Everyone knows
that chocolate is bad for dogs, don't they?
Well one owner in
South Wales was reminded of the problem when their dog consumed
the children's Easter Eggs, fortunately the dog was rushed to
the vet's and is now recovering.
So what caused it? Chocolate contains a chemical, theobromine, that is toxic to dogs. Dogs
are not able to metabolize this chemical quickly enough within their livers,
and this can be a problem if they ingest an overwhelming amount of chocolate.
Also, different types of chocolate have different amounts of theobromine in them. The
higher the cacao content, the more theobromine the chocolate contains and the
more toxic it is to dogs.
Theobromine is related to
caffeine, and the symptoms of chocolate intoxication can resemble excess
caffeine intake. Dogs can become agitated to the point of uncontrolled
trembling. They can appear hypersensitive to noise and hyper-reactive to
external stimuli. With higher levels of intake, seizures may occur. In severe
cases, death can result.
Because the toxicity of theobromine is
dependent on a dog’s weight, a smaller dog ingesting the same amount as a
bigger dog has a greater chance of toxicity.
But the good news is
that treatment can succeed if symptoms are caught early, but to avoid any
problems keep dogs and chocolate away from each other.
Remember, the
chocolate products specifically produced for dogs does not pose this risk but
still remember, moderation in all things!
We have suffered some bad weather here at the Rescue the last few days with a lot of snow falling since Friday.
Not only has it been snowing but that snow has been drifting in the strong arctic winds
This has meant that some of our staff that live some distance from the Rescue could not make it in to work, those living closer were picked up by 4x4 vehicles. so those that could make it in had their hands full.
Road Conditions getting to the Rescue on Saturday
Despite this terrible arctic weather and drifting snow making the roads almost impassable some of the staff have made it in and so have some of our hardy regular volunteers, both the dogs and staff were very pleased to see them and when you look at the conditions out there then - that's what you call dedication
Owing to the unexpected snowfall today the trailer will not be going to Jollyes tomorrow (Saturday 23rd March) BUT we will still be there, nice and warm INSIDE the store so please come and get your pets microchipped.
On the plus side you won't have to stand out in the cold while we do the microchipping.
We will be holding a micro-chipping event at Jollyes in Flint between 10am and 3pm on Saturday 23rd March, 2013 you can support the charity and ensure your pets get returned to you should you ever loose them at the same time. Our trailer will be parked outside the store, you can't miss us. We will be doing the micro-chipping for only £10 per pet
And if you are wondering how a micro-chip works, well it's a sophisticated electronic device which has been pre-programmed with a unique number, it is implanted in to your pet via a small injection, very similar to that of a vaccination. Your pet's unique MicroChip identification number is registered on the UK Database alongside your contact details.
Micro-chip
As your pet's MicroChip contains no battery it is read using a special scanner, which powers the MicroChip allowing it to send a signal back to the scanner. This is then displayed as a number on the screen of the scanner. And how big is it? Well slightly bigger than a grain of rice, we can show you one when you visit to get your pet chipped.
Look out for our trailer
With microchipping becoming compulsory why not get it done now and ensure your pets get returned to you should they get lost or stolen. So why not visit us and get your pets micro-chipped
MicroChipping your pet is a simple procedure that will stay with your pet for life! For directions - click here
This is Leon, he is a lovely older dog who has spent a very long time in rescue. He has been re-homed before but has returned for reasons beyond his control, such as relationship breakdowns between his owners. He's had more than his fair share of bad luck over the years!
He's a simple pooch who wants for very little from life, just a couple of walks during the day and then relax with the family in the evening. Of course, he could also be so much more too! He has a calm disposition which makes him very easy to train, plus he really loves positive reward based games and training, meaning he has great potential in many areas.
Here is an account from Sue, a valued volunteer at North Clwyd Animal Rescue....
"I have taken Leon home on several occasions and although he's not so keen on the car (it could be my driving) once he's in the house he's fantastic, clean through the night without any noise. He know's he's not allowed upstairs and after his first attempt he hasn't even tried again. He's really good on and off the lead and his recall is very good.
I think his size may put people off but he is very affectionate and would make a really loyal and loving dog once you get to know the real Leon!"
Leon has a few things going against him as a rescue dog, firstly he has a bit of Staffie in him which appears to put off some would be adopters (typically folks influenced by media myths and sensationalism), also brindle dogs with dark faces generally have little interest shown in them whilst at rescue centres. But Leon's biggest hurdle to getting adopted is his initial distrust of strangers. At some point during his life he's learnt that strangers approaching him and trying to touch him is a bad thing, and of course being a rescue dog potential adopters are viewed at first as strangers. The sad fact is Leon only needs a very short time to build up trust in people, I managed it in a 10 minute walk! From this point on he's been very comfortable with me. It is not uncommon for would be adopters to be looking for an 'instant connection' with a dog which rules out introducing Leon to them.
So Leon has a few more hurdles to jump than most before he gets some serious interest in him, but sometimes the best and most rewarding relationships need a bit of work to get them started!
As a canine behaviourist I'll always advise spending as much time as possible, over a few visits if necessary, to really get to know your family's potential companion.
Getting to know Leon....
In order to get to know Leon, all it takes to earn his trust is to show him you can show him respect by simply in-turn respecting his personal space (just as you would meeting new people!). Take a walk with Leon, (ignore him) and just let him come with you, don't try to force yourself on him by trying to stroke him, don't try to force him to engage with you by trying to get him to respond to your voice, just simply walk. After maybe 20 minutes of calm walking, respecting Leon's personal space, take a seat and see if Leon wants to come and meet you. If he comes up to sniff you, let him, once he's finished sniffing, get up and walk some more. Next time you stop Leon will probably try to engage you and rub against you and it is then you can start to stroke him a little, then, get up and walk some more. Once Leon is comfortable accepting a fuss you will see the sweet, obedient, lovable dog Leon really is. (Of course, this whole process can be helped along by offering him a few good treats for showing interest in you or relaxing around you).
He also struggles with some pushy dogs (like so many other dogs do), he usually gives them a bark or two telling them to calm down or back off, but this would be an easy problem to work through once he is in a home. He is so quick to learn and responsive this issue could be tackled in several ways (one simple way can be seen in his video). He just wants to know he's safe, that you can keep him safe when scary dogs are around, so he can then relax and just be a dog.
So come up to NCAR and take him for a walk! Even if you have no intention of adopting him you could take him for a walk and help show him that strangers aren't all bad and really they are pretty good! This would not only get the lad out into the countryside but spending quality time exploring with strangers will vastly help his progress!
For any help regarding Leon contact me on K999@email.com
This lad just needs a chance, there must be a home and family out there for him!
Paddington the Staffie pup is the latest pup to come into the North Clwyd Animal Rescue center. He came into the rescue at quite a crucial stage in his behavioural development. The first several months of a puppy's life creates the behavioural blue print for the dog the pup will grow up into. This is why growing up in a rescue center environment presents big challenges and requires special considerations.
My advice to people taking on a puppy is to let it meet 100 people and 100 dogs calmly and politely before the pup is 8 months old, with the bulk of this before they are 6 months old. In the rescue center environment this can be difficult as it requires a lot of time and arranged meetings with other well mannered polite dogs who can help teach them correct doggie behaviour.
Paddington got to meet many dogs and people during his stay at NCAR so his education was positive and will hopefully set him up for his progression into a family and continued education.
Fern the American Bulldog was a big help to Paddy, she was calm and considered providing Paddington with a good example to follow in all the situations they were in together.
Using older calmer dogs to help teach pups is something we try to do as often as possible at NCAR and we have had great success in this area. Very few of the well socialised and educated pups go on to develop behavioural problems, as opposed to under-educated dogs and/or socially unskilled pups who often develop behavioural issues.
some examples of such sessions...
Here Rhianna the lurcher taught these two collie pups both how to play chase games and also how to calmly explore their surroundings.
In this session the Welsh Corgi kept these 3 pups in order by not letting their play get too boisterous.
Big Jake got the excitable pup Dizzy to calm down and begin to consider things instead of just charging about.
Big Heidi also helped Dizzy by letting him know (in no uncertain terms) that jumping up at other dogs is not what you do!
Brittany the Staffie taught this staffie pup how to play without getting itself into trouble by being too rough.
This Beagle got this nervous pup playing by enticing it into some easy going chase games.
Chester the big easy going Akita gave Jasmine the chance to be around a big dog in a nice calm atmosphere without any worry of trouble.
Percy the tubby pup spent a lot of time with Kya the Staffie and Rhianna the Lurcher as these two grown ups played well and relaxed well together, Percy slotted right in with them.
Percy also went for walk with the less sociable Strider who taught him that not every dog wants to meet, greet and play! Sometimes just calmly walking together is enough.
Dumping puppys before they have had a chance of developing into well balanced, social and relaxed dog can cause huge behavioural problems in the not to distant future. At NCAR we'll continue to try and keep these abandoned pups on the right path so they don't end up with issues later and dumped back on our doorstep! Of course people often take on puppies with the best intentions but don't provide the youngster the education and social skills required to become a socially acceptable dog, issues unacceptable to humans develop and the dog ends up at rescues like NCAR.
Taking on a puppy means you are taking on all the responsibility for guiding that pup into a well balanced, well mannered dog. This means you have to show your pup how to behave in every situation it will ever be involved in. Also, how to behave in all possible scenarios they might be involved in.
How should they behave in all of these situations and scenarios? With a calm adaptability that gives them the confidence not to react negatively when something unexpected happens.
If all puppies received the training, education and quality life style they deserve from an active positive family, they would grow up into fantastic companions making rescue centers such as NCAR almost empty!
Remember; a dog isn't a domestic pet until you (the owner) domesticate it!
The simplest way for dogs to bond with each other and with people is an easy relaxed group walk. At North Clwyd Animal Rescue we try hard to walk the dogs together as often as possible so they can practice their social skills and enjoy the company of other dogs.
If dogs aren't keen on other dogs this is often the best way to show them how to be calm around other dogs, and from there they can become curious and start to interact with the dogs which once scared them!
Del out with Snowy (who's now adopted)
Long term resident Strider going for a stroll with the lovely Rhianna
Staffies Sasha and Rebecca
Quiet Del and the fantastic Fern meet whilst on a walk
Fern also gets to go exploring with Rebecca
Kya (now adopted), Rhianna, Penny (adopted) and Juliet (adopted) loved their group walks
Socalising dogs in group walks does take a bit of organising and it doesn't happen as often as we'd like at NCAR, so any volunteers who would like to help out with this type of activity, just let us know!
Strider is an older Lab and has been a resident at North
Clwyd Animal Rescue for a few long years now. He is a calm, sweet and
affectionate lad whose big loves in life are walking, chasing balls, and
curling up with you for some relaxed attention.
Unfortunately for Strider, during his time before the rescue
he learned to distrust strangers and he actively discourages unknown people
from trying to stroke him. This is a
tricky issue to resolve in a rescue centre environment, and is a sure fire way
of ensuring Striders chances of finding a forever home are very slim. It is very rare for a potential adopter to
want to spend a few hours with a rescue dog in order to gain it’s trust before
they can start to build a close and trusting relationship, and this is exactly
what Strider needs.
In order to get a good idea of how long Strider takes before
he is ready to accept affection and relax with a stranger I took him out for a
walk. Before this, Strider not only saw
me as a stranger but has been actively avoiding me or acting defensively near me
over the years I’ve volunteered at the rescue, so I was a good test candidate!
Here is the video of how I got on.....
Regular volunteers at NCAR who spend time with Strider have
a wonderful relationship with him, he walks well, loves playing fetch the ball
and is only too happy to sit on the grass with them and chill out in the sun.
Strider hasn't had much chance to socialise with other dogs,
so he pretty much just ignores them. I will continue to socialise him and
hopefully he will see that he can have fun with other dogs and expand his
horizons (and re-homing chances!).
Here he is offlead with the fantastic Rhianna....
Anybody interested in giving this old boy a few good years
in the comfort every dog deserves, be willing to spend quality time with
Strider to earn his trust. This means, relaxing walks, a few treats along the
way and maybe a few ball games to finish. The key is to not force Strider into
interacting with you, or force your affection upon him, just enjoy his company
and wait until you have proved yourself trustworthy. The long term rewards will
be well worth the small amount of initial effort.
Also, anybody interested in helping Strider, or improving his
quality of life, in the meantime would make a big difference to him. Offering to
take him on walks or play sessions to show him strangers aren't all scary or
will hurt you would be fantastic. Contact me and we can work on introducing you
both up at the rescue and start a new mutually rewarding friendship. Adam at
www.K999.biz
Just a quick reminder that our annual Christmas Open Day will take place on Sunday 2nd December 2012 with stalls, Father Christmas and much much more to see.
Penny is a stunning 2 year old ‘red’ Staffie who came into North Clwyd Animal rescue as a stray. She arrived very nervous and suffers from panicky stress in her kennel. I started taking her out with other dogs to hopefully help her gain some confidence and relax a bit. Penny was simply fantastic; she was very comfortable in the company of other dogs and showed great manners and social skills. Whilst out on group walks I was able to clip her lead to my belt and forget about her as she just trotted along next to me amongst the other dogs. When she was let off lead to play with the other dogs she once again proved to be a great dog. Penny showed great manners and skills whilst interacting with the other dogs and even when she had to deal with 2 or 3 pushy dogs at once, she still kept calm and never caused any trouble. Check out the video...
I took Penny and Kya on a day out to Delamere Forest to meet
up with several other Staffies from the StaffieZone group (http://staffiezone.boardonly.com/forum)
and spend a few hours walking in the woods there. Penny handled meeting the several
staffiezone Staffies brilliantly and joined in with their pack as if she’d
walked with them all her life. She met people and dogs of all shapes, sizes and
types and each time greeted them in her usual friendly way. We even encountered some rather forceful dogs
(the type who often create fights) but she did a great job appeasing these dogs
and prevented any trouble erupting! She also handled the car journey from the
rescue centre to the forest, which was close to an hour, very well.
here is a video of their day...
Not only does Penny love being with dogs, she adores people!
She does fancy herself as a bit of a lapdog and is a big fan of curling up next
to you (or on you!) as soon as you sit down. She is ever so friendly and a
great credit to her breed. She has massive potential and as yet has received very
little of even the most basic training.
The staff and I will continue to mix her as much as possible at the rescue centre, which will be made easier by the fact she has become one of my helper dogs. Due to her calm friendly temperament I do use her to help problem dogs overcome their issues, especially dog aggression. She has already been involved helping with several such cases and behaved perfectly each time. The irony is of course she is the one who needs somebody to help her by simply giving her a chance!
Although happy out of her pen she still really struggles
being in her kennel, which is hard to witness as she is such a good all round
dog she would be a great family companion and really shouldn't be stuck in a
rescue centre.
Joey the deaf terrier is having a tough time coping back in rescue so I though I'd do some recall training with him. Obviously, being deaf makes recall work a bit tricky, so I bought a laser pointer along with me to help. I put some sausage on the floor and flashed the laser over it until Joey noticed it, hopefully getting Jo to associate the light with the sausage. We did this a couple of times then started increasing the distance I beamed the laser from the sausage. Joey learnt very quickly and began chasing the laser back from up to 8m (the length of the flexy lead) for his treat. He also did well with other dogs distracting him, he still came back with the laser. The next session will be off lead! Adam - www.K999.biz
The new website was launched yesterday and is now up and running, with more content being added all the time. The new website is much easier to navigate and we hope you like it.
An Army explosives sniffer dog who died hours after his handler was killed in Afghanistan has been given a posthumous award.
Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was shot by insurgents on March 1 last year while on patrol in Helmand Province with his dog Theo, who died of a seizure shortly afterwards. The pair, who were said to have been inseparable, found a record 14 Taliban roadside bombs and weapons caches in five months. Their role was to provide search and clearance support, uncovering hidden weapons, improvised explosive devices and bomb-making equipment. Springer spaniel Theo was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal , known as the animals' Victoria Cross, at Wellington Barracks, London. The award is said to be the highest accolade any animal can receive in recognition of devotion to duty in saving human life while serving in military conflict. It was established by the veterinary charity's founder, Maria Dickin, in 1943. L/Cpl Tasker, from Tayport in Fife, was posthumously honoured with an MBE in September last year. He served in The Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment. His mother, Jane Duffy, described Theo as her son's "best mate" and said they were together "24/7" in Afghanistan. She went on: "Liam got his mention in dispatches, so it's lovely that Theo is getting his PDSA Dickin Medal and he's being recognised for his bravery as well. "They'll be watching us and they'll be so proud. I just wish they were here to get it themselves. Theo and Liam saved so many lives out there." Theo made the most confirmed operational finds by any arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan to date. On one occasion, he is said to have discovered an underground tunnel leading to a room in which insurgents were suspected of making bombs and hiding from coalition forces.
As television’s mild-mannered horticulturalist turned daytime chat-show host, Alan Titchmarsh rarely courts controversy.
But when he invited ‘dog whisperer’ Cesar Millan to appear as a guest it was never going to please everyone.
US-based Millan’s unconventional training methods to ‘rehabilitate’ ill-disciplined dogs, including physically attacking
them, using electric shocks and spikes on collars, have split public opinion worldwide and led many to brand him ‘barbaric’.
Scroll down for video
Alan Titchmarsh and Dog whisperer Cesar Millan during the heated interview on the 'The Alan Titchmarsh Show' yesterday
Controversy: Millan's methods with training dogs have split opinion
A wave of protests was unleashed even before The Alan Titchmarsh Show went out on ITV yesterday afternoon.
More than 1,000 people joined a Twitter campaign demanding Millan’s appearance be cancelled. Production staff were inundated with calls and Titchmarsh was bombarded with hundreds of emails, while a Facebook page set up by protesters attracted 1,600 followers.
And when animal welfare campaigners threatened to disrupt the live show, extra security staff were drafted in.
Alan Titchmarsh, left, gave his guest, dog whisperer Cesar Millan, right, a tough grilling on his show
Although Titchmarsh, 63, refused to cancel the interview, he took on his guest in an uncharacteristically confrontational style.
TWEETERS HAMMER TITCHMARSH
@iChristianMark: Alan titchmarsh clearly has no idea what he's talking about. Cesar Milan has so much respect and affection for dogs.
@JenLant: Shocked to see how Alan Titchmarsh treated @cesarmillan on his tv show. Cesar is nothing but professional and works well with dogs.
@floatygoat: Alan Titchmarsh interviewing Cesar Milan was so frustrating. Less of an interview, more of a series of stupid accusations.
@kjvjude113: Titchmarsh was a complete a***
@bigGstacey: very frustrating, the guys has clearly never watched dog whisperer.... I wana punch titchmarsh now. #mynanwillhateme
@ShelleyWolfson: Appalling treatment by Alan Titchmarsh on @ITV of @cesarmillan. Where is your evidence? I have seen nothing but good from Cesar.
Titchmarsh told Millan: ‘You punish dogs, you hit them. I’ve seen you punch a dog in the throat to get it to behave and to most people, like myself, I would say that is totally unacceptable as a way of training a dog.’
An unsettled Millan replied: ‘Well obviously I would respectfully disagree with that. It’s not a punch, it’s a touch.’
Titchmarsh countered: ‘I watched the video of it and if somebody touched me like that I would be hurt. You went for the throat and you punched the dog back and the dog bit you and held on to your hand.
‘Having watched a lot of boxing matches it looked like something Henry Cooper would deliver.’
Millan again insisted that it was nothing more than a touch. ‘But you also work with electric shocks and collars and spikes on collars that really hurt them,’ continued Titchmarsh.
‘You know, this is pretty barbaric treatment. What’s your reasoning for treating dogs like this?’ Millan insisted that his methods were simply used to ‘snap the (dog’s) brain out of it’.
After the interview opinion on Twitter and other social media was divided, with some backing Titchmarsh, while others rounded on him for being ‘abusive’.
In a statement read out on air, the RSPCA said: ‘Adverse training techniques which have been seen to be used by Cesar Millan can cause pain and fear for dogs and may worsen their behavioural problems.
‘The RSPCA believes that using such techniques is unacceptable, nor are they necessary to change dog behaviour for the better when other dog trainers use reward-based methods to train dogs very effectively.’
VIDEO: Titchmarsh savages 'dog whisperer' Cesar Millan on the chat show
Controversy: Mexocan-born Millan with one of the animals he has trained
