Dog Diary

THE DOORS ARE OPEN

2009-05-01T14:45:00.002+01:00

For some time like my clients I have moaned about the lack of good quality kit at reasonable prices. Numerous clients have moaned that collars or leads have snapped etc. Now I firmly believe if that you are not going to do something about a topic that is irritating you then you have no right to moan. So we are doing something we are opening an online shop that will only stock quality items at reasonable prices. If you are looking for a Tu Tu for your pooch don't bother you wont find one. We will be stocking everything from collars to puppy starter packs.
Everyone is very excited although after looking through thousands of brochures and talking to many manufacturers my head is spinning lol ..........................
I never realised there were so many dog specific pieces of kit on the market it is absolutely amazing and quite frigthening and I should imagine very confusing for anyone new to owning a dog. Let me tell you kitting your dog out with lifes essentials should not break the bank. Do not be lured by the pretty little leads and sparkly collars ..............they will last two minutes and you will not be able to train your dog in them.
Do not be enticed by by the promises from manufacturers that their product cures pulling or barking etc. The only thing that cures doggy problems is behaviour and training neither are painful or take years all they take is a little bit of time, patience and consistency.
We are not touting for business with our oneline shop we hope you will use it as a guideline for what you do need and if you do purchase we can assure you of the quality because we are only going to sell kit that we use ourselves so everything has been tried and tested and everything comes with our endorsement.

Update

2009-04-27T15:20:00.002+01:00

Too say things have been busy would be an understatement it is funny how life throws alot of things at you at once and you get to the end of each day thinking I know I have done alot but there has been so much you can t even remember what it was that you have done. Well here is the update on what is going on classes have started with a gusto we have been hit by every lab in Kent thanks to the producers of Marley and Me. A well known radio presenter is currently filling in one of my breed questionnaires to help select a breed suitable for his family. As the weather gets nicer everyone wants to learn agility. Diesel one of the dogs we are working with is getting on great with the new puppy in the house. Ceasar and Lizzie two rescued grey hounds presently in behaviural rehab are about to get ready for their holiday. Mojo a greyhound who always comes to say hello in the field kindly wandered over yesterday and much to sadies shock lol christined her new agaility tunnel lol...............................we have had dogs starting training and rehab and completing. I have pulled my manuscript out of the attic and decided to fisish it and have finally decided the direction work wise that I want to go as I said it has been busy.

Holiday season is starting and I am receiving numerous calls to babysit dogs while their families are on holiday and lots coming in for puppy creche. We have had contact from breeders with regard to puppy classes it never stops and I would not have it any other way. I love my job.

PUBLISHED ARTICLE

2009-04-09T15:36:00.003+01:00

Hi thought you would like to see one of the published articles about us
My Kings Hill Visits All About Dogs Puppy Training Class
On a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon I was invited to attend a puppy training class held by head beaviourist Joanna Cabrera from All About Dogs.I jumped at the chance as I realised that this would be a valuable insight for My Kings Hill readers and I was curious to meet Joanna, who is the driving force behind All About Dogs.
Joanna has a Masters Degree in zoology and psychology and has many years experience of training dogs. I was keen to see Joanna’s training methods in action and put to the test! It looked as if Joanna would have her work cut out, as the two smaller breeds of dogs, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Terrier were feeling the cold and damp weather and looked as if they could be a challenge!
The pups owners had met earlier on in the week to talk about the most efficient collar and leads to use, they also had the opportunity to talk over any particular dog behavioural concerns and receive pointers on the lessons to follow over the duration of the training course.
Among the training class was Cody a Border Collie age , Bramwell a Golden Doodle age , and Sandy a Golden Doodle too age , Gibson a Newfoundland and then the little guys – Oscar Choo a Yorkshire Terrier age , and Jason a Staffordshire bull Terrier age just 3 months.The dogs and their owners assemble on the field to await further instructions from Joanna and her assistant Sadie. There is anticipation and trepidation in the air, for the owners curious to see how their dogs will get along.The training then commences and the pups are put through their paces by repetitive walking, with their owners, learning the importance and rules of obedient walking and correctional methods for bad behaviour. As the training session continued, it was clear to see that the owners were gaining control and their confidence was effident. The pups were beginning to learn the rules and respond in a positive way too. A great achievement for the first day on the training field!
Great posture and control was displayed by the pups of course! They showed great promise for the weeks to come.Joanna summed up the days training and revealed the steps for next weeks lesson, Joanna then commented on everyone’s progress and after an hour and quarter, some of the pups and their owners went home, the rest stayed to gain further tips from Joanna and Sadie and as I left , they were still there on the field, training and sharing their expertise. That is true dedication and commitment to the pups and their owners. These ladies enjoy what they do and relish a challenge their reward is seeing progress in both the dogs and their owners and knowing they can make a positive difference.
The remaining puppy training classes will cover basic training commands, continuing with walking on a loose lead, stay and recall methods and socialisation with other dogs and people. The cost is £60 for a 7 week course which is a very reasonable priced course when you consider the amount of individual time that Joanna is willing to give you in addition to the actual group training and how much dedication and determination that Joanna and her team exude.Thank you ladies for a very brief glimpse into just one of the valuable services on offer at All About Dogs.

Article Written By; Rose Moule for My Kings Hill 2009

I always welcome the opportunity to be observed by the media or as in the case of the Kent Messenger case study tested by the media. There are unfortunately allot of people working in the Animal Industry who are not qualified or who have been on brief courses and advertise them selves as experts. I know this for a fact as lots of our clients come to us after they have been let down by other so called experts. People be warned check out the places go and watch one of their classes or better still get a trainer or behaviourist through personal recommendation.

KMFM

2009-04-09T14:13:00.002+01:00

Thank you to KMFM for inviting to me to their studios yesterday evening I really enjoyed myself sorry to all those people who did not manage to get through the lines were extremely busy. If you still want your questions asked please feel free to contact me at the office. Radio intervierws are difficult in as much as you get a about one minute to answer a question. However dog problems are never that simplistic and with the radio you do not get the chance to ask more questions or eloborate on what has to be said. But as I said if anyone wants their questions answered please feel free to contact me at the office.

SO MUCH FOR THAT APOLOGY

2009-04-06T10:02:00.002+01:00

All I can say is that we have been extremely busy with classes new clients and call work.....it does not just end with your session we are emailing and on the phone constantly supporting our clients and their dogs with any problems they are experiencing while going through rehab or training. Last week was one of those weird weeks when you follow a trend ill try too explain. If Disney re-release 101 Dalmatians you can guarantee 18 months later we are flooded with calls about Dalmatians by now I think you know where I am coming from. Well last week was the week of the week of the re-homed dogs. We had a number of owners coming to us with behavioural problems. The rule of thumb the dog you meet and bring home will not be the dog you are living with in 6 months time. Now the dominant ones that come to you start too show their true character within a month the submissive are well behaved for allot longer and then owners start to notice things (IE the dog has never made a sound or does not want to go out). These dogs need a forever home when they are adopted now when you consider that you really don't know these dogs or their back ground think hard before you adopt you may end up with an up hill struggle on your hands for a while too resolve any of their issues the one thing you cannot do is pass them back because they don't suit you or you think they are too much like hard work. Oh I know people do but what people fail to realise is the psychological effect being passed round like a piece of luggage has on an animal which can lead too more problems.
By now you are all thinking I am not in favour of adoption you could not be more wrong I am a fan and have re-homed a number of dogs of the years. What I am not in favour of whether you are adopting or buying is people that do not seriously think about the implications of having an animal it takes work and sometimes that work is hard if you have problems. These people tend too not think about the work, give no consideration or research to the breed they want and then wonder why they think their lives are ruined. If you are a person who is into comfort, schedules, an immaculate house and do not have time for anyone but yourself DON'T GET AN ANIMAL OF ANY DESCRIPTION.
Though this weeks trend was re- homed dogs I am very happy to report that the owners are amazing it is the re-home centres that have let them down the dogs have come to them in bad health and with emotional problems that a new owner would not be expected to recognise but the centres should have and not let the dogs go until they were healthy. Further should have discussed the behavioural problems so the owners knew exactly what they were taking on and given them a programme to follow to resolve the issues. Sadly that did not happen and this is not a rare thing I am sad to say.
However they all found their way to us and we will resolve the issues and support the owners through the process.
Well that's it for now talk later.

APOLOGISES

2009-04-04T12:39:00.002+01:00

Sorry for no post yesterday the day started early and ended very late I did not get a chance to do any writing the reason we have had an influx of new clients in the last two weeks and every visit has to be followed with a detailed report for the client listing in detail everything that we have discussed then booking for the re- visit if neccessagry and in some cases the report has to include a full training/ dietary report specific to that dog which takes time. But i will make up for it today I have a full day of classes followed by a couple of new clients so there will be lots to talk about later.

THE FORCE

2009-04-02T23:32:00.002+01:00

My favourite time of the day when it is just me and them out and about walking , training and playing. Too the guys thank you for being mine

A RIPPLE IN THE FORCE

2009-04-02T23:12:00.002+01:00

This beautiful red head is our Vita, who today apparently decided she is old enough to try to change her position with my pack . When dogs reach a certain age an instinct kicks in which tells them to achieve/ascend in the ranking of the pack no matter how good you are at running your pack you do have these days and I knew from her behaviour her time was coming. The ripple that came from her was not huge but was felt by the entire pack who adjusted and she maintained her own level. My reaction the best thing for our pack when their are times of disruption is too look at the rules of the house ensure they are all in place and then to train. Why the rules ensure a balanced and harmonious pack and the training and exercise keeps endorphins high and allows them to work off any frustrations that may arise as a result of the ripple. It is funny that this was the way my day started. Later in the day before Lisa and I went on a pre vaccination visit too meet a little Border Collie pup and his family the cookers we stopped to get a sandwich (eating on the run is an every day thing with our company there are always lots of owners to go see and dogs to help). It was funny because while we were waiting the young man called Tom behind the counter looked at me and said "your the animal talker", which made a pleasant change from some of the other titles people have given me in the past lol. Really did not like the dog lady or the English dog whisperer lol. Then Tom while he was making sandwiches started telling me about his pack of Border Terriers. His family mated their bitch a few years ago and his mum looked at all the pups and decided to keep them all. This in my experience is never a good idea for inexperienced breeders to do. There is allot of difference between having a dog and having a pack unfortunately most people are not aware of this until the problems start. Toms family now live in a house where all the dogs are segregated the dogs suffer from inter dog aggression and sibling rivalry etc Toms family according to Tom have got to the point they do not know what to do. Tom was telling me all this because he said his family wanted my help and his dad would be calling me that evening. I love having a pack as do allot of people however people who have not experienced pack living should research and get advice before they commit to having more than one dog. The rules are different and I thought about Tom and his family allot this evening as I was writing reports and devising a training schedule for my lot. I look forward to helping them in the near future.

PUPPY CRECHE AND BARKERS

2009-04-01T09:15:00.003+01:00

WOOF, WOOF , WOOF, that is Jake at the door jake loves creche................ on the days he comes he tries to drag his mum to the door and as soon as he reaches the door he starts howling . It would be an understatement to say that he enjoys coming ...........he arrives to a loud let me in (if allowed he would fly through the door), once in he has to go and kiss everyone who is in creche that day. He then makes his way to my husbands office kisses him and promptly falls asleep under my husbands legs. WHAT AN ENTRANCE, we get some real characters in puppy/dog creche. some come every day because their owners work, some once a week to break the week up for them. Others because their owners are going to a wedding or have an appointment. As a rule pups should not be left for anymore than two to three hours and adult dogs no longer than four to five hours.

Oops first session of the day about to start will tell you more about creche later.................................TO BE CONTINUED

KENT MESSENGER GROUP

2009-03-31T21:53:00.002+01:00

Today has been a massive day for us and very long. We have teamed up with the Kent Messenger Newspaper Group to be their experts in answering questions and concerns from dog owners about their dogs. We would like to say thank you to Kent Messenger for giving us this opportunity to help. It is also nice for us that we will be one of the few companies of our type to actually be tested by the media. We are presently doing a case study involving Estelle one of their emploees and the problems she is having with her little jobs if you go on to Kent online you will see how the study is progressing .................I can tell you now all three are doing amazing. Then next Kings Hill also came and tested us for their readership and we passed with flying colours. For me .................what has meant the most is that both have noticed and remardlked on the dedication of our company to our clients and the support we give to our clients and their dogs.

Sorry but that is all for now.

PUPPY WORK SHOP

2009-03-30T23:14:00.002+01:00

We ran a puppy workshop to night for people with puppies it is designed to asnwer all of the questions puppy owners have and educate on how to raise the pups to avoid problems arising. They are educational and informal its funny when you explain puppy behaviour and can see people realise exactly how they have encouraged the behaviour and its great to help. It was funny though listening too little oscar choo (tiny little yorkshire terrier) describe how he takes a run up and a flying leap to get on to the sofa. Something they now know he should not be doing. Good work guys see you on the field saturday.

KENT MESSENGER GROUP PHOTOS

2009-03-30T11:58:00.000+01:00

Missie and Alfie cheeky buggers on the sofa

KENT MESSENGER GROUP PHOTOS

2009-03-30T11:54:00.004+01:00

I have mentioned a couple of times that I am currently pitting my whits against two little rascals from the Kent Messenger Group Missie and Alfie and I thought everyone would like to put faces to the names

Alfie (left) and Missie

OVER CORRECTING A PUPPY

2009-03-29T22:21:00.003+01:00

After classes today we had a visit with a lovely family who have a puppy who has a fear issue with his owner. The reason he has been over corrected. When people get a puppy (especially whose who have never had a puppy before) everyone they meet is an instant expert on the ways of raising dogs. Unfortunately for this nice young couple they had been receiving advice from someone talking out of an orifice that was not the mouth. As a result of this terrible advice their little pup had become scared. With the session done and the correct advice given and a programme in place to get the little guy over his fear he will be fine very soon.

Even if you have had a puppy before or you are getting one for the first time and you are not sure about what to do seek advice. At All about dogs we get calls and emails all the time asking basic questions and we are happy to answer them. Do not feel your question is stupid. If you dont know ask someone (professional) who does we are only too pleased to help.

By starting off on the right foot pups grow into confident and content adult dogs all of the unwanted behaviour can be avoided by giving your pup a healthly enviroment, clear signals and good training. Neither you nor your puppy have to suffer through the puppy months so get help. We hold one to one sessions, classes and workshops on all aspects of dog care and how to solve problems we also answer one off questions via the telephone and email so please just ask.

THEA AND DIESEL

2009-03-29T22:18:00.003+01:00

Thea was one of our younger handlers today who cam on the field not sure of what could be achieved. When I asked her when was the last time Diesel (12) had had any training her response was training ask the last time he went for a walk......................Diesel is one of these boys that because they walk so badly owners avoid it. But as you can see some clear communication and one hour on the field can work wonders.

Well done Thea and you Diesel (especially as you only yodeled once on the field).

2009-03-29T22:13:00.006+01:00

See Estelle I said you could do it and all within and hour!

MORE PHOTOS FROM CLASSES

2009-03-29T22:07:00.003+01:00

Estelle, Marnie, Alfie and Missy. Estelle the doubting thomas admitted she did not believe the dogs would respond......... shame on you. By the end of class Estelle and Marnie were walking both dogs on loose leads past other dogs.

Well done girls.

PHOTO PUPPY CLASS

2009-03-29T15:53:00.001+01:00

Debbie and Bramwell as you can see from this side shot Debbie had the most comfortable seat at class and Bramwell is learning that when mum decides to sit and watch the class get comfortable boy because you are not moving till mum does. Notice he is keeping his eyes on the wheels lol good boy.

PHOTO OAP CLASS

2009-03-29T15:50:00.001+01:00

This wonderful picture is of our youngest handler Marnie with one of our oldest dogs at class Cesar as you can see they are doing fine. Marnie and Cesar quietly and confidently walked the field Marnies lead skill improved all the way through class until at the end of class she waled Missy and Alfie together under control past the other dogs at class fantastic

PHOTO PUPPY CLASS

2009-03-29T15:45:00.002+01:00

Anne and Sandy at Puppy class at this point Sandy was just working out that when she is ground tied by Anne she is not going anywhere. A good lesson for your pups to learn they move when you move

MY HUSBAND

2009-03-29T13:06:00.002+01:00

I am ashamed to say that it just dawned on me when I am writing unless it is too dedicate I never mention my husband................that is wrong. I am able to do the job I love because of the love and support of my husband,Edgar. Without him nothing would be possible. He builds the websites, designs them and does everything on the webs that needs to be done. He builds the E pages and books, he is my sounding wall. I disappear for two days working and he looks after everything He organises me the house the businesses and he always does it with a smile he welcomes abused animals into the home. While he is doing all of this he also runs a very successful business consulting company who specialises in dragging businesses back from the brink and maximising efficiency. He is a god to me and nothing would be worth achieving if it were not for him. I'm a lucky lady

OLD DOGS CANT LEARN NEW TRICKS

2009-03-29T12:20:00.002+01:00

RUBBISH, today we had a first lesson for a new class out of all the dogs we are working with us at the moment you would say this is the pensioners class (not the owners) the dogs are all mature Cesar nine and Diesel twelve this gives you an idea of the ages. The youngest handler on the field was Marnie who is ten and let me tell you they were all dogs and handlers alike amazing by the end of the session all were loose lead walking beautifully. Little Alfred also while on the field learned with Estelle's help to ignore other dogs while Diesel a big old pointer (favourite pass time chasing cats) walked straight past a cat that wandered on to the field. Lorraine diesels mum was not convinced he had seen it so I asked Thea to walk him up and past again and he did amazing guys well done.

Estelle said on the field before her introduction to behaviour and training she was convinced Missy and Alfie were too old and set in their ways to change she has had her eyes opened they were amazing . Lisa is going to send over the photos and i will post just so you can see how well they are doing.

Jo sorry for making it hard for you today but you and Cesar got the technique so quick and were becoming a little bit too cocky that is why I gave you Missy so you had too work a little bit harder. The only reason being if Cesar ever decides to play you up you are ready and prepared well done Jo there are not allot of young ladies out there who would adopt two old greyhounds and work so hard to give them great golden years you deserve a medal .

HANDSOME ALFIE

2009-03-28T20:06:00.002Z

Alfie with some help from Jean and Theo is learning too chill. He got slightly....................excited about leaving the house and he let the street know it he was so loud he let the neighbouring town know it lol. Jean and Thea mentioned that on a car trip he kept it up for over two hours.

Jean , Theo and Alfie just needed a bit of translation work done lol and I hope to see them on the training field very soon well done guys.

ps Theo stop looking at the Alfie lol

HANDSOME ALFIE

2009-03-28T20:03:00.002Z

Little Alfie who knew what noise was too come lol.

NEW PUPPY CLASS

2009-03-28T17:41:00.002Z

Well today has been a hectic day which mean it has been great, the best thing of the day so far a new puupy class started on the field today and what a grewat group We had Cody (border collie), Bramwell (doodle), Sandy (doodle), Oscar Choo (yorkshire terrier) Gibson (newfy) and Jason (staffie). They did fantastic by the end of the session all puppies were loose lead walking was it elegant ? No but it was great to see their owners for a first practical session were great . Gibson decided he was just gonna go with the flow, Oscar decided his course of action was passive resistance, Jason was a little star, Sandy showed mum she has an IQ off the scale, Bramwell learnt it before his owner and Cody has a paddy so they all tried it on at one point or another but with calm clear techniques they were all achieving the goal loose lead walking.
WELL DONE GUYS I WAS VERY IMPRESSED.
They had the added desctraction of a photographer taking photos for a website community and a lady taking notes and reviewing the class. I will get pics and let you see all the guys. Great start to the training course.

KENT MESSENGER GROUP

2009-03-27T22:04:00.002Z

Well to start the day we visited with the KM Group rep to do the follow up piece on the case study they are following to see how behaviour works and more importantly DOES IT WORK. Well let me put it this way their person is now a true convert after the changes they have seen occur in the dogs in just seven days what a compliement. They are going to supply me with a photos of the dogs soon so I will be able to show you the two little guys I am working with. I took it as a great compliemt that the KM group picked us out of every one they could have picked to test. So we are now the only company of our nature to be picked and tested independantly under the gaze of the media. And I am pleased to say we passed with flying colours not that there is any reaosn why we should not have passed. Although anyone who lives in the real world will tell you sods law can always apply............when we attended the first session I did go in to be tested thinking you watch our 100% success rate will go to pot in this one session. But it did not the dogs like all dogs communicated the same as all other dogs and I must say they responded bloody well and quick 7 days on the programmes those little guys have already got most of their issues under control and well on the way to being resolved their owner has followed programme to the letter. And they say you should never work with kids or animals what do they know lol

TESTIMONIAL

2009-03-26T22:32:00.003Z

Thanks again for coming. It was really interesting.. Just made my self a cup of tea so going to read your follow up. Diesel looking good, not talking to him... I'm pointing to the bed and he's going in it and pointed to sit down and he waited while I gave his food and he went to go then I clicked my fingers he looked at me sat down and waited until I pointed to the bowl, I pointed he went but stopped and looked at me to say is it okay to go.... while blow me down and that's only day one... brill eh... Thanks again

The reason I love testimonials its great to know that owners love their dogs enough to do what has to be done in a calm way, owners stay calm and give clear signals using the behavioural techniques and reasoning and very quickly as you can see from the testimonial above you see positive results within 24 hours well done Lorraine glad to know Diesel after twelve years of living together finally understand one another and can communicate.

HANDLER TRAINING CLASSES

2009-03-26T17:35:00.002Z

I love thursday mornings the guys training to work with dogs and their owners come to the field and every week we go over new techniques and progress their training and use different dogs every week. We are usually also joined by some of our clients and their dogs and this morning Michelle and Millie and Debbie and Bramwell joined us. So Sadie had an opportunity to work with Darcg, Millie and Bramwell who is Sadies first puppy to train with.

So while Debbie was sitting comfy in her wheelchair and Michelle and I were getting wet bottoms on the bench we watched Bramwells first loose lead session and what a little star he is with in ten minutes he was responding the the silent messages being given by Sadie and he finished a walk with an automatic sit FANTASTIC and he did look chuffed with himself. Next came Darcy a young lady not used to the lead but has some training and wow she was having a good day at this point Sadie was two for two then came Miss Millie our chocolate beauty (lab) and for Millie who was not feeling one hundred per cent she did well So it was a good day for all.

I discussed Bramwell with Debbie our boy has not been too well behaved since he came back from a very well known boarding kennels in Kent. But we are working to resolve the issue Debbie is going to try and find out exactly what happened to cause this behavioural change.He is receiving rehabilition therapy at the moment and from what I saw on the field this morning he is going to be the star of the class. As for Miss Millie although spade she is experiencing all the symptoms of a season so I was talking to Michelle about the best herbal therapy approaches so hopefully our girl will be back to her noraml self in no time . As for our slightly nervous Darcy she decided on the field this morning all she wanted was to stand next me whenever she felt a little unsure of herself.

Thusday mornings are great a real mixture on the field handlers get too work and train with lots of different dogs. Owners get to work one to one with handlers and have a good natter just like a coffee morning without the coffee as Debbie said this morning . Next week i will take a flask lol

HITTING DOES NOT WORK

2009-03-26T08:19:00.004Z

Yesterday was a busy day Lisa and I are involved in alot of different projects at the moment one of them being a safety awareness campaign for children and we are visiting the local schools to talk to the children about dogs and how to treat them . We are working on various articles and spent alot of time talking to our numerous clients. We met a new client who is picking up her new puppy on the tenth of April and pleasantly surprised her as to how effective behavioural work is. During our time talking to her about the successful ways to introduce a new puppy to the house and how to avoid problems arising. While talking I was observing her 12 year old German wire haired pointer who is a yodeler lol. During our time there I sent silent messages and before we left he just stopped yodeling even with all the people moving about and visitors to the house. I love to see someones jaw hit the floor in amazement lol.

however our day ended on a sad note Lisa received a call from a lady asking that I go meet her dog ......................nothing unusual there but then she asked if it was possible to get their dog to bond with her husband ..................still nothing unusual there then came the kicker she explained the reason for the bonding work their dog was weeing in the house ever since her husband had hit the dog....................................................................... I am a professional but I am also human . As nice as the lady was on the phone I could taste blood in my mouth from biting my tongue so hard.

FACT HITTING DOES NOT SOLVE A PROBLEM IT CREATES THEM A LESSON SOME PEOPLE I AM AFRAID TO SAY DO NOT LEARN UNTIL SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.

What ever behaviour you are trying to deal with will either become worse or that behaviour will disappear and you will be presented with a number of others and when you have got to the stage where you have made your dog fearful of you one fear inducing event can cause your dog to lash out in an aggressive way because of fear. However it is not always the cruel people (the hitters ) who the dogs lash out at it can be some innocent guest who raises their hand in the wrong way or picks up the paper.

Well I will soon be meeting the little guy and working with him so that he can stop being afraid of the world and enjoy his life and EDUCATE! his owner that bullying and VIOLENCE are not the answer.

People if you do nothing else right do not communicate to your dogs that people are vicious and violent and that they need to fear us. Anyone with any thoughts of what we could do to cruel owners please contact me as Sadie and I are about to write a paper on the the law could be changed to safe guard people and work towards eliminating cruelty.

TO BREED OR NOT TO BREED

2009-03-24T21:31:00.005Z

Well I finally answered the question and decided this season the answer is ...................no sorry Sadie you will have to wait for your puppy a bit longer. The picture shows me with one of my pups. Anyone who breeds dogs will tell you when you do it right and follow all the golden rules to make sure mum and pups are perfect it is hard work as the picture shows lol. No it is not a picture of me after a night out I wish. But for the end result(one of those results is sitting in my lap) it is definitely worth every sleepless night.

I took some time and thought long and hard about my girl and everything that is going on at the moment and decided she is not ready so we will wait. When breeding puppies you have too make sure your bitch is physically and emotionally mature enough to cope with pups. Not too mention the knowledge and support you need to accumulate to do it successfully. By success I mean an uneventful pregnancy and successful birth and big healthy pups that is how I measure success when breeding not by how much money you make. Unfortunately too many people put the money before the well fare of their of their dogs and the pups they sell.

Cruel breeding is not restricted to puppy farms it goes on everywhere it is very likely that it is happening within a mile of where you live. People just looking to make money with no thought to the dog. Cruel breeding is not just restricted to non pedigree dogs it happens all to frequently within the pedigree world as well. The kennel club has rules but we all know how people love to break rules.

Peoples pursuit of money causes so much suffering to animals and people bitches that are over breed suffer physically, pups are born deformed if they are lucky to escape deformity some end up so ill from the negligent care of the breeders that they spend most of their early months back and forth to the vets , new owners suffer they take home what they think is their new bundle of joy bouncing with health only to be racing to the vets hours later. I remember one family who called me late at night they were desperate they had only had their puppy home hours and in that time he had fallen ill. They had not even had time to register with a vet and they did not know which way to turn from the symptoms they described there was nothing I could do to help the puppy needed a vet quick. I at the time was lucky enough to have a vet that did not use an out of hours service ( very rarely heard of these days which is a shame) he was the out of hours service and I managed to get them in touch with him immediately. The family later contacted me to say thank you. The puppy on arriving at the vet had very quickly been diagnosed with parvovirus which is nearly almost always fatal in puppies. Though I am happy to report in this case the little guy made it however he spent over a month at the vets and for days it was touch and go the whole family suffered and the vet bill was in the thousands.

Anyone who has made the decision to get a puppy please please please take every precaution to ensure you are not paying for the suffering of animals and that you yourself are not going to suffer. Ask advise get help . Over the years I have advised hundreds of people on what breed to pick, how to find the right breeder, I have even gone with the would be owners to help pick the puppy itself. For all new would be owners out there seek advise there is alot of it out there and good luck with the sleepless nights.

APPRENTICES

2009-03-23T22:12:00.003Z

Well what can I say they moan, they nag, they are always on the bloody phone usually late at night after something I mean what can you do , lol the apprentice is always moaning she wants more homework, nagging for more research and usually on the bloody phone late at night because she wants clarification on her homework lol SADIE I KNOW YOU ARE READING THIS. I can honestly say I am very lucky to have two great apprentices you are going to go far in the behaviour and training industry when I get them to accept they have to crawl before they walk and guys please stop insisting on learning by your own mistakes lol I will see you both in the morning for theory. Be warned have your homework ready or else lol

Kent Messenger Newspaper Group

2009-03-23T22:02:00.003Z

Well after from hearing from Jo made some progress on my articles and then my day got even better. Have been working closely with the Kent Messenger Newspaper Group they are in the process of launching a behavioural case study on their pet corners website and I met with Estelle (KM Messenger) and her two little rascals last week Missy (Jack Russell) and Alfred (Jack Russell Mix). I really looked forward to this experience I know that some doubt the effectiveness of behavioural rehabilitation so to be tested in the public eye like this by an independent person who has never had any experience of behaviour work what an opportunity. After talking to Estelle I am happy to report a massive decrease in unwanted behaviour and already her dogs are calmer and more content and for once playing together something I am informed never happens. I wont tell you the exact nature of their problems I will leave that to Estelle to disclose want she wants everyone to know lol. Well done Estelle, Missy and Alfie

Testimonial - what a great way to start the day

2009-03-23T21:52:00.003Z

Hi, Just some feedback I found the workshop to be very helpful and informative. It was useful to be able to sit without the distraction of my dogs and discuss specifically their individual issues and how to deal with them. Bouncing ideas around was very useful as things came up which I had not even considered and would never have specifically asked about for example the self mutilation. I am growing in confidence every day when handling my dogs and this is certainly being reflected in their behaviour. Thank you Jo for helping me to be the boss!
Jo Bell

Now that is a nice way to start the day its lovely to do a workshop one day and within days get this kind of response Jo is an amazing young lady who has adopted two mature grey hounds Lizzie in particular has had a hard life the scars on her body show you just how bad. Jo initially contacted me because both Lizzie and Ceasar were experiencing behavioural problems that were preventing them enjoying their golden years to the fullest. Given their start in life Jo was adament that she wanted them to start enjoy their life and start living life to the fullest and as you can see one workshop later the change has started. Well done Jo I am really proud of the way you are handling the changes that needed to be made .

ANOTHER PREVENTABLE ATTACK

2009-03-22T22:09:00.004Z

Mothers day this year marks the end of a week in which yet another child has been attacked by a dog in this case a three year old girl suffered facial injuries when she was mauled by a Japanese Akita dog in Shipley. The little girl was taken to hospital following the attack on Wednesday the dog has been destroyed and the Police are investigating.

You may think reading this blog that I am blind to the faults of all dogs I'm not.............I do agree that any dog that has attacked should be put to sleep however................how many more people are going to be attacked or killed before the Police actually charge the people responsible the dog owners. Responsible owners do not allow their dogs into a position where they could either by accident or design hurt someone.

Until the day this country finally puts some sensible laws in place tragedies such as this poor little girl will continue to be a weekly if not daily event. If these irresponsible dog owners were inflicting injuries on members of the public with a gun or a car they would be behind bars. Lets start prosecuting and giving these irresponsible dog owners a punishment that befits the deed hard prison time. These negligent owners will not start taking their responsibilities seriously until the day comes when they know without a shadow of a doubt that should they fail in their responsibilities they are going to prison.

What angers me the most about all of these dogs attacks they are all bloody preventable.

Mothers day and work

2009-03-22T13:59:00.003Z

This afternoon will be a very busy one once the gang are sorted out (a large pack of very hairy German Shepherds) plus one guest our beautiful Darcy, it is off to mums to wish her a very happy mothers day and then home to work. This evening I am writing a paper on to dock or not to dock papers such as these I find difficult to write I must be unbiased and yet at the same time I have very strong views on the subject. Which I will keep to myself at this point loll. If anyone has any views on this subject please let me know. From my other sites I have been inundated with responses about my article on breed or deed. Which range from stringing up irresponsible owners to banning all dogs I know it is a hot topic it has really pleased me though that people do care about what happens. However the guy who wants to ban all dogs sorry but you wont be on my Christmas card list any time soon.

I can understand not all people being as crazy about dogs as me but I have never been able to understand people who completely loathe animals . If anyone has any views on this subject please let me know. At the moment think I am leaning more towards the lady who wants to string up all irresponsible, cruel and neglectful owners.

Anyway got to rush to all mother out there have a great mothers day.

Darcy

2009-03-22T13:51:00.003Z

A beautiful big black girl has come to stay while her family are away. Darcy is a giant Schnauzer
The Schnauzer was first registered in Germany, where it is acknowledged to be an ancient breed. The name comes from the German word for moustache because of the breeds distinctive facial hair.
Kennel clubs generally subdivide the breed by size there is the Minature Schnauzer , Schnauzer and the Giant SchnauzerAlthough derived from a common ancestor and sharing certain physical attributes and personality traits, notably intelligence, friendly personality and a mischievous sense of humour, the three breeds are classified differently according to the Kennel Club breed classification system:Minature Schnauzer - UtilityStandard Schnauzer - UtilityGiant Schnauzer - Working.
She is the perfect house guest I can see why people are attracted to the breed.

Puppy introduction class

2009-03-21T19:43:00.003Z

What a day busy busy busy, one of the things today was an new puppy class. We run an introduction lesson where people attend to start without their puppies. I love these classes people are so excited about the puppies and eager to learn. What a great bunch .We discuss what will be covered in the class and how to prepare the puppies for the class so they get the most out of their hourly sessions. Its funny you would think that I would find them boring after so many years but no I still love the the eagerness and enthusiasm of new puppy owners its infectious the two hours flies past. From what I heard about our new puppies today we have got a lively bunch coming to class.

Its funny when we hold an introduction class people tend to be so surprised from what they learn that before the end of the session people are already mentioning friends and relatives who would like to bring their dogs and the same happened today. By the time everyone left we had three new signs ups, our classes start out as training groups and end up as social classes for both puppies and puppy owners.

Breed specific legislation

2009-03-20T08:47:00.001Z

This subject guarantees that I run and drag my soap box out

This is the biggest topic of legal debate in the dog world at the moment and it is a debate that started back in 1991 with the introduction of the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 which bans the ownership, breeding, sale and exchange, and advertising for sale of the following ‘types’ of fighting dogs:
· pit bull terriers
· the Japanese Tosa
· the Dogo Argentino
· the Fila Brasileiro
The Act deliberately uses the word ‘type’ as the law does not only apply to ‘pure’ breeds. Types are defined by the physical and behavioral characteristics of the prohibited dog. The maximum penalty for the illegal possession of a prohibited dog is a fine of £5000 and/or a six months imprisonment.

This Act was the government’s response to a number of dog attacks in the early 1990’s to diminish the number of dog attacks on people however this law fails abysmally. Why? Because the law does not address the real issue...dog aggression and where it comes from and until it does dog attacks and deaths will continue. The fact it is that dog aggression is not breed specific any dog can attack so are we going to keep banning breeds until we drive the dog in extinction or are we going to get real?

At the time of a dog attack especially if it has resulted in a death it is easy to blame the dog and persecute a breed what we should be doing is addressing the real issue where was the dog’s owner and why was such a tragedy allowed to happen? If a car is driven dangerously and results in a death do the we blame the car of cause we don’t, we blame the person in control of the car.

Dog attacks happen for one reason only a lack of responsibility on the part of the dog’s owner.
Over the years dogs have been breed for all number of purposes and yes some have been bred to fight however most aggressive dogs are the result of either being trained and encouraged to be aggressive by their irresponsible idiot owners or as the result of dog owners who fail to provide the correct environment and training to produce a happy and emotionally balanced dog.

I have worked with hundreds of dog owners over the years who have called upon my services because they have identified an aggression issue in their dogs and they want to resolve the behavior and they have worked hard to do so. The one thing they have all had in common a deep sense of responsibility and not one of them has ever allowed their dog into a position where they could be a threat to public safety.

The Dangerous Dogs Act is a joke it has resulted in an influx of staffordshire bull terriers ending up in rescue centres, well behaved and friendly dogs being seized by the police, councils around the country introducing breed specific banning in council properties. Dogs being banned from the beach and parks and sports fields and why? because the government introduced a law that does not get to the root of the problem .........irresponsible dog owners.

Earlier this year the Media was full of the tragic death of a baby boy by his grandmothers Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Jack Russell. Dogs that according to the neighbours were very friendly. This was a tragedy that could easily have been avoided where was the grandmother? Why were the dogs allowed unsupervised access to the baby? Had the dogs been prepared for the arrival of the baby? Why is it that the grandmother did not face charges over the death of her grandson?

The Dangerous dogs act 1991 should be over turned and in its place needs to be a law that punishes those truly responsible for dog attacks the dogs owners. The punishment should fit the crime the dog pays with its life what should the owner pay with?

A new law should seriously punish those owners whose dogs viciously attack with fines and imprisonment. It should also have provision to deal with owners who are reported to have a dangerous dog. By that I do not mean run in and seize the animal (if it has not attacked), but there should be mandatory training for those owners to either resolve the aggression issue or ensure the owners are fully aware of how to control an aggressive dog. The list of what could be done is not endless and would not cost the earth and surely a new law that saves one child from dying a horrific and painful death is a worth while law.

Not allowed my soap box

2009-03-20T08:40:00.001Z

Hello and welcome to my soap box lol. My business partner Lisa said I needed somewhere too vent all of my opinions relating to the crap laws in this country regarding animal well fare and some where to put my thoughts. My husband suggested a blog as I am in the process of writing a new book and he felt this would be a theideal place to write my notes ans thoughts every day.

I want to hear from everybody who loves animals. Any great stories or pictures will be featured in my next book. Any of your conerns and complaints could end up in my next article of radio interview. So please post and let me know what you think.