Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

Temperatures are dropping and soon the snow will start flying. Holiday decorations are starting to appear and preparation is underway. With all of these changes just around the corner, remember to take the steps to keep your canine family member safe and happy this Holiday season.

1. Oh, Christmas Tree – keep your tree safe and your pet safer but placing family heirlooms and valuable ornaments out of the way of curious pups and wagging tails. Avoid the tinsel if you can. If eaten, the thin strands can get caught in the intestines and cause serious damage, if not death. Keep light strands and extension cords out of reach, as some dogs like to chew the cords, putting themselves as risk of electrical shock or burns. Unplug lights when not in use and keep an eye on your pets at all times. In addition, holly, mistletoe and poinsettia’s are poisonous to pets, so keep them out of reach or avoid them all together.

2. When the weather outside is frightful – purchase a doggie jacket or sweater for your pup. Some pets do not tolerate the cold very well and a cozy cover up may help keep out the chill. In addition, icy sidewalks and sidewalk salt can irritate a dog’s paws. Rinse your dog’s paws when you come in from the cold or invest in some puppy booties. One more thing, antifreeze is deadly for pets, so keep it away from your pets on a high shelf with the cap tightly closed. If you think your dog has ingested some, take him to the vet immediately.

3. Over the river and through the woods – don’t forget to exercise your furry friend. Even though you’re busy with holiday preparation, remember that Fido would still like his daily walk. Daily exercise can help keep your pup calm, cool and collected during the hectic hustle and bustle of the days ahead.

4. Fill up the stockings – but leave your pet at home. A cold car is not a pleasant place for your pup. If your engine is left on, carbon monoxide can endanger your pet’s life. If the engine is left off, the temperature inside the car can fall quickly and put your pet at risk.

So make this holiday season a safe and happy one for you and your pets. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give!

Why I Chose to Adopt

Toby's picture on Petfinder

In the summer of 2009, when my family and I finally considered getting a dog, my cousins had just purchased two Shih Tzu/Poodle mixes. The puppies were so cute. Soft, fluffy, very much like little Teddy Bears (as their mixed breed nickname implies). My children fell in love, so I got the name of the breeder and gave her a call. She was very nice and explained that she wouldn’t have any puppies available until the following April when some were going to be given to her. The conversation was pleasant and very quick. My internal red flags had been raised. If she wasn’t breeding the pups herself, where were they coming from? I later explained to my children that no puppies were available so we’d have to look elsewhere. They were disappointed, but I couldn’t bring myself to take the route that had presented itself.

I started doing some research. I looked at the local Humane Societies and other humane animal organizations. I asked friends what they had done. Then, in September, my friend’s mom was telling my about a dog she was taking care of for her son. His name was Duke – a huge boxer mix with the most expressive brown eyes. She explained that she couldn’t take care of him for much longer and she would need to find him a new home. I had her send me a picture which I forwarded to all of my friends explaining the situation. My friend, Rose, the already proud owner of a Boxer named Daisy, replied almost instantly. She was interested. Within days, Duke was adopted by Rose and her family.

I’m not sure if I had an epiphany at that time or if the satisfaction of finding Duke a home fueled my desire to pursue adoption more intensely, but I logged on to Petfinder that day and revisited the web page for Toby, then listed as “Westley”, on the Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue site page. I had already fallen in love with his little face the week before, but had hesitated because I was unsure of adopting from a rescue. I sent the link to my husband and we decided to fill out the adoption application. A week went by before we heard anything. The waiting was killing us. Then we got the call that we could come and meet him.  It was love at first sight for all of us. One week later, we brought “Westley” home, renamed him Toby, and our lives haven’t been the same since.

Toby was a puppy mill rescue and, as he adapted to our family life, I couldn’t help but think what his life could have been like had he not been rescued. If you know anything about puppy mills, you’d know he could have spent his life neglected and unloved. The work done by groups like Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue allows so many dogs to be given a second chance. According to the Humane Society of the United States, anywhere from 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year. Of those, 3 to 4 million are adopted. With so many animals needing a second chance at finding a forever home, adoption is the only option for us.

Little Hearts and Little Paws

I took my kids with me on Wednesday to the shelter where I volunteer – Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue. I was a little apprehensive because I was bringing a 7-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy into a facility with 20 plus small dogs. I lectured them on the drive there, giving them strict instructions on how we greet the dogs, what the different colored bandanas on the dogs meant, the importance of listening to the women who run the shelter, how we walk the dogs, and anything else I could think of. We talked about where some of the dogs came from and what brought them to the rescue as well.

We walked through the door to a raucous chorus of barking to which my daughter cried “It’s like a doggy orchestra in here!”. My son’s face lit up as Streaker, a terrier mix known for his high-flying agility, jumped on to the half wall in the entryway with his tail wagging away in greeting.

We started by taking two dogs for a walk, Powder and Muffin Man. It was really cold out, so we opted to spend the rest of our time socializing with the dogs. Maggie, who cares for the dogs throughout the day, set up a place for my son to sit so the dogs could come to him, while my daughter played with a Chihuahua named George. She was thrilled to carry him around as he cuddled in her arms. My son laughed over and over again as several dogs came to jump on him, play with him, and just sit quietly next to him.  He connected instantly with an older dog named Muffin Man. Muffin Man is an 11-year-old Bichon Frise who was an owner surrender. His owners had to move and weren’t able to take him with them. Muffin captured my heart as well the first time I met him. He is very sweet, social and he seems gets along well with both humans and dogs alike. Muffin Man followed my son everywhere he went that day and when he moved into a different room, Muffin Man would sit outside the door and wait for him.

Our next activity was in the puppy room. Virgil, a Miniature Schnauzer who was surrendered by a commercial breeding facility, had delivered her puppies at Bichon and Little Buddies and was currently raising them in a separate area of the shelter. Virgil is a timid girl but very sweet and her seven puppies are absolutely gorgeous. My kids helped me move the puppies and their mama from the room, so I could clean up their papers and mop the floor. It was so sweet to see my children surrounded by soft and fluffy puppies. They climbed on to their laps, nibbled on their coat zippers, tugged on my daughter’s hair and licked their faces. Every time I opened the door to the puppy room, they all clambered to get back in while my children scrambled to capture their squirmy little bodies before they hit the wet floor. Virgil sat off to the side and watched calmly as my kids played her pups and even attempted to give them each a curious sniff.

After that, it was time to head out. My daughter made her rounds to say goodbye to all the new canine friends she had made. I watched her talking sweetly to George and then move through the room to bid farewell to the others. I turned around and saw my son standing stock still with tears streaming down his face. I went over to see what was wrong, only to find out that he didn’t have the heart to leave Muffin Man. He wanted to bring him home right then. Maggie, who saw him crying, came over with some dog treats for him to give to Muffin Man before we left. I consoled my son and explained that we would come back to visit Muffin Man again very soon. After the tears dried, we said goodbye to Maggie and headed home.

My kids are still talking about their visit to the shelter and I’m still talking about how proud I am of them for the compassion and kindness they showed to all of the dogs that day.

By the way, we’re still talking about Muffin Man, too. Hmmm…..

Ouch!

Toby has an injured paw. After a walk on Sunday night, we noticed he was favoring his front right paw. By Monday morning, he was limping horribly. I took him to the vet right away and she determined that is was probably bruised during walk. Oddly, the soreness was between two of his toes, and there was no bleeding or redness. He winced every time the vet touched his paw and yelped when she reached the sore spot. Sadly, they had to muzzle him during the exam, just in case he were to nip because if the pain. Not only did my little dog not nip, he gave the vet a kiss after she took the muzzle off. Such a sweet little guy.

So, now Toby is on pain medication and antibiotics. He’s still favoring his paw, but he’s not in as much pain. His energy and spunk are returning and hopefully he’ll be 100% by the weekend. We have to help him up and down from the couch and beds, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Dog’s paws can get irritated or injured in many different ways – uneven, hot or icy pavement, broken glass, sidewalk salt, rocks or loose gravel. Take notice of the terrain your dog is walking on and check your dog’s paws after a walk. In the winter, rinse any salt from the paws immediately after going outside.

treatment varies depending on the severity of the injury. First of all, if your dog is limping or favoring a paw, wincing, yelping or nipping when you touch its paw, or licking its paws excessively, contact your vet right away. Do your best to keep the area clean and bandaged (if required), administer any meds prescribed by your veterinarian and help your dog stay off its feet as much as possible. Consider dog booties in cold, snowy weather to protect the bottoms of the feet. There are also paw waxes available to keep your dogs paws soft and protected in all types of weather.

Remember, if your dogs injury doesn’t improve, contact your veterinarian right away.

In the meantime, I’m going to take care of my little pup and take all the necessary steps to get him back on his own four paws.

So thankful…

It’s the week of Thanksgiving and I’m excited. Thanksgiving and Christmas are my two favorite holidays. I especially like Thanksgiving because it’s a chance for people to get together without the pressure of gift giving and just enjoy each others’ company. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the ones you love, show gratitude, and reflect on the blessings and challenges the last year has offered.

I really enjoy the tradition of a full table, a beautifully displayed turkey, and a circle of smiles surrounding it. I always envision the famous Norman Rockwell painting when I’m setting my table.

This year, I’m grateful for the new opportunities opening up around me. Volunteering at the Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue, enrolling at the Animal Behavior College, starting this blog, and meeting new animal lovers every day. I’m grateful for my loving, beautiful family, who has been so supportive of my passion, and for my dog, Toby, who still lights up when I walk in the door even if I’m covered with the smells of other dogs. He has shown myself and my family unconditional love and I’m so thankful for him and the joy he has brought us.

How does he know?

I had surgery yesterday. Not a big deal, but I’ve been propped up on the couch ever since. Toby, my beloved little dog, has stayed by my side, checked on me and cuddled with me ever since. It’s as if he senses something is wrong. I love that our pets are so intuitive, so aware of our emotions and changes in our physical demeanor.

When my husband tore is ACL last winter and had to have surgery, Toby slept between his legs with his head resting on his bandages. He stuck to him like glue throughout his recovery. When we visit my 93-year-old grandmother, he lays by her feet, walks next to her walker and follows her up and down the stairs when she uses her chair lift.

Studies have shown that dogs can sniff out everything from missing people, drugs, termites and certain cancers. Dogs have also been known to sense epileptic seizures and diabetic reactions. Their sense of smell is amazing and their intuition is beyond impressive.

I’m grateful that my little guy wants to protect us and is so acutely aware of our needs. I love what his nose knows and his presence brings me an unbelievable sense of comfort.

Drop it! Don’t eat that!

Who hasn’t slipped their dog an occasional treat from the table? Who isn’t guilty of ‘accidentally’ dropping a piece of something or other on the floor while making dinner? All of us, at some point, have given in to the intent stare of a dog begging politely for a scrap of human food. I know when my dog looks solemnly at me and sets his paw gingerly on my foot that I’m eventually going to give in. But did you know that some of the goodies you share may be bad for your dog’s health? Below is a list of items that can be bad, or maybe even fatal, for your canine friend.

• Cooked bones – they can splinter and the shards can get caught in your dog’s digestive tract
• Avocado skin – it can cause diarrhea and vomiting
• Onions, garlic and chives – excessive amounts can lead to anemia and gastrointestinal distress
• Chocolate, coffee and caffeine – these items contain methylxanthines that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, irregular heartbeat and in extremely rare cases – death
• Grapes and raisins – not only could a dog choke on a grape, these fruits can cause canine kidney failure
• Gum, Candy, toothpaste or items containing xylitol – can cause liver failure
• Milk – most pets can’t break down lactose so they can get diarrhea from milk and milk-based products
• Yeast dough – if a dog ingests before the dough has completely risen, the dough will continue to rise internally, releasing gas into the intestine and potentially causing the intestines or stomach to rupture
• Alcohol – ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea and possible death, if ingested in large amounts

Remember, if your dog eats something that you’re not sure will be a problem, contact your vet right away. The best way to avoid any of the above is to stay away from giving your dogs table scraps all together, or do your homework before you decide to share.

For even more information, click here.

A Great Read!

Well, I finished Saving Gracie by Carol Bradley. What an amazing book! It really opened up my eyes to the severity of neglect and abuse that occurs at puppy mills all throughout the United States. There are so many courageous advocates, animal welfare organizations and volunteers that work tirelessly to end puppy mills all together. In addition, there are so many kind-hearted and gentle people in the world willing to give puppy mill survivors a chance at a life free from neglect, sickness and sadness.

This was a thought-provoking, information and heart-tugging read. I highly recommend it.

Saving Gracie – Have you read it?

I’m about half way through the book Saving Gracie: How One Dog Escaped the Shadowy World of American Puppy Mills by Carol Bradley. It’s the amazing true story of one dog’s rescue from a Pennsylvania puppy mill and how this Cavalier King Charles Spaniel went from being a sad, sickly and forlorn animal, worn out from bearing litter after litter, into a loving, healthy member of her new family.

The book details the rescue itself, the stories of the dogs‘ journeys from the mill to their forever homes, and the heroic tales of the people who stepped forward to save more than 300 dogs from deplorable and life threatening conditions.

I’m half way through the book and I’m riveted. The scary and reprehensible world of puppy mills is blown wide open in this true story and my heart is breaking as I read the stories of the brave and committed people who worked tirelessly to bring the puppy mill operators to justice, and spent countless hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to care for and rehabilitate the small, voiceless survivors of the raid.

If you get the chance, please check it out. It’s worth it, even if only to understand the dark world of unethical breeding, animal neglect and cruelty that needs to be eliminated, and that all of God’s creatures, big and small, deserve a life of compassion, peace and love.

What an amazing day!

Today was my first day volunteering at Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue. What a great day! B&LB is the same rescue where we found Toby. Patti, the woman who runs the shelter, as well as the attached training facility, does amazing work there. These dogs come from all different backgrounds – puppy mills, owner surrenders and animal control. I could tell from the first time I met Patti that she really cared about the animals she was rescuing, and I found out today that she also knows all of the rescued dogs by name and can tell you about each of their personalities. She is focused on working with those dogs that may have behavior issues like separation anxiety or fear to get them to a point of being adoptable.

As volunteers, we take the time to socialize the dogs, teach them how to walk on a leash and generally provide them with love and affection. We also help keep their living arrangement clean. At BL&B, the dogs have lots of room to run and have easy access to the outdoors. The facility is nice and bright with special spaces for special needs animals and puppies.

I spent the first part of my visit with Patti learning how they did things and meeting her staff and the dogs. On the second part of my visit, I took three different dogs for walks around the neighborhood. Muffin, an 11-year-old male Bichon, was raring to go. He is an owner surrender and sweet as can be. He did great on his walk – he actually loved it! He was friendly, affectionate and got along with all of the other dogs. He’ll be a great companion for anyone. Merlot was next. A year-old Shetland Sheepdog/Papillon Mix (best guess) who was a stray, Merlot thoroughly enjoyed his walk. He was friendly, social and never stopped wagging his tail.  That little guy actually looked like he was smiling as we were walking along. My last walk of the day was Taco, a long-haired chihuahua mix who is somewhere around 8 years old. As stray as well, I was told he prefered women to men, and would probably do best in a female only home or one that will understand that he is going to need time to warm up to the males in the household.  He was a little shy and moved away when I tried to pet him, but he was very submissive and by the end of our walk, he was actually trotting along happily and making eye contact with me.

It was a great day! I can’t wait to go back again next week. And I’m hoping that I get to see all of these little buddies adopted into their forever homes!