Lockdown Isolation

With lockdown leaving many people isolated, the demand for canine companionship is at an all-time high. Following a huge surge in puppy purchases as households spend more time secluded at home, breeders have steadily been increasing their prices since March to match demand, with sought after breeds seeing an increase in price of up to 184% compared to last year.

According to the BBC, figures from the Pets4Homes website that were based on about 150,000 adverts, showed the average price for a puppy from March to September was £1,883 compared to the same period last year where the average price was £888.

Shocking Increase In Dog Theft

Criminals have been exploiting the higher value of puppies following the lockdown demand, resulting in a worrying increase of dog theft across the country.  Although breeding mums and puppies are mainly being targeted, other dogs are also at risk.  Dr Daniel Allen, an animal expert from Keele University stated that, “As well as breeding mums, working dogs, such as sheep dogs and shooting dogs also attract a high value – they are a ready-made, sellable product.”

The BBC reported that there was a significant spike in dog theft particularly across Northumbria, Devon and Cornwall and Leicestershire – compared to the same period in the previous year, with five police forces claiming they had more reports between January and July 2020 than the whole of the previous year.

Many owners across these regions have had their dogs stolen from their gardens or even from inside their vehicles whilst travelling with their pets. With a greater investment needed to purchase a puppy and a greater risk of dog theft, taking necessary protection precautions when travelling with your pet has never been more important.

Built-in Locking Mechanism

MIMSafe crates are a great way to ensure the safety of your dog whilst travelling. All MIMSafe Variocage crates have a robust built-in locking system, an essential feature to deter dog theft from vehicles. They also provide extra protection in the event of a road traffic accident; the entire range of crates are individually crash tested and ensure your dog remains completely secure in the event of an accident. This in turn offers safety not only for your dog but the rest of your family as a nonsecure dog can cause great risk during a collision; a 2kg dog can hit a passenger with a force of 260kg in a collision at 56mph.

With a variety of crates to suit different animals and vehicles, we offer an option for everyone. Invest in the protection of your dogs and your family by looking at our range of tested and trustworthy Variocages.

For more details, please visit our shop.

Is your dog afraid of car rides or of traveling in your vehicle?  Dogs develop dog car sickness or a fear of traveling for many reasons. The very fact that they get car sick and the unpleasant accompanying feelings of this can make dogs afraid of travel and for many dogs, the only time they go in the car is to go to the vets. Going to the vets is rarely a pleasant event and for these reasons, dogs can learn to be afraid of going in vehicles. This can cause a lot of disruption to your daily life if your dog is car sick or you can’t get him in the car!

So, once your dog has built up negative associations with going in your vehicle, how can you help him to feel better about it?

Make them feel secure

One of the simplest ways to help dogs to feel more secure is to bed them down in a secure crate whenever you travel.  Dogs have a natural denning instinct and instinctively seek out darker, enclosed spaces when they are feeling anxious.  It may be that all your dog needs to make him feel happier about travel is to spend some time relaxing in his crate in the car with a filled kong or new bone when the car is not running or moving.  (Please ensure that your dog is supervised at all times).  This will help to build positive associations with the car and may be sufficient to stop your dog’s fear of traveling.  Our crates can be covered with sheets or blankets to make them feel more “den-like” and this may help the dog to feel safe while the car is moving.

Give them choice

The basis for helping any animal that is afraid of something is to give them choice. It needs to be the dog’s choice about whether or not to approach the vehicle. Don’t try to force him using the lead or try to lure him with treats. It is much better to let him make his own choices and then reward those choices with things that the dog loves.

For best results, you may want to consult a certified dog trainer who can help you manage the behaviour modification process. They will be able to show you what stress signals to watch out for and help you to manage the step by step process. In addition, you can talk to your vet about various supplements or medications that will help your dog to remain as calm as possible, particularly when it is essential that the dog goes into the vehicle.

Above all else, patience is key.

1. If your dog is very anxious about even going anywhere near the vehicle, then start outside the parked car. Any time they look at the car, offer them a treat or praise. Do the same if they take a step towards the car. If they like to play tug, play next to the vehicle. Do this for just a few minutes at a time and carry out daily for a few weeks.

2. An alternative in these early stages is to teach your dog to target an object (which can be your hand) using clicker training. Once he fully understands the concept of targeting, ask him to touch the target near the car. Build this up so that you are asking him to take a step towards the vehicle, then another step and continue until he can touch the outside of the vehicle. Don’t forget to click and treat. You can find out more about target training here.  Target training has had amazing results with fearful animals, giving them the courage to approach objects that they would never usually approach. Because it is their own choice to approach, they tend to learn very quickly.

3. Once the dog is happily approaching the car, start to leave the car door open and repeat the whole process, gradually building up the dog’s confidence. Don’t try and prise the dog into the open door – just reward any approaches with his favourite treats.

4. Continue with this until the dog will choose to jump into the vehicle and reward him. Give lots of praise and a very high value treat as soon as they set foot inside the car and let them jump out as soon as they want to. Don’t restrain them once they are in. They need to know that they can leave at any point they wish. Keep practicing this step until the dog will jump in and appears to be quite happy staying in the car without trying to jump straight back out.

5. Now, once your dog will get into the car, start to sit in there with him and share high value treats, play with his toys or feed him his dinner in there. Build on this for a few weeks to really increase his confidence. Shut the car door for brief periods of time then open it again, gradually increasing the duration of time with the door shut.

6. Once your dog appears happy in the vehicle, turn on the car engine and carry on rewarding and playing in the vehicle as if nothing has happened. If he attempts to escape, allow him to do so and start right from the beginning, getting him to approach the car, then get in it, then sit with you and enjoy sharing treats, toys and his dinner, all with the engine running. Don’t attempt to drive anywhere at this stage or shut him in.

7. Finally, when you can turn on the engine and keep the door shut without any sign of stress from your dog, try reversing out of the drive then back in again. Then slowly build up to short journeys to somewhere the dog loves. A daily drive for a walk is ideal. So is a visit to a friend’s, a visit to the pet store, or wherever else your dog loves to go!
The aim throughout all of this is to change your dog’s association with the car as a scary thing to a positive association, where all his favourite things happen – cuddles with mum or dad, his dinner, treats and his favourite toys.

One step at a time

Don’t try to go too fast, keep it to one step at a time. If, at any time, your dog is showing signs of anxiety, go back in the process to where they were last happy and relaxed and take it from there, building up gradually.

It can be a time-consuming process, but when you think of all the years you have with your dog, and all the times you will need him to travel, it is worth it in the long run.

Good luck!

Coupon Code: Accessory40

If you’ve been considering buying a VarioCage to protect your family, dogs as well as humans, then now is the time to go ahead.  We’re offering 40% off ALL accessories if they are purchased at the same time as purchasing any of our VarioCages.  Our accessories are stylish and durable and are the ideal accompaniment to the crates.  They will protect your vehicle and will make life easier for you and more pleasant for your dog!

The accessories we have available include:

1. Our signature MIMSafe Bumper Cover, which can be used either as a bumper cover to protect the back of your vehicle from muddy paws or as a shade to protect your dogs from the sun
2. The ingenious Airing Hook, which can be inserted between the two catches on your boot to securely hold your tailgate slightly open, allowing air to freely circulate in the vehicle without compromising your dog’s safety and security.
3. Our high quality, Stainless Steel Water Bowl, which attaches securely to any VarioCage and holds 0.7 litres of water.  It has a spill-proof design and measures 15cm x 15cm.
4. The Corner Water Bowl, constructed in materials that match the VarioCage, designed to fit perfectly into the corner of any VarioCage or Care2 carrier.  It also has a splash-proof design, will hold 0.7 litres and is dishwasher safe.
5. The VarioPad, a quilted dog bed designed to fit any VarioCage model.  The VarioPad is high density, soft and durable, designed for maximum comfort for your dog.  It is easy to fold with durable seams and constructed from a tough materials that will withstand constant wear and tear.  If it does get covered in mud, then it is machine washable.  Many of our customers purchase two so that one is always clean with one in the wash, keeping your car smelling clean!
6. Our stylish Leash Hooks are designed to install easily onto any VarioCage and help to keep your boot tidy and organised.  Ideal for holding leads, harness, headcollars and toys – no more hunting around in the boot!

To obtain your 40% off, just add the accessories you would like, along with your choice of VarioCage to your basket and add coupon code Accessory40 into the coupon box.  Please note that they will need to be purchased at the same time as the VarioCage to obtain the discount.

Invest in their safety – one less thing to worry about!

Visit our shop to see our full range of accessories and crash-tested, safe VarioCages.