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For some of us Christmas is a time of great anticipation and excitement, something to be looked forward to as soon as the supermarkets have cleared up after Halloween! For others it can be a time of hard work, and of-course there are those who would rather avoid it all together. Our pets are much the same, at least in my household. I have a 13 year old dog who knows full well what Christmas is about and not only waits patiently to be presented with his own presents from under the tree, and also enjoys his share of Christmas dinner. My younger dog finds it all a bit overwhelming, she loves the idea but – much like some children – can get a little overwrought and out of control. Finally, there is the poor cat who tends to make herself scarce until it is all over!
It is hard to advise people on how to handle Christmas with their pets because everyone’s Christmas, and everyone’s pet, is different. If you have animals who like to be involved that’s a good start, but remember that they may get upset by the change in routine, scared by all the noise, hustle and bustle or tired by all the activity. It is always a good idea to have somewhere that any animal can go for some time out, as a ‘retreat’ if they need some peace and quiet or when you need them out of the way of a hot oven! Of-course Christmas is also a time when many of us have more visitors than normal, or are invited to travel, and not everyone we socialise with will be as happy with our pet’s company as we are, or indeed there may be other animals your own pet’s do not get on with. It may be that you need to have a separate area where your pets can settle away from unwelcome other animals or unfamiliar people, especially if these include children who may be scared of your pet, or may well be the cause of anxiety in reverse.
The German Shepherd Dog, also known as an Alsatian, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany.The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding and guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world. Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds world wide.
Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are courageous, keen, alert and fearless. and eager to learn. Others describe them as tranquil, confident, serious and clever. GSDs are extremely faithful, and brave. They will not think twice about giving their lives for their human pack. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but can be wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary, so if your GSD barks, its a good idea to go and see why. Often used as police dogs, the German Shepherd has a very strong protective instinct, and are extremely loyal to their handler. Socialization of this breed is important, and should start from early puppyhood.
The PDSA awards two different types of medals the Dickin medal for service dogs and the gold award for bravery for civilian dogs.
The PDSA Dickin Medal, recognised as the animals’ Victoria Cross, is awarded to animals displaying conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence Units. The PDSA Dickin Medal is the highest award any animal can receive whilst serving in military conflict.
The Medal, which can only be considered on receipt of an official commendation, has been awarded 64 times since 1943. The recipients comprised 32 pigeons, 28 dogs, three horses and one cat.
The PDSA Gold Medal is the highest honour for outstanding animal bravery and exceptional dedication in civilian life. Eligibility is open to any animal instrumental in saving human or animal life when its own life is in jeopardy or to any animal killed or seriously injured while carrying out official duties in the face of armed and violent opposition.
The Medal bears a depiction of a laurel wreath and the words: For Gallantry or devotion to duty’. Instituted in 2002, the Medal is now widely recognised as the animals’ George Cross.
To date all 19 recipients awarded the PDSA Gold Medal have been dogs. Each of these canine heroes has proven that they are indeed man’s best friend.
Below are the stories of the recipients of the Dickin medal, followed by the Gold Award. Information correct as of November 2012.
To me some of the assignments to Dickin or gold award are a little arbitrary, with in one case guide dogs being awarded a Dickin medal and a dog serving on board a military vessel (albeit a Norwegian one) a Gold Award. But whatever the award these animals received, they deserve recognition for their work and sacrifice on our behalf. If anyone can add details about any of these brave dogs, please let us know.
Search and Rescue ( SAR) Dogs are trained to find missing people by various means such as air scenting, trailing and tracking. These are very efficient methods of searching large areas quickly and does not always require items of clothing or effects of the missing person, depending on how the dogs have been trained.
Several search dogs have been awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery, including Irma and Jet two German shepherd dogs who located trapped people in the Blitz of 1945. For further details of canine recipients of this prestigious award see separate article.
The Basset Hound is a short-legged hound. One of six recognized Basset Breeds in France, they are scent hounds, originally bred for the purpose of hunting rabbits and hare. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound.The name Basset is derived from the French word bas, meaning “low”, with the attenuating suffix -et, together meaning “rather low. The Basset Hound’s short stature is due to a genetic condition known as Osteochondrodysplasia (meaning abnormal growth of both bone and cartilage). Dwarfism in dogs is traditionally known as Achondroplasia. Basset Hounds, Dachshunds and Bulldogs are a few of the dog breeds classified as Achondroplastic.
Their short stature can be deceiving; Bassets are surprisingly long and can reach things on table tops that other dogs of similar height cannot. Because Bassets are so heavy and have such short legs, they are not able to hold themselves above water for very long when swimming, and should always be closely supervised in the water.
A border collie called Chaser has been taught the names of 1022 items – more than any other animal. She can also categorise them according to function and shape, something children learn to do around the age of 3.
John Pilley and Alliston Reid demonstrated their own border collie bitch, Chase, learned the names of 1022 objects, over three years, – no upper limit is apparent – they stopped training the dog after three years due to their time constraints, not because the dog could not learn more names.
Whippets have been called a “poor man’s racehorse.” As their heritage would suggest, whippets are outstanding running dogs and are top competitors insight hound events such as lure coursing, straight racing, and oval track racing. whippets are becoming successful obedience dogs. Many enjoy flyball and agility.
The Whippet is intelligent, lively, affectionate, sweet, and docile. This very devoted companion is quiet and calm in the home. The Whippet should never be roughly trained, for they are extremely sensitive both physically and mentally. Be sure to introduce plenty of variety when training them. The best results will be achieved by including games and running. They are good with children of all ages as long as the children do not roughhouse or tease the dog. Whippets are clean, virtually odour free, easy to care for and easy to travel with. They are good watchdogs but may be reserved with strangers. They will pursue and kill cats and other small animals if given the opportunity, but are good with other dogs. Household cats that they are raised with and have become accustom to will be left alone. They can be used to hunt. The Whippet’s sweet personality makes him a fine companion dog. The Whippet is the ultimate sprinter, unsurpassed by any other breed in its ability to accelerate to top speed and to twist and turn with matchless dexterity. Some can be difficult to housebreak while others housebreak quickly.
The Shetland Sheepdog or ‘Sheltie’ is loyal, willing and eager to please, making a wonderful companion dog. The breed is generally docile and alert with a pleasant temperament. Loving, loyal and affectionate with its family, this breed needs people. Socialize them well starting at puppyhood. They are good guard and watchdogs. Sensitive to the tone of your voice, they will not listen if they sense you do not mean what you say, or if you are too harsh. They are very intelligent, lively and trainable, as they are so intelligent they need to occupy their minds, they like to be kept busy. The Sheltie is above all an intelligent herder, and the instinct is still very strong in many of them, they love to chase things including cars. A Sheltie should not be allowed to run free near a road as it may decide to chase a car or something else it sees across the road, running a high risk of getting hit by a car. Because of its beauty and kindness, the Sheltie has become a popular companion dog.
They can become suspicious with strangers, especially with children. They may not allow themselves to be touched by strangers and will display noisy persistent barking, as they tell the humans to leave them alone. This can lead to guarding, snapping and even biting. They may hide behind something, barking persistently when company arrives. The dog needs to be told this is not an acceptable behaviour.
This breed is also known as ‘Chien de mantagne des Pyrenees, Great Pyrenees and the Patou. It is a large herd guarding breed.
ThePMD is a capable and imposing guardian, devoted to its family, and somewhat wary of strangers – human or canine. They are still often used to guard livestock. When not provoked, it is calm, well- mannered, and somewhat serious. Temperamentally it is courageous, very loyal and obedient and Gently affectionate with those he loves. The PMD is devoted to its family even if self-sacrifice is required.
It does best with children when it is raised with them from puppyhood, and if they are not being used as working flock guards it is important to socialize them well with people, place and noises. It has an independent nature, and may try to dominate a less secure or meek owner, and/or an owner who treats the dog as if he is human, becoming stubborn or territorial as it tries to fulfil the role of pack leader its owner is not performing. If left alone inside the home without the proper amount of exercise and or leadership they can become destructive. The PMD is good with non-canine animals, and usually loves cats. These dogs do not reach maturity until they are about 2 years old. Some are not good off the leash and may wander away. PMD’s tend to bark a lot and some tend to drool and slobber, so not the ideal choice for a city or suburban household. The PMD can be slow to learn new commands, slow to obey, and somewhat stubborn to train. For this reason the breed is ranked #64 (out of 69 breeds) in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs.
The PMD has proven to be a very versatile breed working as an avalanche rescue dog, as a cart-puller, sled dog, as a pack dog on ski trips, a flock guardian, dog of war, and as a companion and defender of family and property.
The Large Munsterlander is a tall multi-purpose gundog from Munster in Germany, first registered by the UK Kennel Club in 1971.
The breed is courageous, cheerful, intelligent and obedient, and makes a wonderful house companion dog and is very trainable. Munsterlanders are loyal and friendly dogs that are responsive to their humans. Although If the Munsterlander is lacking in leadership and or mental and physical exercise they can get destructive and bark when left alone in the house. They are not guard dogs and generally love everyone. The Munster does well in obedience, and is good with other animals and with children.
They like to retrieve, particularly from water and naturally like to carry things about in their mouths. They will be happiest when used as working dogs. Bred for training and ability to withstand the pressures involved, this dog will adapt to any terrain whether it be valleys, prairies, forest or water, and to every type of hunting. It is resistant to fatigue and to bad weather. Particularly appreciated for the sureness of its point and the precision with which it retrieves.