Explore every episode of the podcast Your Dog Matters. With Dog Behaviourist Nick Jones MA.

The new R.I.S.E. method will help avoid accidents in the home between children and dogs. Dog aggression to children is sadly not a rare occurrence, but there is no reason why this would occur in your home provided that you follow the RISE method I set out. A full, detailed blog post on this very subject can be seen here on my main blog.

R.I.S.E. for safety with children and dogs during the Coronavirus lockdown.

• Respect. Teach your child to respect your dog and its space.
• Involve. Include your child during dog-based activities such as walking, feeding and general care to increase mutual respect for each other.
• Supervision. Always know where your dog and child are and what they are doing.
• Education. Provide on-going input to your child to help ensure appropriate interactions.

The two main strategies to prevent separation anxiety in dogs during the Coronavirus lockdown:

1. Maintaining the basic standards you (should) already have with your dog.
   
   i) Manners, Calm, Polite, Respectful behaviour.
   
   ii) Whilst maintaining fun, joy and exercise where appropriate, play, brain games, etc.
   
   The above represents a balanced approach!
   
   Examples include:
   
   Sit & Wait - Doorways, feeding, before petting, before sofa access.
   Meals & Food Manners - Waiting politely, not begging, not encroaching.
   Privileged locations - stick to the plan of what works and is agreed as a family.
   Doorways - no barging past you. Sit and wait and then come when called.
   
2. Measures to help prevent separation anxiety.
   
   Owners with dogs that already have SA not so much an issue as you’re together and may need to be addressed via 1-2-1 later on, but otherwise these are good ways to keep the status quo.
   
   i) In-Home - Day to day interactions in the home
   
   Leaving alone for short spells with a distraction device (see Kong video)
   
   Attention seeking behaviour should be ignored. Interactions should be on your terms.
   
   Does your dog shadow/follow you? Block and distract.
   
   Managing sleep and rest areas
   ii) Out of home - Coming and going.
   
   House departures. Test, how does your dog react? Record audio?
   
   Leave your dog in a suitable location - crate, utility, kitchen etc.
   
   Regular sessions and aim to build. 1 hour is often stable.
   
   House returns should be calm, not excitable.
   
   Ignore until calm (5-10 mins) then Sit = Hello

With time and energy on my hands to divert into an area of my work I've always enjoyed, the podcasting and video creation gets a fresh airing!
In this episode, I jump into a groove that is not necessarily all about your dog, but more about YOU and the various ways in which you can navigate your way through this stressful and uncertain time of the Coronavirus pandemic.

I provide 13 headings that I created fresh last week once the gravity of the situation had become fully apparent:

This list came to me one night before bed and I quickly jotted them down on Notes on my phone. I’ve padded it out a little since. The points on the list are what resonate with me…your priorities and list will probably vary from mine, but you get the idea.

1) To be happy - it’s what we’re here for - despite the present difficult and uncertain times.

2) To create periods of staying busy - giving in to patterns of negative thinking now could lead to a general slow down and depression. Keep occupied with things that you enjoy.

3) To build in periods of exercise - do what makes you happy and feels good, keeping yourself mentally and physically fit and strong is essential.

4) To build in periods of mindful relaxation - a daily relaxation or meditation practice can greatly reduce stress and creates a sense of calm perspective. Stress attacks the immune system, so be proactive about managing stress levels.

5) To build in time for simply doing nothing - it’s okay to simply stop the endless cycle of feeling on the go.

6) To build in periods of creativity - the expression of your creative self through your chosen approach can absorb periods of time where you get out of your own way.

7) To build in time with loved ones - connecting or reconnecting with those in our lives that matter most.

8) Take time to savour good food - creating a special dish for you and your family helps create a common bond to come together and to enjoy the simple things in life.

9) Take time to be in the present - peace can only be found in the moment you have now. Dwelling on the past can bring feelings of regret and looking too far ahead can create stress as we turn over possible outcomes which are unlikely to occur.

10) Take stock of your next steps Take time to Build in periods where we allow thoughts of our future lives and how we would like that to look and feel - a period of rebuilding, along with deep outer and inner appraisals are likely to be the order of the day in the coming months.

11) Take time to express gratitude - to build in periods for expressing gratitude for the simple, free things in life.

12) Moderate your exposure to the media. There is a big difference between sensibly keeping abreast of latest developments and then watching dramatic and even alarmist newsreels all day. Turn it off and go do one of the above instead. Doing so doesn’t mean you don’t care; you’re simply choosing what to think about and focus upon instead.

13) Take time to care for yourself so you can care for others. Finally, take time to care for yourself and those around you - take time to care for all aspects of yourself as set out above so that you can then effectively look after others including giving the best you can to your dog!

Dogs and fireworks can be a very stressful mix and I have had many cases over the years where we have sought to address the dog's association towards fireworks and in some cases, we may be looking at other sounds such as gunshot or traffic to offer a couple of examples. My approach and thinking as always remain practical and relatively straightforward.

I break the show into 8 simple headings:

1. Providing a den.
   How to set up and create a safe and secure location for your dog when fireworks are an issue.
2. Stay calm.
   Ensuring that your own behaviour does not exacerbate that of your dogs.
3. Keeping your dog indoors.
   Exercise and toilet breaks in daylight hours in an effort to minimise stress.
4. Masking the sounds of fireworks.
   Taking measures to ensure that the sounds are kept to a minimum.
5. Daytime walks.
   Burning extra energy in a safe way.
6. Distractions.
   Offering your dog a variety of items to keep him or her calm.
7. Sticking to routines.
   Following the normal routine can be reassuring.
8. Prepare in advance.
   This is the main section of the show whereby I offer you my 'recipe' and finer details within that recipe for helping your dog come to a better association long term on this difficult issue.

Items that I have referred to in the show that can be found on Amazon:

1. Classic Kong - https://amzn.to/2NrhI0H
2. Sounds CD - https://amzn.to/2NsFklg
3. Forthglade food - https://amzn.to/2LIZMfM
4. Scullcap & Valerian - https://amzn.to/2ACoUyD

In this pilot episode I take a little time to get warmed up and do my best to keep going without thinking that I'll edit it later on!

I talk about how many kids will be returning to school and the impact this will have on parents (especially the mums) as they seek to return to a sense of normality in terms of exercising dogs and to take some time to think about the basics of good manners and control in and out of the home.