Your Dog September 2025

I think it happens to almost all owners; over time, training with our dogs can slip. It’s often not a catastrophic problem but that recall becomes a little rusty, your dog might pull a bit harder, or some of those house rules have become more relaxed. So, as it is September, that’s why we’ve decided it is time for us to go back to school! We asked Denise Armstrong, the Chair of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, to explain why training slips and what we can do to sharpen it up again. Spoiler alert, it’s not too hard to do and it can be a great way of spending time with your canine companion! Check out the lead feature on page eight. Elsewhere in this packed issue, we’ve got…

Just south of Killarney you’ll find Killarney National Park, an area covering 10,000 hectares with the breathtaking Lough Leane in view. The national park was Ireland’s first, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932. Along with Lough Leane, the national park has a range of terrains, including woodlands, historical sites and even mountains, the highest being Carrauntoohil, with a peak of 1,038m. The national park is rich in wildlife, most famously being home to two historical species of deer, the native red deer and the Japanese sika deer. Eagle-eyed visitors may also spot pine martens, otters and the white tailed eagle to name a few. Due to the dense wildlife, and to protect the sensitive habitats, dogs are welcome but must be kept…

Why does training slip? Why do the behaviours we thought were good become intermittent and then they fade into a distant memory? This can happen for a number of reasons – the technique we thought we had right actually may be completely back to front, our timing when performing the training is wrong, the dog’s needs and motivators have changed (quite common with teenage dogs), or the training technique being used is no longer suitable for your dog. Our dogs move from being puppies who mostly remain connected and close to us, motivated by social and support needs, to teenagers discovering new social motivators calling them further afield. If we have been lulled into a false sense of security with an obedient puppy and not kept a long line attached,…

Tester Dog: Obi, standard Poodle X German Shepherd Owner: Phil Fun fact: Phil and Obi have been resident testers before and tried out the Wilsons cold-pressed recipes The product: Wilsons Pet Food has unveiled a brand-new range of freshly prepared meals for dogs. The meals are gently steamed to preserve nutrients and natural flavour, with the aim to serve owners who want to feed fresh without the hassle of preparation, cooking, or freezing. They can be fed as a main meal or added to kibble as a topper. First of all, the taste test. Did Obi enjoy the food? We fed him the food as a meal on its own as we wanted to ensure it was a fair test – and he licked the bowl clean. He loved every flavour,…

Dog owners are increasingly understanding the impact of nutrition on canine health. But what happens if your dog has a health condition? The choice of food can be even more critical. And with six million dogs in the UK managing ongoing health issues, that’s why Arden Grange has launched a new range to help. VetCare’s PARNUT-compliant recipes meet the strict nutritional standards required for pets with specific conditions while supporting overall vitality and well-being. Each of the five targeted recipes support a specific condition, and have benefits for wider health and well-being. While reviewing the VetCare range will take a bit of work to find the right dog, owner, and their vet, we wanted to put the food under examination so asked Arden Grange to take part in a product…

* Check before you travel. DOGFEST Spread across the country, DogFest has three events in this month at some pretty iconic and historical locations. A vibrant dog-friendly festival, guests can enjoy exploring over 100 stalls from dog-related brands, services, and products. Once you’re done exploring, take a look at the fun dog show, and see what rosette you could be walking away with. Does your dog have the best hairstyle? Are they the best treat catcher? Or do you have the best Golden Oldie? Well, you’ve got to be in it to win it! There’s also the chance to chat with like-minded fans of the dog breed you own at a scheduled breed meetup. Where is DogFest in September? • Ashton Court, Bristol, 6-7 September • Harewood House, Leeds, 13-14…