Most dog owners are not aware that grass seeds are a potential danger to pets. All dogs are at risk but long haired, long eared dogs, and dogs with hairy feet are particularly susceptible.

With their arrow-like structure and long harsh fibres, grass seeds will easily get caught in your dog’s haircoat, making their way up until they reach the skin. If no one notices their presence and removes them, they will eventually pierce through your dog’s skin and deep through tissues.

Although the most common locations for lodged grass seeds are in a dog’s paws (in between the toes), nose and ears they can puncture anywhere on their body causing pain and irritation. As time goes by it will lead to infection and possibly to the formation of an abscess. In some cases, surgery is necessary to locate and remove the grass seed.

Dogs suffering from a lodged grass seed will look extremely uncomfortable, constantly itching, licking and biting the affected area, attempting to remove the seed themselves.

Other signs are also very typical. Dogs with a grass seed in their ears for example will often shake their heads, rub them along the floor and they may even walk with their head tilted to one side.

Luckily this problem is easy to prevent. Dog owners should thoroughly check their dog’s haircoat when returning from walks. Make sure you check eyes, ears, lip folds, paws and in between their toes. Always be suspicious of matted clumps of hair as they can be formed due to grass seeds.

Grass seeds are very common during the summer and autumn months which means dog owners should be extra careful during this time of the year.

If you suspect your dog has a grass seed infection please take him or her to the vet as soon as possible.

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

Summer is finally here and everybody is eager to make the most out of the long, sunny days with fun outdoor activities. To avoid unnecessary accidents, it’s always a good idea to remind dog owners that it’s important to protect their canine companions from the hot weather.

Humans are quite efficient at cooling their bodies because they are capable of sweating. Dogs lose body heat mainly through panting and they only have sweat glands in their foot pads and nose. Unfortunately dogs are less efficient at cooling themselves down and therefore a lot more susceptible to heat stroke.

Please make sure your dog has access to a cool shaded place that allows him or her to get away from the sun and plenty of fresh, clean water to drink at all times. Avoid walking your dog at the hottest time of the day. Not only this will prevent our canine friends from over-heating but it will also protect their paws from burning on hot road surfaces, pavements and sand.

Never leave your pet locked in the car!  A lot of people do not realise that even when it isn’t that hot outside, the temperature inside a car can soar dangerously high in a very short amount of time. A dog can die of heat stroke in just 15 to 20 minutes! Dog owners should never leave their dog alone in the car, even if the windows were left open, even if the vehicle was parked in the shade and even if it’s just for a few minutes. You may be unexpectedly delayed and those preventive measures are just not enough!

It is also important for dog owners to know the signs of heatstroke so they can act quickly: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, drooling, dark red gums, weakness, elevated body temperature, distress and collapse.

If you ever find a dog suffering from heat stroke remove the animal from the sun and try to cool it down. Use cool (but not cold or icy water) or wet cloths, offer small amounts of water at a time and as soon as possible take it to the vet.

Enjoy a wonderful summer with your family, friends and don’t forget your pets!

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

Recent amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act meant to tackle irresponsible dog ownership, came into effect on 13 May 2014. All dog owners in England and Wales need to be fully aware that there were many significant changes in the law that concern them, regardless of their dog’s size, breed or temperament.

The provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act have been extended to apply to private property. This means that dog owners can be prosecuted if their dog attacks a person in their home (which includes your house and both front and back gardens). The purpose of this law is to provide protection to the healthcare, postal and utility professionals who regularly have to visit people’s homes for work.

A question that many dog owners will often ask is: what if my dog attacks someone who breaks into my home? According to the law, your dog attacking a trespasser is an exception. However, this is true only if the attack happens in your house, not covering incidents in your back or front garden. The idea is to try to differentiate between innocently intentioned trespassers, such as a child entering a garden to retrieve a lost ball or a neighbour leaving a parcel for safe keeping, from those with less noble intentions. While the law is yet to be tested, it’s important for dog owners to ensure that unexpected visitors can safely access your front door without encountering your dog.

The maximum sentences for allowing a dog to attack someone have been substantially increased:

• From two years and up to 14 years, for a fatal dog attack.
• From two years and up to five years, for injury.
• Up to three years if an assistance dog is attacked.

The last item is also a new addition. The Dangerous Dogs Act now includes a specific offence to protect assistance dogs (such as guide dogs) from attacks.

Another key aspect of these new amendments is that, from now on, it’s a criminal offence for the person in charge of the dog to allow it to be ‘dangerously out of control’ in a public place. It’s extremely important for dog owners to be aware that they can be prosecuted if their friendly, but overexcited and overenthusiastic dog, knocks someone over and injures that person by accident.

This new legislation also brings new preventative powers for the police and local authorities, including sending owners to dog training classes, repairing fencing to prevent dogs from escaping and requiring dogs to be muzzled in public.

Dog attacks often have devastating consequences for victims and their families. An attack on a guide dog can literally rob someone of their independence and freedom! If you are concerned about your dog’s behaviour, seek advice from an experienced or qualified dog trainer or behaviourist.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dangerous-dogs-owners-face-tougher-sentences-for-attacks

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

Recent studies conducted in the UK have found that approximately 40% of our pets are overweight. Although dogs seem to be more affected, cats are right behind them statistically speaking and even small animals such as rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs are starting to suffer from this condition as well. Obesity has become the most common medical disorder of companion animals and as the number of new cases rises, it’s quickly becoming a major welfare concern.

Obesity is currently considered a chronic disease and for many different reasons, it has a huge impact in a pet’s quality of life!

Overweight pets have decreased stamina due to the strain of carrying around all that extra weight and feel tired very quickly. As a result they will be less active, less playful and quite often less comfortable. They have a higher risk of many other diseases: endocrine and metabolic diseases, diabetes, digestive tract and reproductive disorders, respiratory and heart diseases, joint problems and even cancer. These animals are also more prone to heatstroke and it has been scientifically proven that obesity decreases their lifespan by nearly two years!

The good news is that this is an entirely preventable condition! To keep their pets fit and healthy, owners should feed them a balanced diet, increase their physical activity (walks, runs and play sessions), avoid overfeeding, feed them treats sensibly and avoid the unhealthy ones.

If your furry friend is already looking a little extra chubby, seek veterinary assistance. Your vet will create a healthy weight loss program that is tailored for your pet’s particular case! If your pet is healthier he will be for sure, happier!

Would you like to know more about cats and dogs? Check our Feline and Canine Courses:

Feline courses

Canine courses

Dogs communicate with each other and with humans through vocalisation and through body language. It is very important for us to have a basic understanding of canine behaviour and canine body language, in order to avoid any miscommunications that may lead to less positive interactions. Knowing how to “read” our dogs will also allow us to better understand their feelings and predict future behaviours.

The best way to assess how a dog is feeling is to look carefully at his or her ears, eyes, mouth, tail and overall body posture.

Relaxed dogs will usually look around casually, hold their tail loosely in its normal position, hold their ears back a little bit and show a relaxed body, with no tense muscles. Friendly and playful dogs will look at ease, wag their tails and their eyes will be wide open and alert. If they are trying to play with you they will probably bark, run and jump around excitedly, often displaying a play bow.

Fearful dogs usually tuck their tail between their legs, keep their head low and ears flattened, while avoiding eye contact. They may also tremble, shiver, urinate and even show their teeth. Submissive dogs typically place their tail between their legs and roll onto their side or to their back to expose their belly.

Dogs showing aggressive behaviour will challenge each other by staring directly at one another and show their teeth while growling, snarling or barking loudly. Their ears are usually close to their head and their bodies will be tense with hackles raised on their back. These dogs will easily snap and bite.

All dogs have different personalities and they don’t always show how they’re feeling in the same way. When you are trying to understand a dog’s emotional state you should consider the dog’s individual behaviour, body language and the surrounding context.

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

We all know how happy a dog can be when he realises he is getting a treat: the anxious nose licking, the vigorous tail wags and the priceless expressions! To most caring owners seeing their pet so happy makes them happy! That is probably the main reason why we just love to share our food with our dog.

Chocolate is one of our favourite foods and it is particularly popular during festive occasions. We love it and we often feel tempted to share that delicious treat with our dog. Unfortunately many owners are not aware that chocolate can be very toxic for our canine friends.

The problem lies in a stimulant substance called theobromine that is perfectly safe for humans but poisonous to our pets. Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine and therefore some types of chocolate can be a lot more dangerous than others. Dry cocoa powder and unsweetened (baking) chocolate contain very high amounts of theobromine, unlike white chocolate that has minimal amounts of theobromine.

In general theobromine affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys. A dog with signs of theobromine poisoning will show vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, incoordination, hyperactivity and seizures.

If you suspect your dog may have eaten chocolate or if you notice your dog is showing any of the previously mentioned clinical signs, contact your vet as soon as possible. There is no antidote to theobromine poisoning and the sooner your pet is treated the better!

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

 These parasites have a pointed head and a barbed structure in their mouth that is used to attach themselves to the skin of their host where they will feed for several days.

It is very common for these nasty parasites to go unnoticed by owners, hidden in their pets’ fur, until engorged females become easier to see. During the feeding process females will engorge with blood and increase their size considerably. Their body has an amazing capacity for distension and they can measure around one centimetre in length (about the size of a small bean). Males are smaller, with a flattened body and therefore much harder to find.

Ticks usually prefer areas where the skin is thinner: ears, face, armpits, between the toes and on the stomach and tail areas but they can really be found anywhere on an animal’s body.

These blood sucking parasites cause great discomfort to our pets because their bite causes itchiness and they can lead to anaemia if there is a large number of ticks feeding on the same animal.

Ticks activity is seasonal and in the UK there are two typical peaks where tick infestation is more likely to occur: the first one is from March to June and the second from August to November.

It is recommended for owners to frequently check their pets for ticks and remove them as soon as they are found. Unfortunately ticks are vectors of diseases that can be transmitted to both companion animals and humans (ex. Lyme disease) and their quick removal will help reduce the risk of any disease being transmitted. When removing a tick please make sure all of it is removed. Any embedded mouth parts that are left being behind can lead to the appearance of small abscesses. An effective way to avoid this is to use a tick remover device.

Consult your vet regarding your pet’s external parasite control. It is very important to reduce to the minimal the number of ticks that can establish a hold on your pet. Keep in mind ticks can easily move from one pet to another. This means that all pets in a household should be protected, not just the ones where ticks are found.

When applying any parasite control product please make sure you carefully read the product’s label in order to use it correctly, since many tick control products destined for dogs can be very toxic to cats.

Would you like to know more about cats and dogs? Check our Feline and Canine Courses:

Feline courses

Canine courses

The Uk is considered to be a nation of pet lovers and dogs are at the top of the list of the most popular pets in our households. Recently, several studies have suggested that there are many health benefits associated with pet ownership including reduced stress and blood pressure.

Although owning a dog has many benefits sometimes dogs exhibit behaviours that can have an enormous impact in our homes, in our relationships and in our lives. As an example we can point out behaviours such as inappropriate elimination, aggression towards people and other animals and even lack in basic obedience cues. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for these issues to result in owners surrendering their dogs to shelters or even becoming the reason for their euthanasia.

Adequate puppy socialisation is essential to prevent some of these behaviours. Puppies poorly socialised may develop abnormal behavioural reactions such as aggression or fearful responses towards other dogs and towards people (adults and children).

In order for puppies to grow into well-behaved and friendly members of our society they need to be socialised with other dogs as well as people before they are 12 weeks of age. The socialisation period is thought to last from approximately three to 10-12 weeks of age and during this period it is very important for puppies to be handled regularly and exposed to numerous situations, objects and environments. It is currently recommended for puppies to go to their new home at approximately 8 weeks of age to allow proper socialisation with their new family. Before the 8 weeks of age it’s the breeder’s responsibility to socialise the puppy.

Puppy socialisation and training classes allow puppies to socialise with other dogs and with people other than the owners, as well as the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of experiences and situations in a low risk, non-threatening environment.

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses