PDSA Weekly Vet Q&As

Dear PDSA Vet, what's the best way to stop my Boxer Dog, Tyson, pulling on the lead? Jess

Hi Jess, Boxers are naturally full of energy, so it can be a challenge teaching them to walk on a lead as they often race to get ahead. You'll need patience as it can take some time. Find a calm place to practice walking with Tyson and use a front attaching harness and lead, as this will give you more control. Start walking and stop whenever he starts straining on the lead. When Tyson moves close enough for the lead to loosen, give him a treat and start walking again. Don't pull his lead back, just wait for him to stop pulling.  As with all training, make sure you positively reinforce good behaviour with lots of praise and a small, high value treat. When your dog is rewarded for a particular behaviour, they are much more likely to want to do it again – the tastier the reward, the more Tyson will enjoy and respond to training! Find out more here: www.pdsa.org.uk/dogs

Dear PDSA Vet, can my cat get sunburnt? Becca

Hi Becca, in short – yes! Sunburn not only affects people, but it affects our pets too. Our furry friends most commonly experience sunburn on their ears, nose, eyelids, and belly. It's important to protect them from the sun with sun cream as sunburn is incredibly painful. Any sun damage, even without sunburn can lead to skin cancer. If your pet has white or light skin patches that are exposed, even if they have a thin fur covering, you should use pet safe sun cream to protect them from the sun. Check out our vet-approved suncream here: https://pdsapetstore.org.uk/collections/sun-protection

Dear PDSA Vet, how do I stop my dog, Jack, jumping up when guests visit the house? Matt

Hi Matt, lots of dogs have a tendency to jump as a way of showing demand for affection and attention from any visitors. Instead of punishing their expressive behaviour, it's important to teach them to redirect it. You should teach Jack that putting their paw on you does not generate attention, but other behaviours like sitting and waiting patiently do. When he starts to jump up, cross your arms over your chest and turn your body away. Pay no attention if he continues to jump and walk away if he persists. When he stops, turn around and calmly praise your pooch. Giving attention and treats when paws stay on the ground reinforces this behaviour, which is a good house rule to implement.
 

Dear PDSA Vet, how should I introduce my dog to other dogs? Damien

Hi Damien, early socialisation with other animals, positive reinforcement training, and gradual introductions are crucial to ensure your dog maintains positive interactions with other animals throughout their life. You will need to expose them to other pets, people and their surroundings in a safe, controlled way, so your dog feels safe and secure. It sounds like your dog is an adult, so introduce other dogs on neutral territory. Make sure that first introductions are with dogs that you know are happy to be around others, so you may need to 'set up' a meeting with a friend's pet. Allow them to see each other from a safe distance and as long as they're both relaxed, allow them to get closer. Watch the body language of both dogs, if tensions seem to rise you should deflect their attention away from each other and walk them away. Keep the dogs on a lead for their first interaction, so that you can control a potentially sticky situation if it arises and give each dog plenty of space to allow them to sniff one another before interacting further. Once your dog becomes more confident in these situations, they should feel happier when coming across other dogs, always ask owners if their dogs are happy with other dogs before allowing your dog to introduce himself.