The Wonder of Stevie

There’s a special little pup at Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue named Stevie. What makes Stevie so special is more than just his even temperament and outgoing personality. Stevie is special because he’s wonderfully friendly and social despite that fact that he’s blind and deaf in one ear. This West Highland White Terrier Poodle mix was surrendered by a breeder when it was discovered that he was blind. After seeing an eye specialist, it was determined that Stevie’s optic nerve didn’t develop properly which leaves him sightless with the exception of maybe being able to see some light. After getting his hearing tested, it was also determined that Stevie is deaf in one ear. So while he can hear, he can’t always determine the source or direction of the sound.

Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue staff is looking for an exceptional home for this extraordinary little pup. And because he is so social, he would do well in a home with another dog to play and hang out with. Despite his handicaps, Stevie is a wonderful little guy who will make the right individual very happy.

I’ve spent some time with Stevie and I’m so impressed with his playfulness and ability to get along with other dogs. I’m also amazed at his adaptability and how he is able to get around despite his handicap. Stevie is a lesson is overcoming what seems to be an insurmountable challenge with grace and a smile. Regardless of his physical limitations, he is eager to make new friends, excited to play with others, and determined to do things on his own.

And that is the wonder of Stevie!

Educational Post (Gross Alert!)

Toby has been scooting around the house lately. You know what I mean, right? He’s been rubbing his bottom on our carpet. While the behavior ends with a fit of giggles from my children and a confused look from my dog; to me, it signals a problem. Typically, Toby visits the groomer every six weeks or so for his hair cut, nail trim, etc. This month, with the additional costs of the holidays, we delayed Toby’s appointment. He’s fluffy and super cute right now, but his nails are in desperate need of a trim and there are other housekeeping items that didn’t get addressed. In particular, his anal glands (yes, I said it), weren’t expressed. The anal glands hold a noxious, oily liquid that is basically your dog’s unique calling card – that’s why dogs smell each other’s bottoms in greeting. It’s how they get to know each other.

Typically, these glands are expressed when a dog has a bowel movement or urinates. For some dogs, that may not be enough to fully express the glands which leads to a dog’s need to rub its bottom on a surface. When the glands aren’t fully emptied or they become impacted, bacteria can build up which can lead to infection or worse.

Toby’s situation led to some not-so-pleasant issues around our house.

First of all, Toby’s scooting was occurring more and more frequently. He wasn’t licking or chewing back there which was a good sign, but he was definitely showing signs of discomfort.

Secondly, we noticed markings on the furniture. I attributed these little drops to drool or urine, but then I noticed the third thing…

…the smell that was coming from Toby’s rear! The liquid stored in a dog’s anal glands has a very distinct, pungent, “fishy” smell. It’s different than anything else you’ll ever smell and a clear sign that your dog needs some assistance.

I called the vet right away and we took him in. He definitely had an issue, but not an infection, and the vet was able to take care of it right away. Manually expressing a dog’s anal glands is best left to a professional – like your vet or a groomer. While it was slightly uncomfortable for Toby, and he looked humiliated throughout the 10 second procedure, he immediately seemed to feel better and his scooting came to an abrupt halt.

Our grooming schedule is back on track and Toby shouldn’t have to worry about a sore bottom again. However, now that I know the signs, I’ll be able to get him the help that he needs right away should it ever happen again.

Back to school…

All of my materials have arrived from the Animal Behavior College. I’m starting their Veterinary Assistant Program in January. I’m so excited! My long-term goal is dog shelter work. Besides working directly with the dogs, I’d like to eventually work on education and advocacy as well. This program will give me the opportunity to learn things like animal restraint, pharmacology, surgical assisting, small animal nursing, laboratory procedures and more. Plus, the last half of the program is an externship where I would work in a veterinary clinic or animal hospital getting hands-on experience.

Someday, I’d like to have my own shelter, but right now, I’m so happy to have the opportunity to volunteer at a place like Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue. I love working with dogs. Just being around them makes me happy and I hope that my presence can help them in some way – even it’s just to show them that they are loved and cared for while they are waiting for their forever homes.

Just Hangin’

Does your dog have a favorite spot? A place where he or she loves to just hang out? Toby loves the top of our couches. Very catlike, really. He loves to be up high where he can survey the room, look out the windows and keep an eye on the front door.

Right now, he’s sitting on the top of the couch, just over my left shoulder, grumbling at the construction equipment on the empty lot next door. He’s been growling at that stuff for a good three weeks now, but I’m sure he’s just letting it know that it shouldn’t come too close.

When it’s sunny, it’s definitely his favorite place to be. He basks in the sun and watches the world outside. I’m guessing he’s daydreaming of the day we put in our fence and he can run free about the yard. Or, he’s plotting his next escape, when he can run happily through the neighborhood, greeting all of our neighbors and looking for a furry friend to play with.

I love watching Toby in his favorite spot. He usually circles several times, drops down and lets out a huge sigh – content and comfortable. And I usually find myself moving closer to him, just to capture some of his peacefulness.

What’s your dog’s favorite spot?

Here’s Streaker….

Let me tell you about Streaker, an adoptable dog at Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue. Streaker has become one of my favorites. She’s an adorable and active one-year-old mixed breed who would prefer to find a forever home where she isn’t left home alone very often and where she will be offered the opportunity to be active.  When I’m there to volunteer, she follows me around and occasionally jumps up into my arms. She is a skilled jumper, able to leap up on half-walls and over gates. But she doesn’t do it to escape or run away, just to be closer to her people. Today, she kept jumping over the gate to the puppy room just so she could see what I was doing. Every time I went in, she jumped over the gate to get to me. Every time I left the puppy room, she jumped over the gate to get to me. Occasionally, she would sit on the half-wall by the entrance to the shelter, especially if she heard other people approaching.

My favorite thing about Streaker is her eyes. She has the softest, sweetest brown eyes that are so expressive. She likes to be petted and she likes to give little kisses. She’s playful and super friendly. Streaker is most likely a mix between a Bichon Frise and a terrier, probably a Jack Russell, and she has lots of spunky terrier attitude. She should be a lower shedding dog – but probably not shed-free.  She gets along well with other dogs, but loves people the most.  She has been started in fly ball training, and needs a home where she will be trained in fly ball or other dog sports.

I think anyone who spent time with Streaker would immediately love her sweet demeanor. She has a way of making you feel important, like she’s been waiting for you all along.

I really hope she finds a forever home soon.

Routine Behavior

Toby has a routine – not a potty routine or an eating routine. Rather, a routine that revolves around my husband getting home from work. Toby can be sleeping soundly, curled up in the corner of the couch, but as soon as he hears the garage door open, he’s up. Ears perked, ready to go.

My husband will come in the back door and Toby will stand in the living room with his tail wagging furiously. My husband will say “Hi Toby! How’s my boy?”, and Toby will run to him, let himself be pet a couple of times, and then he’ll begin to run. And I mean run. He tucks his bottom underneath himself and races around the living room – at least one or two laps. Once he’s done, he heads to the kitchen and stands in front of the fridge, barking until my husband gives him a piece of ice from the freezer.  Then he trots into the living room, chews up the ice, and heads back to the couch. Done.

It happens this way every night. No real variation. He loves it when his Daddy gets home.

Does your dog have any funny routine behaviors?

Home for the Holidays

Are you thinking of adopting a dog this holiday season? There are several things to consider before you bring a new pet home.

First of all, the holidays are a hectic time and most people have had their regular routines derailed by parties, shopping and the typical holiday hoopla. Will you have time to properly introduce a dog into your household? What about effectively housebreaking a puppy? Can you commit to taking a dog out every couple of hours to do its business? Not to mention, the temptation of Christmas trees, ornaments and miscellaneous decorations, as well as the confusion of new people and interesting smells venturing into and throughout your home.

There are costs to consider as well.  Adoption fees, vet visits, dog food, chew toys, bedding, crates – these all add up and many costs are incurred on a monthly basis after you finalize your adoption.  Can you manage these additional costs at this time?

Do you have other dogs? Adding a new pet to the household means adjustment for everyone. Your existing pet will need time to adjust to its new housemate, and your new pet will need time to acclimate to its new role in your family’s pack. Will a busy holiday season allow that to happen?

Right now, the ASPCA, the Humane Society, and dog food companies are all running public service announcements about their holiday campaigns, bringing a shelter pet home for the holidays,  adopting an animal in need. As a firm believer in adoption and someone whose heartstrings are pulled ruthlessly with these PSAs, I also know that a dog adopted without the proper forethought, is a dog that ends up being returned to a shelter shortly after the holidays are over. Not only is this hard on the family that had its heart set on a new dog, but it is heartbreaking and confusing for a dog that just wants to find its forever home.

If you are seriously considering adoption during this holiday season, talk to one of the experts at your local dog shelter or rescue organization. They can help you determine if the timing is right for you, as well as help you find a pet that is the perfect fit for you and your family.

If you can’t adopt a pet, but would like to help, consider donating to a local shelter. In addition to cash donations, items like newspaper, puppy pads, blankets, dog beds and dog food are welcome and much needed. If you can’t offer a forever home, but can do something temporarily, consider fostering a pet. This helps with socialization, training and allows the pet a chance to live in a homey environment until they are adopted.

Shelter animals don’t know that the holidays are upon us, but they do know when they find their forever homes – which is the greatest gift you could ever give them.

Snow and a Surprise

The Midwest was hit by a major snow storm over the weekend. Lots of snow and frigid temperatures. We pulled out the winter coat for Toby. He’s a 20 pound westie-poodle mix (we think) and he doesn’t seem to mind the cold, but we bought him a fleece-lined, waterproof coat anyway. He doesn’t mind it. In fact, when we pull it out, he runs over and sits, waiting patiently to be suited up. We’ve tried weather-proof booties, but they don’t last five minutes on his paws. That being said, we make our trips outside quick and purposeful to keep his paws from freezing. By the end of his trip outside, he is raising his paws, one by one, out of the snow in an attempt to warm them up. 

So, today we made our early morning trip outside. Toby was bundled appropriately, as was I. He raced over to the snow and began sniffing around. He did his business and began rolling around – rubbing against a scent I’m sure was only appealing to him. As I watched, I noticed a small rock sticking up from the snow. Before I knew it, Toby pounced and I heard a loud squeal. The rock was actually a vole. I let out a squeal of my own and pulled hard on Toby’s leash. He dropped the uninjured vole and ran back toward me. The vole scurried off and I pulled Toby toward the house. He kept looking over his shoulder, searching the snow for his furry friend.

I admit, I was somewhat disconcerted at the fierceness of his pounce. I forgot that West Highland White Terriers are rodent hunters, and Toby has proven himself to be very skilled in this arena on several occasions.

When we went out later in the day, I searched for the vole and so did Toby. Thankfully the little guy was nowhere to be found. Hopefully he was burrowed down deep – away from the elements and my ferocious little hunter.

Bath time!

Toby got a much-needed bath last night. He has spent the last few days rolling around and diving into the newly fallen snow and, as a result, became a little dirty and stinky. Bath time with Toby makes me laugh. The routine is the same every time and so is Toby’s response. Here’s how it goes.

I start filling the tub and when I come out of the bathroom, Toby has run to the far side of the living room, tail between his legs and head down, hoping that the bath is for the kids and not for him. As soon as the smell of his oatmeal doggy shampoo hits the air, he looks frantically for a place to hide. I catch him and carry him toward the bathroom as he digs his little nails into my shoulder and turns his head away from me. I talk quietly to him the whole time, reassuring him that it will be a relaxing experience and I will be gentle with him. 

I set him into the two inches of warm soapy warm and begin wetting him down. As the water pours over him, he appears to shrink. His fluffy, curly fur flattens and he resembles a drowned rat. He looks up at me with pitiful eyes, and if he could talk, he would say ‘This is so humiliating. Are we almost done?” I continue to talk softly to him, ensuring him that’s he’s a good dog and that his bath will be over before he knows it.

Once he’s washed and rinsed, I scoop him out of the tub and set him on a fluffy towel. He shakes several times and I begin to rub him down. Soon, his fur begins to fluff back up and he slowly tries to make his way to the bathroom door. I like him to be as dry as possible – especially during these colder months – so I switch to a dry towel and give him another rub down. Once I’m satisfied, I open the bathroom door and he dashes out into the living room. The bath time dance begins. He rubs his face on the carpet, all the while running in circles. He snuffles and sneezes, shakes and rubs. Once he’s done, he jumps up onto his blanket that sits at the corner of the couch and watches me carefully. “Am I done?”, he’s thinking. I head to the laundry room to remove clothing or towels from the dryer and then I set the laundry basket in the living room. I go to drain the tub and when I come back, Toby is curled up and sleeping amid the warm, clean laundry. “Thank goodness he’s clean,” I think.

Afterward, Toby smells good, looks great and is happy that the whole ordeal is over with. He’s moved back to the couch, and when I’m done folding the laundry, I too, sit on the couch. Toby gets up and moves next to me. He curls up with his head on my lap. I rub his curly, slightly damp head and he dozes off. I am forgiven – at least until his next bath.

What’s Your Breed?

Do you have a favorite breed of dog? A fan of the Golden Lab? A Chihuahua lover? Or do you favor a hearty mutt? According to the AKC, in 2009, the most popular breeds in the United States were the following:

• Labrador Retriever
• German Shepherd
• Yorkshire Terrier
• Golden Retriever
• Beagle
• Boxer Bulldog
• Dachshund
• Poodle
• Shih Tzu

Is your favorite on the list?