Pets

5 TIPS FOR GIVING PUPS TREATS

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but leading dog behaviourist Louise Glazebrook is challenging this mantra head on. With 3.2 million households welcoming a new furry friend in lockdown, Glazebrook is urging pet parents to use a treat training regime to train young and old pups. Here are her top tips:

1. Choose treats that are made from real meat, real fruit and real vegetables. 2. Select a treat according to what your dog is motivated by and how hard the thing you are trying to reinforce or teach is. Motivation is all about what your dog enjoys

doing; if your dog is finding something hard then make sure that what you are using is of interest. If it isn’t, they may just give up. 3. Remember that you should not starve your dog or withhold food to train them. Your dog is entitled to eat meals as well as being rewarded for the work you are asking them to do. 4. Use treats and toys throughout a dog’s entire life. You still get paid for going to work, so should your dog. Don’t stop reinforcing the things they enjoy or are learning. 5. Encourage chewing on a daily basis. Chews may help a dog and a puppy process their day. It can also help to calm them and can assist in reducing teething pain in a young dog. Lily’s Kitchen

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Q: Do you need to change a dog’s diet during the winter months?

A: Winter brings with it shorter days, colder temperatures and a change in weather. For many dogs, this means less exercise and a drop in their overall energy demands, which can lead to weight gain. To accommodate for this, you may need to drop their daily feed intake by around 10-20%, while continually monitoring their weight and condition. However, if you need to feed significantly under the manufacturer’s feeding guidelines to keep the weight off, then it may be beneficial to look for a less energy-dense diet. Furthermore, this is usually the time of year we have lots of delicious food in the house, so don’t be tempted to indulge your dog with treats. Meanwhile for working dogs, winter usually means an increased work-load. If you find your dog is dropping weight, then you may need to up their intake by 10-20%. However, if you need to feed significantly over the guidelines to maintain a healthy weight and condition, then it may be beneficial moving onto a more energy-dense diet, suited to more active dogs.

Zoe Williams, Skinner’s nutrition officer - skinners.co.uk

It’s Sid the budgie!

Denise – receptionist at Petts Wood’s Caring Dental

(Unusual) Pet corner

This month we asked for your unusual pet pictures and we got a great response...here are just a few of our faves…

Kevin the gerbil likes sunflower seeds and biting fingers! Togo is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he’s a real sweetie and loves to curl up on my tummy. He’s a Royal Python, which are native to west and central Africa.

Jackie Keyte