DSPCA Urges Pet Owners To Train Their Dogs As 70% Surrendered Have Behaviour Issues

'Prevention is better than cure...'

Photos Conor McCabe

Having a well-behaved dog is not only part of being a responsible pet owner but also can be fun for all the family, and this January is National Train Your Dog Month!

Anyone who has ever begged for a dog as a child (which, let’s face it, is all of us) has been greeted with the phrase, “a dog is a lot of responsibility.” But what exactly are those responsibilities?

Well, the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is launching a new campaign to get owners educated.

The DSPCA is urging pet owners to engage in their training services to encourage responsible pet ownership. They revealed that 70% of all the dogs surrendered to DSPCA have behaviour issues that could have been solved if the owners had taken action earlier.

With January as National Train Your Dog Month, the DSPCA Dog Training Academy has resumed in-person training classes, both group and one-on-one sessions, so pet owners can learn how to work with their pets for responsible ownership.

Issues such as toilet training, play biting, the addition of a new baby, food aggression etc., are commonly seen by the Dog Training Team. The recent push from the DSPCA is targeting older pets, and new pets received over Christmas as they are experiencing issues from all types.

The DSPCA and the DSPCA Dog Training Academy believe that prevention is better than cure and that training your dog at a young age or at the start of the relationship is vital. They also believe that every dog deserves a second chance and that behavioural issues are better dealt with as soon as they are noticed.

The DSPCA offers FREE behaviour advice where a qualified Dog Trainer will talk through your issues and can recommend a customised training programme to suit your individual training requirements.

Full support services offered are:

· Puppy Training Classes

· Basic Obedience Training

· Reactive Dog Training

· Workshops – Rocket Recall, Scent Games for Dogs, Tricks and Well Behaved Walkies

· Seminars – Dog meets Baby, Puppyhood and Reactive Dogs

· Adult Education courses ¬- Dog Training and Canine Behaviour

· Doggie Daycare

· Pet Boarding

For more information, click here!

Words by Slaine McKenna