Poodles linger longer

MINIATURE poodles are the longest living dogs in Britain – surviving for an average of 14.8 years, says a survey.

Miniature dachshunds are next (14.4 years), then whippets (14.3 years). Beagles, Bedlingtons, Cairn Terriers, Border Collies, Mongrels, Greyhounds, Jack Russells, Pekinese and Shetland sheepdogs average 13-plus years.

Did you know that dogs are trained to:

1. Lead the blind

2. Work with the gun

3. Carry work for disabled

4. Work for the police

5. Work with the Fire Service

6. Search for scent on water (for drugs and/or bodies)

7. Detect gas leaks

8. Passive drug search

9. Perform Air Sea and Rescue work

10. Work with sheep

11. Search for explosives and firearms

12. Search for missing persons

13. Shop for the disabled

14. Perform avalanche rescue work

15. Perform various types of military training

16. Perform Customs work…seeking out illegal food (in the US).

There are also dogs trained to search for the signs of dry rot in buildings.

Dogs are also trained to detect pregnancy, cancer cells, dry rot, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, low or high blood sugar, prevent stereotypical behaviours in people with autism, get people with Parkinson’s walking again when they lock up, stabilise people who are prone to either flashbacks or panic attacks from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and prevent self-mutilation bouts in psychiatric patients.

Whatever field of expertise you are in, I’m sure you would agree if you took someone without training and put them into your job they would be near hopeless. 

When you get a dog, you enter into an obligation to learn about that animal and to learn how to train it. Dogs learn about life as they go, but they need formal teaching to become useful members of our families. 

A dog neglected is like a child neglected, they will put their intellect to destructive uses if we do not give them a proper frame work to learn within. What excuse do you have not to train him? 

Your only possible excuse is you do not know how to. And that excuse is totally within your control…  it’s not the fault of your ‘dumb dog,’ it’s your responsibility.