CHARITY bosses at an Evesham rehoming centre have shared some of its favourite ways of entertaining our four-legged friends during the spring holiday period and has provided advice for owners on how to have a dog-friendly Easter.
Dogs Trust Evesham recommends enrichment activities to allow dogs to explore and use their natural instincts, and they can also keep dogs occupied, build confidence, and teach a variety of skills such as problem-solving, searching and agility.
To keep your dog entertained this Easter, the charity suggests:
* Setting up an Easter hunt for your pooch around the house or garden that includes dog-friendly treats or toys.
* Use empty Easter egg boxes and put some of your dog’s favourite treats or toys inside for them to sniff out. If you have any larger boxes, you can create a Dig Box by scrunching up some newspaper and popping it inside the box with some kibble.
* You could also have a go at teaching a figure of eight trick to your dog, using two empty Easter egg boxes.
Rachel Casey, director of Canine Behaviour and Research at Dogs Trust, said: “Dog-friendly Easter hunts are a great form of entertainment for dogs. Use food or treats from your dog’s daily allowance to make sure they don’t eat too much and hide it in boxes or around the house and garden so they can use their fantastic sense of smell to root it out.
“You can sit back, enjoy your own treats, and next let your dog explore and sniff around to reward themselves for their hard work. Just remember to keep human treats out the way as these can be harmful for dogs.”
With many people stocking up on Easter eggs and chocolate ahead of the holiday, Dogs Trust is also reminding owners that human chocolate should not be fed to dogs and has suggested ways of keeping them happy while keeping them away from temptations.
* Never give your pooch any human chocolate as a treat. Ensure that children and visitors understand why and do not give any to dogs.
* Make sure that bins are dog-proof to prevent them scavenging through rubbish.
* Never leave any chocolate unsupervised, such as cakes cooling on worktop surfaces.
* Teach your dog to move away from something when you ask them to ‘Leave It’. This valuable life skill will come in handy if your dog reaches for something they should not have.
* Keep a close eye on your dog whilst out walking, to avoid them scoffing discarded food that is potentially harmful.
“Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, so owners should ensure they keep it out of reach of their four-legged friends. Whilst some chocolate is more toxic than others, any amount is potentially harmful to your dog,” Rachel said.
“If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, we advise owners to contact their vets immediately. Chocolate poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, excitability, drooling, seizures and potentially kidney and heart failure.”
Visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/seasonal/easter for more tips.
