Page 60 • The HERALD • 20th April 2023 v THE HERALD - SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES v ANIMAL MAGIC How to Calm Your Dog Down by Rachel Clark IMDT, ADT-DTC, Little Rascals Dog Coaching Do you struggle to tire your dog out? Do they nd it hard to settle even a er their walk? Physical exercise alone will simply make dogs tter, making them harder to tire out. Lots of high adrenaline exercise such as chasing toys or other dogs can also result in them being in a constant state of high arousal as well as leading to repetitive strain injuries. Both of which can result in increased reactivity, reduced impulse control and reduced tolerance for frustration. Enrichment activities are enormously bene cial for dogs. ey provide mental stimulation, reduce stress and make them feel better. ese bene ts have been linked with improved ability for learning and remembering, increased impulse control, improved decision making and reduced anxiety. Reducing stress also improves the physical health of a dog because stress a ects their heart rate, immune system, digestive system and sleep patterns. Using their food for enrichment Working for food is intrinsically rewarding for animals. Using food in enrichment activities facilitates natural foraging behaviour, providing essential mental stimulation. e olfactory system, used when a dog is searching for food, is also linked to systems in the brain which are responsible for in uencing emotions, learning and memories. Sni ng is inherently rewarding to dogs because it switches on systems in the brain which produce lots of ‘feel good’ chemicals when they are engaged. Sniffing activities are bene cial for all dogs but particularly ones who are fearful, anxious or overwhelmed. ere are lots of ways in which you can provide enrichment through food including scatter feeding, treasure hunts and using your recycling to make food puzzles. If you have more than one dog, these are best done one dog at a time to avoid the risk of resource guarding. Be mindful that some dogs may guard spots where the scent of food remains so take this into consideration. is is meant to be relaxing not stressful. Using their walks for enrichment Human walks tend to involve a goal of completion; to get from A to B or complete a circle. e dog’s ideal walk however is more akin to a meander through an art gallery, library or museum, with lots of meandering and regular stops to read and think and absorb information. Walks which are led by quality rather than by distance add much greater value to dogs’ daily routines. Ways to enrich your dog’s walk include varying your route for di erent scents, looking for natural obstacles to sni and explore like fallen logs, letting your dog choose the route, hiding treats in heather, grass and tree stumps to get them searching high and low. Finally remember to slow down! ere is a whole library of information to work through with their noses, right at your feet. If you’d like help calming your little rascal down, get in touch with me via my website: www.littlerascalsdogcoaching. co.uk or give me a call on: 07903 859960. Credit: gollykim at iStock Hounds for Heroes are in need of full time puppy parents and short term foster homes for their puppies. e Hampshire based charity provides specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled personnel of both the HM Armed Forces and Emergency Services. You do not need experience or quali cations to become a puppy parent, however, you will need to meet certain criteria and be prepared to attend several training sessions as As a puppy parent you will open up your house to a puppy as young as 8 weeks old. With the guidance and support of the puppy trainer, you will attend weekly classes to learn how to teach the puppy the basic life skills that an assistance dog requires. This is a full time long-term commitment as puppy parents usually keep a puppy for approximately 12-14 months or until the puppy is ready to progress to the next stage of training. If you are interested, they would love to hear from you. To apply or for further information, please visit: www. houndsforheroes.com part of their induction programme. Once accepted, volunteers work under the guidance of the training department to establish and maintain early socialisation and basic training, which is critical for the role of an assistance dog. Hounds for Heroes provide food and equipment for each puppy and cover the cost of veterinary bills and pet insurance. Could You be a Puppy Parent for Hounds for Heroes? Could you become a puppy parent? All The Things a Dog Loves Packed Into Two Days of Fun at DOGSTIVAL DOGSTIVAL, the festival dedicated to four-legged fun, is back this June to show the nation’s pooches some love this summer. Jam-packed with all the things a dog loves, furry friends are sure to have the time of their life at this two-day pooch fest, which takes place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th June at the Broadlands Estate in Romsey. Headline sponsored by Naturo pet food, Dogstival’s ve-star fun is ever present with four-legged guests treated to epic arena displays, ‘have a go’ activities such as agility, scentwork and yball, as well as fun dog shows. Dogstival has also teamed up with UK Agility, who will be hosting a regional tournament within the festival, so pups of all levels can compete for rosettes. ere’s also the Barkour adventure playground and giant splash pools for water-loving woofers. But with their ‘Glastonbury for dogs’ credentials, pawtrons can also expect a generous layer of Dogstival’s bonkers-ness too! Starting at the Dogfuriendly Muddy Paws Tavern, guests will be able to let their fur and hair down at doggy discos, dog bingo and pub quizzes throughout the weekend, before heading over to e Hound Dog Stage to carry on shaking their groove thing to tribute acts such as Sing Out Sisters Abba Tribute and a 30-strong ‘En Masse Pop Choir’. The main arena will be hosting Dogstival’s rst ever Doggie Sports Day – think eight-legged races, relay with dogs or a spot of egg and spoon. What could possibly go wrong?! Keeping on an animal experience theme, dog-lovers can also watch the Shetland pony display team with child ‘jockey’ riders whizzing around. For something more holistic, Dogstival’s Canine MOT Centre will o er a one-stop shop for dog wellness advice and insight to help pups stay in peak condition. ere’s also various ‘ tness challenges’ with a 0-30mph speed test, long jump and a test of sni ng power with scent work games. Back at the Muddy Paws Tavern, humans and hounds can work on their downward dogs and practice canine Zen in Doga sessions (yoga for dogs), which will take place across two days. And for the rst time ever at Dogstival, attendees will have the chance to re ect on all the dogs they have loved and lost in the touching ‘Over the Rainbow’ memory garden. As ever, Dogstival will be gi -wrapped with over 140 shopping stands catering to a dog’s tastebuds, lifestyle, fun, health and wellbeing, as well as a smorgasbord of delicious hound and human food. Guaranteed to get tails wagging, pups will be able to tuck into tasty treats from e Four-Legged Fancies bakery, puppuccinos from Pop & Bark and mini dog pizza from the Chulli Pizza stand. Flavour? Poocheroni of course! Meanwhile pet parents will be able to feast on a whole host of delicious foods from around the world including crispy duck rotisserie, melted cheese raclette and churros. So, guests are encouraged to come hungry! For kids young and old, Dogstival will also have a vintage fun fair. Every year the festival supports a number of charities with proceeds from the Fun Dog Show and this year welcomes e Dogs Trust with their rehoming village to help nd amazing pooches their furever home. Dogstival is also supporting a number of selected charities and causes for our 2023 event including Pets As erapy and Guide Dogs and StreetVet. Tickets are priced from £18 adults, 6-16yrs from £10. For more information and for tickets, visit Dogstival.co.uk and head to @dogstival on social for on-going ‘pupdates’.
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