DOGMATISE BLOG

Enrichment

Play Date Adventures

We have a great dog facility not too far away that you can book for sole use. It has two secure 2-acre dog walking fields, each surrounded by super high fencing. The owners have clearly put a lot of thought into the design. Once you put that day’s passcode into

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Research

Choice

Choice Since reading about consent testing, I seem to be noticing more people talking about it. There’s a great article here, where the author explains how you can ‘preference test’ with your own dog. Choice supports training with our dogs (and other animals), making sure we really are offering positive

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Uncategorised

Ears

I really don’t understand on any level, why people think it’s okay to crop dog’s ears. Aside from it being banned and illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (section five). It’s blatantly cruel and must be so painful. Often done to puppies. When I look at Zeke’s trusting face,

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Safety

The Heat is Back

Blimey it’s been hot again. Daytimes aren’t ‘so’ bad, opening and closing windows and curtains as the sun tracks. Night time isn’t so easy as the air seems to stand still. I tend to put my windows on the security latch at night, which means not as much air circulating.

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Health

It’s Just Grass

The back garden looks like someone has randomly dropped grass killer around the lawn. I mean, it’s never been perfect, but I decided there’s clearly something extra strong in Zeke’s urine! I am half joking, because it’s Zeke’s garden too. Truly used to mark the lawn, but she tended to

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Training

Travelling

Zeke has been travelling in the car in a crate on the back seat, I do have permanent crates in the very back, but they’re too big and far away for a puppy. I bought a double Vario Cage for Jake and Truly when we commuted to Manchester every week.

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Health

Being Sick

Look away now if you’re eating. It’s not the first time Zeke has been sick, but yesterday morning I was on a Teams call when he vomited on the kitchen floor next to me. It had been a while since he’d eaten breakfast, so I wondered if he’d picked something

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Safety

Hot Hot Hot

Zeke isn’t familiar enough with the cool mat to use it yet, it’s something ‘new’ he needs to drag around, lick, and test with his teeth. Consequently, I wouldn’t leave one in his crate with him overnight. Zeke had a towel wrapped hot water bottle on his first night here.

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Training

Teenager

I have a four-legged teenager at home. Zeke has decided to revisit all of the training I’ve been doing with him for the last four months. I do have to watch I don’t laugh at times (as that would encourage him), but he clearly thinks I’m making suggestions and he

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