Pets Magazine

November 2014

How to keep your dog calm this firework season

IN SEARCH OF DOG- FRIENDLY BRITAIN!

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Pets Magazine

FIREWORKS CAN BE a huge

issue for many pet dogs and

their owners, not least because

it is normal for a dog to avoid

or move away from loud noises.

Wolves and other wild canids will insure survival by moving

away from loud random noises

such a volcanic eruptions,

landslides or stampeding herds.

To your dog, the sound of fireworks can be very

distressing, especially if it

cannot be avoided.

So, here’s what to do!

Think ahead: make sure your

dog is inside during the

firework season, get your walks

done earlier in the day, a tired

dog has less energy to worry!Have a safe, secure and

comfortable area for your dog

to settle in. I always leave a

radio tuned to a classical music

station. The Colorado State University has proven that this

type of music significantly

reduces stress in dogs,

something I have witnessed

often whilst working in boarding and rescue kennels

over a 15 year period.

Additionally I often prepare a

food dispensing toy with my

dogs’ meal in it to keep them

busy during the height of

activity on fireworks’ night

(7-9pm.) Remember though, once a dog has become fearful,

it is unlikely she will eat; in

which case let your dog settle in

her area, as quietly and calmly

as possible.

Desensitize: This is best to do

throughout the year on several

occasions before all the action

starts. In order to desensitize you must start with low levels

of sound, scent and potentially

visual exposure to fireworks.

Leading canine behaviourist ADEM FEHMI reveals how to keep your dog calm this firework season

Cool, calm & collected...

Pets Magazine

I tend to play firework displays from my Smartphone, tablet etc

whilst I am exercising the dogs, while they eat, or play with me, or each other. As I see the dogs either don’t react or improve their reactions towards the sounds and sights I increase the volume or exposure. Some dogs are more into picking up scents, sounds and visuals, and so it is important to observe

your dog calmly and work on the necessary areas at your dog’s pace.

Think of your own behaviour: Often, dog owners pamper their dogs when they show signs of stress, which of

course can reward or promote the behaviour.

An owner who has control of a dog is more likely to experience decreased stress levels as the dog can look to them as a guide. A dog who manages her owner does not have this option! The dog needs to see a calm and relaxed owner, as this will help reassure her rather than lots of fuss and telling the dog ‘its ok’

‘don’t be silly’, ‘good girl’ which just adds to the dog’s anxiety.

Sedation: For me sedation is for the extreme cases and as a last resort. It is essential that any drugs are dispensed by a veterinary surgeon after they examine your dog. Sedatives

must be used along with all of the above steps.

Remember, a fearful dog’s behaviour can change and it is important to appreciate this. In extreme cases, a dog behaviourist should be able to help.

Working across London and the South East, canine behaviour specialist Adem Fehmi BSc (Hons)FMCFBFBA/FMGODT from Dog-Ease (www.dog-ease.co.uk) also runs classes in obedience and agility as well as working with gun dogs from his Hertfordshire base.

Adem Fehmi runs Dog Ease

Pets Magazine

CAT LOVER AND owner

David Cliff, MD of Gedanken, a company specialising in coaching-based support and personal development, reviews an “astonishing book” with a wide appeal.

Love in Small LettersBy Francesc Miralles£7.99 paperbackPublication date: October 2014

I was pleased to review Love in Small Letters by Francesc Miralles published by Alma books Ltd.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which was a rare treat to enjoy on a rainy Saturday afternoon with nowhere to go due to the weather!

There is a delightful simplicity in Miralles’ writing which makes the book ultimately readable. Short succinct chapters seem to create context markers for the different

themes developed in the book and the delightful references to literature spanning from diverse a range as Goethe to Buddha. The lead protagonist not only prepares for his role as a university lecturer, but also considers his existential position as a person feeling very much alone in the universe. He becomes ‘connected’ by a set of unrelated, synchronistic events that of themselves are insignificant but together add to a rich journey exploring friendship, love, our sense of separateness as individuals and the nature of life itself.

Of course, the undersung hero within this book is a cat called Mishima, who through typical cat wilfulness is the “cat-alyst” to so many of these events of

synchronicity from which the plot ultimately unfolds.

Mishima’s owner by default and the book’s key (human) protagonist Samuel, develop friendships that are as unusual as they are diverse. Many sub-characters within the plot enigmatically explore the nature of the universe and how our very observation of it ultimately alters that which we observe.

Whether you’re into cats, philosophy, quantum physics or simply a good afternoon read on a rainy day, I can heartily recommend “Love in Small Letters”. Hailed as an international best seller, I can well see why and I look forward to Miralles’ next publication but then me being handed this small book to review is just another small, synchronous event that makes that prospect an inevitability!

The book is an incredibly enjoyable read with a light hearted humour and a touching of common humanity that connects us all. Compassion, understanding, tolerance, the questioning of our lives and their function are all rolled into this piece of work which will be an excellent gift in particular, for the more thoughtful people in your life!

Pet Tales book reviews

Pets Magazine

JANE COMMON, who along with her Battersea dog Attlee edits

www.phileasdogg.com and wrote the best-selling travel guide ‘Phileas Dogg’s Guide to Dog-Friendly Holidays in Britain’, reveals the runners

and riders in this year’s Kennel Club Discover Dogs contest to find the most dog-friendly destinations in Britain.

In search of dog-friendly Britain

Pets Magazine

THE votes

have been cast,

the numbers

crunched and,

on November

8th – 9th, at the Kennel

Club’s Discover

Dogs show at

Earls Court in

London, the winners will be

revealed in the

society’s

annual contest

to find Britain’s most dog-

friendly destinations.

Hotel/Places to Stay:Attlee and I are lucky enough to have just returned from a

week’s break at last year’s

winner in this round –

Helsbury Park, in Cornwall. It

really is Disneyland for dogs with rabbit holes to stick snouts

down, 10-acres of grounds to

explore, fields to chase tennis

balls through, woods to chase

squirrels through and a river to jump in for the aquatically-

inclined.

The four cottages are perfectly

set up for dogs too, with slate and wooden floors to

accommodate muddy paws,

throws on every sofa so Rover

can relax after a busy day sight-

smelling, enclosed gardens

(and a secure paddock) to stop

any Houdini hounds in their

tracks and kennels in the

garden, should Sir Wagger require some me-time away

from his humans. High paw

Helsbury!

*Helsbury Park, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9RH Tel: 01566

781753; website:

www.helsburypark.co.uk

Prices start at £795 per week;

£20 charge per dog per stay.

Pub/Bar:This is always one of the most

keenly contested categories and

Attlee and I travelled to Wiltshire to check out The

Millstream in Marden, near

Devizes, for the Kennel Club. A

water bowl was set out awaiting

Attlee’s arrival – tick; a great

fuss was made of him by the

waiter – tick; and, when it was

time to pay the bill, he and his canine companion Jodie were

both given complimentary

treats. That’s a double tick!

Attlee’s a big fan of the contender’s offering Mutts

Menus as well – Brandling Villa

in Newcastle has roasts for

Rovers of a Sunday and pigs’

ear tacos, should Fido fancy foreign fare, while The Orange

Tree in Thornham, Norfolk has

a full menu of Scooby snacks.

*The Millstream, Marden, Devizes, Wilts SN10 3RH Tel:

01380 848490;

www.themillstream.co.uk

A real dog’s dinner at The Millstream

Pets Magazine

*Brandling Villa, Haddricks

Mill Road, South Gosforth,

Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 1QL

Tel: 0191 284 0490; website:

www.brandlingvilla.co.uk

*The Orange Tree, Thornham,

High Street, Thornham,

Norfolk, PE36 6LY Tel: 01485

512213; website: www.theorangetreethornham.c

o.uk

Dog-friendliest Town or City: One of the most hotly contested

categories is always Britain’s

dog-friendliest town. Keswick

won in 2013 but apparently

Buxton is snapping at its heels this year.

Our top tip for dog-

friendliness, however, is

Glastonbury in Somerset.

Its hippie peace and love vibe –

with a crystal shop on every

corner; incense-scented

emporiums purveying angel wings and goddess robes; and

postcards in windows offering

every alternative therapy under

the sun (including Reiki for

dogs) – definitely extends to canine-kind. Attlee was warmly

greeted in every cafe, pub,

restaurant and shop we popped

into. There’s also a Tor to

explore and an ancient Abbey to stroll around.

Camping/Caravanning:Phileas Dogg’s camping

correspondent Evie gets in-

tents when she’s seeking a canine canny campsite but the

good news is more and more

are realising the potential of the

hound pound and welcoming

waggers.

One to watch for 2015 is

Bivouac in Yorkshire which

announced it was becoming

dog-friendly last month – news

we’ve been waiting for since it

opened in 2012.

Providing eco-friendly glamping in the grounds of the

Swinton Park Estate, Bivouac

boasts eight Mongolian-style

yurts, six wooden tree-house

style ‘shacks’, a 12-berth barn for larger groups, a cafe and

shop, hot tubs and, best of all, a

spotless shower block.

Attlee at Glastonbury Abbey

Pets Magazine

It’s glamping with the emphasis

firmly on the glam and Attlee

and I are already booking our

spot for next summer.

*Bivouac, High Knowle Farm,

Knowle Lane, Masham, Ripon,

North Yorkshire HG4 4JZ Tel:

01765 535020;

www.thebivouac.co.uk

Prices start at £93 per night for

a wooden shack, £64 for a yurt

and £20 per person in the barn.

Prices for dogs had not been confirmed at time of going to

press.

Beach: The best beach competition always creates waves – after all, what do dogs love more than a stretch of sand to play Frisbee on and some surf to ride?

A few of our favourites, which are dog-friendly all year round too, are up for the honour, including Brancaster and Holkham in Norfolk, Watergate Bay in Cornwall and Bamburgh in Northumberland.

Indeed, Northumberland’s one of the best destinations for a beach holiday for bow-wows in Britain, with all bar one of its beaches dog-friendly all year round.

The other categories in the awards are Day Out; Cafe/

Restaurant; Great Outdoors; High Street and Large Organisation. To find out more log on to www.bedogfriendlyawards.co.uk – winners will be published on the site after they’re announced.

Phileas Dogg’s Guide to Dog-Friendly Holidays in Britain,

published by Constable at £12.99, details over 300 dog-friendly destinations around the country. It’s available now on Amazon and in all good bookstores.

Pets Magazine

I’d placed my black bag on

the counterpane and knelt

down. From under the bed

a pair of green eyes blazed

at me.

‘Come on Crackerjack,

there’s a good puss,’ I

pleaded as, peering into the

gloom, I cautiously slid my hand towards the cat. My reward was a deep snarl and a show of

needle sharp teeth. I sat back on my heels to

consider my next move. Meanwhile his owner,

Miss Jameson, stood in the doorway, grey shawl

drooping from her shoulders, hopped from one

foot to another like an agitated heron.

‘I’m so sorry he’s playing up,’ she said. He’s not

usually so naughty. But with the Guy Fawkes bonfires last night and all those fireworks going

off… well, it’s scared him.’ She bobbed her head

down level with the bed and addressed the dark

shadow beneath it. ‘Now Crackerjack, if you

behave yourself, I’ve some nice coley for you afterwards.’ The reply was another venomous

hiss.

I jumped to my feet, grasped the brass head rail

and wrenched the bed away from the wall.

Tales from the sharp end of veterinary practice

MALCOM D WELSHMAN is a retired vet and author of three pet novels. The first, Pets in a Pickle, with a foreword by James Herriot's son, reached number two on Kindle's bestseller list.

The third, Pets Aplenty, has just been published. The Sun says:'It’s perfect for animal lovers the world over.' Malcolm shares with Pets Magazine readers his short story called Crackerjack. one of many stories based on his years as a vet.

Pets Magazine

There was a flash of black as

Crackerjack bolted from his

hideaway. ‘The door,’ I yelled

turning to Miss Jameson.

Too late. The fur bomb had exploded onto the landing and

was now no doubt hurtling

down the stairs, making

for the cat flap.

‘Well, his annual

vaccination will just have

to wait,’ I muttered,

snatching up my black

bag. ‘But do make sure you keep him in the kitchen next

time. Next time was a mere two

days later.

‘I’m so sorry to call you out at this time of night,’ apologised

Miss Jameson as she opened

the door. ‘But Crackerjack’s

been missing since this

morning and only just returned. Poor thing doesn’t

seem at all well.’

I glanced up the stairs. Miss

Jameson caught my eye. ‘Yes, he’s up in the bedroom,’ she

confessed, fluttering her hands

in the air.

I found him not under the bed but lying on the counterpane,

panting, eyes glazed, clearly in

distress. There was no snarl as

I bent over to examine him.

His pupils were dilated, his breathing rapid. Gently I

pressed his toes to unsheath

the claws. They were shredded.

I turned to Miss Jameson.

‘Crackerjack’s been hit by a car,’

I said.

Miss Jameson’s lips quivered. ‘But he will be all right?’ she

faltered.’

‘Well he’s in a state of shock at

the moment,’ I explained. ‘And

there seems to be a problem in

one of his back legs.’

Crackerjack growled as I raised

his right hind. ‘But don’t

worry. We’ll hospitalise him

overnight and see how he is in

the morning.’

Crackerjack seemed much

brighter the following day to

judge from the way he spat

vehemently at me from the back of his hospital cage. But

he wasn’t putting any weight on

his right leg.

Once anaesthetised, an X-ray showed a dislocation of the

right hip joint. Being such a

well-muscled cat, it wasn’t easy

manipulating the joint back

into place. Eventually I managed it with as much

swearing and cursing as

Crackerjack might have done.

There was one more thing. I’d

suggested to Miss Jameson that

it might be a good time to have

Crackerjack neutered. It would

probably stop him fighting and

calm him down. And possibly

lessen the rampages under the bedroom furniture. So while he

was still under the anaesthetic,

this was done.

‘So how is he?’ I enquired when I went round to visit Miss

Jameson a week later.

‘Oh he’s fine. Using the leg

well.’

‘And where is he?’ I hardly

dared to ask.

‘I’m sorry but he’s up in the bedroom.’ She looked guiltily

at me. ‘Well, poor thing, he’s

been through such a lot lately.

Besides,’ she added as we

climbed the stairs, ‘he does so like the bedroom. He’ll sleep

all day on the counterpane if

you let him.’ She opened the

bedroom door.

‘Now Crackerjack, here’s your

nice doctor to see

you….Crackerjack? Where are

you?’

There was a familiar snarl from

under the bed.

Malcolm D. Welshman is

author of Pets Aplenty published by Austin Macauley

(0207 038 8212) at £7.99

Kindle version £2.05.

‘Gently I pressed his toes to unsheath

the claws...’

Pets Magazine

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