Dog Listener's Newsletter

We now have a new tool to help us spread the word about Amichien Bonding - the kind natural way to communicate with your dogs. Our own Newsletter. The first edition has just been published and you will be able to access it by clicking on the link below.

It carries a number of articles and I'm involved in three of them. Yellowstone Experience (I'm far right in the picture wearing a fetching little hat). Featured Dog Listeners about our involvement with rescue dogs from Afghanistan and their appearance at Crufts and finally, under the heading Health News is an article I wrote about Electric Shock Collars.

I don't yet know how often this Newsletter will be published but hope to keep getting involved in its content.

Read and enjoy. As always, any feedback welcome. http://www.listeningtoday.co.uk/

New Consumer Protection Laws

Today sees a massive shake up in Consumer Protection Laws giving major new powers to, amongst others, Trading Standards Officers. To tackle 'Rogue Traders' It is said to be the biggest change for forty years.

Things were much different then. In 1968 the Vietnam War was still raging, London was 'Swinging London', the mini skirt was at its height, in more ways than one and I was a young single Policeman with hair and a Fender Stratocaster, living in Soho just around the corner from Carnaby Street. Life was much simpler then and although there have always been con artists and cowboys queing up to take peoples money, it has, without doubt got much worse in recent years.

There are many ways that people can be misled into parting from their money from complete lies to just giving the impression that a person is qualified and experienced enough to competently undertake the task required by the client when they are patently not. In the world of 'Dog Training' when you encounter one of these often well meaning people and it all goes horribly wrong, it will not be their fault, oh no, it will be your fault for having that particular breed of dog, whatever it might be. "Well if you will get a (fill in breed name here), what do you expect?" Is what you'll hear, or maybe "That dog's over the top" or "Your dog's stupid, you won't be able to do anything with him".

In the canine world there is nothing to stop anyone from hiring a church hall and advertising 'Dog Training Classes' and taking peoples money when in fact they have little or no experience with dogs other than their own pet pooch at home. Indeed there is one very well known personality who makes a very good living from giving advice in how to deal with canine behavioural problems, who has never owned a dog. Another person in the same line of work who, although having some background in dogs, seriously over states their CV. Of course if someone had letters after their name that might reassure you. You could be misled. There are organisations that people can join, the only entry criteria being whether they can afford the fee, which then allow them to put a string of letters on their website. Poor old Joe Public comes along and says, "Hey these people are well qualified, lets go with them". Another ploy used by some people is to set up their own organisation which can allow letters to be used. There is one such person who lists themself as 'Chairman and Founder Member' of the particular association. Of course I can't help but wonder how many other members there are. Is this person any good? Who knows, but always check the reality behind the window dressing before spending money it may save you both grief and money further down the line.

There are many good 'dog people' out there I'm not trying to scaremonger I'm just saying be careful. If it's an obedience club, agility, field trials, flyball or any other dog activity that takes your fancy then go along without your dog and just watch. Do the instructors seem competent? Do they need to use gadgets to achieve the desired result? Is there any aggression used either verbal or physical? do the owners seem happy? And most important of all, how are the dogs reacting? Always ask questions. If the trainer, consultant, listener or whisperer, the title doesn't matter, is evasive then walk away. If your instinct makes you unsure then you're probably right.

As a 'Jan Fennell Dog Listener' I welcome this legislation because I know that I, and all of my colleagues working under Jan's name, with her blessing, are squeaky clean. Jan is a very strong lady who holds the integrity of 'Amichien Bonding' as sacrosanct. This system is her baby, she developed and refined it and introduced the rest of the canine world to it and she's not going to let others come along and hijack it.

Why would people do that? Because when the words Dog Listener are used, even if they don't know her name people think of Jan Fennell. As a result it's easy for people to use the name or variations of it to hitch their waggon to a rising star, much easier than making your own reputation isn't it? Jan could very easily have sold franchises as other organisations do and she'd have been a very rich woman. However the welfare of both dog and owner has always been Jan's first and only concern.

When someone approaches Jan wishing to become a Dog Listener they have to attend a foundation course. At this time Jan will decide if the student has the potential to go further. If so they are invited (just paying some money won't do) to attend the advanced course. On successful completion of this course they become a 'Non Active Dog Listener' moving on to 'Preliminary Dog Listener' then to 'Recommended Associate Dog Listener' and then 'Highly Recommended Dog Listener'. At every stage to progress to the next level or maintain their current status, every Dog Listener must fulfill a number of strictly enforced criteria including, every client having phone or email back up for the life of their dog and full case histories of consultations going to Jan so that she can monitor the standard of work and contact clients direct. Every client is given an evaluation form which goes direct to Jan as a quality control measure. Every Dog Listener that reaches and maintains the standards set by Jan is listed on her website.

So if you need help with your dog and you find someone on the internet, not matter what they call themselves or describe their work, before you book them check Jan's website and see if the 'Dog Listener (or variant) is listed. If not I suggest that you adopt the voice of a night club doorman and say, "If your name's not on the list, you're not coming in"

Crufts 2008

As you may have read in an earlier blog, a friend and colleague of mine Caroline Spencer have been supporting the rehabilitation of two dogs, Nowzad and Tali rescued by Royal Marine Sergeant 'Penny' Farthing from the abuse they were suffering in Afghanistan. They now live a life of luxury with Pen and his wife Lisa in the UK.

This connection is timely because the theme for the 2008 International Day of the Dog (IDOD) is rescue dogs and if ever dogs were in need of rescue, these were. IDOD is an event that takes place every April and is the brainchild of Jan Fennell 'The Doglistener', pioneer of the 'Amichien Bonding' method of canine communication.

Nowzad and Tali were one of five nominees for the Kennel Clubs 'Friends for Life' award which is awarded following a phone in vote by viewers to the BBC's Crufts programmes. The award ceremony is a huge event and can be overwhelming to both humans and dogs. It takes place in an arena in front of a crowd of 7000 and is screened live around the world to countless millions. A daunting prospect for anyone but the other nominees included an autistic boy, an 11 year old girl with cerebal palsy (the eventual winner) who had been virtually confined to a wheelchair until her dog gave her the confidence to start walking. There were also two ladies with severe mobility problems whose dogs, one a Newfoundland the other a black German Shepherd had given them their lives back. Every one of the six dogs nominated would have been a worthy winner.

Caroline and I had gone to Crufts to offer support to Pen and Lisa, not in a partisan way but to ensure that the dogs went into that arena in a calm state of mind to do otherwise would not be right. Until the end of 2007 they had lived their lives in a war zone. Why should they trust a human unless he dressed as a Royal Marine? It was important that Pen and Lisa knew we were there, they knew what they had to do but they didn't want us with them every waking minute. We stressed to them the techniques that they had to work on right up to the big moment. As long as they knew that at any time if there was a problem we were able to be with them within minutes to resolve the situation. We also had to be at the arena entrance to make that final decision at the very last moment, how are the dogs going to cope? Are there going to be be both humans and dogs in the arena or only one or even no dogs just Pen and Lisa?

Because as always, we have the interests of all dogs at heart we were, with the blessing of the Kennel Club able to work with and offer assistance to all of the nominees and dogs. They were all delightful people with wonderfully supportive families. Obviously in a time frame of a couple of days we can't deal with every problem but that was not our aim. We just needed to ensure that both owner and dog were happy throughout the ceremony and not subjected to any undue stress.

It was my turn to drive and so because I was having a lady passenger, the day before we travelled I washed my car and discovered that I own a blue one. I then cleaned the interior and removed the old newspapers and cleared the pens (32 in number) from the front passenger seat and filled the fuel tank. I was leaving at 5.30 am and so wanted everything ready so that I could get in and go. Just before going to bed I had to do a pick up job, it was at this point that one of my headlights decided to pack up obviously a taster of what was to come. To change a headlight on my car requires a degree in advanced electrical engineering and hands the size of a three year old. Late at night with an early start and long drive ahead the prospect filled me with dread. I knew that if I attempted it I'd be left with skinned knuckles and a foul temper. My wife then suggested I take her car as she wouldn't need a vehicle until daylight and could use mine. Problem solved, I transferred all my luggage, refuelled (again) and was ready to go.

The following morning I set off as planned, picked up Caroline en route and headed for Birmingham. We decided to go and locate our hotel first because as our decision to go to Crufts had been taken only in the past few weeks all the hotels near the venue were booked solid. We managed to find accomodation at an establishment some distance away that was clearly modelled on Bate's Motel. Having found the place and so understanding why they had vacancies, we headed for the show.

If you have never been to the NEC at Birmingham let me tell you that it is a very impressive range of halls. The car parks are massive and managed in a very unusual way. Normally the first arrivals at a venue are placed closest to the event, not at the NEC, the first arrivals are placed in the car parks furthest away. When you realise that this could place you just a little bit north of Manchester you begin to sense the annoyance felt when you realise that the people who didn't get out of bed until after lunch are able to park by the front door.

We were placed in car park North 12. It was so far north that all the staff were Glaswegian. There are shuttle buses to the doors which are free after you've paid your £8 parking charge but the queues were horrendous so, having been told that it was only a 10 minute walk we decided on that option. There is a different perception of time and distance in Birmingham but eventually after coming across several remote South American tribes we arrived at the doors only to discover that they were at the opposite end of the complex to the show itself but unfazed we pushed on.

Huge, crowded and noisy are the words to come to mind. when I was in Montana recently watching wolves (blog to follow) I saw on US tv reports of a prestigious dog show which was reported as "The Worlds Biggest Dog Show" they boasted of having "over 2000 dogs competing". At Crufts I saw competitors wearing numbers well over 20,000. There are an array of halls used with breeds being judged, agility competitions and all manner of dog related activities. There were also countless stalls selling everything from really useful equipment to tasteless rubbish. For me the slate clocks with the naff pictures of various breeds of dogs on them got my 'DelBoy, Most Favourite Piece of Tat Award' although the reflective dog bandanas came a very close second.

As previously mentioned the day progressed and Caroline and I developed a rapport with the Kennel Club staff dealing with the Friends fo Life Awards, and got involved not only with Pen and Lisa but with the other nominees as well. We were heavily involved in the rehearsals which take place after the show closes to the public on Saturday evening. By the time we left to return to the car it was like a ghost town. All the Nominees, Kennel Club and BBC staff were staying at the Hilton Hotel directly opposite the NEC. We looked at the signposts and found ones that directed us to the South and East car parks but nothing else, I then found a sign mentioning North car park but it was preceded with the words 'No Access to'. We walked and walked until we found a security hut. when we asked the way the guard was helpful but couldn't supress a laugh. He pointed us in the right direction? And off we went again, two further encounters with security guards and over three quarters of an hour later we found my car, alone, in a vast empty carpark, no wonder it was whimpering. At last, back to the hotel and some food. Yeah right! We followed the directions to the exit only to find locked gates! We turned around and drove through the complex following various exit signs all of which led to more locked gates. Suddenly there were no security guards to be found, they were all probably rolling around on the floor laughing, watching us on cctv. Eventually more by luck than judgement we found the only unlocked exit from the site which for some reason did not have an exit sign.

On our return to our hotel we asked about getting a meal, no chance, it was Saturday night and they did have a large restaurant but they weren't able to do food although they could sell us a packet of crisps in the bar. When we asked about other options we were given a choice between the Indian Restaurant across the other side of the dual carriageway and, oh I forgot, there was no other choice. We had a nice stroll to the eating place via the seductively lit, urine drenched underpass which although unpleasant did mask the smell of diesel.

On reaching the restaurant we were quite concerned, we were starving and it was Saturday night in Birmingham the curry centre of the UK. Would they have a table for us? We were lucky, they did have a table for us, in fact they had all the tables for us. The place was empty but no problem, that meant we'd get served quickly before the late night rush came in, wrong again. Still looking on the bright side the wait must mean that our meal is being lovingly prepared, the herbs and spices being hand crafted by ancient 'spice gurus'. If you can't get a good curry in Birmingham where can you? I don't know, I just know that you can't in this particular one. The meal when it arrived was awful. I've seen better looking fatal accidents and it tasted dreadful. The only saving grace was that the portions were small. When we left we still the only customers hmmmm, I wonder why!

Sunday arrived, the big day and we had an early start. We strode into the hotel carpark and I pressed the remote unlocking button on my car keys and nothing happened. After trying several more times I realised that the battery in the key must need replacing, strange as it's a fairly new car. After opening the car manually we found that it would not start. It was at this stage that I lost the will to live but, undeterred, I did a thorough, in depth mechanical evaluation and discovered that someone (I have no idea who) had left the lights on all night. Luckily a good Samaritan came to our aid with a magic battery booster and all was well. Nobody ever need know unless my wife reads this blog, Doh!!!

On our arrival at the NEC we found ourselves in carpark North 10B which seemed to be even further away than Saturdays North 12. at least we knew where we were going this time and were able to get straight to work. We spent the day moving between the NEC and Hilton Hotel, working with those nominees that wanted help or assistance of any sort as well as making sure that people were in the right place at the right time and in the right frame of mind. This was made a little difficult when while escorting the nominees to a suite where a buffet and recption had been arranged for them we were denied access by security who were utterley unconcerned that these people had passes and most had mobility problems. I even pointed out that these people had their pictures and stories across several pages of the official programme and were being shown nightly on BBC tv. After a lot of flared nostrils and intervention from the highest level of the Kennel Club our party was allowed through. It did solve one mystery, if you ever wonder what happened to the Krankies now that they are no longer on tv I can tell you. They are working as security guards at the NEC.

When the big moment came all the dogs went into the arena and behaved beautifully. Just prior to their entrance Pen and Lisa were in the holding area doing some exercises with Nowzad and Tali designed to focus the dogs attention on them and disregard the noise and lights in the arena. At this stage some complete moron, a member of a 'Dog Training' club complete with heavily logoed polo shirt tried to stare Nowzad out. A stupid move for anyone, but for a man who was so full of his own wind and importance about how 'good' he was with dogs it was criminal. he took an aggressive stance like a nightclub doorman and kept moving so that he could maintain eye contact which as all real dog people know is a challenge when done in that manner. Caroline told Pen to keep turning away from the threat and keep his pulse rate down so that Nowzad was not stressed. Both Caroline and I asked this man to desist but he ignored us, Pen was remarkably restrained which was great because had he reacted Nowzad would have lost the plot. I on the other hand was probably a bit more 'proactive' and had a full and frank exchange of opinions with this man, I'd had my fill of fools for that day.

Once the presentation was over we were ready for home. We even managed to get a shuttle bus to the carpark and find my car. Would it start? Yes!! We weren't even fazed when as on the previous night the gates had all been locked, we knew where to go. We arrived home very tired, it had been a hectic couple of days but we both felt that we had achieved something really worthwhile. We hope to build on the advances and contacts we made.

What does it take to put a 'Celebrity' behind bars?

For all of you lucky people who have never seen an organised dog fight. I can tell you that it takes a special kind of person who having seen one is not physically sick and doesn't have nightmares as a result.

My attention was drawn to the case of the American 'sportsman' Michael Vick and his involvement in this illegal 'sport'. It seems his lawyer is sorting out a deal so that the poor little love is not inconvenienced too much by contravening some boring old law. He is after all famous, surely laws only apply to 'little people'. It is only dogs that have died or been maimed so that's alright then.

Read the story and see the video here http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8fd_1187417726&p=1

Vick then pleaded guilty http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a33_1187638783&p=1

And then the apologists came out of the woodwork. You have to listen to this guy. Did he listen to what Vick did? Is he from the same planet as the rest of us? How can he sleep at night defending people like this? "Mr Vick is a redeemable human being". Yeah, right! http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bf5_1187816021&p=1

And then we have the case of the rapper DMX who loved his multiple dogs so much he they were like family so, like you do, they were tied up and he didn't visit them for two months. Obviously these dogs were much loved family pets and not intended for any other purpose.http://www.usatoday .com/life/ people/2007- 08-24-dmx- dogs_N.htm? csp=34 Will he receive a substantial penalty at court?

Think Paris Hilton and all the other C list celebrities who drive around in an unfit state often without a licence. Think of Pete Doherty who's more likely to make the news if he wasn't in possession of drugs when stopped by the Police for some unpleasant behaviour or other. He must be on his tenth 'Last Chance' . The list is endless both sides of the Atlantic, actors, musicians, 'Super Models', sports personalities, children of the aforementioned. They assault people, steal (you have to fill the wardrobes in your mansion somehow), demand 'freebies', get unpleasantly and dangerously drunk, openly take drugs and laugh about it because they've just told the last judge that they've found God and turned their life around. They do all of that and more and expect to get away with it, and they do! Weak judges, weak prosecutors and we wonder why young people are killing one another at an alarming rate!

Young people need role models, well duh! Young people would pay a lot more attention if they saw that just because someone has been on tv in a reality programme or crawled into the underwear of some scrawny model they were not exempt from the law. No wonder so many young peoples only ambition is to be a 'celebrity'.

In between my clients and their dogs with behavioural problems I could happily fit in the job of Home Secretary, vote for me! I would have a simple philosophy, Bad things Happen to Bad People and not to Good People. Very Bad Things Happen to Very Bad People!

Finally if you really feel strongly about cruelty to dogs please sign my petition to Downing Street to ban cruel training aids such as spiked collars http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Traumatised-Dogs/

It's Not Fair. I Was Only Doing A Burglary!

My attention was drawn to this story from America involving two burglary suspects who were upset because a Police Dog was used to detain them. It must have very traumatic for them (I hope).

Read the story:- http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--policedoglawsuit0728jul28,0,2519349.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/07/28/2007-07-28_jury_nips_nypd_dogbite_suit.html

http://allpawsbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/07/police-dog-dj-in-court.html

This story got me thinking of violent and non compliant criminals that I've dealt with over the years. As with the above story almost without exception offenders, with no thought for anyone else break into innocent peoples homes, into shops or warehouses. They attack people often for no reason other than to spice up their own inadequate lives and then, when they lose the fight and get arrested, they complain! The Policeman wasn't nice to them, the nasty Police Dog barked and frightened them. Indeed I remember one particularly unpleasant individual who, when told that he was being arrested for some serious offences, picked up a very large screwdriver in one hand and a metal bar in the other and told me that he was going to 'stab me up'. he'd obviously paid a lot of attention in English lessons. When I told him that it would be a good idea to 'moderate his behaviour or meet my dog on a more personal level.' He did drop the weapons but complained that in challenging him I was 'Out of order' and 'Over the top!'

Most of these criminals complain as a matter of course as part of their defence strategy. I'm sure that it's coincidental but often when a suspect goes to a particular lawyer the Police Officer can be sure that a complaint will be made and even guess the line of the complaint. Some like to allege Police brutality, some prejudice of some sort, either racial, sexual, religious or something else that hasn't become trendy yet. There are all manner of things that a suspect or his lawyer can do to muddy the waters. What the trial should be about is to find out if the defendant did what he is accused of doing. instead it becomes a game between lawyers with little thought for the victim. It certainly wouldn't do to admit responsibility would it? If anyone's to blame it must be Society.

I said earlier 'almost without exception.' Let me tell you about just one such exception. This is a true story and happened in the town of Aldershot in the County of Hampshire.

It was a dark and stormy night (well there had been moderate showers). I was working a late shift from 1800 to 0200 and it had been a very busy evening. It was a little after 0130 and I was looking forward to a warm bed. I had just finished arresting two suspects who had broken into a building site. To gain access I'd had to slide under a fence and so had a coating of wet mud all over my back. And then, when my mind was already in bed, the radio went and sent my body to another call.

The call was an alarm activation at the Argos store. This is now located in the local Mall but at the time of this incident it was in a basement now occupied by the Aldershot Bowl. The alarm at this premises was a regular and I had never known it to be anything other than a false activation. There were two sets of doors some yards apart so when I pulled up I let my dog, Acco, out of the van and left him to check one set of doors while I did the other. My doors were secure as I knew they would be. I turned to call Acco so that we could get on with the serious business of going to bed and there he was, gone!

I went to his door and found that the bottom pane of glass had been carefully removed and was propped against the wall. Acco had gone in and was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. I joined him and then found that the glass in the internal doors had also been removed. Being very perceptive I realised that there was something not quite right here! I stuck my head through the gap where the glass should have been and 'challenged the building.' A deep breath and a loud bellow. "Police Officer with a dog! come out or I'll send the dog!" I then instruct Acco to 'speak' to let any offenders know that I'm not bluffing, and then a final challenge. "This is your last chance! Come out or I'll send the dog!". No response from within the shop so it's 'Game On!'. I sent Acco in to search for anyone in the premises. Contrary to popular belief Police dogs do not rush about shredding innocent members of the public. They locate the hidden person and then indicate to their handler by barking. If the offender is compliant then there is no problem. If they want to fight then the world can end in pain.

Acco searched the shop and indicated to me that there was nobody still in the shop but that the offender had been to the jewellery counter. The glass display cabinets were all smashed and the complete collection of watches, necklaces, bracelets and rings had been stolen. A haul amounting to several pounds in value!

Acco then indicated the doors to the warehouse, and once again I challenged with no response. The warehouse was in complete darkness. I sent Acco to search and very quickly I heard cries of pain from within. When I followed the sound of the screams I saw a suspect laying on the shelving, hanging onto the uprights trying to resist, as Acco who had a firm grip on his calf was encouraging him to let go and come and join him. Subsequently the suspect told me that when Acco had located him he had given him 'a little shove with his foot to discourage him!' A very bad move, in that moment the suspect moved from compliant to non compliant. The consequence of that action? Pain, lots of it.

I called Acco off and escorted the suspect into the shop area where there was more light and the following conversation took place.

"Are you injured?"
"I don't know, I think so."
"Let's have a look, pull your trouser leg up."

On pulling up his trouser leg I could see a very substantial bite injury to his calf.

"When we get to the nick we'll get you medical treatment for that"

So far the conversation was nothing out of the ordinairy and I imagined him plotting the wording of his complaint or compensation claim but then his reply left me speechless.

"No, it's alright. Fair does, he's a police dog and I'm a burglar. He's only doing his job. If I hadn't kicked at him he wouldn't have bitten me. It's my fault but if I'd managed to scare him off I'd have been 'Jack the Lad' down the pub when I told all my mates about it. I tried it on and I lost so its fair enough. You've got a good dog there." (I already knew that)!

The prisoner was taken to the police station so that I could finish the search of the warehouse in case he wasn't on his own. Having concluded the search I went to the Custody Suite to deal with my prisoner. On my arrival he was being documented and a Doctor had been called to deal with his injuries. Our conversation continued:-

"How's your leg?"
"So so, quite painful but it's an occupational hazard isn't it?"
"The Doctor will be here soon to see you."
"Thanks. Do you know, there's only one thing that pisses me off about you and your dog?"
"What's that?"
"Well, when he bit me, he tore my new jeans."
"I'm very sorry about that."

And then with a huge grin he said,

"Yeah, do you know I only bought these jeans a couple of weeks ago with a stolen credit card?"

When he appeared at Court he pleaded guilty and apologised "For upsetting the Police Dog." If all criminals were like that life would be a lot better for Police and offenders alike. Even better Lawyers wouldn't be so rich.

Criminals have a saying, "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime". I would add "If you can't take the bite, you'd better do it right!"

Dogs For Hire

Yes it's true. Can't be bothered to take responsibility for a dog but want all the positive aspects of dog ownership? Why not just rent one when the fancy takes you? Perhaps there's someone you find attractive that you often see walking their dog? The obvious answer is to hire a pooch then you can 'bump into' your hearts desire while out walking 'your' dog. You get into conversation and live happily ever after. Except of course the dog. They have to go back to the hire centre to await the next client.

This business is already in existence in California and was reported in yesterdays Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail :-

Dog lovers who do not have the time or space to keep a full-time pet are being offered the chance to hire a part-time one. Marlena Cervantes supplies dogs by the day or the weekend, and says her service, FlexPetz, is like a holiday time-share."Our members are responsible in that they realise full-time ownership is not an option," said Miss Cervantes, 32, a behavioural therapist who came up with the idea when working with animals and autistic children. The service is currently available in Los Angeles and San Diego, but Miss Cervantes hopes to open in London by the end of the year. Members pay an annual fee of £50, a monthly subscription of £25, and £20 per visit by "their" dog. The fees include leads, bowls, beds and food which are supplied for every trip.Miss Cervantes says her dogs ideally are shared by only two or three "owners", and live in a kennel the rest of the time. Student Shari Gonzalez, 22, who lives in a small flat, shares a black labrador called Jackpot which spends one day every weekend with her."I never even thought that was a possibility," she said. "I thought you either owned a dog or you didn't." One of Jackpot's other "owners", Jenny Goddard, who is married with a six-year-old son, said the dog encourages the family to spend more time together outdoors."He is so friendly and playful that people are surprised he is a rental dog," she said.Miss Cervantes has ten rental dogs including Afghan hounds, labradors and Boston terriers. "They get undivided attention from our members because it is the only time they have together," she said.

That says it all you would think but no, there's more. Where do they get their dogs from? The answer is that most if not all of these unfortunate animals are rescue dogs and probably cost Miss Cervantes nothing except possibly a small donation to the rescue centre. That might be a shrewd business move but is it ethical?

Let's examine what's going on here. A dog who, let's not forget, is a pack animal. Has already had a bad start in life perhaps they were abused, abandoned had 'behavioural problems' that their previous owners were unable or unwilling to resolve or, if they were 'lucky' perhaps their owner died. In any event the dogs find themselves in a centre full of other stressed dogs. They are then passed on to Miss Cervantes who 'trains them' before hiring them out.

Most of these rescue centres give as their main aim, 'Animal Welfare with a view to rehoming.' How they they can justify passing animals that are already 'damaged goods' to be moved around from pillar to post, and from pack to pack, to be rented and returned at a whim just to make a profit is beyond me.

Do these people listen to themselves? 'Miss Cervantes says her dogs ideally are shared by only two or three owners", and live in a kennel the rest of the time.' And that's the ideal is it Miss Cervantes? The already traumatised dog who has no reason to trust humans is only moved between three changing locations or is kept in a kennel. Hmmm some good bonding able to take place there. I would like to know what proportion of these dogs fall into the 'ideal' classification and even more important what happens to those who don't. Do they get shared by five people, ten people or are they the workshop spare available for hire if someone's already booked your favourite out for a week. Perhaps they wanted to go hiking? Another quote which has a large amount of truth in it even if the speaker didn't realise it at the time. Student Shari Gonzalez, 22, who lives in a small flat, shares a black labrador called Jackpot which spends one day every weekend with her."I never even thought that was a possibility," she said. "I thought you either owned a dog or you didn't." You're absolutely right Miss Gonzalez so what are you doing playing with a dogs emotions?

If these people want to have a relationship with dogs but can't do it full time then they can volunteer to help at their local rescue centre that way everybody wins and hopefully the dogs have only one kennel experience before being properly rehomed. If someone just wants a dog as a toy or fashion accessory purely because they can afford it then I say. That's a hell of a price to pay just to be stylish.

When I first picked up on this story I was going to title this post 'Only in America' or 'Only in California' and then I saw that this Lady is bringing her business to London. I think we all know the type of person who will be using her services. Should she be allowed to start trading. I wonder whereabouts in Chelsea, Notting Hill or Islington she'll set up shop?

The duty of every right minded person, dog owner or not, is to ensure that rescue centres in the UK do not pass on any animal to a commercial venture. They should also object to their Local Authority if any like minded business tries to start trading in their area.

This business is wrong in every way and must not be allowed to succeed.

Dead Dogs in Dublin Now, All Ireland Tomorrow?

It never ceases to amaze me the utterley stupid and harmful ideas local councillors come up with, apparantly without engaging their thought processes.

This time it is the Labour Dublin City Council who have decided that eleven breeds of dogs (and any mixed breed that has any part of the banned breeds in their makeup) are banned from all Council properties and estates forthwith. The breeds include German Shepherds and Rotweillers. The Council say they will allow a 'reasonable time' to allow owners to rehome their dogs after which period of grace the dogs will be destroyed.

This will not only affect Council tenants but presumably anyone wanting to walk their 'Proscribed Breed' in any of the Cities parks and open spaces. The reason given for this Stalinist behaviour is, that if a dog bit someone on council property the council might be liable for damages. If that is the case why only these selected breeds? Ask a Postman which dogs they are most wary of, it's not the breed it's the owner. So it's OK to be Savaged by a Spaniel, Lambasted by a Labrador or Bonked by a Beagle! It's a case of "If your names not on the list you CAN come in."

Whenever a politician comes up with an idea like this I suspect a hidden agenda and what do you know there is a 'Greater Plan'. When the 'Dublin Clearance' is complete they intend to extend it to cover the whole of Ireland. This of course will mean that any of these dogs that were rehomed from Dublin will be back on the death list unless they can be moved out of the country. Imagine eleven breeds of dogs banned from existing across a whole country on nil evidence but 'Just in case'.

Ireland has an appalling record in allowing 'puppy farming' where animals are kept in dreadful conditions and where do the 'Irish Staffies' come from that are bred for fighting (the clues in the name)? That's where their legislation should be aimed, close the puppy farms, lock up these evil people breeding and exporting fighting dogs and leave decent dog owners alone.

What are the Police, guide dogs for the blind, other assistance dogs, search and rescue teams or the Irish military going to do for working dogs?

Here's an idea. If Dublin Council have anti social tenants with or without dogs, no matter what breed, if any. Deal with them. Just deal with them. If you don't have the legislation in place then pass some. You were quick enough to come up with this stupid idea.

Just a thought, I wonder when the next election is? I wonder how many dog owners there are in Dublin? I wonder how many across Ireland? And most of all I wonder how they are going to enforce this and where they are going to get the staff to do it, it really will be a 'Dead End Job'

Radio Interview for Cruel Gadget Campaign

I did a short bit on Fred Marden's breakfast show on BBC Southern Counties Radio on the 27th April to raise awareness of my campaign for IDOD.

Listen here.

The quality is not great but it gives a flavour of what we are attempting to do.

Does Your Dog Wag To The Left Or Right?

Scientists never tire of researching all manner of bizarre things, often with little or no benefits resulting from the outcome.

This weeks 'What Was the Point Of That Trophy' Goes to the Italian scientists who after much research have 'discovered' that dogs react with different body language indications with their tails, depending on whether they're happy or not!

Dogs that are happy such as when seeing their owner apparantly wag their tails with a right hand bias. On the other hand, dogs that are unsure of the situation, or on the edge of 'flight mode'. Yes you've guessed it. They favour a more left styled wag!

At first thought it could, of course, be useful because many people think that wagging tail=happy dog, wrong!! All that a dog tells you by wagging its tail is that it is in a heightened state of awareness. It may be considering a number of options such as licking you to death, biting you, running away or any number of other behaviours. So,it would great if by just looking at the dogs rear end you could assess his moods and intentions.

This is where the benefits of this research become a little less obvious. The bias is so subtle that it requires video analysis to detect. It is not obvious enough for you to make an on the spot risk assessment at the time. Not a lot of use for the postman then!

It is however an interesting piece of work, all knowledge is beneficial but as a 'hands on tool' it has a long way to go.

You can see a short videoclip here.

Amnesty For Cruel 'Training Aids'

Recently I did a consultation with a really nice family and their two dogs, one twelve months the other seven months. They were of good temperament and eager to please but very exuberant. They moved around the house like a tornado and climbed all over people, family and visitors alike. Common problems that can be dealt with in a stress free way using Amichien Bonding. That was where I came in.

We had the consultation and put in place measures to address all issues raised. During the course of the consultation I was told that they had tried several other 'training' methods including the dogs being sent away for 'residential training' which involved not only the high cost of such techniques but also the sale of 'essential', extra 'specialist 'equipment for continuation training. Some so called trainers take the concern and commitment many owners have for their dogs as a licence to print money.

When the consultation was over the client showed me a piece of equipment he had been sold by one of these trainers. This piece of kit goes under a number of names 'German Collar', 'Pinch Collar' 'Prong Collar' and 'Spiked Collar' to use the most common. The client told the trainer that he didn't want it (he'd already been charged for it). The trainer responded that he wouldn't make progress without it, (so what had been happening at the residential training?). The client told the trainer that he thought such equipment cruel, and would not use it. And then the trainer came out with a real gem, he explained that it is not at all cruel but, 'just replicates the gentle but firm way that a bitch picks up a puppy'!!

I was given this unwanted piece of equipment, to take it out of circulation and to highlight the widespread use of such cruel methods.

For those of you out there lucky enough to have not seen such equipment in action let me explain how it is used. The chain is placed around the dogs neck spikes facing inwards, with a little bit of free play and then attached to a lead. The dog is then taken for a walk or put through training exercises. If at any time the handler feels that the dog needs correction he pulls the lead as quickly and as hard as he can. The chain rapidly tightens around the dogs neck and the spikes (or prongs as the users prefer to call them because "They're not that sharp") not only stick into the neck but at the same time pinch large areas of flesh between the quickly closing spikes (as I prefer to call them). The dog screams and is traumatised.

The end justifies the means say the supporters of this, and other brutal methods of 'training'. "Next time he'll do as he's told" they say. I suppose that I would be obedient if someone tried to rip my head off and dug bits of metal against my spinal column and windpipe. But would I like or respect the person who did it to me? Of course not. Would I work as hard as I could and to the best of my ability for that person? Of course not. Would I, given the opportunity rip that persons heart out and show it to them while it was still beating? You betcha!!

Another means of using this collar is when 'teaching' a dog not to chase. They may run over to see another dog in the park or maybe chase a cyclist or jogger. These are of course behaviours that are unacceptable but there are humane methods of dealing with them. When using the spiked collar to 'cure' this problem you once again put the collar on the dog. instead of a lead you fasten a long, strong rope or nylon line (15/20 yards) which you tie to a tree or metal post. You then set up a situation which sparks the chasing behaviour such as a jogger running close to but just out of range of the limit of the line. The dog runs, and on reaching the end of the line the collar tightens, the spikes dig in and as an added bonus the dog is flipped onto his back. In fairness I have to say this works, I have seen dogs so 'cured' that when anything is placed around their neck they urinate involuntarily and refuse to move in case some wants to 'cure' them of something else! What a way to treat mans best friend.

As you may have read in some of my previous posts there are many other cruel pieces of 'training equipment' out there which really shouldn't exist in a civilised country. Electric collars, mustard sprays, citrus sprays etc etc.

April 29th 2007 is the second International Day of the Dog when Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' and her 'Associate Dog Listeners' try to raise peoples awareness of Canine Welfare in general and the prevention of Cruelty and Bullying in particular, by the use of a variety of events and publicity.

My goal for this years 'IDOD' is to encourage owners using such 'Training Aids' first of all to STOP and THINK and then hopefully STOP USING THEM. Most pet owners are not cruel, they only want the best for their dogs. They hit a problem and get misled by some quick talking salesman or carefully worded advert which tells them that if they buy product X it will solve all their problems in one quick fix. Because they care about their dogs but are panicked by some behaviour problem they find themselves the owner of the latest gadget which generally promises much but delivers little, if anything, to help either dog or owner.

I hope to go a little further than just getting people to stop using this equipment. My intention is to get people to hand in such equipment to such places as Vets Surgeries and Local Authority Dog Wardens rather like the gun and knife amnesties when people can leave weapons in a box at Police Stations, no questions asked. The intent would be the same. To take harmful equipment out of circulation. and to let people make a committment that they will no longer accept the use of such barbaric methods in the name of training.

I am the process of contacting Vets, local papers, radio and other potential interested parties asking for their support. Watch this space. If you have any ideas or can offer support in any way it would be great to hear from you.

Of course you don't have to wait until 29th April to stop using this equipment, you can do it today! If you don't want to make the trip to, or don't have a collection point near you just let me know that you've disposed of your equipment (and what it was) so that we can monitor our progress.

In an ideal world we would see all such equipment discarded but, if on 30th April, only one person has stopped using it then it will mean that at least one dog will not live their life in fear or risk permanent physical or psychological damage. That'll do for a start.

Dogs Are Good For You, Official

Yes it's true. Scientists have now proved what every dog owner has always known.

Researchers at Queens University, Belfast found that dog owners had lower cholesterol and blood pressure, fewer minor physical ailments, and were less likely to to develop serious medical problems.

It is believed that dogs directly our wellbeing by buffering us from stress, one of the major risk factors associated with ill health.

I know from experience that when serving as a Police Dog Handler I would often be involved in high stress situations and witness some truly awful sights. When the situations were resolved I would go for a walk with my dog and the stress would just melt away. If the medical world could put that into a pill we could close a lot of psychiatric wards.

Dr. Deborah Wells said "The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contact, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."

She also found that people that took dogs or cats from rescue centres noticed a decrease in minor ailments a month after their visit.

Strangely it was noted that after ten months, only the dog owners maintained the improvements in their health. Cat owners returned to their pre-cat fitness level.

Dogs are also known to act as early warnings in cases such as cancer and epilepsy.

So, if you're not feeling good, get a dog. If you've moved to a new neighbourhood, get a dog. You'll get to meet people, find your way about the area and get fit. Most of all, get a dog and it will make you a better person.

What would be a really good idea once you've got your dog would be to book a consultation with me. That would cause not only you to be relaxed but your dog as well.

Why Only In Scotland?

At long last steps are being taken to outlaw the horrendous and cruel 'Dog Training Aid' The electric collar.

This piece of equipment is used by bullies who get some sort of kick out of hurting an animal, by ignorant people looking for a 'quick fix' and sadly by caring but frustrated owners who get told that it doesn't hurt the dog. If the dog doesn't feel it why would you use it? Why don't you just understand why a dog is exhibiting a particular behaviour?

I was at first heartened when I read that a law is being formulated to outlaw the use of such collars. And then, I read that this will only apply in Scotland! So it's alright to torture animals in England and Wales but not North of the border. Stupid, stupd, stupid, all that will happen is that Scottish 'Trainers' will just ship dogs over the border for 'remedial' work.

Most of the Cabinet are Scottish as well as a disproportionate number of Government M.P.s, so how do they square their consciences with such a horrific anomaly? The last time I looked (but probably not for much longer) we were still the United Kingdom. Lets act like it, this is not a matter that divides political parties or home Countries, it is just a matter of common decency. Doing nothing is not an option. Doing nothing is SHAMEFUL!!

Headbutting Dogs

Well it's finally happened, the lunatics have taken over the asylum. I read with horror in the newspapers that North Wales Police are going to muzzle their dogs to protect suspects from bite injuries. Instead the dogs are going to be trained to butt the suspect!

Why? You might ask yourself, I certainly did. Well of course it's to safeguard the suspects human rights and to reduce compensation claims.

Lets deal with his human rights first. To have put himself in a situation in which he comes into conflict with the Police the suspect must have already have violated someone elses human rights but hey, the victims don't count in this golden age of 'Tough on Crime, Tough on the Causes of Crime'. The victims are not going to be awarded legal aid to complain about the system that has left them injured or afraid to walk the streets of their own country. There's no money for that, there's lots of 'outreach' projects that need funding and they must take priority. The rest of us will just have to work a lot harder so that we can pay more taxes to fund the benefits and Legal Aid system. It would be just awful if the yobs of this world had to take any responsibility for anything, (sorry, sorry, very insensitive of me. I forgot, we're not allowed to use the word yob in case it lowers their self esteem). Sod it. I don't do sensitivity.

If our suspect commits a crime and comes into contact with a Police dog and handler in any situation there's one thing that is constant and that we need to remember. If he gets bitten it is due to his behaviour during the interaction between handler and suspect. In essence the suspect has CHOSEN to be bitten. If an aggressive person approaches a handler and his dog he will be told to back off. If he continues to advance he will be bitten and that is how it should be. If the dog is muzzled how is he to protect himself, his handler and the public? In a major public order situation once the crowd realise that the dog is muzzled he ceases to be a major asset and becomes a liability. I have personal experience of such a situation. A very large group of drunken and violent serving and ex-soldiers were out of control, the army wanted to deal with the situation themselves and turned out the guard which included a dog and handler however the dog was muzzled and the handler was refused permission to remove it. Both dog and handler were jostled and taunted and the dog was kicked. I got my dog from the van and as soon as the mob saw his teeth they found urgent need to be elsewhere, end of problem. In situations where the dog works away from his handler such as chasing a fleeing offender or engaging an armed criminal he does so without a collar so that when he makes contact there is nothing for the offender to get hold of. With a muzzled dog we give the offender the perfect handle to hold the dog at bay or even injure or kill him. It would be so easy to hold the muzzle with one hand and stab with the other. A hell of a price to pay for being stylish. A Police dog handler will in every event 'challenge' a suspect before deploying his dog. He is given every chance to comply and only if he keeps on running, refuses to put the weapon down or in some other way poses a threat to public safety will the dog be sent. Even then if he stops before the dog reaches him, the dog will not bite but circle and bark to contain the suspect until the arrival of the handler. To say that his human rights have been infringed is a nonsense. Before deploying his dog now under 'HumanRights Policy' the handler is supposed to ask himself six questions including "Are there human rights issues involved in what I am about to do?"; "Would the restrictions to an individuals rights be proportionate to the legitimate aim I hope to achieve?": and, (my favourite) "Have I documented my decision-making process?" I would suggest that they add another question "How do I remove this knife that someone has planted in my ribs while I was documenting my decision-making process?"

Compensation. There's a word that will bring a smile to a criminal's face. They know that if they complain about almost anything and ask for less than £5000 they will be paid off even if as in almost all cases the allegation is wholly false or, even worse, they admit the offence but still complain. The policy seems to be, probably following Home Office guidelines, that in cases of £5000 or less it is cheaper to pay out than to defend the case in court even if the good guys win. The reason of course is that the criminal will get legal aid (that's you and me paying) and the Police side will be paid for out of taxes, (that's you and me again). The sheer effrontery of these people is amazing "I was trying to stop the Police arrest a friend (at an affray where machetes had been waved) I kicked a Police dog and he bit me" What happens to the complainant? Is he charged with Assault on Police, Cruelty to animals, Obstructing Police or Threatening Behaviour all of which he admitted? Of course not, the Crown Prosecution Service deem it not in the 'Public Interest'. The Officer is on the other hand, taken to a custody suite in a Police Station and interviewed under caution by a Superintendent and Detective Sergeant over allegations of assault (because we must be seen to be accountable). There then follows a wait of some months with the threat of prosecution hanging over the Officer before eventually it is decided that there is no case to answer. If only someone had some guts and decided that the next ten spurious claims would be defended whatever the cost then we would see an end to this milking of the system.

My hope is that one day operational Police Officers will be given a say in deciding operational policies. So often decisions are made by people who flit from department to department, moving up a rank with each move. They talk of business plans but forget that the business they are in is called Policing and their shareholders are the British Public not politically motivated minority pressure groups. They need to be reminded that nobody has to be arrested and that nobody has to be bitten. But, if you break the Law and take on a Police dog you are very stupid and the outcome will not be in doubt.

What's in a name?

I've been thinking over the last couple of weeks with reference to the recent spate of bad publicity about dog attacks on people. These have been a godsend to the anti-dog lobby. When I looked back over the many years that I've been involved in both dogs and law enforcement I realised that there was, in many cases, a common thread running through dogs involved in violent incidents.

That common factor was not as you might think breed but name. So many of these dogs have aggressive names given to them by their owners. Tyson, Killer, Fang, Rooney, Ripper, Storm. I even knew a particularly unpleasant character who had two large dogs called Ronnie and Reggie after the Kray twins.

You have to ask, do the owners give their dogs macho names because they want a dog that is looking for trouble because they are themselves are rather inadequate? I recently had a client who was concerned following the Leicester Rottweiler attack. She had a Rottweiler/Japanese Akita X. She just wanted as a responsible dog owner to ensure that she was doing the right thing. Both by her dog and any humans she interacted with. It is easy to make presumptions before meeting a dog and if I'd just said that with that mix of breeds there would be aggression issues it would have been a wholly wrong assessment. When I asked the dogs name and was told 'Wilma' I just knew that these owners were not the type to have a land shark. I did the consultation, there were as always, issues to be addressed but the family were delightful and Wilma was a real sweetie. When have you ever heard of someone being savaged by a dog called Cecil?

All of my Police Dogs would go into any situation and take the world on if that was what was required but would far rather chill out at home or on a nice country walk. They didn't have to prove anything to themselves or anyone else. They had really butch names such as Ben, Acco, Gaspode (named after a scruffy talking dog in 'Moving Pictures' by Terry Pratchett), Cocoa, Jack and Bramble.

It just goes to support my long held view that it's not dogs who need a licence but the prospective owners. They should be assessed for suitability before being allowed to take on a dog but the I suppose that would infringe their 'Human Rights'. Never mind the rights of the poor old dog who is often discarded when he is no longer 'Hard Enough' or a new breed becomes fashionable within certain groups in society.

It is not only dog owners who stereotype by name. There was the time in the course of my Police service when I had cause to speak to woman living one of the rougher areas of my patch. She had eight sons and when I asked their names replied "Duane" When I asked what the others were called she replied "Duane, they're all called Duane. It makes it easier you see." I then asked the obvious question "What do you do if you want to speak to a particular Duane?" "Oh that's easy" She replied. "I just call his surname!"

Devil Dogs!!!!......Or Are They?

Following the recent tragic incident in Leicester in which a five month old baby was killed by two Rottweilers in a pub, there has been a huge amount said and written about such animals. I do not intend to talk about the specifics of this case as it is still under investigation, a inquest has yet to be held and therefore it would be inappropriate to do so.

Having said that, one thing is clear. There were three victims in this case, the baby and the two dogs. All three victims are now dead. Whenever dogs are confused and are given the role of 'Decision Maker' in their family group or 'pack' the likelihood of confrontational situations is increased. When the dogs are large dogs then that confrontation can turn to tragedy.If you are going to own a dog you have a responsibility to ensure that your dog is safe and under control at all times. NEVER leave a young child alone with a dog whatever its size.

As soon as news of this tragedy became public we had the expected knee-jerk reaction. Put down all rottweilers, Outlaw all large dogs, Muzzle all dogs, All dogs must go 'for training', Bring back Dog licences etc. etc.

We need to think this through. We should have learnt by now that law made in haste is almost always 'bad law'. What is going to be classified as a 'Large Dog'. What are the Police, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Gamekeepers, to name but a few essential groups going to use? "Police Officer with a dog! Put the knife down now or I'll send the Pomeranian!!!". No, I'm sorry it doesn't have quite the street cred about it. Visually impaired people bent double being guided by Chihuahuas? It's a non starter.

If all dogs are to be trained then to what standard? Who is going to do it? How are we to be sure that these people have the skills and experience needed. At the moment anybody can set themselves up as a dog trainer with nil credentials (and many do). A local hall can be hired and away you go. If the dog does not respond well you can just tell the owner that the dog is 'over the top' or 'untrainable' and should be put down. The usual remedy for failed traditional methods is castration, they never seem to have an answer if you ask what you should cut off of a bitch to improve their behaviour. Let us be clear on this matter. Castration will never cure behavioural problems, in most cases it will make it worse. Why not save your dog from a needless surgical procedure with all the attendant risks, the resultant imbalance in testosterone in his body. If that doesn't influence you then why not just save yourself a large vets bill?

Dog licences. How is that going to help? Is the tattooed neanderthal who uses his poor dog(s) as an extension of, (or substitute for), his manhood going to line up at the post office to comply? Only the responsible owners will dutifully pay a few more pounds in yet another tax. The irresponsble will carry on as before.

Who is going to police all this new legislation? The Police don't have the resources to do it. The R.S.P.C.A. have nowhere near enough staff. One Government Minister when asked this question said that the local Council Dog Warden could take on the job!! Of course there would be no more money or resources from central Government the cost would have to be borne by the council tax payer. No change there then.

We need to cut through all the hysteria and make it clear to everybody that if they have a dog of any age, breed or gender, neutered or intact then it is their responsibility to ensure that the dog knows his place in the scheme of things and is never allowed to think that they are the decision makers. that way lies tragedy. Ask any postman which breeds are most prone to bite, you might be surprised. Trying to pin the blame on specific breeds will not work. Any dog can bite, any dog can be a sweetie. The only reason that breed makes a difference is that a bite from a large dog will cause more damage than one from a small dog.

Is there a way that a responsible dog owner could understand why a dog acts and reacts the way it does in every aspect of day to day life? It's funny that you ask that, the answer is as always Amichien Bonding. Please read the rest of my blog and visit my website to learn more.