Innehållsförteckning för October 2023 från Your Dog

This can be the best time of the year to enjoy some outdoor adventures with your dog. Autumn — with its glorious colours, enticing scents, and lower temperatures (particularly important for our canine friends) — is often the perfect season for some serious dog walking. This month we’ve been visiting the South West Coast Path, which runs for more than 600 miles, from Somerset, around the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, and finally comes to an end in Dorset. With its spectacular scenery, it offers some fantastic walks; find out more on page 28. Still on the outdoor theme, we also have six dog-friendly places to stay featured on page 12 this issue, an ideal choice if you feel like getting away from it all and squeezing in a few…

● Seven staff members at Metro Bank’s Holborn office in London took advantage of their employer’s ‘Day to Amaze’ initiative to create a sensory garden for dogs and paint a new adoption room at animal charity Mayhew. ● Berkshire-based international pet food specialist Podium Pet Products is celebrating after becoming one of the first companies in the world to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise 2023. ● The largest-ever study of osteosarcoma in dogs, by the Royal Veterinary College, has found giant breeds such as the Deerhound, Leonberger, Great Dane, and Rottweiler, have a much greater risk of developing this painful cancerous bone tumour compared to cross-breeds. ● Lost Poppy the Pug was saved from the side of a railway line in Oakham, Rutland, by an eagle-eyed freight train driver. Michael…

1 Play together — even five minutes of fun when you’re waiting for the kettle to boil will be enjoyed. 2 Try trick training using high-value rewards. 3 Find new walks and sometimes allow your dog to choose the direction. 4 Slow down! Sit together for a few minutes and watch the world go by. 5 Play interactive puzzle games — check online for ideas. 6 Learn canine body language and listen to what your dog is trying to tell you. 7 Respect your dog’s decisions so he learns to trust that you will keep him safe. 8 Be consistent. Don’t confuse your dog by reacting angrily to poor decisions. 9 Spend some time using food enrichment techniques. 10 If your dog enjoys being handled, learn gentle massage or TTouch…

Autism impacts on people in different ways, but problems with social interaction and communication can lead to isolation and depression. Dogs for Autism trains and provides autism assistance dogs with ongoing support free of charge, to help autistic people achieve independence, improve their mental health and self-esteem, and enable parents and children to enjoy family life once more. Fourteen-year-old Peter Wilson has autism and lives in Coventry with his family: dad Rob, mum Angela, and younger brother Max, plus his assistance dog Coco, a Cavapoo. Angela explained how the arrival of Coco changed their lives. Q When was Peter diagnosed with autism? A “He was diagnosed when he was very young. He wasn’t walking at two and the health visitor kept saying it was just a delay in his learning.…

FAREWELL FINN Your Dog joins the canine community in paying tribute to Finn, the former police dog who changed the landscape of UK animal welfare, after he passed away peacefully in his sleep aged 14. The German Shepherd won the nation’s hearts in 2016 when he suffered near-fatal injuries while protecting his handler, PC Dave Wardell, from a knife-wielding assailant in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Finn was left with serious head and chest wounds, but the incident kick-started a campaign to change the law, which previously viewed attacks on service animals as ‘criminal damage’. As a result, the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act — known as Finn’s Law — was passed in 2019. Following the brave dog’s retirement in 2017, he became a canine celebrity, appearing on‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and winning the…

On the arrival of a new puppy or rescue dog, so much of our time and energy is devoted to them, but once dogs are fully grown, and have settled into a routine, they can sometimes get left to their own devices. So, how can we use our time wisely to enrich our relationship even more? A MATTER OF TRUST Gill Crawford is the owner of the K9 Pursuits Dog Day Care and Training Centre in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, and together with best friend and business partner Andrea Rogers has formed close bonds with hundreds of dogs. “Building and maintaining a good relationship with your dog starts as soon as you meet them,” advised Gill. “Dogs need to trust you to guide them and help them to make the…

For many people autumn is the perfect time of year. The temperatures are pleasant, the leaves are changing to vivid shades of crimson and gold, and exploring the countryside with your dog is a real joy. If you have put off taking a holiday because of the summer heat or a dread of crowded beaches, now could be the perfect time to book FELL VIEW BARN CUMBRIA If you imagine your perfect autumn holiday as being about exploring beautiful areas such as the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the northern Pennines, before returning home to a cosy country cottage, then Fell View Barn might be for you. This semi-detached barn conversion is located in the peaceful hamlet of Heggerscale, and sleeps four people in two spacious bedrooms. The garden…

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. Recently somebody asked me what were the top three reasons why people bring their dogs to the vet’s, so I had a look at our own practice bookings and at some surveys done by insurance companies and pet-care businesses. Not all the charts agreed entirely, but a few front runners certainly stood out. The most common reason why dog owners visit our clinic is for routine preventative treatment, such as vaccinations, titre testing, parasite control, medication reviews, and neutering. About half of every day is filled with these appointments, which makes me a very happy vet.…

Faye Winter first came into the spotlight as a contestant in the 2021 series of ‘Love Island’. She has since appeared on ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ and etched out a career in the media with a 1.2m following on Instagram. The former estate agent, who lives in Devon, has been a fosterer for Guide Dogs for the Blind and is now the charity’s ‘campaign star.’ Faye is the owner of a one-year-old Golden Retriever called Bonnie. When Faye hooked up for our online interview, only her name appeared on screen. After a bit of persuasion, she turned on her camera: “I look like crap,” she claimed, revealing that her ‘glam team’ was en route for a photoshoot later that day. The person who appeared may not have been the ‘red carpet’ version…

Readers have been enjoying travelogues (recounting a person’s travelling experiences) for 2,000 years. During the 18th century they were all the rage, with Captain Cook’s diaries becoming a best seller. Travelogues remain popular today; not only are they a wonderful way of exploring and learning about the world from the comfort of your armchair, but they can inspire you to actually get out of it and take a trip of your own. There are plenty of travelogues available to satisfy dog lovers, with the additional fascination of being a snapshot of the way dogs were perceived and canine care at the time of writing. Here are a few of our favourites… THREE MEN IN A BOAT (TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG) by Jerome K. Jerome This is probably the…

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.…

“I’ve just got a new puppy, but to ensure Walter and I maintain our bond I go for separate one-to-one walks, as well as short, fun training and play sessions.” Hannah Parr, via Facebook. “I treat my dog, Jess, as my best friend and take her to as many places as possible. Lots of places welcome dogs these days. I also think it’s important to know your breed. I trust her and she trusts me.” Mary Marshall, via Facebook. “I spend quality time with my dogs, getting down to their level, and I’m not embarrassed to be silly and play. I do trick training, hide-and-seek with lots of fuss as a reward, plus we have a ball pit where I hide treats and I join in helping them to find…

SPONSORED BY THE EXPERT PANEL TAMSIN DURSTON is a canine behaviour officer in Dogs Trust’s canine behaviour and research team. TONY CRUSE is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers. VICKY PAYNE BVetMed, MRCVS is a holistic vet based in East Sussex. HOLLY MASH BVSc, MRCVS specialises in herbal medicine, acupuncture, and nutrition. JOANNE ANGUS LCGI is a founder member of the Guild of Master Groomers. JOHN BURNS BVMS, MRCVS is a vet, and founder of feed company Burns Pet Nutrition. STEPHEN JENKINSON is access adviser to Your Dog, the Kennel Club, and local councils. HEALTH WHAT IS WATER INTOXICATION? Q I was online recently and came across an article warning dog owners about the dangers of water intoxication. I’d never heard…