Job security may be an issue we’re all too aware of these days but a recent survey carried out by Direct Line Pet Insurance and K9 Magazine uncovered that over 81% of Britain’s dog owners would risk their jobs by calling in sick if they were worried their pet was falling ill but only 6% would tell their boss the real reason for their absence. A massive 94% of those surveyed felt more comfortable saying they were unwell themselves.

The same pet lovers compared this to themselves where only 69% said they would call in sick if they themselves were feeling under the weather.

Adam Whiteley, Head of Direct Line Pet Insurance, said: “Most people consider their pet to be part of the family, so it’s no surprise that they would take a day off work to care for Fido or Fluffy, just as they would for a child. It’s a well-known fact that pets improve the quality of life for their owners, and employees who know their pet is happy and healthy won’t spend time worrying while they are at work.”

So what could be done to help prevent as many sick days being taken? Could Britain’s employers take steps to becoming more pet friendly?

Ryan O’Meara, publisher of K9 Magazine believes more can be done to follow in the footsteps of employers such as Google, known for their pet friendly policy.

He says, “The benefits of a pet friendly office are known to those who have had the benefit to take advantage of them. Well behaved dogs are always welcome at our office, we even have a ‘dog rota’ so it can be planned in advance. A pet friendly policy can be great at bringing a new vibe to the office and can act as a great stress reliever. A short sharp burst of fresh air from a quick walk can also be great for freshening the mind.”

(Chloe and Jackson, pictured above, K9 Magazine’s original office dogs)

Top Tips for a Pet Friendly Office

1) Always have treats handy. Some people may not be used to being around dogs all the time, this obviously needs careful handling and introduction to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible.

2) Take your pet for a short walk every few hours to give them some fresh air and a burst of exercise.

3) Before introducing a full pet friendly policy, have a trial. Create a rota and have a plan in place for the trial so it can be assessed how it can work for you long-term.

>> Highly Recommended: You can now get 12 months for the price of 9 from Direct Line Pet Insurance: Find Out More

We’ve been lucky enough to get an insight into a brand new dog book, Living With An Older Dog – Gentle Dog Care offering you advice if you are looking to adopt an older dog.

There are also dogs of all ages currently in rescues looking for new homes, our sister site www.dogsblog.com will testify to that! The staff at the shelter should be able to help you find an older dog that will settle well with you. Someone from the centre will usually want to visit you at home first to get an idea of your lifestyle, and also to make sure the environment is suitable. Dogs that will settle most readily are likely to be those who have lived previously with just one owner. As already mentioned, there may be a variety of reasons why owners can no longer look after their pet, which do not reflect in any way on the dog itself. On the other hand, there will be some dogs that are noisy, destructive or even aggressive, and their owners may have felt unable to cope.

Try to ascertain as much as you can about an older dog’s background if possible. This is particularly significant if you are looking for a family pet, because an older dog that is unused to children could become nervous in their company and may react aggressively if frightened. It is always a good idea to arrange to take a potential dog for a walk if possible, rather than simply looking at him in the kennels. This will give you a valuable insight into his behaviour, enabling you to discover whether he responds to basic commands, and if he is accustomed to walking on a lead. You will also get a much better idea of his personality, and how he reacts to you. This can be especially critical in the case of a dog that has been badly treated. He may not take to you readily, because something about you – perhaps even your coat or voice – reminds him of his previous owner. Clearly, if you do not bond, there could be problems in the future.

Introducing an older dog to the home is rather similar to having a puppy, although you will not necessarily be faced with the problem of house-training. If this is required, however, take the dog out early in the morning, during the day, and again in the evening, when he is most likely to want to relieve himself, and then praise him when he performs, just as you would a puppy.

Some older male dogs may seek to scent mark with urine in the home. Clean this up thoroughly, but avoid using household disinfectants, since some of these will attract the dog to soil the same site again. It’s much better to use special disinfectant and de-scenting products available from pet stores. However, the best long-term solution to this problem is to arrange neutering without delay, if it has not already been done.

Older dogs are often just as likely as puppies to scratch around the home, especially at the outset; therefore, try to avoid leaving your dog on his own with the door shut, otherwise you may find the carpet damaged, especially near the door where he has been trying to get out in your absence. Even linoleum tiles may not be sufficiently resistant to prevent damage by a dog’s claws, and neither is woodwork immune.

Living With An Older Dog – Gentle Dog Care is published by Hubble & Hattie.

There are a number of companies offering pet insurance, so it is important to compare companies and quotes. The cheapest quote is not necessarily the best, as your coverage might not be adequate for your needs.

One kind of pet insurance offered is very basic and covers one injury only. It has a comparatively small limit that will be paid out for the claim and it is limited to claims for a specific time only, usually a year. This kind of dog insurance would be adequate if your dog is otherwise healthy but is perhaps injured by a car or attacked by another dog. The next kind of insurance also covers for a once off injury or illness, limited to one year’s claim, but the limit that can be paid out is higher than with the first insurance. A third kind of dog insurance would cover the dog for life, for any injury or illness, with a substantial limit for claims. Animals with chronic illnesses would benefit most from this kind of insurance.

Although most pet insurance covers for roughly the same categories, there are differences in the benefits companies offer. Coverage that every dog insurance offers includes paying for vet fees (usually with an excess amount involved), benefit paid upon the death of the dog and third party damage liability, which covers you for a substantial amount if your dog injures another person or a person’s pet, or perhaps causes damage to another person’s property. It is very important to be sure of the contents of your individual policy, as the extras offered by the particular dog insurance might not be necessary for you. If for instance you got the dog as a gift, you would not need the extra that pays out the dog’s purchase price in case it goes missing or is stolen. In the same way you would not need the option of emergency repatriation if you do not plan to leave the UK.

As with any product you purchase, it is necessary to be knowledgeable about the exact contents of the dog insurance policy.

Under the 1990 Environmental Act, Local Authorities are required to collect and hold stray dogs found within their areas for seven days. If by the seventh day a home is not found, the dog may be sold to someone who will care for it, passed on to a suitable rescue or humanely destroyed. Some areas have excellent provision, and dogs are only put to sleep if they are very ill or displaying particularly bad temperament – others do not have the resources or will to secure rescue places, and in these situations healthy dogs are just put to sleep on the seventh day.

The FOA Trust (UK) works in conjunction with Dog Wardens, Local Authority kennels, a variety of other rescue organisations and individuals to get as many Akitas as possible into “safe” kennels or foster care and then into forever homes. That is not to say that the FOA Trust (UK) will only help “poundies” – our objective is to help, rescue, rehabilitate if possible and ultimately re-home any Akita which needs it. This is achieved through assessing both dog and potential owners, to ensure a well-matched and long-lasting, happy relationship.

A lot of behind the scenes work was carried out, and the Trust had a more official launch in January 2008 which saw the forum and website go live. The Trust attracted a number of members in a relatively short space of time, and recruited Area Representatives. In mid-2008 Elsa Higginson resigned from her position due to personal demands, and Collette Nisbet joined the Trustee team. As time went on and the organisation grew larger, the Trust consolidated the coordinator team, establishing Area Coordinators, responsible for coordinating work in a fixed geographical area, and other important positions including a Marketing and Communications Manager, and a Fundraising Coordinator.

By March 2009 the Trust had grown to such a point it was felt prudent to identify a second site to rent kennelling, and by April 2009 the Trust was utilizing kennels in two locations, Bolsover in North Derbyshire, and Yeadon in West Yorkshire. Soon after, the opportunity arose to rent an entire block of nine kennels at the Leeds base for a reduced rate. At present the Trust operates on renting the block of nine in West Yorkshire, and renting on an individual kennel basis in N. Derbyshire, with a limit of four kennels maximum being used there at any one time to ensure that funds are not stretched beyond the limits. Therefore the Trust has 13 kennels to use, alongside whichever foster spaces may be available at that particular time.

During April 2009 the Trust became a fully registered charity and became the only UK Akita Rescue organisation to receive official endorsement from the UK Akita Association. In May 2009 it was decided that our geographical approach to Coordinators was no longer effective, hence introducing the National Coordinator role where location is not an issue, at this point we also merged the Marketing and Communications aspect into the Trustee roles and introduced a new Promotions Coordinator.

In July 2010 due to Vikki Browns departure from the Trustee team and an ever increasing demand on the organisation a recruitment drive was held. The organisation now consists of a Management Team of 14 who aim to take the organisation onwards and upwards. How are we different to other Akita Rescue Organisations in the UK?

• We are the only Akita rescue in the UK to actively prioritise Akitas in death row situation
• Every single Akita is assessed before the Trust commits to assisting in their re-homing. This includes dogs in private homes and other rescue organisations
• The Trustees are actively involved in the organisation on a day to day basis

Funding

The FOA Trust (UK) is predominantly funded via public donations and donations given at the time of adoptions. The recruitment of additional Coordinators will allow the Trustees the time required to secure grant funding and sponsorship deals. The FOA Trust (UK) shop will also be re-launched in August 2010.

**At the time of printing there are 10 Akitas in pounds in the UK who desperately require urgent assistance to save their
lives – if you can help us by adopting, fostering or volunteering please contact us!**

Contact: Nicola Bell, Nicola@friendsofakitas.co.uk, www.friendsofakitas.co.uk

The biggest pro associated with rehoming a dog has to be the fact that you are providing a loving home for a dog that doesn’t have one. Rehoming a dog also costs much less than purchasing from a breeder or pet shop, both initially and in the long run. Rehoming fees for dogs – which include the cost of spaying or neutering – are usually a fraction of what you would pay for a puppy from a breeder or pet shop.

photo credit: SignalPAD

Also, puppies from pet shops usually come from puppy farms, which tend to overbreed their animals. Overbreeding can result in puppies with genetic complications such as hip dysplasia and congenital heart defects. These puppies can even be sold sick with worms or, in the worst-case scenario, the parvovirus. All of these conditions will amount to very large vet bills.

The dog not fitting in with the family is the biggest con you hear associated with rehoming a dog. When this happens, the family often turns the dog back into the rehoming organisation. This heartbreaking situation can often be avoided by doing a bit of homework before picking out a dog.

Begin by making a list of breeds of dog that you like. Then, research each breed to learn the following: maximum size, temperament and breed-specific health issues. It is important for you to find a dog that fits in with your home, personality and budget. For example, if you work 50 hours a week and live in a small flat, a Border Collie definitely wouldn’t be a good fit, as they are high in energy and require lots of exercise.

You would want to choose a companion dog that enjoys napping the day away, such as a pug. It’s also important to look at health issues common to the breeds you prefer, as you will never want to be in a position in which you can’t afford to give your dog the care it needs, or to feed it, for that matter. A German Shepherd will cost significantly more to feed than a Yorkshire Terrier.

Once you have answered these important dog breed questions and narrowed down your list, then you can begin visiting rehoming centres. The staff will work closely with you throughout the rehoming process, answering any pet questions you may have. It’s okay to fall instantly in love with a dog, just be sure it’s a breed that’s included on your list. If you already own a dog, be sure to set up a meeting between the two dogs, outside of your home, before making your final decision.

If you have your heart set on a particular breed of dog, and it’s not one of the more common breeds, you can contact a rescue organisation that deals with that particular type. They are more than happy to hear from families looking to provide forever homes for their rescue dogs.

No one really understands how it is that I have been at this rescue so
long, or why the right family has not come along, or why people keep
passing me up for other dogs.

I will qualify this by adding “for My
Biggest Fan”, but I am absolutely, without question, the best trained dog
in the entire facility. I have done so many cool things and had so many
great experiences, I am very very very reliable. My Biggest Fan not
only works with me multiple times every week on my manners and skills at
the rescue, but she also attended training classes with a professional
trainer with me. At the end of those classes, the trainer was in
tears, crying about how unfair it was that no one had taken me home yet.
She said I was one of her all-time favorites, and that I was one of the
smartest, most hard-working dogs she had ever seen. Again, it has a
lot to do with how much I love My Biggest Fan, but I promise, if I find
my Forever Family and they work with me, I will do everything I can for
them too. My Biggest Fan also took me on a fieldtrip to meet her
favorite dog trainer in the world, and that very very very knowledgeable
lady had the same opinion of me. That I would walk through fire for
someone I love, that I will learn anything you ask as long as you explain it
well, and that I will stay with you until the bitter end. She also
thinks I should go live with someone who will look into getting me my
Therapy Dog title and take me to visit sick, sad and lonely people in the
hospital. I think I would be really good at that. I know all about
being sad and lonely sometimes.

I think the first thing that you need to know about me is that I LOVE
LOVE LOVE people. All sizes of people. People, period. This year the
rescue attended two very crowded, very wild, Easter egg hunts with,
literally, multiple THOUSANDS of people. Like one event had at least
EIGHT thousand people. They had to choose the most friendly, reliable,
brave dogs at the rescue, and I was their first choice. Out of all the
dogs of all the breeds, they knew they could count on ME! And I am so
glad they picked me! I visited with kids for HOURS and I had a blast!
They hugged me and kissed me and gave me treats. They counted my teeth
and my toenails. The traded bunny ears with me and played with the
Easter eggs on my collar. They rubbed my belly and pulled my tail. They
felt all the scars on my ears from where the mean people cut off my
ears with scissors. They looked at the cuts I have on my tail that I get
from, ironically, being so happy all the time and wagging my tail too
much. And when I got tired from all this attention, I laid down flat on
my side and slept like a log, in the middle of huge crowds of people,
with kids checking to see if I was really asleep and then using me as a
pillow when they laid down on top of me.

The really good part about these public appearances I make is how I am
able to help other dogs meet their Forever Families, and sometimes even
help the humans. Several people spent so much time playing with me
that they took a card, filled out an application and adopted a dog from my
rescue….another dog, always another dog. Never me. It seems lots
of people are afraid of me because of what I look like, or rumors they
have heard about my breed. They totally disregard all the great things
they have seen with their own eyes during the time they spent with me.
And then there are some people who have wanted me, but for the wrong
reasons. Again, because of what I look like and how “tough” they think
it will make them look, or because of what mean things they think they
can make me do because of my breed. Boy am I lucky I have the people
at the rescue to watch out for me!!
I mentioned I have helped people out too. You see I met several people
who were afraid of dogs, had some bad experiences personally with
dogs, but they saw how trustworthy I am, and I helped them get over their
fears a little bit. At one event, a little girl’s mom told My Biggest
Fan that her daughter was terrified of dogs after her brother and father
were attacked by a neighbor’s dog. Her mom couldn’t believe it when
she looked over and saw the girl squatting in front of me, kissing my
nose. Apparently, ever since the attack, she would run in the house or
jump into a car anytime she saw a dog. But I guess when she watched me
with the other kids, she saw how safe she would be as my friend and
she came to meet me. I am so glad she did! She stayed with me for a
long time, and it made her mom really really happy to see.

You probably need to know that I am just about 2 years old now, and
have lived at the rescue for the last eight months. The rescue took me in
from a high-kill shelter after being HOUNDED by the police officer who
worked at the shelter….he called so many times begging the rescue to
make space for “one of the kindest, coolest dogs that has ever come
through here” and telling the rescue folks that he “can’t bear the
thought of putting this guy down….he is one special dog”. Man, am I glad
he was persistent and that these guys made a space for me even though
they were jam-packed-full! Phew! You also need to know that I know a
LOT of obedience and am very well behaved, FOR A PERSON WHO IS A VERY
CONFIDENT DOG HANDLER. I am never mean or bad, but if you aren’t good at
dog-handling, you will get to spend you day pretending to be a dogsled
while I pretend to be a Husky. And you will spend you day being
ignored by me. I am not what they call a “starter dog” nor am I for a person
who is not used to a very confident, independent thinker of a dog.
Some people call dogs like me stubborn, or bull-headed, but My Biggest
Fan calls me an “independent thinker”…I like that. So if you know
stuff the way My Biggest Fan knows stuff, I will gleefully do anything you
ask—even so, the rescue will still want knowledgeable to sign up with
a bully-breed friendly trainer to have them help us bond as a team.
It’s all about GENTLE but firm, and consistent….and lots of time for
exercise and activity. I can also tell you that all of my medical care
is up to date, and I have been neutered and have a microchip. I am
heartworm negative and take preventative medicine every month, as all dogs
should.

My Biggest Fan thinks my ideal home should be a one-dog home, though a
very calm, very unpossessive dog in the family would not be
automatically ruled out. I get pretty excited when I see cats, and since I
haven’t lived in a home with cats during my “formative period” it is probably
safer to say that a cat brother or sister would be a big risk.
Actually, as far as anyone knows, I have nvere ever lived in a home, so my
Forever Family will need to know about crate training. I am very happy
to go in a crate when I need to travel in the SUV or dry after a bath or
things like that, so crate training should be cake!

I sure would love it if you came to see me sometime. Company is always
welcome. If you think you might like to make a space for me in your
family, please visit the rescue’s website to fill out an application.
If you don’t think I am the dog for you, maybe you’d like one of my
neighbors. I’d be really happy to see them get a home. To be honest, I
am getting all-too-used-to being passed over, so I won’ be surprised
if you choose someone else. But if you have a few extra minutes after
you pick another dog, maybe you cold stop by my place and rub my belly?
I really love it when people rub my belly. The only thing I think
I’d love more is if someone rubbed my belly while I laid on the floor in
my new Forever Home.

Applications can be found at www.northmecklenburganimalrescue.org

Staffordshire Bull Terriers face a life time of a bad reputation to our disbelief. We are hoping that by highlighting how lovely these dogs can be that people may give them a chance and adopt a needy Staffie from a rescue centre such as ourselves who have many Staffies in kennels looking for homes.

Often when public visit our centre they will say “you have a lot of Staffies at the moment” which is very true. Unfortunately we have a large amount of Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders in our area and the cute pups often become unwanted adult dogs in a rescue centre. The problem we face is the reputation about this breed. As the press sometimes highlights dog attacks especially about bull terrier breeds people are scared to have a Staffie in their homes. So our plea is for people to research the breed and realise that Staffie’s can be loving family pets. It’s usually only avid Staffie fans that comment on how great a Staffie can be in a home. When we mention Staffies many people reply with “oh no I couldn’t possibly have a Staffie I have children” to our disbelief many people still don’t realise the Staffies were once nickname the “nanny dog” because they were such good family pets. Admittedly Staffies can be aggressive with animals if not introduced from a young age but most Staffies are very loyal to children and are easy to train.

At the Jerry Green dog rescue centre in Blidworth we have many unwanted Staffies looking for loving homes. They are well behaved and loving pets looking for someone to love. Can we make a difference to peoples opinions? I truly hope so as Staffies are facing such crisis as being put to sleep around the country just because no one will take them in.

The Sheffield based charity has already re-homed 40 Rottweilers this year. John Swinhoe, who established the rescue organisation with his wife Mags, had this to say about their work so far.

“We will do whatever it takes to match the right dog into the right home for that particular dogs needs. No dog is ever knowingly placed into a situation by ZRR, where it would be chained up, used as a guard dog, neglected or used in any other way that would be detrimental to the dog’s health and well being.All the dogs that come under ZRR’s care are neutered/spayed, following a vet’s approval. This is done to eliminate any risk of un-wanted litters, which would defeat ZRR’s objects. All the dogs are also micro-chipped, wormed and vaccinated prior to being re-homed.

Visit the site http://www.zepthedep.com

Jeff came to Dogs Trust Glasgow Rehoming Centre six months ago after being found as a stray; wearing a tag with the name ‘Toby’ on it. Because he was a stray the staff knew very little about his background, but they did discover that he was quite defensive when his name was called out. To ease his nerves the staff renamed him Jeff.
 
 
 

Dogs Trust took Jeff’s training and learning needs slowly and identified that Jeff would probably benefit from the dedicated attention of one carer. Karen therefore took full responsibility for Jeff’s rehabilitation including taking Jeff for socialisation walks in the country and visits to family on her days off. Whilst caring for Jeff and building trust she saw that his negative reactions were purely due to fear; probably stemming from something that may have happened to him in his previous life as ‘Toby’.

Karen Verner, Jeff’s dedicated Canine Carer, adds:

“The way Jeff reacts in certain situations leads me to believe that he had possibly been mistreated in the past. I saw the fear in his eyes one day when I picked up a stick to throw for him. I’ve been working with him and he has come on in leaps and bounds but he really needs a home where he can learn how to trust, enjoy life once again and have some doggie fun!”

Karen is now hoping to find an owner that is calm but firm, for her special four-legged-friend Jeff, as well as someone who will be willing to work with him closely and take his development further. Dogs Trust is urging anyone interested in rehoming Jeff or any of the other rescue dogs at Dogs Trust Glasgow to call the Rehoming Centre directly on 0141 773 5130.

Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, caring for over 15,000 stray or abandoned dogs every year through its network of 17 Rehoming Centres across the UK.

A particularly sad phenomenon this year is the arrival in shelters around the country of hundreds of Staffordshire Bull Terriers (Staffies). These dogs appear to have been dumped by owners following the tragic death of Ellie Lawrenson on New Year’s Day. Five-year-old Ellie was mauled to death by a Pit Bull Terrier ‘type’ – a dog similar in appearance to a Staffie but currently banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue (Staffie Rescue) now needs to find homes for over 70 rejected dogs in its care2. The Duchess of Hamilton, who runs the charity in Scotland, says: “One of the consequences of this terrible incident is that Staffie Rescue is now overflowing with unwanted dogs. In all my years of rescuing dogs the situation has not been worse. Something must be done to stop people treating dogs as disposable items that they can discard on a whim.

The situation here is urgent. I would urge anyone considering getting a dog to contact us and see what Staffies have to offer.”

People mistakenly associate Staffies with aggression, but any dog can bite and Staffies and Pit Bulls are not the same. A Staffie may look ‘butch’ but is a highly intelligent dog that makes a loving pet in the right home.  It is a dog which has a great love for children and is sometimes known as the ‘nanny dog’.

Advocates for Animals’ Political Director, Libby Anderson, adds: “This situation highlights the need for a comprehensive review of legislation concerning dogs. This should include the introduction of a dog registration scheme based on permanent identification by microchipping so that owners cannot simply dump their dogs without being traced. Advocates for Animals very much hopes that people will respond to the call for help from Staffie Rescue and offer no homes to these ‘lost dogs’.”