Matron's Dogblog

Saint Roch - Patron Saint of Dogs!

2012-01-13T21:10:00.002Z

On holiday in Madeira recently I made a special journey to a little town called Sao Roque, just outside the capital Funchal. Just one church in the town and not much else. The reason for this visit, you might call it a pilgrimage, was to visit the church. Saint Roch is the patron saint of DOGS! If you look closely at this photo you will see the dog with a loaf of bread in its mouth!
Saint Roch, also named Rocco or Rock was born in Montpellier. On his way to Rome he was ministering to the sick and poor when he himself fell ill. Struck down with the plague he was expelled from the town of Piacenza in Italy where he went into the woods to try to survive on his own. He would have died but for a dog that belonged to a local nobleman. This dog brought him a loaf of bread each day and gradually licked his wounds clean! Saint Roch survived and was hailed a saint! (personally I think the dog should have some recognition..)
So, according to the Catholic church, Saint Roch is the patron saint of DOGS!.. also the patron saint of knee pain, diseased cattle, the patron saint of falsely accused people and of surgeons! and about a hundred other worthy causes!

Sign of the Times

2011-11-29T17:01:00.004Z

Dog walkers in my local park are outraged at this sign which was put up on the gate last week. I have been dog walking in this park since 1981. A wonderful, beautiful local resource. A huge open space with ancient oak trees, tennis courts, playgrounds and football pitches. It is a lovely open space and dogs have been getting exercise off lead for years without bother... until now.
I can understand fining people £80 for allowing their dog to foul and not pick up after them - fair enough. But to fine them £80 for letting their dog off the leash to have a run? You're having a laugh!
There may have been individual cases of dog aggression, young people in gangs with bull dogs seem to be everywhere these days. Penalising the rest of us is just not fair. Why not bring the problem individuals to justice, and not Mr and Mrs Normal and their elderly Golden Retriever. Actually, you are likely to see more dog to dog aggression if they are always on a leash.

By being on a leash, you may have cut down on their 'fight or flight' options if they feel uncomfortable or threatened by a strange dog. If they are off the leash then their body language is natural and they can show appeasement and run away if necessary. If they are on a leash their body language is strained and more threatening, and you have cut off their option to run away.. so theymay feel that they have to fight if they feel threatened. A sad state of affairs, but a sign of the times I'm afraid.

Modern Thinking

2011-11-08T18:03:00.002Z

Just look at this dreadful contraption. I found this on sale in a Calais pet shop yesterday. This is a prong collar. It is supposed to inflict pain on a dog so that it obeys your commands. The harder you pull or jerk the leash, the more pain is inflicted on the dog. It doesn't bear thinking about does it?
Modern research and modern training methods are always only kind, fair and reward based. These are not airy-fairy, namby-pamby ideas; the scientific research has proved that if you reward a dog for performing a required task then you substantially increase the likelihood that it will do it again. If you punish the wrong task, then you achieve nothing positive. Your dog will not learn how to behave if you punish them for doing something wrong. Your dog WILL learn how to behave well if you reward the correct behaviour.
If you are looking for a trainer or a behaviourist for your dog, then please look for someone who has recent professional qualifications and experience. Reward based training is the way forward. Rolled up newspapers, threats, shouting, pointing and prong collars are history.

The Importance of Chewing

2011-10-16T18:02:00.002+01:00

I bought Leo a new chew toy yesterday. This is a piece of deer antler. I have been reading about this product available for sale (at huge inflated prices) and I came across one at a show trade stand (The Doggy Snack Shack!) and decided to try one. He loves it! Hard enough not to splinter or break off, despite much trying! and natural enough to keep him interested for long periods of time. 24hours later, still chewing and hardly a mark on it.
Chewing is a necessary part of a healthy dog's daily activity. Chewing is immensely enjoyable for a dog, it produces happy and relaxing feelings for a dog. Chewing enables a stressed dog to calm down. Very often a dog that is stressed or anxious will chew something to try to calm itself down. Best you provide them with something chewable rather than them choosing something from inside your house that they think looks interesting and chewable!

2011-09-06T08:25:00.003+01:00

I had a brilliant day last weekend at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home annual reunion in Battersea Park. Lots of interest from owners of mixed breed dogs about DNA testing.
I have a couple of shows coming up in the next few weeks. This Sunday 11th September I will be at the K9 Capers fundog show at Dogs Trust in Harefield.
But on Saturday 17th September I will be at a fundog show at Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester, Dorset.
Then, on Sunday 18th September I will be attending a big event, the PupAid 2011 in Brighton. This is a big show to raise awareness of puppy farming. Supported by some big rock stars and musicians as well as some major dog rescue charities. I am particularly looking forward to this one.

New Beginnings

2011-08-16T22:25:00.003+01:00

It is all happening so quickly now! My new business Blackdog is going from strength to strength. I took delivery of some new point of sale material this week. A pop up counter and an outdoor banner to take around to the shows with me. I will be selling my DNA tests for mixed breed dogs at the fundog shows around the country.
My first big show will be at the Battersea Dogs Home Annual reunion on Sunday 4th September in Battersea Park. Looks like there might be a few customers there!

Separation Anxiety

2011-07-01T20:02:00.003+01:00

What can you do when your dog gets anxious and frantic when you leave them alone at home?
This is not an easy thing to deal with, trust me, we are going through it right now at home with Leo! Well, for a start, dogs are a highly social species and they love company. But like human individuals they vary enormously in their personalities and in their capacity to be self confident and self contained when they are left alone.
Dogs can be destructive when left alone in the house, but there can be many different reasons for it, perhaps not separation anxiety but perhaps boredom or sometimes even separation elation! so it is wrong to make a diagnosis without further investigation. A good place to start is to set up a video camera on a tripod when you go out and see how your dog reacts. Just general chewing and destructiveness is probably boredom. When the destructiveness is aimed at the doors and windows in an attempt to escape, then this is a more serious problem, and you should seek professional help.
The indications of anxiety start way before you leave the house, your dog is watching you for clues that something bad is going to happen. Picking up keys, putting on shoes, or even looking at the clock at a certain time of the day can start to get the dog anxious. They are expert at back-calculating your actions to predict your future movements!
Sometimes dogs that are over-bonded with their owners can get especially anxious when separated, this can be a common problem with rescue dogs that bond with new owners! These type of dogs follow you around the house, up the stairs, down the stairs, into the kitchen, into the toilet.. you get the idea? Known in the trade as 'velcro dogs' because they stick to you like velcro!
These problems can take a long time to get better, your dog must get used to short absences, even not being in the same room can make them anxious, so a start might be a baby-gate in the house where they cannot be with you but they start to get used to being further distances from you. Just shutting back doors and front doors as you go out into the front or back garden without them for a minute or so might get them used to short periods of absence. Little and often, and don't go too far too soon or you will spoil all your hard work!
Give your dog a comfy, safe den for a bed, hidden in a corner. They will like to go there when they want to feel safe. Give your dog a chew toy or puzzle to solve while you leave for a minute - they might not even notice you are gone!
There is no quick fix!! I know! 4 months and counting - but we are getting there!

Kong - How do You Eat Yours?

2011-06-02T22:43:00.000+01:00

Kongs are wonderful! Don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself! For the unenlightened a Kong is a hollow rubber dog toy that you can stuff with food. Dogs can take ages and ages just licking the food out from inside. Just about a tablespoon of food can last 40 or 50 minutes if you do it right!

Anything you can think of really, a few dog biscuits, left over pate, cheese, pilchards, sardines, ham, chicken, vegetables, held together with a small spoon of peanut butter and a hint of marmite!

Or if you like it fiendishly difficult, block up the small end with a piece of bread, break in a couple of eggs and a few biscuits and cook in the microwave till the eggs are hard! How long do you think it could take to lick an egg out of the middle? Or how about a few dog biscuits layered with some grated cheese - melted in the microwave then chilled in the fridge till it is hard! Or better still serve it frozen straight from the freezer! That takes ages to eat and dogs really enjoy the experience.

Dogs experience real enjoyment at taking time over their food, isn't it a shame that most people feed their dogs from a bowl and it is all over in 20 seconds! As long as the food is part of their recommended daily amount, then why not spread their food throughout the day with a Kong. A very common reason for aggression or strange behaviour is due to low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia. It is a bad mistake just to feed your dog just once in the day - they should have several smaller meals throughout the day, levelling out blood sugar. Kongs are brilliant! How do you eat yours?

Hydrotherapy for Dogs

2011-05-14T18:52:00.004+01:00

Leo went swimming yesterday! Many dogs nowadays suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia as a direct result of poor breeding. Breeding from dogs who have badly formed hip joints passes down this fault to its offspring. Many reputable breeders have their breeding dogs x-rayed and their hips are examined for health and given a 'hip-score'. Good healthy hip and elbow joints are well formed and have little excess movement beyond normal motion. Over the years of a dog's life, arthritis can cause stiffness and pain in older age.
Leo is 11 years old and has hip and elbow dysplasia and arthritis. Exercise in water can strengthen and build muscle around the joints which can help support and protect them.

After a quick Google search for canine hydrotherapy in my area I found a wonderful centre just a couple of miles away. Qualified canine physiotherapist shown here, helped him around the pool for the first couple of minutes, then when he had got used to the idea she threw a tennis ball over the other side of the pool and he was off on his own like a torpedo!!

Walking on dry land can be quite painful with arthritis and he can only manage a 10 minute walk before pain slows him down. Swimming is brilliant for this type of health problem in older dogs, he can maintain good mobility and stamina. We look forward to many more sessions.

Getting Older

2011-03-26T08:42:00.002Z

I have been thinking about the subject of ageing dogs recently. There are so many similarities in the physical and psychological lives of dogs and humans and ageing is no exception. So in the following sentences, when I refer to dogs then you could replace it with the word 'human' and I think it would still apply!
Older dogs really appreciate routine and predictability. Older dogs find change in lifestyle and habits quite difficult to cope with. Older dogs can suffer a gradual hearing loss and poor eyesight, and they really appreciate a comfy bed or chair that is easy to get on and off.
What I have been thinking about recently is that because you see your dog every single day, then perhaps you don't notice the subtle changes which happen very, very slowly. I remember listening to an excellent piece of wisdom from a Vet who said that slowing down and having stiff joints is not necessarily a normal and predictable part of growing old for dogs. Dogs, by their nature as predators put on an act so as not to be seen as vulnerable to other dogs and people. If they are in pain, they hide it for as long as possible. If they have painful joints they don't want other dogs or people to know about it and they really don't moan about their aches and pains. If you have an older dog and you think it is just slowing down and getting less active, then the chances are that they are in pain and they don't want anyone to know.
I have just started Leo the Lab on a course of dietary supplements (mainly glucosamine/chondroitin) to assist with osteo arthritis. There has been a massive leap forward in the scientific understanding of these type of supplements. Please go and ask the advice of your vet. Don't just slip a few extra shop bought supplements into his food and hope for the best, dogs have a very different digestive system from humans and they require very specific doses.
Getting slower is not just a normal part of ageing for a dog, he might be in pain and you don't know it. Go see your vet and get it checked out. You might be amazed at the difference these supplements can make, and your dog will thank you for it.

Bonding!

2011-03-14T06:05:00.002Z

We've bonded! It takes quite a while longer for a rescue dog to settle into a new home than you might think. Routine is important, what he is allowed to do and what he isn't. What time is dinner time and what time is walkies. A new dog must also 'bond' with a new owner. Scientific studies have proved that the hormone 'oxytocin' is produced when owners stroke and cuddle their dogs. This is the same hormone that a mother produces when she is feeding her baby. This is a bonding hormone and it really does work between humans and dogs.
This week we have been bonding. Lots of eye contact, lots of physical contact, lots of play, lots of gentle grooming. All these activities are bonding. So now, just after 7 days in a new home it really does feel like I am 'in love' again. We have bonded!

The Amazing Thing About Dogs

2011-03-06T22:30:00.003Z

It's Iditarod time again! Every Winter the Iditarod sled dog race takes place in Alaska. For more than 1100miles teams of sled dogs race through unbelievable conditions from Anchorage to Nome. The best racers can do it in about 8 or 9 days. That's more than 100miles of running per day! I just adore the sport of dog sledding! This is a fantastic example of dogs doing what they were bred to do. They love it! Can you imagine running 100miles a day and still wanting more? These dog athletes are amazing! They are the equivalent of a world class athlete! There is a very special bond between a musher and his dogs. Science is still learning incredible things about how a dog metabolises so much energy from its food! The amazing thing about these dogs is that they love to work! They love life! Can you imagine how much fun it would be going to work every day when you had colleagues like this?

Letting Go

2011-02-17T17:08:00.003Z

Readers of my other blog will know that last week I had to say goodbye to my Buddy. He was 15 years old and had a stroke. Unable to stand up and showing no signs of recovery we called the vet and he went to sleep peacefully at home. It is a responsibility that we have when we own dogs. When to think of their welfare before our own. We want them to stay with us just a few days more, we want them to get better, we want them to keep us company for just a bit longer...we want..we want..we want.
In fact, the whole act of having a dog live with us in our houses, to keep us company is selfish. A wonderful book I read on the subject is 'The Culture Clash' by Jean Donaldson. We expect dogs to come into our houses and live with us as humans live. We give them human names, even sometimes dress them up in clothing (oh how I hate that!).
So, letting go of a beloved pet is a real bereavement. A big hole in our lives, an empty space, no one to lick the plates clean! So in their best interest, when the time comes, we must let go. With dignity, at peace and just one day too soon, and never, ever... one day too late.

What Dogs Need

2011-01-20T17:38:00.002Z

What do dogs need in order to fulfil a happy life? Well, the basics are obvious - the same as for us, food, shelter, water, company... but what else can you do to make your dog happy? Well that depends on what breed of dog you have.
For thousands of years we have chosen dogs for what the could DO for us. Could they catch vermin? could they help us manage our farm animals? Could they guard us and our families while we sleep? So dog evolved along those lines and the genetic make-up of different breeds became more divided. So it then becomes a bit clearer.

Well, the clue is sometimes in the breed name. German Shepherd.... (that's obvious), Labrador Retriever.... (that's obvious too!), or Terrier (from the French 'terre' meaning ground) terriers used to catch rats and vermin down in their holes in the ground.
I'm not suggesting that if you have a greyhound you lay on little baby bunnies for it to chase after and catch, kill and eat - but you have to give a dog what it needs.

So think about an approximation of what a scent hound does for a living... perhaps you might scatter it's daily food all over the garden and let it go hunt for it !! Perhaps your Jack Russell Terrier might enjoy chasing a tennis ball instead of a rat! Your Retriever might like it if you hid his favourite toy somewhere and he had to play a game to find and retrieve it?
Be creative and get your dog to engage it's brain. These exercises don't always have to be physically exhausting either. You can wear your dog out by doing training and tricks in front of the television in an evening if you are feeling like a couch potato. I doubt that you really can't think of anything at all... so here's one for starters. Cut up little pieces of cheddar cheese (about half an inch) and hide them all over your living room while you are at home one evening. See how many hours of fun you can both have!!

Moulting - The Facts

2010-12-07T17:05:00.002Z

Do you have a dog that seems to moult brushfulls of fur from time to time? I do! It can be alarming to brush and brush and seemingly endless amounts of fur come away and I worry sometimes I will be left with a bald dog! You might be reassured therefore to read the following explanation from guidelines written by the Blue Cross. Unless your dog has obvious bare patches, then moulting is not usually a sign of illness. Dogs can lose up to 180g of fur per kg of body weight over the course of a year. Hair growth is in two stages, 'anagen' is when hair growth is active and there is little shedding. 'Telogen' is the inactive stage when dogs shed fur. This varies between breeds, body location and hair length. Shedding fur is normally associated with day length, and mostly happens in Spring and Autumn, but if your dog lives mostly indoors with steady temperatures and steady light levels this is likely to be less apparent.
There is no remedy to alter shedding, but a balanced diet, regular flea control, frequent brushing and fish oil supplements can help

An Enduring Friendship

2010-11-27T08:51:00.005Z

I have just returned from a short trip to Rome. Of course the main tourist sights were on the menu but I could not help but look out for local dogs... well anything doggy! This man was begging on the bridge over on to the Tiber island. I don't think I've ever seen anyone begging with 4 dogs before! Part of me is always sceptical that money given will be used to buy alcohol or drugs, but these four appeared calm and happy. It got me thinking about how close a relationship with a dog must be if you have lost your job, family and your home! But this is not a recent phenomenon.

There was evidence all over Rome that thousands of years ago people had affectionate relationships with their dogs. When you go to the trouble of having a marble statue commissioned of yourself, it is interesting that dogs feature quite frequently in these ancient works of art.

Dogs have been man's friend since time began. Not just recently, not just in ancient Rome, but way, way back to when humans lived in caves. They feature in our folklore and our history since time began.

Despite the change in human lifestyles over our history, the change from living in caves, to mud huts, to high rise city flats - dogs have changed and adapted to live with us. We think we are the clever ones.....

Firework Fear!

2010-10-11T20:01:00.002+01:00

It is about this time of year in Britain that dog owners begin to worry about how their pets will cope with fireworks. In an ideal world a dog breeder could do so much to accustom a litter of puppies to firework noise. Breeders of gundogs will do this at an early stage in a puppy's development, ensuring that they are used to the sound of gunshots while they are still very small. Most dogs, however do not acquire this ease with loud noises and will get upset to a certain degree. Last year I remember our neighbours must have used a grenade launcher to set their industrial strength fireworks up into the air! The foundations of the house shook!

There are some things you can start to do now in order to try to calm your dog a little, but a serious desensitising programme should usually take months. You can go and have a look at a brilliant website www.dogsandfireworks.com here you can play or download a film clip of a short firework display. Start fairly quietly and praise and treat and stroke your dog calmly for listening to the bangs. If he reacts to the noise then just ignore him, and don't cuddle, talk, reassure this behaviour. Just act as if nothing is wrong. This exercise needs to be repeated over and over again, for several months.
Make sure your dog has a safe place to go if he feels scared, a cubby hole, a bed, crate or behind the sofa. Don't follow him in there, that's his safe place. Don't cuddle, pat or talk to your dog while he is scared. Make sure your dog has been out to the toilet during daytime hours so he won't need to go again. If your dog does want to get under the duvet with you, or jump on your lap for reassurance, then let them but don't make a fuss of them.
If you are a fan of alternative remedies, then some people have found the Bach Rescue Remedies helpful, or scullcap and valerian. You might also talk to your vet about a DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) diffuser or collar.
Of course the obvious things to do are to close all the curtains in the house, turn the lights on and turn the TV volume up high! Make sure all the doors and windows are closed, and just in case, make sure your dog has an ID tag and microchip (because some dogs might be frantic to escape!). Avoid leaving your dog alone during fireworks, he will feel safer if you are around.
Something else you might like to try is a tight Tshirt or jumper. www.mekuti.co.uk make a specially designed doggy body wrap which has been found to calm anxious dogs.
Hope this helps!

Walkies! - Why?

2010-09-14T17:33:00.004+01:00

Have you ever stopped to think why we take our dogs out for walkies on the end of a leash? Well, the obvious answer to that would be to keep them safe from traffic, to keep them under control which is of course, a good thing. But do they really need to walk at our pace, next to our left leg, when we want to go, and where we want to take them? What do they get out of it?
Going for a walkies is usually the highlight of a dogs day. If they are cooped up in a house, it is their opportunity for relaxation, recreation and entertainment. Imagine if someone took you to a wonderful art gallery and then ensured that you were blindfolded as you walked round. Imagine if you went out for a sumptuous meal with a group of friends, but you were forced to watch them all eating, but were not allowed to eat anything yourself! I suppose that must be what it is like for a dog being walked on a lead at your pace, at your side and at a place and time of your choosing.
Think of it from their perspective for one moment. Sniffing a particular gate post might be like catching up with your favourite episode of a TV soap! A dog can tell from the scent markings left by other dogs who has just had puppies, who has just been castrated, if there is a new kid on the block, and who has just come into season! It is just like picking up all your e-mail... or should that be p-mail! And of course, male dogs will want to overmark and reply to the messages! Sniffing other dog's pee is just like catching up with the latest episode of Eastenders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale...take your pick. Your dog also needs doggy company, so they will want to sniff other dogs' bottoms and really embarrass you. Some of them will want to eat poo! some will eat a week-old kebab packet, a mouldy sausage roll or the contents of a dustbin bag left out for the bin men once a week! (bin day is the most exciting time to take my dog for a walk, it takes twice as long as usual!).
So next time you trudge along the road with your obedient fido glued to your leg, just ask yourself why you are doing this. Is it for his benefit or yours?

Dogs - A Universal Language

2010-08-08T17:51:00.002+01:00

I've just come back from a holiday around the Coast of Britain and Ireland. I met a lovely man and a lovely dog on the Giants Causeway in Co.Antrim. We had a chat about dogs and went our separate way. I was on a cruise ship and one day at lunch time an old lady came and sat next to me. She was a widow in her 80s, from South Africa and she was travelling alone. She was dripping in tasteless gold jewellery! this was an extremely wealthy lady. I made polite conversation over lunch but never thought we would have anything in common. She had acres of land, a large house and quite a few staff. The conversation was polite but a little dull until I mentioned that I had just trained as a dog trainer and behaviourist. Her eyes lit up, we actually made eye contact and she smiled. She began to tell me all about her 3 little dogs that she rescued from hunger and abuse to come and live with her on the farm in Pretoria. I shared the story of how we rescued Buddy from Battersea dogs home, and before either of us knew it we were having a friendly, animated and interesting conversation.
This got me thinking. Could this happen to any two people from anywhere in the world? Just finding something in common, that special intimate bond we share with our dogs can be recognized by another person anywhere. A personal experience we could share with anyone in any country, of any religion or background. Just think if the World's politicians could do that!

The Neutering Debate

2010-05-29T15:42:00.003+01:00

What does the male hormone testosterone do for dogs? Well, it makes them forget reason for one! it has been officially referred to as 'the hormone of stupidity' and who can argue with that when you see the effects on the human of the species! in essence, it makes male animals bolder and prone to taking risks. It reduces the effects of fear so that they can go out in the world, defend their territory, catch food, and by no means least..fight for the right to breed with females. Do you see some similarities here?? I certainly do!

Well, dogs don't go out and buy fast motorbikes, expensive toys or gold jewellery, but the intended end result is the same. So why do people get their dogs neutered? I suppose a male dog who has not had enough training might be prone to running away (the behavioural term is 'roaming') to follow the scent of females on heat. Some male dogs might become aggressive if they feel that their territory or their property is being threatened in some way. But here's the rub...my main point....

Testosterone will give a teenage dog the confidence to go out and meet other dogs and interact with them. In a fearful dog it will give them confidence to go out and explore the world, make mistakes and learn, and as a result it will have a good rounded character. It will give a dog the confidence to explore new and unknown situations, people and places. Now if you neuter a young dog that is already timid by nature, and a dog who has been so timid that it has resorted to aggression out of fear... then if you misread the signs of that aggressive dog..and neuter it... thinking that you will improve that dogs behaviour - it may, in fact, get worse.

Don't get me wrong here. Neutering is the right thing to do if you do not want to breed from your dog. There are way too many unwanted dogs in rescue centres all over the place. There are also many dogs that need to be neutered because they constantly feel the need to challenge and fight in every situation. Neutering a dog when it is still a juvenile will not allow it to develop an adult mentality. What I am trying to say is that neutering is not a substitute for good basic training. If your dog is out of control and it is an entire male, then take a good look at the causes of that dog's behaviour and don't just take the easy route and cut off his testicles!

The one that didn't make it...

2010-03-09T23:06:00.002Z

One of my rescue centre dogs didn't make it this week. I should explain, I work as a volunteer at two well known dog rescue and rehoming centres here in West London. Some shelters have a 'no-kill under any circumstances' policy, others do not. This is a contentious issue and many people have differing opinions. I should lay my opinon on the line for you. I saw this poor dog for the first time last week, she had been flagged up to me as a very stressed dog, so I went to spend time in the kennel with her.
She had been eating the ceiling of her kennel! she had chewed her bedding and she had chewed every toy that was given her. Clearly very stressed over a number of months she had also been given veterinary medicines to calm her. I sat with her for 30 minutes or so and gave her a hard rawhide chew to occupy herself. She lay down next to me and chewed away the whole time. Dogs chew to releive stress, it produces endorphins in the brain which calms them down. When slightly calmer she was a sensitive dog who enjoyed company and who craved cuddles and attention. She knew all her basic commands and worked well for treats. This was an exceptionally clever dog with a sensitive nature. And there lies the problem.
Some dogs just don't cope with kennel life at all, their lives are a misery, they get more and more stressed, become destructive and extremely stressed and unhappy. There are hundreds of dogs waiting for new homes and with the best will in the world and an amazingly dedicated team of staff, they still don't get all the attention and space they need. The behaviour in the kennel made it unlikely that anyone would pick her to re-home.
In my experience working with such dogs, it is the very clever ones, the ones with the most potential, and particulary the sensitive ones with the most potential that get stressed in kennels, they just cannot cope and get very ill. These are the ones that don't make it. If they were humans, they would be your Mozarts, your Steven Hawking, your geniuses. Yet, they are dogs and they end their lives with a needle in their arm. It is sad, but it is a fact that the kennel can now be used by the next homeless dog waiting for someone to choose it. A dog that might have a better chance of finding a home. There is a neverending supply. So tonight I'm thinking about Lola, the one that didn't make it.... and move on to the next one that might.

Happy Healthy Dogs!

2010-02-23T16:38:00.004Z

I booked my tickets for Crufts dog show yesterday. The annual Kennel Club beauty show for pedigree dogs. Since a controversial documentary on the BBC a couple of years ago, there have been questions asked of the morality of breeding closely related dogs in order to maintain a 'breed standard' ie. what that particular breed should look like. Since looking into the study of dog behaviour and dog genetics I have been learning about how mankind first chose dogs to live with us because of what they could do for us rather than how they looked. Dogs that could guard us, guard our flocks, catch vermin.
These are all examples of 'sled dogs' they are bred because they have good stamina, thick healthy coats, even temperament, strong work ethic, healthy paws... not what they look like!
It is in their genetic nature to work for a living and to run and pull sleds all day. Allbeit this is now mostly for tourists but I found myself surrounded last week with more than 300 happy, healthy dogs. Doing what they were bred for, having their behavioural and social needs met.
I suppose nowadays in society we are brainwashed into looking up to attractive looking people as our role models (regardless of personality or ability) just look at this wonderful, eclectic range of mutt dogs, they love life, they are fulfilling their genetic purpose. Such a joy to see!

Eyesight in Dogs

2010-02-09T18:04:00.003Z

Our understanding of canine vision is imperfect as we only have a perception of what they see and not categorical evidence. The ability to see in very low light conditions enhances a dog's ability to function as predators. A dogs eyes have a highly reflective layer of cells on the retina called the tapetum lucidum. This is responsible for the bright shine of a dog's eye when in a bright light. A dog's eye can focus allowing normal vision at different distances. They appear to be only able to accurately focus on objects no closer than 50cm to 33cm of their eye. They will then compensate by using other senses such as smell or taste.
So what exactly can a dog see, and how well? In humans we can take an eyesight test and tell the optician what we can see and whether it is in focus. So how can we know about a dog's eyesight? The nature of vision is a subjective thing, it is not easy to state exactly how a dog sees but it is possible to examine eyesight in differing light levels, visual acuity, movement, depth perception and colour. Dogs have a greater visual ability in low light conditions and they are able to detect motion and smaller movements at a greater distance than humans can. Depth perception depends on the degree of binocular overlap, in dogs the presence of a long nose can reduce this overlap and they may have difficulty judging distances. Visual acuity refers to the ability to see the details of an object separately and unblurred. On the whole dogs have reduced acuity compared to man. Colour perception is thought to be similar to a human who is red-green colour blind. This means that they see blue and yellow well but have trouble with reds and greens.

Stroke in Dogs

2010-01-01T09:40:00.002Z

I had a bit of a panic this week, Buddy had a stroke two days ago! He will be 14yrs old on Sunday. As an owner, of course I was worried and took him straight to the vet when the symptoms became obvious. The vet saw us straight away and very quickly confirmed my diagnosis! Buddy had some sort of 'incident' while climbing the stairs at home. He appeared disorientated and very wobbly on his feet soon afterwards, falling down occasionally. An interesting symptom, was eye twitching/movement from side to side (nystagmus), it really looked as if the room was spinning for him, and his head was tilted to one side. After some brief internet research on stroke in dogs, I discovered some reassuring articles. Strokes in dogs are not often as debilitating in animals as in humans. A dogs brain is highly capable of working round the problem (a small bleed in the brain) more capable than human brains in fact. Despite investigations an underlying cause is only found in 50% of cases of stroke in dogs. There is no specific treatment (unlike humans who are bombarded with clotbusters, statins and blood pressure tablets). Good nursing care should enable Buddy to recover from these symptoms in a week or so.
At present he is unwilling to eat or drink, but happily laps up weak chicken stock fed through a turkey baster! and small pieces of chicken hand fed! The vet has recommended strict rest, no stairs and no walkies! Hope his appetite returns soon, but if the room is still spinning, he might not manage too much yet!

Ticks!

2009-12-27T16:45:00.002Z

I went with a friend recently up to a pack of feral dogs who live at Cabo Girao on the island of Madeira.This is one of the few dogs which allow humans to get close enough for inspection and treatment. Removal of ticks is one of the weekly tasks.
The larger ticks are the females which can engorge with blood and get much larger. It is important when removing ticks to remove the front mouthparts along with the rest of the tick. The smaller ones are the males whose task in life is just to fertilise the females.

Welcome to Matron's Dogblog!

2009-12-14T17:10:00.002Z

At the time of writing I am about to set up my own company! This will be the forum to discuss doggy behaviour problems, personalities and cute pictures. Watch this space.