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Weekly Fun Fact
Mice are incredibly clean, tidy and organised. Within their intricate underground homes, they have specific areas for storing food, going to the toilet, and for shelter.
Mice like to stay close to their home and usually only venture up to 3-8m away from their nest in search of food.
In The Pawtime Press
A Dog That Chose It’s New Owner
A dog in Argentina found themselves a new owner in a friendly flight attendant. Waiting for her every time she visited, eventually, she decided to adopt the dog and bring him home.
A Parrot that thinks he is a cat
This parrot does the most amazing impression of a cat, even talking to cats in the owners house.
Pawsome Pet Shoutout
This week we feature Prissy_Pig and Instagram account with a difference.
Remember if you want your pets to be internet famous then post a picture of your pet on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #loveyourpetspodcast
Each week we will pick the coolest pets from around the world to feature.
In The Spotlight: Walking Your Dog
This week we talk about keeping your dog safe when you are out on a dog walk. I’ve read lots of stories recently where owners have complained that they have taken their dog on a walk and kept them on the lead and their dog has been attacked by another dog who was not on the lead.
And you might be surprised that sometimes it can be small dogs attacking big dogs.
Now in an ideal world, of course, we would all have our dogs on leads or our dogs would all play nicely together, but that’s not always the case.
It’s clearly an issue that is affecting more people as they try to exercise their dog – but what can you do about it? What measures can you put in place to stop this happening?
Some might argue there is little you can do other than hope that your dog isn’t injured and can defend themselves
I’m however of the opinion that wherever possible you can try to avoid situations where this might occur.
Lets look first at a few tips for when you out walking your dog.
#1. Be aware of the temperament of your dog
When you take your dog out for a walk what is their mood like as you leave the house? Are they playful, agitated, enthusiastic? I know it’s hard to tell sometimes but is there anything that you think is bothering your dog.
A dog, for example, who may be in pain from hurting their paw might react differently to another dog approaching them than they would if they were excited to go for their walk.
Are they a dog that likes mixing with other dogs or not?
#2. Choose where you walk your dog
If you have experienced issues with walking your dog in a certain area, for example, there are a lot of dogs off the lead, then don’t go back there or try and find a different time of day when fewer people are about.
Maybe a walk on the street is less eventful then at the park. It’s likely that more dogs would be on the lead.
#3. Make smart decisions when walking your dog
When you are walking your dog sometimes dogs approach without warning, but much of the time you have the chance to change direction on your walk, turn a corner, go the other way, avoid the situation.
If you can keep your dog out of any potential situation it will make the walk more enjoyable.
#4. Keep your dog on a lead
Letting your dog off the lead is great, but you (and other dog owners) have greater control over your dog when they are on the lead.
As soon as you take the dog off the lead you are giving them a choice as to where they go, what they do and how they behave.
Even a dog with the best training and recall can act out at times.
#5. Be aware of your surroundings
If you are out walking your dog then do just that. Don’t be tempted to chat on your phone, play Pokemon or text your friends.
Keep alert to what is going on around you so that you can take measures to prevent anything happening.
I want you to enjoy your walk and not make it uncomfortable looking for dangers, but by focusing on your dog and the walk you will enjoy the experience together much more.
What to do if another dog does attack
I have talked mainly about preventative measures to avoid situations, but if the worst does happen and your dog is attacked on a walk what do you do?
Staying calm is going to be essential so you can deal with the situation, but I also found some other tips online that could prove useful.
1. Carry a stick when walking your dog. Not to hit any dogs as I would never condone that, but it’s recommended to use it to put in between the dogs if they are fighting.
2. If you see a dog approaching in an aggressive manner than stand firm in front of your dog and firmly call No at the approaching dog.
3. Carry a backpack which you could push into the middle of the 2 dogs to separate them
4. Never pick your dog up, you could get really hurt.
5. Always ask for contact details of the owner if your dog is hurt
6. When comforting your dog be aware they could be scared and may react differently to you
7. Consider re socialising your dog if they are affected by the incident.
