The Aussie - Winter 2020 edition

The Aussie
Winter 2020
!!
Is it worth it?
Bedfellows
Magazine for members of the
Southern Counties Australian Terrier Club

W
What’s Inside?
SCATC CHAT
Are You Free?
Blast from the Past!
Cru8s is Coming…
Who Were They?
Talking Point
The VeAng Process
The Look of Love
Brain Power
The Fitness Regime
SporHng Aussies
The Shape of Things to Come
Bedfellows
Knowledge Sharing
Is it Worth it?
Winter Nose
BOW WOW
Tune in
Final word
SCATC Contact
Chris FoskeJ - Hon Secretary - email
wilfnbell@yahoo.co.uk
via PM on Facebook
Please keep sending your ideas for ar2cles, your photos, ar2cles and items to include in future Magazines.
Some2mes it’s hard to squeeze the informa2on into 42 pages. Amazed we are saying that! The email contact for
the Magazine is bellefours@b2nternet.com. Always put the header - Aussie Magazine.
Thank you for your con2nued interest in providing reading material for our members.

The Aussie
Sam
Happy New year to you and all our readers.
Chris
Thankyou and I am sure everyone is looking forward to another
great year with their Aussies.
The Aussie
So I know there is a lot planned for 2020. Can we begin by
asking you about the announcement made of the SCATC
Facebook page about the YouTube Channel?
Chris
I think Dan Fullerton is the best person to chat about this as the
tech whizz who is managing it.
Dan
I have recently launched a new YouTube Channel to help
promote the Aussie breed. In order to access this all you need
to do is simply login into YouTube.com and type Aussie SCATC
into the search bar, then hit enter and the profile will be there
(don’t forget to Subscribe). This is available for anyone wishing
to share their Aussie with the world and most video’s can be
added. For you to add a video of your Aussie being their usual
fun selves, simply send the video to Bella Fullerton on facebook
via messenger. I can accept it in any format as I can convert it.
The main aim is simple, Breed promoHon! With the right video
and the right wording we can get global coverage geAng the
Aussie name known. These dogs are extremely skilled and
amazing, but they are not well known. I will be out any about at
SCATC and other events throughout the year videoing and
taking photos of Aussies, be that in the ring at a show, or just
simply meeHng up and playing. If you have photos of your
Aussies instead of videos and sHll want to contribute to the
channel you can post these over to Bella Fullerton on Facebook,
whether they are on their own, playing, or working. Once I have
a good collecHon, I can make a video of the photos and this will
then go onto the YouTube channel.
If anyone has an event that their Aussie will be at and they
would like me to come along to take photos and video, please
get in touch and I can see if I am free to a[end!
The Aussie
Sam and Dan, you have been busy with other things as we
understand.
Yes we have indeed. Every year since 2015 we a[end
Discover Dogs at the London Excel Centre to promote the
breed and try and get more people interested in this
wonderful dog. Last year we looked at updaHng the stand,
so that it provides more informaHon to people without
overloading them. We altered the leaflets that are handed
out were updated with a fresh new look with some breed
informaHon. We also introduced a new stand-alone
banner, which had a bit more breed informaHon on and
this promoted a lot of quesHons about the breed at the
last show, which was very welcome. The piece de
resistance was the introducHon of sHckers. It sounds
simple but this li[le thing managed to pull in lots more
people, so we were really able to spread the word further
about this breed which resulted in an increase of follow up
enquires.
For the future, we are looking at introducing a few more
banners with updated photos of Aussies and more
informaHon on the breed, so that the stand becomes a
‘one stop shop’ for informaHon that can be taken to any
event. However, we are sHll in desperate need of more
volunteers to assist with covering the stand. It is a lovely
day out and you do get Hme to have a look around the
show, but this only works with your help. We will always be
there to help if needed but we can’t do this alone so if you
are interested in helping, even if only for half a day, please
contact either Bella Fullerton or Chris Foske[.
The Aussie
The Commi[ee has had a few setbacks with trying to get a
website, but I gather you are on the case?
Dan
We are indeed. This is the next project that we have for
this year along with keeping the Discover Dogs stand fresh.
This may take us some Hme as we both work full Hme, but
we are both commi[ed to the breed and understand the
importance of us all working together in order to prevent
the breed from dying out. A part of the website will look at
bringing us all together so that it is a one stop shop for
everything Aussie. We want to be able to draw people in
and keep them interested, so any ideas that other people
have are welcome. Also, if anyone has any experience with
building a web page and can assist – please get in touch!
We have the benefit of some extra Hme, as we do not
show Bella, however we are strong ambassadors and Bella
is the driving force behind this.

Con2nued
Once the site is up and running, it will be under constant
scruHny to ensure that it is up to date and we will conHnue to
ensure that the breed is promoted as best we can. We will
strive to ensure this breed is promoted to the best of our
abiliHes.
The Aussie
It is really good that we have a team on board to help raise
awareness of the breed.
Chris
It really is. We don’t have many Aussies in the UK compared to
many other breeds and it is great news that we have some new
and young people wanHng to make sure the breed conHnues
into the future. We have to do more than going to dog shows to
increase the numbers, we have to get the breed seen by the
general public.
The Aussie
Talking about the general public, there is the events diary for
everyone to see in this ediHon of the Magazine.
Chris
We have listed the Game Fair dates and this has been a useful
way to get the Aussies seen by a new audience and it has been
successful bringing in some puppy sales. This year they have
made some changes, so we would have to reserve a space at
the shows, but it would not necessarily mean we have a spot.
There is a reserve list, in case anyone pulls out. There is a need
to confirm vehicles when booking and this means we have to
have commitments for the events NOW. The extra requirement
is for us to have an upgrade on our insurance to cover the
event. We asked the Commi[ee for their feedback and as no
one was interested in supporHng the Game Fairs, we have had
to pull out this year. It is worth noHng that the Midland Game
Fair is not running this year. I know a couple of members
represented the breed there in the past.
The Aussie
But the Club is looking to do things for members this year.
Chris
Yes, we want to finalise the grooming day. Members are
suggesHng May would be good. Plus we have the 2 supported
dog shows. The Kennel Club wants all breed clubs to support 2
Open Shows. Our shows are the Evesham and District Canine
Society and the London and Home CounHes Terrier Club. These
are a great opportunity to ‘have a go’ at a dog show as well.
Something the KC is encouraging.
The Aussie
How can we find out more?
Chris
Obviously the Magazine and our Facebook page. If I can just
add, our Club is here to support Australian Terriers and their
owners. But the Club does need everyone’s support as well.
It is a li[le disappoinHng when we have hundreds of FB
members and most don’t convert to Club memberships – or
even renew their membership. We have to support and
promote the breed and we need not just the subscripHons
to help us do this, but also people. If we had more people
we would not have to pull out of the Game Fairs and other
events, where we could try to gain more support for our
wonderful breed.
The Aussie
The important message is that we need everyone to
conHnue to support the breed in every way possible in the
UK.
Chris
Absolutely. We need you now. Please make sure you
complete the membership renewals right now. Support us
whenever possible and encourage everyone to become a
members. If everyone who owned an Aussie in the UK were
members, well we would certainly be a much stronger Club
and more able to help mae sure the Aussie conHnues to be
a breed available in the UK.
Are you
Free?
Already 2020 is here and diaries start to fill up
more quickly as every week passes.
Here is a guide to what’s happening with
SCATC and dates that are a must for your diary.
More details will appear on the SCATC
Facebook pages, in this Magazine and by
email. If you have any quesHons, then please
contact Chris FoskeI.
The CommiIee looks forward to meeHng up
with members old and new at all the
forthcoming events.

What’s on and When
Your chance to support the breed and see the breed
out and about.
Party in the Park
Sunday 5 July 2020
Held in conjunction with the Windsor
Championship Show
Featuring our annual Open Show.
Judge: Andy Scourfield
There will be Pimms. No SCATC Party in the
Park without it!
The tradiHonal Members Buffet and much
much more
The Windsor Championship Show Judge is
MarHn Phillips.
More informaHon to follow on our Facebook
Page and in the next Magazine
CruOs Dog Show
5-8 March 2020
Venue; NEC Birmingham
Terrier Day Sunday 8 March
Na2onal Terrier
4 April 2020
Venue: Bingley Hall, Stafford
Thame Country and Game Fair
2-3 May 2020
Venue; Showground Thame, Oxon
Hampshire Country and Game Fair
6-7 June 2020
Venue: Netley Marsh
Sunday July 5 Party in the Park
Evesham and District Open Show
July date tbc
Aussie classes supported by SCATC
Judge: Felicity Freer
Our Grooming/Fun day is scheduled
this year. Let us know if you would like
to come, so we can keep you updated.
London and Home Coun2es Terrier
date tbc
Aussie Classes Supported by SCATC
This Show Society is struggling to keep going, so please
do look out for the schedules and give them an entry.
Wiltshire Game Fair
26-27 September 2020
Venue; Bowood House
Discover Dogs, London
October date tbc
Venue: Excel Centre, London
Volunteers needed. Please contact Chris Foske[ via
messenger or by email wilfnbell@yahoo.co.uk

The Southern CounHes Australia Terrier Club has been acHve since 1966. Over the decades it has conHnued to provide Open
shows, which have been a[ended by hardened dog show enthusiasts as well as the companion Aussies and their owners. Plus
supporHng as many events as possible to promote the breed. From the archives, The Aussie has found some photos to remind
our more established members of the acHviHes and hopefully entertain our newer members.
Blasts from the Past
The above photo was taken in Arundel on 17 September 1989.
So what is the background to this?
Les Crawley was a regular broadcaster on Radio Sussex and was very fond of
Australian Terriers. He even interviewed Aussie owners on the radio. It was great
publicity for the breed. Having seen the SCATC ‘Culture of Australia’ display at other
events, when Radio Sussex was organising a fun day for their listeners, we were
invited to a[end.
This was one of the photos taken on the day, sadly not showing all of the acHviHes. It
does feature the Bearded Collie, Cru8s BIS winner that year - Ch Po[erdale Classic of
Moonhill. Pictured here with her owner, Brenda White, and her pups. They had been
invited as guests of honour, but were totally intrigued by our display and came to find
out more.
GeAng the Aussie seen by as many
people as possible was one of the
Club’s goals. It was the best way to
help increase interest and
awareness. And perhaps one of the
big moments was when an Aussie
appeared on Blue Peter and was
featured with Anthea Turner.
And yes the Aussie got a Blue Peter
Badge. The Aussie was Ch Belyndi
Red Jiemba and amongst all her
wins, a Blue Peter badge had to top
Why was our display so interesHng?
Quite simply, we had members who really got involved and went the extra mile.
What you don’t see is a couple of sheep, and an Aussie that would herd them. Their
owner would arrive and sheep and dogs would jump out the back of a small estate
car. The Pulborough StaHon Master dressed as Dame Edna Everage handing out
leaflets and what always seemed a never ending supply of gladioli. It was no wonder
we got more Radio and TV coverage that day.
We would expect to get at least 10 members volunteering and lots of Aussies as well.
Everyone either dressed like Crocodile Dundee, or in Australian designed sweatshirts
At the end of events we would have a BBQ organised and this became a popular
event. Even those not actually able to get to the event would turn up. Oh and the
sheep stayed in the car during the BBQ!

In the same year, SCATC held one of its 2
Open Shows. Today, we can only schedule
one a year. But in May of that year our
Open Show was judged by Paul Eardley. In
the picture top le8, you can see him
looking at the Brace Class. The handlers in
this class were Lynn Bell, Janet
McCormack and ChrisHne Mills, who went
on to become a SCATC Secretary.
The photos were taken by Bill and Barbara
Burrows. Well-known dog photographers,
whose business was called Thomas Fall.
They were great supporters of the Club,
a[ending and exhibiHng at the shows. Of
course, being photographers they took the
odd snapshot for the Club records. They
donated one of the Club’s Best In Show
Trophies, plus whilst they sHll ran the
business would offer a free photo shoot
and photos of the BIS. As they were
famous in dog circles, this was quite a
special prize to win.
The second image is of Limit Bitch Class. In
the ring was Brian Hodgson, Eileen
Henderson, ChrisHne Mills, Lynn Bell
(Currently Chairman of SCATC) and Felicity
Snook (One of the Club’s Vice Presidents).
SpectaHng from the window ledge was
Hilde Brookfield, Secretary of the Club.
(Above) The SCATC Commi[ee from 1989.
How many faces do you recognise? Much will depend
on how long you have been associated with the breed.
Answers at the back of the Magazine.
(Above) Photo from a SCATC Show in the 1980’s. A sit
down lunch was served. SHll enjoying lunch and
seated in the foreground is Miss W Alexander. The
President and Chairman and one of the early
exhibitors of the breed. Her affix was Faygate. She is
accompanied by her Assistant Freda Cheeseman.

Crufts is coming
A Long History
As an Aussie owner there are various ques2ons that
are asked. Apart from ‘What is it?’ and a string of
obscure sugges2ons that people make as to the
breed. Most people cannot believe Aussies have
been in the UK for well over 100 years.
As with all breeds, it took 2me for sufficient numbers
to be registered, enabling them to be fully
recognised by the Kennel Club and have Challenge
Cer2ficates (CC) allocated. These are the awards that
dogs need to win on their way to becoming a UK
Champion.
It was not un2l 1933 that the breed could be
exhibited and win the CCs and so the first CruOs
where the dogs were shown was 1934. The venue
was the Royal Agricultural Hall. Located in Islington,
today the Halls have been upgraded and now known
Aussies and UK Dog Show History
Aussies had been exhibited in the UK well before
1933 and so their development and establishment
really matches that of the Dog Shows in the UK.
This year Aussies will be at CruOs con2nuing to be
part of this ‘Show’. The event has grown so large that
it needs the space and facili2es that the NEC in
Birmingham can offer.
The breed will be exhibited on Sunday 8 March. A 9
am start in Ring 9, which is located in Hall 2.
Sadly, Aussie numbers haven't increased in the same
way. Although many people plug away raising
awareness. And since the pet passport, CruOs does
encourage overseas Aussies to enter.
If you think you would like to visit CruOs this year,
you can find all the details on the website
hJps://www.cruOs.org.uk
or if you decide to stay at home, you can watch CruOs
Channel 4 TV programmes. Although, we can never
be sure there will be an Aussie appearing.
CruOs In 1934
The catalogue tells us there were 14 Aussies entered for the
show. Judging the dogs was Mr Chris Houlker and the Best of
Breed was Micky of Toorak. (S: Simon of Toorak D: Sheila of
Toorak) The Best Bitch was Simon’s Patricia (S: Danny D:
Jillikins). By comparison, this year there are 23 Aussies
making 26 entries.
The catalogue was full of adverts, fascina2ng for us more than
80 years later to view. An advert for Aussie pups priced at
from £5 upwards. Based on the value of money today that is
around £250.

The 1934 Best of Breed Winner.
He went on to become Ch Micky of
Toorak
Picture features Simon of Toorak, Sire of
Micky. Also featured in Sally of Toorak ,
who was entered at the show but appears
to have been an absentee in Open Bitch
Majiga Threepence was entered into
Open Bitch and was placed 3rd. Her
sire was the same as the Best of Breed
Winner. Simon of Toorak and her dam
was Elizabeth of Farne.
Just some of the adverts
in the 1934 catalogue to
tempt visitors. CruOs
con2nues to be a major
centre for anything you
would want to buy for a
dog.

Who were
they?
Once again ‘The Aussie’ has been set the challenge to find out
about the Aussies and their owners featured in the newspaper
cuAngs.
The Aussies featured are called Binky and Barry and are described
as being sandy coloured. Sadly, we have no idea of the breeding.
Ownership changes in the arHcles from being Suzanne White’s to
that of her mother Ruth White. We do know the images were
taken in the 1930’s, when Aussies were regarded as the dog to
have by the well- to- do families. Fuelled by the Governor
Generals all including an Australian Terrier in their households.
We know that they appeared at many charitable events. At one
called the Dogs’ Gymkhana, Ruth White wore a brooch featuring
two li[le black terriers on a white background, set in green and
outlined in gold. She explained it was to honour her two Aussies.
We do know that the dogs were not the family’s constant
companions, as they were cared for by the gardener at their home
in Lulworth. At one point the family was out of the country for 2
year! He conHnued to care for them a8er the property had been
sold to the St Luke’s Hospital a8er the death of Victor White.
There appears to be quite a few instances of families during this
period having an Aussie, as they were a fashionable dog to own
and but sadly the dogs not remaining with the family for their
lifeHme.
But who were the Whites?
The photos appear to be the only references to their dogs from all
the documents about the family.
Victor White and he and his brother owned a very large and profitable Belltrees Sheep StaHon. It exists
to this day and is sHll in the hands of the family. You can even go and stay there. Images from the era
show its size and influence.
When he married Ruth, he relinquished the day to day running of the business, but obviously had a
private income enabling them to travel the world and have an interest in Horse racing for over 25 years.
He even owned a string of racehorses gaining success with them
.
The couple had 2 children. Suzanne and Patrick. Both born in London. But returned to Australia for their
early years. They lived in the outskirts of Sydney, with a home in the mountain village of Mt Wilson for
the Summer months, as Patrick suffered from a severe form of Asthma. Whilst Patrick was educated in
England, Suzanne did travel with her family, although was based in Australia.
The photos featured in the press were taken just a8er Patrick and Suzanne had returned from a world
tour. A8er her father’s death, Suzanne headed to London where her brother was living. There
he met her husband – also with an Australian heritage – where she lived for the rest of her life. Her
mother also sold up all the property and moved to England as well. Much to her brothers
disappointment as he wanted to return to Mt Wilson at some point in his life.
Patrick went on to become a well- known author, poet and playwright. He gained great success and
amongst his awards for his works he was presented with the Nobel Prize for Literature.
From all the documentaHon on the family, the photos of Binky and Barrie are the only references to
Aussies.

When dog enthusiasts get together everything and
anything gets discussed and that is part of the social
side of having a dog and not just an Aussie. The other
week at one of the sessions over a cup of coffee with
a friend who is an animal behaviourist, our
conversaHon kept being interrupted by calls on her
mobile. She did apologise, but we know when you are
self-employed every call is a potenHal customer and
you can’t miss an opportunity. She explained. It’s
Spring!
Talking
Point
We looked and said - and that means…. The response
was - I get a sudden rush of calls from owners who are
worried about their dogs’ changes in behaviour and
more specifically – the girls. When the owners are out
and about on their rural walks their dogs are picking
up a myriad of smells. Not just doggie smells, but
those of all the other animals. Spring is a Hme when
the pheromones are flowing. Animals are maHng,
have young and this seems to unse[le girls and they
change their aAtude. Maybe they are poor on recall,
become fussy eaters, wont walk to heel, get anxious.
And it’s spayed bitches as well. Great news for the
trainers and behaviourists, concerning for owners.
Apparently, Autumn is another Hme when things can
change. Mostly affected are young dogs and this can
be quite a wide age band depending on the breeds.
Aussies stay youthful for some Hme, so they would fall
into even up to 5 and 6 years old by the reckoning of
this dog behaviourist. Before you ask why Autumn
causes problems. Many males of different species are
out and about hunHng for females. The testosterone
is flowing and the females can be emiAng enHcing
smells. This seems to affect the males and just like
with the bitches you get changes in behaviour, like
excessive barking, agitaHon and someHmes aggression
which naturally worries owners. So the calls peak
again.
So if your dogs get lazy or lack the drive and interest
and it suddenly happens to you out of the blue, well it
can be worrying. All your training seemingly flying out
of the window for no logical reason. But it can be for a
short Hme because of these external factors.
Add in the factor of a full moon
Many dogs do seem to react when there is a full
moon. By react, it means act differently than they
normally do before and during a full moon. Many
people noHce their dog will bark much more, howl
more, and even come across as restless and like they
cannot se[le down. There are also some reports that
dogs can act in ways that are opposite of their
personaliHes. For instance, if your dog is generally
calm and relaxed, they may appear to be more hyper
and agitated around the Hme of a full moon. If your
dog tends to be hyper and full of energy, they may
become much more they may become much more
On the other hand, they can also become more
hyper. Your dog may seem to be much more alert,
they may bark and howl more, they may growl, begin
to chew things they normally would not, and may
pace a lot if they are feeling restless and antsy.
Although there is no scienHfic proof that links the full
moon to the behaviour, more observaHon from dog
owners and behaviourists who have charted and
observed dog's behaviour. Combine the seasons of
Autumn and Winter and a full moon and it’s doubly
troubling for many owners. The good news is that this
is generally a blip and trainers can help owners
through this to prevent lasHng behaviour being
adopted. But once you know this happens, then you
can be prepared and plan for it. The good news is
that many dogs outgrow this, just get lazy or lack the
drive and interest. But when it suddenly
happens to you out of the blue, well it can be
worrying. All your training seemingly flying out of the
window for no logical reason.
The message is, next Hme your Aussie acts out of
character – check the moon and the Hme of year.

The Vetting
Process
One of the many things that unite all
Aussie owners is we will all have to take
our dog to visit the vet. On various
occasions. Some Aussies love visiHng
the vet and enjoy the whole experience,
for others it can be a harrowing
experience. This affects us as well, we
know we are going to have to manage
one very upset Aussie. In this ediHon,
we look at how we can improve the visit
for those Aussies who are
uncomfortable at the vets and make
sure we keep those Aussies who have
no problem visiHng the vets conHnue
with this happy approach.
Is it normal for dogs to worry about the
Vets?
Although anyone who has a dog and
chats to other dog owners there are
many examples of dogs being worried
about visits to the vets. SiAng in the
waiHng room, owners share the
problems and it is very clear to all the
staff at Veterinary pracHces that dogs
can be very fearful about going to the
vet. However, no one had invesHgated
to find out how common the problem
might be.
That was unHl recently when
researchers from the University of
Adelaide undertook a study. They
produced a quesHonnaire on this issue
and received 26,555 responses. Owners
were asked to indicate how their dogs
reacted to vet visits and were given
examples of mild-moderate fear,
including avoiding eye contact,
crouching or cringing with tail lowered
or tucked between the legs, whimpering
or whining, freezing, and shaking or
trembling. Extreme fear was described
as exaggerated cowering, and/or
vigorous a[empts to escape, retreat or
hide.
The results showed 41% of owners
reported their dogs were scared while
being examined by a vet while, globally,
up to one in seven dogs showed severe
or extreme fear during an examinaHon.
The research has indicated that this is a
real problem and the worry from the
Veterinary profession was that owners,
with dogs afraid of their vet, may avoid
taking them frequently for check-ups, or
wait unHl a health issue is severe

Scared dogs may be harder to diagnose, take longer to undergo
a standard physical exam or pose a risk of injury to themselves,
the vet staff and their owners.
What makes a dog scared of the vet?
The study showed some unexpected results for the factors that
were idenHfied as most important in predicHng fear, including
that dogs with histories of breeding or showing roles were less
likely to be fearful of the vet in comparison to companion-only
dogs.
It is thought this is because it reflects the importance of high
levels of handling and grooming pracHce that dogs involved in
showing or breeding roles may receive from a young age. There
is a theory this means that fear of the vet may not even start at
the vet, but with experiences that occur at home.
However, it is not likely that 60% of the dogs going to vets are
show dogs, so there has to be other factors like the
environment, or specific experiences of an individual dog which
are more important than factors such as breed and age. Many
owners report that a dog happily goes to the vets unHl it is Hme
for something involving staying at the vet takes place. It is not
related to the quality of care, more a case that the dog is
separated from owners, there is possibly some pain, the dog
may be ill and is frightened about its future.
Then there is the dog’s incredible sense of smell and hearing.
We know they can pick up fear, not just from us but the
environment. They can sense illness and they can hear dogs
that are showing signs of distress. Then there are the owners in
the waiHng room. The silence, the worry experienced by
owners and the emoHons. All of these a dog can detect and it
can make them uneasy. If we know our dog can be anxious, we
can be stressed about what might or might not happen and this
just fuels the dog’s senses. All these can create that change in
behaviour as they walk in the door.
How to make the visit less stressful for you and your Aussie
If you know you will be visiHng the vet, prepare beforehand.
Set out your treats, lead, carrier. Have a plan for what your visit
looks like when you arrive at the vet. Plan for the best
experience possible.
or just an individual. It is the being held that causes the
worry. For them it is not the usual thing. Work on this and get
people to hold your dog. IniHally just for a moment and give
the dog a treat or two. Help the dog to understand that being
held is not a bad thing or something to be worried about.
Consider taking your Aussie into the surgery in a crate. Can be
challenging, but if your Aussie is comfortable in a crate with
familiar smells, it can help make them less worried in the
waiHng room. Another opHon is to keep your dog in the car
unHl you are called to see the vet.
Make sure you focus on your Aussie when you go to the vets.
Put the phone away. Yes - it is not that easy and waiHng in the
surgery can be boring. But by you being calm; concentraHng
on keeping your dog happy and less stressed, it can be good
for all.
Even if your Aussie is very happy at the vets, try to keep it
calm and not rush up to dogs and owners who might we less
comfortable.
From the very first visit treats and the vets are important.
Many vets have treats that they give to your dog, which can
help make a good first impression. Some behaviourists
suggest that whilst a dog is being examined to feed your dog
cheese from a tube. The licking makes the dogs calmer and
the cheese in a tube is a really good treat. Some dogs are so
scared they wont eat, or maybe surgery is planned and they
should not eat. Try favourite toys covered with familiar smells,
you talking and reassuring all the Hme. Focussing on your dog
and being calm and showing and feeling no worries yourself
can help.
Herbal op2ons
There are many herbal and homeopathic opHons available.
Scullcap and Valerian tablets are used as they are ideal to give
to anxious pets to relax and calm them and so increase
confidence, security and concentraHon. Valerian compound is
great when used in the short term or unexpected Hme of
stress and fear. It calms and relaxes very quickly and it does
not sedate either.
If your dog is reacHve, it’s important to have the best
experience along with everyone who will be in contact with
your dog. ReacHve just doesn’t mean aggression, it is reacHng
in the wrong way to a situaHon. Some dogs might wee and poo
as a fear response in the surgery. Something they wouldn’t
normally do. Everyone wants the best for your animals. Let
your vet know ahead of Hme if there is an issue and everyone
can be prepared.
Animal Behaviourists
More and more people are qualifying in this field and they can
offer more long term strategies to assist.
If your dog is worried as soon as it gets near the vets, try going
there at Hmes when it is closed and you park up. Give your
dogs a few treats, then take your dog for a great walk
somewhere. If the dog is not sure if its vets or park, then it can
reduce the anxiety. Some Vets have sessions for nervous dogs
out of their usual hours to help the dogs overcome their fears.
Many dogs don’t like being restrained. It can be a breed trait,

The
Look
of
Love
Be honest, when you look into your Aussies eyes, what
do you feel?
Mostly a great feeling.
How many Hmes have you reprimanded your Aussie,
then looked into their eyes and thought – what the
heck?
What is it that melts out hearts with one look?
According to a new study it’s not by accident.
The Aussie invesHgates further

Do Wolves have the same response?
The study compared facial anatomy of 4 wolves and 6
domesHc dogs. Also, behaviour analysis of 9 wolves and 27
dogs in rescue kennels. It did involve the dissecHon of dog
and wolf heads to support the visual studies. The found
their facial muscle anatomy was nearly idenHcal, except for
the eyebrow fibres. Although they existed in the wolf, they
had not evolved a structure like those in dogs. Quite simply
it means dogs are able to make the complex expressions,
but wolves cannot! This evidence indicates that dogs
developed the muscle subsequent to domesHcaHon from
wolves.
Wolves cannot
make the facial
expressions like
our dogs.
A Southern based study
A study from the Dog CogniHon Centre at the University of
Portsmouth has looked into why dogs are able to win our hearts
with one look. What became very clear was that domesHc dogs
have facial musculature which enables them to be expressive. It’s
all thanks to a special pair of muscles – the RAOL and LAOM
which frame their eyes
In dogs the muscles are so thin, you can literally see through
them – and yet they movement they allow seems to have an
incredibly powerful effect. It is thought to be one of the reasons
for dogs and man to have become so close over the years.
How does it work?
The muscles are in fact an irregular cluster of fibres. They have
the ability to make the eyes appear larger, more infant like and
look like us when we are sad. When dogs make the movement, it
seems to elicit a strong desire for humans to look a8er them. In
essence, a nurturing effect. Most mammals produce facial
expressions – such expressions are considered an important part
of an animal’s behavioural repertoire – but it has long been
assumed that animal facial expressions, including some human
facial expressions, are involuntary and dependent on an
individual’s emoHonal state rather than being flexible responses
to the audience. Previous research has shown some apes can also
modify their facial expressions depending on their audience, but
unHl now, dogs’ abiliHes to do use facial expression to
communicate with humans hadn’t been systemaHcally examined.
The experts believe that the facial change didn’t happen
overnight. It has occurred over thousands of years of
domesHcaHon. The species separate 33,000 years ago.
However, one piece of fascinaHng evidence cropped up
when studying the dog breeds. It was that the Siberian
Husky – one of the most ancient breeds – did not have the
ability to use the muscles.
Why have dogs changed their anatomy?
The findings suggest that expressive eyebrows in dogs may
be the result of humans’ unconscious preferences that
influenced selecHon during domesHcaHon. This would have
given dogs that could move their eyebrows more of a
selecHon advantage over others and reinforce the puppy
eyes trait into future generaHons.
Previous research undertaking had shown that dogs moved
their eyebrows more when humans were looking at them.
The research to demonstrate this studied 24 dogs of various
breeds, aged one to 12. All were family pets. Each dog was
Hed by a lead a metre away from a person, and the dogs’
faces were filmed throughout a range of exchanges, from
the person being oriented towards the dog, to being
distracted and with her body turned away from the dog.
The results proved that dogs’ facial expressions are
dependent on the a[enHon state of their audience and are
not just a result of dogs being excited. It showed dogs will
be more expressive when looking at a person and obviously
its owner, more than the prospect of a tasty treat!
So next Hme your Aussie appears to look lovingly at you -
well they are actually able to give you the right expression
to make you believe it. And it’s good to know you are more
popular than their favourite treat!

Brain Power
You don’t have to live
very long with an
Aussie before you
realise, they are
preJy smart dogs.
They soon learn to get
their own way, if you
let them. Many do
think around
situa2ons as well in
their aJempt to get
their own way! What
makes our Aussies so
bright? Scien2sts have
come up with new
theories on why we
have intelligent dogs.
Erin Hecht is an assistant professor in the
department of human evoluHonary biology at
Harvard University. She had been interested in
studying dogs as a window into the evoluHon of
brains for decades. But it wasn’t unHl she
collaborated with Marc Kent, a veterinary
neurologist at the University of Georgia, that she
was able to put her thought into a formal research
project.

The first thought was different breeds differ in size and
construcHon and does it have an effect on the size and shape of
the brain? Did it ma[er? Was a Yorkshire Terrier less likely to be
as bright as, for example, a Great Dane? In theory, bigger brain
more brain power.
The team began by analysing magneHc resonance imaging
(MRI) scans of 62 male and female dogs of 33 breeds, which
included beagles, dachshunds, greyhounds and Labrador
retrievers. No Aussies, but Australian Silky Terriers were
included. From the scans, they examined the areas of the brain
with the most variaHon across the breeds in the study.
This generated maps of six brain networks. From these they
could establish funcHons varying from social bonding to
movement, each of which was associated with at least one of
the breed behavioural characterisHcs. By correlaHng the
variaHons, the researchers could establish some fundamental
facts.
What were the fundamental facts?
PhylogeneHcs, or in plain english, evoluHonary relaHonships,
revealed when the brain anatomy varied significantly, it most
likely resulted from selecHve breeding. Breeders have
significantly altered the brains of different domesHc dogs in
their a[empt to produce the perfect dog, for the job in
quesHon.
To give more insight into the theory. Dogs like Golden
Retrievers, were bred to be good at flushing out and visually
tracking animals like birds through an environment. When the
team compared these dogs to other breeds, they appeared to
have key differences in brain regions linked to coordinaHon, eye
movement, and spaHal navigaHon—everything you’d need to
be a good tracker.
There were some surprises. For example, skill in hunHng by
scent was not associated with the anatomy of the olfactory
bulb. Rather, this skill was linked to higher-order regions that
are involved in more complex aspects of scent processing. It’s
not about having a brain that can detect if the scent is there.
It’s about having the neural machinery to decide what to do
with that informaHon.
What’s next?
From this research, the next area they want to invesHgate is
that of a predisposiHon, or not, in breeds to perform specific
tasks. Border collies are amazing at herding, but they aren’t
born knowing how to herd. They have to be exposed to sheep;
there is some training involved. Learning plays a crucial role,
but there’s clearly something about herding that’s already in
their brains when they are born. It’s not innate behaviour, it’s a
predisposiHon to learn that behaviour.
As always there is an analogy with humans and our ability to
use language. Babies don’t pop out of the womb being able to
speak, but clearly all humans are predisposed in a very
significant way to learn language. If we can figure out how
evoluHon got those skills into dog brains, it might help us
understand how humans evolved the skills that separate us
from other animals. To that end, Hecht is now studying dogs
specifically bred for performance.
Featured are the structural differences in three dog breeds
displaying areas that vary the most
To give an idea of the MRI for the Australian Silky Terrier. As
this breed is linked to the Aussie, it gives a comparison.
The Future
Researchers suggest these findings illustrate the complex ways
that brains, including our own, evolve over Hme. They hope
their work will assist with helping us to refine and ensure a
high percentage success when breeding for the specialised
needs.
The requirements that are needed for cancer detecHon, bomb
and arms detecHon, medical support dogs, and so the list
goes on for those jobs where dogs play a vital role in society.

The Fitness
Regime
With January being NaHonal Walk your dog month, the
Aussie looks into the topic of exercise. O8en we are
asked, how much exercise does an Aussie needs. Much is
dependent on age, lifestyle etc. But there is more to
exercise than taking your Aussie ‘round the block’!
Various local specialists have contributed their thoughts
for you to ponder.
Despite the modern era and our busy working lives,
we sHll love our dogs more than ever. It seems that
nothing can get between a person and their best
buddy, our loyal dogs. We all want what is the best,
someHmes so much that we give up our own luxuries
- so they can live like royalty. But have you
considered that your dog many not be geAng the
exercise they need?
Exercise is vital to maintain a dog’s health and their
mental wellbeing, like us, dogs need to be able to let
off pent up steam and burn off those delicious treats.
Especially in the new year, when like us, they may
have been able to over indulge. SomeHmes, we can
get lazy and not walk our dogs as o8en as we really
should. Without regular exercise, tailored to your
dog’s needs, your dog may become unhappy and
overweight.
Is my Aussie fat?
Most Aussies love food. They will do almost anything
for you, provided there is something edible at the
end of it!
As they get older many become obsessed by their
food. Their body clock can tell you well in advance of
meal Hmes and they will eat so quickly, we are o8en
tempted to increase the quanHHes.
Overweight Aussies can lead to other health
problems ranging from diabetes, to injuries to their
legs.
To give an idea if your Aussie might be overweight,
you can use the guide to give an indicaHon.
Most Vets have scales and if you are wanHng to check weight and the
amount of food you should be giving, then pop into the surgery and
check your Aussies weight.
Did you know ?
A dog’s natural walking pace is usually
twice as fast as the average human’s. As
a dog would not naturally choose to walk
at such a slow pace. One reason why dogs
can pull ahead of us when we walk.
It’s doubly important that we reward
them generously for something that they
find difficult.

Types of Exercise
Just as we go to the Gym for different exercises to have an effect on different muscles, the
type of exercise we do with our dogs can impact on their muscle development. The images
don’t feature an Australian Terrier, but the types of exercise indicted sHll apply. By simply
feeling a dog, you can tell what types of exercise it enjoys. This knowledge can be used to
develop and assist the structure of dogs that take part in any of the dog sports - from the
show ring to the agility course.
Exercise with Cau2on!
If your Aussie seems to be gaining weight, then cuAng down food is the first criteria.
Checking that you haven’t slipped into guessing the quanHty rather than weighing it! But if
you are sure the quanHHes are correct then increased exercise is the next opHon. However,
as with ourselves don’t suddenly start a mega fitness rouHne for your Aussie if they are
overweight. Build up to it at a steady pace.
Just like athletes, a dog does need to warm up its body before going into acHon. There is a
school of thought that some of the ligament injuries could be caused by dogs running before
they have warmed up their bodies. Vets have noHced an increase in these injuries as Autumn
approaches.
How much exercise does a dog need?
There isn’t a set-in stone rule for how much
exercise a dog needs. Puppies need lots of
play and older dogs won’t want to walk as
much if they have ailments, but it’s not as
simple as a couple of quick outdoor toilet
breaks for dogs of average age and health
either. The amount of Hme different types of
dogs need to walk and exercise for to stay
happy and healthy has been revealed in a
report by researchers.
The report highlighted how long common
breeds of dog need to spend out on walks
or playing fetch with their owners, so you
can help your dog avoid health issues. All
dogs require daily exercise, but this can
vary from half an hour to a couple of hours
or more, depending on the natural fitness
level, personality and physical features of
the breed.
Younger and adult dogs generally need to be more acHve than older dogs that may have sHff
joints or other underlying problems. Not geAng enough exercise can lead to a range of
health problems which includes the growing problem of obesity.
InacHvity and being stuck in the house all day also makes dogs bored, just like people, and
can lead to behavioural issues, such as excessive barking, chewing and self-grooming.
All dogs love to explore and sniff in new locaHons, as well as stretching their legs for an
appropriate amount of Hme. ToileHng indoors could even be a consequence for dogs who
aren’t given enough opportunity to get out of the house.
How different types of
exercise impacts on the
muscles of dogs.
So, the pet experts have revealed the bare minimum amount of exercise different breeds
should be geAng daily, assuming they’re of average age and health, not including play Hme
around the house. Dog walking is good for us as well. Almost two-thirds (64%) of dog owners
walked their pet for at least 150 minutes per week. The report suggests that dogs around the
size of an Aussie needs a minimum of an hour a day. The Hme allocated is best split into two
or three walks or exercise sessions throughout the day, rather than all at once.

The country code
One of the best things about having a dog is you
get to explore the BriHsh countryside. The UK has a
total of 15 naHonal parks which are ideal for going
on dog walks. However, you need to be aware of
the rules and abide by the specific rules for each
park.
Always have your dog close by so that you can call
them back if you need to. Don’t let them off the
lead unless you are able to keep them under
control and they have good recall. Do not under
any circumstances allow your dog to chase
livestock, or wild animals. Take care when you are
walking around ca[le, as they can be dangerous to
both you and your dog.
Keep your dog on a lead during bird nesHng season
(March to July), so that they do not disturb any
nests on the ground.
Is exercise just dog walking?
Dog walking exercises the body, but there is also the mind that needs to
be used. That’s why the walk and pause idea is great. Dogs do like to
sniff their environment. To them this is how they see the world and it
makes the walk more fulfilling for them and yes boring for us. They
usually choose a spot that doesn't inspire us, but for them establishing
who, what and when something passed a spot is very important. And it
Hres them out!
But other acHviHes are exercise for you and your Aussie. We feature
Agility in this ediHon, plus an arHcle on Shaping. Both are great ways to
sHmulate an exercise the Aussie. However, there are others which
might be more appealing.
If road walking is the only opHon during the week, there are an
increasing number of secure fields you can rent for an hour. There are
various types offering countryside, free running, obstacles and a few
with lakes. Quite simply they are designed to be a Thorpe Park for your
Dogs!
Friends
Most Aussies are social and do enjoy being with their Aussie friends.
Not always Australian Terriers. O8en you meet fellow dog walkers, or
you have friends with dogs. Enabling the dogs to meet up and run and
play with each other is great exercise for the dogs and you can have a
social Hme with your friends.
There are an increasing number of people organising dog walks. There
are ones organised for certain breeds, but also training clubs o8en have
a fun dog walk. You can even take part in the charity dog walking events
as well.
Swimming
The images on the previous page show that Swimming is a great
acHvity for dogs. Not all Aussies take to the water and if they do it is
recommended that you invest in a life jacket. It is always be[er to be
safe than sorry. At certain Hmes of the year open air pools have days
when you can take your dog swimming. Also there are dog swimming
pools around the country. Not always for hydrotherapy, but giving dogs
a chance to swim and have fun. The specialists there are fully trained
and can help encourage your dog to have the confidence to swim as
well.
Rally, hoopers and obedience
There are a growing number of acHviHes that you can do with your
Aussie. An increasing number of local classes are being set up, which
you can a[end and learn about them. Many don’t expect you to
become regular compeHtors, although some people do get bi[en by
the bug.
What is Rally?
Rally involves you and your dog working as a team to navigate a course
with numbered signs indicaHng different exercises to perform; think of
it as a sort of 'obedience exercise obstacle course' including simple
exercises.
The course is set by the judge or trainer. There is no pause between
exercises - you and your dog work briskly through the course without
direcHon from the judge. You are encouraged to talk to and praise your
dog during the performance.

What is Hoopers?
Hoopers first appeared in the USA under NADAC (North American Dog Agility
Council). Its popularity spread to Europe (primarily Switzerland and Norway), and
now has reached the UK. The Canine Hoopers UK (CHUK) has now been formed
and so there is UK body for rules and regulaHons. With the increase in interest it
has even been taking place at Cru8s.
Unlike agility, Hoopers has no jumps. Instead, ground-level hoops are used for
the dog to run through. It has the same pace and excitement as agility, but the
courses are flowing and don’t involve the Hght turns of agility, making it safer for
dogs. There are no jumps or high impact equipment: just hoops, barrels and
tunnels – not only making injury less likely, but also making it cheaper and more
accessible for pet dog owners to partake and pracHce at home.
It is ideal for your dogs, as it makes obedience training more fun and can
certainly help reduce the enthusiasm. ReHred agility dogs are taking up the
sport, as they sHll want to perform. It is even great for older dogs and young
dogs as there is no strain, as would happen with jumps.
Treibball
This is a new dog sport. It’s been brought over to the UK, but it has been around
in Germany since about 2008. This is a herding game that is parHcularly good for
herding breeds, such as Border Collies, but it can be played by most dogs. As
there are some Aussies who do have a natural herding insHnct, it’s worth looking
at this sport.
The balls are referred to as ‘rolling sheep’ as the mimic the movement and
manipulaHon of livestock. This sport involves geAng dogs to move exercise balls
into a football style goal. The owner and dog must work together to move a total
of eight balls into the goal and they have 15 minutes to do it. The balls are laid
out in a triangle formaHon and are approximately 45 to 75cm in size.
It’s an excellent acHvity for energeHc dogs that require a lot of mental
sHmulaHon. This is because it provides the dog with a mental and physical
workout. It also helps to improve the relaHonship between the dog and their
handler as this exercise requires a lot of teamwork. They have Facebook Group
where you can find out more.
Treibball
Playing with your Aussie
If your Aussie doesn't have ‘playmate to entertain them, there is of course you.
There are an amazing range of toys and games available. A visit to any Pet Store
will show there is a lot to amuse an Aussie.
Ball throwing and fetching must be menHoned. For many Aussies this is a game
just for you. You throw it and they watch you fetch it! However, there are some
that really enjoy the game and can play it longer than you. If you are lucky
enough to have one that enjoys retrieving then why not add this to their exercise
regime.
Tug toys are increasingly popular. Now there are more available that are terrier
proof. This is a game where you can interact with your dog. Great for bonding.
Add to this the increasing number of games designed to occupy your dog’s brain.
All of these are other opHons. If you don't want to spend out on these items,
why not buy a couple of terraco[a pots. Hide them around the house with a
treat underneath the upturned pot.
The list goes on
Doga, that’s yoga with your dog. There are many ways you can exercise you
Aussie’s mind and body. Plus give you a new hobby. It’s a new year, so why not
look to a new acHvity with your Aussie
There are an increasing number of
secure fields where your dogs can
roam freely. Prices vary but £10 an
hour is the average cost. Check out
the website for more informaHon
h[ps://dogwalkingfields.com
Local areas o8en have walking clubs,
so you can explore the local area.
Many welcome dogs as well. The
NaHonal Trust has many locaHons
where dogs are welcome and these
make a great weekend ouHng for all
Aussies do enjoy meeHng up with other
Aussies. Some members have regular
get togethers to enable the dogs to
have some fun and the owners to have
a great day out themselves.

Agiilty
Sporting
Aussies
Although we have menHoned Agility in previous Magazines, it is
sHll creaHng interest amongst the readers. Perhaps it is because
we have more Aussies taking part in the sport and their success
and photos are making readers think - maybe this is something I
could do with my Aussie.
GeAng into the ‘big league’ does involve a lot of dedicaHon on
the owners part, whilst the dog has the Hme of its life! But
readers have been spoAng Fun classes they can a[end to learn
the basics and have a weekly acHvity which is great for an Aussie.
We asked a local trainer who runs the fun classes to give a brief
insight into the sport. Cynthia Muir from New Zealand has
provided some photos just to show how clever our Aussies can be
when it comes to this sport.
A big thankyou to Emily Taylor for these great ac2on shots.

The Beginner’s Guide To Dog Agility
Looking for a fun way for you and your dog to be
more acHve together? Well then, agility training
might just be the answer! Agility is a great sport
that has a huge following for a reason, and can be a
wonderful bonding experience as well as way for
your Aussie to keep fit.
What is Agility Training?
Agility is when dogs complete a course of 12-18
obstacles in a specific order as fast as possible. This
includes dashing through tunnels, jumping hurdles,
weaving through poles, and more. Courses are
complex enough that dogs cannot complete them
with guidance from their handler, meaning
the owner’s handling techniques and ability to keep
up are just as important as the dog’s obedience
skills – it really is a team effort!
Based on horse jumping
compeHHons, agility training is designed to show off
a dogs’ natural speed. The sport grew in popularity
a8er it became a half-Hme show at Cru8s in the late
70s, and the idea was meant to be simple enough
that any dog or owner with an interest could take
part.
The compeHHons and training does relate to the
size of the dog. So an Aussie would not be expected
to run the same courses as for example a Border
Collie. SHll, some smaller breeds of dog are be[er
built for agility training, such as Shetland
Sheepdogs, Jack Russells, and Pembroke Welsh
Corgis. Enthusiasts are even mixing breeds to give
them size, ability and speed. But it should not rule
out Aussies. Although fewer in numbers taking part
in the sport worldwide, where they do compete
they are certainly proving they should be included
in the list. This is because dogs with a medium build
tend to perform especially well, as do animals from
a working background or who are naturally full of
energy.
Jump, what jump? Arjee shows that
Aussies were born to jump and these
obstacles are no match for an acHve
Aussie.

Summer exi2ng the tunnel. Recently, they have introduced ‘see through’
tunnels, so you can see the dogs moving.
What are the Benefits?
Agility training is an excellent way to bring you and your dog
closer. You might already have a good relaHonship, but agility
training can help make your connecHon even stronger.
As the courses are too complicated for a dog to complete on
their own, a common language needs to develop between a
dog and its owner that relies solely on movement and vocal
cues. Not to menHon you’ll have to work together to develop
strategies that play to your dog’s strengths and hide their
weaknesses.
Besides firming up the relaHonship between you and your
dog, there are other benefits to agility training. Does your dog
have too much energy? Agility training will help to Hre both
their body and mind. It’s for this reason that agility training
can also help with behavioural problems, as the main cause
for said issues is usually boredom. If you give their brain as
work out as well as their body, they’ll be a lot more chilled.
It’ll also test how reliable your dog is once they’re off the
lead and teaches your dog to respect you. A8er all, if they
enjoy doing what you tell them at the agility track, they’ll be
more likely to listen to you at home too. And if you’re planning
on bringing more dogs into your home, you’ll already be a
be[er dog trainer.
Finally, it’s just a really cool hobby you can ra[le off when
chaAng to people, or for when you need to make small talk.
We bet most people would rather spend Hme watching videos
of your dog mastering an agility course than talking about the
weather.
A big thankyou to Emily Ta

Cynthia Muir with Summer on the dog walk. Aussies are incredibly agile and love to be
high, so really can race across this obstacle. Cynthia is racing to keep up with her.
wait, wait - you must not jump before the
touch points Arjee
ylor for these great ac2on shots.

The Shape of Things
It’s no secret that our Aussies are bright,
versaHle and love to please. Karen Ferris
and Don Russell are newcomers to the
breed, but they are certainly proving
how much enjoyment you can have with
an Aussie. Karen tells us about some f
the new things she is doing with Tyke.
Hello fellow Aussie lovers.
Three years ago Don and I met Tyke and instantly fell in love
with him. Something just clicked. We didn’t know anything
about Australian Terriers and in fact had never heard of
them before. Tyke was with his breeder, Ruth Jones, at a
Breed promoHon event and we were instantly a[racted to
him.
We then read up and studied the breed to find that the
Aussie really is a hidden treasure. They are loyal and loving
and seem to have a natural affinity to children. They are a
very intelligent gentle breed and respond to love and
nurture.
Tyke sounded totally perfect for our family as we have
Grandsons. I am home most of the Hme, which is
important, as the Aussie just adores being wherever you
are. So, with the decision made and thankfully Ruth’s
blessing we embarked on our new life with Tyke.
As we had such an adorable handsome puppy, who
a[racted so much a[enHon when out for walks, we
decided to show Tyke. He has done very well considering
we were totally new to this and we are thrilled with his
successes. I guess the high being a reserve CC at Cru8s last
year.
Aussies have a brain
We soon realised that Tyke was a normal, happy go lucky,
playful pup but seemed to have a brain that he wasn’t using
as much as he should. But we felt he sHll needed something
extra.
Although we had started obedience training classes, he
sHll seemed to be hunHng for a challenge. Next step was
to enrol in the Kennel Club’s Good CiHzen Scheme classes.
Tyke really enjoyed this and passed the Bronze and Silver
Award. He progressed to the Gold Award. And passed. I
believe he is the first Aussie to pass the Gold award so
that was a very major achievement.
We know that Aussies are very versaHle, so we started to
look for something else to keep his brain acHve. By
chance, we met a very interesHng lady trainer, called Lyn,
who really understood the way Tyke thinks. This
introduced us to a different world, called Shaping.
What is Shaping?
Shaping is a Click & Reward system of encouraging your
dog to do what you want him to do, but iniHally without
any commands, or hand signals. The idea is to set your
dog up to succeed and then reward him for doing so. Any
posiHve behaviour is immediately clicked and a reward
follows closely behind.
To start with, we wanted Tyke to touch my hand. IniHally
you reward as he moves towards your hand, then only
when he touches your hand with his nose. A very simple
thing but actually quite useful as a distracHon from
temptaHon should you need one.
The next thing was to follow your hand using the same
click and rewards approach. This is very useful if you need
to lead your dog away from a situaHon, or indeed into a
place where he is safe.

Tyke is a fast learner
Recently we taught Tyke to put toys away in a basket. To do
this, I sat in a chair with the treats and a clicker in one
hand. Next step is to place a toy that is specifically for this
exercise onto the floor in front of a basket. What happened
next -Tyke looked at the toy, looked at the basket and I
could see his mind whirring round. As soon as he had any
indicaHon of acknowledgement of the toy, I clicked and
rewarded him.
Using a pointer with a clicker is a great way to
help encourage the right behaviour.
Once this became consistent, I had to up the demand unHl
Tyke li8ed the toy off of the ground. Again, when that was
regularly achieved, the next step was to wait to reward
unHl I believed Tyke was trying to aim to put the toy into
the basket. Which of course, with pracHse, became a fun
game which he is consistently successful in.
Eventually the reward happens only when the toy has been
put straight into the basket. Using this method, you can
train your dog to do a variety of exercises, which
encourages it to focus on you and really builds up a bond
between you.
What was next?
Our next acHvity was to teach Tyke to touch and follow a
target sHck as in the photo. This was so much easier, as
Tyke seemed to understand what I was asking of him and
the method of training. Recently, Lynn our trainer put a
chair in the centre of a room and ask me how I would train
Tyke to crawl through under the chair. I gave this some
thought and sat Tyke behind the chair and gave the ‘Wait’
command. I then walked around the chair to the other side
and placed the target sHck under the chair on the floor in
front of Tyke. When I moved the sHck backwards, Tyke
knew he should follow the sHck and confidently crawled
under the chair. Of course, the target sHck can be used for
many things using the same principle.
Tyke sees it all as a great game, but actually it is a strong
training method and assists with your dog thinking about
what he is doing.
If you are interested in knowing more, check out Tammy’s
dog training You tube videos. The trainer, Lyn, teaches the
method so well. Meanwhile, why not have a go at home
and have fun with your Aussie and remember he has a big
brain and needs to use it.
Aussies are truly special
I would like to finish by summing up the 3 years we have
had Tyke by saying that a dog is a huge commitment, but
the rewards are simply enormous. Tyke has simply changed
our lives and we feel so lucky and honoured to be his
owners. Ruth has given us the greatest gi8 of love and
loyalty and we look forward to every day with Tyke. He
keeps us sane, fit and happy. The Aussie is a formidable
character who will brighten any home.
Thank you so much Ruth for entrusHng Tyke to us. We will
be grateful forever.

Winter Blues
Recent research has shown that dogs do get depressed. Now
many will look at this statement and say, that’s a human emoHon
– dogs just aren’t the same as us. But when research starts to
show that it is not just caring owners interpreHng dog behaviour
in that way, that we have to start looking into this phenomenon.
Normally it is very easy to see when you dog is happy to see you
and these physical and someHmes vocal responses we can see in
the dog’s day to day life and we interpret them as our dogs being
happy with things in their life. But someHmes we see a change in
our dogs which looks like they are less happy. Maybe even
depressed if we apply some of our human emoHons, but why is
your dog reacHng in this way?
SAD syndrome
A new study by the PDSA found a third of dog owners surveyed
noHced their pets appear down or depressed during the dreary,
cold months. Despite our similar brain chemistry, there is
extensive research in people who suffer from this syndrome, but
really very li[le research into SAD in dogs. Some dogs,
parHcularly breeds such as Schnauzers, are prone to seasonal
flank alopecia – where hair loss o8en occurs in the winter
months. Other breeds have a winter nose. However, it is sHll
largely unknown if dogs do suffer with a true seasonal affecHve
disorder and an even bigger unknown as to what extent. Another
unknown which could be affecHng our dogs is how much our
dogs are reacHng to our behaviour. If we are suffering from SAD
do they pick up on our reacHons? During winter months, we are
normally outside less and have less outdoor social opportuniHes
than in summer, so your dog could well be feeling the blues from
a change in rouHne too.
What signs do people see?
Commonly reported signs in dogs include irritability,
sleeping more and an increased or decreased appeHte.
To try to snap them out of it, it is essenHal to keep up their
daily rouHne throughout winter. Whilst it may not seem
appealing to go for a walk on a grey winters day, the
change of scenery and variaHon is not just exercise, but a
valuable Hme for mental enrichment and sHmulaHon for
your dog.
Other Causes
Dogs can be affected by change in their lives. It could be
directed specifically towards them by a change to the
rouHne, diet, ownership, moving to a new home, new
family members or family splits to menHon just a few
possibiliHes.
People and their dogs do form a very close bond. Aussies
do seem to very percepHve of their owner’s reacHons.
Unsurprisingly, dogs quite o8en adopt the emoHonal state
of their owner — it could be euphoria or depression. A
recent arHcle in Mental Health Daily stated “If you yourself
suffer from depression, it could be rubbing off on your
dog.” And even more concerning, “people that are
depressed may not be taking proper care of their pets and
this may lead to their dog feeling depressed.”

Death of another pet
Ways to help
It's not known for certain whether dogs have the capacity to
understand the finality and significance of the death of a pet,
and any evidence that they do is purely anecdotal, Dogs tend
to noHce when a companion is no longer showing up in their
lives, and they o8en react to that absence in a way that makes
it clear that they miss their friend. Even if your pets weren't
close and the surviving pet doesn't appear to noHce the loss
of a pet, dogs are extremely sensiHve to the emoHonal states
of their owners and may react despondent or what we might
term as depressed. Why, because they're sensing those
emoHons from the people around them. Dogs can have a
parHcularly rough Hme adjusHng to a change in the family
makeup because of their pack-oriented nature. Dogs tend to
see the family, including other pets, as a unit and come to
understand their posiHon and role in relaHon to the rest of the
pack. When another pack member dies, this may leave your
dog feeling uncertain about his role and how they fit in.
Individual dogs react to loss in different ways. Just as with
people, there is no "right" or "wrong" way for your pet to
appear to grieve. Some dogs may not appear to noHce the
absence of the deceased. Infact they could appear content as
their posiHon may have changed for the be[er in their
opinion. No compeHHon for a[enHon, higher status in the
pack or quite simply the sleeping locaHon they have been
seeking for years! However, some may appear to feel the loss
quite heavily. In general, here are some signs that might
indicate your dog is reacHng to the loss of a fellow pet.
• Changes in appeHte
• AcHng withdrawn or despondent
• Whining or howling in dogs
• Changes in personality
• Pacing or searching the house for the lost pet
• Hiding from or avoiding other family members
• Changes in other behaviour like housetraining
suddenly not happening
Some have been known to show signs of separaHon anxiety,
such as crying and carrying on when you leave and
occasionally destrucHve behaviour.
While it's tempHng to comfort your dog when its showing
signs of depression, it's important you don't try to soothe
them while they're engaging in unwanted behaviours. PeAng
or speaking gently to your dog if, for example, they are
whining or pacing will only reinforce this behaviour. This can
result in the reacHon conHnuing well past the point that he
knows why he's doing it. As hard as it may be to do so, it's
best to ignore such behaviour. Instead, choose Hmes when
your dog is being quiet or showing signs that its happy and
give them plenty of a[enHon and reassurance.
Here are some other things you can do:
• Engage in new ac2vi2es: Giving your dog something
new to learn or focus on may help distract them from a
seemingly depressed state. Dogs, benefit from learning
something new that will give them confidence in their
pack posiHon.
• Do more of what your pets already love to
do. GeAng to do something fun and enjoyable with
you can go a long way toward helping — and o8en it
will help you feel be[er if you are upset.
• New friends. Another way to help distract a dog from
being depressed is for them to meet with their dog
‘chums’. Many Aussies enjoy meeHng and interacHng
with other dogs on their walks. Try to arrange meeHng
these dogs and maybe even organise with the owners a
regular get-together. Their dogs might be needing to be
cheered up!
• Stay posi2ve: If you are struggling with the winter, or
perhaps the loss of a pet. As hard as it is for you to
cope, try to be calm and upbeat with your dog.
GeUng dogs out to meet friends old and
new is a great way to keep dogs happy.
If there has been a loss of another dog, not everyone is ready
to replace them in the short or even long term. But your dog
may miss the company and the play. Even older dogs, who
play less, have their interacHons with their dog family
members. Therefore if your dog is social, it is important to
give them more of your Hme. Play with them to fill the gap
and even introduce them to a new friend. There are a growing
number of cafes where dogs are welcomed. Everyone is
cha[y, or maybe a fellow dog walker will meet up with you so
the dogs can interact.

Bed Fellows
You don’t have to look at many posHngs
on the SCATC Facebook Group to see
that many an Aussie ends up in the
bedroom and more oWen on the bed.
Especially this Hme of year when it’s
colder.
Many hold their hands up in horror at
this. We’ve all heard that we shouldn’t
do it: inviHng your dog into your bed.
People believe it’s dirty, gives the dog
ideas above its staHon and it’s just not
good for you. People have been saying
it for years.
But, recently studies are suggesHng that
these facts maybe aren’t enHrely true.
The recent research has shown that
what those of us who do share their bed
with an Aussie or two already know.
There are actual health benefits and it
isn’t just you who’s beIer for it.
It’s beIer for your dog, too!
‘The Aussie’ looks at the facts.
What pet owners say….
A survey of 2,000 found two thirds will sleep alongside their pet, with three in
10 of those liking the feeling of security they get from having them there.
More than a quarter of those polled said lying next to their cat or dog
helped them feel less alone and 37 per cent like the warmth from their pets
bodies.
The animal behaviourist, Prof Peter Neville, concluded from the results that
sharing a bed with a dog is considered a normal part of our lives and is a
testament to the increasingly co-dependent bond we have with our dogs.
What are the reasons for sleeping with our Aussies?
They Give You Comfort
Whether it’s their warm body or rhythmic breathing, there’s just something so
comforHng about a dog. They make your bed feel even cosier!
They Fight Insomnia
Their presence promotes calm, stress relief, and a feeling of safety. So,
basically, they take away all of the things that keep you up at night!
Snuggling With Them Relieves Stress And Anxiety
As therapy dogs have shown, a dog’s presence is a great stress reliever. Their
posiHve outlook seems to be contagious, and their a[enHve nature can be very
reassuring.

They Provide Warmth
Their warm bodies and tendency to curl up as close to
their humans as possible work as a liJle radiator in
the bed. While this can be tough in the summer, who
doesn’t love a liJle bit of natural warmth on a chilly
night?
They Help Fight Depression
One thing that dogs offer without ques2on is
uncondi2onal love. For someone baJling depression,
this type of connec2on can feel hard to come by. To
receive it, with no ques2ons asked, can work wonders
during a par2cularly tough 2me.
They Make You Feel Safe
Knowing that there is another presence watching over
you when you’re at your most vulnerable is such a
comfor2ng feeling. Their super hearing and tendency
to bark at strangers are all factors in this.
It's Good For Your Dog, Too
There’s nothing in the world that your dog loves more
than you, so allowing them to spend that extra
snuggle 2me will make their day. They receive
comfort from you in the same way that you do from
them, so this sleep arrangement is good for everyone!
Chances are, you’ll sleep beJer at night and we all
know that beJer sleep leads to a beJer day.
It really is a win-win situa2on for everyone involved!
Sleeping Arrangements
When our dogs are allowed to sleep on the bed,
where they prefer to sleep provides further insights.
Our dogs do try to choose their sleeping posi2ons, as
they are broadly seeking to maintain and enhance
their close protec2ng bond with us, rather than any
desire to control us or monopolise territory.
However, they cleverly learn to use their appeal and
warm benefits to train us to meet their individual
night-2me needs and desires. They are able to shiO
our sleeping habits to accommodate theirs.”The
survey for itchpet.com also found one in five
respondents said their pet opts to sleep in the bend of
their leg.
But the most common sleeping arrangement was for
dogs to seJle at the foot of the bed by their owner’s
feet.
One fact that recurred was the majority of those
polled said their dog is easier to share a bed with than
their human partner.
There are certain posi2ons that our Aussies select on
our beds. Here are some of the most common
posi2ons and what it means.
So how does your Aussie sleep?
Lies at the foot of your bed by your feet
Faithful
While this seems like the acHons of a duHful and worshipping dog, you
are of course horizontal in bed and so there is no respec~ul
acknowledging posturing here.
The Knee Nuzzle
Nestles in the bend of your legs as you lie in the foetal posi2on
Warmth and all-enveloping security are the key a[racHons here as you
all curl up in that 'arHficial womb' together. This pet can be more than
happy to hand over all responsibility for their well-being to you as if they
are a puppy again. n this perfectly protected environment, they don't
need to make any more decisions and literally sleep like a baby.

The Pillow Bandit
Takes over the en2re pillow
A less likely posiHon if you snore, this posiHon is usually the
preserve of smaller dogs wanHng the extra so8ness. As soon as
the Pillow Bandit wakes, they will usually insist on waking you
up too.
Your face is immediately accessible to be targeted with a rub or
a lick to ensure that breakfast is delivered pronto.
The Under-Cover Lover
Under the duvet
It's the ulHmate in dark safe dens to hide away in a reassuring
warm heap where body smells and pheromones combine to
create a comforHng 'scent fug'.
Dogs are notoriously indifferent of their owners breaking wind
and this paradoxically might add to the security of an
enveloping 'common scent' in sleeping under the duvet.
Just as some people sleep be[er under weighted blankets,
some dogs also relax be[er if they are lightly compressed by
bedcovers.
The Cuddle Bug
Cuddles you in the crook of your arm
This gets a dog closer to your face where they can probably feel
the reassurance of your heartbeat, while yet also affording a
quick escape route to other parts of the bed, or to the floor if
you turn or alter posiHon in your sleep.
The Cuddle Bug may also aspire to being a fully-fledged Pillow
Bandit, and this posiHon may just be a short reaffirming step in
their process of training you to accept and enjoy their
advancing expectaHons.
The Sneak
Inches further up the bed to get closer to your head
O8en also with aspiraHons to become a Pillow Bandit, the
Sneak is probably quite a dependent soul who loves nothing
more than to rest and snooze ever closer to your face where
they can feel your heartbeat and hear your gentle breathing
while you sleep.
The Superhero
Sprawls out on their belly next to you
This may be a bit of a compromise posiHon by dogs who want
to keep close secure contact with you for a while and enjoy
being pe[ed on the head and massaged down their backs as
you relax, but which prevents them from overheaHng if your
bed is very warm.
It may also be that the Superhero chooses this splayed posiHon
rather than curling up or stretching out, so they are increasingly
ready to look a8er you if there are disturbances at night. Your
welfare is their welfare a8er all.
The Octopus
Sprawled out in the middle of the bed and you're right on the
edge
One way to share your bed with an Aussie is to have their
image on a cushion.
A very common posiHon for many dog owners to find
themselves in in the morning. It begins nicely sharing bed space
with their loving owner, but gradually expands occupancy of
the bed during the night, perhaps to get more comfortable and
dissipate heat if you are too warm.
This pet knows how nice you are, taking advantage of your
good nature as you move to accommodate them as they
steadily stretch out in your half-awake state and shove you,
ever so gently, to the side.

Knowledge
Sharing
Did you know?
• Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone cancer that is
common in dogs, but rare in children.
• Studies found that the OS in canines shares
geneHc and genomic similariHes to OS in kids.
• ComparaHve oncology helps doctors use dog
OS as a means to unlock answers for OS in
children.
A bit about Bone Cancer
The bone cancer known as ‘osteosarcoma’ is rare in
children, with only up to 1,000 cases a year. However,
it’s a form of cancer that is more common in dogs. By
comparison there are over 25,000 cases recorded a
year. For both people and dogs, the disease is the
most commonly diagnosed primary bone tumour. It is
an aggressive form of cancer that tends to spread to
the lungs.
Sadly, Osteosarcoma (OS) has a relaHvely low survival
rate in both species Although surgery and
chemotherapy extend survival Hmes, approximately
30% of paediatric OS paHents die due to metastaHc
disease within 5 years and over 90% of canine OS
paHents succumb to metastaHc disease within 2 years
following diagnosis. Furthermore, despite advances in
understanding the molecular and geneHc
underpinnings, there has not been many advances in
treatment over the past thirty years. As there is such a
close link between OS in humans and dogs, it provides
a perfect opportunity to combine knowledge to help
combat this disease.
Aussies do seem to be a healthy breed, but some diseases can beset
all breeds and types of dogs and humans as well. Once of these is
Cancer. Today there have been great advances in managing the
disease in animals and humans. The TV Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick has
even established a specialist oncology centre to treat our pets. He is a
believer in ‘one medicine’, which crosses over the knowledge gained
between animals and people. He is not alone. Recent research is
working with dogs and children who have developed bone cancer.
Latest scien2fic research
Tu8s University and the TranslaHonal Genomics
Research InsHtute has been looking into this link and
has made some important progress. They studied 59
dogs with OS tumours, which included several
different breeds such as Greyhounds and Golden
Retrievers, as well as mixed breeds. GeneHc material
in a sample of each dog’s tumour was sequenced, as
was a matched sample of normal Hssue. Researchers
collected and sequenced samples from any addiHonal
metastasised tumours as well.
What the scienHsts proved was the genomic
features of the dogs’ OS shared many qualiHes with
human OS. For example, the geneHc complexity is
similar in both, and both show low mutaHon rates.
Although dogs largely develop OS as adults and OS is a
disease of human children, it was also determined
that age does not disHnguish canine and human OS.
This is due to the similar genomic features and clinical
expression of the illness in both species. The study
concluded that dogs are a useful large animal model
for studying new treatments and therapies for human
OS.

Compara2ve Oncology Holds Promise
Does using dogs as a model for human OS mean hope for
future treatments? The short answer is yes. The field of
comparaHve oncology is incredibly promising. ComparaHve
oncology is the use of naturally occurring cancers in animals, as
a model for similar cancers in humans. Just like OS, many
animal cancers, such as so8 Hssue sarcoma and melanoma, are
similar in both species. For these specific cancers, dogs are
ideal study subjects.
Cancers can happen spontaneously in dogs, and dog owners
are o8en likely to seek out specialised treatment. They might
go to a veterinary oncologist or teaching hospital to find the
best possible care. Services provided there are similar to what
may be provided to a human paHent. Surgery, radiaHon
therapy, and chemotherapy are among the shared cancer
treatment opHons.
It is esHmated that 1 in 3 dogs in the UK will be diagnosed with
cancer. Although not all cancers will be similar to human
cancer, that’s sHll a huge subject pool for research. Dogs have
become a significant resource for studying these shared
cancers and treatment outcomes. In addiHon, they may help in
determining the efficacy of potenHal new treatments.
The Value of Dogs As Human Cancer Models
Dogs aren’t closely related to people. So, can they really be
valuable models of human disease? Well, more than 30 years
ago, dogs were first used to opHmize bone marrow transplant
protocols. And the benefits have been growing ever since. The
following factors contribute to dogs’ merit as research subjects:
• Some dog cancers share tumour biology and behaviour
with human cancers.
• Most dog cancers occur at a high enough rate to
provide ample subjects for studies and clinical trials.
• Dogs share many environmental risk factors with
humans.
• Some dog cancer tumours have idenHcal microscopic
structure and respond to convenHonal chemotherapy
with the same rates.
• Dog lifespans, the rapid progression of dog cancers,
and the early spreading of diseases allow clinical trials
to be completed in a short Hme.
Thanks to these factors, comparaHve oncologists have been
studying dogs for human benefit for years. Dogs help to
understand environmental risk factors for cancer and evaluate
new cancer treatment strategies.
The Right thing?
Dogs have benefited too, as comparaHve oncologists have also
studied geneHc and familial factors for the cancer
predisposiHons seen in certain breeds. The key point with all
comparaHve oncology studies is not just that cancers in dogs
will contribute to a greater understanding of cancer in general,
but that both dogs and humans will benefit. And with this
latest study on OS, even more benefits may be just around the
corner.

Is it worth it£££
Is organic food worth the expense?
So many people admit that they pay more a[enHon to their
Aussie’s food than their own. Most people are aware of the
importance of eaHng healthily, but when budgets are Hght, or
the temptaHon is there – well great ideas do go out of the
window. However, the adverts, social media and TV o8en make
us feel we should at least look at organic food for our dogs. We
want them to live happy and long lives and we don’t want to be
the reason for this not being the case.
But is organic food the answer?
First of all, what does it mean when the words organic appear
on a label? It means the food was produced without chemicals,
pesHcides, or geneHc engineering. But labels can also be a li[le
confusing, because if (human) food in a package is at least 70%
organic and the rest of the contents don’t violate other
standards, it can sHll be deemed “organic.” It works the same
way with pet food labelling.
What it says on the 2n!
Pet food companies can be really can make it a li[le unclear with
their labelling. They comply with the rules and laws, but there
are some grey areas. Vets do recommend that we read the labels
clearly and only if the dog food bag says that it is 100% organic
and displays an official organic seal, then it is truly 100% organic.
So, say the food meets standards and is 100% organic? Does that
mean that it’s be[er for my Aussie? Not necessarily say the
experts in animal nutriHon. They tell us that expensive organic
foods are not really needed. As long as your Aussie is eaHng good
quality food, they will be healthy.
Fit for your Dog
Although, the nutriHonists have no problem with owners looking
for organic opHons; far more importantly, the diet needs to fit
the needs of the dog and have solid science and research behind
it. Too o8en, ‘organic’ or ‘all natural’ is used as a markeHng ploy
to enHce owners to purchase a diet, usually for a higher cost,
which has no data to back up its claims of being good for the
dog.
A low-quality diet will not allow your dog to get all the added
nutrients that they need, which means that your dog could
become unwell more o8en. Diet has a huge influence on a pet’s
health in the same way a human diet effects our wellbeing. If a
dog isn't eaHng well, it can develop orthopaedic diseases such as
hip dysplasia, as well as early onset heart disease, bladder
stones, and pancreaHHs.
So what types of pet food is considered high quality? Since it
depends on your pet's breed, size, and needs, it’s best to consult
an expert (a human one, versus Google) if you have access to
one. Another suggesHon is buying from companies that have
serious research and development programs and solid scienHfic
data to support their diet. Here you can check out the food
companies using Google!
Making the decision
An important Hp is always to look for meat as the first
ingredient. This will usually be a be[er quality dog food
than those that list a grain as the first ingredient. Look for
the words “beef dog food"; if it’s called something like
“beef meal,” the food only needs to contain 25% beef.
Another thing to keep in mind: Dogs may someHmes show
a preference for lower quality food, but their likes and
dislikes aren’t necessarily good indicators of quality. You
only have to look at what they scavenge given half a
chance!
Remember, just because your Aussie likes ta parHcular type
of food and it may be a human food, it doesn’t mean it’s
good for them. My children love McDonalds but…”
The truth is that, while some foods claiming to organic may
not be the full deal, it may contain the same nutriHonal
values. Plus organic food and farming is be[er for the
environment and for us. What it comes down to is a
personal preference, just like needing several glasses of
wine a8er a bad day at the Office!

The
Winter
Nose
Does your Aussie’s nose change colour? Suddenly the
black nose has gone a dark chocolate, or maybe there is a
band of a more brown/pink line in the middle or even very
pink?
It doesn’t seem to be a common problem for our Aussies
and many of you reading this will never have seen this
colour change. Technically it’s called "hypopigmentaHon",
but most people refer to it as a winter nose, or snow nose.
But why does it happen?
What causes a Winter Nose?
Generally it is a temporary loss of pigment in the centre of
the nose. A pink-to-brown light stripe appears in the centre
of the nose, with the edges of the nose remaining black.
The nose returns to its full black colour during months with
longer daylight. It was once thought to be a condiHon found
only in cold climates, hence the name Winter Nose, but
dogs in warmer southern climates have also been reported
to have the same pigment change. There has been some
correlaHon with it happening in bitches following a season,
or whelping.
As dogs age, it has been found that the lack of pigment will
stay around all year long. It doesn’t seem to cause the
Aussies or any breed any issues. It’s just us looking at the
noses from an aestheHc point of view and for those who do
exhibit the dog – the goal is a black nose.
Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers,
Labs and Bernese Mountain dogs are the breeds where
the winter nose is most common. We all know Aussies
think they are big dogs – so maybe they are just following
suit. But to be serious. The change happens due to the
enzyme tyrosinase, which is responsible for producing
pigmentaHon in the nose. The reason for the winter nose
is thought to be due to the enzyme being more sensiHve
to the cold. But if its summer and you have a house dog in
a less harsh winter climate – why does the nose sHll
change colour – albeit temporarily?
Reasons why your might get a Winter Nose
1. Cold temperatures: The most common reason seems to be
directly related to the temperature drop which causes a
breakdown in the tyrosinase, which is what makes melanin.
(Melanin is what gives colour, or pigment, to the hair, skin and
parts of the eyes.) The enzyme is temperature sensiHve and
gets weaker with age.
2. Old age: A dog's nose may lose its pigment as it ages.
3. Injury: If a dog experiences some kind of trauma, such as a
scrape or abrasion, the nose can turn pink as it heals. The
pigment will usually return a8er a while, but someHmes stays
light coloured.
4. Bacterial infecHon: The nose may not only lighten in colour
but may look inflamed, sore, crusty or otherwise unhealthy.
You may want to contact a veterinarian if this is the case.

Vet Check?
This condiHon by itself isn't a health problem, but cauHon is advised in sunny
weather because the depigmented area is at increased risk for geAng sunburned.
Some vets advise tesHng the thyroid levels to make sure that there isn't an
underlying thyroid problem in the dog.
Ways to reduce the problem
Firstly, there are no certain ways to overcome pigmentaHon loss but generally
speaking if there has been good pigmentaHon in the past, then o8en it can be
restored using specialised supplements.
There are a wide range on the market and a ‘Google Search’ will provide a string of
opHons. The ones that have been used successfully ver the years are ones that
include iron and iodine. These specific minerals do seem to help recHfy the
problem. Elderberries and ne[les are both rich natural sources and have been used
to provide supplements to add to your dog’s food.. You can purchase Elderberry
and Ne[le Extract. It combines both the the key plant based ingredients and being
a liquid you don't have the problem of making sure your dog ingests the
supplement. Not all dogs a re happy with tablets. sAll you need to is add to the
feed daily to help restore the lost pigment and can be given with any feeding
regime.
Seaweeds are also a rich source of iodine, although some seaweeds contain much
more than others. By ensuring the supplement is based on the best one, you can
be sure the dog will get maximum effect. The seaweed preferred for the most
effecHve supplements is Fucus vesiculosus, as it has the highest mineral content.
You can buy Kelp Seaweed Tablets and although you can see them in High Street
Health Shops, it is best to use those developed for dogs. It ensures the correct
balance.
Many owners with breeds that are prone to winter nose or pigmentaHon problems,
find that giving a pigment enriching product from the autumn through to the
spring helps to retain pigment during the colder weather and keeps opHmum
condiHon by providing extra minerals.
5. Nasal de-pigmentaHon, also called “Dudley Nose” is
when a dog's nose turns completely pink or even white for
unknown reasons. SomeHmes the dog's nose never does
change back. In some dogs, it will randomly regain its
pigment, or change seasonally.
6. Blood flow: There is a school of thought that cold
weather reduces the blood flow and this causes the colour
change.
It is important to remember that these types of supplements
don’t magically change the nose colour overnight. It has to be
given for at least a month to noHce any change.
The truth is, we don’t know why some dark brown, black or tan
dogs’ noses fade during the winter months. All we can do is look
to the possible causes and try to reduce the possible effect.
7.Another reason for this condiHon is a deficiency of B
vitamins
Other Things to Consider
Other condiHons can cause a loss of pigmentaHon on a
dog's nose. If you use plasHc food and water bowls for your
dog, for instance, a change in nose colour could be a
reacHon to the plasHc. Try switching to glass, ceramic, or
stainless steel bowls and see if the winter nose goes away.
An example of a Winter Nose

Whilst having a periodical clear out, the informaHon on the Bow Wow
books and their authors, which had been sent by the late Esther Krom,
who had the Shastakin Aussies, appeared. Such a great story about how
an Aussie can spark an idea that it was too good not to be shared.
BOW WOW
Richard Hunter with Shastakin Magda of Farview
and her daughter and li[er sister to Ruby and
Foster
How it all began
Foster, on locaHon in New York, filming the
Spiderman movie.
Around Thanksgiving in November 2000, a li[er of Aussies was born in
Pennsylvania. Nothing unusual about that. The breeders Anne-Marie
and Richard Hunter. The Sire was Am Ch Aka Inu’s Fabulous and the
Dam Shastakin Magda of Farview. These millennium pups were typical
Aussies and yet two of them went on to give the breed a boost.
One was Foster who appeared in the Spiderman Movie The other was
Ruby who went to live in a former funeral parlour in Brooklyn,NY, with
Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash. Her claim to fame was to
be the inspiraHon for the book about a dog called Bow Bow. The is a
cartoon terrier, loosely looking like an Aussie, and the things he gets up
to in his daily life.
Ruby had a successful day at a dog show.
Ruby is no longer around, but there is another Aussie called Moxie in
their lives.

Crea2ng Bow Wow
Both Mark and Megan had successful, independent
careers, but had always thought they would like to do a
shared project. When they sat down to discuss what they
might be, Mark said, ‘What do you want to draw?’ and
Megan said, ‘Our dog.’
Once they decided on the Aussie as the starHng point.
The next was to agree the best form of collaboraHon. In
the early 1980s, Mark had experimented with wordless
strips for places like The East Village Eye. Megan’s own
illustraHon work o8en ran in a similar vein. So, this was a
real common ground where their working methods
already met and it was a perfect starHng point.
They had the star, they had the idea of a wordless story -
next was to combine this together into a book. They
wanted to create something that would offer a more
engaging way for adults and children to share books. The
images would encourage individual storytelling. This
means, no two people might tell the same story. With
their experience of children’s literature, they were
convinced this approach would provide an invaluable
interacHon to be encouraged and fostered.
The first book
The first was Bow Wow Bag a Bug. The review says ‘Bow-
Wow may look like your average terrier. The streets he
walks may seem familiar. But just around the corner,
things get a li[le unusual.’ The book has received popular
acclaim and awards. Wri[en for 3-7 year old.
The images create a story that begins as day breaks, Bow-
Wow wakes to find a teasing speck of a bug hovering
around his bed. With doggy determinaHon, he follows it
out of the house and through the streets of suburbia,
where he comes face to face with his own mirror image
(accompanied, of course, by another bug), meets giant
versions of himself and the bug, comes across a pack of
dogs pursuing bugs (and one of bugs pursuing dogs!), and
tries to outstare a truly ENORMOUS bug. Bow-Wow’s
surreal adventures come to an end at sunset, as the bug
leads him back to his own front door, his bowl, and then
his bed.
Who are Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash?
As a child, Mark Newgarden’s favorite pasHme was drawing his
own cartoons, whilst watching old ones on TV. Mark was the
eldest of six children and grew up in Staten Island. He made
movies, collected comics, and walked the dog. As soon as he was
old enough, Mark decided to take his interest in cartoons a step
further; took the ferryboat to New York City and a[ended the
School of Visual Arts.
Once qualified, he ventured into the wide world of design,
graphics and illustraHon. He admits that in his career he had done
all sorts of crazy things. His love of cartoons automaHcally made
him seek to work on comics, magazines, movies, animated
cartoons, ads, toys, gadgets and off-Broadway comedies. He cocreated
Garbage Pail Kids. I wrote a book about the history of
fake vomit and sneezing powder and fake noses. He designed
merchandise for Pee-Wee Herman. He even worked on Microso5
Word.
He has also been a writer of columns, a syndicated weekly comic
strip, essays, criHcism, histories and scripts. Even wri[en fortune
cookies, bubble gum wrappers and Snapple bo[le caps. Add to
that aCartoon Network show. His other careers listed on his CV
illustrator, editor, art director, creaHve director, director of
animaHon, creaHve consultant, designer, muralist, curator,
teacher and execuHve producer. But in his heart of hearts he is
basically, a cartoonist.
Megan Montague Cash is also an arHst and author. He interest in
this began when she was a child. She admi[ed her favourite
pasHme was drawing. She would sit and draw animals and write
stories for hours. Megan lived in New York City unHl the age of six,
when her family moved to an upstate commune where she
missed school for almost two years. A8er appearing in the movie
WOODSTOCK, her family then moved to Woodstock, NY where,
among other things, she walked the dog. When she was old
enough, Megan moved to Brooklyn and a[ended Pra[ InsHtute.
Megan has illustrated, designed, wri[en and edited for numerous
children’s magazines, media conglomerates, toy companies, and
retail stores. Her clients include many museums including the
Children’s Museum of Manha[an, the Brooklyn Children’s
Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art. She is author and
illustrator of What Makes the Seasons? and I Saw the Sea and the
Sea Saw Me.

Tune In
SomeHmes you have to go out
and leave our dogs at home.
For example, in hot weather,
you just cannot take your
dogs to the supermarket and
leave them in a car. Making
sure your Aussie is calm and
not anxious that you have le8
them alone is always
important to an owner. Chris
Foske[ has found the soluHon
– SpoHfy - which recently
launched a personalised
playlist generator, so your
Aussie can listen to a
customised selecHon of music
while you’re away.
Why has Spo2fy done this?
The Swedish audio streaming site, which has 113 million subscribers, launched the range of
"algorithmically curated" pet playlist, because it saw a need from its subscribers. Research showed that
71% of pet owners surveyed play music for their pets, whilst 69% sing to their pets. Meaning that
owners are using music in one way, or the other, to create a posiHve effect. SpoHfy worked with Neil
Evans, a pet physiologist and professor at the University of Glasgow to develop the idea further.
He was very aware of the scienHfic research projects indicaHng that short periods of music can make
dogs more relaxed. Also, the research work has shown that providing dogs with varied auditory
enrichment can be used to reduce stress and anxiety over longer periods of Hme. Actual feedback from
the work undertaken has proven that when dogs have appropriate auditory enrichment they may bark
less, lie down and sleep more, and their body’s are in a more relaxed physiological state.
It is not just stress that music can help. Alex Benjamin, an animal psychologist from the University of
York, who also worked on the podcast, believes that it could help soothe dogs by masking the startling
sounds of the outside world such as traffic, car doors slamming or the bins being empHed. These can
start a dog barking and if you are not at home, there is no one around to stop the barking which could
upset the neighbourhood.
How does it work?
All you need to do is head to the animal friendly version of SpoHfy. Once you select your type of pet—
dog, cat, hamster, bird or iguana—the website will ask a series of quesHons based on your do. You
answer using a slider bar to find the right traits (such as shy, energeHc and friendly).Lastly, SpoHfy will
prompt you to enter your pet’s name and photo. (so your Aussie can easily access his personal playlist
whenever he pleases!) Once SpoHfy has decided what will work for your pet, you will be presented with
a playlist specifically for your pet's needs
From this, the clever algorithms will create a playlist based on subscribers' own musical tastes and pet
species. This lessens the pressure of predicHng whether your Aussie prefers heavy metal or classical
music. While the My Dog Favourite Podcast has been created with animal experts to "help alleviate
stress." It runs in two five-hour stretches and features reassuring human voices, relaxing music and
ambient sounds, including rain. It is voiced by BriHsh actors Ralph Ineson and Jessica Raine, whom you
may remember from the HBO series "Game of Thrones" or ‘Harry Po[er’ films and BBC period drama
"Call The Midwife," respecHvely.
Does it work?
Chris felt it was good for her dogs, although she was concerned whether the sound of running water
might have the same effect on the dogs as her!!!

FINAL WORD
Oxygen masks for dogs: Should all UK fire engines carry
them?
Oxygen masks have saved the lives of over 22,000 animals
every year in the US. However, in the UK they are not
readily available on Fire Engines.
Currently, human masks are used, but are much less
effecHve supplying oxygen than from purpose designed
masks. Animals only get about 10-15% of the oxygen with a
human mask, but 85-90% using the animal one.
To help animals, the Smokey Paws organisaHon imported
and donated special US oxygen masks to their local Fire
Service.
To get more masks available they set up a charity to raise
funds so more areas could benefit. At the moment, they
have succeeded in providing 2,800 masks, but they have not
yet reached their goal of widespread availability.
Poop scooping and more - one step further
Hopefully all readers are very aware of the importance of
poop scooping when out and about with their Aussies.
However, there are some tough new rules being introduced
in Spain.
In Seville there was a one month trial enforced by the Police to
make dog owners carry bo[les of disinfectant to wash away
their dog's urine.
Whilst in Zamora, where the number of dogs registered
exceeds the number of children, there is a tax imposed on dog
owners. The money will be used to create dog walking areas,
pay for clean up and distribute poo bags.
The Hague in the Netherlands has a dog tax of 120 Euros for
just one dog, so this is not a unique.
Fortunately in Madrid with the change of Mayor, the
compulsory DNA tesHng on dogs to match dogs, owners and
dog mess le8 on the streets has been quashed.
New year, are you looking for a new car and thinking – well
it’s pointless looking for a James Bond Aston MarHn as its not
suitable for travelling with my Aussie. Well it is a case of
thinking again. Aston MarHn had you in mind when they put
together the new DBX crossover. Now, Aston MarHn has fixed
things with the accessory offerings for their new crossover.
They offer a “Pet Pack” that bundles together a number of
accessories to keep your Aussie safe, sound, and even clean
when you’re out and about.
The kit consists of a dog bed, a bumper protector to keep the
paint and brightwork free of pawprints and claw scratches, a
parHHon to keep your friends off the fancy leather in the back
seats, an Aston MarHn-branded leash because of course, and
a portable washer that runs off of ba[ery power to give your
dog a wash before coming back in the house. You’re probably
not in the market for the DBX if you have to ask how much
this costs. It’s £2,700 for the package. If that’s too steep, or
you already have some of the kit, then you can get the pieces
a la carte if you so choose.
Bentley already has a kit to make their crossover work with
pets. Theirs, though, isn’t for dogs or cats. It’s for falcons.
Paws on Plas2c
In the last magazine, some aspects on how we as dog
owners can help protect the environment was covered. A
campaign not included is ‘Paws on PlasHc.’ Founded by
Primary school teacher Marion Montgomery from
Stonehavenan. She was inspired by her eco-conscious dogs
who enjoyed picking up plasHc bo[les on their walks.dog
She soon realised if she and other dog walkers aimed to
pick up some plasHc waste, they could have a big impact.
In November 2018, Marion set up the Facebook group Paws
on PlasHc to spread the word and recruit other dog owners
to pick up two pieces of plasHc whilst out on a regular dog
walk and take it home and puAng into the recycling bin.
Members are asked to celebrate their efforts by posHng a
photo of their dog with the waste they’ve collected on the
‘Paws on PlasHc’ Facebook page.
I am sure there are lots of aussie owners wanHng to join
this campaign.
Blast from the Past 1989 Committee was:
L-R
Joan Davies with a Tippon Aussie, Felicity Snook,
Dorothy Snook, Margaret Worboys, Hilde Brookfield,
Stash Smigielski, Chris Mills and Jeff Mills. How
many did you get right?
Please note that the views expressed in this magazine are those of the
authors of the arHcles and not necessarily those of the Commi[ee and
Officers of The Southern CounHes Australian Terrier Club. We would like to
thank all the contributors for their input, without which the Magazine would
not have such a& diverse range of topics supported by some wonderful
photographs. All images have been provided for the sole use of The Aussie
Magazine and are not for reproducHon without consent from the owner(s) of

The Aussie
Look out for the next
edition of The Aussie
in May 2020. Only for
paid up members of
SCATC.