Dog Tip for Today. Difficulties in Breathing.
Abnormal breathing or discomfort when breathing can be a symptom of cancers in dogs.
Consult your Vet for advice.
Fundraising for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Everyone who joins the walk will receive a free souvenir on the day.
Foxbury Common
New Forest: Near West Wellow
22 May 2016
The Great British Dog Walk
Event Details
Time: Long walk departs at 11:30am. Short walk departs at 12:30
Date: 22 May 2016
Location: Foxbury Common, New Forest: Near West Wellow
Walks: 3km or 6km
Facilities: Toilets, Free Car Park
About the Venue
A gently looping, round walk on gravel tracks through natural heathlands. Foxbury Common is a 150 hectare area of conservation on the edge of the forest. The site which was once a commercial conifer plantation is gradually being returned to the heathland habitat it once was as one of the five New Forest Northern Commons. Each one is a unique landscape of woodland, heathland and grassland, shaped by man and nature since the Bronze Age. Ramble through this beautiful sprawling wilderness with friends and family.
Why should you join the walk?
Accessible location in the glorious New Forest National Park
Miles of easy to follow gravel paths – buggy and wheelchair accessible (ask for details)
Be part of a National Trust restoration project on an ‘invitation only’ site
Kids go free!
Ticket Information
TICKET TYPE SALES END PRICE FEE QUANTITY
Adult 3km 21 May 2016 £10.00 £0.00 Ticket Quantity Select
Child 3km (16 yrs or under) 21 May 2016 £0.00 £0.00 Ticket Quantity Select
Adult 6km 21 May 2016 £10.00 £0.00 Ticket Quantity Select
Child 6km (16 yrs or under) 21 May 2016 £0.00 £0.00 Ticket Quantity Select
Order Now
PayPal
Visit the Website to find out more. http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/fundraising/
Animal Wellness.
Circling through these five themes of environmental enrichment can help keep your dog physically and mentally stimulated as well as happy, content and well-behaved.
As loving dog care givers, we provide shelter, food, water, toys, exercise and vet care for our animals. But did you know that environmental enrichment should also be integrated into our dogs’ lives on a daily basis?
Environmental enrichment means just what it says. It goes beyond basic dog care to encompass mental stimulation, sense engagement, and toys or activities that satisfy instinctual needs. It helps provide dogs with optimally healthy and happy lives, improves the human/animal bond, and reduces the risk of unwanted behaviors.
1. Introduce new locales and situations
Slowly introducing a dog to novel locations and situations early in his development will help create a “bomb proof” pet. Well acclimated dogs are less stressed and greet change with glee. They don’t react with fear or anxiety whenever new and unprecedented situations occur.
For example, depending on how a dog was brought up, taking him on a walk in a new place or doing home renovations can either be enriching or stressful to him. If a dog is raised to greet change without getting stressed or agitated, you can make his walks a lot more flexible and interesting. Take new routes, visit new locations, walk with other dogs or people, or allow him to take you for a walk by letting him sniff out his favorite smells.
If you have an adult dog that reacts to new situations with stress, there are other, less “threatening” ways you can change up his routine, get him used to novelty, and thereby enrich his life and environment. One simple way is to rotate the toys he regularly plays with. Being exposed to the same toys all the time often generates boredom. The toys lose their appeal and the dog doesn’t bother with as them much. Putting his toys on a rotating schedule helps maintain their novelty. Placing toys inside other toys, or in boxes, can also increase the dog’s interest and stimulation.
2. Satisfy his hunting instinct
Hunting and foraging for food is a natural part of wild canine behavior. Hiding food, toys, or healthy low-cal treats throughout the house will stimulate this natural instinct. Some dogs may need to be taught through positive reinforcement how to search for their food or toys, but most learn quickly.
You can also satisfy a dog’s foraging and hunting instincts by hiding treats in cardboard boxes, or placing his food in several bowls around the house. Since animals in the wild devote so much time finding their food, I always place my pet’s food inside interactive puzzle toys.
Placing a few treats in an empty muffin tin with a ball over each hole will encourage your dog to sniff out and uncover the treats. To encourage more search-and-snack behavior, scatter premium kibble or treats around the yard. If you have multiple dogs, separate yards or access is important for those animals that are slower at foraging.
3. Improve his mind with training and games
One of the most rewarding forms of enrichment is training. There are many game-like training activities to choose from, including “100 things to do with a box”, originally written about by animal trainer Karen Pryor.
The main idea to this game is that the dog must interact with the box in a different and novel way each time. It requires careful observation on your part, and a handful of healthy treats. At first, the dog may paw at the box. The next time he will likely paw it again – but don’t give him a treat until he tries something different. He may then push the box, bite at it, sniff it or jump on it. As soon as he offers something new, say “good” and reward him with a treat.
Another good way to stimulate your dog’s brain is with agility. Growing up, I used broomsticks, mop handles, children’s tunnels and plastic crates to create an agility course for my family’s border collie. To encourage your dog to jump over the obstacles, reward him with toys, treats, praise, or affectionate rubdowns once he has made it through the course.
4. Teach him to “groom” himself
Our dogs’ wild counterparts spend a considerable amount of time grooming themselves and each other. Giving a dog access to a kiddie pool, sprinkler or dog beach encourages him to “bathe” himself while enjoying the excitement that water play provides.
Another thing you can try teaching your dog is to wipe his dirty feet on different surfaces before coming inside. As always, use positive, reward-based training methods. Use a piece of indoor-outdoor carpet, Astroturf, or a sisal doormat. It’s a fun training game, helps keep your house clean, and provides your dog with tactical enrichment.
5. Engage his senses
Think of ways you can stimulate all your dog’s senses. Here are a few ideas.
Let him experience some healing scents by placing a few drops of pure essential oil (diluted in a carrier oil such as almond oil or olive oil) inside a capped PVC pipe with a few small holes drilled in it, or a durable plastic container like a two-liter jug. Use essential oils such as lavender, chamomile or rose. Let him sniff and explore the container; the oils will stimulate his rich sense of smell and give him some relaxation at the same time. Don’t let him chew the plastic, however; once he has finished sniffing the container, put it away for another day.
Auditory stimulation can include dog-specific CDs or recall games. For new or shy dogs, softly playing audiobooks or gentle music may help acclimate them to their new surroundings.
A game of hide and seek in a new, safe area encourages the dog to use multiple senses as he explores the spot while looking for you. Having him “ping pong” between two family members while playing hide and seek is also fun and enriching for him. Once he finds you, be sure to reward him.
Four Paws Dog Raffles on our Dog Walk Today. Just a little wet!
Raffles was completely oblivious to the rain this afternoon and we had a great walk.
This is alonside the River Allen in Wimborne.
Raffles still looks adorable!
Iris has severe autism, and for the first few years of her life, she wasn’t able to communicate. But, when her family decided to get a cat, everything changed.
Iris’ mother, Arabella Carter-Johnson — who lives in Leicestershire, UK — wrote about her daughter’s bond with her pet cat, Thula and the dramatic impact it had on her life.
Before Thula, Iris’ parents found that she was “trapped in her own world, unreachable.” Iris didn’t look up when her mother entered a room, and she seldom smiled or spoke.
“Before Thula came into our lives Iris struggled to communicate with us, she mostly showed me what she wanted in a more physical way, pointing or taking me to things,” Carter-Johnson told Mashable.
Then, one day the family decided to get a cat, named Thula after one of Iris’ favourite lullabies. Iris had an immediate affinity with Thula and began to open up and communicate with her new companion in a way she hadn’t done before.
“After Thula, Iris started to use her voice much more and is now happy to tell me what she would like to eat, watch, do,” says Carter-Johnson.
“So many things changed after Thula came into our lives. Iris found sleeping very hard, but that improved right away. She would settle in the evening and be eager to get up in the morning to see her best friend.”
Research suggests that children with autism who have family pets tend to have greater social skills. A 2012 study showed an increase in prosocial behaviour in autistic children when a pet was introduced to the family. And, interestingly, the results showed that bonding was more prevalent in instances where pets were introduced into the family during childhood, rather than from birth.
In Iris’ case, introducing Thula into the family meant that she was happier to ride in the car; and haircuts and bath time — which had previously been traumatic — were no longer problematic.
“Iris also hated wearing tops, she started wearing clothes again. It was as if all these difficulties were being sorted one-by-one by her trusty companion,” says Carter-Johnson.
If Iris woke in the night, Thula was there to comfort her. Thula watched Iris as she played, and joined in whenever she could. When Iris stood at her table playing with play-dough, Thula sat by her side and mimicked her movements.
“They were comfortable around each other from the beginning and I didn’t have to do anything, which was a novelty,” says Carter-Johnson.
Iris began to talk to her very soon after she arrived and she would say “more cat” and “sit cat” giving her instructions about what she wanted her to do.”
Iris’ mum noticed a strong bond forming between the two, something she describes as “a powerful connection that we had been searching for all this time”.
Carter-Johnson noticed that her daughter was growing more and more affectionate towards the cat, massaging Thula’s paws and stroking her coat.
“Iris has become more openly affectionate to her dad, P-J, and more playful. She enjoyed games and all the silliness that we had wanted to experience with her for so long,” says Carter-Johnson.
Iris, who had previously disliked being hugged, kissed, or even talked to at times, began to laugh when her grandfather hugged her, and she would go over to him and take his hand to lead him on an adventure in the garden.
“It was as if she was opening up to all of us after Thula came into our lives,” Carter-Johnson continued.
“Iris is becoming more affectionate and over the last few days I have seen her hug and kiss her friend; something that doesn’t happen that often but a touching reminder of how much Iris appreciates her,” says Carter-Johnson.
Wicked photo! Oakey and Poppy squirrel watching at Witchampton, nr Wimborne …
This photo just shows how much fun dogs can have on their dog walk.
These 2 best of buddies, are watching hopefully to see if the squirrel they chased will come down again.
No chance!
Traveling With Cats.
Sooner or later, your cat is going to have to do some traveling. Whether it’s a vacation, a work-related move, evacuation due to natural disaster, or just his annual vet visit, no kitty can stay home all the time.
The majority of cats don’t enjoy traveling, as Charlotte Slater can attest. She has moved across the country, traveled for a summer internship, and evacuated because of hurricanes – and has taken her cats along for all of it. She recalls crossing the desert in Arizona/New Mexico. “One of my cats, Idea, didn’t like car rides and howled for the entire five-day cross-country trip,” she says. To make matters worse, the car’s air conditioner quit during the trip. In spite of the open windows, Idea overheated. “I found a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The air conditioning there and cool water on her body lowered her temperature, but it was scary.”
“Traveling with Calico, a former feral cat, was also extremely difficult,” Charlotte adds. “I live in the Florida Keys and one hurricane season we had to evacuate four or five times. At the hotel, Calico would hide. Once I thought she had escaped but I found her behind some furniture. In the commotion, I hit my head on a coffee table and almost knocked myself out. By the time we got home, she was fine but I had an egg-sized lump on my forehead as well as slash marks on my legs.”
“When traveling with cats, it’s better to be over-prepared than not,” advises Dr. Kathleen Miller, Director of Anti-Cruelty Behavior Research for the ASPCA. “If the car breaks down, a plane is delayed or other mishaps occur, what should have been a short trip can look like an episode of Gilligan’s Island – the three-hour tour that turned into a shipwreck.”
Taking your cat places doesn’t have to be this stressful. Here’s how some cat lovers turned their kitties into veteran travelers.
• To get her kitten used to the car, M. D. Robin took her on short rides to the grocery store, and then sat in the car with her. “I started with 15-minute trips and worked up from there,” says M.D. “Now, when we travel, Zia sleeps during the day but in the evening she loves to watch tractor trailers go by. She also loves to people watch. So far, Zia’s been in 16 states.”
• Remie is used to both cars and planes. Now aged two, she’s been traveling since she was four months old. “When she goes with us on flights she wears a harness so we can easily take her through security screenings,” says Erin Lumpkin. “Otherwise we don’t make too many adjustments. We withhold food and water four hours before leaving for the airport so there’s no issue with motion sickness. We bring a blanket to put over her carrier on the plane. Zia also stays in her crate to and from the hotel. We bring her favorite blankets, toys, food, water and litter. We’ve learned to ask for a room with a view so she can look out and see people going by.”
• “Our travel was not recreational,” says Peggy Bendel. “For many years, we split our time between homes in Arizona and New York. For nine years (18 trips) we traveled back and forth in a van with our seven cats, a four-day trip each way. Each cat was in his own carrier and wore a harness with an attached tag that said ‘reward’ with my name and cell phone number. The harnesses stayed on throughout the trip.” An attached leash helps prevent escape and makes for an easy catch if the cat tries to hide in a small space.
Over time, many cats become seasoned travelers and may even come to enjoy it. “My Birmans, Calin and Cody, love traveling,” says Charlotte. “When we arrive at the hotel, they like to explore the room and signify their approval with head butts and purrs!”
RSPCA. Not just about Dogs! All creatures great and small!
Please be careful when gardening. This slow worm is doing fantastically after surgery today, having been injured by a strimmer.
Canford Heath is one of the largest remaining areas of heathland in Dorset retaining the atmosphere of a wilderness. The area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and protected under UK law and European conservation directives.
The Heath’s special wildlife includes all the British reptile species and rare birds such as the Dartford Warbler and Nightjar. Wetter areas provide a home for a range of dragonflies and special plants adapted to the wet conditions.
Special management of the Heath is necessary to maintain its conservation interest – self sown pine and birch trees would otherwise crowd out the characteristic heathers on which much of the special heathland wildlife depends.
Dogs may be required to be on lead at times on part or whole of the site, due to breeding birds and grazing animals. At other times they may be able to be off lead. Check on site for further information.
Park at the lay-by on Gravel Hill, 200m south of Poole Crematorium at Dunyeats Roundabout, Broadstone, Nr Wimborne, Dorset.
If your dog is having a fit do not interfere with or communicate with the dog.
This may prolong the fit as it is providing stimulation.
