A semi-quiet house.......

Well, for the next month it is pretty much just my husband, myself and the critters. This morning is the third morning without extra humans in the house. And overall I must admit it's quieter. Overall, not totally.

I believe the animals now see me pretty much as their sole source to torment some mornings. I don't think that I've actually been able to sleep to the alarm time yet this week. Usually it's one of the dogs who start either snarling and snapping or barking. Unfortunately the barking one is teaching my littlest one bad habits.

And the barker also starts the barking/howling episodes in the evenings when I go to bed because no one sleeps upstairs with us. They all get put up in their space for the night. I guess they think that we're being mean putting them up so early.

Anyhow, I may be getting close to my wit's end with the morning barker. I have tried everything so far short of a sound emitting anti-barking device to make him shut up in the mornings. Mr. Impatient I call him. The moment he thinks I am up he starts barking, but shuts up the second he percieves I am coming down the stairs. Grrrrrrrrr..... He's not stupid, he's just not respectful or mindful.

I do take time with him and the others outside in the mornings and evenings playing till he's tired and they've all done their business well before putting them up for the day or night. They all do sit quietly with me before bedtime, and I don't have problems there. Ah well.... maybe he'll get the picture that he doesn't always get his way with me. He's usually used to getting his way by being disrespectful, and annoying or a nuisance with my brother, and my brother gives in to shut him up. Not me. Oh and a squit bottle does not help at all, he thinks it's a toy.

Now the cats, Yummy (above) has become very, very talkative and will meow constantly till you feed him. Even Djinn will talk more than usual. I am so happy Chronic squeaks when he meows, so he's really quiet. He doesn't need to talk, his body language says it all. And yes, squirt bottles work on the cats. LOL

I may go ahead and invest in an anti-barking device to try it out. At least to get him to know when it's acceptable to bark and when it's not. Like outside at the birds at 5:30am. LOL.... I know he's happy and impatient to greet the morning and he is telling the birds all about it, but it doesn't stop till after you've fed him and put him back out, then he's more than happy to be quiet. Gotta try something, and I am not into shocking devices unless it's an electric fence to keep a pushy dog off the fence or from breaking said fence to escape. Those are relatively harmless and work quite well. And boy I ought to know they're harmless, but a bit "shocking" shall we say? I was forever running into the one I had around the stallion pen in past. It'll wake you up though. Ah well, will see what I can come up with. Any ideas? all welcome! :)

Furry Helpers or Nuisances?

Ok, so I am sure they would prefer to consider themselves helpers, however, most times we would say they are being pests or being a nuisance. Personally I think they're telling us to slow down, calm down, laugh a little, or they simply could be saying "Pay attention to me! I am most certainly more important than that telephone call with the irate customer!"

My brother telecommutes, and right now he's staying with us. With his pets, Chronic (picture above) and two dogs. Then there is my cat, Yummy, who feels he is the supreme being in the house and all must bow before him. Yeah right.

Chronic has a way of creating distractions and some frustrations for my brother. Quite often he walks across in front of the monitors or plops down on his mouse hand while trying to operate said mouse. Or walk across the keyboard. And there have been numerous incidents of him disconnecting the phone call when he's talking to a client.

Yummy, talks more than the other cats in the house. And when he wants attention or you to do something for him, it's usually right now with a vocal emphasis. Of course this serves most times to distract the client on the phone, as they will hear him meow and invariably ask what is that? Is that a cat? Quite often this diffuses tempers or stress. Sometimes it's simply annoying to my brother, because Yum is an impatient kitty, you ignore him the first time, and the second request includes claws.

Hmmmm, the dogs, now they are a different matter. Usually as my husband and I are at work, and my brother is busy working, I'll pen the dogs into the kitchen/dining area. This is to minimize the mess they can make (especially if no one is watching them or sees them ask to go out), and minimizes the barking at passing cars or persons out front. However, with Poppy snarling at anything she perceives entering her space out of the blue, it can be startling, and quite often the noise carries. Then there is the collie, Corny. Very needy boy he is. If he doesn't get his way, when he wants it, he whines, chuffs, and then barks. Not conducive for a quiet or calm work environment. He also has a habit of barking A LOT outside all the time.

Funniest thing though, while he thinks he's being the big bad protector of his yard, he'll dig at the wood slats in the fence trying to get at the neighbor's dogs he can't see, who most times instigate the barking melee. One afternoon, he had worked a couple 2 or 3 slats loose at the bottom, so next time he jumped on the fence he fell through. Well, suddenly he was out of his environment and his space. He just sat there and looked totally confused and wimped out while the neighbor's daschund chewed on him and told him off. Goofy dog. And he didn't seem to learn from that episode.

The old man, Lil'Shit must be having his second puppyhood. He sees just enough to distinguish shapes, and delights in bouncing like a puppy after the cats. And now it's become a game, but only one of mine play with him this way. The other hisses and ignores him, and Chronic just runs which delights him. He also has decided to chase feet. I swear he's gonna trip one of us and we'll fall.

It's quite the three ring circus round our house these days.

Giving back the gift of life and compassion for our War Vets

As the war progresses or digresses (depending upon your point of view) in the middle east,  our soldiers returning are having a tougher time coping and returning to a "normal" life. Many suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and or healing from physical injuries. Many suffer from depression, cannot find work, have other mental problems, nightmares, sever marriages, withdraw from the world and many end in suicide. This is a very tragic and very real situation.

Fortunately there are some very aware and forward thinking people and groups  who are working with these returning soldiers and animals. I have written before that animals are intuitive and healing and teach you compassion again. And now they are getting to prove this by helping our soldiers heal emotionally and give them the will to keep moving forward. They also help bring back the will to live and love again.

There is a program pairing dogs with soldiers as service dogs are for people with other handicaps. These dogs are psychiatric service dogs specially trained to help traumatized veterans leave the battlefield behind as they reintegrate into society. The results are very encouraging and positive, in dozens of interviews, veterans and their therapists reported drastic reductions in P.T.S.D. symptoms and in reliance on medication after receiving a service dog. The other good part to this service is that many of these specially trained pooches come from another program called, Puppies Behind Bars , a program based in New York State that uses prisoners to raise and train dogs for lives of service. To me, this is a win win situation for all involved!

   Another wonderful program emerging in Washington is the Dog Tags Program, done by the Washington Humane Association across from the Walter Reed Hospital. This  program brings together wounded soldiers and pups needing training to better their chances at adoption. This program brings them  together to teach, learn, and strengthen the bonds that heal.

In Las Vegas, New Mexico, there is a new emerging program called Horses4 Heros . This program is for returning military personnel, fire fighters, law enforcement, hospice care, corrections officers, critical care people, and their families. This is a riding program and is non-profit.

There is also the Operation Heroes and Hounds program. Operation Heroes & Hounds' presents injured members of the United States military with the unique opportunity of coaching and living with shelter dogs. The focus of the program is on personal transformation through The Loved Dog™ method, a playful and nonaggressive approach to canine coaching. Both service members and shelter dogs learn a new set of skills that will make a positive impact on their future.

Operation Heroes & Hounds participants include "the walking wounded" of the United States military suffering from non-visible ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Shelter dogs selected for the program are in need of behavior modification through the kind, nonaggressive teaching of The Loved Dog method. Together, they can heal their emotional wounds while gaining new life skills.

All of these wonderful programs give each of us a chance to help our soldiers return to love and life. Whether or not you support or agree with the war efforts, you can support the men and women doing their jobs. Animals so much of the time are the best healers of emotional, and physical barriers. They teach us daily how to give back to one another, how to have compassion and how to love without restrictions and unconditionally. We can help these efforts  by just even volunteering our time or work with others to perhaps help start programs like these in your community.

We simply don't do enough for these people who are fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers or even friends, who lay their lives on the line for their jobs. We need to give back to them. You cannot be critical of them, as you have not walked in their shoes, have not seen the horrors, fear and pain they have felt. But you can help them with your compassion.

Pets have food allergies and intolerances too!

Perhaps I should have made the connection sooner, perhaps I wasn't meant to till now, especially as I am a celiac and understand quite a bit about food intolerance issues. However, it took another member on our food allergy group posting this veterinarian's link, DogtorJ ,  on gluten intolerances and our pets. The Veterinarian is a celiac himself which while changing his diet and his changes as his body healed opened an new insight for him about our pets also.

I especially knew about grains and cats, how they aren't good for them, and primarily aren't good for dogs either. Cats and dogs simply don't go out foraging or hunting for grains. They will eat grasses to purge their systems, but they don't specifically look for grains to eat either. They are primarily meat eaters, carnivores. And the pet food recalls of 2007 confirmed this simple fact that glutens, grains didn't belong in our pet's diets.  The sad truth though is that this fact didn't stay in the open. People are all about convenience and going and buying a bag of dry food whose protein is primarily from grain glutens is the easiest and least problematic to feed our fur companions.

Face it, the primary source of protein for most of our pets in their food is derived from glutens/grains, and the second comes from "meat by-products", in simpler terms, beaks, feet, unedible parts of butchered animals that we wouldn't eat ourselves.

So, the basic definition of food intolerance is best described by this veterinarian: "The term “food intolerance” has been applied to both immune-mediated (involving the immune system) and non-immune related disorders (e.g. to food additives) that result from the consumption of certain foods to which an individual is sensitive. The most serious food intolerances are those to the gluten grains (wheat, barley, and rye), casein (dairy products), soy and corn, with the first three being the most common. Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) is finally making its way into the public eye. At the time of my diagnosis in the year 2000, it was considered a “rare disorder in the US, affecting less than 1:5000 Americans.” In 2006, it was declared to be one of the most common conditions in the country, with Johns Hopkins and The Mayo Clinic stating that the official number of celiacs in this country was 1:120 people. However, the unofficial number by celiac researchers is a whopping 1:30. Other papers on this site address this obvious and unsettling discrepancy. "  

Ok, animals are mammals just like us. One of my best friends is a biology instructor, and this is a point she makes over and over when someone tries to separate us from animals. So, if you think about this, their systems are not that different from ours in a general manner. Gluten is glue. I mean think about it, how did you make paste as a child for paper mache? It's used in everything to hold things together! So what do you think it does to us inside? Think again, it does the same to our beloved pets inside.

Scientists are just now finding ties between those persons having Celiac's disease (gluten intolerance) and other autoimmune diseases. Diseases like diabetes, fibromyalgia, autism, epilepsy, attention deficit, and the list goes on and on. As this veterinarian points out, the same autoimmune disfunctions affect pets also, especially epilepsy. And as he took clients' pets off of gluten containing foods and put them on a more natural food for the species, he was seeing epilepsy disappear. Hmmmmmm, are you finding a connection yet?

He writes:

"The unfortunate truth is that pet food is not as scientifically formulated as most would like to think. For the most part, Fido’s food is made with convenience and cost of manufacturing in mind more than science. Yes, the first few ingredients look appetizing enough and there are essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals added to the mix. But are these ingredients natural for the pet and are they readily available for absorption and use by their body? Here in lies the crux of the matter.

The wake-up call comes when one realizes that once the meat source is removed from the diet, the remaining ingredients are mostly unnatural for the pet. If we exclude the beef, poultry, fish, and lamb, the remaining calorie sources are mostly wheat, barley, corn, rice, and oats, all of which are man-raised crops that the dog and cat would never consume in the wild. I love to inquire of my clients “How would a pet get rice? Swim to Viet Nam?”

But what is the problem with these complex carbohydrates being in the diet? Humans consume these with every meal and they are doing just fine, aren’t they? Ahhhh. Are we? If we were, those reading this paper would be reading something else right now, wouldn’t they? The problem is that the grains listed above have some universal problems among humans and pets alike, as do a couple of other problem foods that eclipse even the grains in health issues.

To digress for just a moment, I am a recovered celiac. For forty-something years, I suffered like most other celiacs of a myriad of symptoms, including allergies, heart burn and intestinal problems, depression/chronic fatigue, memory and balance difficulties, joint pain, and even fibromyalgia. I was taking at least four drugs twice daily; caffeine addicted, and was quite frankly not having any fun anymore. I am now two and a half years gluten and casein-free, off all drugs, symptom-free, and feeling better than I did when I was twelve. This miraculous recovery got my attention as a patient and as a doctor. How could this be? How could I be suffering from what millions of people and pets were experiencing but be well in such a short period of time? How could all of these conditions be linked together?

Well, “Fido” is about to teach you something. The fact is that the celiac is a “who’s who” of what is wrong with human beings but the conditions that we suffer from are not limited to those who walk upright. When I read the list of conditions that we as gluten intolerants experience, my first thought was that “This is me. This describes me to a T.” My second thought was “…but this describes everything that is wrong with everyone, including their dogs and cats.” And it does. Suddenly, medicine through the eyes of celiac disease (and other similar food intolerances) made sense. I tell everyone that it was like someone had finally put the right program into a stalled computer and it began operating at lightning speed. All of the idiopathic conditions that are so poorly understood in medicine became “open season” for this medical headhunter.

And, the answers did come one after another. I launched into two years of intensive research while applying the newly unveiled principles to my patients as well as myself. Miracles started happening around me. Allergies abated, intestinal problems cleared up, older pets became less painful and more active, and yes, even their epilepsy stopped. “Wait a second! Epileptic seizures stopped?”, you may be asking. Yes, 100% of my epileptics have stopped having seizures, just like many celiac children that were placed on gluten-free diets have responded. I got the idea from the celiac literature. How that occurs is totally explainable but beyond the scope of this article. It can be found in my paper entitled The Answer on my Website, www.dogtorj.com."

His site is definitely worth reading if you truly care for your animal companions. And perhaps it will open a few thoughts for yourself. If anything, look for pet foods whose first 4 (minimum) ingredients are MEAT, not meat by-products, not water, and that contain no grains or glutens from grains. There are many decent foods out there if you don't care to make your pets' diets yourselves. And there are many raw diets out there too if you choose to go that way. Just  remember that cats normally are also not veggie eaters, they are obligate carnivores.  Most of us read labels on our own foods, well, start reading them for your pets too! And some you would be surprised at aren't as expensive as you might think.

Also think about this, as you feed the correct food, your pet's feeding amount will change as his body realizes that it can use all of the nutrition fed to him. As this happens the amount fed decreases, as does the amount of stool excreted, as do the malodorous emanations issued due to bloat and intolerances. Doesn't everyone like less gass, less poop? And the benefits of feeding properly is a longer, healthier and more active life for your pet.

It's spring!

Ok, it is finally spring! The weather was goofy the last couple of weeks, I don't think Mother Nature could make up her mind some days, rain, snow, both, or hail, and now the winds.

And now our wonderful companions want to commune more with nature.  Of course my brother's collie, Corny, has been communing with nature all along. Unfortunately he's been bringing it back inside with him! Usually this is in the form of mud.  And while I am all for him communing with nature, I  am ecstatic that the snow is for the most part over! Things are thawing and drying out nicely.  At least my 3 little guys are fussy and don't like being wet, much less being muddy. And the peke, Biscuit, doesn't mind playing in it, but he doesn't like to be muddy either. Maybe, just maybe I can clean the house without all the mud coming back in!

Now that they don't have snow and mud to play in, there are a myriad of birds to bark at, neighborhood doggies to yell to and sirens to howl at. The cats and the little old dog are enjoying the spring sun and fresh air now. The old man is a sun worshipper, and dozes daily in the sun now. The cats are also enjoying the increase in bird traffic providing new channels and looks to "kitty tv". And I suspect it won't be long before Yummy and Chronic push more to try to escape to the outdoors. Chronic was used to being an indoor/outdoor kitty, and I don't let my kitties out. Too many hazards out there for them. They are truly better indoors.  And according to my brother, Chronic is a screen ripper if he wants out bad enough. So this means I need to be creative in my screen covering to protect them and keep him in. If he tries it. So far with the nice days we've had lately, I have had the back door open with only the screen door closed and locked and one window open. He hasn't tried any of those screens. But he has enjoyed watching outside through the screen and enjoying the fresh air.

  Mr. Sun Worshipper himself. He looks so happy!

Ah the last point about spring and the changes our companions go through that signal warmer weather. Shedding is up soon, oh joy, enough fur in the house now to make numerous new furry critters! LOL

Ah... spring, funky weather and mud covered dogs!

Ok, the picture above pretty much says it all where the mud lovin' dog is concerned in our house.

Today is the first day of spring. The birds know it, although the weather can't make up it's mind. Yesterday afternoon it started raining, then came the thunder and lightning, soon it started to pour and hail, which then moved on to sleet and ended with 3 inches of snow by this morning.

While I will say the snow is pretty, I am not happy to see it back again. The collie, Corny, and the Peke, Biscuit, however were very happy to see it back. They love to play out in it, chase snowflakes and bounce in it. And Corny loves to make mud puddles and holes in the yard for these mud puddles. Darn it just when my yard had finally dried out and it was enjoyable outside for us humans.

Corny has a thing for any form of water, be it in liquid, or flake form. And he loves it even more if he can make mud and wear as much of it as possible. This leaves a lot of muddy footprints in the house, dried mud flaking off with fur all over, and very dirty towels requiring washing every day. Thank heavens for tile floors. And with that being said, I am getting to know my mop far more than I ever hoped to. I have to give my brother credit though, he usually tries his best to dry Corny off or wipe as much mud off as possible before letting him loose in the house. It's about like fighting a losing battle though. And Corny loves to be outside as much as possible, which is fine if it's a nice day and dry out there. He has also developed his dribble art to a new 3 dimensional form now. This means there are little peaks and valleys of firmly caked on mud all over my patio. And if you scolded him for the mud mess, and bring him in, he'll put his feet and muzzle in the sole water bowl and dribble it all over the floors in the house. And I hate to say it, I have no idea how to break him of this habit. Yesterday alone I cleaned out and refilled the water bowl no less than 4 times.

He is the sweetest dog you might ever like to encounter, but he has his bothersome habits like this. Good thing I also have slip covers on all the furniture and can wash the throw pillows, because he also thinks he's a little dog and should be on the sofa. Yesterday after one particularly close lightning strike and thunder I suddenly found myself sharing the little love seat with an 80 pound scaredy cat.  Silly thing..... Overall he's a great dog, and tries to please and loves to be the center of attention. I just wish I could figure out why he has this obsessive thing going with the water and the mud and dribbling it all over.

Anyone else ever have this type of thing with their border collie?

If I didn't have dogs.....

I got this bit through the email, and thought it would be nice to share it here. It's so true for most of us!

I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would have money ....and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grand kids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.

My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere. My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to Spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E- E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E, G-O, R-I-D-E .

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

I'd lookforward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading "mud" season. 

I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

 How EMPTY my life would be!  

Some new observations on pets adapting to blindness....

So, as most of you know by now, this is Lil'Shit, my geriatric male chihuahua. And no I didn't give him his name, but he is appropriately named. And now we've nicknamed him "Super Dave". Meaning he is always falling off of things and gets up and goes on, perhaps a tad bit more addled than previously.

He is fully deaf now, and for some time blind, with cataracts. Although he could see shapes and shadows. This function is decreasing over time also. And it takes very bright light for him to distinguish things. And if he gets into a shadow, he seems lost. He also has developed this need to be on the edge of everything all the time. We are always trying to watch him if he's on the couch with us or in my brother's bed like the picture above. He seems drawn to teetering on the edge all the time! You pull him back to you, and he is like a magnet and goes right back to the edge. Sometimes we catch him in time before he goes teetering off, sometimes we don't. Sometimes he'll be sound asleep and simply slip right off the furniture and be very puzzled when he has his abrupt awakening. The song that keeps coming into my mind as I watch him always on the edge is Aerosmith's "Livin' on the Edge". He is absolutely never far from the edge of anything. And like Super Dave, he gets up, shakes his head and keeps on going.

However! The other evening I noticed something as I was working in the kitchen, I had to bend over to get to a lower drawer and this is how this came into my line of sight. I stood straight up and had to watch this! Poppy, the cranky one, was snuffling around the kitchen floor as usual when I am working in the kitchen (she's looking for dropped items to snag), and Lil'Shit was there with his shoulder to her back leg, and his nose sort of tucked into her flank. As she would move, he would with her, keeping touch with her, and if she stopped, he did. My Goodness! Exactly as if she was his seeing eye dog, so to speak! This went on till she made the circuit around to me, when he felt or sensed me, he transferred over to my ankle.

Well I mentioned it to my husband and brother at supper, and something clicked with my brother. He said well that would make sense with what he saw the other evening when he had put the dogs out after their supper. When he went to let the dogs in after they had done their business, Lil'Shit was out meandering around off of the patio. The others rushed in, and Poppy who usually was always the first one to rush in, didn't, she turned around and ran out to retrieve Lil'Shit, by nosing him till he noticed her then she brought him in.

It seems this has also happened before with Biscuit, the Peke, when the others came in, he stayed out with Lil'Shit, monitoring him till the both came in together.

This morning when I went to let them all in, in the rush of furry bodies, he got bumped away from the open door and couldn't figure out why the wall wasn't opening. Thumbelina (his daughter) darted back out to him to bring him in.

I have to say, this for me was not expected behavior for this crew. But it makes sense. Animals really do watch out for one another and they do care for their elderly. And he is just taking it all in stride. And he knows very well how to sound the most pitiful to get spoiled. It worked on my brother and his wife, how do you think he ended up on their bed with the lovely fleece throw wrapped around him?

So I guess I should note that just because a beloved animal companion, be they dog, cat, horse or bird, are losing one or more of their faculties; this is not cause for putting them to sleep because you think they are suffering. They really aren't suffering, they adapt much, much quicker than we do, we, as empathetic souls, are the ones suffering watching them lose their senses. So if we watch and wait, you will see some very beautiful and remarkable changes happen. Especially if you have other animals around them. They aren't suffering, they are learning to adapt to the new situations, and we just need to be understanding and supportive and not add more change to their lives right now.

A Chastity belt for dogs? What the Heck?

Ok, a friend sent me the link on this article.



There is a man who has developed a Chastity Belt for dogs. The female wears it while in heat, much like a maxi pad that leaks for dogs and prevents pregnancy in the process. UH.... HELLO!!!??? This defeats the purpose of spaying and neutering and give people just one more excuse to not do the right thing and spay or neuter their pets. He claims as posted below, that he is all for spaying ad neutering however.....

"I'm all for neutering and spaying," says Dexter Blanch. "But in some cases, it is a health risk for the dog. In other cases, the pet owner is squeamish about putting the dog through surgery. And then there are people who plan one day to breed their pet."

""The Pet Anti Breeding System – or PABS, as he calls it – a polypropylene belt with an eight-buckle locking system and a washable mesh pad for female dogs.
The device allows the pooch to do all its natural bodily functions, except one, of course.
The PABS slogan: "When the heat is on, lock it, and stop it."
"The dogs can urinate and defecate," Blanch says. "But they can't copulate or impregnate."
Amorous canines won't get hurt trying to penetrate the PABS sheathing, Blanch claims. "

This gives people just one more out as far as I am concerned. He talks about the fact that it would have to be washed out regulary as it is made of a mesh material that allows bodily functions to happen just fine, like urination etc. But it doesn't say it will keep the blood spotting off of your floors or furniture. And as a dog is usually in heat up to 21 days at a time, twice a year, washing this thing out daily so it doesn't smell, and hopefully for the fabric to last some is simply just, well, YUCK! Why would I want to wash my dog and her "underthings" everyday?

Ok, enough of the YUCK factor. Now to the part that counts..... Being in season is very very stressful for the female and the male. They will try to mate regardless of what is there in the way, and they are so focused on the heat cycle, they will attempt it over and over and it puts way too much stress on the heart and body systems. Male dogs become agressive and will fight, females get no rest, etc. This not only causes veterinary bills, but you are in fact shortening your pet's lifespan. Trust me, the truly are much happier and healthier fixed than not.  Spaying and Neutering your pet does give them a longer and happier life.

Now, did anyone find his idea ludicrous?  I only hope someone doesn't come up with this idea for cats! Cats barely tolerate one either dressing them or doing much of anything to them. Can you just imagine the amount of pain involved with trying to put this device on a cat? I forsee sutures in one's future who attempts this. (just picturing it has me rolling on the floor laughing!)

Learning to live with the elderly, dog that is. :)

Ah yes, learning to live with an elderly dog. They are much like us as we age, things don't work as good as they used to, or there is loss of one or more functions, and they become needier and require a wealth of patience.

Well.... some days the patience part wears a bit thin. And while I know it's not his fault and I know intellectually he isn't thinking or doing as he once did, I still find myself a bit impatient with him and I have to try to catch myself and not let it out.

My little man, Lil'Shit is about 15 now, he's a chihuahua and has had some rough knocks in his life. And no, I didn't give him his name, but he felt and still feels he needs to live up to his name. He is a very loveable little guy, but very very hard headed, litterally and figuratively. In other words he is stubborn and single minded.

As he gets older, he is pretty much completely deaf now, and cataracts have robbed him of almost all of his vision. Although even the loss of vision hasn't fazed him, he actually has adapted to the house pretty well. And I know better than to move furniture right now so he'll always know where things are. His balance isn't that great and he doesn't eat with the gusto he once did. As he has been losing his sight, I know he can still see shapes and shadows, but only if there is enough light. He likes to be close to us at all times, and seems lost and disoriented if he can't find one of us. We all have to be careful when walking or turning around in the house because he is always right there and ends up underfoot. I notice too that he doesn't like to go outside to do his business hardly anymore. I think the backyard has become foreign to him now, and if  it's dark he won't leave the area that is lit by the porch light. So getting him outside to do his business is hard and one has to be on the watch to catch him and put him outside, otherwise there are little bombs left on the floor.

His balance is getting worse and he seems to carry most of his weight on his forequarters. And the part about being stubborn and single minded falls in here. He still thinks he can hop from couch to couch or couch to chair, or balance  on the edge of the couch before he jumps down. Of course we have to pick him up. We are constantly either just in time or helpless across the room as he slides off or simply loses balance and falls off the arm of the sofa or was sleeping too close to the edge and slides off. And you hear this "thump" as he hits the floor. And he has an obsession with the stairs. I cannot find a solution yet to keep him off of them. He mostly wants up there to look for us, and it's warmer up there.  Although if he is cautious he can get down by himself. Most times we carry him down and then he wants to go right back up.

There are times he will wander around the house and come to say the cross piece for the table chair and he can't seem to figure out how to go over it anymore or around it. And you will find him just standing there staring looking very lost. I am sure that dogs do get a form of senility.

As I learn from my boy, I also have a friend who's Golden is going through the same thing. She feels so bad for her pup, and thinks she is suffering. I keep reminding here how remarkably adaptable dogs are to all this and that she isn't suffering. She will learn to make her way around and always be close to my friend, whom has already fallen over her. It takes time, but they do adapt and we have to have the patience for them while they age and have these changes through the last years of their lives.

I enjoy most times loving on him when I get home. And have to laugh when he wants up then seems to want down, walks around the coffee table and wants right back up then over on the other sofa. While I myself might find it frustrating to lose my sight and hearing and not be confident moving around, I really don't think they have that frustration. They really do adapt well.

So.... Patience is my word (again) of the week.

Don't think you should spay or neuter? Think again....

Once again the issue of spaying and neutering is a hot topic on another networking group I belong to. It started by a friend posting her experiences working in a shelter, and just how many healthy, happy puppies, adult dogs, adult cats, and kittens are euthanized on a daily basis because there aren't enough homes for them. Not evening defining "good" homes, just homes for them. And the kicker as she so eloquently put it was this, "every person that allows more dogs to be born into this already overpopulated dog world, should first have to assist in the euthanasia of healthy, homeless dogs for a month. If, after a month of euthanizing wo/man’s best friend over and over and over, you can still, without regret, allow more puppies to join us -- then I guess I don’t have much more of an argument. Hold those dogs in your arms as they take their last breaths – for no good reason except that there aren’t enough homes. NO MORE PUPPIES!!!" She went on to post about the one dog, whose death will always stay with her, "I'll NEVER forget one specific dog that was euthanized. He was 'average' looking, sweet, sensible, maybe 3-4 years old. Didn't get anyone's attention I guess because he was 'average.' When it was his turn to be euthanized, the drugs would not kill him. His heart wouldn't stop beating. The staff vet had to be called in. I was holding the dog and sobbing and said "Why won't he die?" and I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS -- the vet said to me "Because he's so healthy." They eventually had to give him a massive dose of whatever. To this day I wish I had added that little "average" dog to my pack before he was picked to go to 'the room.' If I'd only known."


We also perpetrate all these euthanasias by buying purebred animals from breeders who will indiscriminately kill pups or kittens that don't meet their standards, or are slightly deformed. And mill breeders will kill undesireable animals any way they can, look at how Michael Vick killed his, by electrocution.

Then I was reminded by another friend the 10 reasons people consistently come up with for "NOT" altering their pets:

THE TEN WORST REASONS NOT TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET:


1. Just one litter and we’ll have Fluffy spayed.
Studies show that nearly the entire pet overpopulation stems from the "Just one litter" mentality

2. My dog doesn’t run loose, so he/she doesn’t need to be fixed.
Murphy’s law says otherwise

3. We always find a home for the kittens/puppies
And that means that an equal number of kittens/puppies with be euthanised at your local pound.

4. I want my children to witness the miracle of birth.
RENT A VIDEO!!!

5. My dog/cat is so cute and unique, there should be more of him.
The shelters are full of cute and unique dogs and cats with only a few days left to live!

6. It’s just not natural.
There hasn’t been anything "natural" about dogs or cats since we began to develop breeds thousands of years ago

7. I just couldn’t look my dog in the eyes if I had him castrated
GET A LIFE !!!

8. A female dog/cat should have at least one litter for health reasons
Medically, factually and ethically INDEFENSIBLE.

9. Neutering my dog/cat will make them fat and lazy
Too much food and not enough exercise make your pet fat and lazy

10. Fixing my pet will change his/her personality
The primary influence on an animal’s personality is the kindness and care with which it is treated.

And then if you can read all this above and still say oh, but this would never happen to my "Fluffy's" offspring, think again. Then look at this poster from the Humane Society and rethink it all. This poster says it all:



So.... think again, and I would ask you how you can justify allowing your pet to breed indiscriminately or how can you justify paying money for a "purebred" animal, and allow so many other souls to die?

Please! Help the animals at the Las Vegas, NM Shelter!

This is a cross post from an animal networking group in New Mexico. This woman has worked tirelessly to help the animals that go through the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico's animal shelter. What all this sounds like is that the Mayor and City manager are entrenched in their thinking and as a result are allowing cruelty to exist. Anyhow, here is her (edited to remove some names) post. If you can help, please do so. Even if it is to write the mayor and city manager or help get these animals out and into foster care. This lady is with the Animal Welfare Coalition.

"Since late August, there has been one attack after another. Everything we achieved and planned for welfare of shelter animals has been blocked or distorted. I could go through whole sequence but I am very tired. Simply, the Director of City Shelter would rather all dogs and cats were euthanized than any effort put forward to care for, adopt or transfer them. His name is Elmer Martinez. He heads several departments within the city. The shelter is the lowest on his list. He has been the motivating force behind the shelter supervisors' (past and present) obsession with killing and neglect. He is one of the most manipulating and deceitful individuals I have ever come upon. ( And I fought for the freedom of Black and Puerto Rican boys with the NYC courts.) I have seen hate and prejudice but never the amount of cruelty and corruption that I have witnessed here in Las Vegas. A simple request such as "Please shut the kennel doors on freezing cold nights" is answered by Elmer Martinez and Tim Dodge, City Manager, claiming that I and all of the Animal Welfare Coalition members are"undermining" the interim supervisor, Robert, whose decision it was and is to leave doors open. No, I just didn't want the dogs to get sick. AWC was not involved at all. The dogs are sick. The doors are still open. There seems to be no recourse as this a patron system and Martinez is supported by the higher ups in city government, the Major and the City Manager. I have given the best battle of my life. (NYC prejudiced judges seem like kindness and light after this.) In order to protect my own animals ( poisoning is accepted practice here, as is shooting ) and myself, I am leaving. Hopefully by March 1st. My heart breaks with the plight of the animals in this town. The pitiful irony is, there is no reason to slaughter the shelter animals. With very little to no help, I moved over 1000 dogs from shelter to rescues and good homes in the past year and half. With help, we could have researched many more rescues in the West and moved many more dogs and cats. With financial help, we could have had medical care and a van and gas to transfer. And on and on. We were getting there, then Elmer and Kelly forbid all volunteers. No dog walking, no cat petting, and no exercise pen, still. Now, no adoptions, "a chain of command" to report with any action to free an animal. I have been thrown out of the shelter and then told to come back and then told I was not allowed to be there so many times that I am dizzy. I have no idea what my status is right now. When I go in to photograph animals or help with animals, I have been told to leave by City Manager. At other times, I am called in to look at a dog that needs to get out. God knows. Again, tired of fighting. And the city has never paid me a cent or a "Thank You" for getting dogs out. Odd, very odd.
Somehow, I still have hope. Just can't hold it all up without real help. Time for relief to arrive.  Elmer is threatening to start the 3 day kill ordinance, which is unfortunately legal, in city ordinances. Oh yes, the City Council voted the shelter and Animal Control over to Public Safety, read Police Department , two months ago. It has not been taken over yet supposedly any day. Finally, the intelligent and very kind Animal Control officer has been so badly treated by Elmer that she has requested a transfer to Water Control. She loves the animals and cares for them beautifully. She could plan and build a humane shelter. "

Here is one proposal and reply from another member:

"My proposal: a massive letter writing campaign to the city of Las Vegas, telling them that we WILL NOT be bringing our company to visit Las Vegas until they right this situation. What I need from you is a 'bullet list' of issues to cite in our letters or phone calls. In other words, what are the 3 biggest issues there? Inhumane treatment? Facilities? Please let us know what exactly we should highlight in our letters and phone calls. We need to spread the word to the animal community to inundate the mayor's office.
Mayor Tony Marquez
City of Las Vegas
1700 North Grand Ave
Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 454-1401
The mayor's email address (no guarantee that he'll get this, so hard-copy letters or phone calls are better): mayormarquez@yahoo.com
Maybe it will help, maybe not, but at least we've done SOMEthing.
Also, letters to the editor of the local paper would also bring attention to the situation. Email letters for the Las Vegas Optic to: tmcdonald@lasvegasoptic.com"

I felt also that perhaps getting word out to the communities and other area major newspapers and news agencies  would help bring the spotlight on. I also would like to turn this over to the ASPCA as they try their best to monitor these types of things and can shut down shelters if needed.

Anyhow, please help get the word out and help the animals in Las Vegas. Thank you!

Reasons why you need a pet

There is no one perfect pet type or personality to fit everyone. Whether you love birds, fish, or another creature, there is a pet out there for you.  Pets offer a lot of positives for you, and are actually good for you. I thought I would list some of the pros of pet adoption. Notice I said "Pet Adoption" I am talking about adopting a pet through a rescue organization or shelter. By doing so, you are giving another soul a chance at a full loving life, and allowing it to help fulfill yours.

Anyway on to the pros......

Having a pet helps seniors stay invested in life. They help them with  keeping their minds stimulated, help them get exercise, keep them entertained, safe and loved.

If you live along, pets can help counter loneliness and depression. They'll help you to continue to focus on life around you. They give you companionship.

They'll help you establish a routine. Just the routine of caring for a pet can bring structure and purpose to daily life.

If it's a dog, they will help you establish an exercise routine. And regardless of our age, we all need some form of exercise and getting outside to play or walk your pet is a great way to set a daily exercise routine and keep you both in shape.

Pets are amazing stress relievers. It's a known fact that people with pets handle stress better and exhibit less stress than those without. Seniors especially need to keep their stress levels down. Just petting a dog or cat lowers the heart rate and never fails to bring about contentment and smiles. I know for me, just being greeted at the door when I come home every day from work with all these furry, wiggling, and happy bodies makes me smile, and makes my home my place of love and happiness.

Again if you have a dog, it will help you get outside, and stay connected to friends, or make new ones. It helps you stay connected to life and see all the wonder around you.

Taking your dog to a dog park helps you make new friends, and pets are great icebreakers for meeting new people.

A pet can stimulate interest in new interests and activities. It might inspire you to volunteer at the local animal shelter, or if you have a very social loving calm pet, you might volunteer to help seniors have contact with animals. Even some hospitals seek pet owners with amazing social pets to bring them to the hospital to spend time with patients.

Dogs of course can provide you with protection. Even a yappy smaller dog will discourage burglars. And little dogs are just as fierce in their protection as are big dogs. There are even stories of cats protecting their owners in the home.

And pets give you something to care for, they help you feel useful, they teach you unconditional love, compassion, and how to live in the moment and have fun. Having a pet means that you are making a promise to that soul to continue to be involved in another life, and to always keep your heart open to love.

I know for me, just hearing a cat purr is the most comforting sound and feeling I can know. Cuddling an animal, and feeling their unconditional acceptance of me and love for me is an amazing thing to realize. These things keep me grounded, sane and interested in life. And as I said, there is nothing quite like my coming home at the end of a stressful work day to 7 furry wagging and wiggling bodies the moment  I step inside the door. It makes a world of difference as I leave my cares and worries at the door.

Snow and fun lovin' dogs!

Well, I have been remiss in blogging lately. Things have been a tad bit hectic and I frankly haven't had much to blog about at the moment.

However..... Today it's snowing very big wet flakes in Santa Fe, NM. And the peke and collie are loving the snow.

Biscuit is having so much fun, he doesn't want to come in except when he wants all the snowballs attached to his fur to melt off then he wants right back outside.

Corny on the other hand wants to catch snowflakes for a profession!

Ah.... nothing like the lovely aroma of wet doggy in the house. Conversely, if you ask my 3 little dogs if they would go outside, you get this expression...

Yeah right, it's wet, and I don't do wet!

Ah well, we need the moisture here, but I am not sure it belongs in the house. LOL

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and our pets

First, a definition of a Genetically Modified Organism:  From Wikipedia: A genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically engineered organism (GEO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

  Finally a study on the effects of some GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on animals! This is a hot topic for me and the effects of GMOs on us too.

This past year, the International Journal of Biological Sciences published an article on A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health They performed studies of several varieties of GM corn on rats with deletorious results. The article is lengthy, but worth reading.

Another article on some effects of GMOs on animals from Natural News titled: Genetically Modified Organisms are Unfit for Consumption  points out: In the animal studies that have been conducted, some noteworthy findings have been discovered about GMOs:
Female rats fed genetically modified soy saw most of their babies die within three weeks compared to the 10% death rate experienced by rats fed natural soy. The babies that survived in the genetically modified-fed control group were also born smaller and had problems getting pregnant later on.
Male rats fed genetically modified soy experienced a change in testicular color from pink to dark blue, as well as altered young sperm and significant changes in their DNA.
Indian buffalo that consumed genetically modified cottonseed experienced various birthing complications including infertility, abortions, premature delivery, and prolapsed uteruses. Many of the calves that survived birth died shortly thereafter.
In the United States, about 24 farmers reported that their pigs became sterile after consuming genetically modified corn.
Genetically modified corn and cotton, purposely engineered to create their own built-in pesticide called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), have been indicted in several studies to provoke intense allergic and immune reactions and death. Since the levels of Bt produced in the plant represent thousands of times more a concentration of Bt than natural Bt spray, the effects are greatly amplified. Shepherds whose sheep grazed on Bt cotton after harvest witnessed thousands of their sheep die. Post mortem examinations revealed severe irritation and black patches in the intestines and liver, as well as enlarged bile ducts. All sheep fed the Bt cotton eventually died within 30 days while those that grazed on natural cotton remained healthy.
Bt corn was also responsible for the deaths of cows, horses, water buffaloes, and chicken in both Germany and the Philippines.
Genetically modified tomatoes fed to rats were shown to cause bleeding stomachs and eventually killed many of the rats.

These are just a few examples of the many catastrophic effects of using genetically modified organisms as food. And another article on WebMd it notes that if animals are given a choice they won't eat GM feeds on their own. What do they know that we don't?

Yet one more thing to point to from SafeAge.org :

How does genetic engineering affect animal welfare?

Cows injected with a genetically engineered Bovine growth hormone to increase milk production live shorter lives and suffer higher incidence of lameness, mastitis and reproductive health problems. Cloned and genetically engineered animals have staggering failure rates, a euphemism that hides a greater than 99 percent mortality. Dolly was one success out of 245. GE fish have become deformed, their flesh has turned green and many other health problems have occurred. There is a very strong lobby pushing for GE fish and these may be the first GE animals to arrive on your table. Yay mom, green wartery fish tonight.

Should animals be patented?

Monsanto applied for a patent for a pig bred in 160 countries. The patent is for specific parts of the genetic amterial of the pigs which Monsanto's researchers have decoded. If this patent is granted, pig breeding would be possible only with the approval of Monsanto. See the movie: Patent for a Pig?

I don't know about you, but all this is and has been very disturbing to me for some time now. I continue to do my best to avoid using mainstream products in my house and in my foods for myself or my pets. The three major grains (now owned by Monsanto) that are very much in all our commercially produced foods are Corn, Soy and Wheat.  Based on the description, and knowing that usually biotoxins or fish genes into vegetables are used to splice into a genetic sequence to promote the organism to be more immune to frost or pests, why would I want to eat it? Animals usually are much smarter than we are about foods. Ok, that sounds about as clear as mud. Let me put it to you from this viewpoint, our bodies, our genes recognize specific genetic sequences in our original foodstuffs as nutrtion and therefore to be used to nourish our bodies and help with bodily processes. When that original genetic sequence is no longer what it is meant to be, our body throws up a red flag that this is not considered nutrition and therefore needs to be considered a toxin, thereby stimulating our immune response. When we continue to ignore our body's response to the toxin, and keep feeding the toxin to ourselves, the body becomes overwhelmed and we start developing cancers, autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency problems. We wonder why we see an increase in these things not only in ourselves but our pets as well. We are seeing an increase of diseases, such as thyroid disorders, diabetes, neurological problems, depression, celiac's disease, food allergies and intolerances, and the list goes on. These increases have begun in the early to mid 90's. Ok, so this makes sense to me as this is about the time that GMOs became more mainstream into our food supply and they were fully approved for animal feed.

I don't know about you, but for me it is so worth it for my health and that of my beloved pets to do my best to ensure that we consume as little of these that we can. Buying locally grown and raised products that are organic help. That and helping the push to pass into law the labeling of GMOs within our foods.

 

 

Are we polluting and poisoning our pets?

Recently I received a newsletter with an article on the high levels of pollutants and chemicals being found in our pets.

I really wasn't surprised by the reports. Especially the one on toxins and pollutants. Our pets' systems are smaller than humans, they process things differently than we do, and they are closer to the ground (generally speaking) so they pick up all sorts of chemicals that are either ingested or absorbed into their systems.

The pollutant study was done by the Environmental Working Group .

They noted that just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues, or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do our pets. But with their compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times faster than children, pets also develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly.  And for anyone who has lost a pet to cancer or another disease potentially linked to chemical exposures, this sentinel role played by pets becomes a devastating personal loss.

This is some of their findings:
Dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to our study of plastics and food packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals in pooled samples of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 37 cats collected at a Virginia veterinary clinic.

Average levels of many chemicals were substantially higher in pets than is typical for people, with 2.4 times higher levels of stain- and grease-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals) in dogs, 23 times more fire retardants (PBDEs) in cats, and more than 5 times the amounts of mercury, compared to average levels in people found in national studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and EWG (Figure).

 

Dogs: High levels of plasticizers,
grease-proof chemicals,and
fire retardants
35 chemicals detected - 40% at higher levels
in dogs than people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cats: notably high levels of fire
retardants, high levels of plasticizers,
and grease-proofing chemicals
46 chemicals detected - 96% at higher levels
in cats than people

 

 In America there are 8 times more companion dogs and cats than there are children under five. Seventy percent more households have dogs or cats than children of any age. These pets are often beloved family members, and yet they can be subjected to chronic, constant exposures to chemical contaminants in homes, yards, and parks that pet owners cannot always prevent.

As cats meticulously groom themselves, they lick off accumulated dust that studies show can be contaminated with the neurotoxic fire retardants PBDEs and reproductive toxins called phthalates that were found in the cats we tested (Bornehag 2004, Stapleton 2005, Wormuth 2006). A dog eating scraps from the floor may also swallow dirt and dust tracked in from the outdoors and contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides (Colt 2004, vom Lindern 2003). A flea collar can spew droplets of insecticide that can be lethal to cats (Linnett 2008). Dogs and cats often eat food processing and packaging chemicals that contaminate their food, day after day and year after year, resulting in cumulative exposures with unknown health risks (FDA CVM 2008b). Chew toys might contain plastic softeners, foam beds might be infused or coated with fire retardants and stain-proofing chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects, and plastic water bowls might leach hormone disruptors.

The article talks about not much can be done to prevent this. I disagree to some extent with some of this. There is a lot you can do to prevent an overload of chemicals for your pets and yourself. There are non-toxic cleaning products out there like Method  products that are safer to use for your pets and kids.  You can also clean with simple food items like vinegar.

Don't use pesticides on your lawn, actually the best non-toxic pesticide is soapy water! It's true! You can reroute your washing machine drain water, using non-toxic, non-phosphate, detergents and water your lawn and flowers with it. It will kill the bugs, and provide water for plants and a lovely lawn. Not using Teflon cookware is another way to stop polluting your home. Avoid using plastics as much as possible. I know that one is hard. But you can use glass or pottery to feed and water your pet from. Use natural fibers around the house, and for pet toys. These are just a few things you can do to help minimize the toxins in your house. There is even paints for the walls that is friendly and non-toxic. And for the smokers, here is another reason to quit, the secondhand smoke is worse for your pets than your kids.

So..... again, back to reading labels. Reading all labels is a good habit to develop. And if it sounds like something you wouldn't put in your mouth, you can bet it doesn't belong in your kids' or pets' mouths either. It takes very little time actually to research effective non-toxic products for you and your home. Think about it, your skin is the biggest organ of your body, and it absorbs all sorts of things. So, those yucky toxic smells and cleansers you use gloves to use are also being absorbed through your skin and by breathing it in. And in the case of floor cleansers or where your cleansers are stored they are more concentrated down at your kids and pets levels than where you are.

Oh and leave off the flea collars and flea repellents. Those are so very toxic! If you have an indoor cat, vacuuming regularly with some lavender or cedar in the canister will collect and kill fleas in the bag/canister naturally and smell nice. Be sure to dump the canister and bag after each vacuuming. A bath regularly for the dog making sure to get the soap down to the skin level and good grooming will kill and wash the fleas down the drain. Be sure to let the soap stay on for a few minutes with good contact to the skin. These are simple low cost remedies that are non-toxic.

I could probably go on and on right about now, but think I'll stop here.

Figures, I no sooner post this entry, then this article appears on the Washington Post about the loopholes and dangerous chemicals.

 

Older pets and OCD's

Sorry about the delay in postings, ok, so I was lazy, it is my annual time off from work and I got preoccupied rather than spend time in front of the computer all day. 

Yes, that's my little man, Lil'Shit, he's the better part of 14 to 15 yrs old now. And he's a chihuahua whose ears never stood up. He is deaf now and having vision issues and most definitely balance issues. And yes, he has a hard head and a couple of OCD's. We love him anyway. ;-)

And Yes, as pets get older they do get obsessive compulsive disorders. He always had a thing for liking fabric, but now is it almost constant. He gets so focused on that, that no matter what you do to distract him, it doesn't work. The only time he doesn't like is when he's asleep or adamant about being let upstairs with us. His other focus is that he doesn't like either of us out of his sight for long or rather out of his range. This places him underfoot or a tripping hazard more often than not. So we have learned for the most part to shuffle alot. He also has balance issues and doesn't get around as well as he should. And oh god, poor little guy has rolled down the stairs more often than I care to think about. I do my best to carry him up or down, but there are times he will walk right past us thinking we are upstairs and not seeing us. And he'll get up there before you can get to him or if you aren't watching, then lose his balance and come tumbling down again. He gets up, reorients himself and stubbornly runs back upstairs. I haven't been able to find a way to block them yet, most kid gates are too tall and our banister and molding along the runners (steps) is funky. And if I block the bottom step or two, it then creates a hard spot for the front door. So I am actively looking for a solution. However, the four of us do our best to watch out for him.

He also has a phobia about going outside by himself now. So, I am buying stock in wee wee pads. Thank god for tile floors! I think it has to do with becoming disoriented outside by himself. He'll go out with the others as he can follow them around and find his way back to the door. But not by himself.

I love him to pieces, as do we all, even though some of his little "quirks" are driving us to distractions at times. So we do our best to pamper him and watch out for him. He loves to be with us as much as possible, and he absolutely loves the bean bags! I think he thinks they are nesting devices just for him, well.... his daughter, Thumbelina loves them too. 

Updates on the tribe of furry creatures occupying my home....

So, since last week things have been quiet and interesting. My brother and sister in-law flew home last Thursday to finish clearing out the apartment and get finished moving down here. So, that being said it's just hubby and myself and all these lovely furry creatures occupying my household. Seems lately you can't go anywhere in the house or sit anywhere without there being an animal in the room or on the piece of furniture you choose to occupy. Which is ok by me.

Currently I am off work for 2 weeks, hooray! And as I sit in my media/office room upstairs, I at the moment have 4 out of the 8 critters in here with me. Yummy the cat, and 3 dogs. The dogs absolutely love being up here with me. And there are two of them that zip right over and claim a bean bag for themselves.

Ok back to the topic. For the first evening, my brother's two dogs were rather forlorn that he and Peg weren't coming back immediately. But they have adapted fast. They are getting used to my bunch's routines about bedtime and where bedtime is. Usually my bunch are sectioned off in an area with their crates (I have one who has never learned not to soil where she sleeps and I simply got tired of cleaning the thing out!), and usually the other two, Corny and Biscuit, have been kept in their room at nights. Well, they don't get to do that without my brother here. So, they've been learning to sleep with the rest of the pack. And actually there was very little complaint about it from Corny. Despite my brother noting that he would talk all night. Although the first couple of nights Corny was completely intimidated by Poppy, who is probably 1/10th his size. She thought the fancy big bed could be all hers. And I would come down in the mornings and find him trying to be curled up on a chihuahua sized bed. Well, that's changed now. He gets to his bed first now.

And now Biscuit has become my constant sidekick. He and I talk, and play and he gives me lots of kisses. Even my husband is becoming attached. And I see him more and more engage my littlest dog, Thumbelina, in play. And they play kissy face, and wash each other's ears. Corny has mellowed some, and is very good and patient and plays in the evenings with us. And they all play outside. Well except for Lil'Shit who is just simply confused in his old age and if he's with one of us, becomes very protective.

Yesterday I went by Target and got a ball thrower for Corny and took him to the dog park over by the Animal Shelter not far from us. He loves to ride, and he knew right off that the new toy was for him. As I didn't have anyone else going with me, I couldn't take Biscuit too. So according to my husband, he pouted the whole time. Well, when we pulled up to the dog park and Corny could see all the other dogs frolicking and romping, he got so excited and barked and bounced around in my van, making the whole thing rock. But he minded well. When we got inside we played ball for awhile, but the smells beckoned stronger. So we went for a walk around the perimeter. He met and made new friends, played a bit with some of the others, loved on every person he met. And found the water bowl out there to drink and do a little dribble art! For his first time there, he was wonderful and had a great time. Now to get him there a bit more often.

On the way home from the dog park, he sat in the very back seat, leaned back and looked regal. Like I was his chauffeur or  something! Biscuit turned himself inside out when he saw me, as did all the others. I have to say that this is one thing that we are really enjoying, is coming home to all these furry bodies happily greeting us when we come in the door. Even the cats are all for the most part doing very well. No fights, and Djinn and Biscuit are also developing quite a relationship. They greet and play a bit almost every day. Hubby and I noted last night, that my brother's fur kids have certainly changed the energy and demeanor of us all, and it's a happy place and our bunch is so much more outgoing and animated. We laughed that we just might have to keep them all here.

Saving animals is not just for women!

Ok, so you think that saving or rescuing animals from abuse and neglect isn't a macho thing? You think caring about animals is not a manly thing? Well hang on to your seats gentlemen! Check out these tough guys, Rescue Ink.



I found out about them while surfing  ABC news and read a story on them. And then there is their website: Rescue Ink  I love their zero tolerance policy on animal abuse and neglect. Each member's history is a bit unique and varied. They will go in where other rescue agencies cannot or will not go in. And they not only rescue, they'll work to educate the abuser in the process. As you read their brief profiles about each one, I for one am happy that I am not on their target list. I am glad I am on the same side. But I mean, come on, would you want to piss them off?

Wow! Talk about an inspiring bunch of guys!  They break the mold on the idea that rescuing animals are only for women or wimps. And gentlemen, you know what I mean. Oh alot of you talk tough but would you really step out of your comfort zone to rescue an animal you witnessed being abused? Now, giving some of you the benefit of the doubt, I believe you would take time out to rescue or care aobut an animal that needed you.  Personally I think these guys do a great thing. I wish there were more like minded people like them across the country. And even though they are in New York, it isn't just household pets they rescue, they rescue horses, like the two colts here, and other animals, even chickens.



I am guessing that there is no rescue creature too small or large for them. And I imagine that when they put their efforts forth that there isn't much that would get in their way. I for one applaud them! Now if I only had the National Geographic Channel, I would certainly enjoy watching them in action. And maybe if the word got out a little more, maybe it would inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and help work towards a good cause and perhaps teach others a little bit about compassion along the way. And last but not least, remember, Never, Ever Judge a Book by it's Cover! You can not ever tell a person inside by his or her appearance.

Way to Go Guys! Join them on Facebook   and on MySpace  if you live in the New York area, voluteer!

General Dog Behavior and Some Observations

 Now, before I get started, let me note that I am not a animal behavioral specialist, nor a "know it all" on animals. This post is just some of my observations having lived with animals in my life my entire life. I admit I learn as much as I can about alot of topics, and I learn alot about people and animals by watching them. Body language says a lot you know. 

That being said..... I got home from work yesterday to a lovely happy sounding, tail wagging bunch. It made the day so much better and helped me smile after the long day. Later my brother and I got to talking about how much happier he felt his dogs were here. He noted that they had their tails up more, and were wagging them more and overall seemed less stressed. He talked about his concern with the grandchildren that had been living with them in their previous state, and how of course kids being kids, a couple of them the boy especially was always poking at Biscuit's face or pulling and grabbing or trying to poke at his eyes. There was concern there as the dog in his fear had nipped the kid several times as the kid didn't learn to leave him alone. The poor little guy was getting very stressed out. 

I talked to him a bit about it and some observations about dogs being protective and such. We went on to talk about why most dogs might bite a child. Alot of times the poor dog is blamed, and what might seem like an unprovoked attack might have other reasons why a dog would "out of the blue" and "unprovoked" attack or bite a child. The truth of the matter is, we simply don't know if there were preceding circumstances, perhaps the dog had been tormented by neighborhood kids, and came to associate kids with fear, aggravation, or pain. Or the owners taught it to be mean and protect and attack anyone within it's territory. Or perhaps it's an older dog, and the kid unknowingly or knowingly hurt it in some manner and the dog felt cornered and needing to protect itself. 

Some dogs that are sadly deemed vicious by police may not really be that way at all. In Albuquerque, NM there have been several incidents where police felt they were being attacked by a "vicious" animal and shot and killed the dog. In actuality, perhaps the bigger picture needs to be considered here. A dog is very much a part of the family "pack" unit. And it knows it's job is to protect it's family, that is instinct. In ANY situation where the police will become involved, the emotions are heightened of the people involved. And the dog will react to those heightened emotions, and it becomes confused and upset. Now, enter the police. All the dog knows is that there is something terribly wrong, and strangers are invading it's territory and space and acting very authoritative and aggressive.  The dog reacts to this by barking and perhaps lunging to try to warn the strangers away and protect it's family unit first. Then if the officers don't heed the warning, it may attempt to bite them. Again the poor dog suffers a sad and terrible fate, just for trying to protect. I am sure perhaps the officers may have told the people to restrain the dog or control it, or put it up. But the people are too focused on each other to think of their loyal family member. And so, quite often the dog is shot, because they are in a hurry to end a volatile situation and don't call animal control to come control the animal in a humane manner. And of course when people are calling the police hurriedly to come end the situation, they don't ever think to tell the dispatcher there are dogs involved. Ah well, it's a hot button issue for me. And is very heartbreaking to read about. 

So my point was, that dogs that are so firmly bonded to the family unit can act irrationally based on how we act. And something I learned long ago that my folks taught me was to show respect for all animals, because any one of them can do me injury. And like people if you treat them with respect you gain respect and trust back from the animal or person. Perhaps that is why so many animals do get along with me. I immediately show respect to them in their territories, while my body language shows nothing but calm and compassion. It works, and I always try to talk to them in an upbeat manner, positive. They will always respond to it. Some dogs though who aren't used to this approach or who were only taught what their owners called respect by beating them into submissionor cowing them, will be afraid of you at first, but soon are curious and crave it and will come to you. When you treat your dog with respect, understanding and compassion, you have a much healthier and happier to comply companion. 

My brothers dogs show it in our house, they are more content, less stressed, and very happy to communicate back with us or play gently and lovingly. Biscuit and I have this little smoochie game going lately. He'll play and talk if I gently blow on his head somewhere, and rub his tummy. He talks like a little Ewok, and if he could say words he would. Then I'll start making kissy noises, softly, and even though he has his mouth open, he'll turn a cheek towards me for kissies. And I make the soft kissy sounds, and he talks like he's giggling when I do it. Then we start it all over again and do the other cheek. He just loves this, and where he was once very afraid to have his face touched, has learned to trust me to touch his face gently with love all over, I can clean his eyes and tickle his whiskers now. And he loves to give me kissies back. This is a big change and trust issue for him due to the kids that wanted to grab his face and poke at his eyes. 

And my little girl, Thumbelina loves to be held close and whispered to, give a little kiss on her cheek and she'll reciprocate. Licking and lightly chewing on your fingers is an acceptance behavior. And they do communicate emotions that way.  And with each dog, they have such a different personality, and how they choose to communicate with you is very different from the others. But when you have a content, and happy dog, they won't hesitate to protect you. And if emotions are heightened, they do become confused and worried and want to make you feel better, and they will protect you at all costs. 

Please, consider you pets and their wants and needs too, don't become so wrapped up in each other you forget the protector of the family.