Introducing our correspondent
I'm Denise Smith and I grew up in Plymouth, training as a nurse before joining the pharmaceutical industry as sales representative, then training manager. We moved to a Grade II listed building set in two acres of rural South Gloucestershire 14 years ago, when Colin left the Royal Navy.
This home I share with Colin, my husband of 26 years who balances being a full time engineer and a bee keeper, son Austen, 17, daughter Bryony, 15, and two springer spaniels, Nutmeg, who we have had from a puppy and who is now five, and Paddi, who we rescued a year ago when he was three.
Being a ‘housewife’ for me involves juggling a single shift as a staff nurse with maintaining the home and garden, running the onsite holiday let, caring for the dogs and a flock of approximately 50 chickens. To relax I attend one lesson of tap dancing and as a student of taekwondo manage to fit in at least two hours of training a week. Denise Smith 2011
Denise writes:
My text alert is a modern version of the old army song ‘Pack up your troubles’. If Paddi had had a kit bag then it would have been stuffed full and none of us was smiling.
Wearing a worn collar, a harness made of webbing attached to a horse lead with a dodgy clasp Paddi was about to embark on a programme of ‘square bashing ‘ that would have most ‘squaddies’ quaking in their boots.
Standard collar and lead presented too great a risk of trauma to his oesophagus, two shakes and he could escape the harness and when the lead clasp broke it was time to go shopping.
With Nutmeg corporal to my Sergeant Major we set out every day with Paddi wearing his new ‘gentle leader’ and short lead. Brilliant piece of kit recommended by Jess (head nurse,The Coppins Veterinary Surgery) it gave me control of his head and reduced the degree to which he could pull or open his mouth. The latter proved a handy means of reducing the risk of finger loss whilst trying to reward him with a treat.
Up and down the lane turning back at each pull it was a true test of indomitable spirit although at times I wondered whose!
The’ leader’ was phased out once I had established a degree of rapport with Paddi and replaced with a ‘no pull’ harness or Paddi’s bra as my husband dubbed it. He couldn’t wriggle out and it gave me control of his body whilst giving him the freedom to move his head. I said ‘goodbye to bingo wings’ as walking a spaniel on each arm is an excellent form of upper arm exercise.
Interchanging the equipment according to the location and type of walk which included at one stage a horse lunge lead with an anti pull spring to facilitate him running around without the risk of strangulation.
Was I brave enough to let him off and risk him running ‘AWOL’ for several hours as he had done initially? Well not without help.
Mobile dog trainer Andy (About Turn Dog Training Academy) plus a ‘bleep & spray collar with remote control gave me the confidence to begin the process of letting Paddi off the lead.
Up and down the lane again retractable lead attached to ‘no pull’ harness, spray collar to neck Paddi began to learn the basics of recall to order.
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