Unlike people our dogs can never deceive, what you see is most certainly what you get. If they pin their ears back and glare at you trust me that really does mean keep away, even if they look away from you they really want you to keep your distance from them. Even if you feel that you have a knack with dogs, in your shoes I would keep as much distance between that dog and myself, partly self-preservation but more importantly to avoid forcing the dog to have to defend itself. This would be an unnecessary misery for it and would undoubtedly put a terrible label on the dog.

One of my dogs, Shamook, has a problem with her hind quarters and although nothing has ever been X-rayed my excellent Vet is able to keep her pain free, comfortable and monitor the extent of her problem as we work together and I would like to share with you just how this came about.

It was clear that her movement was difficult and so I took her for an examination and was told that their usual practise was to either sedate the dog or place a muzzle on the head to allow the exam but I knew that there was another option for my girl and so I asked my Vet if he would trust me to keep him safe and work with me.

I kept her on lead and stayed at her head, remaining relaxed and confident.  My Vet then began to touch her on the back to trace the problem. Shamook gave me the look of 'should he be doing that?' and I stroked her head and stayed completely calm, knowing the stages of information that she would give me just with her eyes and as the Vet came to a sensitive area her eyes widened and I told the Vet that she had let us know that hurt.

The whole, thorough examination, continued in exactly the same way with my Vet feeling, Shamook signalling and me relaying her message and at the end my Vet told me that having her relaxed and able to provide so much information by her reaction and what he could feel, like muscle wasted, he had been able to determine much more information than he ever could with a stressed muzzled dog, or an unconscious one.

My Vet was delighted, I was happy and Shamook still wanted to just go home. The medication has proved perfect and we all know that we can keep her comfortable.

This third option is made easy as Shamook leaves the important decisions to me and trusts that I will always care for her. She is part of my pack, rather than me being in hers, all made possible when Amichien� Bonding is the everyday and easy way of life.

Of course, there is always the exception that proves the rule and that is our own kind, as people do possess the ability to smile with their eyes and betray you with their action but all other species are completely honest and the 'eyes have it'.

Jan Fennell

17th January 2012