The Canine Insight – Can you afford to miss it?
It’s Finally Time, it’s ready, just for you!
I am super excited to tell you about this….
This year I took it upon myself to get the best information I could for all my dog loving clients, friends and family. What happened next took on a life of it’s own!
I ended up putting together a FREE and EXCLUSIVE Canine Event which is the first of it’s kind with these Amazing Experts.
They have given their time, their stories, their experiences and their successful methods working with all kinds of dogs FREE to You!
All you have to do is register!
The Canine Insight
I’ve been working on this for the past 3 months, so what you are going to get out of this canine convention of sorts will surpass all your expectations, I promise you.
My friends and I are going to explode all the doggy myths and give you a true insight into how living with and loving your dog can truly end up changing your life for the better.
We’ll be talking about training, health, diet, rescue dogs, holistic methods, fearful dogs, communicating with your pet and so much more!
Go register now and tell all your friends who you think might love to hear about this. I want to use this opportunity to help as many dog owners and lovers that I can while this event is on.
Share this far and wide for all our furry friends
Furry Hugs
Bernie Browne x
(and don’t forget to come back and let me know what you got out of the event, I’d really love to hear from you)
Want to Neuter Your Dog Without Surgery? Zueter!
Seems like there is a new way to neuter dogs non surgically and it’s called Zuetering!
I hate the idea of animals being ‘put under’ for anything other than a major and necessary operation and this could be the answer.
It works by injecting a solution of Zinc Gluconate (zinc is a natural spermicide) into the male pups testes (sorry guys who are reading this!) without the use of anesthesia.
This may make the Rescue and Shelter Organisations sit up and take note as it’s bound to be a cheaper but just as effective way of neutering their charges and hopefully saving them some money.
Want to Neuter Your Dog Without Surgery? New Drug Makes it Possible.
What do you think?
Raising Puppy:Â Housetraining
Are you house training a pup or adolescent dog? Are you trying to put down some basic rules and failing miserably? Well, you are in the right place if you are all a fluster with your little ball of fluff!
Having 4 dogs of my own, 2 raised from pups, and years of looking after numerous foster pups, I’m going to give you the secrets to housetraining and effectively setting down some boundaries your pup will understand.
They will make mistakes, of course … they are still young and learning. But your consistency is KEY to any training you do at this impressionable stage. First be clear in your own mind how you want to housetrain your puppy or dog and then do it with confidence.
4 Signs to Help with Quick House Training
Your puppy will want to go to the toilet as soon as it Wakes up, after it Eats, after it Drinks and after it’s done Playing. They will start to smell around and circle before they squat, so be alert and quick!
For the first few weeks of your puppy’s life, you will need to take them out to the toilet every half hour, just for a few minutes. Use a consistent word or command like, ‘Go busy’ or ‘go wee wee’ while they are out on the lawn or patio. When they do go, offer lots of praise in soft, excited tones! You are teaching your pup what you want them to do when you go outside and they hear this command; this way they can tell the difference when you’re out to just play.
From 10 to 12 weeks, you can take your pup out every hour. Again, you are getting them into a habit. By this time, you should be learning the signs your puppy will exhibit when they need to go out. Your timing is key to how long you will be out there and fewer accidents in your house!
If your pup doesn’t go while you are outside, pop them back into their crate or puppy pen and keep a close eye on them. Don’t set your puppy up to fail. And never treat the crate as a tool of punishment.
If they do have an accident while they are in their crate/pen, they will be doing it in their own place (which dogs intensely dislike and it encourages them to learn to “do their business†when they are outside). There also won’t be any stress or drama of finding a puddle under the table or a little “present†as you step on it in the bathroom doorway!
As your puppy begins to get the hang of housetraining (I believe girls get the hang of it quicker than the boys!), your puppy will start looking at you or heading towards the door when they need to go.
DO use a crate or puppy pen for housetraining, it teaches your puppy they can have their own safe, peaceful space; and again, puppies don’t like to go to the toilet where they sleep.
DON’T leave them in there for long periods of time; except when it’s sleep times and when you need to keep them out from under your feet at busy times in the home. A crate is not a place to punish your puppy, it should be treated like your puppy’s bedroom and a place they love to be.
Did you find this article interesting? Let us know by leaving a message below and sharing it with other dog owners too!
For more information about the Dog Owners Coach, or to book a consultation, please visit my website at www.4dogenterprises.com/coaching or find me on Facebook at The Dog Owners Coach.
Golden retriever study suggests neutering affects dog health
So here’s the question; Is neutering really as kind to our dogs as we think?
This important study is worth a read for people thinking about neutering before 1 year old, especially with a pedigree breed.
Golden retriever study suggests neutering affects dog health :: UC Davis News & Information.
Let us know what you think……
Bernie
Puppies Aren’t Presents … Foster!
I’ve worked with dogs since I was 16. I’m not talking about our own family pet dogs throughout the years; but as a career when I started working in a show kennel while still going to school. I loved my job even though I worked weekends, bank holidays, Christmas and New Year’s day. It taught me early on that caring for an animal has no days off.
Later, I moved onto working with horses; but there were always dogs about, they seem to go pretty much hand-in-hand. I once puppy-walked three cute Bloodhound puppies for a local bloodhound group many years ago. This also entailed them actually living in our home for six to eight weeks working on socialising, getting them used to everyday sights, sounds, smells, other people, dogs and animals.
They looked adorable, but they chewed everything, mauled everything in my garden until not a single plant existed anymore; dug holes, looked for exits in every nook and cranny in the garden and just basically ran wild on their instincts.
I loved those silly pups, called Lavender, Limerick and Lucky. But I was also very glad to see them go back home, as happy, well-adjusted youngsters ready to take on the world. But boy were they a big learning curve! And it taught me that looks can be very deceiving when it comes to those big brown eyes and that irresistible ‘cute factor!’
Without the right knowledge, tools and resources, pups like those can easily become demons in disguise and can shred everything you love in your home, create fall-outs with your lifetime friends or neighbours and simply make your life a living hell.
I’m not going to sugarcoat the truth here because dogs and puppies are still being bought as Christmas presents for children as if they were mere toys and it has to end.
Ask yourself, how many toys need 24-hour care? Need to be fed 3 or 4 times a day? Require cleaning up after them? Need bedding and toys bought for them? Need to be kept safe and healthy? All just to be able to play with them?!
If you’re considering giving a puppy as a Christmas present, have you done your homework? What size will this puppy grow up into? Is it a lively breed? Have you seen it’s mother, is she a nice-tempered dog? Will you have to secure your garden to make it safe? Who’s going to look after this ‘present’ when you go on holiday? At work? Who is going to look after it, train it, get medical care and more? It certainly won’t be your child!
So rather than ignoring or brushing off all these questions, Please Really Think about them! If you aren’t willing NOW to even think about these questions or do the necessary homework, then please buy your child a cuddly toy, adopt a panda or give them riding lessons, because you aren’t ready to take on a dog right now.
I always wanted a horse of my own and asked twice a year (every birthday and Christmas!) for one when I was growing up. I didn’t get that horse until I was in my twenties and bought it myself! And I certainly didn’t hate my parents for not giving into my demands and getting me one. Instead, they aimed my focus to a local riding school where I learned to ride and then later worked at for free lessons and rode my friend’s ponies instead.
And during this time, I learned what it really takes to look after, clean out, exercise and feed a horse. Yes, they were fun! But they were also expensive to keep in food, medical attention, bedding, blankets, bridles, saddles and more! To me there is very little difference, on the commitment level, between horses and dogs and what it truly means to properly care for that animal. You wouldn’t buy a racehorse for your child if they don’t even know how to ride yet, would you?
Take on a shorter commitment: Foster a Rescue Dog
If you really like the idea of owning a dog, but are still not 100% sure, then go and talk to someone at your local animal rescue or shelter about fostering. They can help you decide if it’s right for you and what type of dog would suit your lifestyle and family. Some of them will even help share the costs of food, bedding and vet care while you’re fostering for them.
3 out of 5 Foster Parents end up Adopting their Foster Dog or Cat
This is usually because they realise how well this animal fits in with their life and want to keep them instead of giving them up to another good home.
If it doesn’t turn out to be a good match (which can sometimes happen), then you are at very little financial loss. You’ve also done the rescue a wonderful service and given a needy animal a home life and love while it waits for a new family. You will also learn whether you are actually ready for a dog – if at all!
So this year, please don’t think, “I’m going to give in to the kids and buy a dog.â€
Instead think, “How can I teach my kids about the commitment of owning a pet?â€Â
For more information on fostering a dog, here’s a great website: Fosterdogs.co.uk.
Wishing you all a wonderful and safe Christmas and Happy New Year!
Did you find this article interesting? Let us know by leaving a message below and sharing it with other dog owners too!
For more information about the Dog Owners Coach, or to book a consultation, please visit my website at www.4dogenterprises.com/coaching or find me on Facebook at The Dog Owners Coach.
Top 10 Christmas Dangers for Your Dog
Who doesn’t love Christmas?! A time of fun, laughter and over-indulgence. We get to share more quality time with the ones we love as well as enjoy some relief from the daily grind!
It’s no wonder we all love Christmas!
But please remember, if you are a pet owner, keep in mind that this holiday season also represents new, different and enticing dangers to your beloved family pet; both inside and outside your home. Keep reading to learn how to keep your pet not only safe, but healthy during this festive season.
- At the top of the list is Chocolate and Mince Pies. Human chocolate and raisins are highly toxic to your dog; they can cause liver damage – and even failure – if ingested in large amounts. So make sure your child or guest hasn’t left that tempting box of chocolates lying around. Keep those tasty treats well out of nose and mouth reach of your pooch! Remember: dogs investigate and learn by smell and then by tasting or eating. Protect your beloved animal from the temptation of new and interesting holiday smells! Invited friends over to celebrate? Pop your dog into a quiet room with a nice tasty (and healthy) treat of his own and let him enjoy the peace and quiet in this busy season. (Onions, rising bread dough, fruit cake, macadamia nuts and nutmeg are other traditional Christmas foods that can hurt your beloved four-legged family member.)
Alcohol. Yes, this might seem like an obvious danger; but did you know that 1 in 4 vets treat drunk dogs over the festive season?! So ask your visitors to keep their drinks on tables or counters and not on the floor by their feet. Put all empty drinks containers in a solid bin, rather than just a bin bag that’s no match for an inquisitive dog. Remember, your dog’s liver and kidneys can be affected by any amount of alcohol.
Anti-freeze and road grit. These items are highly toxic to our pets. When you return from a walk where roads or pathways have been treated for snow and ice, make sure to thoroughly wash off your dog’s paws, legs and bellies rather than let him lick them clean himself. The chemical agents in these treatments are meant to keep roads and the water in your car’s cooling system from freezing, but these chemicals will kill your pet within hours if ingested. Keep all anti-freeze (typically blue, but may come in other colors too) out of reach of children and animals in your garage and clean up any and all leaks of anti-freeze on the garage floor.
Christmas Plants: Holly (leaves and berries) Mistletoe and Poinsettia. While beautiful for the holiday, if even pieces of these plants are ingested by your pet, they can cause vomiting, stomach upset and blisters in the mouth … in mild cases. In extreme cases, eating these berries or plants can be fatal to your pet. So always keep these plants up high and away from your pet and make sure to remove any loose berries that may dry out and break off. If you have cats in your home, be mindful of their climbing abilities and purposely keep these plants out of their climbing range. Regular or liquid potpourri can also pose health risks to your pet.
Your Christmas Tree. If you’re putting up a real tree in your home, make sure your dog doesn’t try to pee on it, especially with electrical wires and lights around! Pine needles can also pose a danger to inquisitive noses and mouths and end up in soft paw pads; so make sure to keep vacuuming these up on a daily basis or you may find yourself making an unscheduled trip to your vet. Never let your dog drink any treated Christmas tree water!
Decorations: Glass Baubles, Garland and Blinking lights. Shiny, colourful and eye-catching; these enticing items can be easily mistaken for toys by your dog and could be dangerous if swallowed. So spend some time letting your dog know that the tree – and everything on or under it – is out-of-bounds by saying “No†and then using a distraction technique to get Fido to find something else more interesting – like you or a real toy! Use a timeout if your dog continues to go back again and again to the tree. (Remember, when using the timeout technique, do not speak or look at your dog; so your dog does not receive any reward for his unacceptable behaviour.)
Food. Leftovers are always a sign of a plentiful Christmas; but immediately double-bag and bin ANY cooked bones as these are highly dangerous. Cooked bones become brittle and porous and can quickly disintegrate into razor-sharp edges getting stuck in your dog’s mouth, throat or intestines, even perforating their insides! If you wish to give your dog a nice juicy bone, please feed it raw with some nice meat still on it which will keep him busy for hours. ALL bones for chewing MUST be bigger than your dog’s mouth; or better yet, at least the size of your dog’s head, to avoid the chance of choking on smaller bones. Don’t overload your dog’s bowl with lots of rich, salty food. Dog’s stomachs cannot properly digest too much fatty, rich or salty food. Instead, freeze some Xmas treats in small amounts and let your dog enjoy some holiday tastes well into the New Year!
Toys. Make sure all small toys, or pieces of toys, that can be easily chewed or swallowed are kept away from small children as well as your pets to protect them from choking. Keep an eye on those tiny surprises that come out of the Christmas cracker boxes, etc. If you are getting your pet a present this holiday season, please make sure it is made of hard rubber – rather than plastic, which can be quickly chewed and swallowed. For example, Kongs make a great indestructible pressie! Stuff with some leftovers and then freeze to keep your dog busy for a few hours while you’re relaxing and watching your Xmas movies! (Reminder: no toy is truly indestructible, especially with larger dogs and enthusiastic chewers. Always keep an eye on your dog with any toy.)
Ribbons, String and Tinsel. While wrapping your presents or trimming the tree, make sure your pet isn’t trying to eat your wrappings or tinsel like spaghetti! Long pieces of these materials are indigestible and can cause intestinal distress and vomiting or even worse, get stuck in your dog’s digestive tract and have to be surgically removed by your vet.
Candles. We all love the soft glow of candles at this time of year. But again, be aware of your pet’s never-ending curiosity; they don’t necessarily know that a naked flame can cause them harm. Make sure candles are in firm holders or behind glass and are high enough that your dog or cat can’t knock it over.
After all that being said,
I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Did you find this article interesting? Let us know by leaving a message below and sharing it with other dog owners too!
For more information about the Dog Owners Coach, or to book a consultation, please visit my website at www.4dogenterprises.com/coaching or find me on Facebook at The Dog Owners Coach.
Disposable Dogs: Let’s Find the Solution(s)!
Due to your overwhelming interest and support for my last blog, I’d like to take it one step further and suggest some potential solutions and especially ask for YOUR ideas and suggestions on how we, as a society, can effectively address and positively turnaround this epidemic of unwanted dogs.
———————————————————
“Disposable†dogs … what exactly do we mean by using that term?
This once-adorable, cute pet now becomes the disposable collateral from an owner’s sad-attempt-at-an-excuse of ‘oops, made a mistake!‘ Maybe it’s because of the particular breed: it’s too small, too big, too energetic or 
These same hapless dogs are being primarily sold by breeders. It doesn’t really matter whether they are ethical breeders or not; because it’s really these new – and incredibly naive – owners who are fueling an industry where the primary intent is to make money off the good nature of a dog. Just because nature provided this instinct, doesn’t mean society should abuse it – for any amount of money!
But we all know the basic rule of economics: Where there is a Demand there will always be a Supply.
And so Rescues, around the world, are heaving to the rafters with unwanted dogs (not to mention other pet animals). The same dogs that were once “so cute†and “adorable†before being brought into their new home. Or maybe it’s the same dogs that became overnight “must-haves†thanks to the latest movie released (called the “movie effect†by Linda Cole in her Yahoo article: “How the Movie Effect Creates Shelter Dogs“).
Or sometimes they are just unwanted gifts with a non-returnable label. (The madness has already started … Yorkies are popular and Staffies are not. Breeders are tripping over themselves in trying to speculate what will be the most popular breed for the Christmas rush!)
And the “crimes†that these canines have been convicted and then sentenced to a shelter for? Just being a canine in a materialistic world. A world where our loyalty and commitment only lasts until the next, latest and shiny new edition is released. Is this how we now label Man’s Best Friend? Are our beloved canines now seen as a cheap – and then disposable – commodity?
It’s Time to FIND Solutions!
Since it appears our collective common sense has gone out the window along with old-fashioned ethics, we need to find some new ideas and ways to protect the 
Obviously the rules and regulations most government departments come up with are not working. Maybe we need to get the Kennel Clubs on board? After all, they are the experts about the breeding and showing all dog breeds in nearly every country in the world. They also have a huge influence on the dog-owning population of pedigree dogs. Since pedigree dogs end up in the same shelters as non-pedigree breeds, isn’t it time for the Kennel Clubs to actively campaign and advocate for much better treatment of all canines?
Mick offered a good suggestion on my last blog, Disposable Dogs? We Need to be Accountable for Our Behaviour, saying: “We should have to get a dog license before we get the dog. This will stop the †let’s get a dog †people. Have the licenses available from shelters only. That way a person will have to have contact with someone who can give information and education regarding dog ownership. The biggest problem will be enforcement of the above.â€
Would licensing work? And what would it take to enforce dog licensing? Would follow-up visits be necessary to ensure ongoing assurance of good dog ownership practices?
Perhaps we need to address the source of the supply (which helps drive the demand). Do we
So what’s YOUR suggestion to this problem? We all know too well that if we just keep ignoring it, this problem is not going to go away … it’s a problem that’s here to stay.
I know there are an infinite number of volunteer and animal rescue workers around the world that have thought about this issue on an almost daily basis. Let’s start sharing and working on some real “next steps†and potential solutions(s).
Looking forward to your comments, feedback and suggestions!
Did you find this article interesting? Let us know by leaving a message below and sharing it with other dog owners too!
For more information about the Dog Owners Coach, or to book a consultation, please visit my website at www.4dogenterprises.com/coaching or find me on Facebook at The Dog Owners Coach.
Could your dog’s food be costing you more than money? (Part 1)
What is B.A.R.F?
Barf stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, basically, food that is appropriate for the species you are feeding; grass or veg for herbivores, meat for carnivores and a mixture for omnivores. Just like most zoo’s feed their animals foods which are as close to what they would eat in the wild, then our domestic pets should be fed with the same mindset.
What is wrong with commercial pet foods?
Not only is a lot of commercial dog and cat foods highly processed, cooked, ground, pulped and reconstituted into pellets or kibble. Any goodness that originally was in the basic ingredients have been cooked out so the manufacturers have to add synthetic vitamins and minerals back in. Ok, that’s fair enough if it was just meat and bone and maybe some veg as the basic ingredients, but what if there was not only culled animals, not necessarily slaughtered but could have been sick, euthanised, treated with a plethora of drugs before it died? It isn’t unheard of as most ‘animal derivatives‘ can come from what is called a rendering plant, where carcasses of any and many animals are boiled down together and sold on to manufacturers, not only in the pet food industry.
Food standards for pet foods are very vague and other ingredients can be added from other manufacturing processes. Do you know what it means by Animal By- Products on your pets food labels? No, neither did I but I have researched it a lot and some of the things which can go in is pretty disgusting never mind having no nutritional value to your pet. There are plenty of articles about it in newspapers and online recently to keep you reading for hours! Try this one from the Born Free Organisation
Look at your pet food label and just see what the top ingredient is, if it is meat, then good on you, you have at least chosen a manufacturer that is trying to make a nutritional pet food. If your top ingedient is wheat, maize, corn or some other type of grain, these are called fillers. Not because they fill your dog up but because they plump or bulk out the food. Grains are not a natural part of your carnivores diet and their digestive systems do not contain the correct enzymes to break down these grains, that is why most of what you are feeding, if you were to weigh what comes out the other end, comes back out again because their bodies cannot digest and assimilate these types of ingredients.
Dog Breath, smelling ‘doggy’ and other hints on your pets health
I have 4 dogs and not one of them smell like a dog the way I used to think of a bad doggy smell. I know that sounds funny but growing up around dogs all my life, our dogs were fed an artificial or commercial diet and they all had dog breath and they all had a certain ‘smell’ about them which I just associated as a ‘dog smell’. Now that I know better it was the smell of what a commercial food was doing to their bodies. I used to age dogs by how much plaque was on their teeth, the more plaque, the older the dog or if they were missing teeth, usually a sign of a dog getting on. Obviously overall health and condition played a part in guessing a dogs age too. All of these things I now know was my experience of aging a commercially fed animal.
I always get people commenting on Solo, my 17 year old whippet/ collie cross, his shiny coat his bright eyes and how spritely he is, they get a shock when I tell them his age and most people comment that he looks half that age. Now just think about that. He isn’t a young looking dog anymore and he’s grey around the chin and just a little stiff around the hind end but otherwise healthy & happy and people think he is 8 or 9! Have we accustomed ourselves to the fact that our dogs and cats should start looking old and grey before their time?Â
Good Oral health = Good Over-all Health
Does your dog or cat get regular ‘Dentals’ at the vet or have you been told that your pet might need one soon? Have you been advised to ‘brush’ your dog’s teeth regularly? Like humans, oral health i.e. your teeth and gums, give dentists and doctors an idea of our overall health, this is the same with our pets. Wild dogs, coyotes, wolves, foxes etc dont have someone to clean their teeth every day or a vet to clean them every 6 months, so how do they keep their teeth and mouth healthy? Remember this is their main weapon in order to bring down their prey as well as eating it so keeping this armoury spick and span and healthy is a must for survival in the wild. The answer is just eating their natural prey naturally cleans their teeth and massages their gums and gives them all their nutrtional needs for health and survival.
The ripping, tearing and gnawing which is part of eating meat on the bone cleans a carnivores teeth as they eat, getting rid of bacteria and other debris which might have built up since the last meal. Dogs who eat dried kibble which are high in sugars for palatability and preservation, 1. barely touch the sides of some dogs mouths as they’re eating, therefore not cleaning the mouth of bacteria and 2. these sugars feed the bacteria in the mouth and help them multiply leading to plaque build up and gum disease. (facts and info taken from,Tom Lonsdale- Raw Meaty Bones ISBN :0646396242)
Don’t fall for the Pet Food Conglomerates (such as Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Del-Monte and Nestle to name a few) and their media machines, they are in it to make money, first and foremost, your pets health comes way down the list, so start doing a little research into your pet food brand, I will tell you now you are going to be shocked with what you find out. Visit My Website for more info on feeding a natural diet if you live in Ireland.
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Next week- Part 2, How feeding a natural diet could save you money and your dog’s life
I would love to hear your comments and thoughts on anything in this article that you found helpful or interesting, thank you
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