It’s autumn, which means Del Mar beach is open once again to our furry friends.  Our latest beach visit reminded me to write another Not Just a Dog post – through Banjo’s eyes, I see things I might otherwise miss.

Like this mussel shell, with its pearlised interior:

Without Banjo hovering nearby, we might not have attracted the attention of this Pit Bull puppy…

…or this little dog with a pronounced underbite…

We might not have revelled in the thrill of the chase…

… or caught up with someone to show them you love them…

Through my dog’s eyes, I see things I might not otherwise notice.  His joy gives me joy.

Banjo says Aroo!! Dat was a stinky shell, and noisy dogs.  I luvs Del Mar beech! Dere is dogs, a oshun, seeweeds to tinkle on, balls to play wiv, sand to dig, wateh to shake off, and a big yellow cliff wiv caves in it!

Banjo and I have the pleasure of introducing one of our regular readers, Tina of Kadja1, who is going to tell us a bit about what makes her dog, Buddy, so special. But it is also a cautionary tale about the importance of preventing heart worms in our canine friends.

–> We’d love to know what makes your dog so special too!  If you’d like to write a guest post for Shyhound’s Not Just a Dog series, please email me for more details.

• Name: Buddy
• Breed: Lab mix
• Age: 13
• Best tricks: catching chicken meatballs
• Most defining feature: white whiskers he’s getting on his handsome face
• Favourite game: fetch – but when he goes and gets the ball, then he wants us to chase him for it!
• Favourite walk: up and down the neighborhood

Buddy first came into our lives when my youngest son, Kevin, was about 11 years old.  He saw a boy with a fishing rod pulling Buddy — with the hook sticking through the bottom of his chin.  Buddy was yelping and in pain.  Kevin knocked the boy down, broke the fishing rod and line and brought Buddy home.

We took Buddy straight to the vet because he was whimpering.  The vet said he couldn’t have been more than 6-7 weeks old — and then the mailman maced him around 3 weeks later… I felt so bad for this dog, but part of me tried not to get attached because the Humane Society was full and we were not planning to keep a pet.

We ended up agreeing to foster him, but when nobody came to claim him and nobody adopted him, he became part of the family.  He is a faithful friend and when he is finally gone, I will miss him and have no intention of taking on another animal because no other animal can replace him in my life. He is at an age now where these thoughts do cross my mind.  Hopefully, I”ll have him around for a good long time and can enjoy him come running up to me and then doing a sit!, or speak!, or paw! for me to take — all the while wagging his tail.

When he became ill with heart worms recently, I received some flak for simply not having him put to sleep, but I couldn’t do that to him.  I had the means to get him treated, so I did.  He’s finished his treatment, but I have to take him back for a blood test next week.  It is very important to keep the monthly treatments up for prevention for the simple fact that once the heart worms hatch, they invade the dog’s heart.  Also, treating them after the fact is very expensive.  I cashed in my retirement to get Buddy helped and it was close to $2000.00 so far.  I share the information about the expenses because it only costs around $30-40 for a six months of preventative medicine.

Treating heart worms is invasive because the medicine used to kill the heart worms is toxic. The veterinarian usually prescribes Prednisone (a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug) as well as an anti-inflammatory to use as the worms are dying off.  As the treatment kills the worms, they move into the dog’s lungs to die which can cause respiratory problems.  This is why the veterinarians tell pet owners of pets with heart worms to make them rest and keep as still and quiet as possible, including not letting them even play outside: because of the effects on the respiratory system, allowing them to play can put stress on the heart which can lead to heart failure.

It is also important to note that once cats get them there is NO cure, so they have to be treated without fail each month to prevent their getting them.  It is rare for cats to get them but it does happen. Left untreated, heart worms can lead to a slow and painful death.  I cannot stress the importance of keeping the medicines up to date along with pet vaccinations.

The decision I had to make was whether to let nature take its course and eventually have Buddy put to sleep, or do what I know in my heart was the right thing to do.  This dog has a spirit.  This dog has a soul and was depending on me when he could depend on nobody else–just as my children at one time did.  I had no choice but to do what I could to help him… Yes, I could have kept the money I had, but I would now be grieving miserably right for a pet that I have  had for 13 years and love very much.  I will never regret my decision.  Buddy is doing much better now and his vet is amazed that he is so happy and healthy!  To see him look up at me with so much love in return, take that leash in his mouth like he does and “take ME for a walk” is well worth every penny.

Banjo says Aroo!! Buddy, I haz a big glad dat yoo iz bettah now!  Dem hartwurms is scareful! Fangs foh sharing yoh story wiv me.  Nao abowt dem chiken meetbollz…

Aroo! Dis Banjo heer, and I iz feelin ever more speshul becos nao I iz in mah own logo!

Mah auntie-mum, Lauren, iz doing a speriment in sumfing called Fotoshop.  Befor, da Shyhound logo is a cartoon dog. Nao iz me!

<– Luuk dis! I haz a big pawsum!

Dere is lots of buttonz for yoh website.  Chek out da Sharehound page!

Of all the things Banjo has taught me, I am learning to trust his reaction to people.  True to his Greyhound genes, he can seem a little aloof at first, but once he knows you, you’re in his inner circle you’re in for life.  Like most Greyhounds, he will often sleep in the ‘cockroach’ position – but only around people he trusts:

Banjo spends most of the day sleeping – also true to his Greyhound genes, he is a 45-mph Couch Potato!  Having said that, he is also what is affectionately known as a ‘reactive barker’ – a dog who barks at certain triggers, like the doorbell.  (He’s good at being quiet when told, but we’re working with a trainer to lessen his barking.  There’s always room for improvement, right?) But there are some people who he just won’t shut up about!

A few years ago, we lived across the hall from a woman, J., who was going through a difficult time in life and was on half a dozen medications for various forms of chronic mental illness, including major depression and anxiety.  We had a few things in common, and so a friendship grew.  There were only two apartments on our floor – hers and ours – but Banjo would always howl at the sound of J.’s footstep or her key in the lock.  I always assumed it was because her door was so close to ours – after all, he wouldn’t bark at our other neighbours that way. I always thought it strange, and tried to train him out of the habit, to no avail.

A couple of years went by, and J. became very paranoid.  One day she sent my husband and me an email that accused us of doing something that was not only ludicrously unrealistic, but deeply insulting.  We responded with an email that was supposed to reassure her that what she thought simply wasn’t true, but her response  showed me that she was very unbalanced and destructive, and from there the friendship quickly unravelled.  We were all relieved when she moved out a few months later – but no one more than Banjo.  Other people soon moved in; a year later, others still.  Banjo never had the same reactive barking problem with any of these new neighbours.  To this day, I maintain that Banjo knew all along that J. was someone to be avoided, which is why he never warmed up to her.

Looking back, I must have first started paying attention to Banjo’s people skills when we were looking for a pet sitter.  In those days, living in New York and with half the family in California and the other half in Europe, Wonderman and I wouldn’t travel out of town often, but when we did it was usually for at least a week at a time.  Being a sweet and sensitive dog, it was very important to us that not only Banjo love his sitter, but that his sitter love him back equally.

We found the lovely Jamie through our vet, and as is typical with someone who understands dogs (i.e. not making aggressive eye contact), she was greeted quietly and curiously.  Banjo quickly formed a deep attachment to her and loved going to Jamie’s – hearing her name put a spring in his step, even after the ‘wheelie-boxes’ were taken out of the hall closet…

It isn’t hard to accept that a dog can tell a ‘good person’ from a ‘bad person’ if you remember that dogs’ language is primarily based on body language.  Dogs are hard-wired to read even the most minute of body movements, and pick up on all sorts of things that we humans miss.  Banjo has proven himself over and over again in this regard, as I’m sure your dog has too.  What’s not to trust?

Banjo says: Aroo! Yea, I has a big clever becos I knoes a scareful person from a luffly person.  Does any oder doggies out dere doing dis? Wat yoh hoomin sez?

When people say that their dog has taught them so much, non-dog owners always seem quietly amused by this.  It’s just a dog!  No, “it” isn’t anything. “It” is either a he or a she, for a start.

And “just a dog”? How little they know!

Banjo has taught me so much.  Through his soft and curious eyes, I see things I probably wouldn’t notice.

So, I’ve decided to start a regular column on Shyhound called Not Just a Dog.  I think dogs have taught humans a great many things, and I want to explore those lessons.

I want to share some of what I have learned from Banjo, but I also want to hear from YOU, dear Shyhound readers:  What has your dog taught you?  Would you consider writing a guest post for Shyhound?  Let’s celebrate our canine friends and their wisdom!

Banjo says: Aroo!  I like dis ideeyah becos I like learning about mah doggie frends!

Aroo!  Dis Banjo heer.  Today I tellz yoo about a sekret dog run in da hillz below da famous Hollywood sign:

Is akshully a puk for hoomins, but iz sekretly a dog run… Shhhushes! Iz a sekret!

Me and mah hoomins iz staying wiv frendz on Beachwood Kanyon.  We ‘xploring da hillz in da car to find dis puk – Lauren knoes about dis puk from befor, becos she is going on a nice hike wiv her unkle one time and she iz seeing it.

<– So wen we finding it iz gimme a big happy!

Iz a lovely puk.  Dere is a nice grass, and dere iz nice treez wiv benches for sitting hoomins…

…and lots of frendly doggies to play wiv…

… and lots of peepol luuking da Hollywood sign.  Dis I not unnerstand. But Lauren is take a pannarammik pikchuh foh me to share wiv yoo. Dis puk very bootiful, yes?

Dis puk is having places for hoomin BBQs, a plays for hoomin puppies to play in – but dere is no wateh fountain.  Das OK foh me, becos I has a Kurgo wateh bottol!

And heer is a pikchuh on a clowdy day we iz going:

Nao I knoes I iz a California dog becos I iz getting cold on a clowdy day!

Lauren Says:

The unofficial dog run at Lake Hollywood is located at:

3200 Canyon Lake Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Open daily from 5am – 10pm

It also has BBQ pits, a children’s play area, picnic tables – and several benches in the shade.  But be sure to bring your own water as I didn’t see a faucet!

Arooo!  Dis Banjo heer, and I has a big ‘xcited – but I needz your help.

Dere is a lovely site called DogTime.com and dey iz have a competishun called Da Petties Awards.  Iz awards for excellence in pet blogging and da winner gets to donate $500 to a pet charity of dere choice.

Dis got me finking… I iz a pet.  And I haz a blog.  And I even has a charity – iz called Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Noo York.  If Sean iz not rescue me, I cooda been a dead puppy, for reelz!

So, if yoo like Shyhound.com and fink iz have lots of yoosful informashuns… or if yoo finking iz funny dat I haz mah own blog… or if yoo just finks I has a big pawsome, den vote for me!

Diz pikchuh is showing you da informashuns to include.  And iz olso clicking to da DogTime.com Petties Awards nominashun page weh yoo make a nice vote for me!

I fink I haz da best chance of winning in da Best Dog Blog and da Funniest Blog or Blogger categories (dogagories?), but yoo can nom-nom-nominate me in any category yoo like.  (Just not da Best Cat Blog category!)

Many fangs, guys!

Ruff, Banjo x

Aroo! Dis Banjo heer.  Today I tellz yoo about da Ocean Beach, a off-leash beech in San Diego.

Iz a big speshul plays becos dere is a big wateh not for drinking.  Iz for splashing and playing!

Da seaweeds iz stinky and iz gimme a big salty mouf. Iz taste good!

Dis big wateh is called da oshun, an iz have fings called waves wich growl and bite mah legs.

Mah hoomins has a big astonish becos I not like wateh befoh.  Nao I luvs it!

Aroooooo! Do yoo likes da Oshun Beech? I do-aroo!

The Dog Beach at Ocean Beach is 38 acres of sand that your dog can run around off-leash on 24/7!

Arooooooooooooooo! Dis Banjo heer.  I has a big happy becos I iz a California Dog – dis time, for reel!

Mah momma was a Lab-adore dog, but I not doing nuffin like Lab-adore doggies.  Hoomins say I not knoes hao to retreeve, I not steeling peepol fuuds, and I iz HAYT wateh.

In Noo Yok, I iz hopping over puddels in da street.  Wateh is for big fursties and drinking – iz not foh stepping in!

But, den, I lurning dat dere is a sumpting called da Specific Oshun… and in Del Mar, dere is a lovely beech for doggies to run arow-wownd in.

Luuuuuuuk dis!

Furst I meeting California beech doggies

Den I sees California beech doggies running IN da wateh!

California beech doggies chasing me neer da wateh, but I is outrun dem...

Oh knoes! Dere is a fing called a wave and is catch me! I has a big shock wiv dis!

But mebbe waves not so bad wen dere is tennis balls to play wiv...?

Gingerly, I gets mah paws wet and is not so bad. Waves and Oshun, yoo not scaring me no moh!

See? I tell yoo I a California Dog!

Hoomins has a big smiles of ‘stonishment and laffings.  Dey saying iz never chew late for teeching a old dog noo trix! (Hey! I not old, I iz only 4!)

Den iz a time for da car, and hoomins see dat mah furs is all wet and I has a big sandy.  Dey saying dat mah Kurgo Wander Hammock is coming in VERY pawsy, becos is protect da car from all mah sands and salty oshun wateh furs.

I luvs da oshun!

Del Mar Dog Beach permits dogs off-leash from Labor Day through June 14th at its North Beach area (29th Street to Solana Beach border).

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When you’ve spent two weeks driving  4,153 miles / 6,684 kms with a dog, you learn a practical thing or two along the way!

Here are Banjo and my top tips for going on a road trip with a [large] dog:

1. Safety first! Invest in a seat-belt or other restraining device.  This is as much for your safety as it is for your Shyhound’s!  I recommend the Kurgo Auto Zip-Line, which comes with an adjustable harness.  With it, your Shyhound is kept safe, but is free to stand up, turn around, and lie down. Absolutely essential if you plan on spending several hours a day in the car.

2. Protect your car too! Dog fur, muddy paws, and carsick drool can quickly dirty the backseat of your car. Why waste time cleaning it when you can hose/ shake off the dirt from a well-fitting cover instead? We like the Kurgo Wander Hammock – its ingenious design means it arrives in a carrying case which attaches to the back of the front seat – perfect for holding spare poop bags, toys, a collapsible water bowl. As a bonus, it also comes with its own water bottle, which is great for keeping your pup hydrated on the road.

3. Speaking of water: as dogs’ stomachs are sensitive to change, some recommend you bring a supply from home and others say to buy bottled water. Banjo’s stomach is fairly sensitive, but he was OK with national hotel chain tap water. Just let the faucet run for a minute before filling up your Shyhound’s bowl.

4. As for food, bring more than you need – an extra day’s worth for every 3 days you’ll be on the road. As for when to feed Shyhound, do so last thing at night. S/he will be more likely to poop first thing in the morning, which makes for a more comfortable journey the next day.   And if you place Shyhound’s food and water bowls in the bathroom, it will be easier to clean up spillages and crumbs. [Does anyone else have a dog who likes to walk with his mouth full??]

5. Bring a blanket that smells of home.   Use it to protect your hotel bed from Shyhound’s fur – and therefore your credit card against extra room charges!  Plus, it will be a comforting smell for a Shyhound in an unfamiliar place, and it’s nice to cuddle up to in the car on a long journey.  If you bring a soft laundry bag, save room in the trunk (boot) by giving it to your Shyhound to use as a lovely, stinky pillow!

6. There are more dog-friendly hotel chains out there than you realise!  Some charge a pet fee, some require a deposit, others don’t.  For sheer value, we liked Motel 6 – less than $60 a night, and no pet fee.  La Quinta definitely had the nicest rooms and the best continental breakfast, but cost around $100/night with no pet fee.  Best Western seemed to have more hotels in more places, it costs as much as La Quinta AND charged a $20 fee, and the rooms weren’t as spacious. Best of all, should you find yourself in Gallup, NM, do stay at El Rancho Hotel – $100 a night, no fee. (They also have a cheaper motel across the parking lot.)

7. There are plenty of websites which list dog-friendly accommodations and attractions – invaluable for when it comes to planning your trip.  We liked BringFido and DogFriendly.  Although we wished both sites were optimised for handheld devices, we were able to find dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, and off-leash dog parks.  You can also find local veterinary offices, should you need them in an emergency.

8. Stretch your legs – all four of them!  Be sure to stop every couple of hours to let your Shyhound go to the bathroom.  You’ll benefit physically and mentally from a break too.   Take your Shyhound for a brisk walk last thing at night, and, if possible, try to find an off-leash park for him/ her to tear around in before a long journey. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog and the last thing you want is a hyperactive dog in the car.  At best, it can be annoying; at worst, it’s just dangerous.

9. If you’re renting a car, pick one with good stabilisation and automatic transmission to minimise carsickness.  If you have a large dog, the deeper the backseat, the more comfortable s/he will be lying down.  And don’t forget #2 above to avoid extra cleaning charges!

10. Eating on the road can be difficult for humans when health and safety laws forbid dogs from entering restaurants.   Pick a place where you can eat outside and tie your Shyhound to your chair – not the table, for obvious reasons!  If there is no outside space available, leave your Shyhound in the car and sit where you can keep a watchful eye.  Remember to crack open the car windows.  Most importantly, don’t forget that in summer months and in some states, leaving your dog unattended in a car, even for a few minutes, is against the law.  When in doubt, get the food to go, and eat in your car.

11. Last but not least, make sure your Shyhound is up to date on all vaccinations and tick/flea medications before leaving on a trip.  If s/he takes regular medication (this could include a monthly medication, like a heartworm pill) don’t forget to pack that too!

To read about our long journey, go to Cross-Country Road Trip. Happy travels!

Do you have any tips you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments section below!