Pittwater Life March 2018 Issue

Help for parents
who are living in ‘L’
Are you supervising your son
or daughter who are on their
‘Ls’ and learning to drive?
Then you might want to
consider attending Council’s
free ‘Helping Learner Drivers’
workshop on Wednesday
March 21. This workshop
aims to increase the confidence
and knowledge of
supervisors of learner drivers
– and thereby flow it on to the
young drivers themselves.
The two-hour workshop provides
practical advice about
supervising learner drivers;
completing the Learner driver
log book; understanding the
benefits and safety aspects of
supervised on-road driving
experience; and understanding
of licence conditions for
learners and provisional
licence holders. Runs 6.30-
8.30pm at the Dee Why Civic
Centre. More info Karen Menzies
9942 2447.
Funds Available To
Support Active Kids
Parents are being reminded to
take advantage of the NSW Government’s
Active Kids rebate
when registering their children
for sport programs this year.
The NSW Government will
contribute $100 for every
school-aged child towards
the cost of sports registration
or fees for physical activities
such as swimming, dance and
athletics. Over $200 million
has been allocated towards
the scheme over the next four
years. “The rebate is able to be
claimed throughout the year –
so parents have the flexibility
of using it for either summer
or winter sports,” local MP Mr
Stokes said. Parents can register
online with Service NSW to
receive their $100 voucher to
provide to their approved sport
or physical activity club.
Team awarded for
Whale Beach rescue
Congrats to the 25-strong
team of Whale Beach surf lifesavers
whose quick thinking
to prevent a double drowning
in the lead-up to Christmas
saw them honoured with the
prestigious NSW Rescue of the
Month Award for December.
The team rescued two men
aged in their 20s, visitors to
the area, who were swept off a
sandbank into a powerful rip.
One of the men was retrieved
unconscious from the ocean
floor and given CPR; both
men survived after being
taken to hospital. “It’s huge
for the club and hopefully
puts Whale Beach on the map
but what it really brought
home for us is the importance
of lifesavers on the beach and
how we need to have the skills
because you never know when
they can be called upon,”
said Patrol 9 Captain Suzy
Bownes. Lifesavers honoured
were: Suzy Bownes, Iain
Bownes, Angus Bownes, Oliver
Bownes, Sophie Rothery,
Liam George, Jack Bregenhoj,
Lachlan Williams, Sydney
Robertson, Sally Collier, Tom
Sanderson, Nicholas Dijohn,
Lara Boyle, Alexander Burchett,
Max Zagorski, Archie
Elliott, Angus Kellaway, Dylan
Gay, Oscar Press, Edward
Harrison, William Harte, Ben
Rothery, Barney Allen, Harrison
Penn, Maddie Zagorski.
Enjoy classical concert
Wyvern Music Forestville will
open its 2018 concert series on
Sunday March 4 with a concert
entitled ‘Last Rose of Summer’
by Ensemble Aspherical
(comprising flute, harp, violin
and viola). Formed in 2017 by
four leading Sydney classical
musicians – including Avalon
resident and former Principal
Flute of the Sydney Symphony
Orchestra, Janet Webb – Ensemble
Aspherical combines
the vibrancy and warmth of
the violin and viola strings
with the ethereal qualities of
the flute and harp to create
sounds and evoke images for
the listener both congenial and
colourful. The program will
also include a Concerto a 4 by
Vivaldi, a Serenade by Reger
with Last Rose of Summer on
the harp as the centre-piece.
Concert starts 4pm at Our
Lady of Good Counsel Catholic
Church, Forestville; tickets $25
(full), $20 concession, children
under 16 free. More info wyvern.fmca.org.au
Vet
on
call
with
Dr Ben Brown
Have you ever wondered why
some dogs seem ‘snappy’
when approached by other dogs
and people? These dogs are not
just having a bad day…
Growling, lunging and
barking at unfamiliar dogs and
people is very typical of fear
aggression in dogs. This is
not so much a trait within the
animal but rather an abnormal
response that the animal has to
something in the environment
– in this case other dogs and
people.
This fearful response is made
more likely when the (already)
fearful and anxious animal is
placed in an area where it is
forced to be in close proximity
to other animals and people.
Small or overcrowded dog
parks are a common trigger.
The unwanted behaviour is
often subsequently reinforced
when owners pat the dog or the
person/other dog withdraws
after the fearful dog reacts,
thus creating an incentive for
the fearful dog to continue the
unwanted behaviour.
Often owners of fearful and
fear aggressive animals make
the mistake of assuming that
merely increasing exposure
of the dog to people and
other dogs will improve the
problem; although this does
occasionally happen many
animals simply become more
sensitised and reactive and the
problem gets worse. In most
cases these types of behaviours
can be avoided by ensuring
dogs are well socialised from
a young age and learn sound
foundation skills i.e. orienting
to the owner regardless of their
surroundings.
Once fear aggression
becomes a problem, special
behavioural modification
training is needed to help the
dog feel more comfortable in
unfamiliar surroundings with
unfamiliar people and pets.
Medications are sometimes
used to decrease levels of
anxiety to help with this training
so that these pets cannot
endanger themselves and other
animals and people in public.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 29