Dogs Today_370 : simplebooklet.com

Expertly EngineeredWe’ve combined decades of innovative product development, premium craftsmanship, and advanced impact testing to bring you industry-changing pet protection systems that are evaluated against United Nations ECE child restraint safety criteria.TAVOPETS.COM | FROM THE MAKERS OF NUNA® MAEVE™ MEDIUM RIGIDDUPREE™ IIKEEP EVERYONE IN YOUR VEHICLE SAFE WITH TAVOPet Car SeatISOFIX Base IncludedCarry-On Pet Car SeatBuilt-In Rigid ISOFIXMAEVE™ SMALL FLEXMAEVE™ SMALL FLE XROSCOE™Pet StrollerPet Car SeatISOFIX Base IncludedPet Protection Reimagined.IMPACT TESTED PET CAR SEATSWe’re taking your pet’s adventures inside and outside your vehicle to the next level. Designed to enhance your pet’s protection with their comfort and well-being in mind.Inside this month...News & features 6 The state of the dog nation: the Essex rescue raid poses shocking questions for us all 20 Life and death: does abortion have a place in rescue? 26 Lionel Messi’s incredible Hulk (and Abu): canine coaches taught the footballer key skills 28 Pitch perfect: footie stars showcase rescue dogs 38 At the Sharp end: we ask Dogs Trust’s CEO about the charity’s controversial consultation and whistleblowing concerns 50 The searchers: the highly skilled dogs that find the missing Over to you!48 Great debate: do you have confidence in the management of Dogs Trust? 52 Postbag: your letters and emails Training & behaviour24 Click, treat, groom: good hair days for all! 30 Pack it in: debunking flawed wolf research Opinion 66 Confessions of a dogaholic: risky choices Investigation 12 Q&A: why does my pet lick me?; why does my pet stare at me?; why does my dog eat poo?; why does my dog keep sneezing?; why does my dog shake?; Dr Ian Dunbar: how do you teach your puppy/dog to let you know that they need to toilet and to poop on cue?; could your dog be a blood donor?; and what does your dog’s greeting reveal? 54 Dog crush: meet the Keeshond Competitions & shopping 22 35 GOATs: your greatest dogs of all time 36 Subscribe and win!60 Pop the kettle on and tackle our puzzles and competitionsKeeshond. Photo by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk)DogsTodayEditorialEditor: Beverley CuddyArt Director: Rosie PeaceChief Sub Editor/Contributing Editor: Claire Horton-BusseyDeputy Editor: Alessandra PacelliIllustrator: Kevin BrockbankAdvertising & sponsorship Sales & Marketing Director: Mike McGlynn 01276 402591Office dogsBetty (Old English-Golden Retriever-ish); Honey (Cocker Spaniel); Lennie (Staffie cross); Loki (Border Collie-Kelpie cross); Sophie (Jack Russell); Triss (Jack Russell); Fly (Newfoundland)Betty’s Personal Trainer: Kirsten Dillon IMDT A.Dip CBMPublishers Chief Operations Officer: Graham Smith01276 402598 (graham@wearebrandshare.com)Managing Director: Beverley Cuddy 01276 402597 (beverley@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk)Dogs Today is published by Brandshare Ltd, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA. 01276 402599enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk www.dogstodaymagazine.co.ukSubscriptionsFor queries please email beverley@wearebrandshare.com Direct Debit (UK only): £12.50 for 3 monthsThe editor is always pleased to consider articles and photos from freelancers. However, there is often a considerable delay before material can be assessed. Please include an SAE if you want your work returned. While every care will be taken, no responsibility for loss or damage can be accepted. Competition sponsors and their families are not eligible for any competition.Dogs Today incor porating Perfect Pup is published by Brandshare Ltd, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA. Tel 01276 402599. Brandshare Ltd reg. office: The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8AA.Distributed by Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Pl, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU.Tel: 020 3148 3333. www.marketforce.co.ukPrinted by The Manson Group.© 2025 Dogs Today. The world copyright of the editorial matter, both illustrations and text, is strictly reserved. Registered as a newspaper for transmission in the UK.The ethical pet magazine for people who really care about dogsFacebook: Dogs Today@beverleycuddy@Dogs_TodayLIMITEDCover photo: Paul WatkinsonCover dog: Maggie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Her owner Paul started the petition to regulate rescue. “Maggie’s the reason I fight for them all. Her life was cruelly shortened because of the way she was treated. I will never stop fighting in her memory.”Next issue on sale: 10 July 2025To download Dogs Today for iPad - go to the App store. Android and PC versions are available from Pocket MagsIssue 370 Dogs Today3Cover dog: Maggie, a Cavalier King PC versions are available from Pocket Mags

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4 Dogs Today Issue 370 When I spoke with Owen Sharp, the CEO of Dogs Trust (see page 38), he mentioned that the charity was planning to sell one of its London buildings. As we go to press, Clarissa Baldwin House is under offer at £9.2 million.Owen also mentioned that many of the three million extra dog owners post-pandemic are under 35 years old. Many will be ﬁrst-time dog owners. At Crufts, I talked to Tavo about this new breed of younger dog owners. In London, there are now more dogs than there are children under ﬁve. While dogs are, for most, very deﬁnitely family, Tavo found that younger dog owners, especially, appeared to have a blind spot when it came to pet car safety.The temptation is to hold a small dog on your lap, but if you watch Tavo’s ‘Imagine the Impact’ video, most people would never want to do that again. You’d never travel with a human baby in your arms, would you? We all know the importance of a car seat for children – they won’t even let you leave the hospital with your newborn if you don’t have one.I remembered an article from the launch issue of Dogs Today, back in 1990. Lucky the Beardie was fortunate in every way. He liked to lie on the parcel shelf while owners Frank and Ann Childs travelled. He would look out of the rear window at the people in the car behind.Sadly, one day there was a need for an emergency stop, and Lucky was propelled forward, hitting both his owners on the back of the head and ﬂying through the windscreen before landing on the road several yards in front of the car.The force of the impact knocked Ann’s teeth out – but Frank joked at the time that luckily his wife wore dentures!Lucky had landed on his feet and was very confused as to how he ended up on the road, but he was completely unharmed.Lots of other dog owners have less happy outcomes. People and unsecured pets have been killed in car accidents.PREMIUM TRAVELAs I have a small car and two very differently sized dogs, after watching the Tavo video, I realised I needed to up my game to keep Honey and Betty safe on the rare occasions I travel with them both in the car. Betty is huge, and she can go behind the dog guard in the boot or wear a crash-tested harness on the back seat. But what about little Honey? I’ve never had a small dog before, and Tavo’s Crispin Pet Travel Crate has only recently been invented. I had never seen anything like them before – they are just so well made! You can tell that Tavo is part of a company that makes premium baby seats – they’ve used all that skill and experience to imagine the perfect travel solution for pets.But even if you can’t stretch to their top-of-the-range solution, please urge everyone never to take risks with dogs in cars.And if you do enjoy travelling with your pets, you’ll be delighted to hear that the pet passport is coming back, replacing the very unpopular, clunky and expensive post-Brexit Animal Health Certiﬁcate.As I’ve been looking back at our launch in 1990, I have to mention that the original campaign to introduce pet passports was one of the main reasons Lord Rothermere started Dogs Today 35 years ago. PBeverley CuddyIllustration by Beverley CuddyDear readersBeverley Cuddy is Dogs Today’s Editor and publisher. She shares her life with Betty, an Old English-Golden Retriever-ish dog from Many Tears, and Honey, a Cocker Spaniel.ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIESKITS FOR TRAINERSEXPLORE OURSNIFF-TASTIC RANGESO HOW CAN SNIFFING BENEFIT MY DOG?Sniffing fulfils a major part of a dog’s sensory needs, requiring mental energy to work those amazing noses. It acts like mindfulness for dogs, especially for those who are nervous, over reactive, recovering from injury, or just needing a job to do.Whether it’s a wriggly puppy or a wise old senior, scentwork provides focus, joy, and a deep sense of satisfaction.WHY SNIFFING MATTERS• Supports a dog’s natural instincts, dogs love to sniff!• Provides vital mental stimulation and enrichment• Helps anxious or over reactive dogs to relax• Suitable for dogs of all ages from puppies to seniors• Ideal for dogs on reduced physical exercise• Builds confidence and promotes resilience through fun and rewarding sniffing!NOSEJOY IS FOR EVERY DOGTucked away in the rolling hills of South Gloucestershire. The Sniffer Shop is more than a business, it’s a heartfelt mission to spread a little nosejoy to all dogs.“We began by making a few nosework tins in the garage and now have over 60 products, all geared towards the enriching benefits of Scentwork, most of them designed and made right here in our workshop”says Kate, scentwork trainer & founder, along with her husband Marcus of The Sniffer Shop.Bringing Nosejoyto DogsFor all your sniffing essentialsfrom professional level starter kits to fun sniﬀy enrichment toys. The Sniﬀer Shop has everything you need. Every item is eld tested by their own sniﬀer savvy Labradors and lovingly crafted in house.THESNIFFERSHOP.CO.UK

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8 Dogs Today Issue 370caught and imprisoned because of VAT fraud?In the aftermath of the Essex dog scandal, I encountered numerous amateur rescuers who scour social media and online listing sites, stepping in when no one else will. There are so many dogs being given up now that there seems to be an endless stream of sad and urgent stories. Hearts often rule heads. Outsiders have an overly romantic view of what dog rescue will be like. I recently came across a young, naive inﬂuencer on Facebook who said it had always been her dream to start rescuing dogs and that with all her millions of followers, she’d easily be able to ﬁnd homes for them. I’m hoping someone will provide her with some work experience at an actual dog rescue, so she can see that it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.There are many shades of unethical rescues out there, too. Some individuals are engaged in a mix of resale and rescue. There are many opportunists; they resemble second-hand dog traders. They may call it rescuing, but they’re merely identifying desirable dogs being surrendered and making a quick proﬁt by selling them on. They label it ‘rehoming for a donation’, allowing everyone to feel more virtuous morally. However, often these dogs end up with individuals who impulsively rescue a dog just as they would have bought one from a pet shop! GREY AREASDevil’s advocate here, but if the dog ends up in a good home, is that so very wrong? If the ‘rescue’ is simply an inexperienced person with a computer, is there even a home-check? Is there any form of rescue support? Who rescues the rescuers? What happens when a rescue organisation begins paying for the dogs they are ‘saving’ – purchasing the tail end of an unsold litter? Does this provide funds to a breeder? Is that morally acceptable? Or do the ends justify the means? This happens all the time. And it’s not solely private individuals. Some large organisations are engaging in this, if we are to believe all the rumours. What about when breeders begin to rely on rescuers as part of their business model? The rescues come to expect a market for any unsold pups past their sell-by date and they might even take the mother if she’s too old to breed again! Would the puppy farmer simply dispose of the unsold pups and old mothers if they didn’t have this arrangement? Many threaten to. There’s a cost associated with euthanising dogs. This ‘rescue’ arrangement makes sound commercial sense from the perspective of a puppy farmer.And maybe rescues tell themselves they need to be pragmatic. The public desires puppies: these ones need loving homes. Puppies are easy to place in homes with children and other pets. The revenue from the swift rehoming of puppies helps fund the more challenging, time-consuming and costly rescue work the organisation Rescue facadesBy Paul WatkinsonThis was Maggie. My girl. My beautiful, sweet best friend. She didn’t receive the life she deserved. She was a ‘rescue’. That’s what they told me. And I believed them. I thought I was saving her. But Maggie came from a puppy farm. The truth is… we knew. People knew. Everyone knew. Yet, no one asked questions. No one reported it. No one did anything. She had over 20 rotten teeth, facial paralysis, a grade-six heart murmur and was in complete heart failure. She also had a shoulder injury, likely from being kicked, and suspected Chiari-like malformation, a condition that causes intense pressure and pain inside the skull. That was her reality. By taking her in, I unknowingly helped fund the very people who did that to her. Let that sink in. I thought I was saving her. And I live with that guilt every single day. DOUBLE THE DOSHBut Maggie’s story isn’t rare. This is happening every single day across the UK. Four in ﬁve rescue dogs in the UK have no veriﬁed origin. One in four rescues are unknowingly rehoming puppy-farmed dogs. I believe that more than £6 million a year is lost to fake rescues and fraud. Puppy farms are proﬁting twice. When they sell the puppies, they discard the breeding dogs that are no longer viable. And some rescues — whether well meaning or not — become part of that cycle. Because there’s no law compelling them to check where a dog came from. No tracing. No accountability. No punishment for lying. Issue 370 Dogs Today 9 also undertakes. Like ﬁnding homes for all the former breeding stock once they are no longer economically viable. Those dogs are taken to the rescue by the same people supplying them with desirable puppies to sell.It's starting to sound a bit like co-dependence. The rescue and the puppy farmers appear to be caught in a repeating cycle. And what about the importers of pregnant overseas rescue dogs? The public consistently desires puppies. An ordinary adult female dog is unlikely to ﬁnd a home overseas, but if she’s expecting, she suddenly becomes much more desirable. The temptation to do the wrong thing is painfully obvious. Puppies secure good homes and their mum gets a new life, too.Suddenly, the ‘adopt, don’t shop’ mantra is beginning to feel a little muddied. Are some rescues merely resellers cloaked in a false morality? How can you distinguish genuine rescues from the rogues?Paul Watkinson has long campaigned against puppy farming, and, even before the raid in Essex, had started a petition calling for the regulation of rescues (see box above). As we go to press, more than 40,000 have signed his petition (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/718660).The Naturewatch Foundation informs us that four in ﬁve dogs and puppies in the UK originate from unknown sources, including unlicensed breeders, illegal traders and puppy smugglers.HOUNDING GOOD BREEDERS We all know that the most ethical breeders raise their puppies in the home, do everything they can to nurture happy, healthy pups and offer lifetime rescue support. However, these breeders are precisely the ones who are becoming disheartened.When mothers are cherished and all puppies are raised with the best chance of success and a safety net, they will never end up in council pounds or rescues. The only way to reduce the number of dogs ending up in rescue is to alter how they are produced. We need to change how the public acquires puppies by encouraging everyone to refrain from purchasing poorly bred dogs, whether from a puppy farmer, a puppy reseller, or a rogue rescue.However, Defra is not genuinely supporting small, ethical breeders and encouraging them to thrive. The breeder’s licence is far from clear and many councils interpret it differently, resulting in a postcode lottery determining whether an And so many stolen dogs end up in puppy farms; we know this when they are eventually recovered after being dumped once no longer economically viable for breeding. No one checks the microchips when litters are sold online to verify that the breeder is the legal owner of the mother. And then there’s Diddy. Niki from Jack’s Giant Journey had her dog stolen from her home, quite possibly because she dared to speak out about puppy farming. How many more Maggies will be exploited until their bodies give out? How many more Diddys will be stolen? If you care — even a little — please sign the petition and email your MP. Please do it for Maggie and Diddy. For the heartbeat at your feet, right now. If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the subject will be debated in parliament. Here’s the link:https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/718660

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Issue 370 Dogs Today 11 dog breeders are generally quite negative, one neighbour did object and incited many others to do the same.The lady agreed to stop breeding, but was shocked to be told that, regardless of this, she would have to rehome ﬁve of her dogs, as owning more than ﬁve was deemed unreasonable in a residential property.As we go to press, she is writing to her MP and trying to contest this decision. Her dogs are cherished, her puppies adored and she was an exceptional breeder, providing lifelong support – yet she has been terrorised. In contrast, in Essex, planners seemed completely uninterested in a man transforming his home into what appears to have been a killing factory for rescue dogs. He had far more than ﬁve dogs, but planning ofﬁcials never intervened, even when his neighbours complained of the stench of death.The world of dogs is in chaos.The Royal Kennel Club recorded the fewest dog registrations in 2024 since 1988. Dogs Trust, as reported last month, also seems in crisis. Dogs need someone to sort this mess out, don’t they? It seems that it might have to be us, the dog lovers. All those in positions of power don’t seem to be getting on with it, do they?We must regulate rescue. PHe showed me proof of home-checks, vet records, adoption forms, contracts and a charity number (which I now know wasn’t his). I was told about happy adoption stories, references from others who had sent him dogs, as well as videos of dogs he’d worked with. I asked around and was informed that he was terriﬁc and specialised in reactive dogs. We arranged a meet and drop-off. I spent two hours with Obi, allowing him to get to know Chance. I left feeling happy that he would ﬁnd his forever home, but heartbroken that I had to let him go. Chance would have spent most of his time in a crate had we kept him, and that wasn’t fair. Additionally, we didn’t have the funds to care for another dog, especially one that might have needed ongoing treatment – he couldn’t be insured.Obi agreed to keep in contact, providing regular updates, photos and videos, and he’d pass my number on to an adopter when the time came. A few weeks passed and I continued to check in. He kept promising updates and videos. However, I was only met with excuses. He had even promised my son a FaceTime call, but it never happened. Alarm bells were ringing; the excuses were pathetic – like taking a photo would delay him from feeding the dogs. I told him that if he was having issues with Chance, I would come and pick him up. He then sent me one very blurry and edited photo. Chance looked appalling; his feet were urine stained, he appeared depressed, and he was wearing a coat. I then asked for a video, so I could get a better look (not alerting Obi to my concerns). He didn’t send one. So, I wrote expressing my concerns for Chance’s welfare. Again, all that came back were just excuses, so I posted a public message on social media, asking if anyone had any more information regarding Chance. This was then shared in an animal warning group, and I began to receive messages from other people who had also sent dogs to Obi. Dogs that had vanished with no updates. He then became abusive towards me, calling me names, saying I was making up lies, and other people joined in with the abuse. I was getting anonymous phone calls in the early hours of the morning. Despite this, I continued to try to track Chance down, as Obi had said he’d been adopted. I checked and he was still microchipped to me, so I emailed every vet within an hour’s distance with photos and his chip number, but to no avail. I spent every spare second of every day gathering evidence, along with many others, to ﬁgure out what was going on. All the evidence we have went to the police. Chance was reported as stolen, as it is classed as theft by deception. The authorities informed me that the dogs at the property would be checked, but he wasn’t one of the dogs recovered. I will continue to issue public appeals to ﬁnd out what happened to Chance.Pictured below are just some of the other missing dogs. DogLost are coordinating the search. If any dogs managed to end up in a loving home, then everyone will be delighted. A handful of happy endings have already been discovered. Any closure would also be appreciated by those awaiting news. 10Dogs Today Issue 370application is needed. Move just a few miles and you might ﬁ nd that your application prompts the planning department to turn your entire existence into a nightmare.A precedent case is often cited as ammunition to argue that owning more than ﬁ ve dogs in a residential property is unreasonable, which applies not only to ﬁ ve breeding bitches but also to dogs of any age.I was contacted by a ﬁ ve-star home breeder who had purchased a large house in a neighbouring council. There had been no complaints about her small dogs, all of which lived indoors, and she had received the highest possible grading from the vet and licensing ofﬁ cial. However, the number of dogs she owned triggered a planning inquiry. This lady kept all her dogs after their breeding was over and had them spayed, as they were family pets. She had 10 small dogs and there had been no noise or disruption complaints against her. Her immediate neighbours were unaware that she had already reared a litter without causing any fuss. The planners contacted all her neighbours and inquired if they had any objections to her holding a breeding licence, without providing any context that this was not a change but merely the status quo. As perceptions of Chance’s story By Shannon Jade RESCUE IS IN CRISIS – NO ONE WOULD HELP THIS DOG. THE ONLY PERSON WHO INITIALLY SEEMED LEGITIMATE WAS THE START OF AN EVEN WORSE NIGHTMARE…On 14 October 2024, I was contacted about an underweight dog with a skin condition that was being kept tied to a radiator in a ﬂ at. I was previously involved in rescue, so I still receive calls about dogs in need; however, I no longer have the space, time or ﬁ nances to help. I said I couldn’t help. I already had a dog who needed intense behavioural rehabilitation, a cat and a six-year-old child – plus, I was in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy. I couldn’t risk taking in an unassessed dog, as I didn’t have the space to separate the two dogs. However, I still went to see him the next day and I was shocked by the skeletal, terriﬁ ed, poor dog that was brought out to see us. His skin was red raw, he was extremely head shy, and it took over half an hour to get a slip lead on him (for safety). He opened his bowels and expelled human hair, peanuts and rubbish where he’d no doubt been eating from a bin. I had to take him. I absolutely could not leave him where he was. I don’t think he’d have survived the next few days. When we managed to get him into the car, which took over an hour of coaxing, I rushed him to the vet, who was horriﬁ ed. He was 20kg underweight, covered in urine burns and mange, and had bald patches and cuts from scratching. He wasn’t microchipped, so that was done, but on the ﬁ rst attempt, the chip came right out the other side, and he bled everywhere. The vet said she had never seen that before, but that it was due to how skinny he was and how thin his skin was. The ﬁ rst vet visit was almost £200. We named him Chance, as I felt we were his last one. The RSPCA were called, but said they’d take 10 days to attend. Chance didn’t have 10 days left. We provided him with frequent medical treatment and regular veterinary visits. We gave him good food, and he began to gain weight. He was still terriﬁ ed and untrusting, but he took to my partner and my young son, particularly. If you raised anything above head height, he cowered, and it broke my heart. He suffered badly with ‘happy tail’, and it got too severe. We tried everything but failed to save it; he had to have the end amputated. After two months with me, he was healthy enough to be considered for a rescue placement. There was no way we could keep him for good. I didn’t have the space and one of my existing dogs wasn’t coping. UK rescue is in crisis – it’s getting worse, and we struggled massively to ﬁ nd anywhere that could take Chance.Save A Paw UK was recommended by someone. I asked Obi, the man in charge, a lot of questions. Initially, I thought we had found an alternative placement, but that fell through. Obi kept in touch, seeing if he could help.

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12 Dogs Today Issue 370 EXPERT ADVICEAnimal Friends Pet Insurance experts Catrin George, animal well-being specialist, and Jen Wormleighton, in-house vet, have shared the answers to some of the most-searched questions from dog owners.WHY DOES MY PET LICK ME?Catrin explains, “Dogs and cats lick for similar reasons, whether they are licking themselves, objects or, in this case, their owners. There are a number of reasons, including bonding, showing affection, attempting to groom you, and trying to get your attention.“However, there are less positive reasons why your pet may be licking you. Both dogs and cats sometimes lick excessively as a way of self-soothing if they’re feeling anxious. Licking can also indicate potential health conditions, injury or general discomfort. If your dog or cat has suddenly started licking you a lot more than before, you should consider a visit to the vet if the behaviour persists to ensure there are no underlying causes for concern.”WHY DOES MY PET STARE AT ME?Catrin says, “As with licking, there’s a wide range of reasons why your dog or cat may be staring at you. First, your pet loves you! There are going to be times where your pet is gazing at you with love and affection, but there can be other reasons too.“Your furry friend may be trying to get your attention to play, go for a walk, feed them or let them out for the toilet. They may also be confused and trying to understand what you are doing, or whether you’re about to do something different. They could also be looking at you for guidance or reassurance if they’re confused or scared.“If your pet is gazing at you for an unusual amount of time, take a moment to think about whether they may need something from you.”Quick questionDo you have a problem you’d like answered by an expert? Or do you want advice from someone with personal experience of the issue? Email your question to enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.ukWhy does my dog...?Photos posed by modelsIssue 370 Dogs Today13WHY DOES MY DOG EAT POO?Jen says, “Seeing your dog eat poo can be particularly confusing, as well as making the inevitable dog kisses somewhat less pleasant. Sometimes the reason is as simple (and confusing) as your pup liking the taste. They may also be hungry, bored or stressed, or seeking your attention.“Eating poo isn’t particularly unusual for many pooches, but as it can be unpleasant for us as their parents, it can be preferable to attempt to discourage the behaviour. You should never discipline your pet for eating poo, but try to distract them or call them away from it if you see them going towards some whilst out on a walk or in your garden. If you also own a cat, move their litter box somewhere out of your pup’s reach to help prevent the behaviour.“If your dog rarely eats poo and has suddenly begun eating it regularly, it may indicate that there is something wrong. As with any sudden and noticeable changes in behaviour, consider taking your dog for a vet checkup if the behaviour persists.”WHY DOES MY DOG SHAKE?Jen says, “There are different types of shaking, which can indicate several things. A whole-body shake, for example, especially after a swim, a walk in the rain, or a bath, is just a simple and effective way to dry themselves when they’re wet.“If the shake is more akin to a tremble, there could be cause for concern. Dogs do sometimes tremble if they’re feeling happy or excited, or when they’re cold in the same way a human would shiver. However, shaking can also be a sign of stress or anxiety – or more worryingly, of pain, discomfort, illness or poisoning.“In many cases, shaking is not a reason for you to worry. If your dog is shaking persistently, you should consider seeing a vet, and if the shaking is accompanied by signs of sickness, including vomiting, an upset stomach, excessive panting or seizures, you should speak to your vet urgently.”is just a simple and effective way to WHY DOES MY DOG KEEP SNEEZING?Jen says, “Like humans, dogs sneeze when their nose is irritated. Also like humans, dogs can experience allergies, including hayfever and dust allergies, which may result in them sneezing more than usual. They also spend a lot of time with their nose close to the ground or rummaging through things, meaning that it is likely they will occasionally sniff something that makes them sneeze.“If your dog is sneezing a lot, it could be a sign that they are experiencing allergies. If this is the case, speak to your vet for an allergy test and advice on the best ways to minimise exposure to the allergen. If the sneezing is accompanied by scratching or pawing at their nose, it could be a sign that your pup has something lodged in their nose. They may be able to free it themselves, but if the behaviour persists, or if they appear to be in distress or severe physical discomfort, you should visit your vet urgently.” P

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14 Dogs Today Issue 370 EXPERT ADVICETraining guru Dr Ian Dunbar continues his regular series on everything you need to know to raise a happy, well-trained best friend...It would be so easy if dogs could say, “Excuse me, but I would like to go outside and urinate.” Certainly, some dogs ask by sitting and ﬁxing a piercing gaze at the back of your head, or at a closed door. Others bark or scratch at the door. In the absence of you training your dog, they are training you to be a doorman. They’re doing their best and often it works... if their people are paying attention. Much more effective, though, is to teach your dog how to communicate “I need ‘to go’... NOW!”With younger puppies, I would religiously stick to the hourly schedule (as outlined in earlier columns). However, older puppies and adult dogs have much better bladder and bowel control and there is less urgency for the conﬁnement-to-toilet transition, so we can teach the dog how to ‘ask’ to go out.On each toilet trip, have your puppy sit by the door and ring a bell. I have a couple of bells hanging from the door handles on the inside and outside on both doors. ■Instruct your dog, “Ring the bell.” ■Waggle a food treat close to the bell. ■As soon as your dog noses the bell while trying to get the treat… ■…Praise, offer the treat, open the door, and say, “Outside” or “Go to your toilet.”Similarly, teach your dog to ring the bell to go back inside. In no time at all, the sound of the bells will condition you, ﬁrst, to subconsciously open the door for your dog to go out, and secondly, to subconsciously open the door for your dog to come back inside. False alerts are OK. A few false alarms are much better than a single mistake indoors. And anyway, do consider your dog’s point of view. Maybe your dog just wanted to go outside to savour the smells and then come back to smell your cooking or enjoy the couch.Do try to accompany your puppy though, to praise, inspect and clean up, and to check that they emptied out.HOW TO TEACH POOPING ON CUEAfter your puppy has dutifully peed on cue: ■Remain still, say “Go poop” (your choice of words) and let them circle around you on-leash to have the chance ‘to go’ if necessary (lunge-pooping). ■Gently praise when your puppy sniffs the ground and especially when they short-couple (where the hind legs catch up to the front legs), prepare to address the spot (like a golfer), and especially while they meditate throughout the production. ■After your puppy poops, praise and offer half a dozen treats in succession.How do you teach your dog or puppy to let you know that they need to toilet?Quick questionPhoto posed by a modelIssue 370 Dogs Today15DOUBLE-POOPERS ■Some dogs are ‘double-poopers’. If so, praise after the ﬁ rst poop and handsomely reward after the second poop. ■Play fetch, tug, or tag to prompt some peristalsis and then give your puppy another opportunity in the poop spot. ■Should your pup prematurely consider a second poop while playing, immediately instruct, “Toilet! Toilet! Toilet!” in a calm, yet insistent voice.Welcome toDignipetsMonthlyThe human animal bond at the end of lifeThe bond we share with our dogs is one oflife’s most meaningful connections. Theyare more than pets—they are family. Overthe years, this bond deepens throughshared routines, companionship, andunconditional love.As your dog nears the end of their life, thisconnection often becomes even moreprofound. Though it can be a time ofsadness, it’s also a chance to reflect on thejoy and comfort you’ve given each other.Introducing one of ourFounders...My name is MajaRedfern, as a HospiceVet and dog owner Iknow how muchmemories matter, ourteam at Dignipetsprovides hospice andvet visits for apeaceful passing, soyou can let your petgo with dignity.What is the human-animal bond?The human–animal bond is a relationshipbuilt on trust, loyalty, and affection thatbenefits both the human and the animal.It has a profound effect emotionally onboth.Why does it matter at the end of life?In their final days, your presence—yourvoice, your touch, your calm—can bringthem great comfort. This is something Isee daily in my job. Pet’s nearing the endare often very calm.Respecting your dog’s needs andpersonality during this time helpspreserve the trust you’ve built. Morethan ever, these moments matter deeply.Saying goodbye is never easy, but it’salso a time to honour a life well lived.The love you’ve shared doesn’t end—itstays with you, always.See you next month-MajaADVERTORIALPlease enjoy and share my three free downloadable eBooks, free courses, and other resources at DunbarAcademy.com and consider subscribing ($20/month) to have full access to the entire humongous archive of video instruction and entertainment, including all our courses: The Essential Puppy Training Course, The Behaviour Problems Compendium, Reactive Dog Toolkit, Reliability and Games Training Workshops, Science-Based Dog Training (with Feeling), and our shorter courses, Dog Training for Children, Dog & Cat Behaviour Problems, Biting and Fighting, Social Behaviour and the Doggy Dominance Myth, and Canine Sexual Behaviour,and a few courses in Spanish.We offer a free one-month’s subscription for you to check out and binge watch all the courses, plus, for just a short time, an annual subscription for $150/year ($12.50/month) from https://dunbar.info/freepupbooksFor a deep dive into the development of the dog’s brain and behaviour, you may want to explore the free courses for dog owners and pet professionals, (breeders, veterinarians, trainers, and shelters), at Dunbar Academy.com TIP! For some owners, a fenced toilet area (just two square yards) is easier than lunge-pooping. Instruct your puppy, “In your toilet” prior to entering, so they learn the name for their designated poop spot. A fenced toilet area offers an ideal space for poop disposal. I used to bury a 55-gallon oil drum on its side, with holes in the bottom for drainage, and a plastic pipe connecting to the surface to deposit the poop. Place a plastic mug on the top of the pipe to prevent ﬂ ies from getting in and odours from getting out. The buried oil drum never needs emptying. Faeces are broken down by bacteria and subterranean critters and disappear. (Maybe to Australia. Or, if you live in Oz, maybe to Dunbar, Nebraska.)

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16 Dogs Today Issue 370 MorganCould your dog be a blood donor?EXPERT ADVICEPet Blood Bank UK says…Just like humans, our furry friends sometimes need lifesaving blood transfusions. Pet Blood Bank UK ensures this vital resource is available by relying on generous four-legged donors. These incredible lifesavers are dogs of all breeds, each playing a crucial role in helping to save lives.If your dog meets the criteria below, they could help to save lives just like Murphy, Morgan, Baxter and Sharwood: ■Fit and healthy ■Between one and eight years old ■Weighs over 25kg ■Conﬁdent and enjoys meeting new peopleWHAT HAPPENS? The donation session is split into three parts and owners stay with their dogs throughout the whole process.First, dogs receive a pre-donation health assessment from a vet. This is to check they are ﬁt and healthy to donate that day. Next, the dog goes into the donation room where they will donate approximately 450ml of blood. This takes between ﬁve and 10 minutes and the dog gets a lovely tummy rub from the team while on the table. After their donation, dogs get their ‘tea and biscuits’, which is a drink of water and a snack. They are given a goody bag to take home, which contains a toy and some treats, and they have their photo taken, wearing their red lifesaver bandanna.The blood is then taken back to Pet Blood Bank’s processing centre where it is split into its different components. Because of this, one donation can help save the lives of up to four other dogs! PRegister your dog today and become part of this incredible lifesaving community. Visit www.petbloodbankuk.org to learn more.Quick questionMurphyBaxter & SharwoodMade in DevonBalanced Raw Minces& Raw Meaty BonesWild Venison, Gra-fed Bf,Gra-fed Lamb, Gse,Chicken, Bf TripeDelivered to Your Dr15%OFFUse codeDOGST-25**T&CsapplyArtisan Dog Confectionery & Handmade Botanical Range Artisan deluxe confectionery for your dog to celebrate any occasion, or simply just because! Made from healthy and safe ingredients. As well as carob, maple syrup, peanut butter and coconut oil, we aim to titillate the taste buds by using various vegetable powders for diverse flavours and colouring. They come in many shapes and sizes. Special Code for Dogs Today readers: DTCONMAY25www.dogdancing.org dogdancingltd@gmail.com 07535 176 317 Handmade Botanticals made from goat milk, neem and essential oils. Spray and Spot-On for fleas and ticks, calming sprays for anxious/over-excited dogs, healing after Sun nose and paw balm. Special 5% off Code for Dogs Today readers: DTBOTMAY25All Packaging & bottles/jars recycleable or re-useable

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18 Dogs Today Issue 370 EXPERT ADVICETrustedHousesitters – the global pet-sitting community dedicated to keeping pets happy at home – has teamed up with vet Dr Rebecca MacMillan to decode what your pet’s reactions really say about your relationship, and how best to respond to keep your time apart (and return home) healthy… OVER-THE-TOP EXCITEMENT: jumping, barking, running in circles, or even a little accidental peeDoes your arrival home call for fanfare from your beloved pet? This is a telltale sign of a strong attachment and pent-up energy. “Your arrival home can send their excitement into overdrive, especially if you greet them with a high-pitched voice and enthusiastic body language,” says Dr MacMillan. “Some dogs will accidentally pee when they are overexcited, especially puppies and young dogs.”How to respond: keep greetings low-key to help prevent overexcitement. A calm entrance and delayed affection can encourage more relaxed behaviour over time. SHY OR BASHFUL BEHAVIOUR: head down, eyes averted – but a wagging tailIf your usually conﬁdent pet suddenly comes over all bashful upon your return, this could simply be their way of saying, “I’m happy you’re home” – but politely.“Some are a bit more subtle, but just as pleased,” explains Dr MacMillan. “Acting shy or bashful may even be a form of submissive behaviour. Your pet sees you as their leader, and they are greeting you in a respectful manner.”How to respond: get down to their level and use a soothing tone to reassure them. BRINGING YOU A TOY OR GIFT: a slobbery tennis ball, or worseDogs often bring toys as a request to play, while cats might deliver ‘presents’ as an expression of affection. “It’s their way of trying to engage with you immediately,” says Dr MacMillan. “They may have even been a bit bored while you were out and are now ready for a play session or some exercise.”How to respond: if it’s safe, accept the offering – even if it’s not exactly your idea of a welcome-home gift. MacMillan elaborates, “The way you react can also reinforce this behaviour. If they know that bringing you a toy is likely to elicit a good response from you, they will continue to do it each time.” TOTAL INDIFFERENCE: they barely glance up when you walk inBelieve it or not, this is often a good sign. “It shows that they don’t consider your arrival and departure as a big deal and that they are happy in their own company,” says Dr MacMillan. This means behavioural issues like separation anxiety are less likely to affect them.”However, if the behaviour is new or accompanied by other signs of depression, it may warrant a check-in with your vet.How to respond: don’t take it personally. Let them come to you on their terms. VOCALISATIONS: barks, whines or howls – what are they trying to say?Are you greeted by a noisy pet? Each sound is a communication attempt. Cats might trill, chirp or mew in different tones to express affection or frustration. Dogs may bark, whine or howl to release pent-up emotion.How to respond: pay attention to the tone and body language accompanying it. Happy tail wag? They’re excited. Pinned ears or pacing? They may need some comfort or space. PQuick questionPhoto posed by modelsWhat does your dog’s greeting reveal?Insurance for your cats, dogs, caravans and more with our wide range of policies.YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY. INSURED.PROTECT THE SPECIAL THINGSVISIT THEINSURANCEEMPORIUM.CO.UK/DT99call 03300 243 980 today!Lifestyle Policy Limited is an appointed representative of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. The Insurance Emporium ® is a trading name of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited (registered in England and Wales no: 294940) which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority no: 202748.The maximum available discount is 30% - this is a combination of 20% Introductory Discount and 10% Multi-pet Discount. The Introductory Discount is available from the start of the policy untilits rst review/renewal dateON PET INSURANCEDISCOUNTUP TO30%HANDMADE DOG TREATS - MADE WITH THE FINEST INGREDIENTSSince its establishment in 2009, Poochʼs Treats has been a labour of love driven by our unwavering commitment to excellence. We take immense pride in handcrafting each treat using locally sourced, premium ingredients to ensure the highest quality.

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unning a rescue is really hard. Everyone is full of opinions. Of course, we live in a free world and people are welcome to their own thoughts, but as I sit here, looking at the day-old litter of puppies we have in the rescue, I contemplate how some people believe we should have aborted them. With rescues already sinking in dogs that need homes, why are we allowing a pregnant bitch to have her puppies? Well, my thoughts on this are clear and for many reasons. There are circumstances, for the well-being of the mother or her unborn babies, where an abortion might be appropriate, but, on the whole, we do not agree with terminating pregnancies. It can be detrimental to a pregnant bitch to abort and spay – and is it even our right to take a life? It’s a very emotive subject and yes, when it comes to humans, I believe that every woman should make her own choice regarding her own body. In other countries, it is often normal protocol. Before we began our neutering campaign in Bulgaria, we were asked, “What is the latest gestational period that you will abort a pregnant bitch’s litter?” Our answer was clear. “Do not even bring us a visibly pregnant bitch.” Their response was, “No problem – we will take her to a Bulgarian vet; they have no problem with this at any age.” Bulgaria is a very different country to here. We do not have hundreds and thousands of cats and dogs roaming our streets. And, of course, they have a right to deal with their problem the way they see ﬁt.As it turned out, our vets did open up some cats and dogs in the very early stages of pregnancy. We also opened up dogs and cats that had already been neutered. The universal left ear clip, to signify an animal is neutered, had not been done. Neither had an ear tag been put in place, which is issued from their government. The trap, neuter and release programme is not yet working to its full potential out there, sadly. But the government is passionate about this being the way forward and I believe a good start has been made. Every day of the four-day neutering campaign brought tears – to me and the vets and nurses. There were so many difﬁcult situations. I have the utmost respect for veterinary staff – some of the things they have to do are heartbreaking. Let’s not forget they train because they are passionate about animals and they want to save their lives.We sadly lost the very last dog that was worked on. She was a gorgeous gentle giant that we’d all fallen in love with. And sadly, yes, she was pregnant. She bled out and they could not save her. This is just one of the reasons why we do not spay pregnant bitches. We lost one animal in the hundreds that we neutered. It affected all of us and we drove home to our beds in silence that night.We were ﬁlming for our documentary at this time and still haven’t decided whether this part should go into the ﬁnished piece. It was a cruel scene; every vet and nurse was on hand, helping. Our head vet, Scarlet, was fantastic – cool, calm and collected. I honestly don’t know how she does it. I stood watching helpless, with tears rolling down my face. As it became obvious that they could not save the bitch, and she had ﬁnally gone, everyone cried. What an ending to a four-day campaign – some days more than 14 hours long. NEVER FORGOTTENThis part of our neutering campaign has never left me. This big girl was not just a number, taken off the streets. She was a sentient being. We had not gone out there to murder, but just to stop unwanted lives being born. We were trying to help control the population, but the life of an already living dog was lost. Rest in peace, beautiful girl. We are so sorry this happened to you. Our team will never forget you. I do hope you were laid to rest in the manner and respect that you deserved.I have so longed to be a mother. I’m a nurse and a carer by nature, which is obviously why I’m a rescuer. I am a mother to rainbow Words NIKI ROELife and death 20 Dogs Today Issue 370Abortion is always a sensitive subject – whether for humans or for dogs. Does it have a place in population control and the world of rescue?Rbabies – those who never made it to earth. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to hear is, “I’m sorry, we can no longer ﬁnd the heartbeat.” It is so difﬁcult for the head and mind to come to terms with the fact that you have lost your baby. The body still feels pregnant for a long time after, and the hormones are racing. I would not wish this on anyone, human or animal! So no, we do not abort dogs coming into rescue. We massively promote neutering, so the lives aren’t created in the ﬁrst place, and I’m proud of the part we have played so far. Once these puppies here ﬁnd a home, they will go out on neutering contracts, which means they will be sterilised once they reach the correct age.I often hear people say that we allow puppies to be born because rescues make good money from litters. This is utter nonsense. When little Daisy arrived with us, she needed a scan, as the breeder that handed her in had never been to the vet’s with her – not once. This ﬁrst veterinary visit cost over £400. All these puppies will need microchipping and vaccinating, including Daisy, not to mention the care and food that will need to be given for the three months or so while in our care. Our adoption fee comes nowhere near any of this cost. We also took Daisy in thinking she may need a C-section, which costs thousands, and her puppies would have needed to be handraised – an even bigger cost. So no, we don’t take pregnant bitches because we think it’s a way of making more money. We take in pregnant bitches when they are dumped on us by greeders no longer wanting the responsibility for whatever reason. And we care for the mother and her babies at whatever the cost because we are rescuers and that’s what rescuers do! PIssue 370 Dogs Today 21 CAN YOU HELP? If you can contribute Jack’s Giant Journey, we would be very grateful. Jack’s Giant Journey, account number: 29292460, sort code: 309950 www.jacksgiantjourney.comMEDICAL CHOICES Charlotte BartonAs vets, we are regularly faced with challenging and emotive decisions. As an emergency and critical care vet, this is ampliﬁed, and I am frequently faced with life-and-death decision-making under pressure with understandably emotional owners. I have learnt coping mechanisms and ways to remain empathetic, while also being able to make logical and difﬁcult decisions to avoid compassion fatigue. When it comes to C-sections, I have always sided with the argument that you save the mother over the baby. Sadly, I’ve been faced with scenarios where breeders only care about the potential ‘payload’ in the uterus. I have never been able to see domestic animals as a source of proﬁt; they are sentient beings, each unique and deserving of being treated as such. That said, if you are faced with a situation where sustaining a pregnancy will result in more animals suffering, then humane abortion seems reasonable.The hard thing is being part of the team to carry it out. Most of the time, when I was working as a GP, abortions were surprises – typically, cats that had been let out or escaped and were in the early stages, so the owners did not know and the pregnancy was not palpable. In these instances, it was quite fascinating to see the little bumps in the uterus, each containing a minute embryo, too small really to recognise the species or have any discernible anatomy. There was no great feeling of extinguishing a life in most of these scenarios, as there wasn’t an obvious life to behold, more a feeling of frustration that people had carelessly put their pet in this situation. I have refused to perform later-term abortions in the UK. A previous boss did one, though, and it was horrible for everyone involved; the nurses were understandably distressed at having to euthanise puppies that were almost full-term. Situations like this have a rippling impact on the whole team, especially when we are in a country with the resources to prevent this ever being needed. During our trap, neuter, release trip to Bulgaria, 75 per cent of the cats we neutered were pregnant, although the majority were not very far along. Of course, some of the dogs were too, but given we had no supply of the drug used for euthanasia, we did not feel it was ethical or safe for the animals to proceed if they were heavily pregnant. If we’d had access to this drug, we probably would have gone ahead, given these animals are often condemned to a future of hunger, abuse, illness and often premature death. Pregnancy is a huge strain on any animal’s body. We have to be careful not to anthropomorphise, as much of their maternal instinct is hormone-driven, and we have no evidence they mourn the loss. Having ﬁrst-hand seen how animals reject their own young after C-sections or some natural births, or behave normally after an abortion, I believe that motherhood is more of a chemical reaction for them, rather than for higher beings who are truly conscious of what pregnancy means. However, a late abortion will usually require medical intervention for the mother to ‘turn off’ the chemicals pumping through her body, signalling her need to lactate and mother. Until they receive these interventions, animals will often still display behaviours associated with pregnancy or having young. I don’t think there is a ‘one size ﬁts all’ answer for animals (I have very clear pro-choice views for humans!). Abortion will always be something that polarises people, but for me, it fundamentally boils down to what decision is for the greater good for the most.

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babies – those who never made it to earth. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to hear is, “I’m sorry, we can no longer ﬁnd the heartbeat.” It is so difﬁcult for the head and mind to come to terms with the fact that you have lost your baby. The body still feels pregnant for a long time after, and the hormones are racing. I would not wish this on anyone, human or animal! So no, we do not abort dogs coming into rescue. We massively promote neutering, so the lives aren’t created in the ﬁrst place, and I’m proud of the part we have played so far. Once these puppies here ﬁnd a home, they will go out on neutering contracts, which means they will be sterilised once they reach the correct age.I often hear people say that we allow puppies to be born because rescues make good money from litters. This is utter nonsense. When little Daisy arrived with us, she needed a scan, as the breeder that handed her in had never been to the vet’s with her – not once. This ﬁrst veterinary visit cost over £400. All these puppies will need microchipping and vaccinating, including Daisy, not to mention the care and food that will need to be given for the three months or so while in our care. Our adoption fee comes nowhere near any of this cost. We also took Daisy in thinking she may need a C-section, which costs thousands, and her puppies would have needed to be handraised – an even bigger cost. So no, we don’t take pregnant bitches because we think it’s a way of making more money. We take in pregnant bitches when they are dumped on us by greeders no longer wanting the responsibility for whatever reason. And we care for the mother and her babies at whatever the cost because we are rescuers and that’s what rescuers do! PIssue 370 Dogs Today 21 Words NIKI ROECAN YOU HELP? If you can contribute Jack’s Giant Journey, we would be very grateful. Jack’s Giant Journey, account number: 29292460, sort code: 309950 www.jacksgiantjourney.comMEDICAL CHOICES Dr Scarlet Aﬂalo-MeyrickAs vets, we are regularly faced with challenging and emotive decisions. As an emergency and critical care vet, this is ampliﬁed, and I am frequently faced with life-and-death decision-making under pressure with understandably emotional owners. I have learnt coping mechanisms and ways to remain empathetic, while also being able to make logical and difﬁcult decisions to avoid compassion fatigue. When it comes to C-sections, I have always sided with the argument that you save the mother over the baby. Sadly, I’ve been faced with scenarios where breeders only care about the potential ‘payload’ in the uterus. I have never been able to see domestic animals as a source of proﬁt; they are sentient beings, each unique and deserving of being treated as such. That said, if you are faced with a situation where sustaining a pregnancy will result in more animals suffering, then humane abortion seems reasonable.The hard thing is being part of the team to carry it out. Most of the time, when I was working as a GP, abortions were surprises – typically, cats that had been let out or escaped and were in the early stages, so the owners did not know and the pregnancy was not palpable. In these instances, it was quite fascinating to see the little bumps in the uterus, each containing a minute embryo, too small really to recognise the species or have any discernible anatomy. There was no great feeling of extinguishing a life in most of these scenarios, as there wasn’t an obvious life to behold, more a feeling of frustration that people had carelessly put their pet in this situation. I have refused to perform later-term abortions in the UK. A previous boss did one, though, and it was horrible for everyone involved; the nurses were understandably distressed at having to euthanise puppies that were almost full-term. Situations like this have a rippling impact on the whole team, especially when we are in a country with the resources to prevent this ever being needed. During our trap, neuter, release trip to Bulgaria, 75 per cent of the cats we neutered were pregnant, although the majority were not very far along. Of course, some of the dogs were too, but given we had no supply of the drug used for euthanasia, we did not feel it was ethical or safe for the animals to proceed if they were heavily pregnant. If we’d had access to this drug, we probably would have gone ahead, given these animals are often condemned to a future of hunger, abuse, illness and often premature death. Pregnancy is a huge strain on any animal’s body. We have to be careful not to anthropomorphise, as much of their maternal instinct is hormone-driven, and we have no evidence they mourn the loss. Having ﬁrst-hand seen how animals reject their own young after C-sections or some natural births, or behave normally after an abortion, I believe that motherhood is more of a chemical reaction for them, rather than for higher beings who are truly conscious of what pregnancy means. However, a late abortion will usually require medical intervention for the mother to ‘turn off’ the chemicals pumping through her body, signalling her need to lactate and mother. Until they receive these interventions, animals will often still display behaviours associated with pregnancy or having young. I don’t think there is a ‘one size ﬁts all’ answer for animals (I have very clear pro-choice views for humans!). Abortion will always be something that polarises people, but for me, it fundamentally boils down to what decision is for the greater good for the most.Jack's Giant Journey.indd 21Jack's Giant Journey.indd 21 25/06/2025 12:3625/06/2025 12:36

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22 Dogs Today Issue 370 CHISPAMy old girl, Chispa the Spanish Podenco, is a GOAT. She’s 16 years old now and came to us from Spain nine years ago. She had been used for hunting and spent ﬁve years of her life chained to a tree before being rescued by a neighbour. She spent another year at SOS Animals Spain, outside Malaga, just one of many Pods ﬁlling up the shelters.Luckily, we spotted her in a visit to the shelter and she came to join Jessie the rescue Spanish Water Dog. Mad Caesar arrived three years later.Chispa is now an old lady and was recently diagnosed with a serious heart murmur, but medication is keeping her going and she still loves her two walks a day and neighbourhood-watch duties on the windowsill. But Chispa’s main love in life is food. From surviving on dry stale bread in Spain, she delights in eating anything and everything!I’ve been reading Dogs Today since 2000 when I bought a pedigree Welsh Terrier. I became a subscriber shortly afterwards, as I was keen to avoid all the mistakes I made with my ﬁrst dog (a puppy farm Scottie). Thanks to Dogs Today, I learnt so much about dogs, training and the rather dodgy world of pedigree dogs. I also tried out raw feeding with an offer in Dogs Today and was totally converted. My dogs all thank you! Chispa took part in a march to raise awareness of the abuse the hunting dogs of Spain. She was the oldest Podenco there and we hope she will be able to take part again next year.Karen JonesROLLOEverybody thinks their dog is a GOAT, but Rollo really is. I’ve had loads of dogs, but little Rollo is our ﬁrst terrier and he’s gotten right under our skin. We have a car park in our close and everybody calls it Rollo’s Car Park because he just has to see who has arrived. Everybody calls out, “Hello, Rollo” when they come home. He’s scared away a burglar and some airport parkers (we are near Stansted airport). Even the cats in the close give him a nuzzle as he walks past.Janet Gordon BERTIEBertie, our 10-year-old Boxer, is a GOAT. He suffers with pancreatitis and needs something that will encourage him to eat. We call him our miracle puppy, as he contracted toxoplasmosis when he was four weeks old and went lame on both back legs. Our vet said, “If he isn’t up and walking by day seven, it’s game over.” Thankfully, he stood up on day six and started walking on day seven.We love him with all our hearts.I have been a reader of Dogs Today since the beginning.Debbie MurphyGreatest Of All Time dogsYour GOATSLast month, we asked readers to get in touch and nominate their dog GOATs – their greatest dogs of all time. As it’s our 35th anniversary, we will be picking 35 to feature in the next few issues and all will win some Years.com, considered by some to be the best dog food in the world.Years.com is fresh food for dogs, made by top chefs from only highest-quality speciﬁc cuts of meat and fresh veg. By using a revolutionary new method, it needs no preservatives or other nasty chemicals added. You can literally see everything that is in this food. It’s lightly cooked and then vacuum sealed so it can be stored in a cupboard for three months before opening and then for seven days in the fridge. It’s as delicious as it is healthy and won’t take up all your freezer space! It’s had the highest ever rating on the dog food comparison site All About Dog Food. When Betty and Honey had a free trial, they both refused to eat anything else afterwards, so be warned! This is very tasty food.If you’d like to nominate your dog, please tell us more – email beverley@wearebrandshare.com with ‘35 Years’ in the subject line.SignatureDOG TRAININGD O G T R A I N I N GRESIDENTIALTRAININGSPECIALISTSOBEDIENCE PACKAGESREACTIVITY PACKAGES2 WEEK COURSES AVAILABLEFULLY INSUREDTHE VERY BEST BOARD &TRAIN COURSES AVAILABLEWWW.SIGNATUREDOGTRAINING.CO.UK - 07369 221 058travellingwithpets.co.ukTop quality products to help you and your pets travel in safety, comfort and style!Protect what you loveCages and RampsDog BagCrash-tested harnessesOur crash-tested cages not only look great they are TUV crash-tested.Dog calming, award winning pop up kennel. UV mesh shades your dog from the sun.Works with existing seatbelts. Easy step-in design.01539 621884

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24 Dogs Today Issue 370Grooming may be stressful for some dogs, but introducing marker training can help it become a positive and rewarding experience. A marker is a sound or word (such as ‘yes’ or a click from a clicker) that signals to your dog that they have done something right and a reward is coming. When used correctly, this technique helps dogs feel more comfortable, engaged and willing to cooperate during grooming sessions.Clicker or marker training can provide precise timing, help to eliminate confusion and allows for consistent communication between you and your dog. CHOOSE YOUR MARKERDecide on a consistent marker – usually an audio cue, such as the word ‘yes’ or a click. If your dog is worried about the clicker, the marker word will be more suitable for them.A clicker is a small handheld device that makes a distinctive ‘click’ sound when pressed. When the clicker is paired with something the dog ﬁnds rewarding, such as food, it helps your dog associate the behaviour they were performing at that time with a positive outcome, making teaching and training clearer and more effective. A marker word is a consistent verbal word used to signal to your dog that they have performed a desired behaviour correctly. It works in the same way as the clicker, marking the exact moment the behaviour occurs and is always followed by a reward. The marker word might be better used for a dog that is worried by the click, or if the handler has low dexterity.CHARGE THE MARKER Charging a clicker or marker word is essential because dogs don’t naturally understand what the word or click means. The process of charging (or conditioning) the clicker creates a strong association between the sound and a reward, making it a powerful training tool. This training needs to be done over several short sessions, ideally for Click, treat, groomWords PAM ROWLEYUsing marker training can make grooming a stress-free experience for you as well as your dogIssue 370 Dogs Today 25 a few minutes each day, until your dog automatically responds to the marker by looking for a reward. ■Begin with high-value treats. Make sure they are small, soft and delicious; small pieces of chicken, cheese or training treats are ideal. ■Begin in a quiet area with no distractions. ■When your dog looks at you, click or say your marker word. ‘Yes’, ‘bingo’ and ‘nice’ are good words to use. Repeat this about 10 times. ■Do not ask for any particular behaviours at this time; you are simply building an association. ■Once your dog is anticipating the reward, you are ready to move on. ■Wait for your dog to offer a behaviour naturally, such as a sit, then click or say your marker word when it is complete, and reward. Repeat this several times. ■Your dog will soon realise that this behaviour caused you to mark it. Some dogs may start to offer behaviour to see if they can get you to mark it. ■Once this is happening, you are ready to use this method for grooming.PAIR THE MARKER Now it’s time to pair the marker with grooming. Break the grooming process into small steps and use your marker to reinforce the behaviour you want. Touch the brush to their back ➞ Mark ➞ RewardTouch the brush to the leg ➞ Mark ➞ RewardLift their paw ➞ Mark ➞ RewardLift their ear ➞ Mark ➞ RewardOnce your dog is comfortable with each step, slowly build up to longer grooming sessions and handling sensitive areas. Continue marking and rewarding desired behaviour. Keep the sessions short and end on an area your dog tolerates readily, such as their back.KEEP COOL! While it may be frustrating if your dog resists brushing, nail trimming or bathing, punishing them or getting frustrated during grooming will have no beneﬁt at all.Dogs do not understand why you would use punishment for their natural behaviour, and if they associate grooming with fear of being punished, they may become more resistant or resort to aggressive behaviours over time. A dog that is punished during grooming may develop a long-term fear of the process, making future sessions even more difﬁcult for you and more stressful for them.Building a trusting relationship with your dog is crucial. If they feel threatened or unsafe during grooming, they may begin to distrust you in other situations as well. Trust is key to cooperation, and, once broken, it can take a long time to rebuild.By introducing marker training into your grooming routine, you can turn what was once a stressful task into a positive and rewarding experience for your dog. With patience, consistency and plenty of rewards, grooming can become something your dog looks forward to rather than fears or resists. PBENEFITS OF MARKER TRAINING IN GROOMING ✓ Reduces anxiety – helps dogs understand what’s expected of them and builds conﬁdence.✓ Encourages cooperation – creates a positive association with grooming tools and handling. ✓ Strengthens the bond – makes grooming a rewarding and enjoyable experience for both dog and owner.✓ Improves future sessions – over time, dogs become more willing and relaxed during grooming.ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pam Rowley is a highly experienced, City & Guilds Level 3 qualiﬁed dog groomer with 35 years of expertise in the industry. She is a strong advocate for kind, fair and effective handling, both in her salon and within the wider grooming community.Based in Stockport, Pam teaches dog grooming for a local training provider and holds key assessment roles, serving as the Lead End-Point Assessor in Dog Grooming for VetSkill and the Chief Examiner in Dog Grooming for City & Guilds.A dedicated member of the APDT since 1997 (membership number 00278), Pam also runs puppy and pet dog training classes across the north-west. Her passion for canine development extends into various dog sports, with a particular interest in working trials and scent work.Photos posed by models

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26 Dogs Today Issue 370 orn in Argentina, Lionel Messi grew up with dogs around the family home.“There were always dogs around – ours and those of neighbours and a few who simply lived nearby but nobody actually knew who they belonged to,” he said. “From an early age, I found that dogs were fun and always ready for a game of something. We played a lot of football in the street and nearby parks and there were always dogs wanting to play. I think that maybe they even taught me a few things.Words BERNARD BALELionel’s incredible Hulk... and Abu Most dogs love a game of football – and Lionel Messi’s Dogue de Bordeaux and Poodle are no different. In fact, Lionel credits dogs as being his ﬁrst coaches when he played on the streets of Argentina BIssue 370 Dogs Today 27 “If a dog actually got the ball, you might never see it again, as they would run off with it, so you learned to shield the ball and keep it to yourself as much as possible. Those are not bad lessons to learn. Dogs can make great football coaches.”When he was 13, Lionel was sent to Spain. He had some health issues and it was thought that the change would be good for him and he could receive medical attention that was not necessarily available to him in his home country.BARCA AND BARKERS“Barcelona and Spain became my second home and my football career really began there. I was taken on board by Barca and grew up with them. I actually spent 17 years at that great club. It was a very hard decision to move to Paris Saint-Germain, which is also a great club.”Raising a family in Barcelona, Lionel could not resist having another dog.“I did not want my young family to grow up without a dog, but it was very special when Hulk arrived,” Lionel recalled. “We had talked about it for a while, but he was still a surprise gift from my wife Antonela, and we became pals at once.“He was a pretty big puppy – a Bordeaux Mastiff – and I don’t think they are born small, except by comparison of how big he was going to grow. That’s why we gave him the name Hulk. He certainly grew and grew, but he was always a gentle giant. If he played with the ball, he claimed it as his own – and who was going to argue with him? Not me. I am an attacker not a defender.”Hulk has often been photographed with the Messi family and quickly became a celebrity in his own right.“He’s a gentleman and when a Poodle called Abu joined the family, Hulk quickly made friends and was very protective of his new pal.”Lionel’s career has been a phenomenon. Since he was very young, he has been a top scorer, but also a good play-maker for others. He has broken record after record, won just about every honour that he could and receives fan mail by the sackload.“People have been very kind and I have had good coaches and team-mates,” he said. “I never really think about being famous. I am reminded when people ask for an autograph or a selﬁe, but that doesn’t happen when I am with the dogs. To them, I am part of the family – someone to sit with, play with and just generally be around.”While Lionel was playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Hulk remained in Barcelona.“We didn’t think he would like the change,” Lionel explained. “He was used to the house there and we left people in charge of the place and they were also friends of Hulk, so he wanted for nothing and we used to go back quite regularly to see him.“It was the same when we moved from Paris to Fort Lauderdale to play in the USA. It would have been too much for Hulk, so we kept the house in Barcelona and he stayed there. Even from the US, we used to travel back to see him.”Although Lionel Messi has always been ruthless in scoring goals against opposition, he is a very generous man with his time, and a number of charities have beneﬁted greatly from his association with them, including animal charities.It may come as a surprise to know that he even helped Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.“I have time for animal shelters because they are so important to dogs, cats and other animals,” said Lionel. “No dog or cat should be without a home and these shelters provide them with somewhere to be and somewhere to be cared for and loved until they ﬁnd a more permanent home.“I like to do whatever I can for these shelters and their charities; it is important that we look after animals of all kinds.”FAMILY GOALSLionel Messi is totally sincere and is as focused on animal welfare as he is on scoring goals and taking care of his family.“I just do what I can. My family mean everything to me. Football also means everything to me because it has been very good to me and I have had – and I am still having – a very privileged career. “Dogs also mean everything to me because they are part of my family and they were probably my very ﬁrst football coaches.” PPhotos © Instagram @leomessi

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28 Dogs Today Issue 370ome people in life see situations that are unacceptable, so they step up. They do not give in or up. They are warrior women who are prepared to ﬁght for what they believe in. I have the greatest pleasure of knowing several such women, who are also friends of mine. They inspire me and motivate me, so I want to share the incredible work they are doing to help dogs and deal with issues at the root cause. Stray dogs are a huge problem in many countries worldwide. Shining a powerful light on the issue is Hilde Tudora from Romania, an ex-journalist and now head of the Animal Welfare Department at Ilfov County Council.There are 10 people in the team, all wanting to change the way animals are treated in their community. They created an exceptional adoption campaign called ‘Umple golul din viața ta’ – ﬁll the void in your life. Football players from the ﬁrst league entered their ofﬁcial games carrying dogs available for adoption. MATCH MAKERSNews about this campaign spread worldwide and it’s been copied in seven countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Russia, Brazil and Spain.The ofﬁcial website is at www.ilfovadopta.ro. Every week, they visit public shelters in Ilfov and take photos of the dogs to help them get Words TESS EAGLE SWANSWe might sigh and shake our heads when we don’t like something, maybe meaningful change. This month, we celebrate Hilde Tudora whose idea to Pitch perfect adopted. These animals really stood no chance before this. It is a ray of hope for the dogs and life changing for those who are successful. The campaigners promote animal adoptions everywhere – on buses, on TV, in libraries and even in ﬂower shops. They campaign tirelessly. They also have free neutering campaigns for cats and dogs, and more than 6,300 animals have been sterilised.Dogs are great teachers when you understand them. It’s important to explain to the next generations how to be a kind human – someone who is compassionate and treats animals with respect. School visits are next on Hilde’s agenda. She plans to talk to youngsters about how to respect and care of animals, using games and interesting activities.Hilde explains, “Animals teach us the best lessons: to be kind to each other. In a civilised community, humans do not care only about other humans, but about all forms of life. TEAM WORK“The public institutions need to ﬁnd better solutions regarding animals. The problem is the same: it is both the authorities’ and the public’s problem. Both need to ﬁght together, side by side, to make it change. “It starts with admitting the problem, then trying to ﬁx it. All the dogs that are on the streets did not fall from the sky. They are all here because of people allowing it to happen with irresponsible care of their dogs. That problem needs to be ﬁxed – the joint problem – to choose not to abandon dogs any more; no more throwing lives away without caring. The animals belong to people, not on the roads as unwanted strays.” Hilde and her colleagues have a mission to teach, to prevent unwanted litters and to change lives. She wants to inform people of new ways, to inspire and motivate them to embrace better animal care and welfare.Hilde is not talking about change, she is that change, making it happen with her team and friends. This is what is needed: action. She has made a big difference already and will continue to do so. It is a massive task, but women like Hilde are not daunted by that; their love for dogs fuels their way forward, conquering all that is in their way.We need more warriors like her to step up. I just happen to know some more... PIssue 370 Dogs Today 29 Football players from the ﬁrst league entered their ofﬁcial games carrying dogs available for adoptionybe even sign a petition. But some determined souls set about making o showcase rescue dogs before football games has now spread worldwide...

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30 Dogs Today Issue 370Pack it in! Dominance theory based on ﬂawed wolf research still persists. A Coape behaviourist delves into the history and debunks the common myths...Words GEORGE VAN HUYSSTEENPhotos by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk)In 1947, Rudolph Schenkel, an animal behaviourist, published a paper entitled ‘Expression Studies on Wolves’. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Schenkel conducted extensive research on wolves in captivity at the Basel Zoo in Switzerland. His study aimed to deﬁne the ‘sociology of the wolf’. Schenkel observed that the dominant or ‘alpha’ male and female wolves would take charge and govern the rest of the pack when placed together in a zoo environment. By drawing parallels between wolf and dog behaviour, Schenkel concluded that domestic dogs also require a pack structure with an alpha dog in control.The Wolf: Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species is a book written in the late 1960s by L David Mech, a researcher who continued Schenkel’s work. Mech used Schenkel’s alpha-wolf terminology in the book and synthesised the available wolf knowledge at the time, incorporating a signiﬁcant amount of his own study. The book was ﬁrst published in 1970 and reissued in 1981, selling over 120,000 copies, and is widely acknowledged for its role in popularising dominance theory.By the late 1990s, Mech had distanced himself from Schenkel’s work, a signiﬁcant shift that underscored the evolution of understanding in the ﬁeld. His study of a pack of wild wolves revealed that most wild wolf packs function as family units, with the parents taking the lead and the offspring following. This understanding that the majority of wild wolf packs are family groups, formed similarly to human families, rather than being organised groups of unrelated animals with a single ‘top dog’ ﬁghting its way to the top, was a game-changer. In contrast, Schenkel’s studied wolves were unrelated, had varying ages, and were kept in an artiﬁcial environment, which prevented them from displaying ‘normal’ wolf behaviour. As a result, other behaviours emerged, incorrectly labelled as part of the ‘alpha’ theory. In summary, Mech’s earlier ﬁndings on dominance did not apply to wild wolves, let alone domestic dogs. The term ‘alpha wolf’ has gradually disappeared from academic articles and studies. Regrettably, it has taken much longer for the general public’s understanding of both dogs and wolves to catch up, to the detriment of many dogs. Just as we wouldn’t seek medical advice from a doctor who disregarded medical advancements from the last century, why would we train dogs using methods from a century ago?Numerous research studies indicate that using dominance-based methods for dog training can be harmful to both the effectiveness of the training and the well-being of the dog. Thankfully, many trainers now employ humane and force-free techniques, such as clicker training, to enhance the speed and complexity of training. These methods also help in building stronger bonds and better communication between the handler and the dog. These techniques are especially beneﬁcial for dogs displaying unwanted behaviours like aggression, anxiety, excessive barking, reactivity and housetraining issues.DOMINANT DEFINITIONBefore we debunk the misconceptions about dominance theory, let’s ﬁrst delve into the scientiﬁc concept of dominance in the animal kingdom. Dominance, in this context, refers to a relationship between two or more individuals of the same species, where one individual yields to another, often for access to a resource like food, water or a possible mate. This understanding, rooted in scientiﬁc observation, provides a solid foundation for our discussion on dog behaviour and training. It empowers you with a deeper understanding of your canine companion and the responsibility to train them in a way that respects their nature and enhances their well-being.Although dominance is a recognised scientiﬁc term, it has lost some meaning in dog training and behaviour since it is frequently used Issue 370 Dogs Today 31 GEORGE VAN HUYSSTEENDipCABT (Coape), CAPBT Practitioner, MHERA qualiﬁedGeorge van Huyssteen has been a dedicated professional in obedience and agility training since 1998. He began his formal studies in 2015, earning his ﬁrst behaviour and training diploma from Pet Sense College in 2016. In 2017, he joined the Dunbar Top Dog Academy, and completed his Coape Diploma in Animal Behaviour in 2019. In 2021, George furthered his expertise with the MHERA qualiﬁcation.Committed to giving back to the community, George collaborates with local shelters, assessing dogs and providing lectures and training for staff. George is a fulltime member of the Coape International team where he marks diplomas and tutors various courses. Additionally, George presents the Dog Training Add-On course for Coape International, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience with aspiring trainers.MEET THE PRACTITIONERS...

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32 Dogs Today Issue 370to describe a dog’s personality or genetic make-up. In a wolf pack, the ‘alpha’ is not a tyrant ruling over the other members but a responsible leader who ensures the pack’s survival. Since any harm resulting from an injury would make a wolf in the wild vulnerable, aggression is rarely used in this situation, as an injury to one member of the pack would likely have a negative impact on the entire pack. Instead, one animal peacefully relinquishes the resource, with many different criteria playing a role, such as the animal’s age, nutritional status, overall health at the time, and environmental circumstances. According to the dominance theory, dogs often exhibit aggressive behaviour to subjugate people or other animals and establish themselves as the household’s pack leader or ‘alpha’ dog. However, this interpretation of dog behaviour is a misconception. Dogs are not trying to dominate their owners, but rather, they are seeking guidance and leadership. The dominance-based approach to behaviour problems often involves intimidating, manhandling, or putting pressure on the dog until they ‘submit’ to the human. This can be highly aversive for the dogs and severely damage their relationship with their owners. More importantly, this approach doesn’t focus on speciﬁc ‘problems’ but is a blanket approach, which we now know doesn’t teach the dog what to do (or not) in certain situations. Thus, unwanted behaviours may be unaffected. This ineffectiveness should prompt us to seek alternative, more positive and effective training methods. Dominance-based approaches can have signiﬁcant behavioural fallout, potentially causing a dog to become fearful, shut down or depressed, or to become aggressive and lash out at their treatment. The harm caused by dominance-based training should be a cause for concern and a strong motivation to seek more humane and effective training methods. Finally, the approach doesn’t take into consideration the many possible sources of unwanted behaviour, such as underlying medical conditions, pain, fear or stress. A dog cannot be alpha rolled out of urinating indoors if he has an untreated urinary tract infection! >Photo posed by modelsIn a wolf pack, the ‘alpha’ is not a tyrant ruling over the other members but a responsible leader who ensures the pack’s survival. Since any harm resulting from an injury would make a wolf in the wild vulnerable, aggression is rarely used in this situation, as an injury to one member would likely have a negative impact on the entire pack. Instead, one animal peacefully relinquishes the resourceNot just another pet brand. This one’s for the humans – and the Earth!Love dogs? Love the planet? Same.Pawsh creates consciously crafted clothing and accessories for pet parents who believe style shouldn’t cost the Earth.From organic cotton tees to reusable mugs and tote bags, everything is made-to-order in the UK to reduce waste and overproduction.Sustainable, stylish, and made for muddy walks, strong coﬀ ees and Sunday snuggles.Look good. Do good. Get Pawsh.“Wear Your Dog Love Loudly – and Lightly on the Planet”Shop the collection at getpawsh.co.ukHolidays & Holiday Home Ownership | 25 UK locations awayresorts.co.ukDog fendly getaways*because leaving them behind is ruff!

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34 Dogs Today Issue 370DEBUNKING COMMON MYTHS Myth: Because he tries to lead you, your dog acts dominant if he pulls on the leash.Truth: Dogs likely pull on a leash because they smell something interesting and want to investigate to better understand their environment, or they learn that pulling gets them to where they want to go much faster. It is normally the person on the other end of the leash who reinforces the pulling behaviour. Myth: To reach a ‘higher’ status, your dog may jump up and lick your face.Truth: Puppies greet each other face to face to maintain social bonds; thus, jumping up can be an attempt to greet you and show affection. We humans normally reinforce jumping up because we give our pets the attention they want when they do so, reinforcing the behaviour. Myth: Your dog is likely trying to establish authority if he humps your leg.Truth: Although humping could be a sexual behaviour, over-excited dogs, stressed dogs or even playful dogs might engage in humping behaviours as well. Myth: If your dog defends his food or toys from you, he is asserting his dominance.Truth: In reality, dogs learn what works for them. For example, dogs might guard their food or toys, as these are high-value items that they don’t want to lose, especially if they’ve learned that they can be taken away and not returned.Because we understand our dogs better today, we can use positive reinforcement training methods to ensure that dog-owner bonds are not damaged. To grasp science-based dog training, it’s essential to comprehend how we can effectively communicate with dogs, using methods that align with their natural instincts. As dogs cannot understand human language, it’s essential to ﬁnd gentle yet effective ways to guide them and teach them in a way they understand. It is time for dog owners to move away from old, outdated and debunked beliefs and start communicating in a way their dogs will understand. PStandard Poodle. Photo posed by a modelVery dog friendly self-catering holiday cottages in the heart of the North Devon countrysidewww.woodlandcottages.org.ukWoodland Coages is the perfect place for you to get away with your dogs, we are very dog friendly and welcome mulple dogs of any number, size and breed.We don’t just tolerate dogs here, we love having them! You won’t need to worry about ruining any cream carpets or losing your pet thanks to our enclosed paos. And we have a large lawned area outside each coage, where dogs can play happily together. We are also blessed with 8 acres of enclosed private woodland so there is no need for leads, and we are just 15-20 minutes drive from all year round dog friendly beaches.

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36Dogs Today Issue 370 As you might imagine, we get lots of free samples at Dogs Today and very rarely are they life changing. But when a press release came in, asking if Betty and Honey would like to try paella, I was intrigued. I gave the company the dogs’ details, but what I got in the post was much more than a posh nosh. They’d arranged a week’s trial of their chef-prepared human-grade dinners.Everything arrived in purple boxes that proudly boasted that it was ‘The UK’s highest rated dog food’ by the website All About Dog Food. The dogs loved the paella; it looked much better than the M&S human version we’d not long enjoyed. But the surprising thing was, this fresh food wasn’t frozen or even chilled. Until opened, it can be kept in a cupboard – a major innovation for someone with very limited freezer space. Betty and Honey have tried pretty much every food on the market, but when I started serving up a ‘Chicken Thigh Mediterranean Casserole’ or the ‘Steak and Kidney Hotpot’, I was shocked. This had real wholefood cuts of meats – no vague animal derivatives. Even my very fussy son said that it didn’t look or smell like dog food. I attempted to transition Honey and Betty back to their normal expensive dog food once the week’s trial was over – but they simply wouldn’t let me! Their disappointed faces completely guilted me out. I had to cave in. s you might imagine, we get lots of s you might imagine, we get lots of free samples at free samples at Dogs Today and very rarely are they life changing. very rarely are they life changing. But when a press release came in, asking if Betty and Honey would like to try paella, I was intrigued. I gave the company the dogs’ details, but what I got in the post was much more than a posh nosh. They’d arranged a week’s trial of their chef-prepared human-grade dinners.Betty and Honey have tried pretty much every food on the market, but when I started serving up a ‘Chicken Thigh Mediterranean Casserole’ or the ‘Steak and Kidney Hotpot’, I was shocked. This had real wholefood cuts of meats – no vague animal derivatives. Even my very fussy son said that it didn’t look or smell like dog food. Subscribe and win a GOAT!(No, not that type of goat!)This is our 35th year and we obviously couldn’t have done this We want to say thank you by giving our subscribers the chance we’ve found in that time! We’re calling them the GOATs!Issue 370 Dogs Today37This innovative food is called Years.com, and, in our 35th year, we’d like to give 35 readers the chance to try it for a week, too – completely free of charge! They’ll even throw in some posh treats.Tell us why you think your dog is a GOAT (the greatest of all time) and why he or she deserves what has been called ‘the greatest dog food in the world’. Email beverley@wearebrandshare.com with ‘35 Years.com’ in the subject line and I’ll try to pick the 35 winners!When you email, do tell me how long you’ve been reading the magazine – how and when you found us.This innovative food is called Years.com, and, in our 35th year, we’d like to give 35 readers the chance to try it for a week, too – completely free of charge! They’ll even throw in some posh treats.Tell us why you think your dog is a GOAT (the greatest of all time) and why he or she deserves what has been called ‘the greatest dog food in the world’. Email beverley@wearebrandshare.com with ‘35 Years.com’ in the subject line and I’ll try to pick the 35 winners!When you email, do tell me how long you’ve been reading the magazine – how and when you found us.Dogs Today is only £12.50 quarterly if you pay by Direct Debit* ■Save more than £20 over the year■Delivered free direct to your doorHow to subscribe:It couldn’t be simpler – just scan this QR code, or go towww.dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/product/dogs-today-uk-subscriptions But if you struggle with signing up online – don’t worry. If you would prefer to have someone call you and walk you through it, please email me at beverley@wearebrandshare.com with your phone number.All new subscriptions will commence with the current issueWith newsagents and supermarkets reducing their shelf space for magazines, it’s getting harder to ﬁ nd us. Help us by subscribing – and reap the rewards:Buy direct and save more than £20 a year!*UK only. By entering, you conﬁ rm that your details will be passed on to the company providing prizes for distribution & marketing purposes.’t have done this without you – our wonderful readers. e to win one of the greatest innovations SUBSCRIBE NOW& start saving today!How to enter

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38Dogs Today Issue 370Meeting Owen Sharp, the CEO of Dogs Trust, felt a little like meeting the new boyfriend of an old friend. You want him to be wonderful, but you are conﬂ icted because you liked the old one.The previous Dogs Trust bosses weren’t perfect, of course, but we had many years of shared experiences. I knew their strengths and weaknesses like the back of my hand. Plus, I’d never received anonymous letters complaining about the old ones. In our last issue, we printed eight pages of staff whistleblowing their grave concerns about the future of Britain’s wealthiest dog charity.I remember Dogs Trust when it was still the National Canine Defence League. Less-informed members of the public were often unsure what a canine was and whether the NCDL was actually a Northern Irish sectarian group, and so the name was changed. SLOGAN BUZZI recall their head ofﬁ ce being in the grotty Pratt Mews, and Clarissa Baldwin, the brilliant CEO, would help stuff envelopes on the boardroom table with all the girls. It was genius coming up with the slogan ‘A Dog is for Life, At the Sharp end It’s been a turbulent time at Dogs Trust. The consultation period is now over and change is afoot. Will the whistleblowers be enraged or reassured? We take their concerns to the very top...Words BEVERLEY CUDDYOwen Sharp with Haversnot Just for Christmas’. When Ann Summers cheekily stole it for a campaign and changed the word ‘dog’ to ‘rabbit’, lawyers weren’t deployed, but a donation put a smile on everyone’s face.Dogs Trust made everyone feel warm, and Adrian at Clarissa’s side translated that warmth into fundraising gold. The bank balance grew and grew, and the problem was often an embarrassment of riches: there weren’t enough appropriate stray dogs to ﬁ ll the kennels! The Charity Commission back then would take a dim view of excessive reserves; you were expected to spend the money. More and more centres were built, and rebuilt, and ambitious altruism abounded. It was a huge success story. Clarissa rightly got her OBE, and I remember writing a recommendation for it. She had taken a wobbly old charity and made it thrive. Adrian was her obvious successor. Clarissa could retire and watch him shine; nothing would have given her more pleasure. But then came the shock news of his sudden Issue 370 Dogs Today39The driver for the change at the charity isn’t about the quality of what we do – it’s about wanting to do it for more dogs. The thing that keeps me awake at night is not the dogs in our care – it’s the dogs that don’t get into our care”and unexpected death, when he was on holiday abroad with his young family.The charity was building its biggest centre. They’d opened a network of Dog Schools – a chain of positive, affordable training facilities. They were often the loudest voice in public affairs. MEASURE OF SUCCESSI must be honest; I was sometimes surprised to ﬁ nd Dogs Trust on the other side of campaigns I was involved in - the garden wasn’t always rosy. I did worry that they might have become a little too corporate; I hankered after Clarissa’s instinctive touch and desire to change the world for dogs practically. I did fear that big charities tend to measure their success in the pounds donated rather than the actual change achieved. I had moaned in the past about the richest, best-resourced charities cherry-picking the easier, more attractive homeless dogs and leaving the rest behind for the councils to put to sleep or the overstretched pound pullers to save. The slogan ‘We never put a healthy dog down’ was rather like a magic trick, distracting the public from the reality. But that’s marketing for you – and boy, did it work. Dogs Trust became more and more prosperous, and the public loved that warm feeling from those TV ads selling a world where all the lovely dogs were safe. Wills were written and family members were disinherited.All the big dog charities became more and more risk averse, and it was getting harder and harder for normal people to adopt a rescue dog from a well-known organisation. Quite simply, big charities weren’t rehoming very many dogs. The cost for rehoming each dog was a little embarrassing when you did the maths. I joked that it would be cheaper to send each dog in their care to university.Rejected potential owners were ricocheting into shady pop-up rescues, who were bringing cute dogs from eastern Europe – these ‘rescuers’ were much less fussy. Other rejected owners were buying pups online from the growing, unregulated online marketplace.When Owen Sharp took on the role of CEO, he inherited an enormous charity infrastructure that was remarkably successful at attracting donations, but the world was on the Owen and Beverley outside Dogs Trust Evesham

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40Dogs Today Issue 370brink of a pandemic. In the following years, dog ownership would rise to unprecedented numbers. And after the tsunami of rapid acquisition, rescue workers generally would ﬁ nd themselves drowning in dogs that no one wanted.Would Owen sink or swim? The easy option would be to tread water – to change nothing. The charity was extremely wealthy; even the rainiest of days wouldn’t change that. Just before we met, the Dogs Trust press ofﬁ ce released a statement. The period of consultation over the redundancies had ended. None of the three centres will now be closed; all will become foster hubs. EVESHAM REVISITEDI have a vague memory of once visiting the Evesham Dogs Trust centre in the past, but upon arrival, it didn’t look familiar at all. It all seemed very new.I spoke to the manager, Chris Slight, who had been in post for 25 years. He was pretty sure this was the oldest Dogs Trust centre. It had just been chicken sheds in its ﬁ rst iteration, then it had a revamp that was opened by Jilly Cooper and featured carousel-shaped kennel blocks, which were all the rage back in the late 20th century. I remembered us writing about them, but I think I’d missed the newest rebuild. Chris showed off the lush facilities, which included glass-fronted kennels with underﬂ oor heating. Each run had a dedicated rainwater tap for drinking and another for recycled water for cleaning.The dogs seemed remarkably chilled, and there were areas of the ﬂ oor left cold for those dogs who prefer it. The entire place felt calm and serene, a stark contrast to the rest of the dog world. This was the same week as the Essex rescue raid. Rescuers generally have been stretched so thin that desperate people have been left without help and dogs put in peril.Chris was now proudly showing me some new buildings they’d created to house more solar panels. Then there was the forest they were planting in the expansive and expensive grounds on the edge of the Cotswolds. Our interview was to take place in a tiny room, just Owen and me, with Nikki from the press ofﬁ ce chaperoning us. She hit ‘record’ at the same time as I did. There was, it has to be said, a certain amount of tension.Owen had been in post for almost six years, but we’d never met. I don’t get out much, but we’d pretty much fallen off Dogs Trust’s radar. When I helped expose the charity’s attempts to stop Lucy’s Law, things got a little frosty. But that was well before Owen arrived.A small table separated our chairs, so it was eyeball-to-eyeball. To my left, and in my peripheral vision, was Nikki, and, as I asked awkward questions, I was very aware that it was she who squirmed, not Owen.WHISTLEBLOWERSI had printed out some of the emails I had recently received from staff members, and we were sitting so close that they could easily have read them. I was pleased I’d redacted the names and email addresses.This one was on top of the pile:“I am currently an employee at Dogs Trust, working in one of their rehoming centres. I can honestly say the staff I work with have zero conﬁ dence in the head ofﬁ ce and the CEO. We can’t get a straight answer about what this new strategy means, and staff are treated appallingly by those in power. “Owen Sharp, in the ﬁ ve years I’ve worked at the centre, has never once taken the time to speak to centre staff about anything. He has visited on occasion, but gone straight into an ofﬁ ce with managers, then left straight away.“The euthanasia rate seems to be at an all-time high, and there has been no support for staff dealing with the emotional toll this has caused. Staff are overworked and burnt out, both physically and emotionally.“There is zero reward or acknowledgement for rehoming centre staff, who are on basically minimum wage. Owen was on £160k almost four years ago, so God knows what he’s paying himself now.”It was brave of the charity to agree to engage. The words of the whistleblowers in the last issue had been cutting. People were hurting and lashing out, and Owen had taken a lot of the ﬂ ak. Owen started as a nurse. That’s a very ‘real’ job for someone now in the corporate world. He spent most of his time in A&E, and then he transitioned into NHS management. His most recent role was as the UK boss of Movember, a highly >Evesham Rehoming Centre Manager Chris Slight (centre) with (l-r) Senior Training & Behaviour Manager, Former Assistant Manager of Operations, Former Head of Operations and Assistant Manager of Operations.Issue 370 Dogs Today41Issue 370 Dogs Today4141CONSULTATION STATEMENT■The charity will provide more intensive support and expertise for the dogs in its care.■The charity will focus its prevention work on helping owners avoid the need to relinquish their dog by providing accessible support for behaviour problems.■It will also increase its foster network, with dedicated foster centres in Bridgend, Ilfracombe and Newbury, helping to care for more dogs.Dogs Trust, the UK’s biggest dog welfare charity, employing 1,765 staff, announces the end of its consultation period with staff about the impact of its strategic decision to refocus its work.In March, the charity shared its proposals for change and its plan on how it could realise the ambitions of its new strategy. The charity then entered a 45-day collective consultation period, which has now closed.As a result, 307 roles will be at risk of redundancy. However, to achieve the new strategic ambitions, there will be at least 290 redeployment opportunities, which will minimise redundancies. The charity has also put a range of training and support in place to help as many members of staff as possible secure new roles within Dogs Trust.SUMMARY OF KEY CHANGES■The charity will transition its rehoming centres at Bridgend and Ilfracombe into dedicated foster hubs. Following feedback during the consultation, the Newbury centre will now also transition into a foster hub, instead of closing.■It will stop puppy and adolescent Dog School classes, instead providing support through an integrated digital and in-person behaviour service.■It will combine its post-adoption support behaviour ofﬁ cers and behaviour support line teams as part of the behaviour service, which will include clinical animal behaviourists, behaviour coaches and a dedicated telephone support line.■Education services will be transitioned into a scalable, teacher-facilitated digital offering, replacing in-person delivery.■It will create a new veterinary and welfare department, combining behavioural expertise, clinical veterinary standards and policy.KEY BENEFITS OF THE NEW STRATEGY MEAN THAT DOGS TRUST WILL BE ABLE TO:■Help 27% more dogs by 2027, by reducing the time dogs spend in its care and expanding its foster care and home-stay programme.■Support more dog owners directly through its integrated in-person and digital behaviour services, helping 57,000 a year by 2026.■Help millions of people access prevention support 24/7 through its new digital behaviour service.■Help many more dogs overseas and work towards eradicating dog-mediated rabies across the globe.

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successful charity that raises funds and awareness for men’s health. I thought these seemed very different jobs.“In many ways, Dogs Trust felt like going back to the NHS because there are lots of sites, it’s all about delivering services – it felt almost familiar. I’m an operations director by background, and, on any day, we’ve got over 1,000 dogs in our care. So, it’s a very operational organisation.“I’ve been a Dogs Trust supporter for a long time, but I had a lot to learn about the sector. The big learning curve for me was nine months in, when we had lockdown.“We have seen a signiﬁcant change in the dog world. We estimate that the dog population is now about three million more than it was. Everyone was getting dogs at the same time, some quite unprepared – there’s a huge rump of a problem. And then there is the cost-of-living crisis that came after that, too. “The driver for the change at the charity isn’t about the quality of what we do – it’s about wanting to do it for more dogs. The thing that keeps me awake at night is not the dogs in our care – it’s the dogs that don’t get into our care.”I wanted to know more about the proposed shift towards more fostering. I couldn’t see how that would be cheaper or mean greater numbers of dogs being helped. How would they ﬁnd enough suitable people? Surely, they’d still need staff and centres to assess the dogs and the foster homes?“There is obviously a big gap between the number of dogs we’d like to help and the number we can take. We will build on what we’ve already done. We’ve already built our fostering network to over 5,000, and we did a lot of that learning during the pandemic. “We’ve been running pilots – the longest running being in Dundee. And we have a transfer centre in Penrith, and they’ve fostered over 500 dogs since we started doing that. All our centres already have a network of foster carers. Our experience suggests that there is a signiﬁcant number of people wanting to foster. It suits a lot of lifestyles; semi-retired people might be able to commit to a dog for several months – they may want to travel part of the year - but while they can’t commit yet to a dog forever, they can give us a good few months of fostering.”FOSTERING CHANGEI wanted to know if fosterers would be paid, and they won’t be, but Dogs Trust will cover all the expenses of dog ownership, making this an attractive option for some people who might be unable to commit to a dog during the cost-of-living crisis.“I mentioned earlier when we estimated that the population had gone up three million. The biggest growth has been in those under the age of 35. That part of the population is probably more transient, needing to move around more frequently for jobs or having to work additional hours, as they may be called back into ofﬁces, likely in more junior roles. They’ve probably suffered the biggest degree of ﬂux since the pandemic.”Many of these people might ﬁnd fostering more suitable.I wanted to know how they would keep their volunteers safe. “We assess the dogs – green, amber or red. And they are evaluated in the same way as they are in the centres. Predominantly, green will be fostered, sometimes amber for speciﬁc needs. We’re training our foster carers, we’re assessing the dogs, and there’s signiﬁcant ongoing support. There’s a constant ongoing dialogue. They’ve got access to our behaviour team and our vet team.”It all sounded costly.“It is cheaper than having the dogs in centres. It’s signiﬁcantly more affordable. It does have costs, but the staff-to-foster-home ratio is much lower. But that’s not the primary reason for doing it; the primary reason is that it’s better. If a dog can be in a home, it’s one step better than it being in one of our centres – great as they are.”But if it’s mainly the green dogs getting fostered, wouldn’t they be quick and easy to rehome anyway?“Sometimes they do come straight in, straight out, but the assessment has to be done properly. Some dogs may only go to foster on the weekend. Some dogs don’t cope in kennels. And a dog may appear to be more dog reactive just because it is stressed by being in kennels.”I felt obligated to mention that many upset staff members had contacted the magazine. I reviewed my printouts and talked about the employee who was upset about the employee forum being used for the consultation. They had felt the whole thing had been a trick to avoid recognising the union. “First thing to say, and this is going to sound glib, but I do recognise how complex the changes are, and I recognise how much concern it causes for everyone, and the changes are not made lightly, and they’re not made without a lot of thought and consideration.“I fundamentally believe that the forum has been an effective way of engaging with staff. It’s a direct mechanism of representation for every member of staff - I’m not decrying unions at all, but the reality 42 Dogs Today Issue 370You can give a greyhound a life after You can give a greyhound a life after racing and the forever home they deserve.racing and the forever home they deserve.CHARITY NUMBERS: 269668 & SC044047There is a greyhound close to you looking for a home with you, to ﬁnd out more visit www.greyhoundtrust.org.ukIf you can’t home a greyhound, please consider donating or shopping with us at www.greyhoundtruststore.comThere’s no place like homePlease give a greyhound a place to call home. 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is we don’t have a big enough union membership to be at the point of union recognition– it may come. There are beneﬁts to union recognition, but through the forum, it provided a route to communicate with and liaise with all our staff. The forum has worked extremely hard to represent the wishes of staff, and they’ve not done so for fear or favour; it has not been diluted in any shape or form. I do think it has addressed many of the issues and concerns people have in a way that has been effective. FORUM FEEDBACK“And in terms of people not being listened to, we must make this change; to move to a different place to have a bigger impact for dogs, but we must do it in the best possible way for our existing staff, and we do listen. “We changed some of the stafﬁng models. There was quite a lot of change that came out of the consultation process, and that was based on the good and helpful feedback from the forum. I get that people will have doubts, and it’s not easy to trust any process of change, but it has been designed to try to maximise the opportunity for everyone’s voice to be heard.”We discussed the International Conference being pulled and the shift in focus towards Mission Rabies. Battersea is now doing something that was helping international people, and the new vet charity would help practically with spay and release. Owen said it was often the same people coming back each year for the International Conferences.I wanted to ask why there’d been a change towards more clinical behaviour expertise and the ending of Dog School. Owen said it was a case of wanting to make the best use of the money to help the most people. Many of those who attended Dog School would have attended a local puppy class. Owen wanted to apply the lessons the charity learned during the pandemic to help more people online. If you can tackle emerging dog problems more quickly before the issues progress, you can stop another dog from needing to be rehomed. It was time to ask another awkward question from an employee. There appeared to be 60 members of staff being paid more than £60,000. Would the axe be falling on any of the more bureaucratic roles at the charity? Most of the people who are dog facing were probably on minimum wage. There seemed to be a feeling of ‘them and us’, and some people felt that the hybrid working of head ofﬁce staff meant that there was a disconnect with the centre workers.I emphasised that the feedback we received indicated there were trust issues, and some staff members were calling him out and questioning whether he was the right person to lead the charity. I mentioned that the three directors leaving had given the impression that there had been a falling out over the direction of change. Owen didn’t ﬂinch, although I thought I could see some movement from Nikki out of the corner of my eye. “It’s a fair question. I would make a couple of observations. We’re a big organisation, and while there are people who are paid signiﬁcant sums of money, in every one of those cases, those people are choosing to work for us because they care, not because of the money. “We agreed that one of the things we needed to change was the senior management structure. When we started that conversation, I spoke with the individuals involved, and for different reasons, three directors decided it was time to move on or explore other roles. One person will be staying and doing something else within the organisation. Another person had been in the role for over 10 years and said it was time to move on to something else, but is still supporting us. I wouldn’t use the word ‘axe,’ but we did start with a restructuring of the top, rather than the other way around. We are looking to reduce as much cost as we can centrally.SELLING UP“We are selling one of our London ofﬁces, not because we need the money, but because we no longer require that amount of ofﬁce space. “My role is described as hybrid because my job involves working across the entire network of 21 rehoming centres in the UK, as well as one in Ireland. Hence, I’m better off living somewhere in the middle of the country so I can get around, but it does create cultural change because we used to be very London-centric.“I wouldn’t pretend that we’ve always got it right; I absolutely wouldn’t. However, we are looking to make changes throughout the organisation, and it’s something that’s being done very carefully.“I fully understand all the concerns, and I ﬁrstly want to say I don’t dismiss them. But I want to pick up on any idea that I or senior managers don’t care about dogs, and that’s the closest I would come to being offended, because I am so passionate. I care about every dog, and that is true of every single member of the senior management team.“I want to make it clear that I’m incredibly proud to have this job and to work for this organisation – it truly gets under your skin.“Passion for dogs is why everyone is here, and it doesn’t stop as you get closer to the top.”It will be history that will judge Owen on results. Will his proposed changes enable Dogs Trust to help many more dogs? I sincerely hope so.We will be watching closely. PIn terms of people not being listened to, we must make this change; to move to a different place to have a bigger impact for dogs, but we must do it in the best possible way for our existing staff, and we do listen”44 Dogs Today Issue 370MADE BY DOG LOVERS,FOR DOG LOVERSThe very best multivitamins and probiotics for all breeds & agesVisit us!ikarmel.co.ukAffordable Health Solutions100% Natural IngredientsVeterinarian FormulatedPremium Quality4.7/5 Based On 8,000+ Happy Customers@doggydailiesFREEShippingLOCAL DAY CARE FACILITIES AVAILABLEDOG OWNERS VERY WELCOME AT OURLUXURY SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION IN NORTH YORKSHIRESTATIONPLATFORM 1www.castlehowardstation.comTel: 01653 618478email: mail@castlehowardstation.comAs dog lovers ourselves, we enjoy welcoming other dog owners to our accommodation which provides bowls, sofa covers, dog beds and treats! And our 1½ acres of safely fenced garden means you can relax and let your dogs run free. 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46 Dogs Today Issue 370 Linda Goodman✗I have no conﬁdence in the management of Dogs Trust. Cash-strapped, volunteer-run rescue centres around the UK are in meltdown. Council pounds are euthanising more dogs than ever. Yet Dogs Trust, the largest and richest dog charity in the UK, is planning to close three of its rescue centres at a time when its facilities are needed more than ever. Why? Because, according to them, there is a relatively low demand for their services. If Dogs Trust weren’t so selective about the types of dogs they agree to rehome, they’d be full to capacity like every other rescue in the UK. They claim to never put a healthy dog down, but have never stated what their deﬁnition of ‘healthy’ is. In 2023, the public gave them an eyewatering £136 million! They have an expensive CEO, who is more often than not missing in action. They need to go back to basics and put dogs before proﬁt, as they did back in the days of Clarissa Baldwin. I hope the King reconsiders his patronage and the Charities Commission looks into the serious mismanagement of Dogs Trust and the somewhat dubious use of its funds, for the sake of genuine dog welfare in the UK.Great DebateIf you have an opinion on this subject that is not already covered here, putting ‘Great Debate’ in the subject line. Please limit your response to Photo by Wendy LovattDo you have conﬁdence in the management of Dogs Trust?Fiona Blackwell✓I’ve seen people complain about the amount of money they put in marketing, but how else are they supposed to make the money to keep the rescues running? Advertising is how they reach more people and get donations. If they stopped doing that, I’m sure there would be less money to go around and fewer dogs saved.May Johnson?Transparency is key here – if they show us how this will help more dogs long-term, then ﬁne. If they don’t, time to support another charity.Rose Patterson✗I see too many smaller rescues work miracles on a shoestring budget while Dogs Trust shrinks away from difﬁcult cases and gives huge salaries to the top dogs – not the kind with four legs. It’s become a money-making machine where dogs are a secondary concern.Issue 370 Dogs Today 47 Karen Green✗I have zero conﬁdence in the management of Dogs Trust. Many years ago, I used to donate to them monthly, something I bitterly regret. I was taken in by their slick, expensive advertising – like so many people still are, judging by their accounts.I ﬁnd them dishonest, duplicitous and believe they have a very serious conﬂict of interests. I do not believe the management care for animals at all. They are, like several other large animal organisations, nothing more than a multi-million-pound corporation, posing as a ‘charity’, and their primary objective is clearly money making, not caring for animals. A quick glance at their reviews on TrustPilot conﬁrms this, particularly if you read reviews from those who have adopted dogs from them in the past and who return when those dogs have passed away, expecting to ﬁnd the same caring animal charity. Instead, they ﬁnd nothing but constant obstacles and a ridiculous nonsensical system that seems more determined to prevent dogs being rehomed, and to create money-making opportunities for themselves. The hopes of dogs being rehomed is dashed at every opportunity and potential adopters are forced to give up, despite their best efforts, and go elsewhere instead.I do not believe they provide good value for donors’ money, or that their system and management works effectively. Again, reading through the reviews on TrustPilot demonstrates that their new systems are nonsensical and more obstructive than helpful. I do not believe the changes they are making are necessary. The rot in their corporation that needs to be ﬁxed is higher up the chain.Even anecdotal evidence, by which I mean the constant and repeated commentary on social media of people’s personal experiences, displays the general negative view and lack of trust towards them. An even more acute and frankly horriﬁc example of their real interests and motivations was the case of Badger, the dog rescued from a well. He was killed by Dogs Trust, despite having no condition that could not be effectively treated. Dogs Trust treated his waiting adopters, who had spent weeks visiting him and forming a bond with him, absolutely appallingly. They behaved as though they were untouchable, so far above the public that they did not care what anyone thought or believed. When they eventually put out a statement, they claimed they were forced to kill him because he “would not have been able to recover from surgery”. This was complete and utter nonsense. He was not in a life-or-death situation. He did not need life-saving immediate surgery, and could easily have gone to his new home, spent more time recovering, and waited until he was ﬁt and strong enough for any further treatment he needed. They treated that dog, as they clearly do thousands of other dogs, like expendable trash. As someone who has disabled dogs myself, and with far greater health conditions than Badger ever had, and as a former grief counsellor, who had to watch what they did to that family, I literally despise Dogs Trust.The millions they are wasting could do so much good if spread out among so many other smaller charities who struggle and give their all to really helping animals – charities that still see them as living, breathing beings, not as proﬁt and losses on their spreadsheets, and would never have done what they did to Badger and his adoptive family.Dana Jade Jones✓Yes, they raise and spend a lot more money than your average small rescue – they also save thousands more dogs, though. I think they know their ﬁnances better than anyone harping about it on social media. Let them keep saving dogs.Ellen Woods✗I don’t trust any charity that makes so much money. It seems inevitable that the original purpose is lost. >e, email enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk o 100 words.

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48Dogs Today Issue 370 Emily Jones✗Can happily say from experience, it is a joke. The staff on the ground, who risk everything to help the dogs, get paid peanuts, while those sitting, staring at a screen, get paid a good deal more and get bonuses/expenses.Take it back to basics: focus on the dogs and bin off all the excessive ofﬁ ce-based roles. They need to stop with the rebranding and change in uniform and go back to focusing on dogs. It is that simple. Sod the staff sat in a cosy ofﬁ ce; listen to those on the ground day in and day out working for the dogs. I can guarantee fewer staff would leave if they did.Chris Morse?It most certainly looks like Dogs Trust should be investigated. From the letter, it seems that it is being mismanaged to a shocking degree. Those who donate will be horriﬁ ed to see where their donations are going, and, of course, donations will dry up with heartbreaking consequences for some of our canines. In view of the shocking revelations of recent ‘pet rescue’ and pop-up rescue homes, well-established homes like the Dogs Trust are needed more than ever.Becky Miles✗No way. They’re prioritising PR campaigns and digital growth while dogs are turned away due to lack of staff and space. Lay-offs of this scale don’t happen unless there has been massive mismanagement. I’d rather support a small rescue where every penny clearly helps a dog, not a marketing team.Martin Dunst✗Surely, it would make more sense to cut the big salaries than to lay off the staff on the frontline?Emma Montgomery✓They are doing what they can in a difﬁ cult economic climate. People forget that running such a large organisation comes with serious costs, and restructuring might be the only way to stay sustainable. It’s not pretty, but I trust they’ve assessed all options before reaching this decision.Sheena Standring ✗I have no conﬁ dence whatsoever in the management of Dogs Trust. They harp on about their problems being caused by the pandemic, but that was ﬁ ve years ago. Their major problem is that they do not let people adopt unless they adhere to their ridiculous rules: age limit, six-foot fences, not the only pet, only walk dog where there are no other dogs, no visitors, no children. Then they have the bare-faced cheek to tell people not to rehome from abroad and not to buy a puppy– but what other options do they have? Mind you, I think all rehoming centres are the same.My vet hates these shelters – he says they know nothing about dogs and he is right. I have just lost a 15-year-old working Cocker and I would dearly like to rehome an old dog soon, but I haven’t got a cat in hell’s chance, as I would not pass any of their requirements, so I guess they will just kill any old dogs I might have rehomed.I think this is a national disgrace. I am a member of Dogs Trust solely because I get insurance cover with my membership! The CEO and all the board of Dogs Trust should hang their heads in shame and just go.Anne Furney✗How much are the people being laid off paid per year compared to the CEO?Siobhan White?If they needed my input on how to manage a huge national charity, they’d have to be in deep trouble indeed. I don’t know either way. I don’t think asking on social media is of much use either.Jill Harwood✗No conﬁ dence whatsoever. Sacking 300 staff while sitting on over £100 million in donations is disgraceful. Smaller rescues are bursting at the seams, doing twice the work with half the funds. Dogs Trust used to be about the animals. Now it looks more like a corporate brand worried about cost-cutting.See page 38 where we talk to Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp about the concerns raised.Next month’s topic is: Do we need to reassess animal bans? Recent high-proﬁ le cases suggest animal bans are ignored and people reoffend without being checked, rendering them meaningless. What is the way forward? Email editorial@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk with your thoughts, putting ‘Great Debate’ in the subject line or write to ‘Great Debate’, Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High St, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AAGreat DebateYes No MaybeThis month’s result19% 19%62%Support Your Dog’s Health Naturally with PhotizoPhotizo Vetcare uses safe Red and Near-Infrared light from Medical-Gradetechnology to support your dog’s natural healing and offer pain relief athome. This scientifically proven light therapy, known asPhotobiomodulation (PBM), helps speed up recovery from many types ofinjuries, wounds, a pain management solution is also for proactive use.Not all ‘red light devices’ are created equal! All Photizo models aremanufactured to Medical Device regulations with 2-year warranty.A perfect home use integrative tool alongside vet treatment, massage,hydrotherapy, or physio. Easy to use. Loved by dogs. 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50Dogs Today Issue 370he history of search and rescue (SAR) dogs goes back centuries. In the 17th century, monks at the St Bernard Hospice in the Alps bred the St Bernard dog to ﬁ nd lost or injured travellers. In the First World War, SAR dogs were used to ﬁ nd injured soldiers on the battleﬁ eld. Over 30,000 dogs were used in the First World War and only 10 per cent made it back to their owners.During the Second World War, the use of dogs increased enormously, with around 200,000 dogs in service on the frontlines. Unfortunately, 25,000 of them died on the German frontiers alone. The demand for military dogs was so high that household pet dogs were taken from their owners to serve at the front. In the last years of the Second World War, the rubble search dog came about. Around 35 people were found alive using just four dogs.War zones present one of the boldest challenges. In these high-risk settings, SAR dogs play a critical role in ﬁ nding and aiding injured soldiers and civilians. In the chaos, confusion and commotion of battle, SAR dogs are invaluable in ﬁ nding the wounded, who may otherwise remain undiscovered.In more recent history, in 1988, SAR dogs played a vital role in searching for casualties and fatalities at the site of the horrendous airline disaster at Lockerbie. Two dogs, Corrie and Gael, were directed, along with their owner, to search for cockpit clues, casualties and cadavers around the village of Tundergarth.Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs is the largest lowland rescue dog team in England, with 21 operational members and 23 dogs (eight that are qualiﬁ ed and operational, and the rest either in training or awaiting requaliﬁ cation). Many are working breeds, but all types of dog are considered on their merits and must pass an initial evaluation before being accepted for training.A search dog ﬁ nds a missing person on land using two methods: air-scenting and trailing. The team also trains dogs in water scenting.SCENT TO FIND US Trailing dogs use a scent article, usually an item of clothing or a piece of material that has been used to capture the person’s scent, to track a speciﬁ c missing person. Once they have the scent, a trailing dog will follow the path of the missing person (misper) to lead the handler to them.Air-scenting dogs seek any human odour across a deﬁ ned area of land. Air-scenting dogs will roam to ﬁ nd a human scent in the air, and Words RICHARD HILLThe searchersTOn land or in water, highly skilled dogs are deployed in emergency situations to ﬁ nd the missingthen work more closely to narrow down the location of the missing person (misper). Once a dog has located a misper, they will alert their handler and show them where the person is.Water rescue dogs are vital for saving lives and assisting in aquatic emergencies. With their exceptional swimming abilities, intelligence and unwavering dedication, water rescue dogs are instrumental in locating and saving individuals in distress or danger in the water.FROM BOAT AND BANKCadaver water dogs can be used to search water when a victim may have drowned, entered the water in a vehicle, or been deposited into the water and submerged. To become qualiﬁ ed, dogs are assessed in both the ability to search by boat and on the bank. On ﬁ nding the scent of the missing person, the handler rewards the dog with their favourite toy and/or food while giving lots of praise. It is this ‘game’, through years of training, that drives the dog to ﬁ nd the missing person.Raph O’Connor has been involved with the Search and Rescue Dog Association Ireland North (Sarda IN) for 30 years. He says, “As the training ofﬁ cer, my role is pivotal in ensuring the effectiveness and readiness of our specialised search and rescue dogs. We have been training nationally qualiﬁ ed SAR dogs for over 40 years, providing invaluable assistance to the SAR rescue teams, police, ﬁ re service, and all emergency services when ofﬁ cially requested. “Our dogs are synonymous with mountain search operations, but their capabilities extend to open areas/countryside, urban search and rescue, forests, trailing, victim recovery and cadaver searches.“Our dogs are an excellent asset, signiﬁ cantly enhancing the efﬁ ciency and success of missing person searches. Over the years, our drowned victim search dogs and mountain search dogs have achieved numerous successful ﬁ nds, underscoring their critical role in search and rescue operations.”After a certain age, or when they can no longer perform their duties, search and rescue dogs need to transition to retirement. This can be a challenging time, as they often have a strong desire to continue working. The dogs can experience work withdrawal after retirement, just as humans may react to retirement, so the transition needs to be done gradually and thoughtfully. PWINNING HERO In March 2024, Vesper, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, was announced as the winner of the Kennel Club’s Hero Dog Award at Crufts. Vesper was a ﬁ nalist in the Extraordinary Life of a Working Dog category with her owner and handler, Niamh Darcy. Niamh, from the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, took a chance on Vesper in 2020 when she was 18 months old. After a 48-hour trial under arduous selection conditions, Vesper performed ﬂ awlessly. Their bond as a team was solid, and so Vesper joined Niamh as her canine search partner. In her career, Vesper has been deployed to numerous disasters, most recently the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Morocco. Alongside her handler, she has been responsible for locating multiple live casualties and reuniting them with their families. At the award ceremony at Crufts, Paralympian Libby Clegg presented Vesper and Niamh with the award, saying, “I was so honoured and privileged to give Niamh and Vesper this award. Their incredible partnership and the work they do together is so inspiring and lifesaving.”Issue 370 Dogs Today51then work more closely to narrow down the location of the missing person (misper). Once a dog has located a misper, they will alert their handler and show them where the person is.Water rescue dogs are vital for saving lives and assisting in aquatic emergencies. With their exceptional swimming abilities, intelligence and unwavering dedication, water rescue dogs are instrumental in locating and saving individuals in distress or danger in the water.

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52 Dogs Today Issue 370 Your news & viewsPhoto by Wendy LovattLEPTO 2Your recent focus on the lepto vaccine came at a pivotal point, as our boys’ boosters were due and we were summoned to our vet’s to get the deed done. In the last 12 months, we have moved away from chemical ﬂea and worm treatments and instead use worm-count kits and anti-wormer natural supplements. However, we aren’t ready to go vaccine free, so we booked the appointment with caution and a bit of worry.Following the last few articles, we contacted our vet ahead of booking and asked if they could dispense lepto 2, and without any discussion or question, they replied, “Yes, we can administer lepto 2 if you prefer, no problem at all.” We were so relieved and we were looked after as normal – again, there was no kickback; they simply gave the boys the lepto 2. For this magazine and the work you have done, I just wanted to say thank you. Had I not read these articles, subscribing to Dogs Today, I would have been none the wiser. How many other dog guardians sleepwalk into their annual booster appointments and just receive the lepto 4 without any knowledge of the potential consequences? So I just wanted to thank you. When we know better, we can do better. I’ll continue to talk to other dog guardians about this locally, but I do feel more exposure is critical. Amanda PedderDOGS TRUST ISSUESI am currently an employee at Dogs Trust, working in one of their rehoming centres. I can honestly say the staff I work with have zero conﬁdence in the head ofﬁce and the CEO. We can’t get a straight answer about what this new strategy means, and staff are treated appallingly by those in power. Owen Sharp, in the ﬁve years I’ve worked at the centre, has never once taken the time to speak to centre staff about anything. He has visited on occasion, but gone straight into an ofﬁce with managers, then left straight away.The euthanasia rate seems to be at an all-time high, and there has been no support for staff dealing with the emotional toll this has caused. Staff are overworked and burnt out, both physically and emotionally.I really do admire the people who work directly with the dogs, but once you get to the level of centre manager and above, it’s all very corporate – and increasingly less about the dogs and more about how much money can be made. There is zero reward or acknowledgement for rehoming centre staff, who are on basically on minimum wage, while the CEO must be earning nearly £200k a year. He was on £160k almost four years ago, so God knows what he’s paying himself now.The only thing we used to look forward to was the Christmas party and bonus (roughly, a week’s wage), both of which have been taken away.I would like to remain anonymous, as we have been threatened about speaking to any form of press or media about the situation. We have been trying to build numbers to make Dogs Trust recognise union members, but so far, they have said they will refuse to acknowledge a union until forced to do so.I have never seen the staff so worried for the future of the dogs, or so deﬂated despite all the hard work we do. Staff are even buying equipment out of their own pockets, despite the pitiful pay they already receive, to ensure the dogs have what they need. Right now, it really feels as though we are being taken for a ride by head ofﬁce, while they enjoy ‘holidays abroad’ and create high-paying roles at the head ofﬁce in London, leaving us to pick up the scraps.I really hope your story makes the national news, as I think all the people donating to Owen Sharp’s wallet need to be made aware.[Name Withheld]Read our interview with Owen on page 38, where he responds to the concerns of various whistleblowers.PostbagIssue 370 Dogs Today 53 Get in touchWe love to hear your news and views, and see photos of your dogs! Email editorial@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk Write to us at Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AA Join the debateVoice your opinions on news stories and other topics on our Dogs Today Magazine Facebook page or through our website www.dogstodaymagazine.co.ukFrom Facebook...OUR FOLLOWERS SHARE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEIR PETS TRY TO CATCH THEIR EVER-ELUSIVE TAIL – AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY CAUGHT IT!The German Shepherd Dog I had when I was younger caught her tail sometimes, but she kept turning slowly, with the tip of her tail in her mouth. Marie ChaI had a cat who couldn’t feel his tail, so it wasn’t unusual for him to catch it, or even ﬁght with it.Trista GroulxI remember my dog once bit her tail, and it obviously hurt, so she yelped – then looked at me like, “Someone just hurt me. I don’t know how, but they did – ﬁx it!” This is a dog who is so bright (when it suits her) that I have to use child locks in my kitchen (I have no child) and yet she can’t ﬁgure out: “Oh, if I bite my own tail, that will hurt me.”Katy BurgessHe wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.Gavin McLauchlin Our (now departed) cat did that once. He spun around, got his teeth on his tail, and then had this look on his face as if to say, “I regret my life choices.”Justin WhitmanMy dog hits himself in the face with his own tail when he wags it. He has no need to chase it – it’s already there.Nils PonsaingBro just beat the ﬁnal boss.Francis BoisvertMy brother’s Lab cross would chase her tail, not because she was stupid, but because people would laugh at her, so she ﬁgured she was making them happy.Tamara MartinMy dog did it at two or three months old. He was self-bamboozled.Martin J BM

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54 Dogs Today Issue 370 My Dog CrushMany of us have ‘dog crushes’ – soft spots for breeds or types that we love but know we’ll probably never own for lots of terribly sensible reasons. Maybe you don’t have enough hours in the day for the dog you dream of. Perhaps you have a wandering eye and there are just too many dogs to ﬁt into a lifetime. Or you already have a house squashed full of adored allsorts that chose you.In this feature we go through popular dog crushes and take a fresh look at what it would be like to actually live with them.KeeshondIssue 370 Dogs Today55CharacterOur survey respondents described the Keeshond as a Velcro dog that wants to stick close to their loved ones. They don’t like being left alone. One owner explained, “Keeshonden have FOMO – fear of missing out. They are afraid that they might miss out on any snacks or something exciting that is going on, so they always want to be with their humans.”They are said to be good travellers – in cars, as well as barges!They are watchful in nature, but this is not accompanied with the aloofness or unfriendliness of some breeds. “They are happy, goofy dogs who never meet a stranger.” But if, when on watch dog duty, something alerts their attention, they’ll be sure to tell you about it. In true spitz fashion, they can be vocal. “It’s in their DNA – they are known barkers,” said one owner. Another, “I think their different vocalisations are endearing.” Many reported how the Keeshond enjoys family life with people of all ages. “Their stunning beauty is the ﬁ rst thing that catches your eye. Their clown-like behaviour, affection, love of their family as well as their outgoing, temperament and personality, make it a win-win situation for everyone!”Exercise43% of our survey have 30-60 minutes of exercise a day and 28% have more than an hour. “It varies depending on what other activities they spend time doing,” explained one owner. Another Kees fan stressed the breed’s versatility. “They can happily have less or more. Whatever you want to do, they want to do. Go for a hike? Sure! Walk around the block? Sure! Just some yard games? Sure! Rainy couch potato day? Sure!”Training & behaviourBeing spitzy, you’d think the breed might be a natural lead-puller. Our survey suggests not – or the owners have worked really hard on leash training. Only 5% from our poll pull like a train; 73% walk on a loose lead with the remaining minority walking on a taut lead. 80% said their dogs are very quick to learn – which is a bit of a double-edged sword. 27% have learnt to open doors and 24% use ‘stealth and cunning to steal things’! Given the breed’s great love of people, plus their intelligence, it’s no surprise that many turn their paw to therapy work. “They are natural therapy dogs – right there, nuzzling you and licking you when you are upset.” HealthThe Kennel Club lists elbow, hip and eye tests for the breed, as well as the DNA test for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), a condition where too much parathyroid hormone is released into the blood, causing calcium levels to rise. Signs include lethargy, bone pain, excessive thirst, weight loss and stomach upsets. Kidney failure can result if the condition is not treated. Several of our survey owners had encountered thyroid issues in their dogs and many had experienced cancer (64%). Sensitive stomachs (34%) and epilepsy (18%) were also mentioned. NO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING • NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORTREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk Awarded ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 - 2021, UK’11 TIMES WINNER OF ‘Product I can’t live without’For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Winners 2013-2024WINNER2020Global100Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 – UKEndorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour AssociationWith its distinctive grey coat and bespectacled face, the Keeshond is a stunning, distinguished dog, who has made the leap from the Dutch barges to comfy sofas with surprising ease. Our survey of Keeshond owners revealed:Photo by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk)

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My Dog Crush56Dogs Today Issue 370 OriginsWhen a Viking ship sank along the Friesland coast of the Netherlands, all lives were lost, apart from one man and his dog, who were rescued by a ﬁ sherman called Wolfert. The two men built a chapel to the patron saint of mariners, St Olav, and it became customary for all boats to carry a dog as they brought such good luck. Such dogs protected barges and others were used in homes and farms, guarding ﬂ ocks as well as the properties. In the late 18th century, Holland had two political factions: the Conservatists, who supported the Prince of Orange, and the patriot rebels who did not. The rebels were led by Cornelis de Gijselaar (‘Kees’ for short), whose constant canine companion (‘hond’) not only became a mascot for the party but also gave the breed the name we still use today. From the 1800s, the dogs were known as ‘overweight Pomeranians’ in the UK. The name changed to Dutch Barge Dog brieﬂ y, before settling on Keeshond in 1926. ●Zorro ●Kaos ●Hals ●Ulvi ●Mika ●Floof●Thorbear●Tika ●Baloo ●Ziva Best namesBest Facebook group●Keeshond Health TodayIssue 370 Dogs Today 57 Geraldine Clark My Keeshond adventure started in 1962 when my dad heard of a Keeshond dog needing a new home. Dad being dad went and collected him without telling anyone. Not everyone was happy. My mum wasn’t overjoyed, but I thought Boy was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.Boy wasn’t the easiest dog we ever owned. He was lovely with people, but he was very animal reactive; dog, cats, squirrels or hedgehogs could not be tolerated by him. The odd thing was, if you saw the offending animal ﬁrst and told him to ‘leave it’, he would ignore it.Unfortunately, he wasn’t very long lived and died when he was seven or eight years old of what appeared to be a heart attack. We were all devastated and Mum put her foot down and said, ‘No more dogs!’ That’s when I decided that, as soon as I was able, I would have a Keeshond of my own.In 1979, my own life with Keeshonds began with Vina, who was the ideal ﬁrst family dog. She was so gentle around my children, and, from day one, seemed to know my mood before I did.GOOD HAIR DAYSWhen you are out with your dogs, many people say, ‘I bet that takes a lot of grooming!’. My reply is, ‘Not as much as you might think.’ As with any coated breed, the grooming regime is an essential part of a puppy’s training. Start with short brush strokes for a few minutes, three or four times a day, making the sessions a little longer each week. Always make it fun. There is no point in getting frustrated because your little wiggler won’t keep still for long. Give them time and they will love it. I have always found it to be a real bonding experience, and, once mastered, it is a joy to do. Just once a week is enough to keep them looking beautiful, with maybe a deeper groom every fourth week. In my house, as soon as the grooming bag comes out, all of mine want to be ﬁrst. I’m not sure if it’s because of the grooming experience or the treats, though, as most Keeshonds are very food orientated. They are also very good ‘doers’, which means you have to keep a check on their weight.Keeshonds have been described as ‘Velcro dogs’, not an expression I like, but I understand why, as they always want to be with you, whatever you are doing. Whether it’s a quick trip to the shops or a ﬁve-mile hike, they are happy.I have lived with both males and females, and, in my experience, have found the boys to be the ones wanting the most attention. The boys are very loyal and loving where the girls are a little more independent.Keeshonds are usually very easy to train and respond well to a softer approach with lots of praise – and, of course, treats. They are very versatile – some people do agility, obedience and rally with their dogs.Known as the smiling Dutchman, Keeshonds are primarily watchdogs. They were used on the Dutch barges to warn of anyone approaching, which means they can be noisy if allowed to be. I did have one girl who would just stand in the middle of the garden and bark for no good reason. They can be very stubborn and they always think they know better than you. If you don’t have a sense of humour, don’t have a Keeshond!They are a relatively healthy breed and it is advised that all breeding stock be tested for elbow and hip dysplasia. We also have a test for PHPT (primary hyperparathyroidism). Unfortunately, our puppy numbers are not great and we need to get them past the 100 per year mark if the breed is to continue. Numbers were falling before the pandemic and haven’t yet begun to improve.For anyone thinking of a Keeshond to join your family, you will be getting a friend for life, a conﬁdant and a good excuse for a walk… to the park or the pub – your choice! POwner’s viewNO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING • NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORTREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk Awarded ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 - 2021, UK’11 TIMES WINNER OF ‘Product I can’t live without’For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Winners 2013-2024WINNER2020Global100Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 – UKEndorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour AssociationJazz, CJ & Pebbles

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My Dog Crush58Dogs Today Issue 370 Grooming adviceThe Keeshond is in category two of the Kennel Club’s Breed Watch scheme, to guard against excessively profuse coats. “I think their fur coat intimidates people who inaccurately think they are high maintenance and shed a lot,” one Kees owner told us. “It really depends on the breeding, but a properly textured coat and moderately bred Keeshond (not bred for a huge show coat), only requires a good line brushing about every two weeks and doesn’t constantly shed. It’s so important to meet the parents and feel their coats to know what your dog’s grooming expectations will be.”In our survey, 51% groom at least once a week, 24% groom every couple of weeks, 19% groom every few days and the remaining handful groom daily. Some use a professional groomer. NO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING • NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORTREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk Awarded ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 - 2021, UK’11 TIMES WINNER OF ‘Product I can’t live without’For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Winners 2013-2024WINNER2020Global100Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 – UKEndorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour Association●Loving ●Velcro dogs ●Intelligent●Fun ●Clownish●Gentle ●Beautiful●Friendly ●Stubborn ●TalkativeTraits●“A high-velocity blow-dryer is your best friend.” ●“Keep on top of it. If you fall behind, it will take more time to get the coat in order again.”●“When bathing, dilute your shampoo to get into the coat right down to the skin and then rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, and when you think you are done, rinse again. It’s so very important to get all the product out.” ●“Never groom a dry coat – always use a grooming spray.”●“Don’t overbathe them and keep the nails as short as possible.”●“They hardly ever get bathed unless they have rolled in something disgusting.” ●“When shedding, comb out the dead hair as soon as possible otherwise they become very itchy.”Issue 370 Dogs Today59Love the breed? Shop the breedNO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING • NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORTREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk Awarded ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 - 2021, UK’11 TIMES WINNER OF ‘Product I can’t live without’For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST Winners 2013-2024WINNER2020Global100Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020 – UKEndorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour Association^ Minimalist Keeshond line-art ﬁ gure, in black, brown or grey. £33.89 from AnatolianGiftBox on etsy.com^ A selection of Keeshond cards, some of which can be personalised. From £2.95 from HaveAGanderUK (left) or £3.99 from AmberMariesStudios on etsy.com ^ Handmade to order, this glass Keeshond is around 11cm and made by master craftsman Neil Harris. £76.50 from NHarrisandSon on etsy.comKeeshond T-shirt in >nine colours and a wide range of children’s, women’s and men’s sizes. Also available as a hoodie and tote bag. From £12.99 from Serbanati on etsy.com^ > Antique 1940 Keeshond prints, from a book about dogs, perfect for framing. The artist is Lucy ‘Mac’ Dawson, an eminent British illustrator. From £16.98 from Plaindealing on etsy.com

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60Dogs Today Issue 370 Tea breakName: _________________________________________________________Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Postcode: __________________Telephone: _____________________________________________________Email address: ___________________________________________________ISSUE 369 SOLUTION: Across: 1 Champ; 4 Bernard; 8 Trainer; 9 Saint; 10 Indicted; 11 Game; 13 Great Dane; 16 Clip; 17 Grooming; 20 Riﬂ e; 21 Ireland; 22 Handler; 23 Spear. Down: 1 Catnip; 2 Award; 3 Pinscher; 4 Border Terrier; 5 Rush; 6 Animate; 7 Dither; 12 Samoyeds; 13 Griffon; 14 Scorch; 15 Agadir; 18 Irate; 19 Reel591210201481715321131618122274196231 124Gyles Brandreth’s Prize Crossword!Complete the crossword grid, then post your entry to arrive by 10 July 2025 to: Crossword 370, Dogs Today, The Cottage, Church Street, Wyre Piddle, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2JD. The ﬁ rst correct entry drawn after the closing date will win a Kong Wubba Zoo Koala dog toy worth £12. Available from PurrfectlyYappy.com How to enterQuick Clues Across1 Presenter Ben’s vet dad (5,5)7 Hunting dogs (6)8 Sounds (6)9 Racing dogs (8)11 A traditional dog name (4)13 On loan (5)15 Pry (5)18 Desire (4)20 German Shepherd (8)22 Persian Greyhound (6)23 Army – of foreigners? (6)24 Former Dogs Todayagony aunt and Eurovision presenter (5,5)Cryptic Clues Across1 Bugle force blasted famous vet author and personality (5,5)7 Chases Huckleberry and Co (6)8 Sounds from wild, heartless session (6)9 Punish domestic animals – these dogs? (8)11 Dog I’d introduced into Foreign Office (4)13 Rented house, initially, before bumpy ride (5)15 ‘Peanuts’ dog loses tail… and nose? (5)18 Need items from Taiwan today? (4)20 A tail’s wagged by a Northern breed (8)22 Dog to sail, oddly, round the UK (6)23 French troops, for example, eaten by large cat (6)24 Be like a toy, maybe? She might give such doggie advice (5,5)Down 1 This breed bounds (not half) ahead of four in Germany (7)2 Wild cats starting to eat the class (5)3 Stop a European spitz, do you say? (6)4 This dog makes un-English offering, strangely enough (7)5 What the editor has to do, when in the Mendips (5)6 Double quantity of Chinese food for Chinese breed (4,4)10 Something to write on in apartment (3)12 Competitor spills no pop before ten, perhaps (8)14 Wild nutters to commit for safekeeping (7)15 Look, we’re told: a stretch of water (3)16 Vent? Here’s an alternative if on ice (7)17 Dog’s tooth (6)19 There’s a dearth, unfortunately (5)21 Discharge some colossal volleys (5)Complete the crossword grid, then post your entry to arrive by 10 July 2025 to: Dogs Today, The Cottage, Church Street, Wyre Piddle, Pershore, Worcs Wyre Piddle, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2JD. The ﬁ rst correct entry drawn after the closing date dog toy worth £12. Available from PurrfectlyYappy.com Complete the crossword grid, then post your entry to arrive by 10 July 2025 to: Dogs Today, The Cottage, Church Street, Wyre Piddle, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2JD. The ﬁ rst correct entry drawn after the closing date dog toy worth £12. Available from PurrfectlyYappy.com Down 1 ... des Flandres2 Hindu society class (5)3 End (6)4 Small, wire-haired breed originating from Belgium (7)5 Edit (5)6 Oriental breed (4,4)10 Underpart of dog’s foot (3)12 Rival (8)14 Put into someone else’s care or protection (7)15 Salt water (3)16 Opening (7)17 Pertaining to dogs (6)19 Alas and …! (5)21 Outburst of, for example, applause (5)Put the kettle on and have a go at our competitions!Issue 370 Dogs Today61Today’s doggie prayer: Today’s doggie prayer: may pizza be with may pizza be with you and also you and also with mewith meWinning captionPhoto submitted by Carina O’Reilly Pug & Whippet by Tim Rose (www.timrosephotography.co.uk) Julia O’Connor368 Caption Runners-upCross QuestionThe writer of the winning caption and sender of the ﬁ rst correct answer to the Cross Question will each win a Kong Wubba Zoo Mandril dog toy worth £12. Available from www.purrfectlyyappy.com. The judge’s decision is ﬁ nal in all competitions. Email your Caption Competition & Cross Question entries together with your contact details to comps@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk or post to: Competitions 370, Dogs Today, The Cottage, Church Street, Wyre Piddle, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2JD, to arrive by 10 July 2025Can you guess which breeds Bill’s parents are? 368 Cross Question SolutionJoey’s parents are a Pug and a Whippet.The ﬁ rst correct answer came from Emma Judson +When the collie’s keen eyeSpies your big pizza pieThat’s amore!Sue Withyhays BrownWho ordered the pupperoni pizza?Gerri HickmanBut I ordered a hot dog!Audrey, aged 10Do you have a funny pic you’d like us to feature? Please email it to us at comps@dogstodaymagazine.co.ukHow to enterPhoto submitted by Jean StothardWinners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition will win a prize from Purrfectly YappyWinners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition The judge’s decision is ﬁ nal Winners of the Cross Question and Caption Competition Can you come up with a witty and amusing caption for this photo? Caption this!Being a working dog, Moss is a brilliant waiter, but people do complain when he rounds up their billDee Claydon I’m a top(pings) dog, but I am also a Crusts supreme champion!Helen Ingram

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62Dogs Today Issue 370 www.foreverhoundstrust.orgPRIORY ROAD ASCOT BERKSHIRE SL5 8RJ01344 882689We are a non-destruction sanctuary for abandoned & unwanted dogsRegistered Charity No. 256728established 1958NEUTER AND SPAY,NO MORE STRAYSWe neuter and spay thousands of dogs and cats in Romania every yearCharity No: 1172316www.animalsni.ukPayPal email: donations@animalsni.ukwww.animalsni.ukCharity SpotlightWelcome to Charity Spotlight - a handy reference point for good folk doing great work. We’re helping to raise the proﬁ le of this diverse group and we encourage you to get involved with them, by offering a forever home, fundraising or volunteeringIf you’d like to see your organisation featured in these pages, please call us on 01276 402591 for more detailsLincolnshire Greyhound Trust (LGT) is an independent charity (1103656) with kennels near Boston in South Lincolnshire and near Epping in Essex. We were formed in 1998 as a branch of a national organisation, but became an independent charity in May 2004. We have homed over 2,400 Greyhounds since we began.What we doWe home retired racing Greyhounds and consider homes in any area of the UK (if we aren’t able to help, we’d be happy to suggest a responsible homing group in your area).Any Greyhound we home would be spayed or castrated in advance, vaccinated and microchipped. We provide a walking-out coat, collar and lead, muzzle plus the option of four weeks’ free insurance. Most importantly, we provide lifetime back-up for any Greyhound we home in case of any issues whether relating to the Greyhound or personal circumstances, and we also have an excellent community of fellow owners in our Facebook group.Why a Greyhound?Greyhounds are often lazy, laid-back dogs, who need just two 20-minute walks a day, although some are happy to do more (and some happy to do less!).We home them with the elderly, as they are a great companion and not over demanding; with families, as they can be very tolerant of young children; with people who work full-time, providing they can split the day; and some Greyhounds can also go to people with other pets, including cats.Most of our Greyhounds are between three and ﬁ ve years old and have come from racing owners and trainers who trust us to ﬁ nd them better homes than they can. We do sometimes get younger Greyhounds in and also older Greyhounds that have been returned from homes often through no fault of their own.Can you help?The main way people can help is to get in touch and take on a Greyhound as a pet or by promoting LGT to their friends and family. But if you can’t do that and want to help, we have a weekly lottery at just £1 a week, payable by standing order, which pays out over £100 every week. Just get in touch for more information.Find out more We hold regular awareness days where we take Greyhounds to meet the public, and they can all be seen on our website www.lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.co.uk If interested, please call Kev on 07941 313025 or email kev@lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.comLincolnshire Greyhound Trust Charity of the monthIssue 370 Dogs Today63As a rescue charity, Rushton helps abandoned, abused and unwanted dogs on a international scale. Rescuing dogs from all over the world. especially the meat trade in Asia and China.Registered Charity in England and Wales No. 1139999Call Now:+44 (0) 1823 49 10 52To rescue, rehabilitate and rehome vulnerable and at risk dogs from YorkshireSaving Yorkshire’s DogsRegistered Charity No 1167291Tel: 07562 986101Email: savingyorkshiresdogs@gmail.comWeb: www.sydrescue.org.ukFind us onWE RESCUE KILL SHELTER AND ABANDONED DOGS FROM ROMANIA AND REHOME THEM IN THE UK AND GERMANYwww.barkingmaddogrescue.co.uk@barkingmaddogrescue @bmdrdogs www.petsavers.org.ukFinding the cures for serious pet illnesses, helping them live longer, healthier liveswww.leicesteranimalaid.org.ukTel 01455 888257Registered Charity No. 242560Rescue and rehoming centre for dogs and catsRegistered Charity No. 1077588Help us to help moreWe rescue and rehome 100s of dogs and cats in London every year themayhew.org020 8962 8000We are a small dog and cat rescue that specialises in the rehabilitation of pets who need their second chance at happiness. No matter your age, location or family status PAWS gives everyone a chance to be a part of the rescue story. www.pennineanimalwelfaresociety.orgGreyhounds make great pets★ Lincolnshire Greyhound Trust has been rehoming Greyhounds since 1988★ We have rehomed over 2,300 retired Greyhounds★ Kennels in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire & Epping Greyhounds since 1988 We have rehomed over 2,300 retired Greyhounds Kennels in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire & Eppingwww.lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.co.uk07941 313025kev@lincolnshiregreyhoundtrust.comRAYSTEDERegistered charity no 237696www.raystede.org01825 840252Rescuing and rehoming animals in Sussex

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64Dogs Today Issue 370 Doggie Delights Pawlicious Botanical RangeOur new range of botanicals is handmade in Wales, especially for Doggie Delights. Containing essential oils, these shampoo bars, sprays and balms will help to ward off ﬂ eas and ticks, calm over-excited and anxious dogs and soothe noses and paw pads after sunny walks. Our shampoo bars also contain neem oil, coconut oil and goats milk to cleanse the fur and skin and relieve sensitive or itchy skin, as well calming rashes. We are expanding our range all the time. Check out our shop!Special 5% off this month for Dogs Today readers – use code: DTBOTMAY25www.dogdancing.org/shop dogdancingltd@gmail.com | 07535 176 317 Canine Product of the MonthAdvertising featurewww.dogs-holiday.co.ukDogs stay free!Boturnell Farm CottagesHome from home for you and your dogs. If they are relaxed, then you can relax. Every cottage has an enclosed garden for those late night & early morning comfort breaks. PLUS: 8 acres of woods ● Throws for the furniture ● Animal ﬁ rst aid kit www.whitehorsefarm.co.ukDorset loves its dogs, and with a large fenced paddock to play in, plus fantastic dog walking areas and dog-friendly attractions on the doorstep, our cottages and lodge oﬀ er the perfect location from which to explore it. Up ttcharge!Want to advertise your business in our classiﬁ ed adverts section?Call Mike McGlynn now on 01276 402591 or send an email to mike@dogstoday magazine.co.ukHolidays, Charities, Services & ProductsClassiﬁ ed advertsIssue 370 Dogs Today656622JulyFind the perfect caravan or lodge and plan your perfect trip with us.Start Planning Nowgreenhowe.comenquiries@greenhowe.com015394 37231Explore the Lake District with EaseEvery product is handcrafted by our very own skilled artisans who draw on years of specialist experience, a love of creativity, a passion for quality and a huge appreciation for functionality ... but with flair.07774 626677 | sales@annrees.co.ukwww.annrees.co.ukHandmade Dog Collars & Coats● The Down● The Stay● The Sit● Walk to Heel● Recall● The Left Finish (return to sit on your left-hand side)● The Present (return and sit in front of you)Trainer of the MonthAdvertising feature6622JulyA1K9All of these behaviours are taught both on and off leash, using a combination of tried and tested reward-based training techniques. We do not compromise on the high standards we set ourselves but more importantly, we encourage the dog to want to learn, making it an enjoyable and happy experience for them whilst they are with us.For the duration of the training, your dog will stay in our purpose-built facilities and be tutored by a member of our team, all of whom are expert dog trainers. Dogs of all breeds can be booked onto our residential obedience training programme; however, they must be over 10 months of age and be fully vaccinated.We achieve consistently high results, much to the delight of our clients who entrust their much-loved family companions to our care to learn new skills. But don’t take our word for it, take a look at our client testimonials.01792 883395 | info@a1k9.co.uk | www.a1k9.co.uk Pets Welcome

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How far would you go to save your dogs? Isa Randle took Lucky the Chihuahua to the vet and was shocked to hear that her little dog had the start of a common heart condition called mitral valve disease. Drugs could help for a while, but they had terrible side effects. Most people would probably have wept about the future, now much reduced, but Isa wasn’t ready to accept the depressing prognosis. She researched better outcomes and decided to ﬂ y to Japan to the best heart surgeon in the world. Trying to mend Lucky’s broken heart would cost a small fortune, but Isa was prepared to go to the ends of the earth if Lucky needed it.The operation was a complete success and Lucky recently celebrated his 15th birthday! Another reader was very badly let down by her pet insurance. The small print meant she’d been paying for something worse than useless, so when her dog needed an expensive life-saving operation, she wasn’t covered. So, of course, she sold her car and most of her possessions – including her fridge. HIDDEN HEROESOver the years, I’ve been told so many stories that we couldn’t ever publish. I’ve been trusted with secrets, and I am exactly the right person to conﬁ de in, as my terrible memory means I have long ago forgotten the name of those who shared their stories! Sometimes forgetfulness can be a superpower. But I’ll never forget what these people did or why. I’m not surprised the lengths people go to in order to keep their dogs safe. I’ve known of Mission Impossible-style rescues by OAPs who liberated dogs from being kept in miserable conditions after the RSPCA refused to act. Pet detective Wayne Maye even took a bullet, trying to get stolen dogs back. I’ve heard of older women taking up martial arts just in case someone tries to snatch their precious little dogs. Love and injustice make dog owners brave and ﬁ erce. We perceive dogs to be vulnerable, innocent creatures, and we will do almost anything to protect them. IMPOSSIBLE CHOICESThe government really needs to adjust the laws of the land to reﬂ ect how strongly we all feel about our best friends. Over the years, we’ve exposed many deﬁ ciencies in the law, but it’s like playing whack-a-mole – just as you get one piece of legislation changed, another piece of unfairness is imposed on everyone without the public even being consulted.Before we got pet passports and ended the mandatory six-month quarantine for dogs, I met many tremendously eminent and respectable people who admitted to breaking the law and smuggling their elderly pet dogs back into Britain when they were forced to relocate due to work. The dogs had long ago passed away before they dared risking telling anyone their secrets.Bad laws force people to take risks. When faced with impossible choices for no obvious public gain, even the most respectable people will ﬁ nd the courage to risk prison rather than comply.This month, we are talking to a lady who is being forced to reduce the number of dogs she lives with, not because anyone has complained about them, but because people in the planning world are using an arbitrary legal precedent that states it is unreasonable for people to keep more than ﬁ ve dogs as pets. Dogs are family. Imagine someone being told you have an unreasonable number of children, so they’re being taken away... P66Dogs Today Issue 370 Risky choices Confessions of a dogaholicREVOLUTIONARY HEADCOLLARStops dogs pulling on the lead and gives you back control.Life-Changing products for you and your dog!Also available: Collars, Non Slip Leads and Gripper Training Leads oﬀering added security and conﬁdence throughout the winter months.‘Matching accessories in a selection of colours’ with high quality workmanship and ﬁttings.Endorsed by Dr David Sands BSc PhD CFBA Fellow of the Canine & Feline Behaviour AssociationCall to join the ever growing number of people changing to Dogmatic 01952 245330 or visit us at www.dogmatic.org.uk ‘PRODUCT I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT’AWARDED ‘Best Dog Collar Manufacturer 2020-21 - UK’ and Most Innovative Dog Collar Manufacturers 2019For Dog People by Dog People Because your dog deserves the BEST NO MORE PULLING • NO MORE RIDING UP • NO MORE RUBBING NO MORE COMING OFF • NO MORE DISCOMFORT

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