Innehållsförteckning för February 2023 från Your Dog

Those of you who have had many dogs over the years may be well aware of how challenging adolescence can be. Some dogs sail through it, but some don’t and as trainer and behaviourist Jackie Drakeford says in her article ‘The terrible teens’: “most of us have etched in our minds the day when we put our sweet puppy to bed, and the next morning found the fairies had swapped him for a canine monster…” For those of you new to dog ownership, Jackie has lots of good advice on how to weather the storm, and if you’ve been lucky enough to avoid experiencing any teenage tantrums yet, good luck. But you might want to keep Jackie’s article to hand, just in case! Read it on page 10. Other highlights…

ABOUT VICKY Holistic vet Vicky Payne BVetMed MRCVS is based in East Sussex, and qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2001. She uses a range of complementary therapies alongside conventional medicine and surgery. Digestive problems are among the most common reasons for dogs to be taken to the vet. Recent VetCompass data suggests that as many as 1 in 10 appointments are for enteropathies (diseases of the intestinal tract), although some days it feels like every other patient has an upset stomach! Despite the romantic notion of dogs being closely related to that noble hunter the wolf, it is more likely that they evolved as scavengers, eating what they found on middens (including insects and rodents) as human society evolved. “Recent VetCompass data suggests that as many as 1…

Send us a picture and tell us all about your dog; share your views on what’s happening in the dog world and the ups and downs of dog ownership; what do you think of our features and content and what would you like to see more of? This is the place to be if you want to reach out to other Your Dog readers and the magazine team to share your love of everything dog. Get in touch! Mind your manners! What has happened to the notion of personal space? My experiences with a new puppy have had me wishing — a little bit — for the social distancing of 2020/2021. When walking friends’ dogs, especially an attractive Cockapoo, I liked the fact that people would stop to admire him…

It’s often tricky to know what the weather’s going to throw at you when you set off on a dog walk. I’ve often been caught out by an unexpected downpour when the weather looked perfectly clear when I started! On the other hand, it’s equally easy to get too hot after you’ve warmed up and got going. The layers are then shed and you end up carrying various coats and scarves — not easy when you’ve got your dog’s lead in the other hand! This set me off in search of coats or jackets that would be versatile enough for our changeable weather but also durable and good value for money. Here’s the verdict on the coats and jackets my husband and I tried out… FACT FILE THE CHELSEA BY BALENO…

Labrador Jess needed emergency veterinary treatment just before her first birthday, after getting a doughnut-shaped bone wedged around her lower jaw. The panicking pup had started playing with the bone at bedtime but when owner Ben Prince went to feed her the next morning, he was shocked to find the bone stuck tightly over her tongue and bottom teeth. “I don’t know how she got it on, and I thought I might just be able to slip it back off,” said Ben, who couldn’t budge the bone so took his increasingly distressed dog to the Driffield branch of Priory Vets, part of the My Family Vets network. There, vets anaesthetised the black Labrador with the aim of drilling through the bone to remove it. But instead, they were able to…

• AMERICA: Black Labrador X Mastiff Eclipse, world-famous for travelling to and from her local dog park in Seattle on the bus every day on her own, has died at the age of 10 from cancer. Owned by Jeff Young, Eclipse would sit on the seats like a human and even had her own bus pass. • BRAZIL: Canoas, a small city in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, is encouraging more rough sleepers to use La Salle Sao Paulo homeless shelter on chilly winter nights by welcoming their pets too. While there, dogs also receive a veterinary check-up and are vaccinated, neutered, and treated for parasites.…

It can be nice to holiday in a remote country cottage with your dog for a week of relaxation, but it’s also great fun to get out of your comfort zone and try something different. Whether it’s canicross, agility, heelwork to music, scent work, or boating, there really is something for everyone. Here are six of our favourites… PET-FRIENDLY BOATING HERBERT WOODS If you like the idea of exploring the Norfolk Broads with your dogs, then a pet-friendly boating holiday might be worth considering. Herbert Woods Broads Holiday Adventures understands how dogs are part of the family, which is why all of its cruisers are pet friendly. “There are 125 miles of navigable Norfolk Broads to explore,” explained Ryan Jones from Herbert Woods. “The Norfolk Broads are great for dogs…

4 TO GIVE AWAY PAIRS OF CRUFTS TICKETS Crufts, the world’s greatest celebration of dogs, is returning to the NEC in Birmingham, from March 9 – 12, and we have four pairs of tickets to give away to readers. Run by The Kennel Club, the four-day event will see over 200 breeds competing for the coveted title of Best in Show, as well as the finale of The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award, and the search for the nation’s favourite cross-breed. Visitors can meet hundreds of different breeds in the Discover Dogs area, and browse the many stalls for doggy delights. • For more information, visit www.crufts.org.uk 3 TO GIVE AWAY SUPPLEMENT BOXES To celebrate the launch of its new joint-care supplement for dogs, MoveWellia, Dorwest is giving away supplement…

To look at Springer Spaniel Bailey now, as he bounds eagerly around on his walks, no one would think he is anything but 100 per cent fit and well. But it was a very different story last April, when the then 10-year-old ex-sniffer dog’s health deteriorated suddenly and inexplicably. Opening the kennel door one Friday morning, owner and former handler, PC Chris Wright, 51, was shocked to find his dog seriously ill. Surrounded by vomit and diarrhoea, Bailey had collapsed and seemed very lethargic. Immediately, Chris, who now works as a divisional intelligence officer for Humberside Police, rushed his sick spaniel to Abbey Veterinary Centre in Grimsby. “The vets gave me the option of euthanasia but I didn’t want to give up on him,” said Chris, who was partnered with…

LAB TESTED AND APPROVED! British bamboo country clothing brand Ginger & Jardine has unveiled a new fabric design guaranteed to appeal to lovers of an iconic breed. Created by founder Lynne Jardine and Suffolk-based artist and illustrator Charlotte Patten, ‘The Labrador’ features a classic cream background with the popular gundog’s instantly recognisable silhouette. The design has been crafted into a Ginger & Jardine roll neck and snood, perfect for brisk early morning dog walks and long, active days in the countryside. • Key feature: Ethical and sustainable, Ginger & Jardine’s fabric is made from a soft and cosy blend of bamboo viscose, brushed cotton, and elastane, combining warmth and breathability with moisture wicking and thermoregulating properties. Stylish, comfortable, and durable, it has been developed into a range of affordable men’s, women’s, and…

A traumatised dog, who was saved from drowning in the Grand Union Canal in Brent last summer has finally found her forever home. Poodle-cross Lilly was fished out of the water by two passers-by and taken to London-based animal welfare charity Mayhew, where she was assessed by vets, spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped, as well as having her teeth scaled and polished. “We won’t ever know whether Lilly ended up in the canal by accident or if she was thrown in,” said Merryn Walker, Mayhew head of kennels. “She was covered in putrid, muddy canal water and was very nervous and traumatised.” After receiving expert care from the Mayhew team and her foster carer, Lilly — estimated to be around eight years old — made a slow but steady recovery and…

• PETS AND PEOPLE ARE BETTER TOGETHER, THANKS TO 40K DONATION Pet-care company Purina has contributed £40,000 from its Better Together Fund to the RSPCA in a bid to support struggling owners amid the cost-of-living crisis. The donation will be used by the charity’s inspectors and rescuers to offer help to those most in need, via pet-care vouchers issued directly to owners in their homes, so they can pay for urgent costs such as vet care. It’s hoped these on-the-doorstep interventions will not only provide pets with immediate relief and prevent their condition worsening, but enable animals and their owners to stay together and avoid added pressure on charities. The fund aims to support around 450 dogs and cats and their owners. • RISK OF RABIES IS RISING, SAY OFFICIALS…

Analysis by comparative website Compare the Market suggests pet damage in the home is typically more expensive than that caused by children. Although pets cause less damage overall, owners are more likely to claim on their home insurance (24 per cent), compared to parents (15 per cent). The typical claim by a pet owner averaged £225 for ripped or stained carpets (42 per cent), damaged sofas (38 per cent), ruined walls or skirting boards (35 per cent), or broken ornaments/fittings (31 per cent). DOG DATA Research by tails.com found 59 per cent of owners celebrate their dog’s birthday, 63 per cent would rather attend a canine party than a child’s, and 23 per cent have organised a bash for their dog’s special day.…

“The huge increase in litter after lockdown opened people’s eyes…” With all the doom and gloom following Brexit, covid, the cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine, and plunging winter temperatures, anything positive in this world, however small, deserves to be celebrated. For the past four years, a Scottish-based group, which has recently attained charitable status, has quietly been benefiting the environment while boosting dog walkers’ mental health. With a very simple message at its heart, Paws on Plastic is spurring local communities all over the world to make a determined stance against the ever-increasing tide of rubbish polluting our planet. The charity aims to create a cleaner and safer environment for our animals and wildlife by encouraging every owner to pick up at least two pieces of litter when…

ABOUT TAMSIN Tamsin Durston is a canine behaviour officer in Dogs Trust’s canine behaviour and research team. WHY DOES MY DOG RUN AROUND MADLY AND RUB HIMSELF ON THE BEDS AND CHAIRS AFTER HAVING A BATH? TAMSIN SAYS: You’re not alone — plenty of dogs behave this way after being bathed. Although it hasn’t been widely studied scientifically, there may be several reasons behind it. Energetic, physical activity might help a dog dry off, as well as alleviating any tension if he’s found being washed emotionally difficult (having to remain still within a confined space while being handled with unfamiliar-smelling shampoo). As well as helping him to get dry, rubbing along larger items of furniture could also be aimed at transferring scent from the environment back into the dog’s coat.…

Young or old we all love to play — it’s a social activity that helps you relax, and is good for your mental well-being. Physical pursuits are also great for your health, and it’s the same for your dogs. Dogs can practise motor skills and bite inhibition; play can teach them a sense of fairness; and it’s also great for bonding and expending energy. If you watch dogs in a game of tug for example, you will see them growling and pulling, but often one dog will handicap himself when playing with another less capable dog, or he will suddenly break off a game before beginning again at a lower intensity. Dogs often allow their playmates to win a toy, or trade objects back and forth. This tells you dogs…

THE EXPERT PANEL HEALTH HAPPY TRAVELLING Q This year we are planning to drive from Essex to the east coast of Spain, with my four-year-old Border Terrier. We are travelling via the Channel Tunnel and have scheduled two overnight stops to break up the journey. We have sorted out the UK vet requirements, and we have an appointment booked with a Spanish vet before the return leg, but I would love to know of any tips or advice you can share to ensure the journey is comfortable, enjoyable, and safe for my dog. VICKY SAYS: Happy travels! Make sure that you have organised suitable protection against ticks, tapeworms, and biting flies before you travel to reduce the risk of your dog coming back with any illnesses. Plan to buy dog…

HOW TO GET YOUR PET ON THESE PAGES! It couldn’t be easier — simply email your high-resolution images to gallery@yourdog.co.uk, including your dog’s name, breed, and address, and your daytime telephone number. Alternatively, you can share your images on social media at www.facebook.com/yourdogmagazine Please note, we don’t accept pics of dogs playing with sticks or wearing extreme clothing.…