DOG DAY AFTERNOON

Choke chains Or check chains or slip collars/leads. We changed the name because Choke chain is not PC anymore. Just like Christmas or the Golly on the Jam jar. Its a Choke chain, designed to deliver pain to your dog for doing something you dont want it to do, lets call a spade a spade, or should that be shovel? Anders Hallgren  Swedish Animal Behaviorist carried out a study in 1992 and concluded that of the dogs in the study that had been on the receiving end of harsh jerks of the lead as a means of correction for pulling, 91% had cervical injuries, (Neck injuries). A leading chiropractor who examined the dogs with the neck injuries concluded  that a further 78% had spinal injuries which seemed to constitute an irritation which led to anxiety and aggression. In layman's terms the dog had a back injury because its owner kept jerking on the choke chain which led the dog to be firstly upset and then angry. Kind of common sense really when you think of it. So there you are hol...

A friend of mine recently had to have her dog put to sleep. I read somewhere that some people like to think that when their pet dies it goes over Rainbow bridge. Rainbow bridge leads to a meadow where your pet dog plays, waiting for the day when you join it and together you both go to heaven. I can see how that can be comforting to know that you join up again in the after life with your faithful friend who has no doubt been a part of your life for between 10 or 20 years. My Spice was 19 years young when her time ran out. That is a fair old age for a dog to live. What is more remakable was that she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when she was 9 or 10 and the vet told us at the time that she had maybe 12 months left to live. Spice was a great dog, a medium sized brindle coloured cross breed. Extremely intelligent. Back whe we just got her from a rescue home, I knew very little about canine behavior or obedience training. But she managed to teach me enough for us to form a good relat...

The primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life… For this reason, it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated… While puppies’ immune systems are still developing during these early months… appropriate care makes the risk of infection relatively small compared to the chance of death from a behavior problem.” - The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior * Puppies provided with poor socialization or deprived of environmental exposure often develop lifelong deficits and dysfunctional behaviors. A puppy isolated early in life from other puppies and humans will not only fail to establish satisfying social contact, or enjoy companionship with people later in life (such puppies are extremely fearful of any social contact), they will also exhibit widespread behavioral and cognitive disabilities as well. Isolated puppies exhibit poor learning and problem-solving abilities an...

Hi My name is Thomas and welcome to my blog. I have never done this before so it should a new experience for both of us. Me for writing it and you for reading it. On this blog I am going to share with you my experiences of being a dog owner and the trials and tribulations that I encounter on a daily basis. Firstly though a bit about my background. I work full time in a factory as an Operations Manager but in my spare time I devote a lot of energy into spending time with my lovely wife and our five dogs. I have always had dogs even when I lived at home with my parents. There was always a dog in the house. When I married nearly 30 years ago it seemed appropriate that I get a dog. We got Spice a medium sized brindle coloured cross breed from an animal rescue center in Glasgow. She was our only dog for the next 19 years until old age finally took her over and off she went over Rainbow bridge. Hopefully waiting in the meadow for me. After she passed away I vowed then never to get another do...