West End Letters: Socialising Classes for Dogs

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 3 October 2008

Socialising classes to help dogs… and their owners

• THANKS to the Queen’s Park ward budget put together by Labour councillors, local dog owners are now able to attend special classes to learn how to train and handle their pets.
Owners will be taught how to walk their dogs properly, follow basic commands and learn about dog diet and exercise.
Labour councillors decided to support local dog trainer Crissie Chambers following complaints from local residents about bad dog behaviour and dog fouling.
Labour councillors have allocated £5,000 towards the classes which up to 16 people can attend, every weekend, free of charge.
The classes will teach owners how to stop their dog pulling when on a lead, make their dog return when called for and follow other basic commands.
The importance of cleaning up after their dogs will also be highlighted.
Owners will also learn how to stop their pets barking and deal with “separation anxiety”, when the pets are left alone as punishment for not following orders.
As dog trainer Crissie Chambers said: “The classes are called socialising as it is to socialise people and their dogs and to try and give them a better perception of different breeds and owners.
“Young people, many of whom have pets for macho reasons or as a fashion accessory, are generally given quite a bad reputation... but a majority of them are good owners and want to learn to socialise.”
We hope that this initiative, which we think is the first in the country, will be of benefit to local dog owners as well as lead to a much-improved local environment.
CLLR PAUL DIMOLDENBERG
Leader of the Labour Group, Queen’s Park Ward

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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