GM News - September 2024

Edition 63 - All about Spring!
Isn't Spring the season to Spruce Up and Scrub Up?
This edition is all about just that.

Amanda, David, Ruth
Gentle Modern School of Dog Training

Getting Fit & Healthy for Summer

Sit Stay Squat is a Canadian business all about canine fitness. Sarah Keller is a Canine Fitness Trainer and her blog has great information and tips. Start with:

Canine Fitness Principles
Benefits of Canine Fitness
Canine Posture - Stand Posture, Sit Posture, Down Posture

Spring - start to think about . . .

- Springtime Allergies
- Grass Seeds and Burrs
- Snakes
- Spring Flowering Bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, lilies, crocus, iris, bluebells, amaryllis, gladiola and allium are toxic to dogs and cats. The most dangerous part of these plants are the underground bulbs which contain higher concentrations of the toxin. (Ingestion of leaves, stems, or flowers generally only result in mild signs of poisoning unless large quantities are ingested.)
The Animal Poisons Helpline recommends you:
✅ Create a fence or barrier to prevent access to dogs who may dig up the bulbs.
✅ Avoid using organic fertilisers around spring bulbs - dogs will dig up the fertiliser and will often find the bulbs and eat them.
✅ Do not allow pets to drink water from vases that have contained these plants.

Spring Cleaning Anyone?

7 Ways to Get Rid of ‘Dog Smell' from Your Home, According to Cleaning Prosby Wendy Rose Gould, Real Simple Magazine (Please note that scented candles and scented oil burners can be high risk with pets.)

Spring Cleaning as a Pet Owner by Dr. Heather Berst: Pet Bedding, Crates, Toys, Bowls, Furniture/Upholstery

Top Tip - Starting Fresh

Check out Pup Talk The Podcast with Niki French, Episode 138: 3 easy tips if you're stressed & struggling 9.30 minutes. Shorthand Version:
You are doing a good job - "We [dog and human] speak different languages, and we're not always going to get it right."
Understand mammals' negativity bias - "We are programmed to be more likely to see the negative in something rather than the positive."
Some things take time - "If you're feeling stuck with your dog, keep coming back to a couple of things - a little consistent, regular action can really help make the progress that we need or want." OR "Sometimes taking a break from doing something regularly means you can make a jump forwards when you go back to it . . . latent learning is a magical thing."
Niki recommends the One Breath Reset - sit, deep breath in through your nose, take an extra sniff, gently exhale through your mouth and toss a treat to your dog.

Body Language - Panting

As the weather warms up you're likely to see your dog panting, but panting can be indicating:

Heatstroke (we'll cover this in more detail in summer editions of the newsletter)
Poisoning
Chronic Illness
Injury/Pain
Allergies/Infection/Irritation

Check out Why Is My Dog Panting Heavily? by Wendy C. Fries for all things panting.

Your Reward for Reading to the End . . .

How would you like to fly internationally with your dog?

BARK Air currently offers flights to and from New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London.
"The planes we operate are primarily Gulfstream G5s and G4s. . . The cabin will be prepped with calming aids such as: pheromone, music, warm lavender scented refreshment towels, and other comforts to help each dog feel settled. Our concierge will also have a 'just in case' bag filled with calming treats, leashes, poop bags . . . Once onboard, dogs will be served their beverage of choice (water, bone broth, you name it) during ascent and descent to ensure they do not experience any ear discomfort commonly caused by the change in cabin pressure."

London to New York, per dog + human: $US8,000.00