Helping your Dog Cope with the Firework Season.

October 16, 2024 Caroline Hearn

Preparation is key to success.

BODY WRAPS & PRESSURE VESTS

October 15, 2024 Caroline Hearn

Pressure vests and elasticated body wraps have been in use for many years to assist anxious and fearful dogs and to aid recovery after surgery, injury and neurological conditions.

Making a Den for Your Dog

October 13, 2024 Caroline Hearn

It can be very useful to build a den or safe space for your dog to retreat too if they are particularly anxious in certain situations or around firework time. Give your dog time to get used to their den and feel like it is a safe and restful space to retreat to. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Now is the time to start observing where your dog always chooses to relax or perhaps when they have been stressed or spooked in the past they always retreat to the same area? This could be under your bed, tucked behind the sofa, or on a landing that has no windows.

I had a Lab that insisted the only place he wanted to be when fireworks were going off, was in the under stairs cupboard, so it was made cosy and the door propped open a little so he could leave when he wanted. It was central in the house, had no windows and the sofa and TV were alongside it, so it does make sense.

Dogs generally like to be near their people, so it will be the case of organising things so you can be next to or near to your dog.

Use this time to create positive, calming experiences in that area and they have good memories of being there. Play the gentle music you have chosen so it's familiar, although on the night it will no doubt have to be turned up much louder.

You can offer treats and chews in the den on the days that lead up to the event, but if your dog is stressed during fireworks the last thing they'll do is eat and you want to avoid anything that may cause an upset tummy and sudden dashes into the garden.

If they are happy in a crate then cover with a heavy rug or thick blankets, but it is essential the door is kept open and not obstructed, a dog in a blind panic to flee, but is trapped, can cause themselves serious injury.

Please read the other blogs re: Anxious dogs and Firework fear which will also help.

Your Anxious Dog

October 11, 2024 Caroline Hearn

If you share your life with an anxious dog, you will know that there are many challenges to overcome and situations in everyday life that can act as a trigger resulting in fearful, frantic behaviour, reactivity towards dogs and people, excessive barking and gut issues to name a few. It can seem a lonely road to travel and that you take two steps forward one day followed by three steps back the next.

So here are a few hints, tips and links for further advice that I hope will help you and your anxious dog.

It is not just our dogs stress levels we should be mindful of! Dogs can read us like a book and are extremely sensitive to our emotions, our energy and the environment they are living in. It is important for our own health to manage stress and make some time to rewind from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Taking even 10 minutes a day to concentrate on bringing your stress level down will have a knock on effect to your dog. Simple practises such as gentle breath work and meditation, preferably with your dog by your side, really do help. There is a free 12 minute guided meditation which is particularly lovely by Holly Husler. It can be found at the top of her page on this link FREE OFFERINGS — Holly Husler Sit somewhere quiet with your dog, slow your breath and completely unwind with your best friend.

Diet. Feeding a more natural, minimally processed diet, without excess carbohydrates and sugars will help in creating a more even temperament and put them in a mindset where it is easier to learn a better way of living. Here is a blog to help get you started introducing fresh food into your dogs diet https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/improve-your-dogs-diet

Dogs love to sniff, lick & chew. Giving your dog something suitable to chew has huge psychological benefits as chewing releases serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin which are all calming and feel good hormones. If raw bones aren`t suitable for your dog then there are lots of healthy, natural chews available as well as providing Kongs and tracheas stuffed with tasty ingredients.

Allowing your dog to sniff when out on a walk or perhaps setting up an area in the garden where they can freely explore is incredibly beneficial to anxious dogs. Dogs are natural seekers of food so both the house and garden provides lots of opportunity to introduce scent games and hide and seek their favourite treats.

Dogs need to move and be in a safe place to unwind to process the stress they are feeling. They need to ground themselves on the earth, not carpet, laminate, concrete or synthetic lawn but actually on the earth itself. Creating a peaceful environment in your garden is a perfect place to do this and it`s somewhere to relax with your dog too. Just as pottering around the garden is very relaxing for us it is equally valuable to your dog.

Using snuffle and Lick-it mats, and interactive toys can be used in the house and handy to have when the weather limits time outside or maybe your dog is particularly stressed and needs some time away from the triggers of being outside. We have some gorgeous snuffle balls available here: https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/snuffle-balls

Read the Snuffle Mat Blog here: https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/snuffle-mats-and-balls

Calming herbs can also help, plus concentrating on easing any gut discomfort which undoubtedly goes hand in hand with a stressed, anxious mind. There is a link below with a few suggested products that could help. Both the Tranquil blend and Digest & Rest are particularly valuable in these situations.

Time to chill. Having time out or chill out days can be very beneficial to anxious, reactive or even very active dogs, to bring them back into some sort of balance and down from their constantly stimulated state of mind.

A dog that is in a heightened state of fear, stress, panic and self preservation will not physically be able to process and learn what is being asked of them. So by bringing down their stress levels they will be in a better frame of mind to learn new skills, cope with their stress and grow in confidence to make better decisions that are not fuelled by fear.

When dogs are over excited, anxious or constantly alert to potential dangers their autonomic nervous system releases the fight or flight chemical adrenaline into the bloodstream, over time this becomes very damaging to the whole body and the gut in particular. The other subdivision of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic which is sometimes called the “rest and digest system” and creates calm, relaxation and a happy gut and this is what we are hoping to nurture on these quiet, restful days.

Finding a trainer or behaviourist that has experience with nervous dogs is invaluable. They will help you and your dog to learn skills at home which will help them cope with stressful situations when they arise in the future.

The old advice of just keep talking your dog out and they will get used to it” just doesn`t work and you will find that each outing will just top up the stress levels, adding fuel to the situation. Having as many chillout days as the dog needs, where there are no triggers or unnecessary demands made on the dog, is often a necessary step forward.

If you are looking for a private enclosed field to exercise or train in then there is a website where you can search for one in your area. https://www.dogwalkingfields.co.uk

There is a particularly good Facebook group that offers support, set up by Niki French called Pup Talk and she has recently released a book called Stop Walking Your Dog which has invaluable advice to help with anxious dogs. https://www.puptalk.co.uk

Sleep: Adult dogs require 16-18 hours of sleep a day, so it is important that your anxious dog gets enough rest and has a quiet space where they feel safe. This could be a crate with the door left open, a comfortable bed in an area where they are not disturbed by other dogs or people passing or observing where they always choose to sleep and make a cosy bed there.

Anxiety can present itself in many ways, here are a few to look out for:

• Digestion problems - IBS, Diarrhoea

• Over excitability

• Reactive behaviour (aggression)

• Excessive barking

• Noise sensitivities

• Humping

• Resource guarding

• Chewing or scratching the body

• Inappropriate toileting in the house

• Excessive licking

• Ball obsession

• Pacing

There are a number of products on the shop to help relax and support nervous, anxious and reactive dogs

Tranquil is a herbal blend created specifically with the nervous, anxious, reactive & stressed dog in mind https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/tranquil-relax-calm

Digest & Rest https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest

Gentle massage and body work such as Tellington Touch can be really helpful but do be mindful that for some dogs, touch is not a positive experience. If they are fearful of hands they may be happy with a soft brush or cloth initially.

Body wraps and pressure vests such as the Thundershirt can be very useful for comforting an anxious and stressed dog, read the following blog which covers the topic in detail https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/body-wraps-pressure-vests

Walking anxious & reactive dogs: Walking anxious, fearful and reactive dogs can be incredibly difficult and stressful for both dog and owner. I can clearly remember a daily walk at 5am for many months on the arrival of a particularly reactive rescue dog and having to drive to areas that were very quiet in order to keep their stress levels down.

Rehabilitating an anxious dog can be a long process, so as well as getting support from a compassionate trainer I would suggest joining a group on Facebook that supports anxious dogs and their owners and also looking up Sarah who started her business My Anxious Dog after her Spaniel became very stressed and reactive around other dogs and discovered just how difficult it was to inform others that her dog wasn`t nasty but just frightened and it would help if they just gave her space.

So, Sarah from My Anxious Dog has created a national #dogsinyellow day on the 20th March 2022 to raise awareness and to really educate others to understand the meaning of dogs wearing yellow. So please spread the word!

Sara says “Yellow warning or yellow space awareness products are used when walking an anxious, nervous or reactive dog.

Walking reactive or anxious dogs in public is challenging, especially when strangers and dogs walk over to say “Hi” to your fearful dog. Sometimes avoiding scary triggers is impossible, so we use yellow dog warning products or yellow space awareness products to let people know that our dogs need space or to be ignored”.

You can download your free awareness pack, shop for the fantastic products and make contact with Sarah via the website http://www.myanxiousdog.co.uk

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Caroline Hearn MICHT. Dip.ICAT. MIAAT

Why does my dog eat grass?

April 6, 2024 Caroline Hearn

Why do they do it, and what might our dogs be getting out of eating their daily helping of “Dr Green” - and most importantly, should it be something we discourage?

Gut Health, Immunity and Microbiome

March 31, 2024 Caroline Hearn

At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought.

It is in fact an incredibly complex structure with a vast number of tasks to undertake. The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention, and stabilising our emotional state.

Although the teeth are needed to some extent to bite, crush and tear off food the actual process of digestion doesn`t start until it reaches the stomach. With no digestive enzymes in the saliva to kick start it off, the food needs to quickly get where the real work begins, which is in the stomach.

Oesophagus:

Is a long muscular tube that runs down the neck, passes through the diaphragm and uses strong contractions to push food directly into the stomach.

Stomach:

The stomach lies at the front of the abdominal cavity, tucked just behind the liver and acts like a big mixing bowl.

Any incoming food is first subjected to an acid bath of around ph1, this immediately gets to work breaking down protein and also killing any harmful bacteria.

The walls of the stomach are lined with a thick mucous which provides protection from the strong acid as well as stopping the stomach from literally digesting itself.

As the stomach expands with food, a peptide hormone called gastrin is released, which in turn triggers more hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production.

To aid digestion even further the surface of the stomach is a mass of wrinkles and folds which expand and contract to grab food particles and perform a churning or chewing-like action.

At this point, the thick soup-like constancy of partly digested food and secretions is known as chyme.

The food has now been in the dogs stomach for anywhere between five and ten hours and its next destination is the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.

Pancreas

The pancreas is a small gland, which sits next to the stomach and is attached to the small intestine, here it transports digestive enzymes through two excretory ducts into the duodenum.

The enzymes it produces are amylase to help digest starch, lipase to digest fats and trypsin and chymotrypsin to deal with the protein.

Enzymes are needed to break down food into tiny molecules and allow the absorption of nutrients into the cells of the intestines which then go on to be released into the bloodstream.

It also produces and secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels. The higher the concentration of sugar in the diet the more insulin is secreted into the bloodstream and the harder the pancreas has to work.

Liver

The liver is the largest gland in the body and the only organ that has the potential to regenerate after disease or injury.

Its many crucial jobs include producing bile to assist the small intestine in breaking down and absorbing fats and to process the nutrients that are absorbed by the small intestine.

Its other roles include storing vitamins and minerals, acting as a filter for toxins in the bloodstream and as a glycogen store for when extra energy is needed.

Small intestine

The small intestine is made up of three sections, Duodenum, Jejunum (longest) and the ileum (shortest)

On receiving the nutrient-rich chyme from the stomach, it is joined by secretions from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas to further assist in the digestion process.

The small intestine is lined with millions of tiny finger like projections called the Villi, these act to increase the surface area in order to trap and absorb as many nutrients as possible.

Most of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine, which are then released into the bloodstream to travel throughout the body to be utilised by the cells.

The final and shortest part of the small intestine is called the Ileum, here the food gets broken down even further in preparation to enter the cecum, the first section of the large intestine.

Large intestine :

The large intestine is made up of the cecum, colon and rectum.

Its purpose is to remove water from the faeces, keep electrolytes in balance and to prepare and temporarily store any indigestible matter for excretion.

But there is much more activity going on in the colon than just that and although not a very glamorous area of interest, it does deserve our full care and attention.

The large intestine has a high concentration of bacteria referred to as the

Microbiome.

This is a collection of microbes made up of bacteria, viruses and fungi that we all have in our gut for efficient digestion, absorption of vital nutrients and to build a strong immune system.

Our dogs would have acquired their unique bugs from their mother at birth and developed others depending on the environment they lived in and the food they ate.

The delicate balance of the microbiome can easily be disrupted by medication such as antibiotics, periods of stress and anxiety and a poor, unsuitable diet.

When everything is in balance these good bugs work hard to extract as much nutrition as possible out of the food that is consumed and to ensure the smooth running of the whole gastrointestinal tract.

The bacteria are also responsible for assisting in hormone production such as serotonin, which occurs in the highest concentration thorough out the lining of the gut.

A thriving, balanced microbiome is absolutely essential for the dogs ability to resist or fight disease, control inflammation in the body and for a positive influence on their mental wellbeing.

Rectum and anal glands.

The faeces are then ready to be expelled along with the indigestible matter and dead red blood cells that it contains.

Ideally, the dogs stool will be quite firm, which will press on the anal glands as it is passed, causing the glands to naturally empty.

All disease begins in the gut - Hippocrates

Immunity and the gut

The gut forms between 70 - 80% of the immune system and has a vital role in regulating immunity, protecting our bodies from invaders such as allergens and pathogens and controlling inflammation.

The food we chose for our dogs and the lifestyle choices we make for them will have either a negative or positive effect on their overall gut health, ability to utilise the nutrients in the food they eat, the essential fuel to grow and repair their body and to thrive well into their senior years.

Caroline Hearn - Canine Holistic Therapist

Emotions and the Gut

March 30, 2024 Caroline Hearn

The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.

If this is a brief episode, it is unlikely to have any lasting health effects, if on the other hand, it is a regular occurrence with little respite then the impact on the gut and therefore the health is huge.

There is a major factor in the link between gut health and emotions in the form of the enteric nervous system also referred to as the ENS.

The ENS consists of millions of nerves lining the gut and specialists often call it the “second brain” as it has complex pathways to relay information back and forth from the gut to the brain as they interact.

It is capable of shutting down digestion in times of acute stress such as in a fight or flight situation.

Stress can be caused by many factors such as separation anxiety, excessive ball throwing so the dog is on a constant adrenaline high, inappropriate exercise for the dog’s age or mobility, picking up on the owner’s emotional stress, inability to cope in a noisy or stressful household and pain, illness or disease.

Whilst these are mainly emotionally based reactions that can be witnessed as the dog exhibiting certain behaviours, a poor quality, inappropriate diet, and exposure to toxins or chemicals can also cause the body stress, which may not show any visible signs immediately but develop over time into disease or outwardly noticeable changes in health and behaviour.

A gut that isn`t functioning correctly can manifest as the dog showing anxious, edgy, or reactive behaviour, which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones into the bloodstream such as adrenalin, and in the case of cortisol increases the level of glucose in the blood and will over time adversely affect the adrenal glands.

Time to chill. Having time-out or chill-out days can be very beneficial to anxious, reactive, or even very active dogs, to bring them back into some sort of balance and down from their constantly stimulated state of mind.

A dog that is in a heightened state of fear, stress, panic and self-preservation will not physically be able to process and learn what is being asked of them. So by bringing down their stress levels, they will be in a better frame of mind to learn new skills, cope with their stress, and grow in confidence to make better decisions that are not fuelled by fear.

When dogs are over-excited, anxious or constantly alert to potential dangers their autonomic nervous system releases the fight or flight chemical adrenaline into the bloodstream, over time this becomes very damaging to the whole body and the gut in particular. The other subdivision of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic which is sometimes called the “rest and digest system” and creates calm, relaxation, and a happy gut and this is what we are hoping to nurture on these quiet, restful days.