Baumber Peter - No walks? no worries!: maintaining wellbeing in dogs on restricted exercise

First published in paperback format in 2014

First published in eBook format in 2015

Veloce Publishing Limited, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3AR, England. Fax 01305 250479 e-mail .

Print ISBN: 978-1-845846-05-3

eBook ISBN: 978-1-845848-46-0

Sian Ryan, Helen Zulch and Peter Baumber & Veloce Publishing Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this publication may be recorded, reproduced or transmitted by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of Veloce Publishing Ltd. Throughout this book logos, model names and designations, etc, have been used for the purposes of identification, illustration and decoration. Such names are the property of the trademark holder as this is not an official publication.

Readers with ideas for books about animals, or animal-related topics, are invited to write to the editorial director of Veloce Publishing at the above address. Typesetting, design and page make-up all by Veloce Publishing Ltd on Apple Mac. eBook code and design produced in-house by Veloce Publishing Ltd.

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Since the first book, many more have been added to the list, all with the same underlying objective: to be of real benefit to the species they cover, at the same time promoting compassion, understanding and co-operation between all animals (including human ones!)

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Disclaimer

Please note that no puppy was deliberately frightened during photographic sessions. The images used to depict puppies feeling worried about specific situations were taken whilst the puppies were exploring the novel environment of the studio setup. These images were later modified to enable us to illustrate the points we wished to make. Please also note that all body language is context-specific, and individual signals can mean different things in different contexts.

Contents

Acknowledgements & Introduction

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all the dogs and owners who participated in the photo shoots for this book: we could not have done it without you. We are grateful for your patience, willingness to work to get the perfect shot, and the fun we had whilst shooting. Special thanks also to Vicarage Veterinary Centre, Saxilby, and Whitehouse Canine Hydrotherapy Centre, Lincoln, for your expertise and use of your facilities.

An off-lead romp provides your dog with mental and emotional, as well as physical, benefits.

Introduction

Youll need to keep him quiet for the next few weeks ... If youve heard these words from your vet, chances are, even if youre a very experienced dog owner, they caused immediate anxiety as you struggled to envisage how your eight-month-old bundle of Labrador energy, or your three-year-old mixed breed who accompanies you on a five-mile run every day, is going to take to this curbing of their activity. If thats the case, you are not alone: this is the reality for many dogs and their owners when a torn ligament, a degenerating joint, or some other illness or injury means that restricted activity is essential for recovery or pain management.

Experience in the field of problem behaviour has demonstrated to us that inappropriately managed restriction can have long term behavioural consequences for some dogs, and practical advice regarding appropriate management can be difficult to find. Therefore, the main aim of this book is to provide information for dog carers, as well as those working in the veterinary and paraveterinary fields, to help you and your dog manage, and even enjoy, a period of exercise restriction.

Other dogs may also benefit from the information in this book. For example, if your dog is older, you may have noticed that his physical capabilities have changed, and he may benefit from a shift in emphasis away from the physical to meet his needs for activity and enrichment. The book offers advice and support for his altered activity levels, too.

Likewise, you may have a dog for whom going on a walk is so stressful that his welfare is impacted by this daily outing, so restricted walking could form part of a treatment plan for your dog to help him overcome his fears or frustrations. By using aspects of this book aimed at modifying your dogs activities you will boost his emotional and mental stimulation, which could help with long term behaviour modification, and improve his quality of life.

Relaxing at home may be more important for your dog as he ages, although he still needs appropriate activities to meet his changing needs.

So what does walking mean to dogs?

Apart from the tiny minority of dogs who struggle to cope with walking, going on walks and engaging in active pastimes such as agility, tracking, or gundog work, means more to your dog than the simple physical exertion these involve. Its likely your dog has little control over his home environment: he may only be allowed out at times that you can manage; he may well only have access to certain areas in the house, and he may not have a view beyond the four walls if there are no dog-height windows. However, every time he goes out he is exposed to a range of social and environmental stimuli which can enrich his life, and, in addition, off-lead walks (and potentially carefully managed on-lead walks) give your dog a level of control over where he sniffs, what he investigates, and possibly even with whom he interacts and control is important for wellbeing in all individuals.

Additionally, dogs are a social species and generally enjoy interaction with other friendly and appropriately behaved individuals both dogs and people. This, too, contributes to a positive emotional state, and thus positive welfare. For young animals, learning to build and maintain relationships with others is key to coping with meetings and interactions throughout life: therefore, restricted social interactions for a period of time can affect them in a number of ways on an ongoing basis.

From the foregoing it should be evident that restricted exercise may impact negatively on your dog in many aspects of his life. Whether the restriction is short or long term, removing the option to walk can have serious consequences, which need to be carefully addressed to ensure both short term wellbeing and long term quality of life.

What else happens when walking is restricted?

It is, of course, also important to remember that when activity is restricted for medical reasons, in most cases your dog will also be undergoing treatment for the underlying condition. Therefore, this book will also help you work with your dog to help him view necessary manipulations and treatments as positively as possible, reducing his distress as well as allowing him get the most benefit from the treatment; at the same time, making the professionals job easier and safer.