Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Your Dog

Training your dog doesn’t need to be complicated. That’s the message from top trainer and behaviourist Jackie Drakeford in our lead feature this month — ’10 ways to make training easier’ (page 10). When it comes to instigating a training plan for your dog, it makes sense to analyse exactly what you want from him, and whether some of the exercises commonly taught are really that relevant for your pet and his lifestyle. However your training is going, I think you’ll agree that Jackie’s article offers real food for thought, and you may find yourself questioning the need for some of the techniques you currently use. I know I have! This month we’re also taking a closer look at the sport of working trials. It’s not the best known canine…

Four of the UK’s fastest-growing fun festivals devoted to dogs and their owners are coming to a location near you this spring and summer. Head to All About Dogs at Newbury Showground, Hermitage, Berkshire (April 15 and 16); Newark Showground, Coddington, Nottinghamshire (April 22 and 23); Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex (April 30 and May 1), and Norfolk Showground, New Costessey, Norwich (August 27 and 28), for an unrivalled programme of shows, events, arena displays, demonstrations, activities, entertainment, expert advice, and shopping opportunities. These family friendly weekend canine extravaganzas also feature fun dog show classes, talent shows, live music, free competitions, quizzes, and the chance at three of the shows to enter Scruffts, The Kennel Club’s official cross-breed competition, which offers the chance of a Crufts 2024 place. ● Tickets can…

Located in the north-west of the country, in the county of Cumbria, The Lake District is England’s largest national park covering nearly a thousand square miles. The park is home to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, at 978m, and to the deepest lake, Wastwater, which is 74m deep. Interestingly, although there are 16 lakes, Bassenthwaite is the only one named lake — the other 15 are called meres or waters. Farming, and in particular sheep, dominate the landscape with over two million sheep in Cumbria. Herdwick, the native breed, have distinctive white legs and faces and are hardy enough to survive on the fells through the winter. Dog lover and keen walker Min Grant lives in Keswick with her mother and her eight dogs, which vary in age from 14…

As the conflict rages on into its second year, the world risks becoming numb to the ongoing atrocities and hardships faced by Ukraine’s battle-weary citizens and animals. But through the Save Pets of Ukraine initiative, charitable foundation U-Hearts — featured in Your Dog’s December 2022 issue — is working hard to coordinate the distribution of aid, raise funds, and rescue and care for pets across the war-torn country. The foundation’s successful Christmas campaign resulted in many dog and cat hampers being donated by kind-hearted animal lovers, touched by the plight of pets left behind as families fled for their lives. Bursting with vital supplies, such as warm blankets, food bowls, vitamins, toys, leads, collars, and parasite treatments, the hampers have been distributed to needy dogs in the Ukrainian cities of…

An intrepid walker and his trusty canine sidekick are stepping out on an arduous journey to raise funds for a good cause. Tim Jones and his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Monty, are aiming to cover the entire 6,000-mile coastline of Great Britain and its islands — a mammoth challenge that could take them up to four years to complete. After recently facing eviction and being unable to find work, Tim decided to put the hard times behind him and fulfil his dream of embarking on this epic hike in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The pair set off from Exmouth Lifeboat Station in Devon on a freezing mid-January morning, and aim to raise £500,000 for the charity that saves lives at sea, visiting all 192 UK lifeboat stations…

The kindness of strangers Never underestimate the positive impact of stopping to chat on a dog walk. Kind words, tips, and shared experiences can go a long way to help another dog owner. We all have bad days, dog not behaving days, and worry that we might be doing something wrong. New owners (like us) really appreciate it when others have taken the time to chat, especially those whose pups are about the same age or a bit older than ours. We bumped into a couple walking their almost year-old Golden Retriever puppy recently, and once our dogs had got acquainted, we chatted about how tough it can be at times. It made a huge difference to know that they had had similar experiences — and had come out the…

I always remember the first time I came across training for working trials at my local dog club. I was barely a teenager, desperate to learn as much as I could about dog training, and was handling a friend’s Labrador Retriever. I was like a sponge; watching, listening, and asking too many questions about the what, why, and how! I was fascinated to see dogs working in utter harmony with their people, scaling tall obstacles, jumping over long jumps, and all the time showing absolute control and steadiness. Working trials combines a variety of key exercises to test the skills of dog and handler, from athleticism, to nosework, obedience, and teamwork. Physically and mentally demanding, working trials offers you the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your dog while also having…

SPONSORED BY HEALTH SHE’S SUCH A SCAVENGER! Q My rescue dog regularly has bouts of diarrhoea. I think it’s because she’s a terrible scavenger and is always looking out for anything edible on our walks. Usually, the diarrhoea doesn’t last long if I withhold food for 24 hours and then give her a bit of boiled rice. Is this the right thing to do? At what point should I take her to the vet? Karen Browning, Buckinghamshire. VICKY SAYS: My recommendation for this sort of ‘dietary indiscretion’ diarrhoea is an easily digested diet for up to three days with a paste containing ingredients that bind intestinal toxins, firm the stool, and replace healthy gut bacteria. Although rice is bland, it is not that easy for dogs to digest so my…

● Until May 31: 9.30am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Dog photography exhibition showcasing and celebrating the four Setter breeds, at The Kennel Club Art Gallery, 10, Clarges Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8AB. This special capsule exhibition by Lincolnshire-based Kirsty Bevan, of Furreal Photography, captures the inquisitive personality and naturally regal appearance of the English Setter, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, and Irish Red and White Setter — three of which are currently on The Kennel Club’s Vulnerable Native Breeds list. ● Cost: Free, but visits must be booked in advance by emailing artgallery@thekennelclub.org.uk or calling 020 7518 1064. ● For more info, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/gallery…

GET SNAPPING! You have until the end of this month (May 2023) to enter any photo of your dog that celebrates the ‘Our World is Beautiful’ theme in the animal category of this year’s CEWE Photo Award. The world’s largest photographic competition aims to recognise the best in photography across the globe, and is open to everyone – from keen amateurs to established professionals. There will be 1,000 overall winners who can look forward to prizes totalling more than €250,000. In addition, three monthly winners will each receive a voucher for CEWE photography products, worth €100. ● For more information, visit www.cewephotoaward.com/cewephotoaward-2023/en_gb/ RED CARD FOR RUDY! A young Golden Retriever was jokingly put up for sale on social media after eating his owner’s precious Carabao Cup Final tickets. Lifelong Newcastle…

1 TO GIVE AWAY TASTY TREATS BUNDLE Fancy winning £250 worth of tasty treats from Forthglade? The Devonian dog lovers have launched a new range of tempting treats for dogs. Made using natural ingredients, the treats are grain free, and contain no junk or fillers. There are treats to support joints and bones containing salmon oil, glucosamine, and chondroitin; digestive health with yucca, chicory, and botanicals ginger and parsley; and also rewards with tasty honey and banana, to aid training and encourage good behaviour. We have one prize bundle to give away. ● For more information, visit www.forthglade.com 1 TO GIVE AWAY DOG GATE The Dog-G8, a portable, internal gate system recently featured on BBC One’s ‘Dragons’ Den’, is designed to prevent your dog from escaping or being stolen from…

“Mum takes him out on walks and he’s a normal dog, though the first thing he does is to check on me when he gets back. You can see he takes real pleasure in doing his job.” The charity Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) trains two types of detection dogs: bio detection dogs (offering early detection of diseases such as cancer), and medical alert assistance dogs — canine assistants living with their partners who detect and alert impending life-threatening medical events on a daily basis. These dogs use their unique sense of smell to identify minute odour changes in the person’s body that precede the medical emergency. The assistance dog then alerts the person to take preventative action, such as taking medication. Gemma Butlin, marketing and communications manager at Medical Detection…

WHAT’S INCLUDED? ● Full access to all our dog books and Collections — read any title instantly on your phone, tablet, laptop or computer. ● Get every new (monthly) issue of Your Dog, plus access the full library with over 70 issues of Your Dog! ● Every new title or Collection is included as part of your membership at no extra cost. ● Perfect for dog lovers, readers, and owners who want trusted, authoritative dog advice. ● Complete puppy guide for new owners. ● Discounts and offers on over 250 dog-friendly places to stay and online shopping, helping you SAVE all year round. ● Available at the same price worldwide. FIND OUT MORE: JUST £2.50 A MONTH WWW.YOURDOG.CO.UK/MAY23…

HOW TO GET YOUR PET ON THESE PAGES! It couldn’t be easier — simply email your high-resolution images to gallery@yourdog.co.uk, including your dog’s name, breed, and address, and your daytime telephone number. Alternatively, you can share your images on social media at www.facebook.com/yourdogmagazine Please note, we don’t accept pics of dogs playing with sticks or wearing extreme clothing.…