You get a pet and have the best of intentions. You want to love and care for your pet, but maybe sometimes you forget that dogs and cats (as well as other pets) are very different from humans. They do not speak your language and must be taught what things mean. Here are some of the mistakes we all make at times with our pets:
Goings on in my life without my dog companion. Things about dogs, pets, cats, and rescues
Friday, March 17, 2023
Pet owner Mistakes and how to Fix them
You don't know enough about what your pet needs for health-
You don't spay or neuter your pet-
You don't give your pet enough attention-
You don't learn how to read your pet's body language-
You don't have a disaster plan for your pets-
Friday, March 10, 2023
Search and Rescue Dogs at work
That article, of course, led me down the "rabbit hole" and I found numerous wonderful stories about these amazing dogs and what they have to go through to be called search and rescue dogs, as well as the type of work they are trained to do. I also read about the health hazards and dangerous activities they willingly take on to do the job they love. You can read about that here.
Dogs are truly a remarkable thing. I have said before, and I will repeat here again, the dogs truly are a gift from God.
These dogs are trained to find missing people, like an 82 year old Alzheimer patient that wandered away from his home in 33 degree temperatures wearing only a thermal top and pajama bottoms. He was outside for approximately 7 hours in the weather before Tick, the search and rescue dog, found him and barked to alert his handler. All that man could remember about his experience is being licked in the face by a dog! Amazing.
Tick was a stray that had been picked up by police and taken to a shelter but the officer noted that he wanted to adopt him if no one came to get him. Once Tick was with the officer, he underwent rigorous training and became the search and rescue dog that saved this man's life. Here is a link to the article about Tick.
Not only do the dogs undergo rigorous training, but the handlers must also be trained to interact with the dogs in such a way that it encourages the dogs to do their jobs without distractions. Here is a story about one of those handlers and all she had to do to become a search and rescue dog handler.
Search and rescue dogs find missing people, dead bodies, crime scenes, disaster victims that are buried in debris, they also find bombs in war torn areas. Here is an article about Children against Mine Programs where a little girl in New Hampshire helps to raise funds to train mine sniffing dogs. This is an amazing program and I was totally unaware of it before reading here.
This was an amazing "rabbit hole" adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you will too. Below, I have listed several videos about these dogs for you to enjoy.
Monday, March 6, 2023
Dogs Really Are Man's Best Friend
I have always had a dog, sometimes without any parental permission. When my mother told me I could not have a dog, I found a puppy and built her a home in a vacant lot and went there everyday before and after school to feed and play with her. I had her for almost a year before my parents found out and called animal control to come get her. She was such a dear and I was mad for months and months. She was well cared for and well fed, so I did not see the reason for them to pick her up. Of course, I was about 8 at the time.
Anyway, I love dogs. I also love cats, birds, lizards, insects, mice, rats, hedgehogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, llamas, burros, horses, etc. I think you get the drift. I love animals, period. I think animals are way nicer than most humans I have been exposed to in my life. With an animal, what you see is what you get. They do not play games about who they are.
So, how does all this relate to the title of this blog? I'll tell you. I have been thinking quite a bit today about all the dogs in the Ukraine and Turkey that are at risk of either starving or being killed. I feel very sad by that thought. I do understand that people will put people first in emergency situations, but I don't necessarily agree with that idea. I think all life is important and has value.
On that note, let's talk about dogs that have been abused, mistreated, or worse and how they were still able to be loving and friendly with humans; even to the point of rescuing those humans. If you search Google, you will find numerous articles and stories about such dogs that proved themselves to be heroes. Here are a few such articles:
- https://www.rd.com/list/shelter-dogs-who-saved-lives/
- https://www.newsweek.com/21-times-dogs-saved-owners-lives-proving-mans-best-friend-1570567
- https://iheartdogs.com/12-incredible-stories-about-dogs-saving-humans-lives/
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/28/dog-saves-baby-fire-detroit/11364181002/?utm_source=usatoday-EveryonesTalking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=baseline&utm_term=hero&utm_content=USAT-8872UT-E-Everyones-Talking
Dogs have always been of service to humans.
They were first tamed and socialized to help shepherds protect and herd their flocks. They spent centuries doing this and helping the families they lived with. In today's world, dogs fulfill a myriad of protective uses.Dogs are trained for search and rescue--
Dogs are trained to assist people--
Dogs are used for social support and mental health care--
Friday, February 24, 2023
Pet Safety in cars or trucks--a pet owners responsibility
When I traveled across country to do my travel nursing in California, my buddy, Satchmo rode in the car with me. He loved going in the car. He was such a good travel buddy; but he was small (101bs.) and had a delicate bone structure, so I had to take extra steps to ensure his safety in the car.
He had a booster seat that was soft and padded with railing and it also had a tether built into the seat. You just put the seat belt through the openings in the bottom of the seat and then he was good to go.He loved it because it set him up high enough to see out the window without having to stand up. He loved when a semi-truck would go by and he would bark at it. He never minded being put in
the seat and hooked up so he couldn't jump out. He seemed to understand that he was safe and settled down to enjoy his trip.
We traveled back and forth from California to Texas that way, stopping at nights to rest and walk around--he liked smelling all the new senses along our route. He was a fun dog and I miss him terribly.
There are many state laws that make it illegal to leave a pet unsupervised in a vehicle no matter what the temperature is outside. Do you know if your state is one of these states?
Here is an interesting article about pet safety in cars and explains the benefits and risks of traveling with unrestrained pets very clearly so you can readily understand what is at stake. We are not only talking about the safety of your pet, but your safety from driving distractions, other people's safety due to your distraction and the potential of your own liability should there be an accident.
Friday, February 17, 2023
Does Anyone Remember the Michael Vick Victory Dogs?
Back in 2007, Michael Vick was exposed as an owner of the Bad Newz Kennels in Virginia. It was a place of unbelievable horror for the dogs residing in those cages. Mr. Vick and his crew routinely tortured and killed those dogs when they would not fight with each other. They provided dogs for illegal dog fighting venues, so if a dog would not become vicious enough, even with torture, they would kill them for sport.
When this cam to light, the Feds raided the kennels and rescued 48 Pitbull dogs from the confines of the kennels. Mr. Vick was charged with numerous crimes and spent 18 months in prison, which ended his NFL career as a quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons.
The site was purchased in 2011 and turned into the Good News Rehab Center.
This case was the first time that the animals were not summarily destroyed, but rather they were sent to Utah and other rescues to rehabilitate them. This had never been done before and happened in a large part because of the uproar of normal citizens and the intervention of the Best Friends Animal Rescue in Utah.
It seems that we, as a group, have a very short memory, because Mr. Vick returned to football upon his release and now is into sportscasting. He claims to be sorry for the events in his past, but mostly it seems, he is sorry he was caught and caused his career to implode. He has never one time expressed any concern or regret for his actions that caused such harm and injury to those dogs.
Unfortunately, despite a large outcry by the public, he has also been allowed to own a dog again. He now owns a Belgian Malinois despite his past crimes against dogs.
His response in an interview was as follows:
In 2019, Vick told The Washington Post that his animal rights crimes are merely a thing of the past. Water under the bridge.
“I think people have moved on. I think they’ve moved past it. It’s been 12-plus years since it all happened, so I don’t get any questions about it anymore. People don’t talk about it. They don’t ask me about it. Life is kind of normal. But I still have a responsibility, and that will never change.”
In a follow-up interview, he told the news site in 2021 he regrets it all — mainly because the case affected his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame.
'S--t, it hurt [my chances of] going in the Hall of Fame. It's going to impact everything. But it was all self-inflicted. I was young. I didn't have no guidance. I don't use this as no excuse. I could've said, 'No.' I could've made those right decisions, like, 'This ain't for me.' That's a blemish that I will never be able to erase." (https://www.greenmatters.com/p/michael-vick-dogfighting-ring).
Once there, they received constant supervision, positive reinforcement, love and affection from staff and even spent the night at various employee's homes to give them a feeling of family. They lived a very good life while at the Sanctuary and many were able to be deemed fit for adoption, which is what many people were waiting for.
There is a book on Amazon that discusses this event in detail and is a quick read. I highly recommend it. Here is the link to pick it up if you are of a mind to. (I am an affiliate, so I might get a few pennies if you buy through my link)
I also recommend you read several of the posts here and here on this blog about the struggles made by the Vick dogs to be rehabilitated.
Here is a link to an article by the Best Friends Sanctuary about the dogs if you would like to see how they did. They had the best life possible after they were rescued and they proved the resilience and the heart that these dogs possessed.
Unfortunately, all of the Vick Dogs have gone over the Rainbow Bridge and are all now together again. What bothers me though, is that there are so many people who choose to forget Vick's crimes, choose to minimize his crimes, simply don't know anything about his crimes, or were born after the fact and no one educated them on this issue.
Cruelty to animals is a crime, period. It is a legal crime, it is a social crime, it is a personal crime, it is an emotional crime. When will we start teaching our children how to behave with animals so as to prevent such things from every happening again.
Unfortunately, the Vick event did nothing to stop the abuse of animals for fighting rings. It just makes me sick.
Here is a link to read the legal charges filed against Vick and his crew.
Friday, February 10, 2023
Dogs for Veterans with PTSD--still a work in progress
The pilot program will be offered at the following five VA medical centers:
- Anchorage, Alaska.
- Asheville, N.C.
- Palo Alto, Calif.
- San Antonio, Texas.
- West Palm Beach, Fla.
Now I know that our government moves at a snail's pace, but really 10 years to just get it passed and another 5 years to pilot a program that so many veterans need right now? I don't understand this.
If this makes you as mad as it makes me, let your congressman know how you feel about this. With so many dogs wasting away in shelters, pounds, and rescues, this could be a godsend for them as well as the veterans who get them.
Here are two articles about this you might want to check out:
VA shares implementation plan and locations of PAWS Act pilot programKaya, a furry ambassador for veterans and service dogs, has diedFriday, February 3, 2023
Potty Training a Puppy: Why It Can Be So Hard
If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that potty training them can be very difficult. It’s a common challenge that all puppy owners face. It requires a lot of patience and consistency to housebreak a puppy, but it can be done. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why it can be so hard to potty train a puppy, and some tips to make it easier.
- First, it’s important to understand why puppies have such a hard time being house trained.
- Once you understand why potty training a puppy is difficult, you can start to figure out how to make it easier.
- Another important tip to remember is to establish a routine.
- Finally, remember that house training a puppy takes time and patience.
In conclusion, housebreaking a puppy can be a difficult process, but it’s not impossible. The key is to be patient and consistent more than anything. Establish a routine and reward your puppy for going to the bathroom outside. With some patience and dedication, you’ll be able to house break your puppy in no time.
If you are struggling with training your puppy, you may be interested in this training product. In this training guide, you will learn from an experienced trainerwho uses positive reinforcement techniques and fun exercises to help you teach your new family member how to be good.
Another good resource to have for your new puppy is this. Here you can get everything you may need for that puppy and have it delivered right to your door. The prices are very low and the products are quality. Use this resource to take good care of your puppy and to save you money and time.
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Research about dogs in the Pandemic
My dogs kept me sane when our world was insane. I just thought that was me and my babies, but I found this article on the internet that discusses a research project to define and quantify the effect of having a dog on us during this dark period in our lives. It is an interesting article and supports my findings personally. You can read part of this below but do click over to the article to read it all. See if you agree with their conclusions.
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Unsung Heroes of the Pandemic: Dogs
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Dec. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Coping with the isolation, fear and sadness of the pandemic may have been a little easier if you had a trusting and loving dog by your side.
But you don't need to tell that to Francois Martin, a researcher who studies the bonds between animals and humans. His two Great Danes helped him through the last two years, and he just completed a study that shows living with a dog gave folks a stronger sense of social support and eased some of the negative psychological effects of the pandemic.
"When you ask people, 'Why is your dog important to you? What does your dog bring to you?' People will say that it's companionship. It's the feeling of belonging to a group that includes your family dog. It keeps people busy," said Martin, who is section leader for the Behavior and Welfare Group at Nestle Purina in St. Joseph, Mo. "If you have a dog, you have to walk the dog, you have to exercise the dog. It gives you a sense of purpose.
It's "just plain fun," Martin added. "I don't know anybody who is as happy as my dogs to see me every day."
His team saw the pandemic as a unique time to better understand how dogs provide social support to their owners...
(read the entire article here)
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Bronx Dog Fighting Victims Get Second Chance
It's amazing that now, after the Vick dogs rehabilitation, the dogs in these situations are now being looked at for rehabilitation and placement instead of immediate death.
We still have a long way to go to eradicate these rings completely, but this article does show that we are making some progress.
This is from ASPCA blog and bears reading. Be sure to click over and read other entries on this blog. Maybe you could send an email to show your support of the ASPCA's Legal Advocacy team and the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Are your pets prepared for an emergency?
When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, I was aghast at the effect it had on all the pets in New Orleans. I could not believe 1) that people could leave their family pets to fend for themselves or 2) that the search and rescue people would not make arrangements for family pets. I sat and watched those poor animals trying to survive and the look of confusion on their faces was heartbreaking.
So, with the second hurricane now hitting Louisiana, I was very happy to see the improvement. People were leaving with their pets. Rescuers were getting pets as well as people. Much better!
Just because you don't live in a hurricane zone doesn't mean that you can't have a disaster at your location.
Tornados, mud slides, torrential rain and flooding, earthquakes, fires--all these things can happen anywhere. So it is important that you have a plan in place prior to any of these events to protect your family and your pets.
If you need to be evacuated from your home, do you know who will be able to care for your pets? Do you know what shelters will allow you to bring your pets and what you need to be able to bring them? Call ahead and talk to the shelters in your area. Get informed and be prepared to care for your pets when they will really need you to do so. If your area shelters don't take pets, make arrangements with family or friends in another area to harbor your pets until you can do so. Don't leave it up to chance.
Do you have an emergency kit for your pets? You should have one for every member of the family and that should include your pets. Things like medications, food and water for 3 days, medical records and emergency contact numbers, maybe even a pet first aid kit (which you can find online at Amazon), maybe even a pet first aid book to help you do the right thing in an emergency. Do each of your pets have a crate or carrier? I'll bet that to take them to a shelter you will need to have them crated or in a closed carrier.
What will you do if you and your pets become separated? Do you have a recent photo with you? You may need one to identify your pet if found. Be sure your pet has ID tags on with your name and telephone number; that way if someone finds your pet you will be reunited quickly. Maybe now is the time to get that microchip to prepare for future emergencies.
Your pets will be extremely anxious and in need of comforting during any evacuation. Be sure to bring along a favorite toy or favorite sleeping blanket to help your pet deal with the disruption to his everyday routine. When you know that an emergency condition is imminent, bring your pets inside to prevent them from bolting in panic. Don't forget that your pet expects you to look out his interests during an emergency!
I know that I have certainly been making my own arrangements and collecting the appropriate items to make sure that my two babies are cared for in an emergency. How about you?
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