News: Dog training

Children with learning disabilities are being entered into schemes where they are reading to dogs. The four-legged friends in turn are being enlisted to hear recitations of Dr. Seuss, Hans Christian Andersen, and J.K. Rowling in schools and libraries. The reason? Studies show conclusively that children who read to an audience perform much better when…

A study of 2,000 homeowners shows that a significant minority feel constantly tormented by the animals their neighbours own. And 42% say they are upset by people living next door leaving their pets unattended for hours while they go to work. More than one in 20 homeowners say they have reported their neighbours to the…

Border Collie Chaser has the largest vocabulary of any known dog ? with a record 1,022 proper nouns displaying unexpected depths of the canine mind. The discovery may help explain how children acquire language. Chaser belongs to John W. Pilley, a retired US psychologist from Spartanburg, South Carolina, who taught for 30 years at Wofford…

Sandie, a four-year-old Terrier cross, does all the shopping, washing and housework for her disabled owner. She even pays for the groceries. The Terrier-cross accompanies Ms Line, who is paralysed from the waist down, to the supermarket, where she puts her shopping in a bag, and carries it around in her mouth. At the checkout…

The search is on for adventurous people to hike along the Great Wall of China and raise funds to train puppies to be assistance dogs for disabled people. Dogs for the Disabled’s third charity trek, The Great Wall of China Challenge, takes place from 25 April to 4 May 2009. Everyone who takes part will…

A leading veterinary charity says pets should be ‘buckled-up’ in the car to avoid causing serious injury to themselves and their owners in a car crash. The PDSA says that if a vehicle is involved in a crash at 30mph, and an unrestrained 50lb (22.5kg) border collie is thrown forward the force would be equivalent…

Moving house is so stressful for the whole family, including your pets, that the Kennel Club has published a guide to make it easier for you and your pet to move from a safe and familiar environment while minimising disorientation and behavioural problems – or ensuring your pet doesn’t go missing. The advice is that…

Separation anxiety describes any anxiety-related behavioural problem that occurs when you leave your dog alone. It can: happen whether you leave for a long time, or for only a few minutes. involve just about any unwanted behaviour but usually involves fouling in the house, chewing and/or barking. There are many reasons for separation anxiety, and…