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news@adt.press · advertising@adt.press · 01425 613384 G oodDog with JasminMason Keep up the training in lockdown Friday 20th November 2020 · 23

Our monthly series o ering tips and advice on keeping your pooches happy and healthy

tunate in that with most people inside throughout the day, any walks are likely to be easy and quiet – a fantastic opportunity to practise foundational skills with your dog. However, life may not always be this way. Eventually, the beaches will get busier, tour- ists will flood back to our towns and our cities and, when the weather brightens up, more dog walkers will be out with their dogs. It is critical that we prepare our dogs for this by perfecting and polishing their training in- stead of waiting for that storm to hit. While many of you will not be able to get to a class, many dog trainers (including ourselves) are still working out- doors and online on a one-to- one basis. Read up on positive training, hit YouTube and con- tact a local trainer to get you started. And finally, our most impor- tant tip: have fun! The world seems filled with doom and gloom at the moment and it’s important for us and our dogs to let go and enjoy ourselves. We are firm believers that re- lationship-building comes first, formal training comes second. Play, train, and enjoy spend- ing time together. Not only is it going to be fantastic for your dog’s skills but it is also a bril- liant way for you to unwind and truly savour the outdoors.

SINCE the news of Lockdown 2.0 was broken, many of us have been filled with worry as to what the next couple of weeks or months hold. Once again, our dogs have been thrown into yet another lifestyle change and for many of them this may be challenging. During the first lockdown of the year, there was an increase in families introducing new dogs or puppies into their home and it’s likely that we will see many ‘lockdown pups’ this second time as well. Fortunately, with fewer re- strictions we are able to take our dogs out more than once a day and don’t have to worry about boredom, frustration or lack of exercise. However, there are a couple of issues that we should be mindful of such as potential separation distress, lack of socialisation and also lack of training. With many weeks away from training classes, puppies can very quickly start to learn all the stuff we’re not so keen to see. This might be jumping up, ignoring your calls, stealing your shoes, or pulling on the lead. The longer our dogs are prac- tising and rehearsing unwanted behaviours, the harder it is to teach our dogs what we’re look-

ing for instead later down the line. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of our top tips on making the most of your dog training during lockdown. 1. Reward the behaviours you like to see It sounds ever so simple, doesn’t it? Yet this is something that so many dog owners forget to do. Throughout the day, our dogs are going to be making 100 different choices and decisions. So often we focus on the choic- es we don’t like: chewing on the table legs, counter surfing, tug- ging on the lead – the list goes on. It can be very easy to miss the times that our dog does make a great choice because, in all hon- esty, it doesn’t always look that special! If your dog chooses to lie on their bed while you cook dinner, reward it! If your dog checks in with you unprompted on a walk, reward it! If your dog keeps all four paws on the floor while walking past the dinner table, reward it! For many of your pet dogs, we aren’t looking for spins, back flips, or walking on a tightrope. We’re looking for simple, subtle behaviours that make all the difference in the long term. In

Don’t let the enforced time at home lead to bad habits

(there are hundreds!) can be a fantastic way to keep your dog busy when you’re not ready to do any ‘active’ training. For example, popping a stuffed kong on your dog’s bed while you’re prepping in the kitchen means that not only does your puppy not end up under your feet, but we are in- advertently rewarding them for hanging out on their mat. A snuffle mat or puzzle toy while the kids play in the gar- den means that your dog is busy sniffing, searching and foraging and is not jumping all over the

little ones or causing havoc. Our top tip is to have these pre- pared in advance – we love to stuff our kongs and leave them in the freezer so they’re always ready when we need them, and they last extra long! 3. Get training ASAP! While many of you may be finding puppy or new dog own- ership easy, it’s super important to get started on training as soon as possible. Quite often we can be lulled into a false sense of security as our sweet little

order to make this challenge super simple for you, it’s im- portant to have easy access to rewards. That may involve taking a toy out with you on walks, it may mean filling a bum bag with some yummy cocktail sausages, or it may involve keeping a jar of treats in the kitchen. Be speedy with your reward delivery, and capture that good behaviour. Each day, our dogs have a quota of food they’re going to receive that we can use to pro- mote good behaviour and good choices. This may involve using their mealtimes as an opportu- nity to practise your training and can be as simple as call- ing them before putting the food bowl down to really build a strong association with their recall. Alternatively, if you’re a keen bean and you enjoy your train- ing, you can take a portion of their food out into the garden or on a walk and practise some basic behaviours or training games. This works fantastically if your dog is super food moti- vated, but you may find in more distracting situations that you’ll need rewards of a little bit more value. Finally, one of my favourite ways to use my dog’s food is puzzle toys. A stuffed kong, a recycled egg-box, a snuffle mat or any other enrichment toys 2. Make the most of dinner time

pup wants to walk by us, fol- low us, and always comes when called. This can very quickly disappear the second our dog hits the dreaded adolescence. Likewise, we are almost for-

Canine information

IF YOU’RE looking for some support when it comes to rais- ing the perfect pooch, feel free to check out our online life skills class complete with vid- eo tutorials on exercises and behaviours at www.schoolfor-

dogs.teachable.com/p/paragon dogs-level-1 Email info@paragondogs. co.uk, call 07935912687 or visit www.paragondogs.co.uk and www.facebook.com/paragon dogs1

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It’s important to have rewards ready for good behaviour

Animal charity fears a tough Christmas for pets

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RSPCA rescuers are preparing to face their toughest Christ- mas yet amid fears financial strain from the pandemic could cause a surge in pets being abandoned and neglected. Concern comes after the char- ity responded to 1,809 incidents across Hampshire throughout last winter (December to Feb- ruary), with 620 in December alone. Animal rescue teams head Dermot Murphy said: “It’s been a tough year for everyone, in- cluding charities, so now more than ever we need your help to continue our vital work sav- ing animals and giving them a voice. “Our frontline teams are out throughout the winter but they cannot do this alone, which is why the RSPCA has launched its Join the Christmas Rescue campaign to show how we can all help animals. “From our animal rescuers, hospital and centre staff, and our volunteers to every sup- porter who picks up the phone to call us when an animal is in need, or donates to help us con- tinue our work – every one of us is vital to make sure we can rescue the animals who need us the most.” Last Christmas Day there were more than 950 calls na- tionally – the highest number since 2013 – and a total of 63,000 calls were received during the whole of December, equating to 2,000 a day. This made 2019’s festive period the busiest for at least four years.

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The RSPCA predicts a surge in pets being abandoned or neglected

Now, with the coronavirus crisis continuing to take its toll, the RSPCA fears more people may struggle to care for their pets, placing more pressure on rescue teams than ever before. Frontline teams work 365 days a year, including Christ- mas Day, and this year will be no different despite the pan- demic as they continue saving animals and caring for them at centres and hospitals across England and Wales.

The charity took in more than 7,000 animals last winter and received more than 204,000 calls during the season. Throughout December 2019, it dealt with more than 20,000 incidents and took 2,587 more animals into care, including 558 dogs, 1,416 cats, 149 rabbits, and 167 wildlife. Supporters are urged to join “the Christmas rescue” by do- nating to help RSPCA teams. Visit www.rspca.org.uk/xmas