This Easter weekend people will be able to catch animal behaviourist Natalie Light talking live on Facebook about all things dog!
With the current social distancing restrictions in place, our four-legged friends have become brilliant distractions from the woes of the world. And, with only one walk allowed a day, it’s more important than ever that we make the most of that time to safely explore the countryside close to home.
As part of the South Downs National Park’s Take the Lead campaign, Natalie will be live on Facebook over the Bank Holiday weekend, giving top tips on how you can be a responsible dog walker and answering people’s dog-related questions.
With more than 14 years’ experience in the companion animal sector, Natalie has some great tricks up her sleeve, such as games to play with your dog to keep them on the footpath and away from ground-nesting birds, how to keep your dog calm and happy near cattle or other animals and exactly which poo bags are best for the planet but also, importantly, won’t rip in your hand!
Natalie, who will be hosting the training sessions from her back garden, said: “The South Downs National Park is a great place to walk with your dog, and in times like these it’s so important that we are able to do this safely. I’m excited to share some of my dog training knowledge with you all to hopefully help make your countryside adventures with your pooches that bit more fun.
“In these isolating times it’ll be great to have the opportunity to virtually interact with you all too so please do ask any questions you have during these sessions. What better to cheer us all up than a good chinwag about dogs!’
This Countryside Canines series includes three live and interactive talks on some of the key topics for the dog walking community, such as how to keep your dog calm when walking near livestock, why it’s important to stick to the path and exactly why picking up your dog’s poo is vital for the health and wellbeing of animals and humans alike.
During each talk people will be able to ask Natalie anything they like about the conversation topic and she’ll be trying her hardest to answer as many queries as possible.
So, grab a cuppa, cosy up with your pooch and come join us on Facebook live at:
Friday 10 April – 10:30am – Keeping your dog calm and happy near livestock
Saturday 11 April – 10:30am – How you can stick to paths to protect ground-nesting birds
Sunday 12 April – 10:30am – Why picking up dog poo is important
If you’d like to find out more about our Take the Lead campaign visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/takethelead.
