Happy New Year!  I hope you’ve all had a wonderful break over Christmas.
 
Every January, most of us make New Year’s resolutions.  Apparently January is “national dog training month” and I thought I would explode the myth that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.  Actually, an older dog has a much longer attention span than a young pup and, with treats, cuddles or a favourite toy as a reward, will indeed learn new tricks and new behaviours.  Don’t let your dog’s age prevent you from making that New Year’s resolution to start building positive habits with your furry family.
 
Not only does training encourage good behaviour, it can strengthen the bond between you and your dog.  It is an excellent way to communicate and good manners will certainly help your beloved pet happily be welcomed into public areas such as the park and dog-friendly pubs, as well as others’ homes. 
 
Most of us welcome a new dog into the family for similar reasons – love and companionship.  I’m sure that all of us who have dogs will say that they enrich our lives in more ways than we had ever thought possible.  Never lose sight of that.  Remember it when your dog won’t come when he’s called or has just chewed up your favourite slippers.  Training and learning new behaviour can take time to develop so don’t put too much pressure on either of you and remember to have fun too!

For many people, autumn is just about the best time of year to be out and about with your furry family.  Temperatures are just right – it’s not too hot and not too cold and there’s plenty of daylight still around. 
 
Long walks on clear, crisp days followed by cosy evenings by the fire.  Falling leaves and the scent of bonfires.  Furry friends frisking in the foliage, spectacular seasonal scenery and lots of leaf peeping (more often than not with more leaves on the dog than on the rake!).  Just my cup of cocoa.
 
There are a few things to be aware of during autumn when walking your dog:

• Damp leaves, particularly when piled up, are a haven for bacteria and mould.  

 

• Mushrooms also tend to sprout up more during autumn.  It is best to discourage your dog from eating them as some can be toxic.

 

• Eating conkers can cause drooling, retching, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and intestinal blockages.

 

• Eating acorns can cause damage to the liver and kidneys.  Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and lethargy.  

 

• Antifreeze sometimes leaks from a car’s radiator and can be dangerous as apparently it is sweet tasting.  Even a relatively small quantity can cause serious kidney damage and be fatal.  The first signs can be that your dog appears “drunk”.  Contact your vet without delay. 

 
I hope this helps.
Get those paws outdoors this autumn and make the most of this beautiful season!
 
“Autumn is a second Spring, when every leaf is a flower” – Albert Camus

Mindfulness is the process of keeping us focussed on positive thoughts and recognising and appreciating what is going on in the “now” rather than living in the past or worrying about the future.  Mindfulness can help reduce stress and enhance health.  I reckon that, with this in mind, it’s worth paying attention to your dog’s behaviour.
 
Dogs always live in the moment.  They live in the now.  They want to sniff that tree or to fetch that ball right now.  They don’t fret about what happened or didn’t happen yesterday and they rarely sulk.  They don’t get cross and they’re always, always thrilled to see you.  Dogs accept who they are and don’t try to be anyone else! 
 
They also have an amazing ability to sense your emotions – filling you with joy when you’re happy, comforting you when you’re sad and keeping their distance when you’re cross.  They seem able to tune into you through mindfulness.
 
It’s easy to practise mindfulness when walking your dog – let it show you how!  Note how your dog is so happy to be out in the world.  Head up, waggie tail, alert.  Each walk with you is an adventure and they don’t want to be anywhere else in that moment.
 
If one of your goals is to live more “mindfully” …. be more dog!

First of all, stand in front of your human and stare.  If this doesn’t work, stand in front of the door into the garden.
 
This should provoke the correct response, but can be accompanied by whining or even barking if your human isn’t taking any notice of you.
 
If this tactic doesn’t work, then feel free to tiddle in the house, directly in front of your human.  Carpets are better than solid floors as it will reinforce their undesirable behaviour.  Maintain eye contact at all times.

If you want to tease, once you have been let into the garden you can take your time aimlessly sniffing plants rather than having a tiddle at all.  This works especially well at four o’clock in the morning.

Millie the Labrador

I've just seen this wonderful quote:

"Why read a book to find out how to win friends?  Why not study the technique of the greatest winner of friends the world has ever known?  Who is he?  You may meet him tomorrow coming down the street.  When you get within ten feet of him, will begin to wag his tail.  If you stop and pat him he will almost jump out of his skin to show you how much he likes you.  And you know that behind this show of affection on his part, there are no ulterior motives:  he doesn't want to sell you anything and he doesn't want to marry you.

Did you ever stop to think that a dog is an animal that generally doesn't have to work for a living?  A hen has to lay eggs, a cow has to give milk and a canary has to sing.  But a dog makes his living by giving you nothing but love."

How cool is that?