http://www.yourdog.co.uk 67Quick-fire
quest ions
I’M IN THE PROCESS
OF BOOKING
A DOG-FRIENDLY
HOLIDAY FOR THIS
SUMMER. HOW CAN
I ENSURE THAT THE
PLACE WE BOOK
IS REALLY DOG
FRIENDLY RATHER
THAN MERELY DOG
TOLERANT?Try to uncover as many
details as possible. Find out if
you’re likely to be met at the
premises by the owner,
as this is a good opportunity
to ask about local amenities
and where to visit during
your stay.
Does the owner provide
a welcome pack for pet
owners with details of where
the nearest veterinary
surgery is and its opening
hours? Do they provide maps
and details of good walks in
the area and dog-friendly
pubs where you can eat?
Some people provide
temporary dog tags
for visitors to write the
telephone number of where
they are staying, which can
be useful.
In addition, i nd out if
dog bowls and blankets
are provided.
Many good, dog-friendly
holiday lets will of er
a secure, dog-proof exercise
area in the garden where you
can allow your dog of -lead
i rst thing in the morning or
last thing at night.
A thoughtful touch is to
provide a torch near the back
door so you can see where
you are going in the dark.Ad
HEALTH
Snii ng out nose care
Vicky says: If your vet has
ruled out medical causes
for the dry nose then
I would recommend using
an unl avoured human lip balm. I have
found these to be the most ef ective
way to moisturise a cracked or dry dog
nose, and they are not toxic if licked.
Look for a natural product with no
sweeteners like xylitol.You can use lip balm to
moisturise your dog’s nose.Dogs and cats can
live in harmony.The chase is off!
BEHAVIOURQ
My three-year-old
terrier is lovely,
but he has recently
started to chase my cat.
This is upsetting the cat,
and she spends more and
more time outside so the
dog can’t bother her. Why
has he suddenly started
aggravating her and how can
I get him to stop?
Tracy Barber, Essex.Kate says: With
any concerning
behaviour, it’s always
worth having your
dog, and possibly even your
cat, examined by a vet to rule
out any potential medical cause
that might be underlying this
reaction. It may be that one of
them has a health issue that has
caused them to change their
behaviour. Your vet will also be
able to refer you to a certii ed
clinical animal behaviourist,who will be able to help you
get to the bottom of the
emotion underlying this
behaviour, and can give you
a personalised plan to work for
the whole household.
In the meantime, it’s
important to make sure your
dog is unable to practise the
behaviour, as the more he
practises it, the harder it will be
to modify. If possible, provide
separate areas for both your
dog and your cat, where they
can access everything they
need (such as their food, water,
and bed). Keep them separated
for a while until you are ready
to do gradual re-introductions.
If this is not possible, you could
keep a puppy- or house-line
on your dog so if your cat
approaches, you can calmly
take hold of the line in order to
stop him from chasing her.
Ensure your cat has plenty
of opportunities to get uphigh and hide, and, as much as
possible, try to create walkways
at a height so she can move
around your house without
coming into contact with the
dog (for instance, this could
involve clearing window sills
you already have in place so she
can move freely at height).
Reward your dog for
any calm and appropriate
behaviours in the presence of
the cat by calmly feeding him.
You want to promote a relaxed,
calm state when she is nearby,
so a good behaviour to work on
is a ‘settle’. You can i nd details
on how to teach this on the
Dogs Trust Dog School website.
It’s important never to punish
or tell of either your dog or cat
for any aggressive behaviour
towards the other pet, as
this could cause a negative
association with the other
animal, and will make any
re-introductions even harder.Q
My dog’s nose is
quite dry. The vet
has checked him
out and said it’s nothing
to worry about. Can you
recommend any balms or
remedies that I can rub
on his nose to moisturise
the skin?
Dean Kettle, London.