Fetched Magazine | Issue 2 - August 2021 | FREE Australian Dog Magazine

FETCHED

MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2021 ISSUE 2

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A Behaviourist's Guide To Keeping Your Dog Happy & Healthy p. 10

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FUN FACTS ABOUT DOGS p. 7 COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF AMBER & THE DANCING COLLIES

READ ABOUT AMBER IN OUR Celebrity Spotlight

CHOOSING A DOG TRAINER FOR YOUR DEAF DOG

M agazin e Con t en t s Deaf Dog Tails - Choosing A Trainer For Your Deaf Dog

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By Heather Engel, Dog Trainer & Deaf Dog Advocate

Fun Facts About Dogs That You May Not Know!

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By Barb Bailey-Dahlheimer, Vet Nurse & Rescue Dog Advocate

A Behaviourist's Guide To Keeping Your Dog Happy & Healthy

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By Charlotte Bryan, Dog Trainer & Behaviourist

Celebrity Spotlight - Amber & The Dancing Collies

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Fin d Fr an k ie! Somewhere in this issue, Cartoon Frankie is hiding!

Lo o

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me

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Look for him as you read through the magazine!

© Fetched Magazine 2021. All rights reserved.

The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily reflect those of Fetched Magazine. Always ask your veterinarian or dog professional.

Deaf Dog Tails.

Gu ide t o ch oosin g a dog t r ain er w h en you h ave a deaf dog.

By Heather Engel You might think that choosing a trainer to assist you with training your deaf dog is different to choosing a trainer to help you train your hearing dog. Let me reassure you that your dog is a dog first and deaf second. There is no particular need to have a specialised deaf dog trainer and although it is beneficial if they have trained a deaf dog Heather Engel, before it?s not absolutely necessary. As long as they are Deaf Dog Advocate aware that deaf dogs don?t always know how to ?speak & Dog Trainer dog? then a specialised trainer is not mandatory and let?s face it ? if the trainer can?t adapt their methods to cater to you or your dog?s diverse abilities then perhaps you should find someone else.

If there?s one thing that studying psychology has taught me it?s that a dog trainer isn?t a dog trainer at all. They don?t train dogs. They teach people to train their dogs. They?re your doggy counsellor, your life coach and cheer squad all rolled in to one person. When you walk away from a lesson feeling chuffed that the Furkid learned to roll over today they?re going home and thinking about how they can take it up a notch or do something differently next lesson to keep you and your dog on the path to success.

* Su n sh in e Coast , Qu een slan d On ly*

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So, with this in mind, even if you are differently abled and need tweaks to how training is delivered, then the most important consideration when choosing a trainer is to choose someone whom you connect with.

They are, after all, training you and you are training you dog. Any trainer can teach your dog to come when called, sit and stay but do those behaviours translate to you or to a different environment once you and the Furkid get home? They?ve trained your dog but they haven?t taught you how to get those same results. Whether you opt for classes, face to face or online lessons, or a stay and train facility, there should always be time scheduled to show Furparent what?s been taught, how it is taught and how you can get the same results with your Furkid.

Choose a trainer whose methods make sense to you. If you?re not on board with them and their methods then the training will be a drag for you and your dog and you won?t be successful.

Trainers often talk about owner compliance ? did the human train the dog during the week? Yes, it?s absolutely up to you to put in some effort during the week to reinforce what you and your pooch learned during class but training should be fun, not a yawn fest. You got a dog so that you could have fun with it, right?

At the Deaf Dogs Rescue Australia training facility our trainers all bring something different to the party. There are +R Trainers and Concept Trainers or both. Some are quiet and methodical, some are loud and animated, and everywhere in between.

Some specialise in differently abled dogs, some specialise in hearing and sighted dogs. Some specialise in large breed dogs or small breed dogs. You get the idea. We all work together to make sure that you and your dog get the best experience you can during your training. So, when choosing a trainer p.5

for you and your dog ask questions about their training methods; who else is involved in the training sessions and what equipment they recommend for training. If they make sense to you then book a lesson pronto. If they say something that makes you cringe then they are probably not the trainer for you and your dog. Remember too that, at the time of publication, the dog training industry in Australia is not regulated so anyone can register an Australian Business Number and call themselves a dog trainer without any qualifications or knowledge of the science behind canine learning. It?s really a case of buyer beware so ask questions before you stump up your hard earned cash.

Happy Training!

Abou t Deaf Dogs Rescu e Au st r alia Founded in 2017 by Jai Wilson, Deaf Dogs Rescue Australia (DDRA) was born from the need to provide help and support to deaf and special needs dogs in Australia. Having adopted a deaf dog with anxiety issues, Jai found there were very few local support networks to help owners of deaf and special needs dogs. She networked with international and local groups to ensure that deaf dogs are given a chance in Australia. Run by a small team of volunteers, the registered charity is completely funded by private donations using funds to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome deaf and special needs dogs and provide advice, training and support to owners, foster carers and adopters. DDRA is passionate about saving these wonderful dogs and giving deaf dogs a voice. The rescue promotes the principle that deafness is not a disability that stops these dogs from loving their families, being well trained or participating in normal activities. DDRA strives to ensure that deaf and special needs dogs enjoy the same quality of life as hearing dogs.

Pictured right is George Wilson the Palliative Care Dog and DDRA Mascot.

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Dog Fu n Fact s.

Her e ar e som e in t er est in g f act s abou t dogs t h at you m ay n ot k n ow.

By Barb Bailey-Dahlheimer DOGS ARE NOT COLORBLIND. It is a common myth that dogs can only see in black and white, but they can see colours - just not as vividly as humans.

Barb Bailey-Dahlheimer, They only have two cones in their eyes to detect Vet Nurse, Rescue Dog Advocate colours, whereas humans have three. That means dogs see colours on a blue and yellow scale but cannot distinguish between red and green. On the other hand, they have better night vision than humans. This explains why your dog might sometimes lose track of their red ball in the grass. So, think about what colour ball you purchase, they will see a blue one much easier!

OLD DOGS CAN LEARN NEW TRICKS. With patience and understanding you can teach an old dog new tricks depending on what you are trying to teach the dog? or unteach the dog, which is usually more difficult. Like humans, dogs can learn at any age ? it is just old habits that are hard to break!

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DOGS ONLY HAVE SWEAT GLANDS IN THEIR PAWS. Dogs have sweat glands only on their paws, not the rest of their bodies. Since they do not use sweat to cool off, dogs have developed another way: They ventilate and exchange heat through panting.

THE OLDEST DOG LIVED TO BE 29 Recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest dog ever was an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey. He lived to be 29 years and 5 months old from the years 1910 to 1939. Bluey lived in Victoria, Australia with his owner Les Hall and worked among his sheep and cattle.

A M OUTH FULL OF TEETH At 4-8 weeks of age a puppies will get 28 baby teeth. At 4-7 months of age the baby teeth will fall out and be replaced will 42 permanent teeth.

3RD EYELID FOR PROTECTION Dogs have 3 eyelids - an upper and lower eyelid and a 3rd one hidden between them. It helps protect their eyes from dirt and dust. You will see this 3rd eyelid come across as they are falling asleep.

A DOG'S NOSE IS ITS FINGERPRINT Dog noses have unique patterns that can serve to identify them, similar to human fingerprints.

Also, the wetness of a dog's nose is a sign of good health and helps them in gathering scents. p.8

IT IS WHAT COLOUR??

The Chow Chow and Chinese Sharpei breeds are the only two with black tongues. Nearly every other breed has a pink tongue.

HAPPY TIM ES Stroking dogs and gazing into their eyes releases the ?feel good? hormone oxytocin, and lower blood pressure for both people and dogs. It also helps us both live longer!!

DOGS DREAM JUST LIKE YOU This will not come as a huge surprise to anyone who has watched their own dog twitching or whimpering in their sleep. Dogs have the same brain wave patterns while they are asleep as humans, so they dream just like we do.

But what is more surprising is the fact that not all dogs dream the same amount. Small dogs have more dreams than big dogs.

RIGHT-PAWED OR LEFT-PAWED? About 90% of humans are right-handed, with most of the rest left-handed and a very small percentage ambidextrous. But dogs are more evenly split, with one third right-pawed, one third left-pawed and the rest without preference. Dogs who are right-footed are more likely to pass the Guide Dog Training Programme than south paws. Research shows right-handed animals tend to be bolder and more inquisitive so are more suited to being a guide dog. Left-handed dogs also tend to be more aggressive.

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Get t in g A Fam ily Dog? A Dog Beh aviou r ist 's gu ide t o keepin g you r dog h appy an d h ealt h y

By Charlotte Bryan Owning a dog is a wonderful and rewarding experience. Few things can beat the feeling of arriving home to an excited, tail-wagging, furry companion. And while a dog will definitely inundate you with joy and love, owning one does come with several responsibilities (and even a couple of challenges to boot).

Charlotte Bryan, For new pet parents like yourself who might Dog Trainer, Behaviourist, Trick Dog still be in the honeymoon phase of dog Instructor, Canine Fitness Coach ownership, you will quickly realise that there?s quite a bit more that goes into keeping your furry companion in good health than you might have figured. That?s because your new four-legged companion will need to be provided with nutrition, care, love and entertainment for the rest of its life.

And while there can be a bit of work when it comes to keeping your pooch happy and healthy, the rewards you get from owning a pet are ten-fold.

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Fir st Th in gs Fir st ? Pr epar in g You r Hom e If you are planning on getting a dog or have just adopted one, getting your home ready for your new companion is the first thing you need to do if you haven?t already. You will need to dog-proof your home to ensure your dog does not suffer any harm or cause any damage.

Things you can do to create a safe environment for you and your best friend can include: Covering and securing electrical cables and exposed power points around your home. This will prevent your dog actually encountering them and potentially hurting themselves.

Placing your socks, shoes and anything else that dogs can chew on in closets and cupboards. This eliminates the temptation for your pooch to chew ?smelly? items.

Gathering and storing any potentially harmful chemicals in cupboards where your pet cannot access them. Some dogs will eat anything including things they?re not supposed to. By removing these harmful substances you are protecting your pet and preventing them from ingesting something that could hurt them.

Securing your rubbish by keeping it in lidded cans to keep your pet from scavenging through it. Nothing smells finer to a dog than a rubbish bin so by covering your rubbish bins, you?re saving yourself the hassle of cleaning up all the rubbish your dog spreads over the floor.

Purchasing the necessary dog supplies including food, food and drink bowls, collar, leash, doggy bed, dog crate, safe toys, identification tags and disposable doggy waste bags.

You can also start looking for a trusted and reliable veterinarian and dog trainer.

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Additionally, if your dog will be living with you and your family, you will need to establish some responsibilities as well as a couple of house rules, like which rooms the dog cannot go into, whether they can climb on furniture, and who is responsible for walking the dog.

Brief your family to ensure everybody is on the same page regarding their roles and the house rules.

Top Tips For Keepin g You r Dog Happy & Healt h y Now that your home is ready and everyone concerned knows and understands their role within ownership of your new dog, we can get to the nitty-gritty of keeping your pooch healthy and happy. Here are a few crucial tips to help you keep your dog healthy as you begin your dog ownership journey: You r Dog's Healt h Sh ou ld Be You r #1 Pr ior it y Monitor your dog?s health from the start. Like humans, dogs also need doctors ? or veterinarians in this case. Do some research online or ask for recommendations from friends to find a good vet in your area to help out with your dog?s health issues. Ideally, you should research and find a good vet even before your new pet arrives home; if you haven?t yet, you need to do it immediately. One of the first things you need to do for your new furry companion is taking them to the vet for their initial visit. This is especially important for puppies who might not have had any veterinary care before. Your vet will check your dog for any disease symptoms ? including checking for parasites such as worms ? and administer any vaccines required to keep your dog from catching common canine diseases. Talk to your vet about any health concerns you may have for your pooch. If you wish, you could also have your dog implanted with an identification chip and desexed for breeding control while at the vet?s office (NOTE: In Australia, microchipping your p.12

dog is a legal requirement of pet ownership). Provide your dog with proper nutrition. Dogs, just like people, need to be kept on a nutritious diet to maintain good health. While dogs will eat just about anything edible (and sometimes inedible!), you should restrict their diet to high-quality dog food as it is developed to suit their systems and provide all the nutrition they require to stay healthy. Consult your veterinarian on the type of food you should feed your dog as well as the number of meals you should provide them with. Usually, it is recommended to feed a mature dog once or twice a day. The number of meals required will increase up to six for puppies that have smaller digestive systems and require more energy for growth. Get your dog into a feeding routine as this will also help you with house training for your furry friend ? dogs usually need to go to the bathroom about half an hour after they eat (this is about 15 minutes for puppies). Ensure your pooch is properly hydrated by giving it constant access to fresh, clean water.

M ain t ain You r Dog?s Or al Hygien e Help your pooch maintain good dental hygiene which will help protect them from dental diseases (and bad breath!) as they age. There are a number of ways you can improve your dog?s dental health. The best way is to brush their teeth regularly. You can also get special bones and treats for your pooch that are designed to help clean your dog?s teeth.

Ask your vet for more information about canine dental hygiene in adult dogs and puppies.

Keep Th e Pest s Aw ay Because of their fur, dogs can be a magnet for pests; the most common ones being ticks and fleas. If not prevented, these pests will affect both your pet and your family ? so it?s best to keep them at bay. You can keep your dog free of pests by cleaning their coat regularly, p.13

preferably with a shampoo that repels pests such as flea prevention shampoo. Most dogs will only require to be bathed once every 6 weeks, but this will depend on your dog?s breed and activities. Regularly, inspect your dog?s coat for ticks, especially during the warmer months when they are more active.

En su r e You Gr oom You r Dog Grooming can comprise a number of activities including; coat trimming, brushing, bathing and nail trimming. The level of grooming your dog requires is based on your dog?s breed and daily activities. As aforementioned, dogs shouldn?t be bathed all the time, every 6 weeks will suffice. If your dog gets dirty between washes then you can simply hose them off to reduce the amount of chemicals you are putting into their fur. When it comes to trimming your dog, there are different requirements for different breeds. Curly-coated dogs should be trimmed more regularly than straight-coated dogs because their coats easily become matted and they don?t shed causing them to heat up more easily. Many curly-coated dogs are trimmed quite short to maximise the amount of time before the next trim. If you have a double-coated dog however such as a Border Collie whose coat is designed to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer, then you should never do this because it messes with their internal thermoregulation (and the fur coat doesn?t grow back quite the same).

Check with your veterinarian or dog groomer to see whether it is safe for your dog to be trimmed short. Brushing your dog should be the most frequent grooming activity regardless of their breed and coat style. Your dog should be brushed as often as you can. Brushing can help remove dead skin cells and plant matter from your dog?s coat as well as getting rid of any tangles. You should aim to p.14

brush your dog every other day! Nail trimming should also be quite regular. If you let your dog?s nails grow out of control they can start to cause pain if they split or get caught. Long nails can also be attributed to some types of joint pain and other health problems. It?s best to keep your dog?s nails as short as possible without cutting into the Quick (which is a section of nail that contains nerves and blood vessels). Most of the time your local vet will trim your dog?s nails for you ? you just need to take them in regularly. Many dogs dislike having their nails trimmed so you should ?practice? playing with your dogs toes and nails at home to get them used to their feet being touched.

Help You r Dog Keep Fit Th r ou gh Exer cise Just like you, your furry friend needs to keep fit through exercise for optimum health. The amount of exercise required by your dog will depend on its breed, with some requiring more exercise to burn energy than others. Your dog requires to have at least one long walk each day or two shorter ones. This is especially important if your home only has a small enclosed yard for your dog to run around freely. Playing fetch and other games while you are walking can help burn off a little extra energy. Swimming is also a fantastic activity for your dog to partake in, especially when you combine it with fetch. Fetch is a high-impact activity on your dog?s joints so by throwing your dog?s tennis ball or toy into the water, you are cushioning their joints and protecting them.

Socialise & St ar t Tr ain in g Socialisation is key to having a well-rounded and confident companion. Make sure you introduce your dog to lots of people, sights, sounds and smells so they can learn how to confidently interact with strangers and tackle new, unfamiliar environments. If your dog ever shies away from p.15

someone, give them some space and let them retreat. Never force your dog into an encounter with a stranger as this only increases their fear. A great way to socialise your pup is to attend a dog obedience school. You can also teach your dog a couple of cool tricks! Use reward-based training for about 10-20 minutes twice (or more times) a day. This not only prevents boredom but also increases your pooch?s mental stimulation and enhances the bond you share.

Play Wit h You r Dog Dogs are smart creatures which makes which maintaining their mental health all the more important. Provide your dog with mental stimulation by playing with it. Let your dog be a dog by allowing it to play and express behaviours normally associated with that particular type of breed. For instance, if your dog loves following scents, let it sniff away once in a while! And don?t forget to have fun with your dog! One of the main reasons people get dogs is to have a fun companion to do activities with.

Finally, remember to always treat your new pet companion with love and respect and to exercise patience, especially in the initial days of your relationship. Sometimes it can take a little while for a dog to adjust to a new environment. Otherwise, enjoy your new pet!

Happy training!

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Celebr it y Spot ligh t Th e Dan cin g Collies, f in alist s on Hollan d's Got Talen t & t h e best dan cin g dogs!

By Ashley Michael If you regularly keep up to date with the latest acts on the ?Got Talent? stage then you may have come across The Dancing Collies on Holland?s Got Talent! Amber Karstens is a 25-year-old dog trainer who appeared on HGT with her two working Border Collies Ruby & Nymeria, 4 years old and 1 year old respectively.

With catchy tunes such as Greased Lightning, Amber and her collies were a crowd favourite and ended up placing THIRD on Season 11 on HGT last year.

When we asked Amber what her goals were, she replied with ?My goal in life is to inspire people all around the world to enjoy training their dogs and having fun with them? ? she also added ?We love giving workshops and travelling around the make people smile.? We can certainly see Amber having fun with her dogs on her Instagram @TheDancingCollies on which she posts pictures and videos of her and her amazing dogs.

Amber first started training dogs when she was 10 years old. She has always loved animals and soon started training other people?s dogs. At age 15, Amber trained her first border collie and immediately ?got addicted to the breed?. She instantly knew that she wanted to make a living out of dog training and inspire people to do more with their dogs at home.

When Amber was 20, her stepdad passed away and she didn?t want to get out of bed in the morning ? she didn?t want to do anything. But then she got Ruby, who changed her life forever. Suddenly, Amber did have a reason to get out of bed in the morning; she needed to train Ruby. Then in 2018, when Ruby was a couple of years old, Amber won an online competition by The Canine Stars and left her home in Assendelft to perform all around the USA. p.17

In the future, Amber and The Dancing Collies are lined up to perform in a circus for three weeks, which has always been her dream. She has also applied for more talent shows and just wants to have fun with her pups!

When we asked if two dogs was her limit, she said ?I want a third dog!

Hopefully the end of this year! 3 is my limit for a while!?.

Ensure you follow Amber & her Dancing Collies on Instagram.

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Ou r Team Ou r Edit or Charlie Kate Contact Charlie at fetchedmagazine@gmail.com Ou r Con t r ibu t or s

Charlotte Bryan

Barb Bailey-Dahlheimer

Heather Engel

Ashley Michael Want to become a Fetched Magazine contributor as well?

Visit www.fetchedmagazine.com.au/submissions

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