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. 

The loveliest drawings of dogs

Nearly a year ago my lovely baby boy was born and before this I embarked on an NCT course. Which is where I met Laura, who also has a baby of a similar age. We hang out alot and I always knew she drew but had never seen her subjects. Until last week. If any of you are considering having your dog drawn or painted then I would wholeheartedly recommend Laura of 'Bird and Beast'.

Mouse the dog

For me, her images capture each dog beautifully but also stand out as a piece of art you would love to hang on your wall. I think her prices are reasonable from between £100-200 depending on what it is you require. I'm hoping to do a little collab with her on Christmas cards, as everyone loves a dog on a card!

Spice the Jack Russell lolling around!

If you are interested in finding out more you can google search her on 'bird and beast' or click here to go straight through to her blog. 

Freddie the Labrador

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!

Grimmy and Puppy: the story of how a rescue dog met its match!

Throughout life we are taught to not judge a book by its cover. When you are looking for a rescue dog, its what you end up having to do! You are having to make a decision based on its kennel behaviour, its interactions from behind bars or on a lead in the most stressful environment it will probably encounter. And this behaviour either hinders a dog or pushes them forward.

I work with potential owners to find them their forever friend whether it be a puppy or a second hand hound and one of the things most people get frustrated with is the time it takes. We are a society that is used to things instantly, when it comes to sharing your life with a dog, timing is key.

Puppy's first experience of water and swimming

I wanted to give you an example of a situation, a dog and a client who demonstrate all of the above perfectly and will hopefully inspire those of you who are thinking about taking on a rescue dog. I don't generally write about any of my clients who are in the public eye but I feel quite strongly about this one.

I first met Grimmy last year, a few days after having my baby. We were trying to work out about the kind of dog he wanted, he has a busy lifestyle presenting the Radio 1 breakfast show every morning, he is out and about and he has alot of commitments and friends with dogs but was adamant he wanted a rescue dog. Since that meeting it took me around 6 months to find him the right dog. That is a long time and we saw a lot of dogs in that time, never once did he whinge or moan, he paid attention to every dog I introduced him to. But above all I kept saying that you have to go with your gut instinct, it guides you through life I think.

We first met Smarty a couple of days after coming into the Dogs Trust kennels, she had been a stray and not much was known about her. She was nervous, she favoured Aimee (Nick's friend) and I and was unsure about Nick. But something clicked for Grimmy so we left it a week for her to be assessed and waited. The feedback was that she was reactive with other dogs which was an issue as Grimmy lives in London and there are dogs everywhere. She was barking alot, she was lunging, she was vocal and was finding life hard in kennels. In honesty, there were easier looking dogs out there but I knew that if he was prepared to work on her then there was so much potential.

To cut a long story short, we then spent time re visiting her, taking her out, and the Dogs Trust allowed me to test her in situations relative to Nick's lifestyle and she wasn't perfect at all but she showed eagerness to learn and enthusiasm for life. With all of the checks done on Nick  the date was set to bring this little Jack Russell Terrier home to her new life.

We are a couple of months in and I feel like I could burst with pride, for both of them. Grimmy has followed everything I have asked him to do, he has channelled time and effort into this little terrier. He has showered her with love whilst showing her how to react and teaching her what her new life involves. Her coat is shiny, she is lean and loving life. Nick and Puppy (as she is now known) are a shining example of a dog that on paper might not have seemed like the ideal dog but the thing is, you have to take time to get to know a dog and we didn't just judge her on her behaviour in kennels because that isn't fair. We still have work to do but the key to all of it is tackling things slowly and methodically. You need successes to spur you on and the progress she is making is so great to watch.

Recall was top of our list to teach Puppy. Off lead and long grass are her favourites.

There is a saying "you may not change the world but you will surely change the world for that dog you have taken on" and it applies to any dog that you choose to share your life with. Which is why it is worth putting the time, dedication and effort into finding the 'right dog' for you and if you need assistance, you know where to find me.

Relaxing with Thurston. Once reactive to other dogs we have taught her how to behave in a controlled and disciplined way.

The possible results of flooding your dog with socialisation

Every puppy owner wants to do the right thing with their socialisation. In my first week of puppy classes I do a 10 min talk on the rules of my class and what I will and won't accept. Two of which are on lead greetings and free play with the other puppies. People look at me like I'm mad and always question me afterwards. Some go away and listen to what I have said and others don't. I can't control this.

Every dog is different

However what I can comment on is those who repeatedly put their dogs in situations that it cannot cope with. Flooding is a training terminology used to describe when a dog or human is put in a situation they find very stressful. You over stimulate them with the fearful object/person/dog/situ and hope that they realise that nothing bad happened so they learn to cope. e.g. on lead greetings with other dogs. In my opinion, not a great way of doing things. For many years I had a severe needle phobia, I had to have hypnotherapy for it. Rest assured that just being in a room with needles laying on a mat but not doing anything to me would not have helped this phobia, in fact it would have made me so stressed that if I was a dog I would have bitten you very hard.

So with the above analogy you might now be able to get a little insight into why some behaviours start to show. A puppy was flooded with a particular experience they couldn't cope with but owners didn't notice so eventually the dog made owners notice. By on most occassions using aggression.

Anything that you want your puppy to learn must be done systematically and slowly. Don't rush and don't push them. And don't feel that you have to do something just because another owner in the park is telling you to. What works for their dog doesn't always work for anyone elses.

Interview with a Dog

One of my clients Emily just emailed me this. I don't personally agree with no. 1 as dogs get used to it if they are taught but I really like the idea of putting things from the dog point of view. All too often we are thinking of our lives, our work, our priorities and sometimes its great to have a reminder to sit back and remember why we got a dog and how important they are to us.

Let me know what you think....

A Gumtree dog is not a rescue dog

Recently I've met up with a number of new owners who have taken on dogs via sites like Gumtree. If you are thinking of buying a dog through such a site, switch off the computer and walk away. Gumtree and similar is a site designed to flog things that people don't want anymore including dogs and in my mind, that should not be a destination site for new dog owners to search for their beloved addition to their family.

If you want to rescue a dog, spend the time and do it properly. I will help you with free advice.

A Gumtree dog could be from a puppy farm, it could be from some dodgy bloke doing back street breeding or it could be a dangerous dog that shouldn't be going into a new home. You just don't know. I met one woman who took on a huge mix of two guarding breeds aged 12months old. She had two children in her home under the age of 10yrs old and the dog already had aggression issues. Had this dog been assessed, under gone temprement testing or exposure to different scenerios? No. The woman went on the owners description of "a lovely family pet that we have to get rid of due to a change in circumstances".

On Gumtree you can say anything you like, I could set up an advert flogging a dog I've come across in the park. There are no security checks, there are no behaviour checks, no chipping or safety checks in place like you would get from going through a bona fide rescue rehoming centre. I work with such places and I see people get refused a dog because the particular dog they have fallen in love with doesn't fit their situation. So instead of waiting until the 'right' dog comes up, they head home and trawl the internet. And hey presto there is that huge Malamute they had their eye on and oh look, its free to a good home because the owners just don't have time for it anymore. Yet the one at the rehoming centre wouldn't be handed over to them because they live in a tiny property, someone is out at work all day and they only want to do 30 mins of exercise per day.

Believe me when I say that there is usually a valid reason if you get turned down for adopting a certain dog. The centre will work with you to find you the dog you are looking for but very often that takes time and in today's society, people don't want to wait. They want it now.

A rehoming centre has their reputation to protect and they genuinely care for the dogs they are entrusted with, so if you are looking for a rescue dog, don't cut corners and do not be tempted to take a dog home just because you feel sorry for it. Believe me, it will end in tears, as one girl in Islington found out when she sold her dog through a site and a day later it ended up dead after its new owner had used it for fighting and then flung it off of a balcony. Hideous and I'm sorry if it upsets you but it is the harsh reality of such a world.

A dog should not be a stop gap to a child

I write this blog with a heavy heart as sometimes you have days when you meet a dog that just gets to you. Today was one of them. On my walk around the kennels I met a new inmate, he was sat shaking and yowling is the only word I can use to describe the noise. Those of you who have shared your life with a Staffy will know what I mean, is that noise they do when they are so sad and anxious that they can't do much else.

This is what Boss was doing this morning when I came to his kennel. Boss is an 11yr old black Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was 'given up' because after 11yrs his owners decided to have a baby which meant there wasn't room for Boss and a baby.I totally understand how hard it is with a baby and a dog, I only gave birth 5 months ago but it was our decision to own a dog and have a baby. I admit it takes a great deal of effort but in my opinion, if you can rehome a dog for doing nothing wrong after 11yrs you need your head read.

There are certain things surrounding dogs that get me on my high horse and this is one of them. If you are reading this and considering gettting a dog and you don't yet have a baby but are planning to have one then think about it carefully. A dog is not and should not be something that you have until a baby comes along. A child growing up with a dog is an amazing experience if done carefully and with respect.

Boss barked when you didn't throw the ball quick enough, he backed into you when he wanted a cuddle all things that he has been allowed to do for 11yrs of his life. So anything that you train or tolerate with your dog, think to the future....will it still be so 'sweet' when doggy wants to lie on your chest whilst your breastfeeding? Its not the dog's fault if you allow it to become a certain way that you then don't like when you are exhausted from being up all night with a 3 day old baby.

Please just use this tale to make yourself think or pass it on to friends and family considering getting a dog. Or if you own a dog and are pregnant, call me and lets get you prepped for this life changing experience because it is truly heartbreaking to watch a dog like Boss going through what he is.

It's the 'Kate effect' on Cocker Spaniels

Every now and then I notice an increase in a particular type of dog coming to puppy classes. Since the end of last year it has been all about the Cocker Spaniel. I couldn't figure out why and then after discussing it with a client who owns a lovely working cocker called Lily, she called it the 'Kate effect' and its true.

Kate and William bought their bundle of energy Lupo home in 2012 and the Kennel Club reports a 50% increase in the public searching for Cocker Spaniel puppies on their website in January and February 2013. I do find it amazing that people are so easily swayed as the main reason for selecting a dog should be its ability to suit your lifestyle.

Living in London isn't always quite as easy with the working breeds

Now as anyone who works with dogs will tell you, Cockers are a brilliant breed but and its a big but they need to be with the right family. They are a working breed that is designed to be active and do a job so if you live in a one bed flat and only fancy a half hour stint around the block, you are going to be in big trouble with that dog. I've also had people selecting a working cocker on purpose which again, is great if you know what you are letting yourself in for. But there is a reason why they are often used as a sniffer dog, because they keep going and going and going. My grandfather who was a farmer describes them as the dog that is never satisfied which is true. So if you are an incredibly energetic and busy household who like to be out for hours then this could be the breed for you.

My concern is those who look at the dog on paper and think it looks lovely. Kate and William have access to a team of people for support so like when you are selecting any type of dog whether a puppy or a rescue, look at your life and then at the dog. As the Kennel Club says, working spaniels need a lot of activity and attention and hopefully those who take them on know this.

I do offer free advice on selecting the right dog for you, so do get in touch if you would like any help.

If you can do this to a dog, what would you do to a child?

Last week this poor soul of a Bull Mastiff cross was dumped overnight in London Fields. It was the evening where temp dropped to -4. The dog was found under a bench, in his own vomit, covered in sores, malnourished from starvation, the saddest sight to behold. The park rangers took him in until the dog warden could collect him. We then had a conversation about what to do, what the dog was like, his temprement and so forth.

What frustrates me the most about animal abuse is how low the police put it on their agenda, you only need to look at the sentencing for it. However in my eyes we should be taking animal abuse extremely seriously. In 2005 the NSPCC published a document for professionals working with children, stating how many links there are from those who abuse animals going onto abuse children and adults, they state "cruelty to animals has been linked to an increased likelihood of violent offending behaviour against humans in adulthood".

So in my opinion, if you see someone abusing their animal whether it be physical or verbal abuse or you know your neighbour hits their dog. Don't turn a blind eye, report it. You could be the catalyst which makes someone do something about it.