As a fellow foster carer, I thought it would be a great opportunity for all the SAD Supporters to have an opportunity to share their stories and exchange training ideas and basic information about their experiences with our beloved Canine’s.
Having just completed a diploma in Canine Behaviour and Training, I have learned some interesting facts about our furry friends that I thought I would share with you all.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The only mammals with prostates are humans and dogs
- Labrador Retrievers were originally bred to retrieve fishing nets
- All but two breeds of dogs have pink tongues. The chow Chow and the Shar-pei, both have black tongues
- The tallest dogs are the Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound
- Pet owners live longer, happier lives with less stress and less heart attacks
- It takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation. On a 78 degree day temperatures in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees and could reach 160 degrees if parked in the sun
- Chocolate affects a dogs heart and nervous system, a few ounces is enough to kill a small dog
- Female dogs that are spayed eliminate the chance of uterine infection, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer
- Male dogs that are neutered nearly eliminate the risk of perineal hernias and penile tumours
- Most dogs are lactose intolerant. You are better off avoiding milk in your dogs diet
- Tapeworms can lead to anaemia in your dog
I have also read some interesting and very informative books which I have listed below, and can be obtained easily from Amazon if anyone is interested in learning a little more about the psychology of a dog.
Why Does My Dog – John Fisher
Fight – Jean Donaldson
Dogwise – John Fisher
Animals in Translation – Temple Grandin
The Dog Listener – Jan Fennell
Some other information I thought it may be interesting to share with fellow dog lovers, is places to visit and places to stay that are dog friendly.
Me and my pack do a lot of travelling about especially up in the Lake District and we have found some wonderful places to stay including hotels, campsites and bed and breakfast. Below are a few of my favourites.
Seacote Caravan Park, St Bees, Cumbria, 01946 822777
Parkfoot Caravan & Camping Park, Cumbria 017684 86309
Scotgate Holidy Park, Keswick 017687 78343
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One Of my recent most rewarding moments as a foster carer was taking my three dogs for a lovely swim in the sea at St Bees whilst on holiday there with my daughter Holly. One of my dogs Toby has a problem with his feet and he was so pleased to be able to swim and splash about with no pain in his feet. My foster dog Jak who is a young bouncy border collie thought it was great fun following me out into the sea and racing back with his best mate Ollie. I laughed till I cried watching them enjoying something completely new. They all slept like babies that night, reliving the adventure in their dreams.
Swimming is really good exercise for dogs and most dogs love to get into the water, a few minutes swimming can be more strenuous than a 20 minute walk! Please be careful in rivers though make sure you and your dog are quite safe!
Well I hope you all manage to find something interesting or at least useful from this page, please let me have your thoughts and comments for next time.
Why not test your knowledge by trying the following ‘Doggie Quiz’ (answers will be given in next months edition)
‘DIZZIE QUIZZIE’
What is the name of the only barkless dog in the world?
How many breaths does a dog take in every breath?
What is the name of the breed of dog that has webbed feet?
For how many years has the dog been domesticated?
What is the Latin name for dog?
What is the name of the breed of dog that cannot swim and why?
How many teeth does a dog have?
Good luck!
I will leave you with a thought for today, did you know that:
Dogs communicate with their tail, A wag of the tail can mean many things. An aggressive dog may wag its tail, but it will be held high and move rapidly. A playful dog will also hold its tail high, but it will be wagging in big arches from side to side. A dog that is afraid will hold its tail low and may wag it stiffly back and forth.
