IfI had a pound for every owner who had told me their dog would only eat such-and-such, I would be rich!  Dogs are not naturally fussy eaters - but can easily learn to be if their owner encourages them.  The classic scenario is when the new puppy or dog refuses to eat the dog food placed in front of him.  Worried, the owner promptly offers him something better - perhaps, chicken or eggs or fish.  Yum yum, says the dog - this is much better and so the next time he again refuses the dog food and guess what, his owner produces the tastier nosh.  Bingo!  We now have a dog who "only" eats the very best cuisine...

Just for the record, in readiness for their new homes my young flat coat's litter were all introduced to all kinds of foods: rice, cereal, egg, tinned food, dried food, fish, veg etc.  As soon as eight week old Rosco came home I tried him on what I knew he had been happy to eat before.  He turned up his nose and scampered off to play.  After a couple of weeks of eating virtually nothing I asked my vet to check him over.  He was declared 100% fit if a little skinny and so I ignored his pickiness: I left the food for a short while and if he chose not to eat it was removed and nothing else offered.  Three years on, Rosco is little different - he simply finds food and the act of eating too boring.  He eats reasonably some days, other days he leaves it all.  But he is never, ever offered anything better!

We always like it when our students and Associate Members keep in touch and let us know how they are getting on.  David Gilman was one of our Top Students last year and he recently sent me the following email which I thought I would share with you.

"It's David Gilman here and I would like to update you on my first year in dog behaviour.  Thanks to you and your team I have had a most fascinating and exciting time helping to make dogs and owners happier than they were before I met them.  I am treating a Collie who I am using as part of my Advanced Aggression Course but unfortunately I am having more trouble with her owner than the dog.  No wonder you need to be a psychologist and someone with a sense of humour.  I would like to thank yoiu for putting the Daily Mail in touch with me about the article on re-educating yourself for a new career.  Not only was the article very interesting it gave my new business a boost with the enquiries I received.  I start full time in April when I retire from my barbering and really I can't wait.  It feels like a new part of my life is beginning and one I would not need to retire from.  My new business is called Skool4ScHOUNDrels with my website skool4schoundrels.co.uk.  My daughter thought that one up.  Up to now I have not needed to call on your help and advice but it is very reassuring to know you are only a call away when I  need you.  I will close now but I would like to thank you for changing my life because I dread to think what my retirement would be like without Dog Behaviour.  Take care all of you and I will keep in touch."

I have more foreign canine news - this time from Switzerland. Difficult though it may be to believe, I have it on good authority that in a recent referendum the Swiss voted as to whether animals that suffer abuse should or should not be entitled to their own legal representation. More than 70% voted against extending nationwide a system that has been in place in Zurich since 1992. (One solicitor in the city represents between 150 and 200 pets each year.)

When it comes to animal welfare, Switzerland has some of the strictest laws in the world. And one of them makes perfect sense to me : that "wannabe" pet owners must first undertake a practical course in how to care for their animal. Surely this is a much more sensible idea than the expensive UK plan, currently under review, to bring back the dog licence?