It's a dog's life... and lovin' it!

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We want to know about the ways you enjoy life with your dog.

Australians love the companionship their dogs provide! Nearly 40% of Australian households have a dog and owners report a range of benefits from their relationship with their four-legged friends.

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The results of this survey will be published on www.i-pet.com.au in September 2008.

Winter walks

It’s easy to spend the winter months snuggled up by the fire with a good book, a box of chocolates and the dog curled up at your feet. Truth be known, the dog would much prefer you to put on your walking shoes, grab a lead and go for a walk.

In most parts of Australia there are very few days where the weather is so bad that a walk is unpleasant. Winter and early spring bring crisp mornings which are far more pleasant for walking than summer heat.

If the weather is nasty, both the dog and owner can wear rain gear. Pet stores have a large choice of dog coats ranging from the purely fashionable in an array of colours and patterns, to the very practical oilskin. It may not be possible to take the dog for a fitting but all you need is the dog’s measurement around the middle at the deepest part of the body, and also the length of body.

In many parts of Australia, dogs are banned from beaches during the warmer months so winter can be an ideal time to take the dog for a walk along a deserted beach. Many beaches allow dogs off lead during this period and there are few dogs which do not react with joy at running free on the sand, sniffing unusual smells of the sea, and even having a paddle or trying to catch waves.

Dogs which get wet during a walk should be toweled off and an old chamois used after to remove water and mud from the coat. Long coated breeds should be dried with a hairdryer and then brushed or combed to prevent the hair from matting.

Both owners and dogs who continue to walk during winter will be trim, taut and terrific when summer arrives.

Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday June 20, 2008

Progressive businesses have recognised the value of allowing dogs in the workplace and are supporting an annual event called 'Take Your Dog to Work Day' Friday June 20 in an attempt to support and develop this healthy trend.

Innovative businesses in the US like Amazon, Google, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and universities have developed official pet policies as part of the employee handbook and have set out rules and procedures for introducing and maintaining pets in the work environment.

These initiatives not only encourage worker loyalty and take the strain off leaving pets at home; they can also be effective in stress relief and socialisation of staff as well as having a welcoming nose for clients.

Having a pet at work can:
· increase productivity
· add to a casual corporate environment
· encourage healthy relationships among staff as they socialise with the animals during the day
· encourage needed physical and mental breaks
· enhance the sense of community


Your work might like to think about writing a “Pets at Work” policy. If so, make sure it takes into consideration:
· the needs of non-dog staff and those who may have pet allergies
· a standard of animal etiquette and behaviour
· the security of the office environment
· the importance of up to date vaccinations
· lead requirements when entering or leaving a building
· animal’s being reliably house or office trained so they won’t leave behind any surprises!

Further details on “Take Your Dog to Work Day” are posted on www.muttspace.com.au.

Just Walk Me on the Gold Coast

Alf Mikelat spent a lot of his working life getting his hands dirty. Before joining the Gold Coast City Council and working his way Team Leader position of Animal Management, he’d made his crust as a mechanic in South Western Victoria.

However, sitting at his desk, sending out reams of fact sheets with contact details of animal behaviourists to people having difficulties with their dogs just didn’t cut it for Alf.

“Experience has taught me that the average person can feel pretty confused with the kind of language we tend use in local government. It can all seem too confusing and overwhelming to people who just want a simple answer on how they can spend more time enjoying their dog in the community.”

So Alf and his team developed the “Just Walk Me” program. Here people that experience difficulty with their dogs can meet up every Sunday with members of the Animal Management group to walk their dogs and become socially responsible pet owners.

“It’s a great opportunity to show people what normal dog behaviour is. Owners can feel nervy about their dogs, but once they understand realise that their dogs are behaving like everyday dogs do, they relax and realise that they have nothing to worry about.”

By sending out flyers to promote the program to people in areas where high regulatory taking place, Alf can bring people having difficulty with their dogs together in open off leash areas.
“It’s a great way to get the dogs that are having problems right out in the open. It means we can deal with issues right in front of us.”

Since it began in October 2007, popularity for the Just Walk Me program has increased across the board. Initially the public open space was deserted but now Alf and his team find that more than 70 people are turning up to exercise their dog, seek guidance and make friends with neighbours.

“The first few times we came, we parked the dog truck in the middle of the park and hopped out in our AMO uniforms. And people took off, all running off in the opposite direction! We learnt that lesson pretty quickly,” he laughs. “We changed our shirts to a friendly green, stuck up some colourful signage and painted up the truck and it wasn’t long before word of mouth got around.”

Alf continues to do the Sunday rounds with two animal management officers, believing that face to face community contact is critical for the program to work.

“We’re here to provide information and answers,” said Alf. “If we can’t answer the questions, we take down contacts and send out whatever information they required.”

Communication is key to running one of these programs successfully, so Alf handpicked animal management officers he knew that community members would feel comfortable to approach.

So far, the program has been a success, with a plateuing of animal complaints just one of the benefits.

Someone like Alf doesn’t rest on his laurels however; Alf has in his sights a pet awareness strategy that takes a cradle to grave approach. With pre-natal programs being rolled out in hospitals, kindergarten programs with the Wiggles and Doris the Dinosaur, and a similar strategy to the Just Walk Me program is being developed to target senior residents with pets who can’t get out as often as they’d like.

“If we can fix just one complaint, one concern, then I reckon we’ve done our job,” says Alf. “Primarily I want to make sure that these Sunday’s are for people with dog problems. Sure it should be fun too, but it’s more important I think, that the dogs with difficulties are getting out where we can tackle those problems head on.”

“I’m really stoked at how well the programs gone. It’s not only been dead easy to run, but dead cheap too!”

How to run a “dead easy, dead cheap” Just Walk Me Program

· Turn one of your trucks into a Just Walk Me truck. Alf got the engineering team to convert his station wagon into a promotional vehicle that also converts into an information table.

· Turn the public image of AMOs on its head. Instead of your usual AMO officer uniform, pick up some shirts in “friendly colours”, green or yellow, and embroider them with the “Just Walk Me” program logo.

· Set up lots of signage in the area advertising the event. Tall “feather” signage like the colourful ones you might see at the beach or at outside events are just the ticket to get people’s attention.

· Link up to an existing health program that’s running in your council. Alf hooked the “Just Walk Me” program in with the Gold Coast City Council’s “Active and Healthy” program. In doing so, he was able to get assistance with signage and promotion.

· Target areas that are displaying the most regulatory action and high registration numbers

· Send out flyers for the programs when sending out regulatory notices or fines

· Handpick officers who have good people skills are and are capable of talking with people from all walks of life

· Evaluate the program both the teams’ progress and dog owner’s general ongoing exercise and training activities.

· Provide a simple healthy morning tea with fruit and juice.

Alf Mikelat has been with the Gold Coast City Council for 6 years. He also works as a chief training officer at Burleigh Heads Surf Life Saving Club.

For further information on local government animal management solutions go to www.ccac.net.au

Latest research – getting a dog can get you fit

With estimates that only one in 10 Australians over the age of 50 exercise enough to gain any cardiovascular benefit , new research from the School of Population Health at the University of Western Australia may point the way to achieving a more active lifestyle.

The research, published in the March edition of the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, shows that people who acquired a dog increased their recreational walking by 48 minutes per week compared with an increase of only 12 minutes per week for people who did not acquire a dog during the period of the study.

“This means that there is a direct link between getting a dog and increasing the amount of walking you do, and clearly shows that dogs have a significant role in motivating their owners to walk more,” says Hayley Cutt, principal author of the research.

“Moderate exercise, such as walking, has proven health benefits for people of all ages but it is especially important for older people as it is a low impact, no cost option that has a lot of health benefits,” says Mr Trevor Shilton, Manager of Physical Activity, National Heart Foundation.

“Walking is good for cardiovascular health, bone density, joint health and the maintenance of healthy weight levels.

“Being active with our pets can also have social and mental health benefits. Walking is a great way to clear your head of the worries of the day and enjoy the company of others, including our pets. Improved social support is linked with reduced heart disease, and walking the dog can be a great way to improve our interaction with others and with our neighborhood.

“This research supports the idea that it’s never too late to be active. Even among those who have not been active for some years, taking up a new walking program can bring very rapid improvements to your health. Exercise also plays an important role in maintaining muscle and bone mass and our ability to function independently as we get older,” said Mr Shilton.

“Our bodies respond well to exercise, whatever our age, and it is clear that we are more motivated to go for a walk if we have a four-legged friend just waiting for the chance to get out and stretch his or her legs,” he added.

Have you heard of hearing dogs?

There would be few Australians who do not recognise a Guide Dog and acknowledge its right to accompany its owner onto public transport and into stores or restaurants.

Neither so well known nor as identifiable are the “Hearing Dogs” which alert their hearing impaired owners to a variety of sounds.

Hearing Dogs are often smaller crossbreeds obtained from animal welfare shelters after careful assessment of their temperament and trainability.

After months of intensive training using positive reinforcement methods, the dogs are carefully matched with a hearing impaired person.

A Hearing Dog alerts its owner to sounds through the use of its body. It may run back and forth between its owner and the sound or it may physically lead the owner to the sound source.

A Hearing Dog is trained to let its owner know when:

• The phone rings

• The doorbell buzzes

• There’s a knock at the door

• The smoke alarm sounds

• The alarm clock rings

• The kitchen timer sounds

• Its owner’s name is called


In response to either a smoke alarm or alarm clock, a Hearing Dog is taught to jump onto a bed or couch and alert a sleeping person using either a nose nudge or some other form of physical contact.

Because a Hearing Dog is able to alert the owner to the presence of others nearby it is also able to assist in providing a strong sense of security.

A Hearing Dog may also relieve some of the stress associated with communicating to hearing individuals and help the hearing impaired person socialize more effectively and freely. The dog may increase self confidence and esteem as they rely less on others for basic support.

Companionship is another positive aspect of a Hearing Dog with many owners and their dogs sharing a very special bond of friendship and trust.

A Decade of Progress - Pet Owners more environmentally Responsible

The latest research into pet ownership, conducted with approximately 1,000 Australians by Roy Morgan Research has shown that pet owners are more aware of their responsibilities to the environment than they were a decade ago.

Pet ownership brings many benefits to owners and the communities they and their pets are part of, but it is vital that the responsibilities of being a pet owner are understood and acted on.

In 1994, when the last research was done, 63% of owners reported that they kept their cats in at night, whereas in 2006 the comparable figure is 78%.

There are similar improvements in the number of owners who report cleaning up after their dog. 64% of dog owners now report that they ‘always’ pick up their dog droppings, compared with 33% in 1994.

It is particularly pleasing that 61% of the general population felt that the extent to which dog owners pick up droppings had either ‘increased a lot’ or ‘increased moderately’ since 1994.

Carl Carthy, pet lover and CEO of Greening Australia is the owner of two dachshunds, a breed that was originally bred to hunt badgers. He is highly conscious of the need to check the garden because he is lucky enough to have koalas, echidnas and blue tongues lizards visit from time to time.

He checks the garden before letting them out in the morning and never leaves them outside in the garden unsupervised.

Next week, leading animal behaviourist, Kersti Seksel, provides 10 top Eco tips for pet owners

Five Etiquette Must-Do’s when Off-Leash and Fancy Free

So you’ve got a great new furry pal and you’re imagining yourself bounding across emerald green grass or gleaming, sandy beaches as your new dog lopes gracefully beside you.
There’s no doubt that off-leash activity is fun and it looks easy, but by developing good off-leash etiquette you can help ensure your dog is one of the most popular pups off-leash!
In Part 1 of our off-leash etiquette blog posts we explored how to best prepare before going to the off leash area. Now in Part 2 we look to what you should do while there.

Part 2: Off–Leash Etiquette: On Ground

ENTERING THE OFF-LEASH GROUND
Always enter the off-leash area with your dog on lead.
Not only will your dog know who’s in charge right from the start, but it also allows you the opportunity to assess the off-leash environment. Look for the mix and behaviour of the dogs in the area and decide whether it’s suitable for your dog that day. Dogs are similar to people in that they make good friends with some dogs and certainly don’t with others.
If you decide that the off-leash area is suitable, it’s a good idea to ask your dog to sit before letting them go off lead. This helps remind him to listen out for you while he runs free. The command “Go free!” or similar is effective and can be used equally well at home or in the off-leash grounds.

REINFORCE THEIR GOOD “AT HOME” BEHAVIOURS “OUT OF HOME”
You’ll often hear people say that their dogs are very well behaved at home, and just plain silly off-leash.
A good way to address this is to do some reward training while at the off-leash areas. Undertake the training at a quiet time so that your dog is not too easily distracted and include commands such as “Wait”, “Stay”, “Sit” and “Heel”. If done regularly, such directions will ensure you have a dog that can be called out of a pack or held back from a difficult situation.

WHILE AT THE PARK
One of the great things about regular off-leash area visits is that not only does your dog get to meet friends, but so do you. Research from the recent People, Pets and Planning Symposium shows that 84% of pet owners spoke with other pet owners when walking their dog and 50% of dog owners got to know others as a result of their dog.
Ultimately, however, the safety of yours and others dogs is a priority, and one of the behaviours you should definitely look to avoid is pack formation.
Dogs left to their own devices may form a pack and then get into mischief (chasing, running away, etc). If the group of dogs is starting to play rough with each other, it’s best to move away for a short time and call your dog to follow.
No matter how enjoyable the company is that you’re keeping, ensure that the company your dog is keeping is similarly well mannered and sociable.

PICK UP YOUR POO
Take your own bio-degradable doggy bags and pick up after your dog. Responsible dog owners recognise that good “poo protocol” is a must if we want to keep our off-leash area privileges maintained.
While many good off-leash areas do supply doggy bag disposal centres, it’s Murphy’s Law that if you don’t carry your own, the poo bag dispenser will either be empty, or miles from where your dog decides to do his business.
Local by laws in many councils require you to carry bags at all times when walking your dog.

RELAX AND HAVE FUN
A well trained dog should look to you as to how to best behave. It’s a good rule therefore to maintain a relaxed, happy and calm composure.
This shouldn’t be too hard as watching dogs chase each other with the wind in their fur and big, drippy smiles on their snouts, is one of the best entertainments you’ll be likely to find in the local neighbourhood.

Do dogs help your social life?

Results are in for the Petcare survey: Do dogs help your social life?
See the full results here