From an affectionate pooch to dogs that growl and fall out, your pets questions have been answered

HE is on a mission to help our pets. . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, chief veterinarian at tails.com, a bespoke pet food company, has been helping with owner questions for ten years. He says, “If your pet is behaving strangely, or is bad, or if you want to know about diet or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy. “

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Q) WE have two dogs, Flo and Winnie, nine and seven, who have made up for years – but are no longer in the same room.

They growl and fall out.

They still get along well on walks together.

At home, keeping them separate becomes hard work.

Do you have any ideas how we can make them friends again?

Flo is a Springer Spaniel and Winnie is a Sprocker. It takes about six months.

There is no big trigger. They may be fine, then they stare at each other and everything starts.

Tracey Walton, Nottingham

Sean says: People often find it surprising that the most common scenario where two dogs in a household show aggression is that with two older bitches.

Sometimes this can be fixed if the reason for the underlying friction can be worked out.

Sometimes it’s status based and difficult to nip in the bud.

My best advice is to invest in a qualified animal behavior therapist who will be watching you to see exactly what is happening and how you can help.

Q) MY dog Sonny has started to want to go out at night, which he never did before.

Is this something like diabetes that I need to worry about and check?

He is a seven year old long haired Chihuahua.

Richard, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear

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Sean says: You don’t say if Sonny asks if he wants to pee or poop. I guess he’s crying more.

Does he also feed more through the day?

Did you notice a change in his thirst? Is he drinking more?

This can certainly be a sign of diabetes, some other hormonal disorders, and even kidney problems.

But diabetes would be suspected in a seven-year-old Chihuahua.

The next time you flex your leg, if you can collect a urine sample on a flat tray, pour it into a clean container and ask your veterinarian to check it out and give them a full health check-up.

You will be impressed with your skills. Much luck.

Q) MY 1 year old Cockapoo Lilly has gotten really attached since I went back to work.

She has a handler who takes her every day and she stays on each side for two hours.

But at night she cries and I let her in my bed.

Do I make a rod for my own back or is it right to comfort her?

We’d trained them in the box, but that went out the window.

Adam Cox, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear

Sean says: It depends what you want, Adam.

You really create a rod for your own back by rewarding her attention-grabbing behavior and letting her in your bed when she cries.

You can’t teach a dog not to be anxious, it’s an emotional response, but you can teach him to gain confidence and be content in a box again.

Some people see boxes as a cage or a punishment.

That brings human feelings to things.

I say they are a dog’s own bedroom and should be used as a positive or neutral place for your dog to sleep and relax.

So it’s up to you whether you want to start over with basic crate training or enjoy your furry bedfellow.

Star of the week

Pet cherry mullet Mr Fish can perform tricks like a dog.

He lives in Aspatria, Cumbria with Marianne Anderson, 37, who moved him a year ago and is unsure of his age.

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Marianne, a dog behaviorist, said, “He goes through a tire and a tunnel in his tank.

“He can follow a bait where you put a treat in his hand and they follow him, and he can walk through rod weaving just like dogs do in agility.

“Everything was learned through positive reinforcement, where you give rewards and praise when he follows an order.

“It’s great to be able to train Mr. Fish the way I do my dogs, and he’s a very special fish.”

Prize: dog basket

MAKE SURE that from 2022 your dog smells best with a pampering kit from Poochiful.

We have eight gift boxes worth € 32 each to give away.

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Each is filled with cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and pH-balanced goodies.

The sets contain the Itchy and Scratchy and Mucky Pup shampoo, as well as two fur sprays that are used between washes, called Dog Pawfume and Furfresh.

Learn more at poochiful.co.uk.

To participate, send an email to sundaypets @ the-sun with POOCHIFUL as the subject. co.uk until January 16. The terms and conditions apply.

Forget park run, try bark run

Getting fit is this year’s top resolution – and our dogs could be the paw trainers that make it possible.

Activities CaniCross – where you run with your pet, bikejoring – where you ride a bike with your pooch, and open water swimming together are all growing in popularity.

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Emily Thomas runs K9TrailTime.com, sells equipment for active dogs and their owners, and hosts an annual triathlon event.

She said, “Since the first lockdown, sales of our CaniCross starter kits have increased 52 percent each year.

“I have also seen an increase in CaniCross trainers training dog owners to run their dogs safely.

“Bikejor, scooter rides and open water swimming are also more popular.

“We had 145 dogs at the Tri Dog Event in 2021. People love to discover new things. “

For a quieter activity, there is wag and tone low-impact aerobics with step-ups, stretches, and balancing exercises.

You can also try canine hoopers, where the owner and dog navigate through hoops, barrels, and tunnels.

Emily added, “Whatever you try make sure it is appropriate for your dog’s age, breed, and activity level.”