The Darling Dog Company

How to make a parcel for your little four legged elf friend

With the Christmas holidays approaching and lots of going out, parties, mulled wine and socialising going on, I thought it might be nice to make a little gift for your dog. It's great to buy them some yum treats and chews but you can also utilise things you have at home to create a present that keeps on giving. And buys you some time to sit back and sip another mulled cider!

You will need:

Smelly, yummy dog treats (I've used some garlic roasted chicken)

A toy that can hold treats and that your dog loves

A box 

Couple of sheets of paper, newspaper or similar

Piece of material

Ribbon, rope or twine

The ingredients you will need

Next cut up the food into chunks that will fit into the toy. The smellier, wetter the better as before you have cut it up and placed in the toy, rub the treats all over the outside of the box. 

Third step is to wrap your toy with treats in it in the wrapping paper. I used sellotape to totally encapsulate it.

Can you guess what it is yet?

Then place your wrapped toy into the box and seal it shut. If your dog is a quick speed box destroyer I would make this a more hardcore box. Heavier duty cardboard from the fruit and grocery store could work.

Next wrap your box in the material you have. I have used some hessian that is quite easy for a dog to move around. Again if your dog loves a challenge I'd put some denser, tougher fabric and wrap it really very tight. I used an old shoe lace to wrap it up. If you have a dog like a terrier I'd make the string that you tie it up with no movement so they reallly have to work at it. If you aren't sure about your dog, I'd start easier and make it tougher the next time.

I agree this doesn't look like a gift I'd like to receive!!

And then all that is left to do is bestow your darling dog with the gift that keeps on giving! As they unwrap each layer they will be delighted. You can even do like you do at kids parties, hiding a treat within each layer of wrapping. 

And then let them get stuck in

Check out my Instagram for a short video on Cookie Dog getting invovled @darlingdog and please do tag me if you make something for your dog. 

What does it feel like to be a deaf dog in London?

My dog is now totally deaf, she wasn't born deaf, she was fine, then it was partial deafness and now in the last few months its total and utter deafness. I often spend my time wondering what it is like for her as with the total loss of hearing has come changes in her behaviour, happiness and general wellbeing. I also ponder how hard it is being deaf in London, the busiest of streets, roads, people rushing, dogs everywhere, kids ten to the dozen, there is just so much to deal with for us let alone a dog and a deaf one at that.

Cookie getting a back scratch whilst working with Valentine and I

I've tried doing things like wearing headphones with a song playing which obviously I can hear but to replicate the feeling of having no idea what is going on in the outside world around me. It is quite scary. You can't hear kids on bikes, skateboards, cyclists, other dogs or people approaching you from the side or behind. In short, I felt quite anxious which is why its been no surprise to me that some of her behaviour has switched and in all honesty its been hard work. In addition to a young baby it makes for a lot of preparation and planning when I'm doing things with the dog.

It's why I was really interested to read Gillian Orr's piece in The Independent about what it feels like to be a deaf person and the incredible power a hearing dog has on a deaf individual's life. It makes sense to me, the feeling of exclusion, the disorientation and the lack of interactions are things that I know are having an impact on Cookie dog. And its heart breaking to watch. I have to be her ears for her, her trust in me and my husband is amazing.

You often find that physical reactions happen when emotional things are taking place and this has certainly been the case recently in Cookie's life. With the total deafness came a retraction from her daily life, she didn't want to go out and walk, she didn't want to play outside of our house and she just wanted to sleep in what I call her safe place. I feel its totally different for dogs that have been born deaf, they don't know any differently.

I have to maintain Cookie's trust in me whilst also trying to reinstate things she is struggling with. We are getting there and I think she is coping better and I'm finding ways to try and make it easier for her too. Some people when they meet her think she isn't very interested in them but when you are living in silence it takes more than a pat on the head to make her wiggle! I've invented lots of ways to tell her I'm pleased with her, so yes I am the woman dancing around her dog in a London park that you may have spotted!

Dogs Grazing on Grass

Many owners worry when their dog eats random natural things when out and about, such as cow poo, grass or having a chow down on a stick. My personal opinion is that as long as it isn't frequent and happening every time you take out, I wouldn't worry.

Cookie relishing the fresh, cold, dewy grass

There can be many reasons why our dogs sometimes fancy a little bit of the natural world! For example, the other morning I took Cookie out on an early walk where the grass was still very wet from the night before and cool. She spent a few minutes chewing some of this grass as I would assume it was refreshing to her on the walk. Other dogs may chew grass to make themselves vomit as it can tickle the stomach from the inside making them heave. Other times if done consistenly it can be a nutritional deficency.

The same with when your dog makes the most of the huge pile of fresh cow poo in the field. Those cow pats are full of delicious fibre and if your dog is lacking in that stuff, they may wolf it down with gusto. Again I don't really have an issue with it occassionally as long as its not on each and every walk.

Do make sure that where you walk your dog isn't sprayed with pesticides or chemicals as this can really cause problems for your dog. So do keep an eye on what your dog is doing at all times.

Getting Ready for a Baby

Having a child is one of the biggest changes you can ever go through in your life. Or so I'm told as I'm 17 weeks pregnant! One of the things that I am already working on is preparing the dog in my life for the arrival of an interesting little bundle. I am fortunate as my dog Cookie loves children, my niece and nephew have grown up with her in their life and she has adored them. And they her as well as being taught how to respect and behave around her.

My nephew George with my dog Cookie and my cat Eartha. My sister is sat just to the right of the photo. Never leave your dog alone with children, no matter how much you trust them.

However it is still different because Cookie will be living with the baby twenty four hours a day from September onwards. So it may still seem too early to some to be preparing her but I don't agree. Some mothers may notice that as their hormones change so can their dogs behaviour, so far so good in my house. But it is important as an expectant family to be prepared for this with your dogs/s. 

Although I am four months pregnant and we have a long way to go, I have already begun little pieces of work to get Cookie used to some of the things she is going to have to do when the baby is around. One of the things I've been doing a lot of is whenever we are with my family, she is learning to walk alongside the niece/nephews buggy. Don't take for granted that its as easy as it looks. You go from walking your dog just next to you to asking them to walk beautifully next to a large contraption with 4 wheels. It can take time to establish a routine with this and I would suggest starting as early as possible. Go out with your friends and family's pushchairs as soon as you can and start putting some work in to making it an enjoyable experience rather than one that is feared. 

Teaching dogs how to react around equipment and baby is crucial. Dogs are animals and not human, they cannot possibly understand it all unless you teach them.

My dog is deaf, she was tested as totally deaf but sometimes I'm sure she can hear very high pitched noises! If your dog can hear properly you should also think about buying a CD of baby noises - crying, screaming, gurgling and so forth. Its a really great way to get your dog used to the weird and wonderful noises that they are going to be subjected to. If your dog has been living in a nice and peaceful environment with not many disturbances, think how different it will be when a baby comes into the dog's life!

Teach your puppy or dog what toys they can and cannot play with. You cannot afford for possession guarding around a baby!

There are lots of other tasks that you can be doing to prepare your dog, here are just a couple to get you started:

• Don't leave your dogs toys littered around the house, have a set box or drawer where they are kept. To teach your dog that not everything lying on the floor is his. It will also be important to designate an area for toys for the baby, that the dog isn't allowed access to. You could also start with this early on. 
• Bring new items of furniture into the home to get your dog used to them, such as playpens, car seats etc.
• If you don't want your dog on your bed or sofa when the baby arrives then you need to change your routine before the baby arrives. My dog is allowed on the sofa but only on one particular part of it, so she already knows that part of it is out of bounds. Which means that if I want to sit with her and the baby I can but if I want to sit alone but to have her on the sofa, she already has her own area and I can retreat away from her. 
• It can also be worth thinking about introducing a crate as a separate place for your dog to take themselves to. If things get too much, they have their own private place that they can relax and rest in without having to worry about children, noise and being interfered with.

There are many many more things that you can be doing, too many to go through in a blog post. If you would like help with getting ready for the birth of your baby or settling a new baby into the household, do get in touch. 

You Never Stop Learning from your Dog

Often people feel that once you have taught your dog a few things, thats where the learning process ends. In my view it doesn't. And its not just about formal training or commands. Your dog is just like you, constantly changing and adapting so its important that you too are taking note of these changes and working with them.

Dogs don't need words, its all about the body language and face

The reason I'm writing this blog is recently I've had to adapt a few ways that I do things with Cookie Dog who is deaf. When you can hear you take a few things for granted and it makes you realise that living in London, there is a lot going on that she isn't aware of. So I have to be her ears.

One of the things I noticed with Cookie was when it came to crossing busy roads she started to get skittish when going behind cars that had their engines running. When she could hear it was fine, not a problem. All of a sudden though there is just the vibration and the smell. I also noticed that on really busy roads she looked a bit worried, ears back and hesitant. So I started trying a few things to see how she reacted.

Maintaining contact whilst doing training with Cookie Dog

The big thing that has made a massive difference to her is that when we are out in public, crossing a road, standing in a crowd, in a pub or waiting outside a shop I will stand with one of my legs behind her and lean it on her tail/bottom. She instantly relaxes. I worked out that because she is deaf things coming from behind scare her as she can't hear them or prepare herself. So by having my leg there as a physical block means she feels far safer. Or I'll back her up against a table or a wall so that it acts as a safety barrier.

Something else that I've started to do is use a ball thrower in a different way! I obviously still use it to lob balls far and wide for her to chase but when not playing with it, we use it as a way to reassure/praise/talk to her on a walk. So because she can't hear me speak, when we are walking with her on lead and she does something well, I want to tell her. Now when this happens I use the round end of the ball thrower to cup her tail and rub it. She then looks up and I can give her a hand signal/facial expression that I'm happy with her.It took a bit of time to teach her that this was a new of communicating! I had to teach her a new association with the ball thrower so that it can be used two ways and she now readily accepts it.

Jane giving Cookie clear hand signals

I realise that not many of you out there own a deaf dog but these stories are really just a way to illustrate to keep communicating with your dog. Our lives get so busy and we often just keep doing things the same way every time. Its good to mix it up a bit and add some excitement, variety and interest in your dog's life. It also shows you that dogs keep on learning no matter what age they are, a bit like us.

Funny Video of Cookie Bulldog

I bought this pull along mouse from my lovely friends at Holly&Lil, it is supposed to be for cats but Eartha Cat didn't show any interest! I showed Cookie how to do it a few times and she loved it.

And then she worked out how to do it by herself and its so funny! Thought it might make you smile on a cold and frosty Monday morning...see what you think. Pass it on if it did.

 

How & Why to Reward your Dog

Using reward based methods for training are common place now, thank goodness. Although what I have noticed is that many people I see get in a bit of a rut when it comes to choosing the rewards that they use for their dog. I've written a blog before on differing levels of treats which still applies but more than that its also worth taking the time to create a list of things that your dog sees as rewarding. It may shock you and make you think twice about some of the things you are doing.

Every dog is different

When you are training a dog whether it be for recall, for a command or for a behaviour, its really important (in my opinion) to find out what motivates them. Otherwise its like me trying to get you to work for chocolate when you don't care about chocolate but if I mention the word red wine, you are out of your seat like a shot!! Its the same with dogs. The more you motivate them with fun and what they love, the more they associate you with good things which in turn strengthens your relationship.

So to give you some examples...Mr Happy Henry has and still is damn hard work with his recall training but everyday he is getting better. Today for example he ignored about 12 dogs in Victoria Park and totally blanked 3 German Shepherds this afternoon. This is a breakthrough! We still have a lot of work to do but its been continual rewarding for when he does come back to me so that he sees me as far more fun than the other dogs. For Henry, he loves fetch, sniff the ball out, hide the ball, hunt the treat, play with the fake fox tail in my bag and so on. Treats are ok but they aren't going to win him over. He also loves random things like dancing in the leaves so that is one of his rewards!

Yes it is Henry dancing in the leaves!

With Cookie however as she is deaf I have to do a great deal of visual motioning and over the top gestures. Plus she is a bull breed who loves a bit of rough and tumble so for her, when she comes running back to me she loves nothing better than her tail being squeezed and a good old rub down. Or a brand new tennis ball or a bit of cheese.

And then there is Ronnie the Rottweiler whose favourite thing in life is water. Not to swim in, no, most of all she loves being fed water through an old Lucozade bottle. A bit like you do to baby lambs. It is just pure joy to her!!! So you see, finding out what excites your hound is for me, key to everything. Plus you will have so much more fun with your dog that way.

Adapting the Game for Different Dogs

Cookie & Henry are such fun to be around but they are both totally different which from my point of view is brilliant. Cookie is an English Bulldog and Henry is made up of who knows what, but one thing is for sure they both have differing strengths and things that they enjoy doing.

Henry on the hunt

I try to do sole walks with each of them, Cookie is deaf so its important for me to do individual work and play with her. Henry is very much still learning the ropes so its equally important for me to go out alone with him. But I also do walks with them together and its making sure that the walk is enjoyable for the pair of them. People often take a look at a dog and make a decision about it, that it can't do this and can't do that. I'd personally recommend that you are led by what they enjoy, if they don't like retrieving balls but would rather be foraging, work to their strengths.

Cookie trying to dig out the tennis ball

So one of the ways that I work a big walk like today is to go to somewhere like the marshes. We do a bit of swimming (I don't get in obviously!) then walk through the forest bit. We then head to the other side of the marshes where its long grass and shrubbery. I walk both dogs into the middle of it and we play hide and seek with the balls. Henry has a great nose so I use a ball launcher to chuck them far away into somewhere that I can't even see. He then goes off hunting and putting his snout and brain to work. Cookie also loves hide and seek but isn't exactly sniffer dog material! So with her, I hide it under leaves, in muddy holes or at the bottom of trees so she has to search it and find it.

He's found the ball!

Both dogs adore the game and it allows me to tailor the game to their strengths. It also exhausts them because of the focus they need to put into it. Plus its relationship building because you are the key to the game. It also means that they work around each other without bothering the other one and I remain the focus.

Look at the concentration on her face, trying to sniff that ball out in the grass

Its one of the reasons I can never understand why people take their dog to the park and then just put their ipod in or talk on the phone, you can have so much fun with your dog and you return from a walk happy with two tired dogs ready for bed when they get home!

 

The First Dog of the Week

I've decided to introduce a 'dog of the week' part to the blog. I thought it would be a great way of highlighting a dog that has done particuarly well that week. Or that I have just fallen head over heels in love with!

Yes thats right, the black bit is Cookie's head - she found a mud bath..

For the first one, I'm going to use is my delectable Cookie Dog. She is a 4yr old English Bulldog who we have recently discovered is deaf. She adores her Kong tennis balls, sniffing out squirrels and being with children. She deserves a medal for putting up with Mr Happy Henry for the past 2.5 months!

I often use Cookie in my training with dogs that are reactive to other dogs as she has a calm and confident nature. Puppies also love her, she is extremely tolerant but at the same doesn't let them get away with very much.

Cookie as a teeny tiny pup

Cookie is truly an amazing dog, I adore her and she has taught me so much. She loves swimming and mud an she loves being out and about, she does around 2hrs or more exercise a day and she has a wiggling little piglet tail that makes you melt.

Cookie trying not to fall asleep sitting up!

Can Dogs Understand our Emotions?

It's a tricky question which I don't know if there is a 100% accurate answer to. However I can give you my thoughts on the subject.

I feel that if you are close to your dog - you have a strong and secure but healthy bond then I do feel that dogs can. If you have an insecure dog or one that suffers from say separation anxiety they will of course feel their owner's emotions but I feel it could be distorted due to the unbalance they themselves are going through.

Dogs are much more sensory animals than us, they use their sense of smell in so many more ways than us humans can or do. Which ties in with how I think some of our dogs sense how we are feeling sometimes. When you are really worked up or angry or you get really excited, our bodies release adrenalin and dogs can smell that. And I believe they react to it. You know one of those days when you are annoyed, don't have much patience, tired and your dog decides to not come back when called or to pull extra hard on the lead and it feels like they know how annoyed you are! I think a little part of them does, they sense the lack of patience and try to distance themselves - dogs don't like unbalance or unrest. I believe they seek out balance and peace which is why for me, I see so many dogs with behavioural problems when their owners are going through stressful periods or they have a really nervous, introverted owner or an owner who is really loud, dominating and overzealous and they wonder why their dogs are reacting the way that they do. Not that all my clients are like that but it can sometimes be a contributing factor - what their owners are like as a person.

You also have to remember that dogs read our body language far more than we can even comprehend. Cookie Dog is deaf and I've had to really think about how I communicate with her and she really is great at reading emotions and my reactions to things that she has done. Dogs also really respond to energy so when Cookie does something I'm pleased about and I respond by jumping around like a loon, waving my hands, smiling and clapping, she starts wiggling with joy.

There is also the argument that if you are sat crying and feeling all down in the jumps and your dog comes and licks your tears, they may well be feeling a bit of your sorrow but where you might normally sit on the sofa stroking their tummy, they may also be responding to the fact that your normal routine together has changed. And they would like their tummy scratching reinstated please!!

So, really there is no black and white answer but it is worth bearing in mind that dogs do respond to stress, arguments, changes in routine and unbalance as one of my clients lovely dogs did recently. Hamlet had been doing so well and then when one of his owners got a new job which meant she was out of the house at rehearsals all day and then performing in the evening, Hamlet responded with his behaviour during the night. The change of routine and less contact upset his balance and he took time to work through it and come out the other end. Which he now has but sometimes its worth looking at the basics before you decide there is a problem, be honest with yourself and look at your life and see if it could have affected your dog's life.

Also remember that like us, some dogs are more sensitive than others. There are great natural remedies to help with difficult times in your life, its worth looking up the Bach Flower Remedies for animals, I use them a lot with rescue dogs or dogs that are going through a great change.