Your Dog March 2022

Editor’s Letter The month of March — ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’ — has much to recommend it. For starters, the clocks go forward at the end of the month, which means we’ll all be able to enjoy longer and more varied walks with our dogs. Check out ‘10 ways to make the most of your dog walks’ (page 10) and ‘Walking adventures’ (page 38) to get some inspiration and ideas on how you can make them the best ever! For adventurous types, there’s ‘Try something new’ (page 24), which looks at some of the sports and activities you can get involved in with your dog — and March 2022 just might be the perfect time to start. As well as talking to experts in their fields,…

SUBSCRIBE NOW! Alongside their March issue of Your Dog Magazine, our subscribers will also receive the Your Dog Annual and Discount Card 2022/23, which includes offers, discounts, and perks from more than 300 dog-friendly partners throughout the UK. To take advantage of these offers, including savings on online shopping, dog-friendly holiday accommodation and hotels and B&Bs, eateries, dog-friendly attractions, and more, why not subscribe to Your Dog Magazine? Find out more at www.yourdog.co.uk/your-dog-discount-card or check out our latest offer on page 37 of this issue. WHO’S ON THE COVER THIS MONTH? Cover pic: Labrador by Mark Taylor, Warren Photographic Ltd. Our March cover star is six-month-old Ginny, a fox red Labrador, who was only 12 weeks old when our pic was taken. She is owned by Rob and Ashleigh Dix,…

NEWS. CHAT. INTERVIEWS. PICTURES. COMPETITIONS. Talking dogs One in 250 dogs prescribed behaviour modifying drugs, says RVC research A new study from the Royal A Veterinary College has identified the Toy Poodle, Tibetan Terrier, and Shih Tzu as the breeds most likely to be prescribed drug therapy for undesirable behaviours. The data also revealed that one in every 250 dogs in the UK is prescribed behaviour modifying drugs each year to treat anxiousness, dementia-like behaviour, and nervous aggression. It’s hoped the VetCompass study of 103,597 canine clinical records — the largest of its kind — will raise awareness of the need to improve veterinary expertise in the prevention and management of undesirable canine behaviours, particularly as only 2.2 per cent of dogs prescribed drug therapy were referred to a behaviourist.…

News HOUND-UP FOOTBALL CLUB AND PET FOOD BRAND TEAM UP The‘world’s greenest football club’, Gloucestershire-based Forest Green Rovers, has signed up with award-winning, plant-based vegan pet food brand HOWND. “Our partnership to be their official vegan pet food partner is an exciting achievement and we look forward to the wealth of opportunities it will bring,” said Mark Hirschel, commercial director and co-founder of HOWND. “Let’s just call this a ‘matchday’ made in heaven.” GRRR-EAT TO MEET YOU! Analysis from pet brand Good Boy has discovered dogs are learning new words and commands, such as‘Zoom’, ‘Teams’, ‘meeting’, ‘internet’ and even ‘boss’, from listening in to their owners’ work video calls — so much so that 58 per cent of respondents’ dogs can recognise many of their colleagues. The study suggested having…

10 WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DOG WALKS They are brilliant for bonding and for discovering more about your environment, says top trainer and behaviourist Jackie Drakeford. Walks with our dogs can be the most bonding experiences we share with them, but when the weather closes in, daylight is short, or we have an endless ‘to-do’ list at home, it is all too easy for them to become just another chore. Do you sometimes catch yourself thinking about how quickly you can get this walk over with, so you can tackle everything else that needs to be done? Dogs are well aware when we are not paying them attention, and react in different ways according to their breed bias. Some will niggle at us to interact with them;…

Well travelled! What are the options when it comes to travelling easily and safely in the car with your dog? Alison Gallagher-Hughes considers the alternatives. “When it comes to car travel, there’s a range of different options…” Travelling with dogs is all a matter of physics — variables and constants that need to be weighed up to maximise the comfort and safety of your dog, while minimising driver distraction. There are many variables: your dog — his breed, height and weight, his predispositions around travel, the number of dogs you have, and the vehicle itself (model and specification) that will determine fit. This is not lost on me because last year my canine family increased in number. The back seat hammock liner and seat belt tethers — ideal for one…