Dogs Dollars & Sense

Dog People Reach Out to Help Veterans and the Needy Keep Their Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 16:34:00 +0000

We all know a major cause of dogs in rescue are from owner surrenders. Rarely are these surrenders caused by behavioral problems. Some are caused by moving and pet restrictions but the majority of surrenders are simply "the owner can no longer afford to care for".
Recently board member Nancy Martin, shared with me work she is doing with F.I.D.O. Friends Involved Dog Outreach, a program based in Oregon.
Their goal is to keep beloved dogs in the homes by providing much needed food and supplies.

And they don't just help dog owners but cat owners as well with programs such as AniMeals, in conjunction with Senior Meals they are delivering pet food to seniors who receive home delivered meals.
They also have an established food bank and through another program known as VetsPets donate food to veterans, active military personnel and their families.

Anyone who qualifies for financial assistance including those on SSI can receive food from their food bank so their pets can stay in the home. Having to surrender your dog because you can't afford food is traumatic to both the dog and the people who love them. Recently the Santa Barbara Kennel Club has supported this program and support is always needed to keep important work like this afloat. You can follow them on Facebook and make a donation through their Facebook Page here-https://www.facebook.com/FIDODogFood

Keeping Those Vet Bills Down

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 16:32:00 +0000

The cost of keeping dogs has almost gotten out of hand. More people own dogs than ever before, yet at the same time, too many people are having to make agonizing decisions about their own financial security because of vet bills. Almost everyday someone sends me a new GoFundMe page to help with a dogs vet bills.
There is an increasing number of senior dogs being thrown away because the owners cannot pay to fix their health needs. Ashamed to ask the vet to euthanize the dog and unable to find a home for an old ailing dog they dump them at county kill shelters.
I understand why a veterinarian feels the need to charge an arm and leg, after all they are not subsidized by a hospital like a human doctor and have to shell out for equipment. In addition, they go to college longer than a human doctor and have student loans to repay...yes that's right veterinary doctors go to school longer..a point one of my vets loves to make. Procedures like cataract surgery are still about half of what a human would pay. That is because you are not paying for a professional nurse or anesthesiologist. I don't have issues with the general costs of major surgery like hip replacements but I do have issues with the price of what the industry calls bread and butter procedures...like dentals and annual vaccinations. When I worked in Pharma selling to veterinarians and medical doctors dog vaccine cost 3 cents to make and we sold a box of six vials for $1.99.And yes, it was only a handful of years ago.

So how can you help keep your vet bills down?

Well, the obvious answer is that good health starts in the womb..that means supporting responsible breeders who health test and OFA certify the parents as free of genetic defects. This won't stop a genetic defect from possibly passing on to a puppy but it greatly, greatly reduces the chances.
The second obvious answer is good husbandry practices. That is the care you provide in the home. Small things like washing your dogs feet after a trip to the dog park can reduce the chances of picking up worms or other contaminants. Bathing and cleaning ears regularly, brushing your dogs teeth, trimming nails, expressing anal glands and feeding the best food you possibly can. If you don't know how to do these things it is time for you to learn. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure could not be more true today. If you suspect a small issue developing that you can't resolve yourself seek medical attention before it becomes a bigger more expensive problem.

When the vet tells you your dog needs a procedure done and it is not an immediate life or death issue to be done today, get a quote. Then shop around. Some clinics will not give a quote unless you have been a client but others will. If you get a lower quote, ask your vet to match it.

Vet prices are not set in stone!

And if it is a highly expensive complicated procedure consider contacting the nearest veterinary school. They have the best equipment money can buy and are not in a rush just because there are more clients in the waiting room. Three years ago I met a woman in town for her dogs cataract surgery at a state veterinary school affiliated with a university. I did not ask her how much it would cost, but she did tell me that it made the six hour drive and nights in a hotel worth it compared to what her own canine opthamologist was charging.
I can't stress enough the importance of shopping around. I once had friend who had a promising show dog develop a skin condition, his vet treated it for months at great cost. I suggested a specialist I knew and she cured it in one visit. If you dog has a condition that is not responding, go to a specialist and stop throwing your money away.
For general veterinary care I find that holistic veterinarians are more about preventing health issues than orthodox ones. If for example, your orthodox vet finds a small heart issue, he or she will say let's check again in six months and see if we need to start meds. While the holistic vet will immediately make dietary and supplemental changes to help with the issue now...before the expensive meds start.
My personal experience over the years has been that holistic veterinary care has saved me a bundle.
I am strong believer in holistic care and feel one of the best things you can do for your dogs health is antibody titer testing before vaccinating. Unnecessary vaccinating can lead to many immune system issues. But if it is your preference to just do annual vaccinations, contact your local American Humane Society ( not to be confused with the Humane Society of the United States by any means) and ask about the special programs they offer. Many of them offer 15 dollar spay neuter clinics, and extremely inexpensive vaccination clinics. Some pet stores also offer reduced vaccination clinics.
Do you have a dog who tends to need regular worming? I will be writing on this subject soon, but for now here is a little tip..instead of frequent trips to the vet for them to check for worms, avoid the exam fee and drop a little stool sample off ( a zip lock bag will do) at the clinic on your way to work. The cost runs 10 to 18 dollars here and if the sample is positive you can purchase Panacur granules in pet stores or online far cheaper than your vet will sell it to you. A dose for a small dog runs about 12 dollars. Most vets will triple that. I have found Panacur brand to be very safe and very effective. There is no other dog wormer I would consider and no, I have no connection to them. If self worming your dog, be sure your dog is otherwise healthy and always read the package insert and follow the directions!
Lastly, start a Health Savings Account for your dog. Even if you have insurance, you are going to need it. And if by luck you never need it, you have that money still saved up for a rainy day.

It's always best to manage mindfully, take good preventative care, and not to let your dogs healthcare expenses catch you off guard.

Note to Rescues-Apt Dwellers Can Make Great Pet Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:45:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed how many rescue groups advertise MUST have fenced yard? I have, perhaps because I don't have one.
Now this makes sense if you are adopting a large active breed of dog but a Pekingese or a Frenchie? I think not.. It also makes me wonder just how knowlegeable many of these people making life decisions for these rescues really are.
Does the dog in these photos look deprived? Is he dirty, stained or matted? Does he look miserable? No, miserable was being in the dog pound, not being in an apartment.

From the large number I have observed, I would say approximately 50 % of the rescues with small lap dogs won't let them go to an apartment. Sadly because they can't adopt a rescue, many of those apartment dwellers who could provide good homes, get discouraged and buy unwittingly from an unscrupulous breeder. These rescue groups who deny them are effectively fueling the production of dogs being poorly bred by backyard breeders with health and temperament issues.

Dogs thrive well in the city, just ask any New Yorker. I once knew a woman who had Afghan hounds in her Boston apartment, she showed them too. Sounds pretty extreme knowing their exercise requirements. Well conditioned and happy these dogs did not suffer from a lack of a back yard. They were taken to a nearby dog park several times a day to run and received plenty of exercise. You may say the average person is not that dedicated, but because apartment owners must get out with their dogs, they pay lots of attention to them. And because they live in close quarters with other people, it is nearly impossible to neglect a dog as other tenants will report it far faster than a dog in a house with neighbors farther away.
Apartment dwellers are required by the landlords to produce proof of vaccinations, whereas a home dweller is not. So a home owner can skip yearly vet visits and an apartment dweller cannot. My point is, if you are not going to take care of a dog, an apartment is an unlikely place to get away with it.

Home dwellers can open the back door and just let the dog out, for hours at a time, unmonitored. Most dogs who get lost do so from their owners yards. An apartment owner must walk their dog several times a day and stay with them when they romp in the dog park. And working apartment owners are much more likely to use dog day care. A friend who runs one told me almost all her clients live in apartments.

So why all the prejudice against apartment dwellers?

Most apartment dwellers have no children or they are already grown, so the dog becomes a surrogate child. Dogs love being the center of attention, especially dogs who have come from an unwanted and abused background.
To these rescues who are prejudice against apartment living I say this - there are millions of dogs living happily in apartments all across America. To deny potential good homes is just wrong. Do a home visit, if you see something you don't like then fine, but to deny people a dog just because you don't like their chosen legitimate lifestyle is ludicrous. Two months ago I saw a special needs dog I knew would flourish under my care as I had experience with managing his health issue. I was told the little guy, over age 10 must have a backyard to run in, and I was denied. Now his picture on the website says in bold letters..TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THIS ONE. But he could be living with me, spoiled to pieces and his special needs tended to. Who knows what will happen to him now. And there is nothing I can do to help him.
Granted, not all rescues condemn apartment life. Some give everyone an equal chance in home visits. But the small dog rescues who will not consider an apartment, the ones who say no without even asking the person's dog experience, astound me.

These people are selling these dogs short!

There are times when I wish that people applying for charity status to run rescues also had to demonstrate proof that they actually understand dogs and their needs. How many more dogs could be saved if these groups would allow some of their rescue dogs to live in apartments? Every time a dog is placed, another dog can be rescued.

It is the person, not the house that makes a good home for a dog.

It is not how much money they CAN spend on care, but how much they WILL spend on care. I once rescued 22 dogs from a woman who lived in the richest part of town..her dogs were all matted, neglected and starving. But her house was spotless. ..yet the dogs were ignored in that overly important backyard...

The Adoption Option and Unregulated Retail Rescues.

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 13:14:00 +0000

Recently I have been attempting to adopt another dog. I have inquired from several local rescues...and been turned down by each. My friends rolled with laughter but I didn't find it funny. As someone who has rescued countless dogs, has been a vet tech, had her own grooming business, competed in obedience, conformation, and the field, was a volunteer for a local Canine Good Citizen program, trained and certified a Therapy dog, is writing a book, and has enough holistic knowledge that veterinarians have consulted her from as far away as Alaska, I am insulted.
In my search I have learned first hand that many rescues have no intent to adopt out the dog they have advertised. If a rescue advertises a dog with special needs who needs a special home, I see a dog my experience can help. But all they want is someone to press that donation button. Chances are that dog doesn't even exist.
Adoption has become big business.

Dogs are being imported from other countries for some rescues to sell.
Other adoption charities are just fronts for puppy mill breeders who release dogs that they have worn out.

Local animal control facilities do for the most part work with local rescues to save mostly purebred dogs..but once animal control has turned over the dog they are free to sell it. There is no city follow up to see what happened to the dog.
People are making way too much money off of adoptions. One dog I inquired about had not even had his heart checked or a blood panel work up. But he had his shots, which they probably bought at Tractor Supply for five dollars and gave themselves. The cost of adopting this dog ? Five hundred dollars. They had him only two days and had less than 50 dollars invested in him. Sure I realize that sometimes the cost covers the medical bills of another dog. But this was a tiny rescue out of 3 peoples' homes. It was obvious this charity was income for these people. As someone who has in the past, spent so much of her own income on rescue dogs I am feeling disillusioned. When animal haters pEta and HSUS came into existence, the need for rescue swelled to huge numbers. Why is that? It is good that there are more laws on the books to prosecute animal abusers and stop puppy millers..but why is it that there are more abusers and more puppy mills than before? I am old enough to remember when the word puppy mill didn't even exist, and neither did they. Now they supply too many rescue organizations. Many of the dogs being imported from foreign countries like Mexico are just coming from American puppy mills that have moved to avoid prosecution. They use their network of retail rescues to sell their dogs under the guise of 'being rescued'. This isn't adopting, it is shopping.

How can you be sure you are not getting swindled? How can you be sure you are not buying from a puppy mill front? There are good charities out there but there are more bad ones. So you can either adopt from Animal Control, or a National Breed Rescue.

And you can always be put on a waiting list from a reputable AKC breeder but the wait will in all likelihood be a long one. Both a reputable breeder and a National Breed Rescue will vet you thoroughly. If you pass the vetting process it will be well worth it. National Breed Rescues spare no veterinary expense on adoptable dogs and reputable breeders don't either. AKC.org is a good place to start to look for both a National Breed rescue and a reputable breeder.

And be patient, it takes time.

Texas Vets Allegedly Euthanize This Dog for Being Old

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 22:59:00 +0000

Look at that face, how could someone kill her? Allegedly two Texas vets did just that on October 6th at a Texas Shelter even after two fosters offered to help her out. Her crime? BEING OLD.
She deserved a second chance, but allegedly these two doctors, didn't think so.
Many, many senior dogs are put down for no reason other than old age. Yes seniors often have health problems, but no more than any poorly bred puppy mill pup. Yes, your time with a senior is limited, but they come already house trained and full of doggy wisdom.
This really struck a nerve in me because I adopted my own Japanese Chin senior when he was old too. He has given me four years so far of unconditional love and been a pure delight to live with. He enjoys his toys and runs in the park as much as any younger dog. I don't know a single person who has adopted a senior and regretted it. Not one.
I emailed the veterinarians, who allegedly refused to let her be fostered. They did not respond. Many Jap Chin rescue groups would have taken her in, yet these doctors chose to end her life, why? Volunteer staff on hand claim there was nothing wrong with her except for her age.
Why is it that these doctors info pages at one of the businesses they run, paint them as animal lovers, yet they chose to kill this one? Was it because she couldn't make them any money ? Most vets under county contract are paid per procedure. Is it possible that letting a foster take her would cut into what they get paid for killing dogs? If caring for animals was a priority instead of looking at her as a procedure fee wouldn't they have let her go into the rescue system? Many rescues would have paid any medical bills she would incur.
To make this even more suspicious, the volunteer workers claim that the County City Council voted to get rid of these two veterinarians from their payroll yet they fought back by getting lawyers to keep them in. When did running a shelter become so lucrative? Had they been terminated in August as the City Council wanted perhaps the sweet faced little girl pictured above would still be alive.

The headline of a corporation they own says this -

ENHANCING THE HUMAN/ANIMAL BOND

Really? Someone should have told that poor Japanese Chin.

Why are volunteers at the shelter calling for the removal of these doctors? Why did the city council become dissatisfied with their employment?
And why are not more people outraged?

I am reprinting here the words of a Texas volunteer who works with rescue and alerted us about this dog.

I have rescued pekingese in Texas and there is a huge wonderful peke network out in cyberland who helps. When a peke landed in this shelter, my response was always the same until lately. This shelter WAS WONDERFUL. They had a fantastic foster program and the furry fuzzies went to fosters asap until adopted. We were not needed to rescue them. I told folks No worries. Please move on to one in danger. A few months ago the county 'let go' the wonderful director and hired a team of 2 vets who had their own for profit agenda. Things changed drastically and many dogs died needlessly.
. This little senior was owner surrendered October 6 because she is old. 2 volunteer folks were there and begged to take her home to forever foster for the rest of her time on earth. The vets took her and killed her the same day. This is unacceptable and MUST CHANGE! I have been told city council voted the vets out in August but the vets hired a lawyer to appeal so they are still in charge of the shelter. Please share. This is just one dog. Imagine how many others.
frown emoticon we rescued a Japanese Chin senior that could be this one's twin. She was adopted and had a happy life until she passed on her own terms. Even if the 2 fosters had been denied, we would have taken her and R.D. would have given her a fantastic senior life. This baby was a dollar sign and never given a chance. What kind of vets would do this when great alternative options were standing in front of them?

NOTE: after this was originally published, one of the doctors did respond.
He claimed that he examined the 12 yr old Chin and found her to have a heart murmur grade 4 to possibly 5/6, cataracts, and some arthritis. The owner said she has seizures.These are all typical conditions for a 12 yr old Japanese Chin. None of which would deter a breed rescue from taking her in, nor would it deter some from adopting her.
Cataract surgery is common in this breed and many dogs live happy lives even with cataracts. Both her heart condition, seizures and arthritis are easily controlled with the proper meds and diet. I have accomplished this myself as have many others.
But here is the part that really bothered me. The woman who owned this Chin surrendered her to animal control. The vet claims he was in surgery and examined the Chin after she left and that he called her and asked if the Chin could be put into foster care..he claims the woman said no, she wanted her put down. Well that may be true, and in some states if an owner tells a vet clinic to euthanize a dog they are required by law to do so..but this woman didn't take her dog to a vet clinic, she took her to animal control and surrendered her.

WHEN YOU SURRENDER YOUR DOG TO A SHELTER YOU SURRENDER ALL YOUR RIGHTS TO THE DOG.
Therefore a suitable breed rescue could have been called but wasn't. Two volunteer rescue people were there when the Chin was surrendered and offered to foster her. When I asked the vet about this he replied the dog would have suffered in the care of these fosters. Well, if they are such bad volunteers why is he letting them work there?
I have already contacted the shelter and told them this has to stop. And I honestly think enough media attention has happened now that at this particular Texas shelter, it won't happen again. But that is just one shelter. Shelters all over America consider age a factor when disposing of dogs. We need to educate people on the value of our senior dogs.
I don't know how a person can call themselves compassionate and put a needle in a dog like this when the dog has other options. We can't bring her back and give her the meds and love she needed. But we can adopt another senior in need. October is senior month. I love my adopted senior who is well into his teens. His small adoption fee was the best money I ever spent, so please consider a senior dog.
Look at her little face..and do it in her honor.

Please note many reader comments that named the person and the facility that killed this dog have been removed for obvious reasons. Thanks, and if you care about the plight of senior dogs please share. One final note, I have just received photos of deplorable conditions in that shelter and permission to publish a letter presented verbally to the council leaders complaining of the management of the facility by these two veterinarians. The names of the doctors are omitted by me for obvious reasons. Quite honestly, the state of Texas should be ashamed.

Dear Commissioners,

Since voting unanimously to remove (omitted) Corporation as the managing entity at (shelter name omitted), things seem to have hit a standstill. Nothing has happened, no sweeping changes have been made, no exit date has been given, no plan has been presented to the public, the animals continue to suffer. I can say the animals continue to suffer because an employee who does not want to be identified, said they have just quit counting the number of animals "DIK". That means dead in kennel. Another volunteer stated that one of the cat kennel techs does not fill out any treatment sheets at all, just waits for them to stop eating/drinking and die on their own. The last 2 Saturdays, fosters have shown up at the shelter for sick clinic, with their sick animals needing to be seen by a vet, only to be told there were no vets there! Fosters and volunteers continue to be confused by constantly changing protocols and rules.

Per the letter you received on September 2 , written by a former employee, false medication logs are frequently filled out, medical care is not up to par (not by a long shot), employees are fired under false pretenses. Here's one piece of that letter: I recall one event where I was pulled off feral room duty and placed elsewhere for a few days, only to return to feral room to find the door locked and when opened kennels full of animals who had not been fed or watered, some deceased with mold on their food, mold that did not get there if they had been fed and watered the day before. Why in the world would you allow this to continue for even one more day? It's unethical, disgusting and illegal! Another former employee has said that they also adjust the time clock so that no one gets overtime, even if that employee is still working. I'm sure you realize laws are being broken. The rescue group I volunteer with has been banned from pulling animals, because a few of our volunteers have spoken out about (omitted) Corp. This too is illegal. Our right to speak out about abuses and violations seen at an animal control facility is protected by federal law. I even asked you to remedy the situation and that request was ignored. Luckily, the ACLU does take such cases.

I've heard over and over again that situations arise that need immediate attention and Dr. XXX, Dr. ZZZ are unreachable. Dr. XXX has even been heard to say that he has no emotions for animals at all. Um...maybe he should not be working in a shelter that's supposed to be saving and caring for animals?? And do I need to mention the inappropriate behavior exhibited by Dr.ZZZ? You know, behavior like referring to a former employee as "Ms. Booty" to various employees, volunteers and random members of the public? How about asking an employee (who is no longer working there...imagine that) to "tuck him in" while attending an out of town conference?

The accumulation of evidence from January to the present should be more than enough to terminate the contract with (omitted) Corp. When can we expect them to leave? When will the public be presented with the new management plan for the shelter? I've watched (omitted) County Animal Control go from wanting to be more like (name omitted) from years past, to being a shelter we need to look to for direction. Dr. White is the lead vet there now and he is amazing. Can we expect to see someone like him as the lead vet at (name omitted) soon? You have an army of volunteers waiting to return to the shelter and help take it in the right direction. We attended the Target Zero meeting, we've come to you in court, we've written you, we've met with you...and still we wait.

Authors note: in only a few days there has been much furor over the death of this Chin and the poor conditions at the shelter. yourhoustonnews.com reports that the vets who run the facility will be out soon.
http://m.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/county-care-corporation-will-be-out-of-animal-shelter-soon/article_8c0edcc6-b395-5b74-bf15-6bfeb70068f7.html?mode=jqm

The Dangers of Dog Dentals

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 16:52:00 +0000

For most dog owners, having your vet perform dental work cannot be avoided. Despite the millions of dollars spent on dental sticks, toothpaste and chew bones, most dogs undergo a dental complete with anesthesia several times in their lifetime. Occasionally, the dog doesn't wake from anesthesia but there are other dangers as well.
Small dogs are at risk of having their jaws broken or fractured when teeth are extracted. This happens far more than the veterinary world would like to admit. In addition, dogs can have their jaws dislocated and begin to suffer from TMJ due to having had a dental. A few, but not many, veterinarians will follow up a dental with xrays to be sure there has been no damage. And always make sure that you give all the antibiotics prescribed as bacteria can get into the bloodstream during a dental.
All that being said it makes having a dental pretty scary. But if you don't, the repercussions are even worse. Some people give raw bones to help prevent tartar but too many raw bones wear down the tooth enamel and cause teeth to crack. So my suggestion is to adopt a good dental routine and stick with it. And have your dogs teeth professionally scaled at least once a year. If there is not much tartar to deal with the vet can sometimes do this with no anesthesia..just remember that after tooth extractions to watch your dog closely the next few months for signs of discomfort.

What You Don't Know About Pet Cremation

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 20:22:00 +0000

What to do with your dog's remains is one decision we never want to make. But one we must. In many cities, including mine, burying in the yard is not allowed. That leaves either a very expensive burial plot in a pet cemetery or a cremation. Here are some things you need to know about pet cremation before choosing a crematorium..

Pet cremation is largely an unregulated industry.

Fraud is abundant in the industry. At one local clinic, the man who picks up the bodies for cremation has no license and pays someone to cremate the bodies for him. He is given a bucket full of ashes that he puts in boxes, tags them and returns them to the clinic. He has no idea what dogs are really in the boxes he returns. How do I know this? Because I did some digging. And I visited the crematorium he used and asked questions of the half stoned teenager who was the only employee on the premises watching over the cremations in progress. And I later found out that it is not illegal because the industry is unregulated. I then contacted a pet cemetery burial service that also offers cremation, asked a lot of questions, and learned a lot.

The terms used by pet crematoriums are not consistent and are not required to be by law.

For example, one crematory business may tell you that your beloved companion will be individually cremated and you will receive the ashes back in a lovely urn. But the term individual cremation does NOT mean your dog is the only one in the chamber! It only means that each dog was put in the chamber individually. That means they may share ( and probably will) the chamber with another dog or dogs. Small dogs are usually crammed in with larger dogs, the larger bodies fall onto the small ones and the ashes are mixed. Think about that..

You are not getting what you think you are paying for.

The crematorium owner I spoke with estimates that the majority of dog owners who paid for an individual cremation did not receive back their pets ashes. That means when you take your beloved dog to his favorite spot and bury his ashes it probably really isn't your dog. And all those little urns in your cabinet of each of your beloved pets probably also contain in part, someone else's beloved pet.

How do you avoid this? It isn't easy. Don't take the word of your veterinary clinic that their guy who does this is on the up and up. Engage a service that does both pet burial and has their own crematorium on the premises and does not farm out to other crematoriums. That is all you can do and still there is no guarantee. Not until we demand regulations for pet cremation. My dog is family. I want him treated as such.

Xylitol Laced Peanut Butter Could Kill Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 12:01:00 +0000

photo DIY Natural

Peanut Butter has recently become a danger to dogs since some manufacturers have begun using the toxic (to canines ) ingredient Xylitol. This week alone I have already heard of 3 cases caused by this artificial sweetener. It is typically found in gum and toothpaste among other things but because peanut butter is so popular in homemade treats and as a way for owners to give medications to their dogs, the number of dogs adversely affected has skyrocketed lately.
It causes a severe drop in blood sugar, symptoms include weakness, wobbliness, a lack of co-ordination, collapse and seizures resulting in irreversible brain damage. If not treated immediately the dog will die.
What can you do to prevent this?? READ THE LABEL! And remember that MANY store bought pastries and other foods contain Xylitol so it is time to rethink what tidbits you are giving your dog..or it could cost him his life.

What They Aren't Telling You About The Current Canine Flu Outbreak

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Sun, 24 May 2015 14:33:00 +0000

Yesterday I went to the outdoor flea market without a dog companion.
People and their dogs would be coming from all over the country and the canine influenza is spreading fast. Our local news reported the average cost of treatment in my city is five thousand dollars! I nearly fainted. Like with humans, puppies and senior dogs are most at risk. The current dog flu vaccine is not made to protect against the current H3N2 strain of dog flu. And pharma says it will be at least 6 months before a vaccine for the current outbreak can be ready.

But here is what you don't know..

For decades, the American Government has been very proactive in preventing a pandemic flu out break for humans. This dog flu outbreak is an H3N2 strain and the government tested elderberry extract and found it effective on the H3N2 virus. Yes, let me repeat that. Our own government has tested and found elderberry extract effective against H3N2.

I learned about this in 2013 when my city had a serious outbreak of H3N2 and a number of people died. Our company offered free flu shots but I am chemically sensitive and not allowed to receive vaccines. What was I to do? I asked some friends who are also chemically sensitive and they told me they had great luck using elderberry extract. One friend said her husband had been exposed and did not develop the flu.
As luck would have it, 3 close friends developed H3N2 and I was exposed. I drank elderberry tea and took the extract and was never sick. It is often called Natures' Tamiflu .With the current dog flu outbreak I feel strongly that all dog owners need to be aware of this. Consult your holistic vet, but the general dosage is 15ml per 100lbs of body weight 4 times a day. For a 15 lb dog I use 1 ml to to 1/2 ml. Too much elderberry causes loose stool but I have found this dosage is fine for most dogs. You might want to start at a lower dosage the first few days just so your dogs' system can acclimate. I sometimes also give elderberry tea, 3 teaspoons with a drop of honey. Elderberry is rich in bioflavinoids and actually destroys the flu on a cellular level. A natural laxative and diuretic, it also helps ease the cough associated with heart issues in older dogs too. If you don't have any on hand, get some today . At about 12 dollars a bottle it is a good investment in your dogs' well being.

This Photo Was Taken By a Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Mon, 18 May 2015 11:51:00 +0000

I love this photo! It was taken by a dog! I love the concept that we can now see life through a dogs eyes. Nikon developed a camera mount that is activated by a dogs heart rate. When he sees something he likes..it takes a picture.

You can read more about this ingenious invention here. http://petapixel.com/2015/05/17/nikon-made-a-doggy-camera-mount-thats-triggered-by-heart-rate/

Fake Service Dogs Endanger Us All

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Wed, 13 May 2015 22:42:00 +0000

I just came in from a dog walk. As we came about 50 feet from a truck there was a RED NOSED PIT who was very aggressively protecting (?) his truck. Again I was 50 feet away. I was told the dog was friendly and was a TRAINED service dog, complete with service dog certification. A service dog would not have acted aggressively at the sight of me and my dog.

Lie number one. There is no Federal service dog certification. In most states including mine, there is no state certification. All those places you see online that offer to register and certify your service dog, all fake, they just want your money. So that was his first lie..
Lie number two...he had said the pit bull was NOT a pit but a Staffordshire Terrier..hello people, that is what a pit bull is. Everyone knows that don't they?
Lie number three. He had an ID card that was obviously from eBay certifying the dog was a service dog.
Lie number four. He said the dog was a trained service dog. The dog had had no training. When he got the dog out of the truck it did not walk on the leash like a professionally trained service dog would have. It did not even behave like a CGC or obedience dog. At no time did this dog watch its owner which is what service dogs do. It was too busy wrapping the leash around his leg and looking at me. Professionally trained service dogs don't do that. Not ever. He said the dog was professionally trained by the people he adopted him from but he couldn't remember the name of the organization.
He said his shrink signed off on the dog. That may be true but what I suspect is that his shrink told him to get a dog and put it in writing. When I asked him if he was a PTSD dog he faltered, so I suspect another lie. He may need a PTSD dog but he doesn't have one. He had left the dog alone in the truck but a genuine PTSD dog goes everywhere with his owner.

Even a dog trained for PTSD should have basic obedience skills. This one did not.

But here is the catch...if he knew the law regarding dogs for the disabled, and he obviously doesn't, he would know that there is NO certification requirements. By law under the American with Disabilities Act no dog has to be certified to perform a disability service for his owner. This pit looked incapable of performing a service even for PTSD , companionship is not enough. A landlord tenant trial in Nashville proved that and the woman on trial.when asked could not prove the dog performed a service. She had all the fake eBay ID papers and even the fake vests they sell on eBay.

There are reports all over the country of dog owners faking service dog certification. They take them, untrained and often dangerous to others, on planes, in restaurants and rent housing where breed restrictions apply. All because business owners cannot discriminate against them. Business owners also cannot ask someone about their disability.Truthfully, there is little a business owner CAN DO.
They can ask what service a dog performs. And if the dog is creating a disturbance they can ask the dog to leave.

If a potential tenant shows certification and goes on about their dog being trained, landlords should be suspicious. I would ask who the trainer was, what service the dog performs and ask if I could call the training facility. Granted any Joe Schmo can by law, train a Service dog. But if the owner says the dog came from a training facility..I would ask to speak with them. A landlord cannot ask about a personal disability, but if a dog owner offers up certification when none is required by law, it is ok to ask about the dogs' training. In the case of the dog above, it was obvious the dog had not been trained by a service dog facility or even a skilled knowledgeable person. Again let me stress that a landlord or business owner can ask what tasks the service dog performs. All service dogs must perform an identifiable task that benefits the disabled person. Being a companion is not enough.

It is against Federal Law to claim your dog is a service dog and it not be trained for a specific task.

There are various issues surrounding fake service dog certification.
There are many groups out there who claim they can get you a service dog. They even provide the fake papers and make the owner believe they have a service dog.That is the lowest of the low, many people take advantage of the disabled in this way. Then the patient tells the doctor they have a service dog and the doctor takes their word for it. When in reality they have a 2nd hand dog that was discarded by someone else for behavior problems and it is flipped by greedy people pretending they can rehab the dog and make it a service dog for a lot of money.They provide certification that looks official and the unruly poorly trained dog ends up being a danger or a nuisance.I see these people on Craigslist all the time.That is not illegal either. And it needs to be. A good service dog provider will match the dog to the disabled person. They don't pair dogs with large exercise requirements with people who live in apartments unless the dog performs physical tasks like helping a person walk. They don't pair high maintenance breeds with people who cannot care for them either. A lot of thought, study, education and training goes into a real service dog.

Every day disreputable dog flippers take people with disabilities for a ride.

And then there are the growing number of people with restricted aggressive breeds who use the fake service dog certification to get them into places where their dogs would not be allowed. They run around with plastic ID badges that say access is guaranteed by law.They enter apartment complexes with children and small dogs, all of whom are at risk. Insurance companies don't make property owners exclude these breeds because they are prejudice, they do it because of the high number of incidents from irresponsible owners and/or ignorant owners that cause harm to other tenants.
It is a liability issue and a good reason to deny these dogs in a crowded community. If you take a pit bull, you have a dog who is genetically hardwired to kill, and remember, every single pit bull/Staffordshire Terrier carries those genes regardless of how friendly he appears. He also is hardwired to be very active, expending the equivalent energy of 50 miles a day. Put him in a tiny apartment with inadequate exercise and a person who does not understand proper behavior and training and there are going to be displacement issues. Issues that could prove very harmful.

In my city, a pit owner is not allowed to exercise the dog on city property. They are banned from all dog parks as well. So it is impossible for apartment owners with pit/Staffies to get the dogs proper exercise unless the apartment has a private dog park. Put that dog in an apartment, where he can never get exercise and you have a keg of dynamite ready to explode. This is why there are so many incidents regarding pitbulls/Staffies in apartment complexes. It isn't that pits are bad dogs, it is caused from irresponsible owners who don't understand the very specific needs of this breed or don't care. So to protect tenants, property and to comply with insurance contracts, the dogs are banned.

And people like that are finding out that they can buy fake service dog ID's, paperwork,vests, the whole nine yards on eBay and that gets them and their poorly mannered dogs, into any place they want.

I used to be adamantly against a certification for Service dogs. But I have changed my mind. It is high time that proper certification be required by Federal law. All service dogs should be able to pass CGC certification and demonstrate good manners since they are in public. Poorly trained aggressive breeds that are capable of great harm by their sheer size and genetic history cannot be allowed to be passed off as service dogs with fake certification. Fly by night pseudo trainers must no longer be able to take advantage of disabled people.
And people who want their dogs to gain access that they don't deserve give all dog owners a black eye.

This is a very very sensitive subject to me because I have a medical alert dog. I keep a video of him performing his 'task' to prove he is a GENUINE medical alert dog. Since there is no service dog certification required he is certified CGC and Therapy dog certified. He knows how to blend into the background and be quiet in public like a service dog should. I can spot a fake service dog a mile away. And sadly, there are too many of them.
By law, even your sister who never owned a dog can train a service dog. Having conversed on this subject with various ADA lawyers I understand that all is needed is to prove the dog performs a task and there are no other requirements. Business owners, airline stewards, apartment leasing agents, hotel managers...none of them seem to have any idea about the proper way to handle potential fakers. This puts ALL OF US AT RISK. Service dogs are wonderful creatures who have improved the lives of thousands of people with medical issues and disabilities. Let's not let the fakers take away from that.

What do you think?
Isn't it time fake service dogs were stopped?
Go to Canine Companions for Independence and sign their pledge to stop this fraud.
I did , and I complained to the State Attorney Generals Office, and wrote a local investigative reporter. I intend on personally writing each and every City Council Member to urge legislation stopping fake service dogs. This has to stop, it has gotten out of control and it hurts the very people it is supposed to protect, the disabled.

Is The AKC Dead?

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Sun, 10 May 2015 17:19:00 +0000

It seems some people are trying to kill it. Lately there has been a lot of attacking the AKC. Formed
in 1884 to register purebred dogs and maintain pedigrees,they oversaw dog shows and performance events as the wins of those dog shows needed to be accurately maintained for pedigree purposes. In 1888, they published their magazine, The AKC Gazette which has educated many a dog fancier. If it was 1930 and you had a female Wire Fox Terrier that you wanted to breed to the best top quality male Wire Hair possible, it was the AKC records that you depended on to verify that Champion Wins Alot indeed really was the dog his owner claimed he was. Why is that important? Because responsible breeders must have accurate records.

How else are they going to maintain the breeds we love?

But the AKC is under attack by people who pretend to love dogs. In the very near future, a documentary will be playing in most major cities, titled Dog by Dog, it takes a hard look at the horror of puppy mills. And they point fingers at the AKC as well. If you have read this blog before then you know I have said many times that a line must be drawn in the public mind between responsible breeders and irresponsible breeders. In reality, that line is more blurred each day in the public mind. I walked away from a very lucrative job because the CEO would not stop ranting about how horrible dog breeders are...ALL dog breeders.They are being lumped together. And on Facebook there are people wanting to petition the AKC, people leave comments threatening death to dog breeders, death to the AKC, they talk about how the AKC should suffer just like the dogs do.

OK, I admit I have had feelings like that toward puppy mills and people who exploit puppies for profit.

They are the lowest of the low. But in fact, most irresponsible puppymills and backyard breeders breed CKC, Continental Kennel Club stock. CKC was started by puppy mill owners when the AKC denied their privleges because they could not prove the accuracy of their breeding records and would have to have their dogs DNA tested. CKC dogs do not require DNA, therefore they can be bred over and over and over.

This means that it is completely impossible for CKC breeders to develop bloodlines free of hereditary defects and explains why CKC registered dogs have so many health problems which is proportionately higher than AKC registered dogs. Any vet tech can tell you that.

Unhealthy puppy mill dogs are BIG profit for the veterinary industry as their new owners do all they can to make them better. How many puppies are born in puppy mills each year? 2.5 million is the estimate according to The Puppy Mill Project. The majority are CKC registered because of the DNA requirement for AKC dogs frequently bred. That doesn't mean that AKC dogs don't make their way into puppy mills. They do. Puppy mill owners love AKC papers because they can get more money for an AKC registered dog. How do AKC dogs get into the puppy mill system? Owners die and estates sell off the dogs as property as required by law when owners don't include their dogs in the will. They don't care who the buyer is. Puppy millers also pretend to be loving wonderful buyers and pick up dogs on Craigslist and they buy dogs in foreign countries, like Mexico and with foreign registration in order, legally apply for AKC registration, just like a responsible breeder who sometimes goes out of the country for new bloodlines. If an AKC registered puppy dies in a mill, it's papers are put with another puppy and sold for higher dollars. They never let those papers go to waste.

It is going to be impossible to remove AKC papers from mills until mills are stamped out.

People like the previously mentioned FB AKC haters never look at the big picture. They obsess over their own version of the world as they want it to be and in doing so injure the very people who are trying to maintain the health and breed type of the breeds we love, responsible breeders. Breeders who health test and certify their dogs, breeders who maintain accurate records, check out prospective owners and only place in pet homes with spay neuter contracts are being hurt badly by the anti AKC propaganda currently being spread.Yet these very groups who attack AKC never speak of the CKC puppies.

Remember, there are no responsibly bred CKC puppies. A responsible breeder must choose the most genetically healthy stock to breed from. Even if a CKC dog is bred in a home, with proper veterinary care, it still carries the puppy mill genes of bad health and genes pass on. With a lack of DNA testing to verify parentage, and a very lenient CKC registration requirement, bad health is impossible to stamp out. These activist groups never bring this very important fact up. They never ever put the blame where it really belongs..in the lap of the Continental Kennel Club..why is that? Isn't it obvious? Indeed,
without puppy mills, how are these national rescue organizations going to collect donations?

It seems an ulterior motive is afoot.

This is Puppymill Action Week, lets work to stamp out puppy mills, not the AKC. If the AKC ended tomorrow it would not make a dent in the puppy mill situation since most have CKC papers, the puppy millers would just keep on. Make an effort this week to educate people that by purchasing a CKC dog they are not getting the long history of accurate breeding records such as the AKC provides. Remind people that pet store puppies come from irresponsible breeding practices. Adoption is my personal choice but if you want a healthy puppy with parents certified free of certain genetic problems, your only choice in the U.S. is a responsible AKC breeder.

Responsible dog breeders never sell to pet stores.

Legislation won't stop puppy mills. Movie documentaries won't stop puppy mills either. Only people can do that. Educate your friends, your co-workers and your neighbors.

When people stop buying from irresponsible breeders, then irresponsible breeding will stop.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Fri, 01 May 2015 14:03:00 +0000

Everyone knows that apple cider vinegar has a ton of health benefits. It balances the body ph and helps detoxify us. Did you know that by adding a teaspoon to a bowl of water you can help cut down the urine odor when your dog urinates? Or that mixing it with club soda and washing down concrete areas that your dog has pee'd on will help get the urine smell out of the concrete? My mom did this for years and it really works. Or that you can mix it with a dog safe essential oil like lavender and spray it on your dog to help repel fleas? That would be 4 oz of vinegar plus 4 oz distilled water, to 10 drops lavender. Geranium oil works very well too and also repels mosquitos.
But my favorite use for ACV is as a rinse after a bath. I always add one cup to a gallon of warm water and rinse my dog to eliminate soap residue which can lead to itchy skin and scurfy dandruff. Then I rinse that out with clear water. It works on your hair too!

Are you Asking Your Veterinarian Enough Questions?

noreply@blogger.com (Nirvana Dog) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:18:00 +0000

Recently an aquaintence said her dog was having seizures. She had greened her lifestyle and her dog was on Revolution to kill heartworm microfilaria, parasites, and fleas. Now it doesn't take Einstein to realize that a chemical designed to kill all those parasites harbored in and on the body by different means, on a continuous basis isn't green. I mentioned to her that the main ingredient in Revolution is Selamectin, a manmade synthetic drug only slightly similiar to the relatively safer Ivermectin. Selamectin is a neurological poison. Her reply was the vet said it was safe...my reply was, how does your vet know that?
The only major testing done on Revolution is by Pfizer, the manufacturer. That is the vets only source of information on this product. Their own MSDS states it may cause liver damage. One of the ingredients is BHT, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, a chemical that used to be common in dog food until the pet owners raised such a public outcry that dog food manufacturers removed it from the ingredient list. So..it is not o.k. to put BHT in your dogs' food but it IS o.k. to put it in the bloodstream? Does that make sense to you?
The amount of BHT used in Revolution is listed as a trade secret. Having sold pharmaceuticals to veterinarians I know that sometimes 'trade secret' is used to hide things that might cause general public concern. Remember that the testing has only been done by Pfizer, not by a veterinary institution research university. If I had to guess, I would guess that BHT, an ingredient also found in embalmers fluid that will 'pickle' the liver,combined with Selamectin, a neurotoxin,could easily contribute to the problems her little dog is having. This chemical combination has to travel though the bloodstream to kill heartworm microfilaria, then it goes through the liver and kidneys where it is NOT filtered out and it lodges under the skin to kill fleas and then starts the cycle of reentering the bloodstream all over again. She may have greened her home but she has not greened her dog. Her veterinarian said it was safe. Does that sound safe to you?
Obviously the word safe is relative.
If my vet said that to me ,my question would be ,"who said it was safe".."what studies have been done?" "How much have you used it in your practice"? "Have there been any specific breed studies?"
( Pfizer did test it on Collies, but the dog in question is tiny and not a Collie) I am amazed at how few people question their veterinarian..even human doctors get questioned more. For example, your vet had ONLY 45 minutes of nutrition education in college. That is for all species, not just dogs. And I know people who feed Science Diet because the vet said it was the best.The sales rep may have convinced him that since he had little education on canine nutrition in school to rely on. I also know vets personally who have received kick back from Science Diet for the clients they put on the food. It wasn't about nutrition, it was about money. Kick back is huge in the medical world and that includes veterinarians so it is always in your dogs' best interest to question your vet. Of course they do their work because they love animals but they are busy and it is a lot easier to rely on a package insert and what the sales rep tells you than to take the time to do your own checking. We want to believe our vet is the best in the world but if we really want to do the best for our dogs we will ask questions..lots of them. I know veterinarians go crazy when clients read things on the internet but there are reliable sources such as Cornell online, UC Davis and UT Vet that provide much of the same information that your veterinarian should be accessing.
I say arm yourself with knowledge and ask questions to make the most informed decisions for your dog. You owe him that.

Dear Pet People..Wise Up. Stop Bashing Dog Breeders.

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 18:53:00 +0000

This is my beloved dog, adopted from a kill shelter, he comes from a most horrific puppymill pedigree. Yes he is a little doll, and I love him to the moon and back, but from a purebred point of view he harbors so many conformation faults that he barely can pass as a recognizable breed.

Why is that important you ask? Because for starters, knowing the health history and temperment of a breed is important in assessing how well a dog is a match for your family. If it didn't matter, then Petfinder and all the other rescue sites would advertise all mixed breeds as mutts...which is what they are.Only they don't. They advertise them as purebred mixes so that the potential adopter has an idea of what kind of dog they are getting. If your needs or wants for a companion dog requires a quiet, tiny nonshedding breed then a German Shepherd mix isn't for you.
And while I am a big advocate for adoption, making disparaging remarks that damages responsible dog breeders is throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Today I saw this note being shared thousands and thousands of times on Facebook and I was livid!

I have been steaming over this for hours..here is what the thousands of people sharing this note don't realize:
if responsible breeders stopped breeding there would be no healthy purebred dogs, only dogs with questionable backgrounds. Dogs whose parents never got their heart or eyes checked for hereditary problems, never had their hips certified clear so that their puppies don't have to suffer with hip issues. And never had proper veterinary prenatal care or puppy socialization.
People who truly love dogs understand that responsible breeders are the ones who research health problems and keep valuable data on health issues for other responsible breeders and scientific canine health researchers.

Beware of people out there who only want to be labeled 'rescuers' so that you can pat them on the back for their good deeds.
They care more about themselves than the dogs they rescue, and those are the kind of people who create these memes.
Propaganda like this makes them feel good about themselves but in the long run, it hurts all dogs, mixed and purebred.
Wise up, don't buy into the myth that dog breeders are bad.It was responsible dog breeders who created the breeds we know and love. And we need those responsible dog breeders now more than ever before to preserve the health and integrity of those breeds.
Puppymillers are lazy opportunists who exploit dogs.
Dog breeders didn't put those dogs on death row...Puppymillers and the irresponsible owners that buy from them did.
I wish uninformed people would come to the realization that puppymill owners are NOT dog breeders, and that by labeling them as such does harm to the many dedicated, responsible breeders who sacrifice their own time and money for the breed they love.

DIY Pet Hair Release Odor Busting Vacuum Carpet Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:17:00 +0000

You can purchase carpet products to use with your vacuum to help eliminate pet odor and 'release pet hair' from the carpet.Or, you can make your own and save that money. You probably already have the ingredients in your house.Some store bought carpet powders contain phtalates and formaldehyde which have been linked to hormone disruption,cancer,infertility,ashma and allergies. They are not required to list the ingredients on the container and pets lay on the carpet breathing in these toxic chemicals. Here is how to make your own carpet powder that in my opinion,out performs the store bought ones. In a bowl, add 1/3 cornstarch with 1 cup baking soda and add 1/3 cup crushed dried lavender. Mix well, then add it to a recycled shaker can. I prefer to use a mortar and pestle to crush the dried lavender but your hand or a sifter will do fine. It is my fragrance of choice because it is calming and has germ killing properties. Dogs' sensitive noses seem to like it. I don't use essential oil in this mixture because it takes away from the dry powder consistency you need.In addition, some essential oils are toxic to pets. I also don't want to use oily products on my rugs. The commercial carpet powder manufacturers will tell you to test for colorfastness and I will too. But I have had no issues using this DIY version and you see it pictured here on an antique vegetable dyed rug.

Cornstarch releases the static lock that the carpet has on pet hair and the baking soda neutralizes doggy odor while the lavender makes the room and your vacuum smell delightful. Of couse you can omit the lavender if you don't like the fragrance. Dried orange peel ground to a coarse powder will work as well. Be sure to vacuum in cross directions to help pick up those dog hairs. This is a safe, cost effective, non toxic way to keep your carpets smelling fresh. Because the lavender will scent the room you can eliminate toxic air fresheners. Products like Febreze have proven harmful to small animals so why would you want to spend money on that? Our homes are often filled with cleaning chemicals that are toxic to our dogs. This simple recipe makes for a healthier environment and saves you money.

Women Who Throw Away Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 13:34:00 +0000

If you have read this blog before you know I have voiced my opinions more than once. Today on the anniversary of Gilby being dumped in a kill shelter I am thinking about the type of person who does that.

Who do you think that type of person is? A careless heartless creep, who throws dogs away like dirty kleenex? Sometimes, but most likely that person is your next door neighbor...

Your next door neighbor, your co-worker, your yoga instructor. Don't believe me? It's true. There are many, many people out there who pretend to be do -gooders and it is all for show. Gilby's previous owner is a prime example!

Gilby's mother was a puppymill breeder dog. She was sent to a livestock auction where a rescue group pulled her out of the puppymill rollercoaster. He was raised in a loving environment by his rescue foster and adopted to a family in Tennessee. A perfect American family with a big house and a big yard and the money to take the best care of him. He became an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen, a therapy dog and was ring bearer in a wedding. He received excellent veterinary care, but at some point, he was unwanted. Granted he had a heart condition and a bileous liver that caused him issues but he was still the sweet dog with the enormous heart he always had been ,and he loved his family very much.

But none of that mattered. Because he was unwanted he was left at the county dog pound, a kill facility, to die because almost NO ONE adopts older dogs. You might think his owner didn't know any better but the fact is she did. She was active and knowledgeable in dog obedience, had other dogs and belonged to rescue groups including one that educated people about puppymills. Reread that last sentence. Why, you ask, would someone like that dump a dog at the county dog pound? I wondered why he was dumped too, and when I pulled him, I asked the dog pound employees if I could contact her. They said no, the previous owner must remain anonymous but they offered to call her and let me speak to her, which they did. She told me what he ate, Iams ( the first clue she was an uncaring dog owner) and that he was sent to the pound because she was tired of him being head shy. Really? She wasn't willing to work through that? No, she wasn't because she is an uncaring dog owner, she only wants people to think she is kind and compassionate. She doesn't want to do the real work. Sadly, there are many people like her out there.

The other day I stumbled upon an advertisement of an upcoming event she is teaching. She is conducting a Guided Meditation class,Chakra with Chocolate she called it. Yes, this person who turned her back on an old dog and sent him to an uncertain future in the county dog pound teaches Yoga, Guided Meditation, and specializes in helping people with PTSD. Worst of all she owns dogs and fosters. She professes to be a person teaching enlightenment but she is nothing but a Charlatan. Using spirituality and using dogs, so people will think she is something she is not. I discovered who she was as soon as I got Gilby home from the dog pound. His CGC medallion was hidden, matted into his coat and had to be cut out. On that medallion was her name and address, of course I Googled it, wouldn't you wonder who would do this to a dog? I resent this woman. I worked long and hard to get Gilby over his heartbreak. I changed his name back from what she called him to the name he was given when he was born into the hands of the rescue worker, a name that was given to him out of love. I put him on a diet that corrected his bileous liver and helped to stabilize his heart condition. I am certified Reiki and he loved his Reiki sessions, loved his Chakra balancing (using sound) and his aromatherapy massages. I spoiled him rotten. But it has still taken a long time to heal his heartbreak. I resent her for the pain she caused this sweet dog. I resent that she uses dogs to make herself look good. I resent that she uses energy healing modalities to make her look like someone she is not and charges unsuspecting people money for it.

Sadly there are so many people like her out there. People who pretend to care and and are completely incapable of true compassion. I have found that people like her have a deeply imbedded sense of worthlessness that they NEVER come to terms with. Deep, deep inside they think they deserve nothing. Having a dog who knows the REAL person and loves them unconditionally, conflicts with their inner knowledge that they are worthless. They begin to resent that dog...eventually the dog is mistreated,

dumped or given away. I have seen this over and over. Just because Gilby's previous owner lives in an exclusive neighborhood does not exclude her from feeling worthless.

Several years ago a woman I will call Lisa, consulted me on training her huge dog who was just a big lovable 140 lb. mutt that had not been given any parameters in the house. I worked with them both and they were making huge progress. Then suddenly, she dumped him at our city pound. I was appalled and let her know in no uncertain terms what I thought. But Lisa, like Gilbys' previous owner, had no sense of self worth and as she was developing a bond with her dog and having success with their training, she could not cope with having someone, even a dog, think she was wonderful. Often these women have a history of domestic abuse, either from a spouse or a bad situation growing up. But truthfully, that is NO EXCUSE! Lots of people come from bad situations and don't throw away or abuse their dogs.

The people who do, like Lisa and Gilbys' previous owner, don't take ownership of their lives....they go through life pretending, pretending,pretending...fearful of acknowledging their lack of self worth...hoping others believe their facade, because inside they know they are living a lie.. and sadly, the dogs who love them will never know true love in return.

Can Home Cooking Make Your Dog Live Longer and Lower Your Vet Bills?

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 17:48:00 +0000

Over the years I have fed most diets out there. Being a believer in the works of the incomparable Juliette de Baircli Levy, whose dogs great health is legendary, I do believe in raw diets. But quite honestly my own dogs have fared best with home cooking.
The healthiest dogs I have ever seen were Whippets decended of the famed English Pennyworth bloodline that ate whole rabbit and chicken, pressure cooked with just a bit of vegetables until the whole contents was mush, cooked until the bones were jelly. Because they were consuming a whole animal everything was in balance. There was no guessing as to the phosphorus/calcium ratio because the bones were completely digestible being pressure cooked to jelly. May I remind you that pressure cooking retains all the vitamins and minerals in the food. They are never cooked out. One reason this diet worked so well for these dogs is because they are sighthounds whose ancestors survived on small game. I am a firm believer in feeding a dog as closely as possible to his original country of origin diet.
That being said,I feed the Japanese Chin a diet rich in tofu and root vegetables as well as fruit. The above photo is a typical meal. It consists of sweet potatos, salmon , tofu, peas, carrots and broccoli. If you don't have a pressure cooker or don't want to, here is a simple recipe that you can adjust for your dog that is based on NRC guidelines and is 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fat. The quantities given are for a 50 lb. dog. I half the protein and fat for Gilby as he was rescued with a bileous liver and we don't want any pancreatic attacks. But for a normal healthy dog, these are very good proportions.
Pick one protein:
1 1/2 cups cooked meat such as chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb.
or
1 1/2 cups unsalted salmon or tuna
or
4 cooked eggs, preferably organic
or
1 1/2 cups tofu

Pick one carb:
3 cups cooked whole brown rice
or
3 cups cooked sweet potato
or
3 cups pearl barley
or
3 cups cooked regular potatoes
or
4 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal, no sugar or flavorings.
To this add 1/4 to 1/2 pureed vegetables and dogsafe fruits such as peas, broccoli, carrots, or brussel sprouts.
One tablespoon fish, flax, or coconut oil.

I generally give a little fruit as a treat like blueberries or a bit of banana or pumpkin so I tend to leave it out of the meals. I also make enough on the weekends to feed all week and bag it up and freeze it, thawing it out as needed.
I have been blessed with healthy dogs for years who live a quality of life well into their teen years. Gilby will be 15 this fall and he plays like a puppy. And he is on no meds whatsoever. If you have a picky eater or a senior dog who can't chew up his food well the above suggestions should help him or her get the most nutrition out of their meals. The biggest problem with home cooking that I have found is that the dogs want to eat all the time!

Save Money Using Listerine as a Flea Repellant

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:48:00 +0000

You can make a quick flea shampoo by adding a small dropperful of Listerine to your regular dog shampoo. Like any flea shampoo you will want to make sure you keep it out of the eyes and don't let your dog eat the lather.
(I once had a dog named Yushi who was adamant about eating shampoo lather, so much so that I had to tie her muzzle with a nylon stocking to bathe her).If you use a topical flea treatment it will make it somewhat less effective. I don't recommend using flea shampoo of any type, natural or not when your dog is wearing a topical flea treatment. Just use a gentle sulfate free dog shampoo.
I have used a homemade coat spray at ringside when showing shortcoated dogs like Dobes and Salukis that consisted of a half teaspoon of Listerine added to a 15 oz spray bottle of water. After spraying, a quick rubdown with a genuine chamois cloth brought a beautiful luster to the coat. For double coated breeds like Corgis, I have used distilled water in the spray bottle and then combed the hair backwards after a light spray remembering to avoid the eyes.
But my favorite use of Listerine is as a cheap yard spray to kill fleas. Mix one ounce of dish soap, a half teaspoon olive oil and a tablespoon Listerine to a gallon of water, then spray the yard. I prefer phosphate free dish washing liquid. We used this mixture for years and years to keep fleas at bay in the yard. As an added benefit, the thymol in Listerine helps repel mosquitos to some degree too.
And you thought Listerine was just a mouthwash...

Combatting Canine Rescue Fatigue

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:51:00 +0000

This week I have had three different women confide in me that they were overwhelmed and exhausted by the massive work required in their canine rescue efforts.
I see these Mother Theresas' of the dog world give of themselves day in and day out, often risking marriages, friendships, and personal finances. They do it not for personal satisfaction, but because there is a need.
The stream of dogs in dire need seems endless, and it is.
Senior dogs, dogs with medical needs, dogs abandoned for no apparent reason, dogs homeless because their owners are homeless, dogs with behavior issues...it just doesn't stop. They feel that if they don't do it, who will? And for them, the thought of a dog suffering is too much to bear.
You may be one of these self sacrificing people...
How can you cope with rescue fatigue? Having suffered from it myself, here are some tips:
Take a mental break.
My love of French history and French antiques developed as a form of escapism from the mental pain of rescue work. Find a hobby that you can escape into and make time for it. ( Make a scrapbook of the dogs you have helped save and look at it when you get depressed.)
If you have been fostering, consider something different.
Transport or fund raising perhaps.
Consider narrowing down the kinds of dogs you rescue.
Maybe you have a lot of experience with behavior modification for example, then limit yourself to dogs who need your special skill.
Or become breed specific. Whether it is Lab/Pit mixes or Maltese, becoming breed specific has its' advantages. For one, it helps you learn their breed idiosyncrasies both emotionally and medically. It is easier to network with other persons and groups who are breed specific also.

Or try this breed specific approach...for several years I was involved in Standard Poodle rescue. My own rescued Standard Poodle was a wonderful ambassador for his breed. When we were out in public, which was a lot, I often met people who confessed an admiration for the breed. It was an opportunity to educate them about the plight of so many homeless Standard Poodles. I would give them my phone number as I was a contact person for the breed with area shelters. I soon had a wait list of prospective homes. Yes, I said wait list. Because of that I was able to co-ordinate the adoption of many Standard Poodles, far more than I could ever have taken in and cared for.
Get more people involved. Spread the word among friends, family and co- workers. The beautiful tiny Imperial Shih Tzu pictured at the beginning of this post is named Alphie. This year he was dumped at the entrance to our local pound/kill shelter in the middle of the night. He was heartworm positive... I was worried for him as it didn't look like anyone was going to save his life. My friend and co-worker Keesha and her husband John stepped in. Now, thanks to their involvement, he has a loving home with everything a little dog could dream of.
Rescue fatigue is a serious condition. Don't let your family, your job and your own pets' lives suffer because you are stretched too thin.
Most importantly, realize that you can't do it all and you can't save them all,no matter how badly you want to.

Touched by a Canine Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:23:00 +0000

This weekend, Gilby and I attended our local Christmas Flea Market along with literally thousands of other people. Gilby insisted on walking and despite my qualms of letting a toy dog walk in a crowd I let him have his way. As a Certified Therapy Dog he was remarkable at manuvering among the throngs of people, wheelchairs, power scooters, shopping carts, walkers, large dogs and kids. In fact, his small size seemed to make him a kid magnet.
We had stopped for a while to chat with my friend Larry who is a seller at the market and shows Cavaliers when a family stopped and the mother asked if her son could pet Gilby. The shy little boy reached out and gently stroked him. His mother asked, ''Isn't he soft''?
The little boy nodded in silence. After a few minutes the mother thanked me and they began to walk away when suddenly the little boy turned back around to Gilby and shouted ''Look!''
Gilby cocked his head to the side quizzically ( we all said ''awww, how cute'') as the little boy told Gilby that his mother had just bought him this train engine.
He had a bad speech impediment which explained his reluctance to speak earlier...
Therapy dogs carry their skills with them wherever they go and Gilby never took his attention off of the little boy despite all the commotion going on around us. He looked him right in the face as the boy dropped to his knees and, oblivious to the adults standing around him, said to Gilby,'' and you know what else? Santa comes NEXT WEEK ! I hope he brings me more stuff for my train!''
For a brief few minutes this little boy overcame his obvious shyness and spoke in public...to a dog.
I think we were all kind of touched by the moment.

For more information on Certified Therapy Dogs check out the book 'Angels On a Leash' by David Frei

Removing Chemicals From Your Dogs' Coat

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:01:00 +0000

When Gilby was pulled out of the dog pound, his coat looked groomed but it had been brushed only on top leaving a mass of matted coat underneath, his tail had dreadlocks and a couple friends suggested shaving him down and starting over

If you have read this blog for any time you know I am against shaving down dogs, not only does it put them at risk of skin cancer but most dogs don't like it either.

Gilby had suffered enough trauma. His jaw had been broken, his side teeth had been filed to nubs to help his jaw close and the surgery had given him a massive bone infection.
After all that and the months it took to heal...his owners dumped him at the pound where he would have been destroyed if no one came and got him. Since he is a senior dog that was unlikely...

Having been a groomer for so many years I opted to comb him out. The drawback was that I suffer from MCS multiple chemical sensitivities that act like a combination of Lupus and MS on your body when exposed. Gilby had so many chemicals in his coat that attempting to demat him had left me very sick.

Normally you would demat your dog before putting him in the bath. Bathing a matted dog as I have put in previous posts makes the mats worse. But I had no choice.

Gilby was bathed mats and all, with dishwashing detergent, 1 oz to 15 oz water to which 15 drops organic lavender oil and 5 drops tea tree oil had been added.

The lavender acts as both an antibacterial and as a solvent to remove hard chemicals. The tea tree oil kills any mold that may be lurking in those mats and the truth is mold grows inside mats quickly. Before the bath he was rinsed down with a couple gallons of distilled water. Distilled water opens the hair shaft so that it is easier for the chemicals to be removed. It also makes the mats worse because it roughens the hair cuticle so I really had my work cut out for me.

After washing he was rinsed thoroughly then rerinsed with more distilled water. This leaves the cuticle open and then I applied Espree Luxury Reconditioner. I love the Espree natural shampoos and conditioners and used them on all my showdogs

Distilled water is hard on a silky coated dog and I don't recommend it often unless like me, you were trying to remove chemicals that had been picked up in the coat.

Gilby is a loving patient dog and he let me demat most of him using only my fingers and a comb.

If you rescue a dog I recommend getting the coat as chemical free as possible because you simply don't know where that dog has been or what he has been exposed to. It is better for you, your family and your dog...here are Gilbys' before and after pix:

Rant From a Shelter Worker

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:22:00 +0000

Someone sent me this rant a while back...it is depressing but true. I have often wondered why they call them 'Shelters'..

The shelter worker who wrote this obviously is refering to kill shelters which more often than not is your local animal control facility. I am illustrating this post with a picture of local singer songwriter Emmylou Harris. She rescues the dogs that no one else wants out of a local pound. Her rescue, named Bonapartes' Retreat has saved the live of many an unwanted dog and found him a loving home.

This shelter rant is definitely food for thought:

'I think our society needs a huge "Wake-up" call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all...a view from the inside if you will. First off, all of you people who have ever surrendered a pet to a shelter or humane society should be made to work in the "back" of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would stop flagging the ads on craigslist and help these animals find homes. That puppy you just bought will most likely end up in my shelter when it's not a cute little puppy anymore. Just so you know there's a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it’s dumped at? Purebred or not! About 25% of all of the dogs that are "owner surrenders" or "strays", that come into a shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses: "We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat)." Really? Where are you moving too that doesn't allow pets? Or they say "The dog got bigger than we thought it would". How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? "We don't have time for her". Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! "She's tearing up our yard". How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me "We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her we know she'll get adopted, she's a good dog".

Odds are your pet won't get adopted & how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you, your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it. If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don't, your pet won't get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the "Bully" breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don't get adopted. It doesn't matter how 'sweet' or 'well behaved' they are.

If your dog doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn't full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution, but not for long . Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because the shelter gets paid a fee to euthanize each animal and making money is better than spending money to take this animal to the vet.

Here's a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down". First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to "The Room", every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there, it's strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 shelter workers depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a shelter worker who we call a euthanasia tech (not a vet) find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the "pink stuff". Hopefully your pet doesn't panic from being restrained and jerk. I've seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don't just "go to sleep", sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves. You see shelters are trying to make money to pay employee pay checks and don’t forget the board of directors needs to be paid too, so we don’t spend our funds to tranquilize the animal before injecting them with the lethal drug, we just put the burning lethal drug in the vein and let them suffer until dead. If it were not a “making money issue” and we had to have a licensed vet do this procedure, the animal would be sedated or tranquilized and then euthanized, but to do this procedure correctly would cost more money so we do not follow what is right for the animal, we just follow what is the fastest way we can make a dollar. Shelters do not have to have a vet perform their euthanasia’s so even if it takes our employee 50 pokes with a needle and 3 hours to get the vein that is what we do. Making money is the issue here not loosing money.

When it all ends, your pets corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? Or used for the schools to dissect and experiment on? You'll never know and it probably won't even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right!

I hope that those of you who still have a beating heart and have read this are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head, I deal with this everyday. I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and start educating the public. Do research, do your homework, and know exactly what you are getting into before getting a pet. These shelters and humane societies exist because people just do not care about animals anymore. Animals were not intended to be disposable but somehow that is what they are these days. Animal shelters are an easy way out when you get tired of your dog (or cat), and breeders are the ones blamed for this. Animal shelters and rescue organizations are making a hefty profit by keeping this misconception going.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I just hope I maybe changed one persons mind about taking their dog to a shelter, a humane society, or buying a dog. For those of you that care--- please repost this. (author unknown)

It is sad that so many pets die in so- called shelters each year, this Thanksgiving in our prayers let us also thank the many many people who so selflessly endure this emotional pain of caring for these animals in hopes that they will be adopted. And also all the foster moms and dads, the canine rescue transporters and rescue workers everywhere.
Happy Thanksgiving,
D.

Find Pet Product Bargains at the Flea Market!

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:26:00 +0000

I am a real bargain hound and that means I do a lot of flea market shopping. Pretty much any product you desire can be found for your dog at a local flea market, crates, bowls, blankets, beds, toys, grooming supplies,clothes, collars and leashes are all to be found brand spanking new at a flea market. My local flea market boasts over a dozen vendors specializing in dog products.

This lady and her lovely Toy Poodle are taking advantage of the bargains at Pet Tags Plus, a booth run by Sandra Wells. Sandra sells top quality name brand products at less than you would pay at the big Pet Superstore. While the big stores have the purchase power, Sandra and vendors like her don't have the enormous overhead and that means bargains for you and me. So what are you waiting for? Put flea market shopping on your to do list for this summer....and don't forget to bring your dog along for the fun! Happy hunting!

Adopt a Retired Military Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Debie) — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:29:00 +0000

When I was a child our family lived across the street from a man named Leonard Holland. Mr. Holland raised German Shepherd Dogs specifically for the military. Each litter was kept until they reached young adulthood and then they went to join their military handlers for training.
You have no idea how facinated I was as a child with Mr. Holland and his beautiful dogs. When Mr. Holland showed me how to fix their dinner of baked kibble and raw meat and supplements I tried to memorize the ingredients...when he discussed training and behavior, I hung onto every word. And when he allowed me to groom his dogs I thought it was such an honor....and it was. Mr. Holland told me stories of canine military heroics from the Korean War. He told me how important the jobs his pups were destined for would be to our country's future security.
Years later, a local family had a retired military dog chained in their back yard.
The father had retired from the Army and he adopted his canine companion who was also set to retire. Sadly, the father passed away shortly after retirement. He left behind a bereaved family and a former Military Police dog they were terribly afraid of. The dog was fed and watered with the help of a broom. She was shooed away and her bowl grabbed, then she was fed by pushing the refilled bowl just within her reach. Her water bucket was not touched until it was nearly empty,which meant it was always slimy....she had NO HUMAN CONTACT. This beautiful dog who had served our country had been chained for so long that her collar had grown into her neck and maggots had laid eggs in it.
It was at this point that I learned of her condition and went to her aid. She was a lovely dog albeit very overweight from no exercise and large quantities of food slathered in bacon grease pushed her way. Her diet was so bad I am surprised that she didn't develop pancreatitis.
After a few minutes of speaking to her I undid her chain, rubbed on her a while, and then proceeded the unpleasant task of removing her collar, cleaning out and medicating the maggot filled wound. She was so happy to have a human pet her.
As she healed, I began walks around her neighborhood with different family members, she was not aggressive, but they needed to become comfortable around her. I explained to them that she had been loved by their father and had been his military service partner and he would want her to be a family member. Eventually the eldest son took a real interest in her and she received the love and attention she deserved. It was a testament to the fabulous temperments of Military Dogs that she could have endured what she did at the hands of a frightened family and have no resentment towards them.

I mention all this because by now you have heard about the heroic dog who accompanied the Navy Seals into the Osama Bin Laden compound. These Navy Seals are some of the most skilled that our country has to offer...and when President Obama went to meet the Navy Seals and thank them for their heroic efforts, he included the dog who accompanied them. Military Dogs are real soldiers and there are Military Dogs out there who need adopting. Once their duty is over, they are either adopted or put down. Civilians CAN adopt retired canine military veterans. A website has been launched to help promote the adoption of our canine military heroes.
Please check it out.. http://www.militaryworkingdogadoptions.com/index.html
Not every dog is adoptable but many are and deserve good homes after all they have done for our country...
The stunning photo above is from the Straits Times. The work these dogs and their handlers do never ceases to amaze me. And I also salute the dedicated breeders as well because it starts with breeding the right temperments....