Without a doubt, the lockdown has brought the many benefits of dog ownership into sharp focus.
But let’s face it, having a dog can be challenging at times, too. Every now and again, our four-legged friends do cheeky things that leave us a bit open-mouthed.
In a bid to bring a smile to the nation’s faces during another tough lockdown, UK charity Dogs for Good has launched a competition called #OhMyDog asking people to share their funniest, cheekiest, laugh-out-loud dog stories.
To get the ball rolling, Dogs for Good Communications Manager, Sarah Watson, shared her own cheeky dog story.
She said: “My dog and I were walking past a café and there were some people having breakfast outside. The street was quite narrow and my dog reached up and took a piece of sausage off the end of someone’s fork. I was so embarrassed!
“Luckily the guy who had just missed out on part of his breakfast was a big fan of dogs and saw the funny side of it – and he was happy to share his breakfast with a hungry Labrador. We laughed and I gave a sigh of relief!”
There is a more serious side to this, too, and Dogs for Good wants people to know they are here to help you understand your dog and his or her behaviour better. The charity recently launched its Take the Lead campaign to empower dog owners by giving free online advice and training tips to help them build a better understanding of their dog and develop a strong bond to help get the most out of their relationship.
Dogs for Good’s Training Operations Manager, Chris Muldoon, who lives in Glasgow and works from the charity’s National Training Centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: “If we’re honest, most of us have some moment where our dog has left us a little red in the face when their natural instincts have both amused and maybe surprised us just a little bit.
“By understanding your dog’s natural instincts and behaviour, you can hopefully avoid a few of those toe-curling moments … or at least help you understand more about why your dog behaves in the way that he or she does.”
To share your funniest dog-related story, simply use the hashtag #OhMyDog on Twitter or leave your story in the comments on the competition post on Facebook and Instagram by March 1st.
Dogs for Good will share the four best stories on their website with the #OhMyDog winner being decided by public vote. The winner with the best story will receive an Eco-Warrior Total Works pack from Little Soap Co and a new collar and lead set from WeatherBeetaUK.
Visit dogsforgood.org/good-
For #OhMyDog terms and conditions visit: dogsforgood.org/terms-and-
To follow Dogs for Good on social media go to:
facebook.com/DogsForGoodUK/
instagram.com/dogsforgood_uk/
twitter.com/DogsForGoodUK/