tooth products such as Dentastix on the market, but they can be surprisingly high in carbohydrates themselves. Dogs and cats are carnivores, you can see that in their teeth.
  
  Cats and dogs fed on raw meat foods have much less peritoneal disease than than those fed on commercial feeds. Raw bones from your butcher naturally clean teeth each time they eat (don't feed cooked bones that can splinter and harm your pet, don't leave them unsupervised if your dog is not used to them or is prone to aggression with food like 'guarding')

• High quality chews- we recommend Stag bars , they wont splinter, chip or cause blockages. We do not recommend raw hide chews or any cooked bought stuffed bones because they have a high risk of splintering or causing obstructions.

• Anti Plague powders- If your dog can’t tolerate bones and high quality chews a natural anti plague powder that you can sprinkle onto their food can help.
• Every so often have a look in your pets mouth for cracked teeth, inflammation, bad breath or rotten teeth. If your dog or cat is showing signs of discomfort ask your vet to have a look.

Keeping a close eye on our dogs' and cats' dental health should help to ensure they have a great smile like Archie here, and live long healthy lives.