Monday, July 23, 2007

My Articles from The Sentinella magazine

23 July
June Article

Paul’s Pooches Page
Getting Your Dog!

Welcome to my monthly page dedicated to our four legged friends. In this regular column I will be keeping you up to date on all the latest news from the canine world and writing informative articles relevant to you and your pet on the Costa del Sol. I train at the world famous David the Dogman school based in San Pedro at Bora Bora Beach. We hold classes on Wednesdays at 3.30pm and Saturdays at 11am (10am in summertime, call + 34 619 662 565 to check.) If you have any questions or problems with your dog or bitch, you can write to me here at paulthepooch@hotmail.com Since publishing this blog, I have left David's school and have strated up my own school. Email me for details. You can now listen to me live via the internet www.rem.fm every other Thursday on the "Hannah Murray Show" from 1pm CET.

To kick of the series I am going to give you my top 5 tips for buying a new dog.

1. Never buy your dog from a pet shop, puppy farm, or garden centre. These animals are brought up in an environment that can lead to health and behavioural issues. Go to a licensed breeder and try to see the parents if possible. Obviously this is not an option if you get a dog from a rescue centre, however they should check the dog thoroughly before you take it home.

2. The decision to own a dog is an important one. A dog is a animal that you will have to care for, for many years in sickness and health. It can be an expensive but rewarding experience. Consider the initial and continuing costs of ownership. These include vaccinations, micro chipping and registration, collar and lead, food, insuranceand kennel costs

3. I personally would urge all dog owners who are not considering breeding their dog to have there animal castrated or neutered as soon as possible. Puppies can be done as early as 12 weeks old. Dogs who are done tend to live longer and have less health problems. The urban myths about letting females have one season or dogs to mate once are just that.

4. Visit vetenarians and a dog training school and seek advice about anything to do with owning a dog. You may think your questions seem trivial but if these professionals are worth their salt they will be only to happy to offer helpful support.

5. Don’t get two dogs at once or buy two dogs from the same litter.

1-1 Dog Training
Dog Boarding In My Own Home (by appointment) Dog Walking Services
Call Paul on 619 662 565
Writer Of Pauls’ Pooches Page

This is s reprinted version of Paul's article, that appeared in the Marbella edition of The Sentinella. For further information or advertising rates here and in the magazine. Please email paulthepooch@thesentinella.net

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/354020737?z00m=9448345_________________


July Article

Pauls’ Pooches

Last month I asked you to send in any questions you might have on any dog related issues. From the many letters and emails I selected Ms. Alice Kerr from Monda she wrote, "How can I get my dog to come back to me when I call her." I spoke to Ms Kerr to get a bit more
background. She was having most trouble when she let the dog off the leash in the campo. When she called the dog, the dog would not respond to her commands to come, or respond to it's name. It got to the point where she was screaming at the dog to come back, and in doing so was getting herself stressed. When the dog eventually came back she berated it in a harsh voice, grabbed it and put the leash on. Lets put this into perspective, if you started shouting and chasing me there is no way I’m going to approach you. If you did manage to get to me, the next time you let me go I’d probably run away from you for good. So firstly never chase after the dog, try walking in the opposite direction, use a toy, or bend down when it’s coming to you. Always have a treat ready, when the dog comes back let it go again and repeat a few times. Never shout! The method I employ to get the dog to come back is a very simple one. It's called hide and seek. I ask the dog owner to hide behind a tree, and then I ask them to call their dog in a high pitched friendly voice. They keep calling the dogs name while I hold their dog and the dog gets excited and tries to find it's owner. When it has found it's owner I tell them to treat their dog and give it lots of praise, then we put the leash on and repeat the process. Owners are amazed after a few times that their dog is coming back to them. The important thing to remember as with all aspects of training is the tone of your voice and the reward. Practise this at home by calling the dog from different rooms. You’ll be amazed how quickly your dog will learn. You could also visit us at the David The Dogman School at Bora Bora beach in San Pedro on Saturdays, now starting at 10am (shut for August). Thanks to The Dogman for supplying a signed copy of his book, ‘AZ Guide To Dogs’ as this months best email prize, on its way to Ms. Kerr. Please continue to send me your questions, a prize each month for the best.

August Article (published on the net first)
Paul's Pooches

I have received lots more emails and questions from you all. This month's best letter comes from Mr. J. Alepin from Elviria. He writes, “How can I stop my dog from stealing food from the kitchen counter whilst I am cooking?” Without wishing to sound contrite I told him to shut the kitchen door and leave the dog outside whilst cooking. Bang - he put me in my place. “I don't have a kitchen door.” he replied. As with many Spanish homes we have a variety of different types of kitchens most without doors. Unless it is an American style kitchen I always tell people to get a baby gate, to keep the dog away from you whilst you are preparing your food. If you have an open plan kitchen, then take the dog outside or to another room. In all dog training you must use common sense. As we are now in the hottest parts of the year, I am amazed at how many people I see walking their dogs between midday and 4pm. If these people touched the ground with their hand they would see how hot the surface was. Dogs have tender feet. Think about the analogy of putting your elbow in a bath to test the warmth of the water for a baby! By rights you should be exercising dogs twice a day for about 45 minutes each time. I am getting up to take my dog for a walk at 7am, his second walk is not till after 8.30pm, when the sun is going down. Whilst you're reading this David The Dogmans’ school in San Pedro is now closed for the summer. We will begin again on Saturday the 15th of September at 10am. When we recommence we will have the beginners and puppy classes, instructed by Diana Smart. The advanced classes, instructed by Vivien Eales and of course the intermediates, instructed by my good self. David overseas all the classes and starts the day off with socialisation. Obviously we are all qualified to take each others classes, which could happen if someone was on holiday. If time prevails we tend to finish off the day with a spot of agility. If you don't have a dog but would like to see what we do please feel free to come along. Once again thanks to Mr. Alepin and all the rest of you for your questions, keep them coming. Mr. A gets a signed copy of the Dog Whisperer's book "Cesar's Way", by Cesar Millan. Email me at paulthepooch@hotmail.com

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