Bucks for Balls

You may know Betty White from her many years on television. Her dedication to animals is no secret.  She
shares the same concern as many of us about the pet overpopulation problem. 


Hundreds of thousands of lovable animals are euthanized every year because they are homeless. One solution is to spay and neuter your pets to stop the breeding cycle. (Even the most protected house pet can accidently escape and find a temporary breeding partner).

Betty has joined with Actors for Animals to raise funds to provide free spay/neuter services to as many animals as possible. Although over population is no joke, she calls this program "Bucks for Balls", asking for a simple $1 donation to make a difference.

You can find out more about Betty White's Bucks for Balls program on the Actors and Others for Animals website.


You can make a difference.
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New law requires animal history disclosure

     A new law in Illinois that will go into effect January 1st  requires pet stores, animal shelters and animal control agencies to disclose pertinent information about an animal.


     Although this does not guarantee a problem free long term animal/human relationship, this information is to educate the person considering adoption or purchase of the animal.


     The following information must be posted on or near an animal's cage: retail price, including additional charges; breed, age, date of birth, sex and color of the dog or cat; details of vaccinations and health history; the name, address and identification number of the breeder and details of any inoculation or medical treatment received while at the facility.


     Even though pet stores are required to disclose this information if it is requested by the consumer some pet stores do not share it until after the sale is final. After January 1st, this information must be supplied prior to the sale, whether or not requested by the consumer.


     Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said.  "This new law strengthens the state's Animal Welfare Act and makes sure consumers receive the information they need to make an informed purchase decision."   The law recognizes animal shelters and animal controls, which often care for strays, may not possess an animal's complete medical history and allows them to estimate some information.


     This information will not guarantee a completely healthy long term animal/person relationship, however, it may help some consumers with their decision, and protect them from unknowingly purchasing a puppy mill dog. For those that adopt from shelters and rescues, the medical history is usually limited,. The connection and love for the animal carries more weight than the need for medical history.

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What’s Your Inner Animal?

We know you love pandas… but which species do you relate to most?

Would you live in the prairie like a wolf? Are you reclusive like a turtle? Sleek like a snake? Answer these 8 fun questions about your personality and interests to discover the one animal that you relate to most. There are over 100 possible species!

Take the quiz here

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An Angel saved my dogs life

Every day I receive emails from pet lovers, who hope to help others through their experiences.

Received this week, from Candice:

"Like many people I have relied on the ease of a doggie door and a fenced back yard for my dog's potty needs. We have a large backyard our gardener cleans up all the droppings each week. I seldom get my hands dirty when it comes to my dogs.

A couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, I decided my dogs and I needed more outside time together. Now I look at this motivation to change my behavior as being due to an angel giving me the gentle nudge, knowing I needed to pay attention to something.  We have beautiful trails near our home so the walks can be breathtaking.

Both of my dogs seem to love the new adventures on the trails, and even though I kept them on leashes, they explored, sniffed, and watered every leaf, twig and blade of grass along the way. I was prepared to clean up any droppings they might leave on the trail, dutifully carried doggie poopie bags and plastic gloves. It's amusing to me that I had no problem changing very messy baby diapers, but I needed plastic gloves to clean up after my dogs.

Halfway through our second walk I discovered something that caused me concern. When I stopped to clean up after one dog, Buster, I discovered he had severe diarrhea. His personality was still as loving as usual, so I first thought it was just a temporary sign of indigestion, but I wanted to check with the vet when we got home, to be sure.
Buster seemed to get worse as we walked, stopping frequently and sitting down (something new). He still seemed to respond normally with his tail wagging when I could coax him to come to me. But something was definitely not right. I called the vet and we abandoned our walk in the park, went right over.

Good thing we did. After several tests, the verdict was that Buster had pancreatitis, and he was going to need to stay a few days at the vet’s office for fluids, medication and more tests. As the vet explained the seriousness of the diagnosis, she also questioned when I first observed the symptoms. The severity of Busters condition indicated that he had been suffering longer than just this one day. He is such a well behaved dog, and since his personality seemed normal, I had no suspicion that anything might be wrong until I saw the diarrhea.

I was so sad leaving Buster at the vet and returning home with only one dog, Charlie. When I returned home, I decided to visit their potty area in the back yard. In several spots, I discovered what appeared to be diarrhea.

Since I wasn't around when my dogs use the yard, and I don't do the clean up, I hadn't seen the early signs. I felt so guilty.  I needed to make some changes.

I now schedule walks at least 3 times a week with my dogs and I pay closer attention to any change in their behavior. Looking back I can remember small changes in Busters behavior that I didn't consider significant at the time. Now I know differently.
I'm also watching my dogs a little more often when they are in the back yard, and my gardener has been instructed to tell me if any of my dogs poop appears suspicious.

I know it was an Angel that got me out of the chair and onto that trail with my dogs. If I hadn't taken that walk with Charlie and Buster, the result might have been different, and I would be wondering (and feeling terrible) when Buster would have gotten sicker, or worse.

It's easy to fall into lazy habits, and it does take conscious commitment to change, but my boys are worth it. I am grateful for that Angel."

First Registry for Animal Abusers

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) today announced an effort aimed at creating public registries in each state of anyone convicted of felony animal abuse. This could include violence (torture, mutilation, intentional killings, etc.), sexual abuse, and animal fighting as well as neglect (such as hoarding). Such registries would help protect animals, pet guardians and communities by preventing repeat offenses from anyone with an established history of abusing animals. 

Through its campaign, www.ExposeAnimalAbusers.org, the animal protection organization is promoting model legislation that state legislatures could enact. Such bills have been introduced in the past by elected officials in Rhode Island, Colorado, and Tennessee, and the first-ever bill for a statewide registry in California was today announced by its sponsor, State Senator Dean Florez.

Historic Vote in Suffolk County, New York Creates Nation's First Registry for Animal Abusers. October 12, 2010 Today, Suffolk County lawmakers voted unanimously to create the nation’s first animal abuser registry, designed to keep convicted abusers away from animals. Sponsored by Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), the new law will require adults living in Suffolk County (population over 1.5 million) who have been convicted of animal abuse crimes to register on an online registry for five years following their convictions. In addition to the registry, an accompanying resolution, scheduled  for a vote next month, would require animal shelters and those who sell animals to check an individual’s identity on the registry and prohibit them from adopting or selling to anyone found on it.

The ALDF website ExposeAnimalAbusers.org  provides extensive information about registry bills, and allows concerned citizens to contact their own legislators in support of abuser registries. Such registries will help protect animals, pet guardians and communities by preventing repeat offenses from anyone with an established history of abusing animals.
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Love

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. 

 You are his life, his love, his leader. 

 He will be yours, faithful and true,
to the last beat of his heart. 

 You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." 

 ~ Original author unidentified ~

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind. "
~ Cleveland Amory ~

Halloween safety for your pets

It's that time of year again where all sorts of goblins and witches wander the street in search of things sweet. Some of these are two legged and many are accompanies by their four legged friends.


Safety is important to all. We remember to look both ways before crossing the street, not to visit houses that are dark or too scary, don't eat anything that isn't sealed, and parents walk their small children to each door along the way. Some people include their pets in their costumes, other animals can be seen wandering alone hoping for a handout. (See reminder below about chocolate and dogs)

Bridget shares her story from last Halloween:

"Halloween has always been a night of fun when as a child I was allowed to dress up as my favorite fantasy character.  I have enjoyed this tradition with my children as well with each squeal and laugh at the costumes and decorations.

As a child I used to dress up the family dog in costume as well so he could be part of my fantasy. My mother never allowed me to take him trick-or-treating with me, citing she had too many kids to keep and eye on and the dog would be happier at home.  My own children have enjoyed dressing up our golden retriever, Jade, each Halloween, and playing with him in costume for several hours before they were allowed to venture outside for our annual candy collecting ritual. Until last year.  My 9 year old daughter, Marcie, dressed as a police officer and she wanted her "police" dog to accompany her on our route. My first reaction was to echo my mothers reasons for no dogs on the tour, but then Jade looked so cute with his official "police" vest, badge and "police" cap., and he was well known and loved in our neighborhood, that I agreed to let him go. Marcie promised she would hold tight onto Jade's leash, "because that's what the police do." Jade was leash trained since a tiny puppy to never pull, and Marcie had walked him with me, responsibly holding his leash several times and so I agreed he could come. Her younger brothers were Batman and Superman, so it appeared like a super quad.


Everything was fine for the first few houses. Several families had included their dogs in the costume festivities, so I was happy to show off Jade and his co-costume. Then the crowd of children starting growing larger and a little unruly at some houses. At one house there were so many children scrambling to squeeze through a gate to get the candy that was being distributed, that Jade's paws were stepped on twice. I started to hold back from the crowds and approached only houses that had less visitors. I was getting concerned about Jade and all the chaos so I took his leash from Marcie. At one house, Stevie's batman cape got caught on a fence and we stopped. I put my hand through the loop in Jade's leash, wearing it like a bracelet, to give me both hands free to release Stevie's cape. Suddenly, a few teenagers dressed in black and goth, teamed with a big black lab came running up. Kids were running everywhere was not uncommon, so  I glanced at them and went back to Stevie.  Then I heard a growl and I was suddenly on the ground. Within seconds, we had a dog fight; kids in the middle and I was on the ground stunned with Jade's leash quickly sliding off my hand. 


I was told by an onlooker that the black lab approached my other son, Brian, and Jade lunged between Brian the this other dog. Jade had never shown any aggression, however, in this new situation, chaotic activity and a new dog approaching his family member, it appears that Jade got defensive. Some friends said that the other dog growled first, but that doesn't seem to matter. 


People were throwing things at the fighting dogs, and I heard kids crying, screaming, and shouts to kick the dogs, to which I kept shouting back, not to kick them. As I struggled to get to my feet, the smart person whose house we were in front of, turned on his hose and with a powerful stream of water, startling the dogs long enough so they could be separated. I was shook up, but my adrenalin kicked in as I made sure my children were safe and then retrieved Jade from another neighbor who walked him away from the other dog to the side of the house, a place more safe. This neighbor knew Jade as a friendly dog, and stated he wasn't afraid of him, even now. We were all thankful that none of the other dogs out that night joined in on the fight, although you could hear their whines and growls from the distance as their handlers pulled them away from the scene.


My children were scared and crying, and Jade was bleeding. With help from friends, I rushed them to the emergency animal hospital. Jade had a few scratches to his face and front legs, and kept whining during the examination. The vet said he could be emotionally traumatized by the fight if he thought his "family" was in danger or hurt. He asked us to come into the room to calm Jade. My children had never witnessed  dog fight, much less, their beloved Jade acting so aggressive. With the help of the vet tech, talking about how he thought Jade was acting like his costume and being a good "police" dog, and protecting them, my children began to worry more about Jade and less about the fight.  They wanted Jade to know he was still a "good boy" and showed their love for him with hugs, kisses and compliments. This seemed to calm all of them.

While we were at the hospital, a police officer came by. Someone had reported the incident and he needed to verify the injuries and my perception of the event. Jade had to be kept in police custody until they could determine what crime may have been committed. It took 2 days for the police to complete their interviews and determine that it was an accident. No one could account for which dog actually started the fight, and no human was injured by the dogs. Several parents were upset at the trauma their children were exposed to, and a few were finger pointing at anyone who had a dog out that night. It's caused a little rift  in our neighborhood and a couple friendships have gotten cooler.


Jade seemed to be his usual self once he was home again. It took a few months for the replay of the event to fade out of our household and neighborhood conversations. But with Halloween approaching again, the memories resurface. My kids will be in costume again, and we will be going out as a family, however, this time Jade will stay at home."


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1.  Re-think if you are planing on taking your dog out trick or treating.  If you do, be extra diligent in watching your surroundings and keep them on a shorter than usual leash.  Make sure they have their tags on and something reflective helps them to be seen. People are accustomed to seeing children, they can easily overlook a pet walking beside you.

2. Be aware of decorations that can be harmful to your pets, both inside and outside. Dogs may brush my a lit pumpkin and burn their fur, or get burned by a wax candle dripping. Cats at home love to jump and investigate, especially something moving,even a candle flame. Keep all burning candles in areas hard to access by all pets.

3.  If you do take your pet out wearing a costume for special festivities, make sure it fits well enough so they can walk, have clear field of vision, and that they are comfortable in it. (If they struggle to get it off, or whine while wearing it - could be a sign they don't like it, no matter how cute you think it looks.) Make sure there are no little pieces they can chew on and swallow.l

4.  NO CHOCOLATE FOR DOGS. the may get curious in your children's treat bags and they may try to eat it, but it is toxic and can cause severe digestive problems, even death.

5.  If your pets are excitable by loud noises even when at home, put them in a room or crate while you are out so they feel safe.  



Happy, Healthy and Safe Halloween






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Jimmy Stewart & Beau

This is a video of the actor Jimmy Stewart reading a poem he wrote about his dog Beau.

I saw an interview at his home once and his dogs were present and he was
truthful, they did not listen to him! 

You will notice both Jimmy Stewart and Johnny Carson wiping away tears.
I always loved Jimmy Stewart he seemed such a nice man and by all accounts he was. They say his two greatest loves were his beautiful wife Gloria and his dogs.

 

Our beloved animal companions take up residence in our hearts 

that lasts long after they have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

Stress Out for Cats, Dogs & their People Home

Kitten proofing plants

"There is no more intrepid explorer than a kitten."
~ Jules Champfleury

I am re-learning that nothing is safe in my house and all of my secrets will be soon be discovered. Merlin is the first kitten I've had in my home for over 15 years. My previous cat companion, Lancelot, was well beyond his kitten behavior for so many years, that I've forgotten how inquisitive a kitten can be. After all my decorating efforts to make my home reflect my personality, Merlin has made sure his presence is known, and he's the master of it as well.

I've put away my delicate crystal and china trinkets and purchased a new batch of earthquake hold for other items. A friend stated it's just like baby proofing a home, however I must partially disagree.  As far as I know, babies don't move at 90 miles an hour from one point to another, nor do they leap from the floor to the top shelf of the bookcase in one smooth move. It never ceases to amaze me how Merlin can surefootedly walk across the smallest ledge and disturb nothing. Then decide that he must get into the 1/2" space between a vase and the wall, sending the vase toppling to the floor.  One such vase was the home of one of my Chinese fortune plants filled with water which fortunately (?) landed in my open briefcase and not all over the carpet. 

My home is filled with both homeopathic and decorative plants. I love the living greening inside, and now so does Merlin. With over 300 plants toxic to cats , I made sure that none of these were inside my home. Many smaller plants were moved to higher locations. (When I did this, I had a memory lapse about cats ability to jump). Merlin seems to like to chomp on certain leaves and dig in the soil. When I took him to the Vet after rescuing him, the vet stated Merlin appeared to have been on the street for a while. So using dirt as his bathroom would be something he was previously used to and I certainly don't want him to mistake any of these plants for a litter box. 

Many people use spray bottles and loud noises to startle a cat and attempt to train their behavior. There are several deterrent products on the marketplace as well. Although these methods may work, I wanted something more natural and loving. I started by placing little stakes in the plant's pots, making a vertical type of fence. Merlin chewed on the stakes and let himself through. Then I took clear packaging tape and put it sticky side out. That has kept him from climbing on most of the larger pots, and it's sooo attractive to my decor. and several times I've caught my clothing on it as I pass by. 

A friend suggested orange peels and coffee grounds.  Allegedly, cats don't like the smell of citrus.  And it appears Merlin is one of those cats.  Although I don't drink coffee, my neighbor is glad to give me her used coffee grounds ands since I eat oranges every day, this is any easy fix. I placed the orange peels around the outer edge of the pot, and zested some of the peel into water and sprayed the leaves. The coffee grounds are sprinkled over the top of the soil. Coffee grounds are also a natural air freshener, so that is an added bonus. another friend suggested aquarium gravel, as cats don't like the feel of the uneven edges under their paws. So for those plants with a larger soil surface area, I added natural gravel as well.

So far, after only a week, Merlin has moved onto other investigations around the house and my plants have been left alone to flourish.




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The true value of a dog

I just watched a video (again) that stirs my heart every time.

This video is about a dog that was born to be a service dog. From the day he was born, his handlers set about his training schedule to make him the best service dog ever, so he could help a disabled person. What a noble professions for this dog. He excelled at his training and proved his service skills were the best.

He had one “flaw” (?) He liked to chase birds and run fast. That sudden distraction and impulse to abandon his duty, in pursuit of play could be potentially dangerous to the person he was supposed to serve. Most service animals can be trained not to be distracted, but he couldn’t. For some people, this would mean the end of this dog. He was now a failure as a service dog.

But....his handlers were more loving and smarter than to give him such a label or (gasp) consider his life was over. Instead they observed what he was good at, what could he do, instead of what he couldn’t do.

He loved to be in the water. He loved to surf and he was very good at it. When he surfs he is ecstatically happy and other people can see it and feel it. His joy brings smiles to others faces, and he touches their hearts. His direction of service was adjusted. He now uses his surfing talents to raise funds for charity. As a “service” dog, he is now able to serve many more people.

I urge you to watch the movie and see him for yourself.

The true value of a dog is in the love they give us unconditionally - especially when they are allowed and encouraged to be all they can be.

Sighs Matters

TM

  For Cats and Dogs & their People.

3rd in Series of Stress Out™ Books

SIZE MATTERS ...

Puppy Size

This is one of the neatest stories..

You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end.

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"Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this," the mother told the volunteer.


"What is it she keeps asking for? "the volunteer asked.

"Puppy size!", replied the mother

Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.
 

"I know...we have seen most of them," the mom said in frustration...

Just then Danielle came walking into the offices

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.

"You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply," the volunteer said.  

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend," she said.

Over the next few days both mom and dad had long conversations with her.

"We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size either," Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. 

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted.   

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, "Sorry, you're not the one." 

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. 

The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer.

"Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!" she screamed with joy. "It's the puppy size!"

"But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks," Mom said.

"No not size... the sighs!
 When I held him in my arms, he sighed," she said. 

"Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sighs!" 

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

"Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms," she said. 

Then holding the puppy up close to her face she said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!"  

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh.

….. in the arms of a loved one; the caress of a sunset; the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day.

Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear.  

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." 

 

Always a supply ... It is estimated that animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3-4 million are euthanized. 

Think first....
 > > before buying a pet from a puppy mill,
 > > microchip your animals, even the best trained can bolt from your home when scared
 > > and spay and neutering your dogs and cats DOES save lives.

Visit a shelter today and find a new pet that sighs in your arms.

Doing the right thing

Los Angeles county, as many others, has a mandatory Spay/Neuter law. The purpose of this law is to attempt to control the over population of stray dogs and cats.  The rescues and shelters are overcrowded and the numbers being euthanized continue to rise.

To make it easier for people to get their animals spayed/neutered there are a few free, low cost  and mobile clinics. 

A little over a week ago, my vet recommended it was time for Merlin to visit one of these mobile clinics. One was conveniently scheduled regularly at a nearby neighborhood. A call the day before resulted me an appointment for Merlin, which meant I had to walk Isaac earlier than usual to make the scheduled time. Isaac loved the early morning air, and Merlin had no clue how this day was going to change the rest of his life.

When I arrived, there was a small crowd lined up all for the same time. The clinic took in all the animals first thing in the morning and then performed the surgeries one after the other. We were to be called when our pet was ready to be picked up in the afternoon.

This particular mobile clinic offered both free and fee services. If a person could show their income was below a certain amount, they could receive the services for free, otherwise it was $100.  As I waited my turn in line, a woman ahead of me was explaining that she had rescued her two cats from an area near her home and she didn't have the heart to take them to the pound because she was afraid they would be euthanized. She had tried one local shelter, but they wanted an intake fee which she couldn't afford. Her daughter convinced her that these cats had chosen their family, so they must keep them. They had all quickly become very attached to these furry little angels so she was at the clinic to have them fixed.  

Unfortunately, the intake technician informed her that her income was $1000 over the limit for free services and she would have to pay the $100 per cat.  She kept  attempting to explain that she didn't have that much money. Even though her income appeared to be above what they considered the "low income" level, she was struggling to pay her bills. She wanted to do the right thing for these cats. No amount of tears or begging would change the technician's mind. He was following the rules and he couldn't budge.   

Fortunately, someone hearing this story stepped up and paid the fee for her two cats surgery. Some might argue that if she couldn't pay the surgical fee she shouldn't have the cats, whereas others would say she was showing great love for these animals by taking them in and attempting to do what was in their best interests. Regardless of outside opinions, this woman was following her heart and doing what she felt strongly was the right decision for her life and her family.

The mandatory spay/neuter law has become controversial. One reason is the cost. Many people are struggling to meet their financial obligations, and being forced to make a choice between paying their utilities or groceries or use that $100 to spay/neuter their animal feels like a losing proposition either way. County vets are supposed to report any animal that is brought in intact unless provided proof that the animal meets one of the exemptions. It is believed that many intact pets fail to get the vet care they may need because of the fear of the consequences.  Granted, there are those that will ignore any law or refuse to get their pet spay/neutered for a variety of reasons, however, for those that are showing up to do the right thing and are struggling financially, there must be some leeway. The inflexibility this woman was facing could have resulted with these two cats contributing later on to the pet overpopulation. 

I'm in support of humanely reducing the number of pets that roam our streets and fill our shelters, living limited life spans without being part of a loving family. Responsible spay/neutering is one way. Taking the time to consider how financially difficult it is for many families at this time; and being humane in the treatment towards those who show up attempting to do the right thing, is also important. We must look at the consequences we create, when we draw such a hard line decision and refuse to consider alternatives.  

Abuse or Love?

Friends and I watched a dog trainer show last night and were appalled at what was being taught. This dog/human trainer proclaimed that he used "energy" to communicate with dogs to get them to exhibit the behavior he wanted. He used a gesture to simulate his "energy" as something unseen, yet felt and understood by the dogs.

Yet in one session he used a prong choke collar and several times yanked harshly on the dogs neck, pulling the dog back from entering an open door, until the dog cowered in submission. If he was using his "energy" to communicate then why the physical abrupt jerking of the neck collar which raised the dogs feet from the ground more than once? In another scene he hit this same dog sharply in the chest with the tips of his four tightly positioned straight locked fingers to get the dog to become submissive.  The energy we witnessed was fear, not love.

This dog trainer (?) claims that this treatment is loving and all his dogs love him and 'know he is the leader of the pack'. Is this really love, or is it fear and intimidation?  This appears similar to child abuse; and the child knowing no other form of love, mistakes abuse for love.

This dog had begun to exhibit aggression towards an older dog in the house. Many animal behaviorists report this change from previous friendly behavior could be the result of many different factors, which if the underlying cause is treated, the effect will change. Instead this animal trainer attacked only the current behavior, now addressing what might have caused this dog to change.

In a recent yearlong study by University of Pennsylvania researchers shows a study of dog owners who use punishment, force, and confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that these methods elicited an aggressive response from at least a quarter of the dogs on which they were attempted - back towards their familiar people - the ones delivering the confrontational techniques.


I do agree that some larger and stronger dogs may seem to need a strong hand to train them, however, more and more positive and reward based training programs are showing excellent results with more humane and loving methods with all types of behaviors, sizes and breeds of dogs.


The second dog he worked with, appeared to hate the male person in the home. His solution again was forceful in gaining control over the dog, complete with thick leather work gloves. The objective was to pick up the dog, and hold it with the gloves until the dog gave up and became submissive. In comparison, another animal training show we watched where the small dog appeared to dislike the males in the household, the trainer saw the dog was scared and uncomfortable around the men which was then exhibited as aggression. Seeing the cause of the aggression and not just the aggressive behavior, this trainer used a positive reinforced training. After a little time of consistent training, the result was that the little dog actually learned the men were "safe" and good things happened when they were in the room. The husband was proud to show how the dog happily greeted all members of the family.  Granted, no two dogs or situations are the same however, it appears that the positive approach was more loving and gave a larger positive result.


When a TV show has to display a disclaimer several times throughout the show "do not attempt the techniques you see without consulting a professional", it causes the question of why show the techniques if there is a potential hazard? This type of disclaimer is routinely seen with stunt programs and potentially irresponsible and dangerous actions. It appears to be their legal out if someone uses the same techniques and doesn't consult this professional (?) first.

This trainer seems to have a large following, however, that doesn't make it right. It brings to mind the story of the Emperor and His New Clothes.  The 'Emperors followers were first afraid to tell the him that he his clothes were an illusion; then they began to question themselves if their eyes were deceiving them because the Emperor couldn't possibly be naked (wrong). Until one small child had the clarity of truth and spoke up. Then the veil of deceit was broken and the naked Emperor was seen as he was.

We are a society that has become numb to abuse towards our animals. Every day I witness dogs being yanked by their necks, slapped, held down to force submission and constantly being yelled "no" in their face. Many people use harsh treatment on their animals because it gets a quick fix. Some people don't know there is another way. This has paved the intention of the Stress Out for Cats, dogs and their People book.


Only when enough people challenge questionable treatments will there be safer and more loving treatments become the more popular and then (hopefully) the norm.


Taily wags and purrrrs......

An Unexpected Addition to the Family

I’ve always been an animal lover. For most of my adult life, I have had cats in my home. Lancelot was my devoted cat companion for 13 years. He was a beautiful short haired pure white cat with pink skin and one blue eye and one gold eye. Quite the looker! He traveled the world with me, including to friends houses when I house sat their pets. He got along with everyone and he taught a few dogs that cats are not toys. I lost my devoted friend to cancer two years ago, and he left a void that has been difficult to fill. To get my cat fix, I spend time at a local rescue socializing and tending to the cats & kittens. 

Since I haven’t been ready to adopt another cat, I have been fostering a dog. An adorable, happy, cute little black Chihuahua blend. For some reason black dogs don’t seem to get adopted as quickly as other dogs, and little Isaac had been at the rescue too long and was developing kennel stress. A foster home until he gets his furrever home was the solution. It’s been a change in my home with dog toys and daily walks and play time with toss and fetch. He is now housebroken, sits and stays on command. This keeps him from dashing to, or through the door when it opens. He puts himself to bed, in his own bed, when he sees me preparing myself for bed. Since we don’t know if his furrever home will want him to sleep in a bed with them, I am careful to keep that boundary. It would be easier for them to give him permission, then take it away. He now walks with a gentle leash and he waits at corners for my command when it is safe for us to cross. We don’t know why he was dumped at the pound, but it was his lucky day when the shelter folks rescued him before he met a terrible fate there.

A few weeks ago, while taking our last walk of the night near midnight, something light colored jumped down from a tree and darted over to us. We have squirrels in our trees, so Isaac and I weren’t startled, only curious. It turned out to be a very dirty kitten, about 4 months old. He came to us and plopped on my feet and purred. Almost like saying, thank you for coming. Fortunately my neighbor has 3 beautiful tuxedo cats, and had extra feline necessities to spare. Even at that late hour she responded to help the needs of this little guy. We made a place for him with small litter box and cat bed in one of my bathrooms. He didn’t seem interested in food or water, and instead fell to sleep in my hands when I was wiping him off with a damp cloth. He appears to be injury and pest free, just quite thin. 

I placed him in the little pet bed and he fell fast asleep with a loud purr. He didn’t even seem to notice Isaac anymore, or us leaving the room and closing the door so he could have privacy and safety during the night. It’s been a while since I’ve had a kitten in my home, so fortunately my neighbor helped to make the decision on how much food to give this little one this morning. The kitten gobbled up food faster than Isaac. 

On our first walk the next morning, I placed signs with my phone number so the kitten could be reclaimed if the caller could describe him. No one did. Bittersweet. A couple of days later, I took him to the vet for a full check up and make sure he was ok. I use a holistic vet, and she appreciated what happened with my night light the night this little guy came home with me.

Since the departure of my Lancelot, I have kept a small white cat night light glowing every day. That night after putting kitty to bed, this night light burnt out. Was it Lancelot telling me it was time for another purr in my home? Was he telling me he knew I would protect this little one until his responsible person came forth? Did he send him to me to live here? I meditated and didn’t get answers, only peace; a peace I haven’t felt since he left.

Merlin is now a permanent member of this family. He and Isaac run, tousle and play together like good friends. Nothing is safe from the speed of active small animals racing around the house, over and around furniture. It’s fun to witness. I still miss my Lancelot, however, these two little fellows bring so much love and laughter back into my home that was missing for a while.

Tail wags and purrs.....

Outside dogs?

I always wonder why someone would bring a dog into their family and then relegate the dog to living outdoors all the time?

A dog is a pack animal, and we as their people - are their pack. Studies have shown that dogs that are confined to the yard or tied up outside for long periods of time, develop stress, frustration and anxiety. A stressed dog will dig, bark, howl or whine, chew wood and other objects and escape any chance they get. And, yes, exhibit aggression. Some may argue that their dog is a protective dog, so their aggressive behavior is a good thing.  Yet dogs will only protect their territory, and if their territory the the yard, your intruder has free reign when inside your home. Plus, if your dog has no emotional attachment to the people in the house, except for their food and occasional greeting, the aggression could be directed inappropriately at a human family member.

Unfortunately, outside dogs are not usually considered part of the family and are more easily discarded when the dogs presence no longer fits the families needs. When I was a child, a family in the neighborhood had an outside dog tied with a chain to a doghouse. This dog always worked on escaping, and did so fairly regularly. When this family moved away, they left the dog tied up to the doghouse, with one bowl of food and drove off. They said that someone would hear the dog whining, see he was alone and come and get him. Someone did. Sadly, he was taken to the local pound, and most likely euthanized.

With the idea that outside dogs are guard dogs, I have to question what kind of a guard dog is the Chihuahua on my street. This little dog is tied to a post in the yard everyday and most nights. His whining can be heard for hours on end. His people have been warned that in Los Angeles the "tethering law, makes it illegal to tether, fasten, chain, tie or restrain a dog to a doghouse, tree fence or any other stationary object for more than three hours in a 24-hour period." Several neighbors have called, reported this family, and Animal Services pays a visit. Afterwhich the dog is brought into the house for a few days. Then the cycle continues. So I again question, why would someone bring this dog into their family and then force the dog to be alone outside? 

As I write this I can see the Animal Services truck drive by. I wonder if today is this dogs lucky day, or just another warning that will be ignored.

Spay and Neuter???

In US we end the lives of hundreds of thousands of little angels in fur. These animals lose their lives on the highways, in unprotected yards and the local pound. These animals did nothing wrong, other than to be born.Then someone lost interest in them, didn’t want the responsibility for them anymore, couldn’t (or wouldn’t) afford to take care of them anymore, a choice was made between a new boy/girl friend and the animal, made a decision to move to a new home that didn’t allow animals, and many more reason.

Yet hundreds of dogs and cats have babies everyday because the are not spayed or neutered. The discussion can sometimes be heated. At a recent business gathering the topic came up and one man said he would never cut the balls off his dog, because he didn’t want a sissy dog. Intact dogs do have a tendency to be more aggressive, and it’s an old wives tale that fixed dogs become docile, fat and lazy. Professional dogs, such as police dogs are intact, however, they are trained to use their aggression responsibly. An aggressive, untrained dog can be a costly hazard. Walking my dog this morning, two people walking unneutered dogs approached each other, and the two dogs immediately lunged at each other and a fight began. After the people succeeded in untangling the dogs, both the humans and the dogs had injuries. Both humans exasperatedly claimed that “their dog was friendly” and “don’t know how this happened.”

Another woman said just because she wasn’t going to have children, she wasn’t going to remove her ovaries and she feels the same about her cat. When her cat goes into heat this woman locks the cat in a closet, adding that it’s a large walk-in closet. So I nicely asked if someone locked her in a closet when she had her time of the month. My question wasn’t appreciated, although a few people around me snickered.

When volunteering at a local shelter, I witnessed a small dog that had developed mammary tumors because she had not been spayed. Her owners dumped her at the shelter because they didn’t want to deal with a dog with tumors, even though they admitted that their Vet had warned them of this possibility with this breed , if they didn’t get her spayed. Fortunately the shelter made the commitment to this dog to not only pay for the surgery to fix her tumors, but to also get her spayed. Then they found her a new loving, furrever home.

When I was a child we had a collection of animals. My Dad, being a good cowboy made sure all our dogs, horses and non breeding and working stock were fixed before bringing them home. Even when a stay cat came to live with us, as soon as time passed when no one came to claim him, he was neutered. That made a dent in the population explosion he had been causing with the feral cats living in the nearby mountains.

I’ve read several arguments on the health issues of spaying/neutering and not. Some say additional health problems occur when not fixed and others cite stories of health problems when an animal is fixed.

Personally, I don’t know how accurate any of these health claims are. What I have witnessed though, is that more animals suffer the risk of death because of the over population of dogs and cats. Our kill rate at shelters is on the rise. People are still abandoning their animals at the side of the road and to shelters (I was told that owner relinquished animals are the first in line to be euthanized at the pound). People still allow their dogs and cats to roam neighborhoods freely to act at the whim of nature and the homeless pet population continues to rise.

A man in my neighborhood was going to breed his little dog so each of his children would have a pet of their own, until he found out how much it would cost to take care of that many more dogs. It was cheaper to spay his dog, so his pocketbook made the decision to spay his dog.

Many people cite financial reasons for not spaying/neutering, even though there are locations in nearly every city that have low cost and sometimes free spay/neuter clinics. Some areas will fix certain breeds of dogs at any time for no charge. Many areas offer discount on the rabies shots and exams when an animals is fixed,

If money is the issue, two online resources maintain databases of low cost and sometimes free spay/neuter clinics. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter/ and http://www.spayusa.org/

My decisions today are still influenced by the care and decisions my Dad displayed towards the animals he chose to bring home, and is now also strongly influenced by the number of dead animals I see by the side of the road hit by a car and the stories I hear from people who work at kill shelters and no kill rescues.

These angels in fur enter our lives and look to us as their people, to make the decisions that will contribute to making their lives happier, healthier and filled with love and in return they love us unconditionally. If you were your dog or cat, would you want your human caregiver to take the step to have you spayed/neutered?

  
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