“One step at a time…” says Mark Laker
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“One step at a time…” says Mark Laker

By Mark Laker

It’s been a year.

‘One step at a time’ a message which will forever remind me of Captain Sir Tom Moore motivating the nation with his incredible fund raising and life story – what an amazing man.

Taking one step at a time in my pre-lockdown world wasn’t easy

For the last 10 years I’ve had to be very flexible in my career as a Project Manager. I’d have a few days working from home, then I’d be away on business trips for 3-4 days, then a couple of days spent on-site locally. No day was ever the same. That all changed in March 2020 when we went into the first National Lockdown.

Since then, I’ve definitely been taking life one step at a time

That doesn’t mean I’m not planning ahead (I love planning), but for the first time in many years I’m now time-rich (sounds like consultant talk). I’ve had time to plan ahead, consider what I want/need to do, do it properly i.e. not rushing because I may not have time again, finish it, check it’s finished and then really make sure it’s finished. This may sound like common sense, but it’s surprising how many times we think we’ve completed a task/activity and then discover there were still some loose-ends. I suppose in dog training terms, it’s like proofing what you believe you’ve trained is the desired behaviour you’re getting.

And what about our dogs, how have their lives changed over the last year?

They’ve had even more exercise. Over the last year I’ve challenged myself to walk at least 5K every day. Karen has had time to brush up their existing skills and train new ones and of course they have our company at home all the time. Dogs are incredibly adaptable though, I’m sure they will soon adapt to the next routine as life changes again as lockdown restrictions lift.

I’m not sure what our next routine will be

I’m beginning to dislike the over-used term ‘new-normal’ because, I don’t want normal. It sounds boring, repetitive and non-eventful. I’m hopeful it will not be a new-normal, but life will be interesting, exciting and present different opportunities. I also hope there’ll be more appreciation for how fragile the planet and our lives are, and we’ll start seeing more proactive steps being taken to look after what we already have.

One step at a time.
———————-
Best regards,

Mark.

CSJ’s pure Salmon Oil – world class!
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CSJ’s pure Salmon Oil – world class!

Press release – 24.2.21

Salmon oil is a great supplement for all dogs and cats but not all oils are the same.

Most companies tend to buy in their oil which has been heat extracted and separated by a centrifuge – which can ‘damage’ the product, but not CSJ!

Their highly successful Salmon Oil is unique in that it is cold pressed – so preserving the important unsaturated fatty acids, which can be damaged by other methods of manufacture.

Continuously committed to providing only the best CSJ did exhaustive research in 2012 to source a supplier and eventually found the only company to manufacture salmon oil in this manner.

100% pure from freshly caught Norwegian Salmon then cold pressed within 24 hours CSJ Salmon Oil is highly beneficial by strengthening the immune system, increasing fertility, helping skin and coat and aiding mobility whilst reducing the risk of heart disease.

Now used for many years by successful dog handlers and owners in all fields of canine activity CSJ Salmon Oil has proven to be in a class of its own.

For more on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com

Or call: 01745 710470

Follow CSJ winners on Facebook: https://facebook.com/specialistcaninefeeds/

Twitter: @CSJDogFood

Instagram: @CSJDog_Food

YouTube: CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds

Dog walking etiquette – spreading awareness
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Dog walking etiquette – spreading awareness

By Liz Marden

A common behavioural issue that I am regularly called upon to help clients with is: dog-dog reactivity.

Other than working on the issue itself, the main problem that these reactive dog owners are having, is other people in public places allowing their dogs to run up to them off lead.

This sadly can undo all the hard work and progress that the owner was making with their reactive dog, as well as causing a potentially dangerous situation to happen. This can also be the case for dogs who are kept on lead for a variety of other reasons such as in season, recovering from an operation, in training, assistance dogs etc.

Together we can spread the awareness of of ‘dog walking etiquette’

I would love to help these owners by spreading the awareness of ‘dog walking etiquette’ to all dog owners, that if they see a dog who is on lead, especially if they have signage on their coats/ leads and or wearing muzzles, that they need to call their dogs back to them and keep them under control until they are safely passed.

You can be prosecuted for your dog being out of control in a public place

Did you know you can be prosecuted for your dog being out of control in a public place under section 3 of the Dangerous dogs act 1991? This includes not being able to call your dog back!

If someone has their dog on lead and you allow your dog to run up to them causing an aggressive reaction then its your dog that is out of control in a public place – not theirs, as is commonly misunderstood.

Free poster

To do this I have created a free poster – I would be extremely grateful if you would please share this with all of your family, friends and clients to help me spread this awareness and help owners work together and be more considerate.

Owners allowing their dogs to run up to others without checking permission first is rarely done with malicious intent but rather due to a lack of awareness, so the more we can spread the word and educate people the less this will hopefully happen.

Share the poster on social media

As well you being able to share this picture on social media, the poster is also available to download for free in A4 or A3 here or on my website: www.natures-therapies.co.uk/online

Thank you in advance for helping to spread Dog Walking Etiquette Awareness! Liz Marden BSc(Hons) C.C.B C.A.B C.C.T C.A.T

Please like, comment & SHARE.

Download a poster in A3 or A4 size

Dog-walking-ettiquette-a3Download
Dog-walking-ettiquette-poster-a4Download

Liz Marden is a qualified, certified and experienced animal behaviourist & trainer with her company Nature’s Therapies.

Liz Marden
Animal Behaviourist
Sekhem Reiki Practitioner
www.natures-therapies.co.uk
Tel: 07738 268400
(Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm)

C.C.B (Certified Canine Behaviourist) INTODogs
C.C.T (Certified Canine Trainer) INTODogs
C.A.B (Certified Animal Behaviourist) ICAN
C.A.T (Certified Animal Trainer) ICAN
UK Dog Behaviour & Training Charter

All dogs aren’t equal
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All dogs aren’t equal

By: LYNDA WARD

pet trade SOLUTIONS

Ceri Rundle says, “Tailor-made food for our own dogs was the reason for founding CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds and tailoring rations for individual dogs’ needs is still at the very heart of the CSJ ethos.”

Over 20 years ago Ceri chose expert vets and the UK’s leading nutritionist and gave them the challenging brief to develop a full range of appetising diets for dogs of all ages, which had top quality ingredients – yet was reasonably priced.

Using only top quality, natural ingredients, the now extensive range of CSJ feeds, herb supplements, treats and skin products has been continuously developed to meet the specific needs of dogs of all ages – from conception right through to ‘retirement’.

Ceri goes on, “Even dogs from the same litter, with the same activity levels and same living arrangements can have widely different needs and this is why we offer such a diverse choice of products and have an in-house Nutritional Advisor always happy to advise on the best product or tailored combination of products for individual dogs.

There are many benefits to using our products and the features include being all natural, containing no GM ingredients and being made in the UK by DEFRA approved sites which adhere to stringent quality control and traceability systems.”

She adds, “Of course there is no animal testing involved – apart from taste testing by our own kennel (and they don’t mind!).”

For more on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com or call 01745710470

… and follow CSJ winners on

Facebook: https://facebook.com/specialistcaninefeeds/

Twitter:  @CSJDogFood

Instagram: @CSJDog_Food

YouTube:  CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds

https://www.awaywithdogs.co.uk

For more info, please contact: lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com     tel: 07946 743784

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Jayne Caudy’s huskies love CP All Rounder!

By Jayne Caudy

 Hello, I’ve just started feeding my huskies CP all rounder and they absolutely love it!!… Bow, Dolly and Amka. Bow on the left is 7 years and retired due to hip dysplasia and elbow arthritis. Dolly is 5 years and my canicross partner, Amka is 9 months and my future star! She is going to be shown and worked. Already started canicross training and hoping to get her into bikejor or scooter. They are all powered by CSJ and love it! Bow is a fussy eater but not with CSJ. We also loved the energy bars for long distance runs or a snack after a hard training session

Jayne 

Dog sports…Agility handlers…? How did you get on with last months questions on motivation?
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Dog sports…Agility handlers…? How did you get on with last months questions on motivation?

By Mark Laker

These are two questions I ask my new coaching students – it gets them thinking… and not just ‘what a daft question’!

Motivation is a complex subject, it fuels our interest to do things, it generates our intrigue to learn and develop skills. The motivation cycle is fascinating too. Motivation builds and plateaus to a point where the topic (in our case dog sports) becomes a habit. Then the habit becomes a way of life and before you know it, we have multiple dogs, a caravan or a motorhome, a dog vehicle, all our holidays are at competitions and we’re on the dog sport hamster wheel. Now ask the question ‘why do you do dog sports?’….and the answer you’ll get is: 

‘Because I do, I’ve always done it’. 

That’s the answer I often got – until I probed more (asking five why’s) until I uncovered the real reasons. 

The Five Why’s

Asking five why’s takes the emotion out of the subject and gets to the deep rooted reasons often forgotten over time. Of course there are no right or wrong answers with this exercise, what’s important, particularly at times like now when external pressures have stopped the hamster wheel, is that we remember why we got involved in the first place. 

From my experience these reasons include: 
               * I’ve always been around dogs
               * I’ve always been involved with competitive sports;
               * I like the social side of the sport;
               * I enjoy teaching my dogs new skills;
               * All of the above !

It’s important to understand what form of motivation drives each one of these root causes. When you know that, you can channel that motivation in other directions if you need too. 

For example, if you enjoy teaching dogs new skills but you can’t do your sport at the moment, you may get that ‘motivation’ feel from virtually teaching new skills to help people. If you’ve always been involved with competitive sports but you can’t do your sport at the moment, then is there another sport you can find out about, do you have a transferable skill you can offer to another sport or person.

We often get so caught up on the hamster wheel that until something like COVID, a recession, or a change in personal circumstances comes along, we don’t stop and look at other options.

Maybe it’s time to ask what motivates us and how can we use them to keep going in these unprecedented times and expand our interests.

I hope you are keeping well.

Best regards,

Mark.

Mark Laker

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Happy New Lockdown

By Mark Laker

Hello 2021, goodbye 2020 (some say good riddance too). We’ve heard that a lot since New Years Day haven’t we? 

2020 was an unprecedented year for everyone. For many, it was a challenging year losing loved ones, being furloughed, losing jobs, home schooling, uncertainty about the future and no dog sport competitions or trials. 

For others it was a quiet year. A year with time to reflect on priorities, an opportunity to explore new ventures, time to develop skills or revisit past interests – a year to reset and take stock.

What lies ahead for dog sports in 2021? 

We don’t know when competitions and trials will restart, we don’t know what format they will take, we don’t know who will want to continue under a different format and possibly tight restrictions. There are a lot of unknowns and it’s too early to begin answering these questions (IMO). 

2021 continues the unprecedented theme

‘I can’t get any motivation to train with all this going on’ – I’m sure you’ve heard that recently too…or thought it yourself. It’s understandable and I sympathise. There’s a lot going on that’s simply, out of our control. 

Motivation is one of the subjects at the core of sports psychology. I’ll elaborate more next month, but for now, have a think about the two questions below which may help you determine what motivation means in your world of dog sports, and how it may help you look forward to 2021 through a different lens.

What motivates you to participate in dog sports? 

For example: the social side of the sport; competing against others; training your dog new skills,; ‘my instructor motivated me’; ‘I’m motivated by watching other performers’; etc. 

Are you motivated by: winning; not losing; by just taking part; by the environment (training in a group with your dog or at a competition/trial).

There are no right or wrong answers, it’s very individual and starts us thinking more deeply about why love our sports and what we can control irrespective of what’s going on around us.

Stay safe and well.

Mark Laker

Herbs for all seasons
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Herbs for all seasons

LYNDA WARD
Pet Trade SOLUTIONS
lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com tel: 07946 743784

Press release – 16.12.20

CSJ’s Skinny Herbs are getting 5 star ratings from happy customers.

CSJ says, ‘Not all skin problems are caused by insects but may be caused by stress, sensitivity to the environment, products used around the home or even products used to clean dogs after muddy walks.

We asked our highly skilled and respected herbal expert to formulate a natural herb mix that can help dogs coat and skin …

The result, Skinny Herbs, is composed of a gentle blend of Echinacea, Nettle, Neem Leaves, Marigold Flowers, Thyme, Burdock Root and is simply sprinkled on food.’

Don’t just take CSJ’s word for it – here’s just one example of feedback, “My gundog was diagnosed as having alopecia which the vets said he’d just have to live with as there was no treatment. I tried a host of products and treatments with no success and decided I’d try Skinny Herbs as the reviews seemed positive. Six weeks later my boy has regained 80% plus of his hair and is improving by the day. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”

For more on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com or call 01745710470

… and follow CSJ winners on

Facebook: https://facebook.com/specialistcaninefeeds/

Twitter:  @CSJDogFood

Instagram: @CSJDog_Food

YouTube:  CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds

http://www.awaywithdogs.co.uk

A merry Christmas wish from Mark Laker
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A merry Christmas wish from Mark Laker

By Mark and Karen Laker

Firstly, we would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas, it will be a different one in many ways. We hope whatever your circumstance that you find a way to still celebrate with your loved ones.

Loads of thanks to those people who are working in any of the essential services

For us, this includes the people at CSJ keeping our dog’s food supply going. Ceri and her team have always been hard working and we hope that any of the challenges thrown at the working practices at CSJ haven’t been that step too far. Please take care and hope the Christmas break is a good opportunity to relax.

Having dogs to walk has always been one of our favourite activities

Now it has become a way of seeing people too. We know more people now in our tiny hamlet than before these lockdowns. The family visits have been on hold though and other than a small Christmas bubble, we will keep using the great mediums of Skype, Zoom, WhatApp or even old-fashioned telephone calls to keep our parents safe this Christmas time. They will never replace a hug, but it is surprising how comfortable everyone is now at expressing themselves via different media.

2020 certainly has pushed us out of our comfort zones and created new ones

For me agility was going to be taking a back seat anyway this year and without competitions for my customers to focus on, I decided to look into some new dog hobbies. Dog Sports UK is similar to working trials and have created a system to help new people move forward in their dog training. It is still show related for progress though, so I looked at another new dog activity – Dog Parkour UK.

Wow where did that come from – it is so much fun, non-competitive and very well organised

If like me you’ve enjoyed watching Parkour in films like ‘6 Underground’ you’d be right to be a bit hesitant about teaching stunts to your dogs. However, safety is at the forefront of the rules and in some respects the earlier levels may seem a bit tame in comparison.

There are various levels and at each you learn foundation skills before doing the challenges, earning titles and progressing.

It offers titles in different environments too, so you can do it in your own home, on a walk or even in the town. It is still a case of don’t try this at home until you’ve learned the basics and really taken on board the safety considerations.

I could tell you more and have just done a two-week online instructor course – I recommend you check out their Facebook page Dog Parkour UK.

If you already enjoy doing activities with your dog’s, you’ll find out about the skills you need to earn titles without an instructor; something to aim for in 2021 until life gets back to more normal. If you prefer personal instruction, then they have a list of instructors or pm me if you want to ask me about my experience.

A Covid safe environment for training

Meanwhile like other dog trainers, I’ve spent a good deal of time reading rules and regulations to be able to provide a Covid safe environment to restart my lessons. There is no measure of how important social interaction is between people, and dog training also embodies the joy of physical activity with your best friends of the four-legged variety in the great outdoors.

Best wishes for a happy Christmas and here’s hoping 2021 brings more settled times.

Best regards,

Mark Laker

Win! Win! Madison Wells has done it again!
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Win! Win! Madison Wells has done it again!

By Danielle Card

Read all about Maddie’s progress this canicross 19/20 season. Here’s Madison and Bronte winning at Box End just before lockdown 2.

Maddi knows that even though the nights are dark and damp her dogs still need to go out. She is always more than happy in her CSJ coat, in the secure paddock walking them all.

Our newest edition ‘Halle’ has been slowly moved onto CSJ CP27 Puppy and WOW, she is thriving on it! Her coat is beautiful, her eyes aren’t gunky and she is looking amazing! Even the vet said how fantastic she is looking.

Our last race before lockdown 2 took place at Box End, run and organised by Canix. Madison ran her spaniel Bella on day 2 and her pointer Bronte on day 1, finishing first overall.

It was also prize giving for the Canix championship for 19/20 season in which Madison finished first.

Follow Madison’s progress on Instagram @danielle_victoria1988