A public art installation in San Ġwann launched earlier this month shows dogs that are happy and relaxed in an environment that is maybe unexpected.

What makes this art work different is that dogs are depicted in settings that are typically expected to make them uncomfortable, such as sharing space with cats, children and the loud noises made by fireworks.

The wall on Bella Vista Street in San Ġwann was painted with the permission of the owners, Mr and Mrs Jack Calamatta, by artists Christine X, James Micallef Grimaud and Cooker, for Dogs Trust and SPCA Malta.

Dogs Trust Malta conceived the idea after the UK branch did something similar to pro-mote the organisation’s famous slogan “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”.

The organisations are currently campaigning for better socialisation of puppies in the first 16 weeks of life. To help breeders and new owners know the right time and way to socialise puppies, Dogs Trust is providing booklets which break down these 16 weeks into stages, outlining the tasks for each stage.

San Ġwann council encouraged other localities to enable such projects

There are also video tutorials available on their website.

The aim is to produce dogs that are more sociable with humans and other animals, comfortable with unexpected situations, Dog Trust said.

What dog owners refer to as ‘good behaviour’ does not necessarily come naturally to a dog and is best achieved the earlier the dog is socialised. In the long run, this ensures that less dogs need to be re-homed by making them more suitable pets.

San Ġwann council has encouraged other localities to enable such projects in order to educate the public and embellish the roads of Malta.

Dogs Trust Malta said it hoped to be able to start working on another wall in the near future.

www.dogtrainingmadeeasy.org