Editor’s letter
Ihave to admit that I’m the owner of one of those dogs who isn’t really interested in play. He’d play as a puppy, but not now. Having reached the grand old age of 11, he’s totally uninterested, although — being a terrier — he’ll still occasionally run after a squeaky toy and rip it to shreds. But whether that constitutes play, I’m not too sure!
Of course, there are lots of things that our dogs can learn through play both with other dogs and with us, so Carol Price’s series on the importance of play, which starts on page 10 this issue, is a must read. This issue Carol explains how play is a rehearsal for real life and next month she’ll be revealing how you can use toys to teach your dog many valuable lessons.
It’s very easy to fall into the trap of over-treating our dogs without even being aware that we’re doing it — a couple of rewards here, some leftovers there, and before you know it your once svelte pet has lost that tucked in waist and developed a saggy tummy! Dogs are such good manipulators and it’s all too easy to give in to those pleading looks, so Jackie Drakeford has come up with some great tips on how to keep your dog in shape, for those of us who need a bit of extra help (see page 40). And don’t forget if your dog does have weight to lose, then it’s a good idea to discuss this with your vet.
Behaviourist Toni Shelbourne gets many calls from frustrated dog owners struggling with disturbed sleep because their dogs are waking them in the night. Sleep deprivation is potentially dangerous for both people and dogs so getting to the bottom of the problem is important. It is usually fixable but you need to establish the root cause, and there are many possibilities. If you have a dog who’s keeping you up at nights, check out Toni’s advice on page 52.
Finally, the lead singer of chart-topping ska and reggae band The Dualers, Tyber Cranstoun, admits that life would be easier if he didn’t have dogs — but the dog-mad musician has three: German Shepherd Apollo, French Bulldog Claude, and Cavapoo/Cockerpoo Gigi, who’s a seasoned festival-goer and loves accompanying him to gigs. Discover how he juggles dog ownership with life on the road on page 24.
Until next month,