Mid Wales Dog Training

30/05/2026

Leighton 1922

30/05/2026

To be clear…

I will NOT train your dog if they are taking SSRI’s - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Basically ‘Doggy Prozac’.

I am yet to meet a case where these were genuinely needed.

A few reasons why I do not like the usage of these drugs:-
🐾 It treats emotional state, not obedience. A dog may be calmer but it won’t be more reliable in terms of recall etc…

🐾 Behavior can become blunted instead of improved. Some dogs become lethargic, less engaged, or slower to respond. That can look like “calmness” while masking stress rather than resolving it.

🐾 Side effects can interfere with learning. Common side effects include appetite changes, sleepiness or reduced play drive. In most dogs, this can reduce motivation during training sessions.

🐾 Wrong diagnosis = wrong treatment. A dog pulling on leash, barking, or ignoring commands is unlikely to have an anxiety disorder at all. Using medication for normal undertrained behavior can delay proper training.

🐾 You are unable to see the true picture. When i train a dog i want to be able to see how the dog naturally behaves, not a dumbed down version. If the dog is frightened or anxious then I’ll work on that first. If this behaviour is masked then how would I know what to work on?

29/05/2026

Tonight I ended up trying to help a friend whose puppy ate a kid's vitamin containing xylitol. Simple accident: kid dropped vitamin, puppy scarfed it down. (Note: this household is knowledgeable and is xylitol free, but a relative bought the vitamins, unaware of the risk to the dogs.)

The puppy only ate *one* vitamin. Which turned out to contain 1500 mg of xylitol.

100 mg/kg is the threshold for hypoglycemia which can be fatal. At 500 mg/kg, hepatic necrosis occurs -- destruction of liver tissue.

So just ONE chewable vitamin ended up creating a serious problem for a 30 pound pup (which is not quite 14 kg).

The emergency vet induced vomiting. Thankfully, the puppy had had a meal and so there was food in her stomach. In the vomit was the orange tablet, identifiable though dissolved.

Quick thinking on the owner's part (including grabbing the bottle of vitamins) and fortunately a nearby 24/7 emergency vet hospital meant that this pup received prompt treatment, and should make a full recovery.

Check your medications, vitamins, gum, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, peanut butter and more for xylitol, also known as birch sugar.

This is useful information to have on hand:
https://www.calculatorsfordogs.com/health-nutrition-calculators/xylitol-toxicity-calculator

ALWAYS contact vet and ASPCA Animal Poison Control center immediately!

As for everyone (the non-vets) recommending the use of hydrogen peroxide, please update your understanding:
https://www.gsvs.org/woodbridge-nj/blog/hydrogen-peroxide-for-dogs-emergency/

Pass this along. I hope you never have to use it.

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

The second highest number in the UK

24/05/2026

24/05/2026

Huntaway dog sells for record £15,100 at Dolgellau

23/05/2026

We're forecast a sunny and warm weekend, but sadly, sometimes for dogs this can spell suffering or even death. 💔 If you find a dog trapped in a hot car, this is the advice regarding what you can legally do about it.

☎️ The RSPCA's guidance is unambiguous: if a dog shows signs of distress, dial 999 without delay. ☎️

A spokesperson said: "Dogs can die in hot cars. Even when it doesn't feel that warm outside, temperatures inside a car can quickly rise to dangerous levels. If you're worried about a dog in a hot car, call 999. Police have the powers to enter the vehicle if necessary."

👍 If the dog is not yet in distress... 👍

🏃 Act swiftly but calmly
📣 Attempt to find the owner - request nearby shops make a public announcement
👁️ Remain beside the vehicle and observe the dog closely
✍️ Record important information such as the registration number and duration the car has been stationary
📉 Experts emphasise that circumstances can decline rapidly, so be prepared to take further action if the dog's wellbeing deteriorates.

🔨 Smashing the window shouldn't be your first resort 🔨

This is the point where many people pause. Smashing a car window could constitute criminal damage, though the law may provide a defence if you can demonstrate you acted reasonably to prevent serious harm.

The guidance is to contact police initially, collect evidence including photographs or witness information, and only intervene as a final measure if the dog faces obvious danger. Without proper justification, breaking the window could be classed as committing criminal damage.

The Ask the Police website says call police, but if police don't have time to get there, "you have to decide if you should take action by forcing entry. Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do, why and, where possible, take images/footage of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident."

🐶 For owners 🐶

Campaigners caution that numerous owners underestimate the danger, but a brief visit to the shops can prove lethal far more rapidly than anticipated.

⚖️ While no specific offence exists for leaving a dog in a hot vehicle, owners can face prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 if their pet suffers.

Sanctions can include:

Unlimited fines
Up to five years in prison
Being banned from owning animals
Having the dog removed permanently

Stay safe in the sun this weekend - your pets included! 👏