27th October 2022 • The HERALD • Page 53 v THE HERALD - Your Community Magazine v ANIMAL MAGIC What’s the big deal? Imagine this. You live in a di erent country, you’re entirely dependent on someone else, and you can only communicate through sign language which is o en misunderstood. One night you hear gunshots, and strangers outside, your home is vibrating, there are ashing lights and you can smell burning. You think your life is at risk but you’re trapped. How do you feel? is is how many dogs experience reworks. Will comforting my dog make it worse? Fear can’t be rewarded or punished because it’s an emotion, an involuntary physiological response that ensures survival, it’s not a behaviour. ink of something you’re fearful of; it could be spiders, snakes, heights, or the loss of something important. Now imagine when you show this fear, someone shouts at you and tells you to stop shouting/crying/shaking. Did that make you feel better or worse? How about if someone puts their arm around you or gives you £500? Are you now more afraid than ever or do you feel slightly better? Comforting your dog doesn’t always make a visible di erence, but it won’t make things worse. Ways to help them through it • Walk your dog early and go for a nice long sni rather than chasing. Sni ng produces calming chemicals in the brain whereas adrenaline takes time to recover from making it harder for them to relax. • Create a den, small spaces feel more secure than big ones. Close curtains, put a blanket over a crate or a table, and give them somewhere to hide. • Play music. Sound a ects the nervous system of dogs just as it does in humans. Compare how frazzled you feel when you have building work next door compared to listening to your favourite music. Check out ‘ rough a Dog’s Ear’, a series of music speci cally designed to calm dogs. • If you’ve got hard oors, put rugs down to insulate against vibration. • Prepare chews and stu ed Kongs in advance. Chewing and licking are soothing, calming activities for dogs. • Be a calm, reassuring presence but at the same time, try to act normal. Dogs are extremely perceptive and if you appear more vigilant than usual, they nd it harder to relax. • If you have a puppy, invite them to engage in a bit of gentle play. Play builds con dence and is incompatible with fear. • Di erent things help di erent dogs. undershirts can help some dogs feel more secure. Adaptil (a synthetic version of mother’s pheromones) or Pet Remedy spray (plant-based) can help by stimulating calming chemicals in the brain. • Speak to your vet about calming products speci cally designed for noise sensitivity. Some sedatives will make things worse because they remove the dog’s ability to respond, but not the fear, making them feel powerless. • Keep your dog on a lead or long line for a few days a er the reworks. Stress hormones take time to leave the body so they may be more prone to spooking and running o . Lots of dogs go missing at this time of year. • For a longer-term solution, ask for help with desensitising your dog to loud noises. is needs to be done very gradually so don’t start this on the 1st of November! For more tips and advice visit www. peartreepets.com/trainingtips or contact me at rachel@peartreepets.com if you’d like to book a training consultation. A ordable Dog Training & Behaviour Courses Saving Dog Owners ££££s e Dog Rescuers Training Centre tackles a wide range of problematic dog behaviours and common problems with real solutions using force-free, positive methods based on modern day research which are ethical and kind to dogs. e organisation is a member of e Pet Professional Guild, e Association for Force-Free Pet Professionals. All their training courses are suitable for anyone wishing to own a dog, has a dog already or for people interested in learning more about dogs for personal or professional development. Developed by professionals in the eld, they have made expert advice a ordable for everyone. ey help all dog owners and dogs, so don’t worry if you haven’t adopted a rescue dog this time around. You can check out their range of courses and FREE training at www.dogs2fosteruk. org e organisation’s pro ts support the rehabilitation and safe rehoming of rescue dogs. is gorgeous puppy is Mungo, a Labrador cross, male, aged 5 months. Mungo is a beautiful, very friendly, happy dog currently in foster care at Woodlands SO40 and looking for his forever home. Please see all their rescue dogs ready for adoption at www.dogs2foster.uk.org or call 07889 891307. The Dog Rescuers Training Centre in Association with Dogs2FosterUK Helping Dogs Cope during Fireworks Advice from Rachel Clark, Peartree Pets Mungo A new dog walking area has recently been opened by Fawley Parish Council. Located on the old golf course on Newlands Road, the new area features accessible footpaths for wheelchairs and mobility scooters and a fun agility course for the dogs to enjoy including ramps, a tunnel and hurdles. Chairman of the Estates and Facilities for Fawley Parish Council committee, Councillor Allan Glass, who originated the project recently visited the site and spoke to a number of dog walkers. During his visit a number of questions were raised which he has addressed below: Was it costly to the local rates? No the project was used as a carbon sink to mitigate local development therefore it was no cost to Fawley Parish Council just a few pounds for administration. How do I get a wheelchair in as the gate has a lock on it? The gate is a special Kissing gate and the disabled person uses the same radar key as they use for disabled toilets to undo the padlock and the gate will open to a clear path. If it is locked when the person has gone through it prevents mis-use by motor bikes and BMX bikes using it as a race track. Councillor Allan Glass comments: “The particular praise for the project was for the curved bridge over the channel that makes a lovely view point and the dog exercise area with small hurdles a tunnel and weave set of posts and several other things that you have fun with your dog or just take a nice walk. Another thing the people liked is the groups of seats where you can relax and chat to friends or just sit to enjoy the fresh air and views. The grass and plants are mostly new so they will grow up but I would recommend you visit this area especially if you have a dog as the dogs can run free have fun and let their owners take it easy in the open air.” New Dog Walking Area at Gang Warily Image credit Illustration 187769244 © Robert Goebel | Dreamstime.com
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