UK animal welfare, behaviour, training and veterinary organisations are warning of the possible dangers of using techniques for training dogs that can cause pain and fear, such as some of those seen used by Cesar Millan, who has announced a UK tour. The organisations have joined forces to voice their serious concerns about techniques which pose welfare problems for dogs and significant risk to owners who may copy them. These concerns are shared, and the statement supported, by similar organisations
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UK animal welfare, behaviour, training and veterinary organisations are warning of the possible dangers of using techniques for training dogs that can cause pain and fear, such as some of those seen used by Cesar Millan, who has announced a UK tour. The organisations have joined forces to voice their serious concerns about techniques which pose welfare problems for dogs and significant risk to owners who may copy them. These concerns are shared, and the statement supported, by similar organisations
A humorous message from the RSPCA warning about the excesses of Christmas this year. I know a few clients who need a gentle reminder.....
Dominance in domestic dogs has been in the headlines lately. According to a new study by researchers at Bristol Vet School, establishing the position in the pack is not the main motivator for pet dogs. Training concepts that rely on dominance reduction are likely to be useless at best or at the extreme, downright dangerous. The end result is likely to be a fearful dog that does not feel able to express natural behaviours - a welfare issue in its
The number of animals abandoned in England and Wales in 2008 rose by 57% compared with the previous year, according to the RSPCA. The charity fears that pets are becoming the latest victims of the credit crunch as owners struggle to pay for food, vets' bills and insurance. The RSPCA's Tim Wass said: "It is an offence to abandon any animal and there is never any excuse for doing so." The increase in workload comes as the charity warns
PHILADELPHIA -- In a new, year-long University of Pennsylvania survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified. The study, published in the current issue of Applied Animal Behavior Science February 2009, Pages 47-54 also showed that using non-aversive or neutral training methods such as additional exercise or rewards elicited very few aggressive responses.February 17, 2009,
In 2004, there were 6.8 million dogs and 9.58 million cats in the UK. There are 6.1 million cat owning households, 5.2 million dog owning households, 4.1 million fish owning households, 1.96 million rodent owning households and 1.39 million bird owning households.Dogs are dichromats which means that their eye sight is equivalent to red-green colour blindness in humans.Dogs have nearly 220 million smell-sensitive cells, compared to 5 million in humans.Dogs detect sounds as low as 16 to 20 Hz frequency,
Yawning is known to be contagious in humans but now scientists have shown that pet dogs can catch a yawn, too. The copying activity suggests that canines are capable of empathising with people, say the researchers who recorded dogs' behaviour in lab tests. Until now, only humans and their close primate relatives were thought to find yawning contagious. The team - from Birkbeck College, University of London - reports its findings in Biology Letters. Yawning, although sometimes a response to
Three people are being treated for exposure to rabies after being bitten by an infected puppy which was in quarantine. The puppy was one of five brought by a rescue charity from Sri Lanka to the quarantine kennels in the Chingford area of north-east London. It died on Friday in the kennels. The other four puppies have since been put down by vets. The people bitten by the dog have now been vaccinated by doctors. Because the dog died in
Study shows cats can succumb to feline Alzheimer's disease The University of Edinburgh Ageing cats can develop a feline form of Alzheimer's disease, a new study reveals. Scientists at the Universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews, Bristol and California have identified a key protein which can build up in the nerve cells of a cat's brain and cause mental deterioration. In humans with Alzheimer's disease, this protein creates 'tangles' inside the nerve cells which inhibit messages being processed by the
From the San Francisco Chronicle The Anti-Cesar Millan Ian Dunbar's been succeeding for 25 years with lure-reward dog training; how come he's been usurped by the flashy, aggressive TV host? There is a quiet battle being fought in dog-training circles, and Dunbar, though he didn't pick the fight, represents one side. The mild, very mannered Dunbar is armed with degrees and scientific study: a veterinary degree and a Special Honors in physiology and biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College
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