For many of us across the nation, dogs are a huge part of the family, with more than six in 10 dog owners admitting they often see their dog as being like one of the children*. And just like us, dogs can also experience stress and anxiety. With many of us treating our pooch as one of the family, then shouldn’t we give them the same care?

Lintbells, the manufacturers of natural calming supplements YuCALM, are encouraging dog owners across the nation to perhaps give their four-legged friends some extra care as one of the family – after all, a happy dog means a happy family. With that in mind, Lintbells have come up with a few ways to help spot the signs of stress and anxiety in your pooch.

Stress signs

Modern day life is stressful for many dogs, whether its meeting strangers or spending time alone, many dogs can find certain circumstances hard to handle. Recognising signs of stress in your pooch is key to being able to help them. Keeping an eye on their body language can go a long way to identifying the situation that is causing them to feel anxious and will put you in the position to do something about it.

Some signs of stress may be more obvious than others, including excessive panting or shaking – dogs will pant when too hot and shake when too cold, however a shaking dog with heavy breathing will likely indicate they are under some stress or discomfort. Be mindful if your dog starts hiding and running away, as well as tucking their tail between their legs, as these can also be clear indicators of anxiety or stress.

Dog owners should also be looking out for signs that could be less obvious, including your dog moving their ears back or becoming more restless and struggling to get comfortable. In some cases, your dog can become more aggressive and begin to bark more. Your pup may show some behaviours that could be even more difficult to spot, such as wide eyes and worried facial expressions.

Managing your dog’s stress

There are many ways to help your dog with their stress or anxiety. The first being, to try and identify the source and triggers of the fear and stress. In the short term try to avoid those triggers of fear or anxiety to reduce stress. You’ll then be able to implement a behavioural therapy programme, as your dog becomes less stressed and more receptive. Consistent exposure to what your pooch finds scary or stressful may ruin the chances of helping them at their own pace.

Creating a calm environment is also a great way to minimise anything that might make your dog stressed. This could be by building a small den for your dog to relax in, a cosy bed or covered crate will work perfectly. If you have more guests round your house that might create anxiety for your dog, like at Christmas for example, giving your dog their own room separate from your guests will allow them to relax away from any loud noises or larger crowds of people.

If problems do persist, then it’s important to talk to your vet. They will be able to check that your dog is well medically, and if not, it may be time to talk to a Clinical Animal Behaviourist. They will be able to devise a practical plan to help your dog and provide behavioural therapy programmes.

Running between today (December 3) and December 10, Town Hall Symphony Hall is taking part in The Big Give’s ‘Christmas Challenge’ to double your donations and support the future of music making in Birmingham.

This year, over 100 people joined Town Hall Symphony Hall's free Reggae Choir and sung together for the first time at Town Hall, while over 400 singers from local community choirs took to the stage at Symphony Hall as part of the annual ‘Community Spirit’ showcase. But there’s so much more we could do…

The redevelopment of Symphony Hall's foyers will create dedicated spaces for learning and participation - that means, we'll be able to introduce over 24,000 young people and adults to a world of music every year.

Nicola Starkie, who performed in Community Spirit with Quinton Community Choir, said: “Singing is a vital part of life for so many of our choir members, bringing enjoyment and satisfaction and helping them to switch off from their other responsibilities to achieve a healthy life balance. Some singers have come to choir following a bereavement or while struggling with mental health issues and have found singing to be mood and confidence boosting, and the sense of community within the choir just what they needed.

“Symphony Hall is a wonderful resource for musicians from all over the world and it's brilliant to see it used by community groups from across the West Midlands too. We are really excited to see Symphony Hall's public spaces redeveloped so that there are more suitable spaces for all kinds of local groups to perform and so that community music making can be celebrated and encouraged in Birmingham.”

Richard Whitehouse of Northfield Notes Community Choir said: “Being in the choir means so much to me, I had the pleasure of meeting and singing with some very special people indeed, undivided by race, age or beliefs, and each with a story of their own. We have formed a very special bond through the love of music and song, one that goes beyond friendship, one that allows us to bring a little pleasure and joy to so many, long may we nurture and grow together”.

Janice Paine, choir co-ordinator for Northfield Notes, said: “In 2018 and 2019 we were lucky enough to take part in ‘Community Spirit’ at Symphony Hall. This opportunity empowered the whole choir to want to grow and develop, to improve their singing and musical skills, to share those skills through public performances and hopefully encourage others to do the same”.

Alison Sayer, CEO of Halas Homes, said: “Halas Homes choir members [above] feel empowered, motivated and gain a sense of achievement by being involved in performing as part of Community Spirit. Being a part of Community Spirit has opened doors and provided more opportunities to reach and perform to wider audiences in the region and beyond. The redevelopment of Symphony Hall will provide more open and accessible spaces which will enable access for all”.

Town Hall Symphony Hall has teamed up with multi-platinum selling vocal group The Overtones to highlight the importance of music. With their innate charm and adherence to vintage-modernist style, and a devotion to the timeless appeal of male vocal harmonies, The Overtones are a bridge between pre-rock’n’roll classicism and lively 21st century entertainment. They’ve sold over a million albums, made countless TV appearances and filled Symphony Hall to capacity on tour after tour. X Factor’s Jay James, who recently joined The Overtones, said: “When I got into music it was not about being famous it was about expressing myself, getting up on stage doing what I love to do, connecting with people who are maybe going through the same things and make a living doing it. I don’t think it’s any secret that the boys have had a difficult couple of years. I've personally had a difficult couple of years also, so we all feel like we’ve come together and using music, like people do, to comfort and turn the page onwards and upwards.”

With one donation, you can help us inspire twice as many people. Donations to Town Hall Symphony Hall between today (3)-10 December will be generously matched by the Patrick Trust & our Big Give Champion, the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Your money can inspire twice as many young people and adults with a life-long love of music.

To find out more visit: thsh.co.uk

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has launched a new bereavement support group for children and young people across Birmingham and Sandwell.

‘Growing Together’ is a peer support group aimed at four to 18-year-olds, which is designed to support children after a loved one has died.

Experienced child bereavement workers from the Hospice will be running the sessions, giving children an opportunity to receive specialist support from them and meet other young people who are going through similar situations.

Peer support can be particularly beneficial for children and young people, helping them to understand that they are not alone in their grief. Growing Together aims to increase children’s confidence, support them to manage their own and others’ difficult feelings, and provide a safe space to learn from others and ask questions.

Funded by BBC Children in Need, the group is open to all children and young people living across Birmingham and Sandwell – even if their loved one who died wasn’t supported by the Hospice.

Beth Hopkins, children’s counsellor at Birmingham St Mary’s, said: “The purpose of Growing Together is to help young people navigate the difficult emotions that come with bereavement. Children can grieve very differently from adults – they may find it challenging to express big feelings verbally for example – so at the groups sessions, we’ll be using a number of tools to help communicate emotions in other ways. This may be through art and crafts, through play or by simply giving the young person an opportunity to talk to someone who is a similar age and is going through a similar experience.

“With Growing Together, we want to teach young people the skills and coping mechanisms that will help them when they get upset, feel alone or face difficulties. Grief is not linear – it can remerge as children get older and face significant events – so by teaching children the skills needed to cope with difficult emotions, we can help them become healthy adults.”

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice provides care and support to local people living with life-limiting illness. It also offers expert support to families, loved ones and carers, providing practical and emotional help during a person’s illness and after their death.

Growing Together is a new group and Birmingham St Mary’s is keen to run sessions when and where there is demand. For more information or to express your interest, please contact the Hospice’s Children’s Service on 0121 752 8753 or by emailing the team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The iconic statue of Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, which stands in Wolverhampton’s Queen Square, and the founder of the city, Lady Wulfruna, outside St Peter's Collegiate Church, are proudly sporting orange sashes in support of the annual 16-day campaign which began on Monday, November 25.

The annual campaign, coordinated by Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together, the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership, Wolverhampton Domestic Violence Forum and the City of Wolverhampton Council, supports the United Nations’ Orange the World campaign to end violence against women and girls. says 'no' to domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, so-called ‘honour-based’ violence, sexual violence and stalking and harassment.

Kathy Cole-Evans, Chief Officer of Wolverhampton Domestic Violence Forum, said: "It's great that we are able to use both of these iconic statues to promote this very important campaign to the people of Wolverhampton.

“There were over 6,500 incidents of domestic violence recorded by police in Wolverhampton last year, with the vast majority of victims female, and this is a major issue that we all need to be aware of.

"But the Orange Wolverhampton campaign is not just about highlighting the problem; we want to ensure that victims do not suffer in silence and are aware of and feel able to get the help and support they need."

Anyone suffering from domestic violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, so-called ‘honour-based’ violence, sexual violence, stalking or harassment, or knows someone who is, should call the relevant helpline:

• The Haven Wolverhampton 24-hour helpline for women - 08000 194400
• Haven Counselling helpline - 08000 308 345 (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Friday 9am–2pm)
• Haven online Live Chat, www.youmatterhaven.org.uk(Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
• St George’s Hub support for male victims - 01902 421904
• Karma Nirvana helpline for victims of so-called ‘honour-based’ violence and forced marriage –  0800 5999 247
• Wolverhampton Adult Social Care - 01902 551199
• Wolverhampton Children's Social Care - 01902 555392
• West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour-Based Violence Helpline - 0800 953 9777
• National Domestic Violence helpline for women - 0808 2000 247
• National Domestic Violence helpline for men - 0808 8010327
• NSPCC Female Genital Mutilation helpline - 0800 028 3550

Residents, businesses, schools, churches, voluntary groups and other organisations are encouraged to turn the city orange between now and 10 December by holding wear orange days, turning their websites and social media channels orange, sharing campaign messages with friends, customers and colleagues, organising orange coffee mornings, flying orange flags and much more.

An exhibition by West Midlands-based organisation Art Sikh has opened at the Library of Birmingham to commemorate the 550th Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

‘550 Years of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ is a compilation of a variety of contemporary and traditional artworks depicting portraits of the founder of the Sikh religion to stir the senses, evoke, inspire and resonate with visitors in support of the celebrations that have been on-going to mark this auspicious occasion.

The exhibition features emerging and established artists’ from both the UK and worldwide. The featured artists have drawn from the humanitarian teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and been inspired by the Sikh concept of oneness to artistically create their contemplation’s envisioning the founder of Sikhism.

November 12th 2019 was a significant milestone for the Sikh community to mark five and a half centuries since the birth of the founder of the Sikh faith.

Art Sikh’s touring exhibition features artworks exploring the teachings on humanity as one from the first Sikh Guru incorporation with the British Values, bringing together people from various faith communities and those of no faith in the memory of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Aimed to celebrate diversity within the local community by providing an educational visual experience on British Sikh heritage and inviting all religions, beliefs and ethnicity groups to participate in celebrating with the Sikh community, Art Sikh a non-profit creative organisation established in 2015, dedicated to help build, support and cultivate art, culture and theology.

The fundamental philosophy of Art Sikh is to support, encourage and mentor up and coming artists from around the world who face barriers in forging a profile as an artist. Dedicated to promoting inter-faith/ belief cohesion between community groups through the medium of creativity, to date Art Sikh have supported over 50 artists, exhibited at number of community and public venues and are building a strong network of creativity. Art Sikh have successfully curated and delivered exhibitions with and for various local council authorities, educational institutes and art galleries.

‘550 Years of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ is on display until 30th January, 2020.

Congratulations to all the winners at this years Awards!