ST. ROCCO'S KENNEL - DIY Doggie Bed

A Dog for Life - Not Just for Christmas

As the Holiday Season approaches, campaigns against giving pets as a Christmas present start emerging, with posters trying to reach out directly to your emotions.

These campaigns are often part of the efforts made by dog shelters like ourselves, and other animal or environmental NGOs. So, when one of our volunteers stumbled upon this particular post on Facebook, she was pretty shocked. However, her shock soon turned to relief when she realised what the writer of the post was up to.

The post was written by a member of RUBS PUPPY LOVE (a group on Facebook where people can make posts related to animals), asking for “A free puppy to give as a Christmas gift – preferably with a pedigree”. It was no surprise that this post started getting a few negative comments with people asking whether “she bumped her head”, and others advising her to “get a soft toy” instead! Yet after a few minutes, the author went on to say the following “I just wrote the post to raise awareness of how ridiculous it sounds!!!!!”

Well, congratulations – you’ve definitely succeeded! This simple post was attention grabbing and managed to deliver a very powerful message!

On this note, we would like to take this opportunity to ask for a favour this festive season. On behalf of our beloved pups, other dog sanctuaries as well as all animal lovers out there, we would like to urge you to think twice before giving a dog as a Christmas Present.

And just like every other cliché, awareness campaign, here’s yet another emotional poster, directed right towards your heart!

Neutering Your Dog

If you have been considering neutering or spaying your dog, you have come to the right place. Below you will find all the positives and negatives you will need to know before neutering or spaying your male/female dog.

WHEN SHOULD I NEUTER MY DOG?

A very important consideration when it comes to neutering and spaying dogs is when is the best age to do it.  While the traditional age for neutering is six to nine months, puppies as young as eight weeks old can be neutered as long as they’re healthy. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well, although there’s a slightly higher risk of post-operative complications in older dogs, dogs that are overweight or dogs that have health problems. It is best you talk to your veterinarian about what's best for your dog.

As you can see, the advantages of spaying or neutering your dog outweigh the disadvantages however it is up to the owner to decide. If your dog has any of the following behavioral problems, it is recommended to neuter him:

• Excessive marking
• Aggression towards other dogs
• Aggression towards other people
• Stubborn, resistant, hard to control and hard to train
• Paying more attention to other dogs rather than you

How to test your dog's IQ.

This is the test which can reveal if your dog is a genius – or as silly as you think.  Some dogs can herd sheep, rescue people, sniff out drugs for police, but some can’t even seem to master “sit and stay”. Intelligence may vary in many different ways. Perhaps, your dog may never master how to fetch, but do they know that it’s time to take a walk whenever you pick up the leash?

You will need

• A leash
• 3 Cups of the same size and color
• Treats
• A Stopwatch
• A towel
• Scoring System

Dogs are rewarded  2 points every time they do something that displays intelligence,  or by completing the task quickly.

A medium response will earn them 1 point.

If they don’t manage to do it, they’re not given any points. However, if they take very long, they get a 0.5.

This is a great way for dog owners to have some fun with their dog, together with a good laugh ..

First challenge

Get a towel and put it over their heads and see how long it takes for them to get it off.

If the dog manages to complete the task within:

0-20 seconds - 2 points - Intelligent Dog

21-60 seconds - 1 point - Average Dog

60 - 120 seconds - 0.5 points - Below Average Dog

120+ seconds - 0 points

Second Challenge

Take some of your dog’s favourite treats and put them under the towel. Then, time how long it takes for your dog to find them. The same point scheme above applies to this:

0-20 seconds - 2 points - Intelligent Dog

21-60 seconds - 1 point - Average Dog

60 - 120 seconds - 0.5 points - Below Average Dog

120+ seconds - 0 points

Third Challenge

Place treats under a cup in front of your dog and get the dog out of the room for about 30 seconds. If the dog comes back and chooses the right cup, this is a sign that they are intelligent and they should be awarded by 2 points.

You may point at the treat to help them remember but they will only get a point for this.

Once again we apply the same point system as above.

Fourth Challenge

Take out their leash and if they get excited they get 2 points.

Excitement is show if the dog jumps or wags its tail.

They get one point for wagging their tail.

They will get 0 points if they show no interest and ignore you.

The Results

0-2 – You have a great dog who will follow you anywhere, but truth be told, he may not be the brightest one around.

3-5 Your dog is great! They have an average intelligence. Pretty good!

5+ Your dog is one bright champ! Congratulations! (OR he just really likes food)