Trains – Canine and Feline Behaviour Association

A Guide to Taking Your Dog on the Train By Colin Tennant

10th February 2020 by John Bowe

Colin Tennant, a leading expert in dog behaviour and training, has worked with East Midlands Trains to create a guide on taking your pooch on the train. Along with the guide, East Midlands Trains is rolling out drinking bowls at main line stations and serving up doggie treats on board selected services to ensure every dog has its day!

Em-Bark On A Short Journey First
Before taking your canine companion on a lengthy train trip, go on a shorter trial train journey to help acclimatise your dog to travelling. A preparatory trip is also a really good indicator of how your four-legged friend will fare on a long-distance journey.

Make Sure You’re All Set-ter For Your Trip
Think ahead and remember some people may not be used to having dogs around them. Look to book a seat in an area which is likely to be less busy, a good spot is the area close to the doors where there is more space.

Before setting off on a long journey, take your dog on a walk in a local park or green area. This will make your pup less energetic in the train carriage and more likely to have a nap.

Teaching Your Pooch To Sit…But Where?
Although it may be tempting to have your four-legged friend sit next to you on a seat, remember that seats are for people! For smaller dogs, sitting under a seat is ideal – or a carrier cage for a longer journey helps ensure your pooch has sufficient space and is away from foot traffic.

For larger dogs, there may still be ample space underneath the table but be mindful of others sat around. If there is no room under the table, it may be best to stay near the doorway where there is more space for your dog to lie down.

Avoid keeping your pooch in crowded areas where passengers are likely to be passing through.

Dogs love to lounge but it is important to ensure your pet keeps a level of decorum. Remember there are some things passengers just don’t want to see!

Boarding Your Dog
Setting your dog at ease should begin before the train journey. We would recommend arriving 15 minutes before your train is due to depart and sit on a seat well away from the edge of the platform. This will allow your four legged friend to take in the station environment and relax before the journey.

Small dogs should be lifted and carried onto the train; this will allow you to find your seat quickly and easily. It will also prevent your four-legged friend’s paws from being trodden on!

Clearly, the loo on the train is for humans so it is best to make sure your pooch has been to the toilet before the journey. Preparation is key but we always recommend carrying a doggy poo bag in case of an emergency.

Reach Fur The Treats
No matter the length of the journey, it is always useful to have a small doggy bag containing a water bottle as well as treats for a distraction. We all know dogs can drool, especially with such delicious treats in close proximity, a cloth or small towel to wipe the dog’s face or paws is essential.

Another distraction is to take dog toys with you but avoid the temptation to bring your pet’s favourite squeaky toy as the squeaking may not be everyone’s cup of tea!

If you don’t have treats to hand or you step out without your doggie bag, East Midlands Trains has dog drinking bowls at main line stations and doggie treats (donuts bespoke for canine consumption) on board selected services, to make travelling with pooches even easier.

Although treating your dog to snacks can provide a distraction, feeding your Frenchie a more substantial meal on the train is not advised because it could bring on a swift need to go to the loo and expose your fellow passengers to the smell of dog food.

Follow The Lead-er
The lead is a dog owner’s essential item and it will come as no surprise this remains true on the train. If you have a choice of leads, we recommend a non-extendable version.

Always remember to keep hold of the lead and don’t tie or secure to train furniture.

Make sure your dog is with you at all times and not left alone to their own devices. This will ensure your dog knows to behave and will make the journey more comfortable for you and your dog.

Man’s Best Friend, But be Mindful of Other Passengers
Remember some people may not be dog friendly so make sure your dog stays close to you.

Be mindful and attentive of other passengers’ signals. If they make it known they are comfortable or try to pet your dog it is okay to
let your dog interact.

So now you are all set to take an adventure with your furry, four-legged friend!

For more information, contact Toby Leston, Natalie Smith or Ed Walton on 0203 950 7566 or eastmidlandstrains@tinmancomms.com

Dog Train-ing – East Midlands Trains By Colin Tennant

10th February 202010th February 2020 by John Bowe

“The average pooch ventures 500 miles every year, a third of dogs have been to a dog-friendly health spa (31%) and nearly a fifth (18%) have even attended a festival”

Half of British dog owners (51%) refuse to go on holiday without their pets according to new research. And, a further 32% insist their dog is as much part of the family as their children.

In addition, a staggering 54% would prefer to go on holiday with their dog than their partner, claiming they are better company (48%), better behaved (39%), don’t snore (30%) and don’t hog the bed (26%).

The study of 1,000 British dog owners, commissioned by East Midlands Trains to celebrate the launch of a new range of pup-friendly provisions on selected routes, found that our four-legged friends are surprisingly well travelled. The average pooch ventures 500 miles every year, a third of dogs have been to a dog-friendly health spa (31%) and nearly a fifth (18%) have even attended a festival.

However, many owners are unsure about rail travel, with 59% admitting they don’t know the rules concerning taking dogs on board. A third of people (30%) believe dogs aren’t actually allowed on trains, with nerves being the main reason for the majority of dog owners to avoid rail travel (55%) with their furry friends. Despite this, half (50%) of those polled said they would take their dogs on the train if they understood the on board rules.

In response, East Midlands Trains has partnered with canine behaviourist, Colin Tennant, to devise the ‘Dog Train-ing’ guide specifically designed to help make travelling with four-legged friends as easy and as passenger-friendly as possible.

Dog-owning passenger’s biggest travel concerns are addressed in the handy guide and video which sees Colin showing how our pooches can actually be the perfect train traveller. Major worries include the likes of dogs being too big to travel on board (36%), drooling (31%) and getting too excited (55%).

The rail operator is also rolling out a range of pup-friendly provisions, including dog bowls at main stations and doggie treats (donuts bespoke for canine consumption) on board, to make travelling with pooches even easier.

Jake Kelly, Managing Director of East Midlands Trains says: “We welcome well-behaved pets on board and know there are plenty of advantages to travelling by train with your pet. However, it’s clear that some owners are unsure of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to bringing a dog on board. To help out, we’ve created a handy guide and are launching brand new doggy provisions on selected routes so that your dog, you and all other passengers are as comfortable as possible when using our services.”

The research also discovered that most (69%) dog owners believe their fellow passengers are friendlier when they have their four-legged friend in tow, with two thirds (68%) polled revealing they have more conversations with their fellow passengers (68%) when accompanied by their pooch. Half of male dog owners even went as far to say that they could see these conversations leading to a date, compared to just 38% of women.

Male dog owners also thought their pooch travelled better than their partner (32%) – twice as much as women (15%). So, it seems dogs really are a man’s best friend.

Elsewhere in the research, the study found that the average pooch had visited three countries in its lifetime, so it’s not surprising that more than half (56%) of owners aged 18-29 year old owners said their dogs are more seasoned travellers than their parents.

Whilst a third (31%) of British dog owners admit to taking their dogs abroad with them, 14% confess they only take a UK staycation where they know their pooch is welcome. Blackpool Pier (16%), Stonehenge (16%), Land’s End (15%) and Big Ben (14%) are amongst the top tourist hotspots Brits love to visit with their dogs.

For more information, contact Toby Leston, Natalie Smith or Ed Walton on 0203 950 7566 or eastmidlandstrains@tinmancomms.com

June 2019 Newsletter

12th February 202010th June 2019 by Diane Kunas

A Message for all CFBA Members

Article: Dog Train-ing, A Guide to Taking your Dog on a Train

A Message for all CFBA Members

A message for all CFBA members,

This is just to remind all members who have signed up to the new membership subscription payment service, your payments will be taken automatically on their renewal date.

So if you’re a full member, your payment of £175 will be taken annually, or £43.75 every three months – depending on which subscription you chose.

Likewise if you’re an associate member, your payment of £65 will be taken annually, or £32.50 every six months – depending on which subscription you chose.

You can of course cancel your subscription payment at anytime by signing into your PayPal account – or just get in touch with us and we can cancel it.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you need to clarify anything about your membership.

John Bowe

Dog Train-ing A Guide to Taking your Dog on the Train

Half of British dog owners (51%) refuse to go on holiday without their pets according to new research. And, a further 32% insist their dog is as much part of the family as their children.

Male dog owners also thought their pooch travelled better than their partner (32%) – twice as much as women (15%). So, it seems dogs really are a man’s best friend.

To download the handy ‘Dog Train-ing’ guide, and find out the services rolling out the doggy perks, visit the East Midlands Trains website:

https://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/dogs