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Once again we come to the end of the year. It seems like only twelve months since the last one. Much has happened in 2009 mostly good but a few low points. There have been breavements of family and friends but the imminent arrival of a new Grandchild shows the cycle of life continues. The last year has shown me the vital importance of making a will and letting someone know where it is. It’s too late when you’ve gone.
In the dog world there have also been ups and downs. More horrific attacks usually by ’status dogs’ that have, in some cases, ended in death. The specific breed is usually blamed but it’s not the poor dogs fault it’s what we, the human race, top of the food chain, have done to the dog. How we’ve bred it, how we keep and treat it and why we choose a particular dog. Any breed of dog is capable of aggression indeed, probably the most fearsome dog I’ve dealt with pound for pound, or should that be ounce for ounce? Was a chihuahua. Had it been Labrador size or larger it would have been lethal. Did we mend it? Of course. You’ll notice I say ‘we’ because I can do nothing on my own. If the owners don’t play their part then we’ll never make progress. Happily most of my clients do what is required and with the ongoing support that they receive they reach a positive outcome.
When choosing a new dog, decide what you want it for. There are a multitude of breeds in a variety of sizes out there, not to mention the mixed breeds. What is your lifestyle, do you live in a house or flat, town or country? Do you have children or are you intending to in the near future? Are you active or is a lap dog for you? What size of dog will fit into your home without making it too cramped? Answer these questions before you even think about what breed you will buy. Once you’ve picked a breed you think would be suitable, research it thoroughly and then find a good breeder. Don’t make the decision on your own unless you live alone. You’ll no doubt want other family members to do their share of walking, feeding and grooming. If so they are entitled to some input before you buy.
Be aware also of the public’s perception of various breeds, all Labradors are friendly, all Jack Russells are snappy and perhaps the most commonly held belief at present, all Pitbulls, Staffies and other ‘Bull’ breeds are baby killers. This is of course grossly unfair but is an attitude not helped by many of the owners of such breeds. All stereotypes have some basis in fact and it is a sad truth that a certain type of person will always want a ’status dog’.
Like clothes and music, dogs go out of fashion. When I was younger, the dog of choice for those wanting a manhood extension was the German Shepherd or ‘Alsatian’ as they were known then. This caused all the decent owners of the breed to be tarred with the same brush. Other dog owners would cross the road to avoid them, smaller dogs would be picked up and cuddled when a GSD left their home in the next County. Little dogs would snarl and bare their teeth at the mellow GSD and the small dogs owners would not apologise or do something about their dogs behaviour, but instead would say “He was attacked by an Alsatian!” So that’s alright then. The GSD owner was then expected to feel guilty because someone elses dog was out of control. The GSD went out of fashion and in came the Doberman followed by the Rottweiller then the Pitbull. Of course when the Pitbull was made illegal, overnight there were a lot of large Staffies on harnesses. At the end of a chain big enough to moor an ocean liner you would often see a shaven headed youth with ‘Vacant’ tatooed across his forehead. Another blow to the responsible owner of the breed.
So get the breed you want as long as you’ve researched it thoroughly. Get a Staffie if you want, I know some delightful members of the breed. But, if you do choose a Staffie, be prepared to be stereotyped as a drug dealer or gang member. You must also be aware that a dog on dog confrontation in the park will be perceived very differently by both other dog owners and the courts when the dog involved is a bull breed as opposed to say a Lab or spaniel. I’m not trying to put you off, just make sure that the dog you get is the one that will fit in with you and your family. He or she is going to be with you for a long time so it makes sense to get it right.
We know that there are dogs in need around the world. Luckily there are many good people and organisations working to alleviate these problems. Here in the UK we probably have more such as in other parts of the world although of course there are never enough.
In Australia we have colleagues www.doglistenersdownunder.com.au who are doing amazing work in all fields of canine welfare. You may recall the dreadful Victoria bushfires a short time ago. People and dogs lost their lives and homes and many of those who survived suffered terrible burns. There was treatment for the humans but no infrastructure in place for the dogs particularly for those parted from their owners. Dog Listeners swung into action and were the driving force in the rescue and treatment of these dogs. This is still a work in progress but Lynne (who I met during my recent visit) and the gang will be there for as long as it takes.
This morning on the Australian Dog Listeners Forum I read about ‘Lacey’ and it really touched me. I know that we can’t, as much as we would like to, help every dog. I know that Australia is a long way away, but due to the huge size of the country and the proportionately small population they can’t have the same number of suitably funded shelters that we have. I also know that times are hard for everyone, unless you’re an MP. Just read Lacey’s story below and if you can help it would be wonderful. If you can’t we understand. For your information an Australian Dollar equates to about 50p.
LACEY’S STORY
Hello, my name is Lacey and I am eight years old. I came to Golden Retriever Rescue because I am not wanted by my owners as they are having a new baby. I have lived in the yard all my life without a bed or shelter and when I arrived at GRR I was filthy and my gorgeous golden coat and tail were full of knots. However, Wendy and Trisha looked on the inside and found a special quality in me that touched their hearts. They also noticed that I had difficulty moving around but I was so happy to be living in Goldie headquarters that I didn’t mind the pain. Life was certainly getting better by the moment.
Going through the assessment process at GRR I was bathed and groomed but a vet check, followed by x-rays showed that I have the worst case of hip dysplasia the vet has seen in his career. GRR’s vet said that I should have my x-rays placed in a text book and here I was thinking that it was because of my cute smile. My x-rays show that I have no sockets for my hips and I have been taking the pressure on my knees causing one to deteriorate to the point that I need a knee as well. No wonder walking was so painful. Goldie Rescue was given the difficult decision to put me to sleep. Wendy and Trisha thought long and hard because there are so many Goldies that they need to help, but they just couldn’t put an end to my life without me ever having the chance to know what it is like to be pain free and part of a loving family, so it’s new hips for me. GRR’s vet calls it bilateral hip replacement and I know that the recovery will be long and painful but it will be wonderful to walk and run again.
GRR has been in debt for over eight years and it seems that it’s only the depth that varies, but the surgery to give me two new hips will cost approximately $6,000 and Goldie Rescue wants to continue to help other Goldies that come to them for help. It’s not all about me you know.
GRR has found a special family to care for me during my long and difficult recovery and now they need to find the money to pay for my surgery and that’s where you come in. If you would like to donate towards my operation please go to the Donate page found on the top right hand corner of the website or simply send a cheque made out to Golden Retriever Rescue Inc.
Thank you for reading my story and whether you decide to donate or simply wish me a speedy recovery I’m happy to know that there are people out there who care enough to hold me in their thoughts. That’s a whole lot more than I’ve experienced in my life so far.
GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE INC.
www.grr.org. au
P O Box 4081 Oatley West NSW 2223
My old website had a page with some of my favourite doggy quotes and poems. It got lost in the recent move, so I’ll include them here as a blog post instead.
If you have anything similar to share, please add a comment below!
“Old age means realising you will never own all the dogs you wanted to.”
Joe Gores
“In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.”
Edward Hoagland
“The more I see of men, the more I like dogs.”
Madame de Stael
“No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as a dog does.”
Christopher Morley
“The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, he will make a fool of himself too.”
Samuel Butler
“A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.”
Robert Benchley
“I don’t understand, he’s never, ever, done that before!!”
Everyone who’s ever had a dog
A Road Safety Poem
Little doggie
Busy street
Motor car
Mincemeat
Anon
GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT
Trust in me my friend for I am your comrade.
I will protect you with my last breath.
When all others have left you
And the loneliness of the night closes in,
I will be at your side.
Together we will conquer all obstacles
And search out those who might wish harm to others.
All I ask of you is compassion,
The caring touch of your hands.
It is for you that I will selflessly give my life
And spend my nights unrested.
Although our days together
May be marked by the passing of the seasons
Know that each day at your side is my reward.
My days are measured by
The coming and going of your footsteps.
I anticipate them at the opening of the door.
You are the voice of caring when I am ill.
The voice of authority over me when I’ve done wrong.
Do not chastise me unduly
For I am your right arm,
The sword at your side.
I attempt to do only what you bid of me.
I seek only to please you and remain in your favour.
Together you and I shall experience
A bond only others like you will understand.
When outsiders see us together
Their envy will be measured by their disdain.
I will quietly listen to you
And pass no judgement
Nor will your spoken words be repeated
I will remain ever silent,
Ever vigilant, ever loyal.
And when our time together is done
And you move on in the world,
Remember me with kind thoughts and tales.
For a time we were unbeatable,
Nothing passed among us undetected.
If we should ever meet again on another field
I will gladly take up your fight.
I am a Police Working Dog and together
We are GUARDIANS of the NIGHT
Author Unknown
If It Should Be
If it should be that I grow weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle cannot be won.
You will be sad, I understand;
Don’t let your grief then stay your hand.
For this day more than all the rest,
Your love for me must stand the test.
We’ve had so many happy years -
What is to come can hold no fears.
You’d not want me to suffer so;
The time has come, so let me go.
Take me where my needs they’ll tend
But please stay with me until the end.
Hold me firm and speak to me
until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time that you will see
the kindness that you did for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Please do not grieve – it must be you
who had this painful thing to do.
We’ve been so close, we two, these years -
Don’t let your heart hold back its tears.
- Author Unknown -
With the launch of the ‘Association of PURE Dog Listeners’ and the website www.puredoglisteners.com we decided that my personal website was looking a little tired and so we’ve done the trendy thing and had a makeover and facelift (no botox), to give it a lighter look.
One of the great advantages of the new site is that I can do quite a lot of the work myself whereas before, as a confirmed Luddite I had to keep bothering my IT guru for the simplest things. This has stopped him changing his phone number, at least for a while. This is still a work in progress as I’m now running two websites along similar lines that are complementary but have their own identities.
I hope you like it, I’m very happy with it and look forward to improving it as I learn. As always, if you have any comments I will be happy to hear from you.
As you may have read on previous blogs my new puppy is called Phoenix, this is a very appropriate name with it’s connection with rebirth and rising from the ashes.
I have for some time now been working as an ‘Associate Highly Recommended Dog Listener’ under the umbrella of the Jan Fennell Dog Listeners organisation. it has been a very fruitful collaboration but for sometime now I have felt that it was perhaps time to move to a smaller operation where I would know everyone involved both as a person and also their capabilities as a Dog Listener. The focus could be put back where it should be. On dogs and their owners.
I talked with a friend and colleague of mine (and a superb dog listener) Caroline Spencer and she felt the same way. We decided to set up a new association. What to call ourselves? We kicked a few ideas about and as a starter came up with ‘Caroline and Robin Animal Psychology’ but that would give the acronym ‘CRAP’. As Phoenix had arrived at such an opportune moment we thought we might use him as the face of the new company. How about Phoenix Independent Dog Listeners? But that gave us ‘PIDL’ not a very appealing acronym although certainly better than our first thoughts.
After a lot more thought we realised that the reason for this new venture was to keep what we do pure. Going to peoples homes and helping them and their dogs in their own safe place where we could really make a difference and bring their dogs to a happy and peaceful resolution. That was it. PURE Dog Listeners. We are at the moment working flat out doing the admin and we are still mending dogs. Nothing else has changed except that we are now a much tighter unit able to support one another at all times. It’s going to be an exciting time I feel revitalised.
A hectic week. Saturday afternoon return to the UK following flights in excess of 24 hours. Half nine Sunday morning off to the New Forest to pick up Phoenix my new puppy (I didn’t drive). Would he still be cute? Of course, even more so.
I brought him home to meet the family including two and a half year old grandson. He settled in right away. Tom and Katie the cats were not too sure but decided on a state of armed truce. Katie has accepted the situation now but Tom’s holding out for a better offer.
 It’s been a major upheaval for Phoenix, leaving his mum and littermates, moving to a new pack, a new place to sleep, working out where he fits into this situation. this is where dog listening comes into its own because we can communicate in a way that he will understand. Already he is happy and settled, no problems with eating, sleeping or toileting. If he has any questions he looks to me or my wife to know the answer and of course we must, he is not able to be a decision maker.
He’s been to the vets and had a check-up and his first jabs and so will soon be able to go out. I will be working with him at home before the big day so that he is not overwhelmed when it happens. He will be taught not to pull on the lead and he will be happy with that. Firstly because he’ll be taught in a non-confrontational way with no cruel gadgets and because he’ll want to stay with me as a credible leader. A lot of work ahead but also a lot of fun.
Here I am back home after three weeks in Australia mainly spent on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland north of Brisbane. For those of you who’ve done the trip you’ll know just how far it is and what a huge country Australia is. I went with my wife Rosemary and we visited her sister and family who moved out there almost five years ago.
The hotel we stayed out was run by a man who bore more than a passing resemblance to Les Patterson, Dame Edna Everage’s alter ego or maybe it was him. Almost without exception we found the Australian people friendly and helpful. We saw so much out there, like Koalas in the wild, which many Australians say they’ve only seen in the zoo. It was while moving position to try to get a better picture of a Koala that I nearly walked at face level into a spider the size of a Pit Bull Terrier. I swear it curled it’s lips and growled at me. Ok, maybe it didn’t growl, but it certainly sneered in a really arrogant manner. The dingo was another animal I was pleased to see on it’s own continent. It was wolves in America last year, Dingoes in Australia this year. Maybe 2010 will be African Wild Dogs in the wild, although I have a policy not to go anywhere that requires me to have lots of injections, so perhaps I’ll make do with National Geographic channel instead. I’m certainly off to New York next year so maybe it’ll be hotdogs
We did visit Australia Zoo the home of the late Steve Irwin and his family. It’s a very well kept place and we watched the obligatory crocodile show in the ‘Crocatorium’ which was interesting and fronted by Steve Irwin’s widow and two children. The highlights for me though were discovering that they had a crocodile called Acco which was the name of my best police dog who had a similar bite. Also high on my list of favourites were the Tasmanian Devils who were dozing in the sun and looked really cute. Yes I know they’re not cute but I lived in hope that some of the people who tease animals might just find that out the hard way. Sadly it was not to be. And of course no mention of Australian animals would be complete without the Hairy Nosed Wombat. I felt a certain affinity with these creatures.
A major bonus on this trip was being able to meet Lynne and Jenny, two Australian colleagues, over a long lunch, during which we discussed all matters canine and how we saw Dog Listening developing across the globe. It was amazing that the same issues that were concerning dog listeners in Australia were being perceived in the same manner by many in the UK. A valuable meeting, email is a wonderful thing but you can’t beat being face to face with a beer in your hand to make a proper connection.
Things to do or not to do in Australia. Don’t buy confectionery it’s a ridiculous price. Don’t buy food to cook yourelf it’s a ridiculous price. Do eat out. The quality is very good, the portions generous, the service quick and friendly and the prices are very reasonable. We couldn’t understand why it cost so much for average groceries in a supermarket and yet you could go into a good restaurant get a superb meal with all the trimmings and then double check the bill because it couldn’t be that cheap. If I lived in Australia I would probably only use my kitchen to make drinks (coffee shops are dear) I would have all my main meals out. And on a closing note, in a bar or eating house if you ask advice on what Australian product they are very appreciative and give a little bit more care in their service. They are proud of their country and of being Australian and rightly so.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit but was anxious to get home because I had a puppy to pick up.
They say that everyone has one good book in them, I’m not sure that’s true but I’ve an ego as big as the next person and so have been writing mine. it’s a long way from complete as I keep getting diverted. There are always dogs and their owners to be helped and of course my own family to be considered so I write as and when I can, which is not very often.
Nobody is going to be interested in my early life which featured a happy but largely uneventful childhood. It becomes more of a story when I joined The Metropolitan Police in 1967 and patrolled Soho and Mayfair until moving to The Special Patrol Group at Scotland Yard in 1969. In 1975 I transferred to Hampshire Constabulary where after a short posting on the Isle of Wight I was posted to the Dog Section where I stayed until 2002 when I retired. I then took on my current role of Dog Listener.
My first decision has to be whether to write one huge book the size of war and peace or break it into two or three segments. I think I’ll opt for a book about my Dog Section and Dog Listening experiences because they run seamlessly into one another and at times ran parallel. If I get anywhere with publishers then I could follow up with a tome about my London experiences and believe me, they were experiences.
In the meantime I have an interest in a couple of books by other people. One written by an American colleague Kim Kapes and titled ‘From Wags to Riches‘ which features a little story that I told her about one of my dogs. Kim uses the story to illustrate a point. She also freely acknowledges the contributions made by myself and others to the book. I therefore have no hesitation in saying “Buy This Book”.
The second publication is a different matter. Some time ago myself and a colleague, Caroline Spencer www.yourdoglistener.com assisted an owner with some seriously traumatised dogs. We worked long and hard, travelled hundreds of miles all at our own expense and much of the time in the face of indifference and “I know best” from the owner. In the end we reached a happy resolution due almost entirely to the work put in by Caroline. I then heard that the owner had written a book about the dogs and his experiences. I was interested to see what he had to say about the turn around we’d achieved in the animals. I was sent a copy of the book by someone who knew the work we’d put in. I checked the index, nothing. I flicked through the pages hoping to catch a glimpse of Caroline’s or my name, nothing. When all fails, read the book. After ploughing through 299 pages. There we were, or rather we weren’t. It was at the stage of the story where the writer realised that he had a huge problem on his hands. He knew that the dogs needed and I quote. “Someone with huge patience to train them. I doubted there was anyone around who fitted that bill. Well apart from me that was” So that was that. Caroline and I didn’t exist. We weren’t after star billing or even a name check but just a mention that he’d received some help and hopefully how well our method was in dealing with traumatised dogs would have been nice. This would have had a positive result in encouraging readers who had similar problems to know that help was available. It’s no big deal but I admit to feeling a little, no that’s wrong, feeling very used and exploited. It would however be a sign of petulance and petty mindedness not to tell you the title of the book….so I won’t.
I went to see the litter from which I was to select my new Labrador puppy, provisionally named Phoenix, when the were three weeks old. It is a really good looking litter of three bitches (one black, two yellow) and four dogs (two black, two yellow). My preference was for a black dog but I wanted the best litter member regardless of gender or colour.
 I used a method of assessment and temperament testing known only to me and two Ecuadorian goat herders and selected a black dog who pefectly suited the name that I favoured. A week later I received a phone call from the breeder telling me that there was a problem with Phoenix. My heart sank. What was the problem? An injury, or worse still parvo virus? I was quickly reassured, he was perfectly healthy but had developed tan markings on his feet and a couple of small marks on his cheeks.  Stella, the breeder said that If I did not want Phoenix she would understand as some people will only accept ’solid’ colouring and because he was ‘mismarked’ he could not be registered with the Kennel Club. My response was that I’d selected him because he was the best dog in the litter and he would remain my choice whatever his colouring. Stella was very pleased with this but asked me to come down and have another look at him because the marking may become more pronounced and the next time I will see him is when I get back from Australia and collect him, when he’ll be eight weeks old.
I travelled down to the New Forest to see the changes a week can bring. He was bigger, fitter, stronger and as for the markings? I think they look great. It may offend the purists who have dogs just for show but I want a dog that will work for me but most of all be my mate. I think I’ll have that in Phoenix and of course he will be great company for Treacle.
For months now everything happening out there in the world and being covered in the press has been so depressing. It seems that they can only report on people such as ‘St Jade’, The Beckhams, Jordan and Peter Andre not forgetting Madonna and her divine right to adopt any child she wants because of who she is and the size of her bank balance. And now of course we have the scandal over expenses for MPs. Enough has been written about this by people far more eloquent than me and I’m sure that there’s more to come.
So it’s time for some good news. I’m getting a new puppy! Sadly due to the passage of time and the natural order of things all my dogs have gone to that great kennel in the sky. It leaves a huge void in any dog lovers life but to someone like me who spent every waking moment with their dogs at work and at home it’s indescribable. I find myself looking to my left hand side ready to give a little tickle on the top of the head and there’s nothing there.
I obviously urgently needed a new dog and have been looking. It’s got to be a good dog because it wouldn’t be fair to those dogs who have gone before to have second best. I’ve done my research and had a lot of disappointments but now everything has come right. A Labrador cuddle muffin called Phoenix, one of a litter of seven will be my new best mate. The timing of the birth couldn’t be better either. I am off to Australia shortly for a few weeks during which time I hope to meet some colleagues from the Southern Hemisphere and see some dingoes. On my arrival home it will be just the right time for Phoenix to leave the litter and come home with me. Once he’s had all his jabs we will be going to a remote cottage in Yorkshire for a break and there he will be able to play with my daughters chocolate Lab, Treacle. Exercise at this early age will of course be carefully monitored, he will still be a baby.
As with all my dogs, Phoenix will be raised using the kind, natural, non confrontational methods that I experimented with in the late 1970s but started really having great success in the mid 1980s which culminated in a Chief Constables Commendation in 1988. As you can see this is not a new method, canines of all sorts have been using it forever. It’s only in the past few years that we humans, top of the food chain and so much brighter than dogs (yeah right) have realised that we can interact and communicate with our best friends without bellowing and ripping their heads off.
In earlier posts on this blog there are some frightening video clips of a younger me with hair working a dog. I hope to have a video diary of Phoenix and his progress. Watch this space.
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Contact Phone me on 01252 650323 or use this form to send me an email.
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