COUNTRYSIDE WALKS
By Paul James Marshal l COTTAGE CANINES
As summer spills into autumn so our beautiful countryside changes yet again and many of us love taking our dogs out and about along footpaths and across fields and downland at this time of year.
However, it is worth checking your dogs on their return
for errant ticks that may be about at this time of year, the most well-known of which is the sheep tick. They are host creatures so happily leap upon any unsuspecting dog as they pass by. Easily checked for and easily removed with a Tick Remover.
Another autumn pest is the harvest mite found congregating in long grass and vegetation. At the larva stage these cause your dog to become pink and itchy around lower limbs and bare tummies. Soothing creams or sprays help with this and a bath may be required!
And whilst you’re giving your dogs the once over after their countryside walk, keep an eye on those pesky grass seeds - they can become painfully embedded in paws and ears!
Of course, cross-country walks also test our dogs’ recall, especially if there are things to scent and chase! Having problems? Paul offers one-to-one sessions for dogs of all ages to improve recall and handler focus. These are carried out in his private training area or across private fields where the training can be worked in situ. Paul will also help you to whistle train your dog, which can be very beneficial for dogs that love running. Happy to hear from you.
For more information visit
www.cottagecanines.co.uk, email
info@cottagecanines.co.uk or call 01983 731282.
SHOWTIME IS HERE
By Sharon and David Groves PETS WITH HART
As most of you know, not only do we run a very busy animal feed store and pet shop, we are also heavily involved in showing our rare breed British Saddleback pigs at various shows around the country.
This has been such an absorbing hobby over the last ten years and we have had many major successes over that time, indeed having the reserve champion Saddleback in the country last year. This year we have two qualifiers for the same competition, a brother and sister, so it will be very exciting towards the end of September for us.
How does one arrive at this level of breeding, you may ask - it doesn’t just happen overnight. Painstakingly checking herd lines of hundreds of pigs and putting the two most appropriate sow and boar together you would think would guarantee a prize winner, but alas this is not always the case as I am sure many dog breeders would testify.
In fact, on most occasions we end up with no candidates to take forward to the show lines.
Most Saddleback sows will have 10-12 in a litter and the requirement for a perfect show specimen is very stringent. For example, the perfect piglet must have a complete white mark (saddle) across its back and down both sides of its legs, it can have a white tip to its tail but no white elsewhere apart from up to the hock on the back legs. It also has to have at least 12 teats, preferably 14 teats, which is most important as they can have litters up to 14 at a time. Indeed, several years ago our sow called Stripe, because of her narrow saddle band, reared 16 piglets very successfully.
So much to look forward to then and there is no greater joy than watching a sow give birth to a heap of piglets - hopefully containing that breed champion.
So whilst other farmers are harvesting their crops now, we hope our crop of youngsters will continue to grow into major examples of their breed!
Paul James Marshall Qualified Dog Behaviourist
Home Visits for Relaxed Assessments with written reports and follow-up training.
Hands-on work with your dog. Positive methods used.
Separation anxiety - Lead pulling - Recall - Unsociability Mouthing and nipping - Not listening - Jumping up and more Plus one-to-one Puppy Training
Visit -
www.cottagecanines.co.uk Or call Cottage Canines on 01983 731282
Experienced, qualified staff | FREE Island-wide Delivery The Island’s only National Award Winning Pet Shop 17 Holyrood Street, NEWPORT PO30 5AU
Experienced, qualified staff | FREE Island-wide Delivery Experienced, qualified staff
The Islands only National Award Winning Pet Shop Huge selection of pet foods & accessories
...where the animals come first * Where the Animals Come First *
* Where the Animals Come First *
The Islands only National Award Winning Pet Shop Huge selection of pet foods & accessories
Huge selection of pet foods & accessories FREE Island-wide Delivery
T: 01983 522019 T: 01983 522019
17 Holyrood Street, NEWPORT PO30 5AU
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