DOG DAY AFTERNOON

        Yet another child’s life lost as a result of a dog attack. The latest is a baby only days old, attacked in its home by a huge dog, an Alaskan Malamute. This breed was originally bred to pull sleds in the arctic region. The males can grow to just under 40 kilos. The breed are reputed to be fond of people and children making them ideal house dogs. They bond quickly with their owners are intelligent but can sometimes be difficult to train. They are great with children old enough to play with them. So what went wrong? Reading more into the story it turns out this particular dog was ‘acquired’ by it’s owner from someone in a pub. The previous owner was going to have it put down, and the new owner was a dog lover and no doubt thought he was doing the right thing by saving it from being put to sleep. There is no information on why the previous owner was considering having it put down. Was it being ill-treated ? Had it already bitten? Did the new...

So its only 3 weeks till Crufts 2014. The training team at Tahamasa Canine Academy will be heading off on the Thursday for three days of doggie Disney land. If you have never been to the biggest dog show on earth, and you have anything to do with dogs, you really need to make the trip. You will not be disappointed. Over the years we have met some very interesting people at Crufts and no doubt we will reacquaint ourselves with them and meet new friends this year. Its that type of place. Dont be put off by thinking it is just for show dogs. Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not show dogs and we have a fun packed three days there every year. Last year we joined the Kennel Club’s Accredited Instructors Scheme and attended some very interesting lectures which were given by some of the most prominent canine professionals around at the moment. This year we have lined a few more, Developing Agility Instruction & Coaching in a changing sport. Aggression, why we are w...