DOG FRIENDLY BEACH WALK NEAR SURREY
HOW TO FIND THE BEACH
This dog friendly beach walk is only an hour from my Surrey home (near Redhill and Reigate) and can be easily found by following directions and satnav to the Bluebird Café which sits right on the beach and offers very good food and a dog-friendly environment both inside and outside of the café:
( www.facebook.com/thebluebirdferring/about/?ref=page_internal ).
FACILITIES
- There is a large public carpark (free) next to the café and beach.
- There are public toilets in the carpark (usually kept clean).
- The café, as mentioned above, offers excellent food and also has toilets (for customer use only).
ENJOYING THE BEACH
From the café you can then walk either along a wide grass strip at the top of the beach (useful if the tide is in and you want to avoid too long a pebbly walk) or, for a more enjoyable day out, it’s a good idea to check tide times (http://tides.willyweather.co.uk/se/west-sussex/ferring-beach.html) so that your dogs will have plenty of space on the sand to make the most of their day trip to the beach.
There are also numerous rock pools for both children and dogs to enjoy a paddle.
This beach has, so far, been open to dogs all year round and even in the height of summer it never seems over-crowded – although the café itself does get very busy and you may have to join a queue for your refreshments.
This means it is a lovely location to walk your dogs throughout the year and to enjoy some fresh air and good scenery both en route and when you arrive.
GOOD MANNERS
To ensure this beach continues to welcome dogs and their owners, please ensure you always clear up responsibly after your dogs.
Please also ensure that your dogs’ behaviour does not spoil other visitors’ enjoyment of the area.
Thank you – and I hope you and your dogs enjoy a lovely walk on this beautiful beach – if you do, please post your own photos and comments on this page.
© Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk
DOG THEFT LAW
DOG THEFT LAW
Whilst a very unpleasant subject and one which we hope never to affect us, the BBC reported earlier this year
( www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36590425 ) that there has sadly been an increase in dog thefts across many parts of the country and there are subsequent calls for there to be a separate pet theft law as well as compulsory scanning of dogs by vets – this latter action would of course help to reunite owners with their stolen pets.
The Sentencing Council issued new Guidelines when sentencing for offences of theft and these came into force from 1 February 2016. These require the Court to not just consider the value of the dog (which in many cases is going to be modest) but also to consider if there was significant additional harm to the victim – this could be emotional distress as well as the value of the dog to the owner (regardless of its monetary worth).
If the dog is a mongrel or a rescue dog in all likelihood it would be worth less than £500. In such a case, it would probably be a Category 3, for harm but with significant additional harm:-
- If it was a planned theft the starting point would be a high level community order (up to a maximum of 36 weeks custody).
- If it was an opportunistic theft the starting point would only be a Category B and C fine (up to a maximum level of a low level community order).
If the dog is valued at more than £500 it would probably be a Category 2 for harm but with significant additional harm:-
- If it was a planned theft the starting point would be one year’s custody (up to a maximum of 2 years custody).
- If it was an opportunistic theft the starting point would be a high level community order (up to a maximum of 36 weeks custody).
The Sentencing Guidelines (for general ‘Theft Offences’) can be found here: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/SC-Theft-Offences-Definitive-Guideline-content_FINAL-web_.pdf
This above article has been slightly edited but was taken from an article originally written by dog law experts, Trevor Cooper solicitors: www.doglaw.co.uk.
If you should ever be unfortunate enought to lose your dog for any reason, please see the links to information from both the Dogs Trust and Battersea Dogs’ Home.
Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk
WEEKEND DOG TRAINING CLASSES SURREY
WEEKEND DOG TRAINING CLASSES, OUTWOOD, SURREY
SUNDAY CLASSES FOR PUPPIES AND OLDER DOGS START SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER AT 10AM IN OUTWOOD
Outwood is just 15 minutes from Reigate, Redhill, Horley, Bletchingley, Godstone and East Grinstead.
ALL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS ARE KEPT TO A MAXIMUM OF 6 DOGS TO ENSURE YOU ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE ONE-TO-ONE ATTENTION AND TO ALLOW DOGS TO LEARN IN A CALM ENVIRONMENT.
THE 8 WEEK COURSE IS £104 AND INCLUDES A 1 HOUR CLASS EACH WEEK
The first six weeks of the course are held at the training venue and the final two classes are held on nearby public land to give you the advantage of training your dog in a public place with practical off-lead training.
COURSE DETAILS:
Sunday, 25 September 2016 – Sunday, 20 November 2016 (No class on 2 October)
Please contact me for registration form and further details of the course.
Please note that I cannot accept dogs into class if they have any aggression issues towards other dogs or with people (but private behavioural advice is available).
EXERCISES TAUGHT IN CLASS:
Please follow link to ‘Classes’ page on website: www.co-operativecanines.co.uk/classes
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND REGULAR CLASSES I OFFER ONE-TO-ONE TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH WEEKEND, WEEK DAY AND EVENING APPOINTMENTS.
PLEASE SEE ‘ONE-TO-ONE’ PAGE.
Sally Bartlett
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk
HARVEST MITES AND DOGS
HARVEST MITES AND SKIN IRRITATION IN DOGS
Harvest mites are found in grassland and chalkland areas during the late summer and autumn and become active in warm weather, sometimes leading to your dog developing dermatitis.
Dermatitis is a medical condition in which the skin becomes red, swollen or sore, occasionally with small blisters, all of which are the result of direct irritation of the skin by an external agent or an allergic reaction to it.
The larvae of the mites can cause skin irritation which mostly affects areas of the body closest to the ground, as well as sites on the body where there is thinner skin: often the paws, stomach and groin.
Minimising irritation to your dog from harvest mites
- Reduce exposure to the mites by walking your dog only during the early morning – this is helpful because the mite larvae are only active during the day.
- Research has also found that harvest mites are very localised so even in fields close to each other you may find masses of mites in one field but then have no problems in other fields close by. So make a note of where your dog has problems and avoid those areas during the harvest mite season.
- It is also a good idea to avoid long grass and other long foliage.
- Keep moving because the worst irritation will occur when your dog is stationary
Treatment
- Talk to your vet about the various shampoos and mite creams available to both repel the mites and also to relieve itching.
- The Animal Health Trust suggest a spray called Fipronil which has been proven successful against other mites, although there are no currently licensed products specifically for harvest mites treatment.
- As with any treatment for your dogs, you should always check with your vet before doing so as even natural products can have effects on the heatlh of your pet and on any medication your dog may have already prescribed for your dog.
Possible link between harvest mites and Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI)
You may find an article by the Animal Health Trust of interest – they are carrying out research into possible links between the harvest mite and Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI) : http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-xmodnewsrs
© Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk
PARASITE RISKS – DOGS IN EUROPE
If you are taking your dogs abroad to Europe this summer then you need to be aware of the parasite risks for your dogs.
The following link has information which is a useful guide to the parasite risks for your dog. However, you should, of course, always consult with your own vet for advice and the necessary treatment required well in advance of travel.
This link was sourced from the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and links to the ESCCAP (European Scientific Council Companion Animal Parasites) site which shows the parasite risks.
www.esccap.org/travelling-pets-advice
You must also check for other health requirements (such as rabies) and the essential legal requirements for taking your dog abroad – both for access into your chosen destination and for the return journey.
See the Kennel Club’s free information guide:
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/8245/travelling_abroad.pdf
Wishing you a safe and healthy journey with your dogs.
© Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
DANGEROUS DOGS ACT REVISION 1 JULY 2016
DANGEROUS DOGS ACT – REVISION OF THE ACT 1 JULY 2016
New Sentencing Guidelines for Dangerous Dogs Act
New sentencing guidelines for dangerous dog offences come into force from 1 July 2016 and apply to all cases sentenced after that date.
It is the first update since 12 August 2012 and reflect the changes made to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 on 13 May 2014.
The DDA (Section 3(1)) refers to the part of the Act regarding an owner or person in charge of a dog ‘dangerously out of control’ in any place in England or Wales (whether or not a public place) – so it is important for all dogs owners to be well read on this subject.
In a Section 3 aggravated case:-
- Courts are now required to take additional factors into account, for example, it is a case of high culpability if the dog had been trained to be aggressive.
- Some factors have been removed, For example, it is no longer a case of high culpability if it was a vulnerable victim (although this will still be regarded as an aggravating feature).
- There is now a medium culpability (as opposed to just high or lesser), such as if the offender failed to take measures where an incident could reasonably have been foreseen.
- The sentencing starting points and ranges have been changed.
The full Guidelines document can be found at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Dangerous-dog-offences-Definitive-Guideline-web.pdf
With thanks and acknowledgement to www.doglaw.co.uk for their update on this subject.
Sally Bartlett
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk
ADDERS AND DOGS REIGATE HEATH
I have recently been told that there is a raised danger of dogs encountering adders on Reigate Heath in Surrey.
Please, please make other dog owners aware of this danger and please see my previous blog article about precautions and First Aid emergency in the event that your dog is bitten by an adder:
www.co-operativecanines.proimageblogs.com/snake-bites-insect-stings-dogs
I was also informed last week that two dogs were bitten recently by adders on Ashdown Forest in East Sussex; sadly one of the dogs did not survive.
Please keep your dog safe by being adder-aware and by talking to your vets and carrying the necessary medication – see my other blog page article on dogs and snake bites for further information.
www.co-operativecanines.proimageblogs.com/snake-bites-insect-stings-dogs
DOG INSURANCE POLICIES – A GUIDE
Why you need them …
These days, the majority of owners I work with have already chosen to take out an insurance policy for their dogs, as they are aware of the ongoing need during their dogs’ lives for medical cover.
However, many people are still not aware of the Third Party Liability cover which they may be lacking if they do not take out a suitable policy. Without this cover, owners could find themselves having to settle claims out of their own pocket for any claim against them due to their dogs’ inappropriate behaviour.
In this day and age, where dog law puts increasingly more pressure on dog owners to have their dogs under control, it is a wise owner who ensures their dogs are covered not just for medical requirements for also for Third Party claims – please see the Kennel Club’s Dog Law guide.
Your own household insurance might cover you for Third Party Liability but not all policies do, and some will only cover you on your own property but not when out in public, so you need to check with your insurer each year if you have adequate cover.
General points to consider before signing up for a policy …
Below are a few of my own notes on points to consider before taking out your policy and further below are several links to some very useful documents giving more information on finding the right policy for you and your dogs.
- It is important to spend time ensuring you choose the right insurance policy for your dog because once your dog has experienced a medical condition you will usually not be covered for any ‘pre-existing’ conditions. Obviously, the older your dog, the more likely that there will be pre-existing conditions.
- Most policies do not give cover immediately so please do not wait until your dog is ill.
- Even if you have several weeks’ cover included when you buy a puppy, many owners are not aware of points 1 and 2 above and so leave the purchase of their permanent policy until it is too late. Please make sure you research insurance policies before you even get your puppy or dog and so are able to ensure you will never have a period without any cover and that you will minimise the risk of having any pre-existing conditions excluded on your dog’s policy.
Other Benefits:
- As mentioned above, most dog insurance policies will offer Third Party Liability and you need to read the small-print to ensure you have adequate cover both in the home and elsewhere.
- Some policies offer benefits such as:
- Advertising and reward if your dog is lost.
- Overseas travel cover.
Useful links for more information on taking out a pet insurance policy…
www.bva.co.uk/You-and-your-vet/BVA-advice-leaflets
British Veterinary Association (BVA) Benefits of Pet Insurance
www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Products/Pet-insurance
Association of British Insurance Pet Insurance Guide
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/66386/insurance.pdf
Link to the Kennel Club Pet Insurance Guide for Dog Owners
© Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
SNAKE BITES AND INSECT STINGS TO DOGS
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR VET
BEFORE GIVING ANY MEDICATION TO YOUR DOGS
During spring and early summer it is the time of year when snakes are drowsily sun-bathing and so more likely to bite an approaching dog. It is also the season when we are seeing more wasps and bees, so I have put together some notes on what medication can be used in the case of an emergency, particularly where snake bites to dogs are involved.
Medication
Piriton is the only over-the-counter antihistamine which might be suitable for your dog but please note that these notes are for guidance only and you must check with your vet whether your dog is able to have Piriton.
As with all medication, Piriton has side effects and may have adverse effects on the health of your dog, particularly if your dog already has a medical condition and/or when a dog is already on other medication.
CHECK WITH YOUR VET NOW SO THAT IN AN EMERGENCY
YOU CAN BE SURE YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE PIRITON
IF YOUR DOG’S HEALTH CHANGES, YOU WILL NEED TO CHECK AGAIN WITH YOUR VET
AS ALWAYS, READ THE INFORMATION ENCLOSED WITH ANY MEDICATION.
YOU MUST NOT USE ANY OTHER TYPE OF ANTIHISTAMINE ON A DOG.
The usual dose recommended by a vet is:
- 4mg for a small dog (usually one tablet)
- 8mg for a larger dog (usually two tablets)
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE A SMALL OR ‘TOY’ BREED, OR A SMALL PUPPY OF ANY BREED THEN YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH YOUR VET WHAT REDUCED DOSAGE SHOULD BE USED
First Aid Advice (But always seek veterinary advice as soon as possible)
Please note that this advice is First Aid for emergency only but you must still check with your vet whether your dog needs further treatment, particularly if he has had a sting to the head or neck area and/or has a swelling or has been bitten by a snake.
If your dog has been bitten by a snake you must take your dog to the vet immediately even if you give Piriton as the vet will usually give further treatment, such as steroid injections.
There is always a risk that even after having an antihistamine a dog may go into shock (anaphylactic shock) with either a snake bite, or wasp or bee sting – so you must consult your vet.
At the end of this blog are notes regarding dealing with snake bites, which were kindly given to me by another trainer in Suffolk (Margot Brothwell), which are useful reading as Margot has had several of her dogs bitten by snakes so has first-hand experience.
Wasps and Bee stings
In general, as for human treatment, if there is a sting left in the dog then remove with a flat object, such as a credit card (do not use tweezers or your fingers or you may push the venom deeper into your dog’s skin).
Then wash the area as follows (assuming your dog has no skin problems which may be irritated by the following):
- Wash bee stings with a solution of Bicarbonate of Soda and water.
- Wash wasp stings with vinegar.
There is some controversy over whether the washing of the area actually relieves pain as the sting will have been injected more deeply into the area than the washing may reach, but it may help.
Watch your dog carefully to ensure that there is no further adverse reactions which will require immediate veterinary treatment – as stated above, these notes are for emergency First Aid treatment but a vet’s advice must always be sought.
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Snake Bites (article by Margot Brothwell, Suffolk)
The purpose of this article is to help owners avoid their dogs being bitten by snakes and to provide some guidance on what to do if a dog does get bitten.
Identification: Most adders are distinctly marked with a dark zigzag running down the length of the spine and an inverted ‘V’ shape on the neck. Males are generally white or pale grey with a black zigzag. Females are pale brown with a darker zigzag. Some adders can be entirely black and can be mistaken for other species.
The adder is the only venomous snake native to Britain. Adders have the most highly developed venom injecting mechanism of all snakes but are not aggressive animals. They will only use their venom as a last means of defence, usually if caught or trodden on. In humans, the worst effects, with proper treatment, are usually just nausea and drowsiness and severe swelling and bruising in the area of the bite, with death being very rare.
However, adder bites can have more serious consequences for dogs. The larger breeds of dogs will cope better than the smaller ones. I know of two dogs in Suffolk which did not survive, one a pug and the other a small sprocker. The pug did not survive long enough to be carried back to the car and the sprocker’s owner didn’t realise the dog had been bitten and veterinary assistance came too late. I know of several larger dogs (Huskies and GSDs) which have been bitten and with prompt veterinary attention have made full and quick recoveries. The danger for larger dogs is if they are unfortunate to be ‘reactors’ and go into anaphylactic shock – just as some people react badly to wasp and bee stings.
I always carry antihistamine [Piriton] with me. If one of my dogs were to be bitten I would give a tablet immediately and then get veterinary assistance as quickly as possible. My vet practice treats adder bites by giving an injection of steroid to combat the swelling and advises a course of antihistamine over the following three days. They do not stock or administer anti-venom as they have found dogs can react to this badly.
I have had three of my dogs bitten by adders and have followed the above procedure through to a successful outcome. If you are a fair distance from your vehicle and the dog is light enough, I have been told that it may be a good idea to carry your dog, but in any case you should put on a lead and walk steadily.
Dogs are more likely to come across adders in the spring or early summer when the snakes have recently emerged from hibernation and will lie out in open paths and tracks to bathe in the sunshine. Before they are fully warmed up they are very slow to move away when they feel the vibration of you and your dog approaching. Dogs spot them and are curious and then go to sniff them. The adder is not warm enough to be ‘up to speed’ and to disappear and so sees the dog’s approach as a threat and strikes, which is why so many dogs are bitten in the muzzle area.
A copy of this article also appeared in The Canine Behaviour & Training Society’s newsletter summer 2016 (cbts-newsletter-final ).
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Further note:
Follow this link to find out more about adders: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/adder
© Sally Bartlett
Co-operative Canines Dog Training and Behaviour
TICKS AND DOGS
IT IS TICK SEASON – PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR DOG
Just a reminder that we are now in the tick season (March to October in the UK).
Check the level of risk in your area via: www.fleatickrisk.com. This is only a guide and the risk will vary depending on exactly where you walk and which other animals are present in that area.
What are ticks?
Ticks are bloodsucking parasites which can cause irritation, infection and diseases to you and your dog.
What health problems do ticks cause?
- They may cause irritation to the skin, in the form of a rash.
- They may cause an infection.
- They may cause an abscess.
- They can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, which affects people as well as dogs.
- More commonly outside of the UK, but also now occasionally reported in the UK, is the bebesiosis health risk – see: www.kynochvets.co.uk/news/dog-owners-in-the-uk-being-warned-about-outbreak-of-life-threatening-tick-borne-disease.
How do dogs and people pick up ticks?
Parasites live not only in rural areas but also in parks and gardens. They attach themselves to you or your dog by waiting on vegetation for a suitable host to pass by and then attaching themselves by biting through the host’s skin, so holding themselves in place.
Not all ticks will carry disease, nor will all ticks which have disease pass it on to you, but you do not want to be one of the unfortunate ones (neither you or your pet).
Lyme Disease
As mentioned above, the most serious effect in the UK from ticks is usually Lyme disease, which can affect both people and animals, resulting in flu-like symptoms, tiredness, loss of appetite, fever, joint swellings and stiffness when moving.
The intensity of these symptoms can fluctuate for months, even years, and if left undiagnosed is serious and so immediate treatment is required as soon as you notice illness in either yourself or your dog, particularly if you know you have had a tick attach itself.
Avoiding ticks
- For ourselves, tuck long trousers into socks and boots and avoid walking through long undergrowth, particularly where deer or sheep live.
- Use a walking stick to knock long vegetation out of the way before walking through it, which will cause the ticks to fall onto the ground (ticks cannot jump or fly so are less likely to attach to you).
- For dogs and ourselves, check your dog after every walk and carefully remove any ticks with a special tick remover (you must be very careful not to squeeze the tick or to break off only a part of the body so a special tick remover is essential) : www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tick+removers&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=31506596120&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=s&hvrand=14946242920423890928&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4rgltjtzkc_b.
- Check what your dog’s current anti-parasitic medication is for and if not already covered for ticks then speak with your vet about which product is recommended.
- Note that some products can be toxic to cats so you must discuss this with your vet if relevant.
- As with all medication, check with your vet which product is suitable for your dog.
For more information about ticks, see: www.bada-uk.org but please note that although this site is very useful, on one of the videos they demonstrate how to remove a tick using a pair or tweezers. The way they do it is, I am sure, correct but for simplicity and to avoid causing further problems it is much better to use a proper tick remover which has the action of twisting the tick out and so removes the risk of squeezing the tick; this is not for tick-welfare! – it is to prevent you squeezing the tick which would in turn cause it to vomit its contents into its host and so cause more problems.
Travelling abroad
Your dog is at higher risk of tick-borne diseases when travelling abroad and although the Pet Travel Scheme no longer requires travelling dogs to be treated for ticks, it is wise to do so. This will help prevent foreign ticks and the diseases they carry from entering the UK as well as protect your own pet. For more information when travelling with your pet:
- Check out travel requirements and recommended treatments at: www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad.
- Also, of course, speak to your vet, who should be able to advise you.
Happy and safe walking!
© 2015 Sally Bartlett
www.co-operativecanines.co.uk