From smart dog playing owners off against each other to feeding a snake – your pet queries answered

HE is on a mission to help our pets  . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.

4

4

He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Q: WHEN I tell off my dog Oreo for being naughty he runs straight to my husband Peter, then ignores me for the rest of the day.

Are dogs intelligent enough to play their owners off against each other?

I feel like that is happening.

Steph Carlisle, Edinburgh

Sean says: Maybe not, but dogs develop individual relationships and rules of engagement with members of their pack, whether they are human or canine.

If you are the bad cop, then it’s more pleasant and preferable to spend time with the good cop.

This is probably avoidance on Oreo’s part rather than directly trying to play you both against each other.

But indirectly, if it means Oreo gets more cuddles and attention from your husband, you might feel Peter and Oreo have betrayed you and the feeling of distance becomes magnified, as it’s two against one.

The important thing in any dog- human household is that the people treat their pet consistently, with agreed routine and rules that they apply together.

Dogs thrive when they know what’s expected.

If one owner applies the rules and the other breaks them or makes exceptions it can cause issues and confusion.

Q: MY Norwegian Forest Cat Sasha has lovely long hair but she hates being brushed.

What can I do to make this a better experience for her — and me?

Mary Morgan, Cardiff

Sean says: Use reward-based training and patient, gradual desensitisation to the process of grooming.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

But nothing really is with cats, especially those who have made up their mind about something.

Start slowly and in a calm, stress-free environment.

You will not get a full grooming session in one go, so begin with little brushing motions around Sasha’s head and neck where she likes to be stroked.

Slowly build to more time brushing, including on other areas of the body with her favourite food treat rewards and lots of praise.

Get her used to the brush being around and ask her to come for quick sessions in exchange for treats.

If her coat is already matted and you need to yank the hair or make her uncomfortable, it is best to get her professionally groomed first, then continue ­maintenance at home.

Q: SHOULD you feed corn snakes outside their enclosure?

I’m going to get one for my eight-year-old son, Ethan.

I am reading up on everything so we do things right.

But there seems to be a big debate online about where to feed them.

What do you recommend?

Mark Thomas, Herne Bay, Kent

Sean says: As far as I can see, there’s no need or reason to put them in another container for feeding.

It’s overcomplicating something simple.

I had pet corn snakes when I was younger, and always fed them in their enclosures.

Snakes don’t like to be moved or handled in the few days after a big meal, and it can cause regurgitation, so that’s one good reason for starters.

You can also use feeding as behavioural enrichment, hiding the food item in different areas of the enclosure for them to find.

The best advice I have for any reptile owner is to mimic the life they would have in the wild, with a large, complex, enriched enclosure, giving them new items and furnishings to explore, and a natural temperature gradient to choose where they want to be throughout each day.

Feeding should also be part of that stimulation, so get creative.

In the wild his food would be found in his habitat and in captivity it shouldn’t be any different.

Star of the week

TYSON the Maine Coon is a two-stone cat that thinks he’s a DOG.

Owner Karen Murray, of Royston, Herts, said: “Tyson is lead-trained and goes out for a half-hour walk every day.

4

“He also does some tricks including ‘paw’. He is a real character.”

Karen, 48, who is a member of breeders and trainers group Dollzuki Maine Coons, added: “Tyson and our other four Maine Coons have been in adverts for Lexus and John Lewis and work with pet talent agency Urban Paws.

“They also visit a local old people’s home to cheer up residents.”

• See Dollzuki_ Maine_Coons on Insta.

Retrievers go for gold at Crufts

GOLDEN Retrievers are the most popular entrant to this year’s Crufts, the Kennel Club has revealed.

The show, from March 7 to 10, is expected to attract 24,000 canine contestants, with 538 retrievers hoping to bag a title.

4

This is just ahead of the Labrador with 519 entrants and Cocker Spaniel at 421.

In contrast, only three ­Belgian Shepherds, three Foxhounds and two Turkish Kangals will vie for glory.

Fifty countries will have dogs competing in the event at The NEC, Birmingham.

The Netherlands is top dog in numbers, with 382 in the running for glory.

Show manager Helen Kerfoot said: “Crufts is an iconic British event with a truly international feel.

“It is a great celebration of dogs, whether that’s seeing which breed wins the Best in Show title, watching fast-paced agility, hearing the stories of our Hero Dog Award finalists, seeing the UK’s top family pets compete in the Scruffts final, or meeting your match in the Discover Dogs area – there is something for everyone.”

The Cocker Spaniel has won the most Best in Shows, with seven titles, followed by the Irish Setter, Poodle and Welsh Terrier which have triumphed four times each.