Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

My boyfriend’s mum and dad have a little Jack Russell dog called Brian. This dog is extremely well trained as my boyfriend’s mum took Brian to dog training lessons when he was only a puppy so he has been brought up knowing what was acceptable and what wasn’t. However, what happen when you get a dog from a dogs home and this dog is older and needs to be trained to be a well-disciplined dog?

Can you really teach an old dog new tricks? I believe if you have patience and belief in your new dog that you can get him to behave correctly then yes you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Nuisance dogs – barking all the time

I have just bought a new house, it is a quasi-semi which means that it is four in a row and I have the end house. My neighbour is not the most high class woman in the world ie. she is common and we can hear her shouting at her daughter or doing unsavoury acts with different men.

Having said this she must have a good heart because she has taken in a dog from the dogs home. However, this dog is STUPID! When no one is in the house to look after the dog, it just barks continuously and doesn’t even stop for breath. This dog is a noise nuisance as you cannot watch TV or have a sleep or read a book because of the continuous noise.

What do you do if your neighbour’s dog barks all the time and it is making living in your own home a nightmare?

What happens if you are allergic to dogs?

When I was growing up my mum and dad had a dog called Chispa, I am not entirely sure what type of dog she was but I was able to live with her with and had no health problems.

I have asthma and since my childhood dog died when I was 12, I have not been able to be in the same room as a dog without my chest getting tight.

I think some of the issue comes with people who do not regularly dust, vacuum or polish their houses. If I visit a house which has a dog or a cat and they are not cleaning and airing the house out, that is when I feel uncomfortable sitting in the living room, because i struggle to breathe!

Pets living the high life

My cheeky little westie Bobby, is on holiday in France at the moment (I know; how the other half live!)

But getting him there was not easy to say the least. Preparing your dog to go abroad involves a lot of paperwork and of course the dreaded injections (but don’t tell them that.) Dogs even have to have their own passport to be able to go abroad.

Remember to research it all thoroughly and when they are in need of injections to travel between countries, ensure that they have them at least 24 hours before you travel (or more if necessary).

It may seem like a lot of hassle, but it’s worth it to spend time with your beloved pooch and also to save them from the kennels.

I’m just waiting for my postcard from Bobby now.

Hoppa is hopping with happiness

Us Brits can’t get enough of our four legged friends. They are our closest companions and we love to turn to our dogs for comfort.

So it’s always upsetting to think that a dog may be suffering. They seem so innocent and helpless; they don’t deserve any pain or discomfort.

The very sight of Hoppa, a four year old dog from Israel, could bring a tear to any dog lover’s eye. He was born with no front legs and has struggled over the years.

But the good news is; Hoppa has just been fitted with a prosthetic harness which consists of wheels instead of legs that enable him to move around as quickly as he likes.

With these developments, fingers crossed other dogs in a similar situation will get help soon too.

Dogs fighting crime

They never cease to amaze me.

Because aside from providing unconditional companionship and love to us humans, dogs can help to fight crime too.
Sniffer dogs are trained to detect explosives, drugs and blood. And they are able to do this even when certain scents are masked by other smells.

A sniffer dog’s sense of smell is 2000 times more sensitive than that of humans. This was displayed once, when a sniffer dog alerted police to a lady who had tried to smuggle drugs into a prison, by hiding them in her bra and smearing them with coffee pepper and Vicks Vapo-rub. The dog couldn’t be fooled by this lady.

Whenever I hear facts like this, it always makes me question; how on earth would we survive without our trusty dogs?

Travelling with your dog

Sometimes I think he has a better time than most humans.

My dog Bobby is always off on his travels – jet setting all over the world! He has been micro chipped, injected and he has his own doggy passport. So last night, he went off to France for a few weeks.

It’s a long drive to get there, taking about 12 hours altogether, but Bobby is a seasoned pro when it comes to long journeys and he actually really enjoys them.

If you want your dog to be a good traveller, it’s best to get them used to it when they are still a puppy. If you take them on regular trips in the car, they will become

Bobby loves travelling in the car

Always keep them in the back of the car. If they attempt to jump onto the front seat, tell them to get into the back immediately. That way, they will begin to learn that the front is not for them.

Of course you will need to stop regularly in order to let them stretch their legs and go to the toilet. It is also important to let them have a drink and maybe something to eat each time you stop too. You don’t want them to become dehydrated. There are even doggy travel bowls available which can be folded up after use, to ensure that your dog travels lightly.

The most important thing to do is to keep your dog comfortable throughout the journey. And if they are trained correctly, your dog will soon become your favourite travel companion.

A loyal friend

On my way to work today, I saw a lady with a guide dog.

Being a dog lover, I have always been fascinated by guide dogs and the work that they do. And this morning, once again, I was so impressed and humbled by how vital these animals are to the blind and partially sighted.

The lady I saw was making her way through a city centre during rush hour. She was crossing an extremely busy road. But she knew she could trust her furry friend to keep her safe. And that is precisely why us dog lovers are so fond of our pets.

These dogs are highly trained and sensitive and they really know what they are looking out for. It’s amazing that they are so focussed on their job and they never get distracted. In fact, most office workers could probably learn a thing or two from them!

Puppy fat

‘The diet starts on Monday’.

These words seem to echo around every office in the country. In fact, us humans are slightly obsessed by diets and exercise plans.

But we’re not suffering alone, because pet obesity in the UK is a growing problem according to a survey by PDSA.

According to the survey, ‘tubby’ pets are now seen as normal, and many owners even think that their chubby dogs are more cute and cuddly than their healthier counterparts.

But, just like humans, pets who are overweight will suffer from health issues and they may have their life expectancy cut short.

It’s worth checking with the vet what your dog’s ideal weight is. If you find out that they are slightly overweight, then get advice on the best diet for your dog.

And definitely don’t wait until Monday.

Overcoming those obstacles

If your dog is anything like mine, when they’re out on a walk, it’s a challenge to even get them to walk the right way around a lamppost.

The result is a very confused dog pulling away at a lead which is wrapped several times around the post.

But it seems, this is not a problem Kenny Spottiswoode has had to deal with. Because his four year old dog Nike recently won the Pedigree Highland Agility Stakes final held at the Scottish Game Fair in Scone.

The Dundee trainer has been training and competing with dogs for almost ten years and he says that the secret to dog agility and training is to have lots of fun. He says that the best way to train is by doing two training sessions a week for five minutes at a time.

Kenny also stressed that the most important thing is to create a strong bond with your dog so that they enjoy the training.

Nike was required to tackle an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels and seesaws during the competition. It sounds like a big challenge to me. I think me and my dog will start off by mastering that lamppost.