4th Of July Safety For Your Dog

The weekend is here and so is the beginning of July.  Though the 4th is not until Wednesday, it is likely that there will be lots of pre 4th of July parties and fireworks this weekend.  Hopefully, your dog is easy going and could care less about the sound of explosions in the sky.  But if he isn't, below are some safety tips on what you can do to keep him safe and comfortable.  I also have a few just general safety tips to keep any dog safe.

For fearful or sound sensitive dogs:

1.  Create a safe place in your home.  For dogs that are crate trained, if the crate is by or close to a window, move the crate to an inner room, so the sound is not as loud and keep your dog in the crate for the duration of the fireworks.  If your dog is not crate trained, all your dog to go under the bed, in your closet, in the bathroom, or any smaller space they feel safe and protected. 

If you are home with your dog, don't forget to check on him and spend time with him throughout the night.  You being there talking to him will give comfort.

2.  I know the temperature is rising, but shut your windows and turn on the air if possible.  Keeping your house closed up will not only help keep the sound down, it will keep the smell out.  Depending on how close the fireworks are, some dogs react to the smell as well as the sound.

3.  If your dog is severely scared of the sounds or extremely sensitive to the sound, you may want to put your dog on a veterinarian prescribed sedative or herbal or natural remedy to keep him calm.   Any medication or herbal or natural treatment should be discussed with your veterinarian to make sure it is the right choice for your dog.

4.  Exercise your dog the day of the fireworks.  Make sure you do an extra long walk or run (at a safe time of day) the day or evening before the fireworks.  Depleting your dog's energy will help keep them calm.


*Note: If you use any type of treatment for fear issues such as a Thundershirt, Calming cap, Calming wrap, etc., you should use that along with keeping your dog in a safe area.

General Safety Tips For Dogs and Fireworks

1.  Never shoot the firework at your dog.  Even sparklers can cause injury, so watch out for your pooch when you are twirling them around having fun.

2.  If you are at a fireworks show or you have some at your home, dogs should be leashed and a safe distance away from the fireworks.  The best practice is to have your dog in your house if you are having fireworks at home.

3.  Keep the fireworks, both before and after use, out of the reach of your dog.  Especially for young dogs or pups, these could look like fun toys.


I hope these tips help you have a fun and safe 4th of July celebration.

Happy Weekend!  Don't forget to do something special with your dog.

Colorado K9 Evacuees

I'm sure you have all heard about the Colorado fires at this point, the amount of land and property that have been consumed are devastating.    As of a report last night over 106,000 acres have burned and over 36,000 people have had to evacuate.  As well, their pets.  With any natural disaster comes the problem of what to do with your pets.  As we have seen in the past with our own fires in California and other disasters in other parts of the country, taking your pet may not always be an option.   During these times the shelters open their doors to receive as many as they can.  This is exactly what is happening in Colorado and the Human Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) are in desperate need of help.

In order to accommodate the amount of pets, they have had to open a second emergency site and they are in need of some help.  Below are a couple of posts from their Facebook page.

 Yesterday Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) responded to the need to open a second temporary pet evacuation shelter. We opened the doors at Freedom Financial Services Expo Center (FFSEC) after they graciously donated the space. Staff, veterinarians, and volunteers are working 24 hours a day, helping pets being evacuated right now by the Waldo Canyon Fire, at both our permanent HSPPR shelter and our second shelter.  Donate now at www.hsppr.org

HSPPR is receiving a large number of animals at our 2nd emergency pet evacuation center located at Freedom Financial Services Expo Center located at 3650 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909. HSPPR IS IN NEED OF CRATES, KENNELS, TOWELS & BLANKETS (no sheets please), Please DONTATE items ASAP TO THE FREEDOM FINANCIAL SERVICES EXPO CENTER! THANK YOU!

Again, living in a state that is plagued by fires on a yearly basis, I think we can identify with what our neighbors in Colorado are going through.  If you can help at all, be it sending food, crates, blankets, or towels, please do.  Otherwise you can make a monetary donation at www.hsppr.org.

I know without a doubt, the good people of Colorado will appreciate our support.

To follow their progress or to get their updated needs, bark on the link for their Facebook page:  Bark!

The Rescue of Rosie

The article I am posting today is from Dogster, it is one of the most moving stories of a rescue in a hoarding situation I have heard in a long time.  Rosie is the star and she is special and beautiful in her own way... you will see.  I encourage you to not only read this and watch the videos, but get involved if you can and help these poor dogs.

When I first saw photos of Rosie -– with her needle-nose snout, devastatingly misaligned jaw and teeth, severely bowed legs, and pinky-purple skin with hardly a patch of fur -- I figured someone was having fun with Photoshop, morphing a pig and a rat and a dog and some other zany stuff together. It was a startling, even a bit disturbing, but I reasoned that she couldn’t be real.

 

But as I’d come to find out, Rosie is very real -– a product of backyard breeding and animal hoarding. She may be shocking to look at, but inside she’s a beauty, full of love, intelligence, and an incredible will to live.

Rosie is one of 20 dogs pulled by rescuers from a house in Woodland Hills, Calif., last week. She is the worst of the group, which is saying something, because two other rescued Chihuahuas -– some form of sibling or half-sibling to Rosie -- have no front legs at all.

Dogster caught up with the woman who found the dogs and instigated the rescue, as well as Rosie’s new “mom.” We bring you their exclusive story.

Hey, Want a Cute Little Dog or Two -- or 20?

Kate Hannah (name changed at her request) was walking her dogs around her neighborhood when she saw a sign reading “Chihuahuas for Free.”

 
She came back to tell the residents -- a woman in her sixties and her thirtysomething daughter -- why that was a bad idea. She explained to them about dogfighters who pounce on free or cheap dogs to use as bait dogs, and how dangerous it can be for animals to go to unscreened new homes and owners.

 

The women told her they had a menagerie of 20 or so tiny pooches they were trying to get rid of. They said the woman's grandmother started breeding them a few years back, and they “sort of kept things going” when she died a couple of years ago. They said it was more that they let it get out of control, since none of the dogs were spayed or neutered because they couldn’t afford it. So things happened, sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident -– sometimes probably between canine brother and sister, father and daughter or granddaughter, mother and son; you name it.

The hoarders told Hannah that local authorities were pushing them to leave the house before they were forced out through foreclosure. In desperation, they’d found homes for more than 20 dogs the previous week. They were delighted to report that one man had taken a whole litter of young pups -- but Hannah felt sick when she thought about their possible fate.

It may seem preposterous, but Hannah says the women seemed to genuinely care about the dogs, giving their names, telling about their personalities, and snuggling them like babies. She said that it isn't uncommon that hoarders love their animals, albeit in a highly irresponsible way.

The women said they wanted to make sure the dogs didn’t wind up in cages at shelters, because they were used to running free at home. They couldn’t bear thinking of the dogs perishing in cages, or, worse yet, being euthanized if no homes could be found.

The dogs were mostly Chihuahuas, and most had terrible flea problems. Some were underweight, but they seemed generally in good health.

 

But there was Conner, a 13-year-old Bichon mix who was so badly matted that even his eyes were covered with fur. Hannah took him to a groomer later and had him shaved down. She later learned that he was both blind and deaf.

Two of the dogs the women showed her had been born without front legs -- not an uncommon trait in bad breeding practices. Still, they managed to move pretty well, even scooting quickly at times, and seemed in good spirits.

There was still one dog the women didn’t want to show Hannah. “You don’t want to see her,” she says they told her. But she insisted. “Prepare yourself,” they told her as they went inside to get the last dog.

The Shock of Rosie

Despite Hannah's long history of animal rescue, nothing could have prepared her for Rosie. “I was in a complete state of shock,” she says. “But I didn’t show it. I needed to get her out of there and didn’t want anything to prevent this.”

In addition to all the deformities described at the start of this article, Rosie’s bulging light-blue eyes have permanently dilated pupils, adding to her strange appearance, and probably causing her a great deal of discomfort in bright light. If you ever got your pupils dilated for an eye exam and left the doctor’s office without sunglasses, you’ll know the blinding, distorted sensation.

 
The hoarders said Rosie was in no pain and was able to get around pretty well, getting herself outside to go to the bathroom. Hannah didn’t see how this was possible, but she continued the pleasantries. The hoarders seemed very fond of Rosie, showering her with affection as they held her close for photographs. The older woman called her “Little Valentine,” since she was born on Feb 14, 2010.

Hannah learned that two other deformed dogs had been adopted out during the previous week, when the women were giving dogs to any taker. Some people prize odd-looking dogs. In fact, in Japan, dogs have routinely been inbred to create startling results. A New York Times article from 2006 stated that highly unusual small dogs can fetch as much as $8,600.

The blue merle coloring Rosie’s (in)breeders may or may not have been trying to get often comes with a slew of genetic defects. Puppies in these genetic experiments are often born so horribly deformed that they die right away or have to be killed by the breeder.

Hannah says the hoarders were proud to tell her that in their years of dealing with these dogs, not a single one –- old or young -- had died. If true, that’s a real odds-beater, since at least some dogs had genetic issues -- and as she found out, they all ate cheap kibble, never saw the vet, and didn’t really go outside the house.

The Long Road Home

 

Hannah went home and hastily posted photos and descriptions online for her friends. She was heartened at how quickly rescues came forward to help. She had already decided not to get animal control involved, because of the high chance that many of these dogs would not be seen as adoptable and thus euthanized.

Over the next couple of days, her rescue friends visited the women's home as if they were just people, not rescue group representatives. And one by one, two by two -- and in one case, six by six -- the dogs started on the long road to forever homes. Every time the dogs were adopted out, the hoarders cried. “They were deeply grateful they were going to good people,” Hannah says.

Hannah was especially worried about Rosie and her deformed siblings and half-siblings. She lost sleep over them. But her co-rescuers knew event planner and animal rescuer Cinnamon Muhlbauer was a woman with a special place in her heart for the dogs many would consider unadoptable. They contacted her and held their breath.

When Muhlbauer saw the photos, she melted. She has a pig and two “wheelie” dogs (missing front legs but getting along well with carts), among other creatures, but had room in her heart and home for Rosie. She and her husband live in the Santa Monica Mountains on a 100-acre horse-rescue ranch in the Malibu area. She asked the ranch owners if they could temporarily take in Rosie’s two sibs, and brought Rosie home to live with her.

It’s only been a few days, but Rosie is already doing better. She's gaining weight, and coping with treatment for her terrible demodectic mange. She follows Muhlbauer everywhere with her eyes, even if her little body can’t take her where she needs to go.

As for being able to go to the bathroom outside, “It was an outright lie,” says Muhlbauer. “She can’t move more than a couple of feet on her own. She’s very clean, and will manage to get away from her bed to go to the bathroom, but it is so hard.” 

 

Rosie has a long, hard road ahead. She has so far received only a preliminary veterinary check and one shot, since doing too much at once could make her already-stressed immune system falter more. She’ll need X-rays, ongoing evaluation, possible physical therapy, more mange treatment, and lifelong help for her deformed jaw and teeth. She may need monthly non-anesthetic cleanings, since many of her lower teeth are loose, and it may be the only way for her to keep them.

Rosie has taught Muhlbauer a good trick: feeding her. Somehow the dog had survived on hard kibble, and she arrived with super-caked-in kibble cementing the roof of her mouth, back of her throat, and around her gums. Once that was cleaned up, it was easier for her to eat.

At first, Rosie ate by grazing high-quality soft food Muhlbauer gave her, kind of scooping it up. But while taking a video for Rosie’s Facebook page to show people how Rosie eats (“It’s one of the top questions I’ve been asked,” she says), Rosie didn’t like the camera so close, so Muhlbauer held up some food for her and Rosie snarfed it. Muhlbauer did it again, and the same thing happened.

 

Since then, Rosie has held out for hand feedings. The Facebook fans concerned that Rosie may be brain-damaged can rest easily now: She has trained her human in record time! Muhlbauer says when Rosie has gained weight (she is four-ish pounds and should be around six), she’ll wean her back to eating more independently.

Muhlbauer is livid about the condition of the dogs. “I don’t know how anyone could let her suffer and say that they love Rosie and she was their baby. How in your mind do see how that’s love? It’s like men who say, 'I love my wife but sometimes I have to hit her.'”
Even though she is in close contact with the hoarders –- they call frequently to check on Rosie -– she says part of her feels like “hauling off and slapping them.”

Most of the dogs from this covert rescue operation are in desperate need of foster or adoptive families, and all the rescue groups need funds to help defray medical expenses. The needs are piling up: One dog had puppies on Sunday. Another is nursing two-week-old pups. Your assistance can make a tremendous difference.

 

You can find information on all the dogs, the rescue groups, and their needs, at Help Still Needed CA Hoarder. Rosie’s Facebook page also has links. Rosie has received about $3,600 in donations, which go straight to the veterinarian for her medical fund. She and another rescuer, Shannon Keith, have a dream that songwriter and heavy-metal musician Glenn Danzig will somehow hear about what huge fans they are and what plights these dogs are in, and volunteer to do a fundraiser for all the dogs. If Danzig or any of his friends reads Dogster, who knows what may happen?

Muhlbauer says people who can’t afford to donate often ask what they can do. She urges them to check out their local backyard breeder laws, and to lobby for strong ones. “If Rosie’s suffering has one good side, it could be creating awareness of the dangers of this kind of breeding,” she says. “She is the poster child for this.”

Sarah Sypniewski, who created the CA Hoarder Facebook page, urges everyone to get involved. “Even though [these dogs] are now out of harm's way, we really need people's help to network, fundraise, foster, and adopt. These animals have survived hell. They have a chance at a new beginning. And now it's up to the rest of us to see them home -- literally.”

More Tips To Beat The Heat!

As the marine layer burns off quicker and quicker, the temperature outside will rise more and more and this is when we need to be vigilant with our dogs and how we take care of them in the heat.  Many people think this means to keep them inside out of the heat all together, and where there are dogs that may require that do to illness or age, for the most part that is not necessary.  Below are a few more quick tips that can make your average day out with your pooch safe and enjoyable.

1.  Walks!  Just because it is hot outside doesn't mean your dog shouldn't go for their normal walks, but it may be a good idea to adjust when and how your go.  Try to make the longer walks in the morning before it gets too warm and in the evening as it starts to cool.  If you do need to break your dog in the afternoon (which most of us do), make the walk about pottying, not intense exercise and be sure to try to keep your dog in the shady side of the sidewalk.

If you have a puppy, senior dog or a dog that is sensitive to the heat for other reasons, you may consider playing with your dog inside and only going outside in the heat of the day for a potty break.

2.  Water!  In intense heat and especially on the concrete of the city, it is good to stop about every 15 minutes to offer water.  Adult dogs and dogs that are accustom to this weather are usually good for about the first 25 - 30 minutes of normal walking before they need water.  However, if it is really hot or you are doing rigorous activity, make sure to offer water every 15 minutes or more based on your individual dog.  Remember, as the heat rises your dog will need more water.

3.  Paws!  Watch out for your dogs paw pads.  This hot concrete and blacktop can burn your dog's pads.  Typically you do not see this in adult dogs, but if they are new to this environment or young (puppy or young adult) their pads may be sensitive to the ground.  Try to keep your dog in the shade, especially as you stop at lights. 

If your dog or pup is sensitive to the heated sidewalks and appears to have problems walking on it or is in pain walking on it, you should get doggie booties or pad wax to help protect their pads.

I hope these tips and all that have come before them help you have a fun and safe summer.

If you have a specific question or comment, give us a bark!  BARK!   

Happy Take Your Dog To Work Day!

I hope you all have jobs that are participating in Take Your Dog To Work Day!  If you are lucky enough to get to bring your 4-legged companion to work today or any other day for that matter, I am sure your stress will be much lower.

To help you have a great day with your dog here is a little blurb from Petside.com with a link to one of their earlier articles outlining how to have a dog friendly work environment.  I hope this helps you!

Dogs in the workplace are a growing phenomenon, and it’s not surprising — we know firsthand the many benefits of allowing our trusted companions on the job. According to studies, dogs lower stress levels, build morale and act as a social bridge among both staff and customers. It’s a incalculable benefit to employees, and costs companies nothing. And who doesn’t enjoy a belly rub or game of fetch after a long meeting … In preparation for “Take Your Dog to Work Day” on June 22, see these tips in introducing dogs to your workplace. Plus, find out our picks for the most dog-friendly companies in the land.

 I hope these are helpful tips for you today and maybe ongoing into the future.  I know first hand, working with your dog at your side keeps you in a positive and happy mind set.  Even in the most stressful of moments, having my dog at my side reminds me that life isn't that serious, sometimes you have to chase a fly or run for a Frisbee, but it will all be okay.

I hope you have a great Friday and weekend.  Don't forget to do something special with your dog!

Hideous Act Of Violence Against A Toy Poodle!

I was not just shocked when I read this story, I was disgusted at this hideous act!  Ted Shuttleworth, former screen writer for NYPD Blue, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of delivering a fatal punch to his toy poodle, Lola.

The story was on Dogster this morning and I have been sick to my stomach since I read it.  I can't imagine punching an animal, certainly not a 4lb toy poodle!  The story in it's entirety it below, I will warn you, it will outrage you and make you a little sick to read how this poor little dog met her end.

Among my circle of friends back on the grade-school playground, the way to characterize any bad person was to say that he or she probably kicked dogs. 

"That new music teacher is so mean -- she probably kicks dogs."

"My Little League coach! What a jerk -- I bet he kicks dogs."

In our imaginations, kicking dogs was the ultimate cruel act. But even kicking has a somewhat detached aspect about it. Feet, after all, are way down there at the far end of the body and usually clad in shoes. Our young minds could not have even imagined the otherworldly horror of people punching dogs with their bare fists.

Yet a former Hollywood scriptwriter was arrested last weekend on suspicion of doing exactly that.

Ted Shuttleworth, a former scriptwriter for the TV series NYPD Blue, was arrested in New York City on Saturday. Authorities believe Shuttleworth killed his Toy Poodle, Lola, by punching her in the face.

Shuttleworth is accused of punching the tiny 5-year-old dog "after being annoyed by her while at his home in Queens," according to CelebrityCafe.

As the New York Post put it:
"A 230-pound, washed-up TV screenwriter took out his anger on his four-and-a-half-pound poodle — punching the pooch in the face so hard that it died from a brain injury, police said."

The alleged assault took place on May 29. 

Shuttleworth, 51, formerly worked for Steven Spielberg. His NYPD Blue gig was the type that any writer would envy, and he also wrote an episode of the series Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family, according to IMDb. But Shuttleworth had fallen far down the status ladder lately, working as an administrative assistant at New York University and not writing scripts but reading other writers' scripts "for $300 a pop," according to the Post. 

After growing angry at the tiny dog that day, he is believe to have punched her in the face, sources say -- and then took her to a local veterinarian, "where her death raised suspicions. The hospital called the ASPCA, which took Lola’s remains for a necropsy."

Oddly, the former celebrity hobnobber who envisioned fictional scenarios involving New York City police was arrested a few days ago by the real NYPD.

He could face a year behind bars for the crime. 

“Lola sustained a traumatic brain injury secondary to the application of blunt force to the right side of her head at the hands of the suspect, her owner,” said ASPCA spokesman Joseph Pentangelo, as reported by the Post.

The alleged puncher's wife, Isadora Monk Shuttleworth, called it “a horrible accident," also according to the Post.

Hmm. An accident is when your hand knocks a pitcher off the shelf while you were trying to swat a mosquito. And conceivably you could punch someone in the face by accident -- say, if it was dark and you mistook the person for a burglar, or if the person leaped in front of your punching bag. But punching a dog square in the face by accident seems nearly impossible to do by accident.

Poor little Lola can't tell us her side of the story.

 

What Happened To Common Courtesy?

 
I am usually the first one to talk about our dog community and how it is growing and all the wonderful things that brings.  But there is a flip side of our dog community that is not so positive and really irritating to not just me, but many of us!  Where is the common courtesy for your fellow dog owners?

I am amazed at how either pushy or clueless some dog owners are with their dogs.  Not all dogs are friendly with other dogs.  And sometimes they are fine to walk by other dogs, but they just can't deal with other dogs coming into their face.  Why is it so hard for us to respect the boundaries our dogs are trying to set to protect themselves?

As a trainer, I instruct all of my clients, no matter what the temperament of their dog may be, to not allow your dog to say "hi" to each dog they pass or rush into every dog's face.  Rather, teach them to stick by you until you indicate they can say hi.  It will help with their overall obedience and manners and keep them out of trouble.

As you pass other dogs, please think of this, your dog may be the friendliest and most well socialized dog in the world and nothing may bother him, but that is likely not true of the dog you are about to pass.  At least ask the owner if your dog can meet theirs before assuming they can.  Many horrible situations can be avoided with just a simple question.

Please be safe and respect each other and the choices we make for our dogs.