As a vet in general practice, I believe that prevention is better than cure; and that the same applies to behavioural problems. If you take on a puppy or young dog, prevention starts before you even bring him home. Find out as much as possible about the parents of your dog and how the litter has been raised. By the …
Thunder Phobia in dogs
Living with a thunder phobic dog can be very difficult. One of our family dogs was desperately afraid of thunder and after a thunderstorm we would find her either amongst my shoes in the wardrobe or more often in the bathroom, curled up between the bath and the toilet. Thankfully, she never destroyed anything, nor did she try to escape. …
We’re all going on a Summer Holiday
he days are getting longer, the sun is shining, and the weather is becoming warmer. It’s time to start planning holidays; new places to visit, different people to meet and a break from routine. Our dogs are very important members of the family and must be included in our holiday plans. But should they really be joining you on your trip? …
Emotional Well Being During the Festive Season
As the festive season approaches, most of us look forward to Christmas and spending time with family and friends. However, spare a thought for our pets. Christmas time is well known for being stressful for humans, but what about our pets? For them, the house has been turned upside down and seems to be invaded by strange objects. Furniture is …
Keeping Pets Safe at Christmas
If you’ve ever seen a cat climbing up a fully loaded family Christmas tree, you’ll realize how appealing all our decorations and celebrations can be for our pets – or should I say “challenging”? What, for us, may seem festive and fun can often be worrying or downright dangerous for our pets. Much the same can be said about all …
How to make vet trips less stressful for your dog
I remember getting a ‘Thank you’ card from a client with a lovely picture on the front, of a lurcher in a car looking out of the window. Underneath it says, ‘Park, not vets. Park, not vets.’ It’s a cute card, but as a vet and behaviourist it also makes me a bit sad that the patients we care for …
Emotional support for dogs with firework phobia
As autumn approaches we should be teaching owners how to help their dogs cope with fireworks. Many owners leave it far too late to seek help and advice until the first ‘bang’! There are several approaches to treatment of firework phobia (and other noise phobias) – pheromone therapy, diet change, body wraps and in severe cases medication, but what we …
Keeping dogs & horses safe on walks
Now the days are longer, dog walkers and horse riders will be taking advantage of the early evening light and sharing many routes. It is important that both groups learn to anticipate the behaviour of each other’s animals. Dogs that are unfamiliar with horses can start barking if they catch sight of one or even set off after them in …
So terrified of other dogs but now enjoys his walks.
Benjamin is a 15 month old Belgian Schipperke. Benjamin came to Hilary an experienced Schipperke owner, aged 7 months from a breeder who had decided not to keep him on. Benjamin was raised mostly in a kennel environment and had little or no training, he had very few social skills was really anxious around people and other dogs. When meeting …
On returning to work after a year, Willow couldn’t cope.
Willow is an energetic four year old Greyhound who came to her owner as a failed racer. She is very keen to follow her owners everywhere and is a typical Velcro dog. She also has a very sharp mind and loves to be kept occupied. Willows owner returned to work after a year of being at home, but Willow struggled …