PawPrintPets

Making You & Your Dog Happier

Healthy Canine Christmas

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christmas dog 1Christmas is a time for eating plenty, and often we eat too much because the food is just so delicious! The same might apply to our dogs. Here are some tips to make sure your dog is safe near festive goodies. The smell of all the roasting meat and the desserts make us all feel hungry so it can be torture to a creature who evolved as a scavenger.

Onions, stuffing (contains onions and garlic), chocolate (theobromine), mince pies and Christmas pudding (raisins) are extremely harmful to dogs. Watch out for the turkey carcass, or any bones, as these can perforate internal organs. They can be easily reached from the worktop but also from the bin, so take them out as soon as possible.

You might be planning to serve your dog his own Christmas dinner, but be cautious. A sudden change in a dog’s diet can also cause stomach upset, so stick to his normal food wherever you can. I am sure you do not want to end up calling out the emergency Vet on Boxing Day. Keep buffet foods well out of reach, and warn your visitors who may not be used to lifting plates up out of the way.

No matter how tempting, don’t allow your dog to drink any alcohol, nor to help themselves from a carelessly placed glass. They might be attracted to its sweet taste but no matter what you see on YouTube, alcohol and dogs definitely do not mix.

Make sure that if family bring their dogs along, you can introduce them away from the house first so that they do not land on one another in a heated argument about who gets to sit on which sofa.
Have you brought your dog something to wear, some antlers or a lovely Christmas pudding outfit? Now’s your chance to do some proper training, by teaching them that if they come to you and let you put it on them, they earn a dog treat or two.

I am sure I sound like a big Bah Humbug dog trainer, but you know it makes sense. Enjoy your dog as the happy, normal creature that they are. And don’t forget to give them extra walks to work off all your Christmas goodies. See, they are really good for us!

Wishing a happy, safe Christmas for all dogs and human families who are all kind enough to support this blog!

Pet Portrait Competition!

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puppyCOMPETITION TIME!

To celebrate the launch of my book, Being a Dog, we have teamed up with talented artist Karen Green, for an exciting opportunity to win a Pet Portrait of your dog!

As you can see, her skills are incredible. It would make a superb memory of your beautiful pooch, so do enter!

ellieHow to enter:

As this is to celebrate the launch of my book, ‘Being a Dog’ we would like you to say below what ‘Being a Dog’ really means to your pet. Please add your comment below (in 30 words or less) in the format: “My dog loves Being a Dog because…”

We will choose the most appealing answer as our winner by the 5th November and the winner will be announced here on this page, so keep checking back!

About Karen Green, Fine Artist

After graduating from De Montfort University with a 2:1 Bachelor of Arts Degree I became a Fine Artist, painting portraits alongside sea/landscape art.
I love getting lost in the moment when painting and the creative release it gives me. 
I use washes of watercolour when painting pet portraits, capturing the character and personality of the subject. 
My pet portraits are a best described as a “unique gift that last a lifetime at a price you can afford”
Please visit http://www.karenjanegreen.com/portraits-commissions,  telephone 07525251426 or 
email karen35green@yahoo.co.uk for further information
being-a-dog-cover-lo-res

Help celebrate Karen’s new book!

(Competition rules: Use 30 words or less. Longer entries will not be considered. One entry per household. Judges decision is final. Closing date and last entries accepted on 4/11/16. Winner announced on this page on 5/11/16. Winner will be contacted directly by artist Karen Green so please leave a valid email address. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose by this website. Prizes unclaimed by 31/12/16 will be considered invalid.)

Please add your comment below (in 30 words or less) in the format: “My dog loves Being a Dog because…”

How long does it take to train a dog?

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Pawprint puppy class with Karen WildHow long does it take to train a dog?

This is a question I would love to have a set answer to. I was asked recently if I could ‘cure’ a dog of the problems he has picked up over 8 years of his life. He needed a lot of help, but we cannot wipe his memory clean of all those moments he was allowed to do things the human family didn’t like.

If only we could spare a few minutes each day. Two sessions, five minutes each, or three sessions of just a couple of minutes each, every day, can be spent training your dog. Asking your dog to sit for a couple of seconds, paying him with a piece of food, then repeating it again a few times, is plenty of training in a single session and will take only a short time.

If you repeat this, ten minutes in total per day, you have completed over an hour of training in only a week (70 minutes to be exact). Multiply this over a year and we have over sixty hours spent teaching your dog all the good manners you want.

You might say you do not have time. However, how many times do you say ‘no’ to your dog? Do you push him off the sofa or have a miserable walk with him dragging you about? I am sure you spend a lot longer on this.

The answer is easy. Have a plan of working with your canine best friend a little each day. If you need guidance, my book ’21 Days to the Perfect Dog’ will help you as if follows a daily plan.

Whether you have a new pup or an older pooch, start by counting out ten small but tasty treats, and ask for a sit for each one. Those are your dog’s wages. Tomorrow, ask him to sit for a little longer. Once he has this established and is confident, choose to ask him to lie down for the same ten treats each day. Then, do the same thing in the garden. Start in the back garden if this is quieter, then the front. Next, practice it on your walk.

After this, give him a treat for walking at heel. The same ten repetitions will help. Before long you have a nice attentive dog who is earning wages. Not a miserable, fed up dog who cannot understand what you want and hears the word ‘no’ (which basically means, nothing much or that you are cross and fed up).

From now on, the word ‘no’ means ‘I am an impatient, not very good trainer’. Maybe we can work for ten minutes a day on improving your skill, too!

Have fun!

Noel Edmonds supports positive dog training!

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Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 13.16.59 I am SO excited to have been invited to write about positive dog training for Noel Edmonds’ amazingly positive site, noel.world

My article on positive dog training was invited, and posted, in less than a day.

As we all know, Noel is well-known and much loved, pursuing a noble goal of spreading more positivity in the world with his Positivity Radio app and website, where you can listen to lots of different genres, no adverts, and most of all, always buoyant and happy listening.

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Now that lovely Noel has welcomed positive dog training views under his wing, let’s spread the word even further. This is an unstoppable force, a revolution in kindness.

Positive, reward-based training for the world? DEAL!

 

Karen

 

Karen’s new book ‘Being a dog’ is available on PRE-ORDER here!

Being a Dog: The world from your dog’s point of view

 

 

Can’t say ‘Walkies’? Why not?

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Walkies safety John Guillain ImagesDoes the ‘W’ word strike craziness into your dog? When it is time to get the lead and harness out, does he go bonkers, hurling himself around the hallway like a whirlwind?

It can be exhausting and frustrating for us. After all, we want to get on our way, but that daft dog won’t sit still!

If this is your household, you are not alone. I meet many people who start to say the ‘Walkies’ word and then stop and ssh themselves in horror. They are slaves to this simple bit of English!

The good news is, there is an easy and straightforward solution. You will need: Yourself, your dog, a helper (not essential but will be a bit help), some treats, and a clicker if you use it.

First of all, decide that everyone in the family will teach the dog the same rules. It is best to make sure your dog learns a consistent lesson, otherwise he will confuse everyone’s signals and make mistakes.

Choose a place where you want your dog to sit happily to have his lead and harness put on. Most owners use a special mat for this, or maybe the bottom step of the stairs if your dog will fit! Hold a treat in your hand and encourage him to sit in this place. Say ‘Good Dog’ and give the treat. Let him move away, then call him back again, repeating the above until he is diving onto that place ready for his treat!

Next, whilst he stays sitting, start to attach his lead. If he wriggles about, be gentle but remind him to sit. When he does stay calmly, tell him ‘Good Dog’ and give another treat. Repeat this until you can easily attach his lead.
Ask your helper to hold the lead, or hold it yourself. Begin asking the dog to stay sitting whilst you move towards the door. You only need take a small step at first, before returning to your dog, ‘Good Dog’ and another treat.
(Note: You are only offering some tasty nibbles for this training, so your dog will not get fat! Simply reduce his dinner a small amount, and do not overfeed him with other snacks).

Finally, you can begin opening the door whilst your dog stays calmly seated with the helper (or you) holding the lead. Always return to your dog, praise and give him a treat. This builds up a reliable, calm behaviour around the door without your dog learning to make mistakes.

Happy WALKIES!
Photo by John Guillain Images www.jagimages.co.uk

Karen’s new book ‘Being a dog’ is available on PRE-ORDER here!

Being a Dog: The world from your dog’s point of view