Woman takes lead with book to help dogs (and owners)

A DOG trainer from Kidmore End believes she has the key to helping pet owners lift their pooch’s mental health to cope with modern living.

Heather Watson, a former pupil at The Henley College, has published an easy-to-read guide to keeping dogs happy and positive.

Ms Watson, a professional trainer for 39 years, said: “I have written this book because every time I go to see a problem dog the baseline is always the same — it’s about getting the dog’s mental state right so that things become easier for the dog and owner.

“There are many more dogs being kept as pets than there used to be. In the good old days you might meet one or two dogs on a walk in the park, whereas now you can expect to meet 20 dogs, which can be stressful for some pets.”

Day-care and other facilities for dogs mean that people who work full-time can own a dog but, she stresses, a dog’s needs have to be met to keep them on an even keel.

Ms Watson said: “The world has become busier and that is apparent with a lot of dogs I see. Sometimes that world is a little too much for them.”

Ms Watson believes that many modern breeds need help to bring down their adrenaline levels and that is achieved by having a calm structure, a good sleeping pattern and down time.

Her first book, Take the Lead , was published 25 years ago and covered basic dog psychology and training. Her latest, Take the Lead... simply with mental well-being and more sleeping , offers “basic guidelines for any person to follow”.

Ms Watson, who attended Kidmore End Primary School and the former Chiltern Edge Secondary School, grew up with cats, dogs, guinea pigs and horses and calls animals her passion in life.

She said: “I did a legal secretary course and an A-level course, just to get a grounding because I knew I wanted to join the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and you couldn’t be taken on until you were aged 18.

“It was with the guide dogs where all my credentials come from. It was a two-year apprenticeship, involving City & Guilds qualifications and the practical side.”

The practical side involved hands-on working five days a week as well as studying. She completed 11 years as a guide-dog trainer, dealing with problem animals and teaching handlers the theory and the practical aspects of managing dogs.

For the past 28 years Ms Watson, whose mother Penny lives in Chalkhouse Green, has focused on pet behaviour and training in and around Henley and South Oxfordshire. She lives with a six-year-old Great Dane called Gurbir, her seventh of the same breed, and a “very lively” one-year-old Dachshund called Goblin.

Gurbir has his own room and Ms Watson said is was important that dogs have their own space, especially in modern houses that often have “open-plan living”. She said: “The layout of a house can affect a dog’s behaviour.” Where a dog is left at night and during the day should shield them from what is happening outside.

She said dogs need a buffer from the outside world, to give them protection and permission to sleep, just like having a baby in a cot — a “safe snug area” where they do not worry about what is happening around them.

Ms Watson said: “What I am also trying to achieve with the book, is to help people prevent problems from happening.

“The pivotal time for a dog mentally maturing is between two and three years old — this is when problems start to appear or a greater side of their personality comes out.”

She writes in the book that a safe/relaxed dog when left alone should sleep or rest and adds that if a dog is pacing, barking, looking out of the window constantly or continually moving around, then they do not feel as safe as they should.

• Take the Lead... simply with mental well-being and more sleeping is available on Amazon, priced at £9.99.