A huge 55 per cent of us are watching England in the World Cup with our dogs
You can buy England tops for them and some pups are even having games of their own!
We recently went to The Barkside Doggy Day Care in Manchester where they hosted the World Pup – a match for dogs.
Fur pals Saga, Frank, Biscuit, Marsha and Oakley practiced their paw-paw-two formation and got super giddy dribbling the ball while dressed in cute England strips.
Leah Ven, 38, manager at The Barkside said: “We love to think of fun ways to keep the dogs entertained and with the World Cup taking place, we thought they’d like to try football.”
It’s natural to get excited when our boys score like during the 6:1 win against Panama
But our pups can find it unsettling and the Dogs Trust has shared their advice on how to reassure them with positive behaviour.
Tamsin Durston, a behaviour expert from the charity explained: “Whilst some dogs will be chilled, others may get confused or even distressed by our out of character behaviour – like shouting at the TV or leaping from our sofas.
“Dogs can also mirror our behaviour, so if they start jumping up and joining in, they aren’t misbehaving. They’re saying, ‘What’s going on?’
“It can be frustrating for owners if their dog is acting strangely but there are some easy ways to make sure your dog stays happy during the tournament.
“If you reward your dog for every England goal, your four-legged friend will be even more enthusiastic about England winning the World Cup than you are!”
This is the advice from Dogs Trust
Practice makes pawfect
Find a game you are interested in, but not too passionate about to watch with your dog and practice jumping up from the sofa with a not so loud cheer.
Reward for each goal
As you jump up from the sofa, throw a handful of treats across the floor for your dog so he associates your actions with something positive for him.
Repeat throughout the match and subsequent matches working up gradually to watching those matches with an outcome that means a lot to you so your dog will not be alarmed by your reaction.
Keep them yappy!
Hopefully by the time you get to watch a match that you are passionate about and say ‘Come on England!’ your dog will have learnt that you jumping up and down, flinging your arms around and loudly vocalising in a happy (or less than happy way), earns him treats. They may even start to enjoy the match as much as you do – even if it’s for a very different reason!
Take timeout if they need it
However, if your dog still appears worried ask someone who is not quite into the whole football thing to take them out or teach them to settle elsewhere.
Will you be watching the World Cup with your pup?
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