Fuzzy Children

VN00087-20110624-1901.amr

2011-06-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

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Living with a shy dog

2011-04-26T15:48:00.001-07:00

Information adapted from Animal Defense League:

http://www.adltexas.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=11&id=121&Itemid=278

Shy Dog Information

When helping dogs, it's important to be aware that some might have never have been in a home environment before; others might have suffered previous abuse. It takes patience and a kind hand and heart to gain the trust of a shy or fearful dog – but the love of this pet companion can be worth the extra effort. Here is some information that should help in the transition of your new family member.

Bringing A Shy Dog Into Your Home

It may take your new pet a few days to settle in; during this time his appetite may be decreased. If your pet is not eating in the first few days, do not be concerned. After two or three days, if he is still not eating, try to mix in some wet food. If she still does not eat, talk to your vet. Make sure the pet stays hydrated as well. If the dog goes a day without drinking water, talk to your vet.

Some dogs may have never been in a home before. They may be hesitant to go through doorways and go up stairs, walk on carpet, etc... To help them adjust, start them in one room of your home and slowly introduce to new rooms. It is important for you to give them plenty of space. Give her time to explore on her own. Hugging, petting when not wanted will only slow down the socialization process. Let the dog come to you. Once the dog settles in, you can try the "breadcrumb" approach. Lay down some tasty treats in a line starting from far away and line them up in succession closer and closer to you. Eventually putting some treats in your lap. Let the dog take her time picking up the treats. Look away as the dog contemplates taking the treats and walking closer.

Shy dogs also feel better when they perceive that they have a place to escape to. So when sitting in a room with them, don't block the doorway, don't close the door, don't block the entrance to their kennel or crate. You don't want them running out of the house, but let them feel like they can escape to a safe place.

Many abandoned or stray dogs have never been on a leash before. And many of them are very shy about going potty on a leash. But because many of these dogs have never been in a home before, you might have a hard time getting them back in the house if you let them outside to potty off leash. Especially if you have a big yard. Put the dogs on a 20 or 30 foot training leash. Let them drag it around the yard. If you have difficulty getting them to come back in the house, slowly pick up the leash and lead them back in. Never leave a dog on a leash unattended. The potential for injury is too great.

Before you start taking the dog for neighborhood walks, be sure that he or she is comfortable on leash close to your house or in your yard.

When you are ready to go on walks, a slip leash or martingale is a must - with a separate collar with ID tags, rabies tag and microchip tag.

Make sure you have the martingale collar and leash or slip leash securely attached before you open any doors. Always have a good grip on your leash; there can be many things that may scare your new pet on walks. More info on martingale collars here:

http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9347136#36476596.

More info on slip leads here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIY4UTjFjo

Learning how to walk on a leash can take some time. Be very patient. Try to not "drag" the dog. Also note that shaking the leash to get the dog's attention is extremly counter-productive. This frighten a scared dog.

Be very watchful of children around your new shy dog. In a time of fear, dogs have two options: fight or run. If a child corners a shy dog, or takes away her option to run, she may bite. To avoid any possible incidents, make sure to always supervise when children are with a shy dog (or any dog for that matter. No running or screaming. And just like adults, children must give the shy dog plenty of space and time. It is natural for children to be excited about a new pet but they must learn to let the dog come to them.

Have all members of the family be prepared to give small treats to your new pet, and reward your dog every time he comes to sniff or say hi. This will help your new pet feel comfortable with all members of your family.

Pacing and circling can be expected the first few days. These are signals your dog just hasn't quite settled in yet. This should go away as she becomes more comfortable.

It is a good idea to give your new dog a crate. Don't shut the door; just make it nice and comfy inside with food treats and a bed. He may want a quiet place he can go.

Note: Shy dogs should NOT be outside-only dogs. In the beginning, these fur babies may think they want to be outside only. But they don't know how good house living is yet. Leaving a scared dog outside all day, every day will greatly hamper the socialization process.

Once the dog is comfortable with you, comfortable in the house, comfortable on walks, you can start socializing him with other people. Remind people:

- do not look at your dog

- speak in soft tones

- do not talk with hands

- remove hats, shades, backpacks, loud jewelry

- squat, get or their knees or bend down the their heads.

Have others offer your dogs treats, but have them look away when offering.

My basic philosophy when working with or living with a shy dog:

3 main things:

1. Patience - it could take days, weeks, months for a shy dog to come out of her shell. Give them that time. Rushing things will be counter productive

2. Leave them alone - Let the shy dog come to you when he is ready.

3. Keep them secure - keep them far away from open doorways and/or keep barriers in front of doors. Never open the fence gate when they are in the yard, make sure your yard is every secure and never leave them in the yard unattended - at least until they have settled in.

Note, some professionals advise that shy dogs should not have other dogs around because the shy dog needs to learn to depend on humans. I personally know of several cases where the exact opposite is true. I'm not saying adopt a friendly dog just for the scared dog, but I am saying don't isolate the scared dog in an attempt to socialize him. Let the dog have dog friends, human friends, toys, etc.. Dogs are natural social creatures and most humans can't be with their dogs at all time. Let them be around others dogs. It is not only good for socialization, but it can also help them from becoming lonely and board when you are not around.

Related Articles:

Recognizing a shy dog http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_813hht27mdp

Precautions when living with shy dogs: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/11/precautions-when-living-with-shy-dogs.html

Shy Dog Instructions http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddtbr7bw_547ghvs6msr

Approaching, Socializing Shy Dogs - mainly for shelter situations http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/shy-or-unsocialized-dogs-approaching.html

Lost and Found - Rita's Story: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_797dz5c3xft

Escape Artists http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_783f77z5sc3

Rescuing http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_762fvbhqjdk

Tucked Tail http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/tails_02.html

How to make a slip leash http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-make-slip-leash.html

Using a slip leash Part I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIY4UTjFjo

Using a slip leash Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARA7pVgmOq0

Dog Walking Devices: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/dog-walking-devices.html

Lost and Found - ID: martingale collars, etc.. http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9347136#36476596

Good Cop Bad Cop

2011-03-24T16:54:00.001-07:00

I was walking one of my dogs on a nature trail and we came upon another dog and his humans coming towards us from the opposite direction.

The dog was a little reactive so the pet parents (and man and a lady - maybe spouses, I don’t know), pulled the dog over to the side.

The lady rubbed the dog and talked soothingly to him and let him know everything was going to be alright. At the same time, the man talk very sternly, admonishing the dog for reacting.

I thought to myself: “that must be one confused dog!”

Dogs who live with more than one human caretaker are quite lucky in a lot of ways, but when the human caretakers aren’t on the same page when it comes to training, the dogs’ training, even their mental well-being can suffer.

Author, Patricia McConnell, discusses this issue in her book Family Dog Training.

All caretakers must discuss what words, what techniques will be used, then all must agree to be consistent. If Mom tells the dog “down” when she wants the dog off the couch and Dad tells the dog “down” when he wants the dog to stop jumping and daughter says “down” when she wants the dog to lay down, the dog isn’t going to know what down means.

While family members are working on being consistent, try not to be mad at the family dog for not complying with requests. The dog isn’t being defiant or stubborn, or “dominant.” The dog simply doesn’t understand what you want.

Twinkies in Class

2011-03-07T16:33:00.000-08:00

Twinkies in class

The teacher gives the students a note to take home to their parents/legal guardians:

“We will be practicing reward based learning in class tomorrow. We will give out twinkies for correct answers. Because we want your child to be highly motivated to learn, please be sure he/she does not eat breakfast before coming to school. Also be sure to reduce the size of her/his dinner accordingly. We will be giving out lots of twinkies and we don’t want your child to gain weight while learning.”

A little far-fetched no? Then why do we practice this same procedure when training our pets? Those who have attended a formal training class know that I’m talking about. The instructor tells you (rightfully so) to reduce your dog’s regular kibble so he/she doesn’t gain weight and to not feed your dog before class so he/she will be hungry and willing to learn. Great advice. But one thing we need to look out for is what we feed our dogs during training. You don’t want to replace his healthy at-home meal with treats that are laced with sugar, preservatives, artificial coloring etc..

Pet parents are lucky because a lot of things that dogs love are actually good for them – unlike human kids.

I’m actually very lucky (with one of my dogs at least). Matt-Matt will take anything I hand him – even in a highly distracting environment. He is happy to take his own kibble from me, vegetables, fruit etc.. He is even happier to take freeze dried fish, baked chicken, or a grilled sirloin.

Take a good look at that supermarket or pet store treat that you are feeding your dog. Dogs do not need honey, sugar or salt to make something taste better. If manufacturers have these items in the food it probably means that it has been so highly processed that all the real flavor is gone. Not only are these snacks physiologically unhealthy, they can also have an effect on your pets mental well being. Do you feel better or worse after eating a carb heavy or sugar heavy snack? Your dog might have the same issues.

And what’s the deal with the artificial colors? Does your dog really care if that sugar filled snack has the same color as bacon?

So, you’ve made the decision to carefully review your dog’s treat labels. While you are at it, go ahead and take a good long look at the ingredients in your dog’s everyday kibble. Don’t just look at the wholesome pictures of fresh meat, fruits and veggies on the package.

A great unbiased dog food review site is http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

You can click on Index at the bottom of the page to see a list of food reviewed: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog-food-index-a.html

Or click reviews to search for your dog food: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

A good friend recommended this book to me: http://www.amazon.com/Pitcairns-Complete-Guide-Natural-Health/dp/157954973X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299542849&sr=1-1

Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

I’ve only read the first couple of chapters. I’m not endorsing or opposing anything in the book.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/latrenda/2011/03/twinkie-in-class/

Negative Reinforcement Anthem - It's a Hard Knock Life

2011-03-01T17:18:00.001-08:00

It’s a hard knock life for us

It’s a hard knock life for us

Stead of treated, we get tricked

Stead of Kisses, we get kicked

It’s a hard knock life

Sometime they even pinch my ear;

All we ever learn is fear

We get yelled at all day long

Stead of love songs, we get prongs.

Sometimes we even get spanked

And by our necks, we get yanked.

It’s a hard knock life

We get poked and we get choked

And we sometimes get alpha-rolled

I wish I knew what they wanted, I just want to do things right

But all they do is punish, when will they ever see the light?

Some days I want to throw the towel in

Sometimes I want to fight

It’s a hard knock life for us

It’s a hard knock life for us

We’d learn so must faster; if you were nice instead of mean

A home with compassion is what fills our dreams

It’s a hard knock life!

Positive training can’t be beat

Get a clicker and some treats

And watch us perform great feats

It’s a better life!

It’s a better life!

It’s a better life!

2011-02-26T10:53:00.001-08:00

Question: Advice needed for a shy 16 week old puppy

Until you help the pup with her/his fear issues, you are going to have to be extra vigilant around front doors, when on leash walks, and in the back yard.

If the dog is afraid of you, she might try to make a run for it if she has the opportunity. Make sure the pup is in another room or in a crate when you open the front door. Make sure she is walked on slip leash or martingale collar (safer than slip leash) or a harness. A harness if safer that a buckle collar but some dogs can get free from a harness. Dogs can easily slip a buckle collar. But he should wear a buckle collar for ID and the dog should wear ID at all times. Pay attention to the leash at all times, and make sure you have a good grip. If the dog gets spooked on a walk and you aren’t prepared, the leash could easily be dropped. As an added precaution you can attach the leash to your person using a dog walking belt or a euro leash around your waist or across your shoulders.

Never leave the pup outside unattended. A scared dog might try to find a way to get out and it will be hard to catch a dog who is afraid of you.

...

Experts differ slightly the socialization window - that critical window of time when a pup needs to be exposed to new and different people, dogs, experiences, environments so that he/she can grow into a well developed dog. It’s usually somewhere around 6 to 20 weeks.

There is hope for any dog, no matter how old. But the older the dog, the harder the rehabilitation might be and the dog might not ever be completely “normal.”

At age 16 weeks, there is probably still time to turn things around, but you will have to go very slowly or you might make things worse.

Some trainers advocate flooding. I’m completely against this unless absolutely necessary.

A human example of flooding: You have a child who doesn’t know how to swim. You take him out on a boat in the middle of the lake and you toss him in. This child might learn to swim this way or he might develop an unnatural fear of water.

A better way to teach your kid to swim would be to slowly acclimate him/her to water and teach small steps until he is swimming with confidence:
- start with wading in a shallow pool; then have her try ducking her head under water, then hold him above water while he paddles, then try some floaties; then maybe let him try some doggie paddling.

If your puppy is afraid of men, don’t put her in a man’s lap. Instead, slowly desensitize her to the presence of men. Use counter conditioning to make him feel better about men.

Go to a quiet place, have a male subject stand far enough away that the dog doesn’t become fearful or agitated, and pump the puppy full of tasty treats. How far is far enough? It depends on the dog. It could be 300 feet or 20 feet. Watch for signs of stress, anxiety or fear in the dog. If the dog is at all anxious, the man should be further away or you should quit and try again another day.

After the dog is comfortable at a distance of 300 feet, then try 290 feet for a few days, then 280, etc.. As you can see, this will take a while. As men can come closer, try different types of men - tall, short, heavy, thin. Try different clothes, hats or shades. If at anytime the pup becomes fearful, then go back a few steps or quit for the day or even quit for a week if the exercise is too difficult for the dog. Once the man is able to come close enough to toss treats, then have him do so. Once he can come close enough to hand feed the pup, then have him do so.

I just used fear of men as an example because that seems to be common among shy dogs. Your post didn’t mention any specific behaviors that demonstrate your puppy is shy. What ever her fear - men, children, loud noises, being touched, etc.. all can be addressed with desensitization and counter conditioning and patience - lots and lots of patience.

A shy pup is going to need a quiet, calm, patient household. Many shy dogs are also afraid of kids. If children are present, they might have to leave the puppy alone for a while until she feels a little better about her situation. It can be extremely difficult for an adult to not touch a cute puppy. It’s going to be next to impossible for a child, but you will have to persevere. Children (nor adults for that matter) should be making a lot of noise, moving about quickly, etc...while the pup learns new coping skills.

The pup should never be scolded, yelled at, hit, grabbed abruptly, pushed, poked, shaken, alpha rolled, etc.. - well this goes for any dog.

While you don’t want to treat the dog harshly, you also should not coddle the pup. A fearful puppy probably does not want a lot of hugging and snuggling; and you might reinforce some fears if you often sooth the dog when she is afraid. Some comforting (if the puppy actually wants it) can sometimes be okay. Just be careful. See my video on rewarding desireable behaviors and ignoring undesireable behaviors
Also see my video on Things Human Inadvertently Teach Their Dogs

When working with the pup, constantly look for signs of stress: yawning, feet sweating, tail between the legs, trembling, feet sweating, large eyes, dilated pupils, eyes darting back and forth, lots of whites of the eyes showing, panting when it’s not hot, grimacing, tight lips, nose running, inappropriate elimination, etc... An excellent book on deciphering doggie language is On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals. It’s oly 78 pages and it has a lot of pictures. It can easily be read in one sitting.

I mentioned earlier that I don’t like flooding. But there are some times when flooding might be necessary. Soon or later, you pup will have to go to the vet. If he needs a shot, you can’t wait 2 months while the pup learns to trust the vet. Something you can do to minimize the trauma:
While your dog doesn’t need vet care, go into you regular vet’s office for just a couple of minutes and sit there and hand out tasty treats. Pick a time of day when the vet doesn’t have many people in the lobby. Do this every once in a while until your dog needs to actually get shots or have a procedure.

Going to the vet is just one example. There are plenty of things you should be getting your pup use to before needed. Maybe you want her to get acclimated to wearing a muzzle, or getting her collar grabbed, etc.. use desensitisation and counter conditioning as well.

Training can help the pup focus on the something besides her fears. Make the training as hands off as possible. A hands off approach can be much easier for a scared dog but mostly importantly, a hands off approach can help the dog think for herself. Basic obedience commands like sit, stay, lay down, etc.. can be taught through capturing, free shaping and luring. Not need to physically put the pupy into a position and no need to say “eh eh!” when the puppy makes a mistake.

Everything that goes into helping a shy pup can’t be addressed in this one post. A whole book could be written on the subject. And there are several out there. Right now, I’m reading Scaredy Dog! Understanding & Rehabilitating Your Reactive Dog by Ali Brown. I highly recommend it. It gives some great exercises and training tips. It also talks about benevolent leadership and diet. All important factors in helping a scared dog.

Other books I like that touch on this subject:
Click to Calm by Emma Parsons
Fiesty Fido by Patricia McConnell

Why can't I pet your dog?

2011-01-19T12:29:00.001-08:00

Why can't I pet your dog?

If a complete stranger walked up to you and asked, "May I drive your car?" or "May I live in your house?" or "May I have your purse", your response is probably going to be "NO!" Now imagine if the reply to your response is "Why?" How do you answer that question? If this happened to me, I would either ignore the person or respond, "It's my house; I paid for it, I owe you no explanation."

Spiritually, my dogs are my family members; but legally, they are my property. So when I tell someone that they can't pet my dog, can't give my dog a treat, can't approach my dog, etc.. why do I owe some explanation? They are my property; I pay for their food, their vet care, their training, etc..

Let's say that dogs are our family members and not property. If a stranger walked up to you and asked, "May I pick up your kid?" or May I take your kid for a ride?" I'm assuming your response would be a resounding no. Imagine once again if the response from the stranger is "Why?" Do you really owe that person an explanation? But let's say that you do provide a why. Your response might be, "I don't know you, I don't trust you with my kid, and my kid doesn't want to go with you." Now imagine that the well meaning stranger then says "But I'm good with kids; look at your boy, he wants to get in the car with me." How do you now respond to that? Do you owe a response?

So, am I supposed to simply let you touch my dog because you are "good with dogs?" Do I really need to explain why I don't want my family member, my property touched?

If you still need an explanation why certain people don't want strangers touching their dogs, here are just a few

The dog could be in training and strangers approaching the dog might hamper that training
The dog could be shy and afraid of strangers. Some pet owners like to ease their dogs into getting used to new people. Forcing petting on a dog will only make that shyness worse.
The dog might have some nervous issues that might cause him/her to bite if approached incorrectly. The pet parent doesn't want you to get hurt

Additionally, the pet parent doesn't want her dog to get a bad reputation for biting or have to have his/her pet put down for biting. So it's safer for everyone if you keep you distance.

The pet parent might be uncomfortable with strangers even if the dog is comfortable.

If you have a strong desire to pet dogs, instead of insisting that you force yourself on strangers' dogs, here are some other ideas

Volunteer at a local shelter or with a local rescue groups

Sadly there are an abundance of unwanted dogs in this country, so volunteering your time at a shelter will give you a never-ending selection of different dogs to pet. I suggest spending extra time with large black dogs. In general, they tend to have a harder time getting adopted. Even better, ask the staff who hasn't been out of their kennel in a while or ask who gets the least attention, who are the most misunderstood dogs. Then spend time with them.
Look into a dog-related profession

Pet Sitting
Dog Walking
Dog Training
Dog Grooming

Spend time with dogs who belong to friends and family - humans who have given the okay for their dogs to be petted.

Puddin and Shawshank Redmeption

2010-09-28T20:36:00.003-07:00

Puddin and Shawshank Redemption

As you can see in the picture below, Puddin has been working on getting out of the house one scratch at a time -- much like Andy Dufresne, the character in Stephen King's Novella: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. In the book and the movie (The Shawshank Redemption) based on the book, Dufresne spends 20 years tunneling his way to freedom using a tiny rock hammer.

Just like Dufresnse's accomplishment, I had become concerned that 15 years from now, I'd have a little Puddin sized hole in my front door.

Click here or on the link above above the picture below to read more about Puddin and how trying to reduce Matt-Matt's barking might have had a unexpected and positive affect on Puddin's separation anxiety.

Puddin's Separation Anxiety

When Puddin "happened" to me in March 2010, I hadn't planned to have her very long. She gave me painful eczema and who needs a puppy at my age anyway? Since she wasn't going to be there long, I decided to not go through the stress of integrating her into the family (Lupe and Matt-Matt can be tempermental with newcomers - to put it nicely). So we played musical rooms for a while. Puddin would stay in the bedroom in a crate when my dogs were out, then we'd switch. Puddin never complained about being crated or about being alone.

As time went on, for some strange reason, I had trouble finding a good family for Puddin. I didn't want to keep her separate from the the fur kids and me for a long time, so I started integrating her. But because she was a puppy, I still crated her whenever I left the house to keep her out of trouble. As Lupe and Matt-Matt got more used to her and as she proved that she was potty trained, I started letting her stay out longer and longer. For some reason it seemed that the more freedom I gave her, the more upset she became about being crated when it was time to go into the crate.

Eventually she got to the point of fretting terribly; and she produced excessive drool (her fur would be soaked in it by the time I got home). She could have easily become dehydrated.

So I started doing everything the books/articles/professionals told me to do i.e. not making a big deal of going and coming, acclimating her to the crate, feeding her only in the crate, food puzzles, classical music, ticking clock, pando music, dog appeasing pheromones, short trips, covering her crate, moving her fromm a larger crate to a smaller crate, wire crate, plastic crate, calming herbs, etc..etc.. but she continued to get worse.

I read a couple of articles that said dogs with separation anxiety will often panic when crated. So I made the decision to let her have full run of the house with the rest of the dogs. When I'd come home from work, I'd find toilet tissue and chewed shoes in the living room, but no drool. I left a video camera running when I went to work -- filmed her in the crate and outside the crate. The video of her inside the crate was hard to watch (she would fret and drool and try so hard to set herself free. But she was fine free in the house (other than getting into typical puppy trouble)

Soo, problem solved right? Well, for some reason, she'd do fine when I went to work (going out the door to the garage) but she still fretted, drooled and scratched the front door when I'd take one of the other dogs out for a walk. Hence the Shawshank Redemtpion Door. I videoed the front door during a dog walk and saw that she fretted the entire time that we were out.

So, if I leave out the garage door, I'm gone for 5 or 6 hours at a time and she doesn't fret at all - not even when I first leave. But when I go out the front door on a dog walk for as little as 20 minutes, she frets terribly. What's the difference? It would seem that she'd be more upset about me leaving to go to work. It didn't matter which dog I'd take out, and I'd always leave at least one dog behind with her so she wasn't alone when I went on walks. And surely she'd know that the garage door meant gone for a long time and the front door meant gone for a short time (some separation anxiety articles talk about a "safe door" - a way to let your dog know when you are returning so they know what to expect).

Matt-Matt's Excessive Barking

Switch to Matt-Matt and his excessive and annoying barking when he is happy/excited. I thought I was doing the right things to stop Matt-Matt's barking, but we have been doing exactly the same thing for the past 3.5 years with the same results. I grab a leash, he barks excessively. I stand there holding the leash and wait for him to sit and be quiet. Then I attach the leash and we go. Lupe even knew that Matt-Matt was holding up our dog walking time. She'd put her mouth over Matt-Matt's mouth and bite down in an attempt to shut him up.

After reading Turid Rugaas's book - Barking: The Sound of Language. I realized that Matt-Matt knows, "I bark, I stop, I go for a walk" Also Turid says that I can't issue any commands or talk to Matt-Matt at all. I can't even ask him to sit. I can use hand signals but I can't talk. I also can't look at him when he is barking because that means attention.

So, I stopped all talking when going out for a walk. Which means I stopped telling the others: "wait", "go back", "no" (when they try to cross the barrier). I just show them the palm of my hand and turn my head. If someone gets past the barrier, I calmly and quietly put a slip leash on the offender and walk him/her back to the other side of the barrier then go back to calmly and quietly leashing whomever was going for a walk.

The hardest part about being completely quiet was not praising the dog who who does what she is supposed to do. Lupe goes right to the door, sits calmly and waits for the leash to be attached. Since I couldn't talk at all, I just petted her as I attached the leash.

Back to Puddin's Separation Anxiety

Well Matt-Matt stilled barked excessively. But a strange thing happened. When I got back from my walk, there was no puddle of drool at the front door. This happened 3 nights in a row (I'm being consistent).

So I don't way a word, no drool. Talking to everyone, drool.

When I leave for work, I quietly tell everyone that I love them, tell them what time I plan to return, and I give them a "job" then I leave without any fanfare.

But taking one or two dogs for a walk was a huge fanfare. I'm telling dogs to stay and not cross the barrier, I'm praising dogs for doing what I say. I'm saying a lot of unnecessary things like - "Lupe. You just went for a walk. It's Murphy's turn now"

So although I knew that for dogs with separation anxiety, you don't make a big deal about leaving the house, I was still doing it every time I took the dogs for walk.

There is still chaos when I go for walks; Matt-Matt is still barking; and Puddin is still trying to get past the barrier when it's not her turn, but least for now, there is no puddle of drool on the floor when I return. I'll see if things improve as I work on my own will power to be quiet. And of course I need to continue my education on dogs and how to help them using positive techniques.

Epilogue

Tonight made the 4th night of me not talking at all when taking the dogs for a walk. After my first trip, I came back home to a little bit of drool. Not nearly as much as before. I turned on my video camera for the first walk, but Puddn knocked it over in her zeal to get past the barrier. Puddin went on my 2nd round of walks. Then I took Murphy out for the 3rd and last walk of the evening. I put the video camera on a tripod and was able to film the door as I was gone. No drooling, no scratching at the door. She doesn't look happy of course, but we seem to be getting somewhere.

Poor Lupe, I didn't know that she stood at the door, cocking her head and listening for every little sound that might be me coming home :(

Here is the video. It's 25 minutes condensed to under 3 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5cbxmJ9ykI

Further Info/Resources

The Shawshank Redemption

Excellent movie and book. Not your typical Stephen King - no psychotic clowns or psychic prom queens drenched in blood, but it's not for the squeamish and definitely not for the human children. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shawshank_Redemption. Warning - it summarizes the entire story :)

Barrier

The barrier I use in front of my door is a 3 in 1 metal SuperYard. It doesn't really stop the dogs from getting to the door but it does slow them down. It can also be used as a playpen for smaller dogs or puppies. I purchased mine from Home Depot. See a Walmart Photo here

Separation Anxiety

No long, sorrowful goodbyes. No excited hellos. This can make SA worse. Some dogs do better in a crate when they have SA. Some do worse. Start with short trips so your dog will know that you are returning. Some people have said Dog Appeasing Pheromones have helped their dogs. Others say that some natural remedies like bach flower essences work. I strongly caution against using psychotropic drugs unless you have fully exhausted all other avenues and the dog is about to hurt him/herself. These drugs can have negative affects on a dog's liver. Come to an SA Big Dawgs training session and talk to Jimmy for some great advice.
Great article on separation anxiety here. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2865. It explains the excessive drooling. But I do caution strongly against the pyschotropic drugs (clomicalm, reconcile) unless 100% absolutely necessary. Exhaust everything else first.

Puddin and Shawshank Redmeption

2010-09-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

Puddin and Shawshank Redemption

Just like Dufresnse's accomplishment, I had become concerned that 15 years from now, I'd have a little Puddin sized hole in my front door.

Puddin's Separation Anxiety

Eventually she got to the point of fretting terribly; and she produced excessive drool (her fur would be soaked in it by the time I got home). She could have easily become dehydrated.

Matt-Matt's Excessive Barking

Back to Puddin's Separation Anxiety

So I don't way a word, no drool. Talking to everyone, drool.

When I leave for work, I quietly tell everyone that I love them, tell them what time I plan to return, and I give them a "job" then I leave without any fanfare.

So although I knew that for dogs with separation anxiety, you don't make a big deal about leaving the house, I was still doing it every time I took the dogs for walk.

Epilogue

Poor Lupe, I didn't know that she stood at the door, cocking her head and listening for every little sound that might be me coming home :(

Here is the video. It's 25 minutes condensed to under 3 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5cbxmJ9ykI

Further Info/Resources

The Shawshank Redemption

Excellent movie and book. Not your typical Stephen King - no psychotic clowns or psychic prom queens drenched in blood, but it's not for the squeamish and definitely not for the human children. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shawshank_Redemption. Warning - it summarizes the entire story :)

Barrier

The barrier I use in front of my door is a 3 in 1 metal SuperYard. It doesn't really stop the dogs from getting to the door but it does slow them down. It can also be used as a playpen for smaller dogs or puppies. I purchased mine from Home Depot. See a Walmart Photo here

Separation Anxiety

No long, sorrowful goodbyes. No excited hellos. This can make SA worse. Some dogs do better in a crate when they have SA. Some do worse. Start with short trips so your dog will know that you are returning. Some people have said Dog Appeasing Pheromones have helped their dogs. Others say that some natural remedies like bach flower essences work. I strongly caution against using psychotropic drugs unless you have fully exhausted all other avenues and the dog is about to hurt him/herself. These drugs can have negative affects on a dog's liver. Come to an SA Big Dawgs training session and talk to Jimmy for some great advice.
Great article on separation anxiety here. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2865. It explains the excessive drooling. But I do caution strongly against the pyschotropic drugs (clomicalm, reconcile) unless 100% absolutely necessary. Exhaust everything else first.

Pyrometra is a serious infection of t...

2010-09-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

Pyrometra is a serious infection of the uterus. If not treated quickly and aggressively the dog will die. Sometimes the dog still dies after surgery. And the surgery (plus hospital time) can cost in the thousands of dollars. This can happen to dogs who have never had puppies. The only way to prevent this horrible disease is spaying.

A dog who developes pyrometra must be spayed to fix the problem. But this type of spaying is much more dangerous for several reasons -

- the doctor has to perform emergency surgery on a sick, unstable dog

- the doctor must remove a puss filled uterous that is many many times it's normal size.

- the surgery is much more dangerous and complicated

From Veterinary Partner.com http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=584

"..spaying, is one of the most significant aspects of female dog care an owner can provide. The benefits to the dog FAR outweigh simply not having puppies, though as pet over-populations looms as a societal problem it is important to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem....

[Pyrometra] is an extremely common disease of unspayed female dogs.

Without treatment the dog will die.

Treatment is expensive"

This site includes a non graphic drawing depicting a regular uterus vs a uterus with prometra.

Warning. Extremely Graphic Photos of Pyrometra in the following website

This site shows typical discharge and a picture of an infected uterus

http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/pyometra.htm

Next to the last picture on this site shows a picture of an extremly large infected uterus

http://www.lbah.com/canine/spay.html

For more info on Petcare:

Talk to you vet

Check out Veterinary Partner: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/

See my Pet Care Education Blog: http://petcareeducation.blogspot.com/

My Reactive Dog

2010-09-21T09:25:00.001-07:00

Culebra Park is Worth the Trip

Some of you have met my special little red dog, Matt-Matt. He really is a good boy. He just gets a little over stimulated sometimes and he can be a little reactive on leash at times. His Mom (me) is mostly to blame because I worry about him and of course he picks up on that. Sometimes I hold the leash to tightly. That reduces his movement, affects his body language and can make him more nervous, thus reacting more.

Another issue I have that most humans have is attributing my human emotions on to his actions: My other 3 dogs enjoy meetups so it's not fair to keep Matt-Matt away from meetups (in my mind). So because I felt bad about not taking him out, I have taken him to dog walking meetups even though they stressed him - of course if he's stressed, I'm stressed, and if I'm stressed he's stressed and so on and so forth.

I'm not saying one shouldn't take their reactive dogs to meetups but for Matt-Matt's sake, I should keep him far enough at a distance so the he feels comfortable - far away enough that he doesn't feel the need to lunge or bark at others. I've been telling people about Karen Pryor and how dogs should take baby steps but I've been a hypcrit because I have been tossing pour Matt-Matt direclty into meetups where he is surrounded from all sides by dogs.

I finally realized my mistake when I was reading a book by Turd Rugaas - Barking: the Sound of a language. It wasn't even the words in the book that got to me. It was a picture on page 31 of the book. Caption: "Standing with your dog at a distance watching other dogs is a good strategy". The picture shows several dogs in a large field (much like Culebra) with one person standing far away with his dog. The dog standing far way looks very calm and the handler also looks relaxed. At that moment I decided that is what Matt-Matt needed.

I had not driven out to Culebra park before simply because I hate driving (for many reasons) and I have 3 other dogs at home. I like to make my individual trips short so that I can get back to the other dogs. But after looking at the picture, I felt like the long trip (over an hour) would be worth it.

Not only was it worth it, it exceeded my expectations. Matt-Matt was calmer, more relaxed and so was I. We started at the other end of the field. He did so well that we moved closer than I expected that we could in one day. He never barked, lunged, glared, stared, or even stiffened. I know that Matt-Matt isn't going to be cured in one day, mind you. Maybe he won't ever enjoy a close-up meetup with a bunch of dogs. But that's okay. I want to do what makes him happy, not what makes my other dogs happy; not what makes me happy. Just like humans, every dog is an individual. Some humans love to go to night clubs, get loud and party with their friends. I prefer a quiet evening at home with the fur kids.

Will your reactive dog be able to move as close as Matt-Matt and I did on Sunday? Maybe not or maybe you could have moved in closer. It depends on the dog. We have to be patient.

If your dog is reactive, I urge you to take the trip at least once, start at the other end of the field, give your dog a bunch of good treats. Maybe even issue some commands. You might be pleasantly suprised.

So what are some general ways you can help your reactive dog:

● Check your own behaviors.

○ Do you hold the leash too tightly? Restricting your dog’s head movement? Do you get nervous for your dog when other dogs/humans come around. Your perceptive doggie is going to feel this and react accordingly

○ Do you scold your dog for aggressing? Yanking your dog harshly and repeatedly on the neck when she aggresses? Do you poke your dog, yell at your dog, kick your dog, hit your dog when she aggresses? This type of behavior tells your dog that when another dog is around, bad things are going to happen to him, thus making his reactiveness worse

● Don’t alter his/her body parts

○ Dogs communicate with other dogs with their ears, their tails and the entire bodies. Alternating a dog’s body parts can affect how they communicate. So besides pain, surgical complications, etc.. shortening, cropping, docking ears/tails can have an adverse affect on their relationships with other dogs

■Of course this isn’t going to happen all the time. But if your dog is prone to be reactive, cropping certainly isn’t going to help. Dr Stanly Coren (in his book: How to Speak Dog) speaks of a friend’s dog who had to get his tail docked for a medical necessity. The dog got into a lot more scuffles afterwards. It may not affect how your dog reacts but it is going to affect how other dogs react to your dog. Which isn't going to help a dog who is already reactive

■Of course there are occasionally medical reasons to do this. Make sure the medical reason is sound and is a last resort. Example. If a dog constantly gets ear infections, you can clean the ears daily or use an ear sock to open up the ears rather than cropping.

● Don’t throw your dog into the lake.

○ This is a figureative way for me to say, don’t set your dog up for failure. Example. Your human child doesn’t know how to swim, you don’t throw him into the lake. This will probably make him afraid of water for the rest of his life rather than teach him how to swim. Instead of throwing your child into the lake, you take baby steps. First you get your child to wade in the water. Then you get her comfortable with putting her head under water. Then maybe you help her float while holding her. Then maybe you let her dog paddle a little....etc.

The same can be said of your dog. If you know that your dog is reactive or nervous around other dogs, tossing your poor baby into a dog park is not only not going to help, it might make your dog’s reactiveness worse
Forcing your dog to meet other dogs when she is nervous or aggressing is also not going to help. Take baby steps, start at a distance far away enough to where your dog feels comfortable. If this is 300 feet away, so be it. There is no rush. Take your time moving up to 250 feet, 200 feet, 198 feet, etc..
Learn about body language and don’t force your dog to do things that might get him into trouble. For instance face to face meetings can cause problems. Holding the leash too tightly, restricting your dog’s movement can cause problems

● Spay/Neuter your dog

So many reasons to get your dog fixed. Including aggression issues. You see it all time. People get a puppy who is sweet and loves everyone but for some strange reason, at about 1 year to 15 months, this normally sweet dog starts reacting to other dogs (and sometimes humans) negatively. One of the factors mostly likely is hormones. It’s never to late to get your dog fixed, but the earlier, the better. Talk to your vet about a how early is acceptable.

Read everything you can from Turid Rugaas. Excellent resource for postive reinforcement and understanding and appreciating natural dog behaviors http://www.canis.no/rugaas/
Then read everything you can from Karen Pryor: http://www.clickertraining.com/

My favorites thus far - Click to Calm by Pryor/Parsons, Barking: The Sound of a Language by Rugaas, and My Dog Pulls by Rugaas

Related Articles/Links on positive reinforcment, reactive dogs, dog socialization, etc..

San Antonio Big Dawgs - Dog Meetup Group: http://sabigdawgs.com
Karen Pryor - Clicking with Canines http ://www .clickingwithcanines .com /id 33.html
Introduce your dog to another dog in 10 easy steps - Post on SA Big Dawgs: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9699044/0#37551542
Dog Aggression - An enlightening Article - SA Big Dawgs Post: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9498186/0#36921829
Fenceline Aggression - SA Big Dawgs Post about Youtube channel Kiko Pup- excellent resource for positive training: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9411093/0#36905037
Walking a Reactive Dog: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_816hptgp5gf
Pet Care Education Blog: http://petcareeducation.blogspot.com/

Loose Leash Walking: Harnesses Are Not Evil

2010-09-21T06:34:00.001-07:00

Poem - It's Only Natural

2010-09-16T07:45:00.003-07:00

Poem - It's Only Natural

So your dog chewed up your shoe

He didn't do it because he was mad at you

To him, it was the same as a raw hide chew

Chewing is natural; dogs behave this way

Next time, put your shoes away

Did your dog pee on the rug?

Don't get mad, instead give her a hug

And apolgize for the long time that had passed

Since the last time you let her out on the grass

I'ts natural for dogs to pee

Dogs need to potty just like you and me

Think about it

Do you wait 8 hours before a bathroom visit?

Does your dog bark a lot?

Making the nieghbors call the cops

Don't get mad

It's natural for dogs to strike a chord; it's the way they talk

Maybe Spike is bored; take him for a walk

Let your dog live inside with you

He might be barking because he's lonely and blue

Did your dog dig holes in your manicured lawn?

Maybe she was bored while you were gone

It's only natural for dogs to dig holes

So don't yell or scold

Insted get a sand box where she can explore and play

Then out of your prized flower bed is where she might stay

So the next you think your dog is acting up

Stop and think that maybe he's acting like a normal pup

Instead of getting angry; take a picture, share, laugh it up

Then take a newspaper, roll it up,

The hit yourself on the head for not properly and positively training your pup

http://www.dogbreedsaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/istock_photo_of_dog_chewing_womans_shoes.jpg

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv229/latrenda12/matt-mattdigging.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4794892111_ab8011a312.jpg

Poem - It's Only Natural

2010-09-16T07:45:00.001-07:00

Poem - It's Only Natural

So your dog chewed up your shoe

He didn't do it because he was mad at you

To him, it was the same as a raw hide chew

Chewing is natural; dogs behave this way

Next time, put your shoes away

Did your dog pee on the rug?

Don't get mad, instead give her a hug

And apolgize for the long time that had passed

Since the last time you let her out on the grass

I'ts natural for dogs to pee

Dogs need to potty just like you and me

Think about it

Do you wait 8 hours before a bathroom visit?

Does your dog bark a lot?

Making the nieghbors call the cops

Don't get mad

It's natural for dogs to strike a chord; it's the way they talk

Maybe Spike is bored; take him for a walk

Let your dog live inside with you

He might be barking because he's lonely and blue

Did your dog dig holes in your manicured lawn?

Maybe she was bored while you were gone

It's only natural for dogs to dig holes

So don't yell or scold

Insted get a sand box where she can explore and play

Then out of your prized flower bed is where she might stay

So the next you think your dog is acting up

Stop and think that maybe he's acting like a normal pup

Instead of getting angry; take a picture, share, laugh it up

Then take a newspaper, roll it up,

The hit yourself on the head for not properly and positively training your pup

http://www.dogbreedsaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/istock_photo_of_dog_chewing_womans_shoes.jpg

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv229/latrenda12/matt-mattdigging.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4794892111_ab8011a312.jpg

Press Releases Media Contacts

2010-08-14T21:14:00.001-07:00

(Event)

ASAP

(Published last Monday of each month in S.A. Life)

Media Contact:

Contact Information:

Date Sent:

Year at a Glance/What’s Happening

lhughes@express-news.net

yearglance@express-news.net

Community Calendar Listing

(Sent out 1 month in advance)

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Date Sent:
Coffee News	kimfolse@gmail.com
WOAI	http://www.woai.com/ugc/cat/community/default.aspx
AAPAW	events@aapaw.org
Rose Mary Budge	rmbudge@gmail.com
Cathy Rosenthal	cathy@petpundit.com
Julie Ruff	Julie.ruff@gmail.com
SA Dog List	sadoglist.com/calendar/dog-event-calendar.php
What’s Happening	MySA – http://www.mysanantonio.com/calendar/submit_calendar SAPaws – http://www.mysanantonio.com/calendar/submit_calendar Username: need E-mail: need Password: need
Milton Glueck	memphismilt@yahoo.com Milton@klup.com
Kens5	http://www.kens5.com/neighborhoods/north/ http://www.kens5.com/neighborhoods/events/submit.html http://www.kens5.com/greatday/whatshappening/


SA Communities- (Primetime Newspapers) (Herald, North SA Times, The Recorder Bargain Book, Southside Reporter, Bulverde Community News, The Hill Country News)	mbarragan@primetimenewspapers.com North San Antonio Times Cheryl Cantu- CCantu@express-news.net Southside Reporter Paul Davis- PDavis@primetimenewspapers.com Northwest Weekly Pat Harvey- PHarvey@express-news.net Northeast Herald Bulverde News JISD and SCUCISD Linda Hardin- LHardin@primetimenewspapers.com Hill Country View Linda Hardin- LHardin@primetimenewspapers.com SA Classifieds Mickey Urias- MUrias@primetimenewspapers.com Military Papers Paul Davis- PDavis@primetimenewspapers.com North Central News FIESTA® Magazine Matt Morre- mmorre@primetimenewspapers.com 210SA Matt Morre- mmorre@210sa.com
San Antonio Current	saclendar@sacurrent.com
Express-News	features@express-news.net
Time Warner Communications	http://www.timewarnercable.com/sanantonio/community/calendarform.html
Channel 20	commcal@satexas.rr.com
Express-News	Rose Mary Budge – rmbudge@gmail.com
La Prensa	Daniel@laprensasa.com
Fox29	news@kabb.com Focus on South Texas – focus@kabb.com
KVDA-TV Channel 60 Telemundo

KTSA	Non Profit Event call in on Fridays before events at 8.35am – 599-5555 ask for Elaine Rodriguez ktsanews@bordermedia.com
KSAT
Citizens for Pound Reform	cprexchange@yahoogroups.com
Y100 FM	http://y100fm.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
Clear Channel – (E-mail) WAOI 1200 AM KAJA 97.3 FM KQXT 102 FM KZEP 104.5 FM Mix 96.1 FM 7 Altogether!	ginamacias@clearchannel.com http://radio.woai.com/pages/community_calendar.html Bill Rohde – billrohde@clearchannel.com Stephanie Boullosa – stephanieboullosa@clearchannel.com http://www.kj97.com/pages/community_calendar.html http://www.softrock1019.com/pages/community_calendar.html http://www.kzep.com/pages/community_calendar.html http://www.mix961.com/pages/community_calendar.html
KONO FM 101.1	http://kono1011.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html Dave.rios@coxradio.com & davidgarias@att.net (send to both) Sheila.dipprey@coxradio.com
KELZ 106.7 FM	http:// markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
KEDA 1540 AM – Spanish (E-mail)	http://www.kedaradio.com/upcomingevents.htm albert.davila@sbcglobal.net
KGNB 1420 AM – (E-mail) KNBT 92.1 FM	darleendixon@knbtfm.com http://www.kgnb.com/calendar.php http://www.knbtfm.com/calendar.php
KISS FM 99.5	http://kissrocks.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
KSMG FM 105.3	http://magic1053.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
Texas Public Radio – (E-mail) KSTX 89.1 KPAC 88.3 KTXI 90.1	psa@tpr.org http://www.tpr.org/programs/calendar.html#23 http://www.tpr.org/programs/calendar.html#23 http://www.tpr.org/programs/calendar.html#23
Univision – Spanish KROM Estereo Latino 92.9 FM 1350 AM 95X FM The Beat 98.5 FM KXTN 107.5 FM	Can’t post public events - Michelle Aquart
KCYY FM 100.3	http://y100fm.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
KKYX AM 680	http://kkyx.com/markets/sanantonio/event_guide/psa.html
SA Calendar Calendar Texas	http://www.sacalendar.com/community_cal.cfm (SA Calendar forwards to Calendar Texas) www.CalendarTexas.com

Flyers: send to VCA Animal Hospital - Michelle.Beach@vcamail.com

PSA

(Sent out 2-3 weeks in advance)

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Date Sent:
KSYM
Texas Public Radio	psa@tpr.org
KLUP	Milton@klup.com memphismilt@yahoo.com
MAGIC 105.3	roxanne.larson@coxradio.com Christina.Olivarez@coxradio.com
KTSA/Jack FM	ERodriguez@bmpradio.com
KONO 101FM	david.lozano@cox.com Sheila.Dipprey@coxradio.com
KCYY 100.3FM	david.lozano@cox.com
KKYX 680 AM	david.lozano@cox.com
KELZ 106.7FM	Ryan.Chadek@coxradio.com
WOAI 1200 AM	billrohde@clearchannel.com
KZEP

Photography Requests

(Sent out 2-3 weeks in advance)

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Date Sent:
San Antonio Express-News On The Scene	features@express-news.net
San Antonio Women’s Magazine


KWEX Channel 41 Univision	Keyhla Calderon-Lugo kcalderon@univision.net

La Prensa

Press Release

(Sent out 2 weeks in advance)

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Date Sent:


KVDA-TV Channel 60 Telemundo
KWEX Channel 41 Univision	kcalderon@univision.net

KSAT	news@ksat.com
Fox29	news@kabb.com
Kens5	news@kens5.com
WOAI	newsdesk@woaitv.com

Invite

(Sent out day before or day of event)

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Date Sent:
KSAT	news@ksat.com
Fox29	news@kabb.com
Kens5	news@kens5.com
WOAI	newsdesk@woaitv.com

Special News:

Media Contact:	Contact Information:	Topic:	Date Sent:

Express-News – City Desk	citydesk@express-news.net 210-250-3171

Rescue Resources Foster Training

2010-08-10T09:03:00.001-07:00

">

Call for Papers; Invitation to Attend; Invitation to Provide Materials; Invitation to Send Volunteers

Dear Rescues, Volunteers and Fosters, Potential Volunteers and Fosters

On August 13, 2010 from 7:30 to 10:00 PM I will be hosting a dog socialization and foster training meetup at McAllister Park Pavilion # 3. The training will start at 8:15 and dogs are invited to come with their parents to the training. This learning session is for everyone. Information will be provided for those who have never fostered before or for those who are thinking about rescuing. But it would be great to have experienced fosters and rescues at the training to provide input. This might also be a great opportunity to recruit fosters.

I had originally scheduled this session to start at 7:30 PM because I wanted us to walk together before the training starts. Because the temeratures will be reaching 100 during the week of the session, I've decided to cancel the official walk. The training will still start at 8:15. Folks who want to arrive at 7:30 can walk on their own or or socialize under the pavilion before training starts. Or folks can just arrive at 8:15.

The pavilion has lights, but participants might want to bring a flashlight in case there is a malfunction or if electricity is out.

If there seems to be interest from the public, I will hold these regularly. I'm also hoping to host other trainings - how to get and edit petfinder pages, how to find fosters and volunteers, etc.. info for new rescuers, folks thinking about rescuing, etc..

I will be asking you for input, inviting you etc.. in the future for other trainings.

The Non Profit folks are already doing a terrific job of providing info on fundraising, 501 C3 etc..

If you plan to attend or plan to invite others to attend, please have everyone RSVP for the training at

http://www.meetup.com/rescue-resources/calendar/13800906/.

The Pavilion can only hold about 40 people so I want to keep a handle on how many come. I really don't foresee a concern, but running out of space would be a nice problem to have

Snacks and drinks are allowed during the session

Dog are allowed during the session

Please no smoking

McAllister Pavilion Map - http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapar/pdf/McAllisterParkPavilionMap.pdf

Rescue Organizations - Invitation to Attend/Provide Materials

I would love for you to attend, introduce yourselves, provide input and bring handouts, business cards etc.. In order to save money, I don't plan to bring any handouts of my own. I do plan to have info available online for anyone who wants to print info before the training.

Rescuers, Foster Parents - Call for Papers

I could use use your help to put together a lesson plan for fosters and potential fosters. NLT July 10, 2010, please forward to rescue.connections@yahoo.com anything you'd like to see in a 1 to 2 hour training program. I will try to put together your ideas into a lesson plan by July 16, 2010 then send back out to you for comments. I will ask for final responses to be sent NLT one week later.

Suggested Topics - please send info on one, some, or all of the below topics or create your own topic or simply forward any lesson plans you have already written. When putting together info - remember: Common sense isn't always common :)

If you don't have info to provide but have ideas on topics that should be presented (that aren't listed below), please send.

To people new to rescue, fostering: Please let me know if there is a subject that you would like to discuss (if it isn't listed below)

INTRO

What is Foster

Why Foster

For Whom can you foster?

Emotions

- Will you be able to give the pet back

- Will you be able to give the pet to new parents

Types of Fosters

- Adults

- Babies

- Medical

- Behavioral

Do you have time to Foster

- Work

- School

- Family

- Personal pets

Do you have space to Foster

- Spare bedroom

- Spare bathroom

Are you allowed to Foster

- Municipalities

--rescues please provide your city's rules on fostering/number of animals in home here - especially those folks outside of

San Antonio - either temporarily or permanent, adults babies, cats, dogs, etc..

Does your municipality have breed restrictions

- Homeowners insurance - i.e. pitties, rotties, shepherds, etc..

- Homeowner Associations

- Apartment managers, landlord

SAFETY

REQUIREMENTS TO BE A FOSTER

- Own pets must be vaccinated

- each group has a screening process

- ???

FINANCES

- What you can expect to spend

- What the rescue groups might provide

BASIC CARE- including legal requirements for animals

- Tethering

- Inside Vs Outside

- Potty Breaks

- Kenneling/Crating (really want to hear your views on how long healthy dogs and cats can be kenneled. Of course sick ones are a different issue

-- Time limits

-- correct size

-- Wire vs Plastic

- Grooming

- Feeding

- Exercise

- Secure yard

SOCIALIZATION

TRAINING

NEONATAL CARE

ISSUES

- Separation Anxiety

- Unsocialized/Shy

- Aggression

- Humans

- Other animals

- Food/Resource

MISCELLANEOUS

- Summer Safety

- Winter Safety

- Good citizen

- barking dogs

- at large dogs/cats

Thanks

La Trenda

210-649-0391

http://rrc.petfinder.com

http://www.facebook.com/aapawfans

Anthropomorphizing

2010-08-09T06:23:00.001-07:00

Definitely Cesar's theory.

When I used to talk to kids in schools, I used to use human analogies to try to make kids understand how important it is that dogs get attention: "What if you were left outside all alone in a yard all day with no one to play with..wouldn't you try to leave and find some friends?" And I use terms like fur babies and fur kids because I respect the fact that they are sentient and have feelings. But I respect the fact that they not humans (in a some ways, they are better).

I would further argue the point that treating dogs like humans and spoiling dogs is two different things. And I would argue that some spoiling is okay dependingon the situation. You have bad and good parents of humans and dogs. Example:

Parent 1

You take your 3 year old to the store. He has a temper tantrum because he wants some candy. You pick him up, hug him and give him some candy because that's what he wants and you love him. You are well meaning, but you did the wrong thing. If you continue on this path, this kid is going to have troubles.

Parent 2: You kid has a temper tan-drum. You completely ignore the behavior (kids crave attention, good or bad). When he settles down, you take him home and discuss his behavior. You tell him that you love him and it's because you love him that you have to set bounderies. You take away his TV priviledges for the night.

Parent 3: Your kid has a temper tandrum. You yell and hit the kid - hard. You drag him out the store, drive him home and yell at him the whole way. You yell at him some more at home and hit him some more and withhold food for the rest of the day.

So what if this kid were instead a dog begging for food from your plate.. barking at you and you trying to snatch your food.

Parent 1: You pet the dog, and hand him your table scraps

Parent 2: You completely ignore the dog while you are eating. When you are done eating, you take some very small appropriate dog treats and go outside with your dog and work on some games or tricks.

Parent 3: You hit your dog, or yell at your dog

Of course all humans and dogs are individuals, but just based on these scenarios:

Kid1 and Dog1 are going to be neurotic and spoiled;

kid3 and dog3 will either wind up aggressive or fearful (or both).

Kid2 and dog2 might wind up to be well rounded, intelligent and calm.

There are different levels of spoiled. Lupe, Matt-Matt and Puddin know that we don't go for a walk until they are sitting at the door quietly - discipline. But they are encouraged to sleep with me (spoiled).

(I dont make Murphy sit or lay down. His hips are bad. Thinking about trying to teach him "take a bow." I think he can do that without exascerbating something).

So discipline is important with humans and dogs.

----

I see pet parents do this with large and small dogs: The dog barks or growls, the pet parent hugs the dog and says "it's all right". On the other extreme, the pet parent hits the dog, hard. Neither is appropriate for dogs nor humans. The first one is rewarding bad behavior.

In that respect, I don't believe in coddling. But some folks would take that further to say that you never comfort a scared dog. If my dog wants to cuddle up to me during a thunderstorm and I let him, is that really going to make him neurotic and aggressive? I don't think so.

On more thing about treating dogs as humans. I also feel that the little dogs' problems are not from being treated like humans, but from being treated like "pets;" and when I say pets here I mean it in a demeaning and non respectable way. The little purse dogs are an accessory, something to amuse us. The don't get enough exercise because they are being carried all the time; they get used to be carried all the time so they want to be up high in their parents arms all the time - away from all the dangers and stressors in the world. They never learn to cope.

But once again, I wouldn't take that too far. When I fostered Louie, he was sick and his eyes hurt a lot. I carried him around all the time. He'd fall asleep in my arms. When he got better, he wanted to go for walks and play fetch; so that's what we did. He wasn't interested in cuddling anymore

Something I noticed about Cesar and something I've seen from other trainers who are a little harsh. They complain about people like us who see dogs as humans, then they use human analogies. In Cesars book, he goes on and on about wolves this and packs that. Then at another part in the book he compares the importance of discipline to himself. He said that he was a really awful husband and no matter how much his wife loved him, he didn't change... until she set boundaries and limitations. ( I guess she didn't set enough since they are divorced now :)

I do agree that small "cute" dogs get way with a lot more. Sometimes much too much. But I wouldn't paint small dogs with a broad brush. While there might be a dominate, neurotic chihuhua jumping up on me out of disrespect, there is Puddin who is trying to say hello (not just saying that because she's mine )

One last argument. If we did see our dogs as humans, we would leave them outside all day in the cold and heat. We wouldn't make them live in garage or chain them 24/7 nor give them away when the become inconvenient

Outside Dogs are not good watch dogs

2010-08-09T06:07:00.001-07:00

Outside Dogs are not good watch dogs

I'm so sorry for the dogs, for you, for the neighbors. Especially the dogs.

Have you tried to show them how a dog is a much better protector in the house?

I never understood the logic of an outside guard dog. If a dog barks non stop outside all day, how do residents and neighbors know which barking means something and which ones don't.

A robber (or worse) could be in the house and the poor dog is just standing outside barking his head off. How can she protect the humans inside if she is excluded from the house... if she wanted to protect the house.... If the dog is in the yard 24/7, the yard is the territory to protect, not the house. Would the dog even protect inside if he doesn't see that as his territory?

I'm think there is something about this DDB's literature. Have you just tried printing out some stuff and handing it to them or leaving it on their door step. Maybe show them something from several places just in case they think DDB is a radical animal rights group or something (I don't think that). Maybe you can find something from the veterinary association.

Do ever see other neighbors try to hurt the dogs or taunt the dogs when the residents are not around. If so, video tape that and show it to the pet "parents." Perhaps they would worry about the dog and bring them in.

As a matter of fact, I just looked up an article from Veterinary Partner says what I just wrote. I went to the site and typed "Outside Dogs": Article. Two vets and one vet tech has recommended this site to me, so I'm guessing it's respected. You could probably also find a bunch of stuff from HSUS.

Are their other animal codes broken that you don't need neighbors for? Rabies? City registration. Intact license?

If you aren't able to approach this from an animal welfare perspective, then try to find another legal approach.

I'm sure the city has a noise ordinance. I don't know the details but I'm sure that continuous barking after 10:00 PM probably violates it. But once again, I'm guessing more than one neighbor has to complain. You can always approach it civilly if you so chose. Sue the neighbor for loss of enjoyment of your property (or something like that) because of the noise. Bring your proof the dogs bark late at night. They won't have much defense.

The max in small claims court here is 10K. Will you see any money if you win? Nope. Could this make them mad and instead of them bringing the dogs in , they get angry and treat the dogs worse.. or set them loose? Maybe. Could they try to hurt your property or animals out of retaliation? Maybe. Do they have anything on your that they could counter sue for or call code compliance or something out of retaliation? Ask yourself that.

Sigh. All just thoughts. No good answer.

La Trenda
210-649-0391
http://rrc.petfinde r.com
http://www.facebook .com/aapawfans

Escape Artists

2010-08-08T09:04:00.001-07:00

A clever escape artist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iQUomByi8

Does your dog escape your yard? Not only is a dog at large illegal but he/she is in danger of getting hurt, killed, or being lost forever.

We have all probably lived with them or heard of them. The diggers, the climbers, the jumpers, the latch flippers. I've known three different dogs at a shelter who would not only open their own latches but also the latches of their neighbors.

The really smart ones who figure how to get out of anything are somewhat amusing and interesting to see, but the escape artist dog is in danger of getting lost or injured or worse. What can you do for the dog who always wants to be someplace else?

Of course, the safest place for your for your baby is secure in the house. But here are some things to consider for the Houdini in your family.

Contents

Keep your furry friend stimulated and exercised.

Sometimes your dog just wants to see what's on the other side.
Some dogs will escape out of boredom and loneliness
Some just want a challenge

Try to stay one step ahead of your clever/determined dog

Make sure your yard is secure

Jumpers
Climbers
Diggers
Destroyers
Latch Flippers
The Gate or Door Bolters

A Word or Two About Electric Fences, Underground Fences
Don't use devices that will injure your dog
Never Ever leave a tethered, chained, tied out dog unattended
Spay or Neuter
Doggie Doors

Doggie Door Cautions

Is your dog outside because he or she destroys the house, potties in the house?
Does your dog have separation anxiety?
Extra precautions must be taken when living with shy, unsocialized, nervous or skittish dogs:
Things out of our control (or are they?)

Neighbor Dogs
Utility Workers
Bad Weather, Fireworks, etc..
Thieves, abusers

Walking our Dogs
Doggie Day Care, Dog Walkers
Safe Outdoor Cats
Finances

Keep your furry friend stimulated and exercised.

Sometimes your dog just wants to see what's on the other side.

Why not show her. A simple walk every day might curb that desire to check things out.

Some dogs will escape out of boredom and loneliness

Spend extra time with your companion- take Susie Q to Big Dawg meetups so she can not only get exercise but meet new friends and enjoy new smells. Take Bo to training for mental and physical stimulation. SA Big Dawgs offers free training just about every weekend.

Some dogs need to be tired. It's best to have your dog in resting mode before going off to work or leaving for long periods of time. If it's not to hot or too cold, Take King for a long walk or a nice jog. And play a game of fetch. Mental stimulation is sometimes just as important as exercise. Dogs might need something to do while you are gone. Give Betsy a food puzzle or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter.

Some just want a challenge

It's fun to figure out new ways to escape. These dogs are probably much safer in the house when you are gone but if they must stay outside, you are gong to have to continually think of new ways to stimulate, challenge, and tire out this dog. After finishing basic obedience, try advanced obedience, rally obedience, agility, doggie dancing. Take Buster on meetups often. SA Big Dawgs has meetups all over town almost every day of the week.

Try to stay one step ahead of your clever/determined dog

Make sure your yard is secure

Walk your yard often to check for holes, loose fence planks, gaps. Keep your fence gate locked.

Jumpers

Put up a taller fence
Try Coyote Rollers. Or make your own by installing a bar across the top of your fence and putting PVC pipe over it.

Install devices at the top of your fence that curve inward - unless your dog has been bitten by a radioactive spider, she will have a hard time getting over these if they are installed high enough. Lucy's Doggie Day Care has such a design and see these Youtube videos for examples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmczj2v4mB8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_nKjAJJms&NR=1
Put a top on your fence - a chain link fence top that will allow sunlight and small creatures through but not let your dog out.

Climbers

For the dogs who think they are cats, a chain link fence just won't do. Too easy to get a foot-hold. You will need to get a privacy fence - preferably with the smooth side of the fence facing your yard. A nice wrought iron fence, concrete fence or vinyl fence might also do. Also the device that curves inward might also help. Or put a top on your fence as noted above.

Diggers

A few rocks/bricks by the fence isn't going to slow him/her down
Pour concrete all around at least two feet down and several inches up above the fence

** note, before doing this, get with your city code compliance, building inspector or other appropriate agency. Also call the utility companies to make sure it's okay. This might affect underground gas, phone, cable, electrical lines.

Try some chicken wire underground, beneath the fence

Destroyers

You might have seen some during your walks in the neighborhood. The outside dog who finds a week spot in the wooden fence and continuously throws himself on that area until the boards come apart. Or the determined dog who just eats through wood

If your privacy fence is the "basket weave" type, try converting it so that all planks are flat and smooth. It will be harder for a determined dog to pull the planks apart
Try installing the planks with screws instead of nails. They might hold a little better
If possible, get a concrete fence or wrought iron fence - much harder to destroy than wood

Latch Flippers

Lock the latch even if your dog isn't a latch flipper. If your dog isn't a latch flipper now, he might figure it out one day. You don't want Buddy to figure it out while you are at work.

The Gate or Door Bolters

These dogs will knock you down and almost injure themselves to get out of the gate or door when opened. Install a double gate like the city pet parks have. Put a open doggie play pen in front of your gate or door. The best thing for this type of dog is to teach the wait or stay command. Talk to a trainer - attend a free Big Dawgs training sessions and ask Jimmy about this.

A Word or Two About Electric Fences, Underground Fences

If you choose this method, be aware that the dog must be trained. The package will tell you that the fence is to be used in conjunction with training. Consult a trainer or other expert
A determined dog (one in chase mode) might ignore the shock and run out of the fenced area. But when the animal is done with the chase and tries to return home, he/she will be deterred by the shock
The electric fence will not stop other animals/people from entering your yard. It will not stop passersby from harassing your dog (this happens all to often)
The electric collars that go with the fence are heavy must be worn tightly to produce the shock. Before subjecting your dog to this, I would suggest that you wear the collar all day tightly around your neck to see how it feels.
And you should also subject yourself to the shock to see how it feels if your dog comes close to or cross the fence line
The electricity could go out, the batteries could go dead and then your dog isn't as deterred from escaping
A power surge or other malfunction could cause a shock to your dog even when he or she isn't trying to escape

This happened to someone I know. The dogs freaked and left the yard and refused to come back home. When they were finally found, they fought to not go back to the house because they were so afraid of the shock.
Here is a story of a dog that was killed by an electric fence: http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/sophie.html

An electric fence is probably an example of a negative reinforcement (the shock is punishment for leaving the yard). Be sure to try positive reinforcement first - training, exercise, stimulation, etc.. before trying a negative reinforcement. Just like with any other issue with your dog.

Don't use devices that will injure your dog

Barbed wires and hot wires can cause serious injury. Especially barbed wires. While a human might be deterred from climbing a barbed wire fence, a dog will not know the danger and will not be deterred.

Never Ever leave a tethered, chained, tied out dog unattended

Dogs have hung themselves to death, and have lost limbs due to tethering accidents. Dogs can get tangled and loose their access to shade, food, water.
Tethered dogs who are not fenced in are picked on by passersby which can make them nervous, neurotic, mean or aggressive
Tethered dogs that are not fenced in can't escape from danger
Even if a tethered dog isn't picked on, he or she can still become extremely territorial and aggressive

I repeat - never ever leave a tethered dog unattended - it's just not safe - ever. But if you feel you must, there are some precautions to take (but please just don't do it).

Never attach a tether to a choke chain. This is extremely dangerous and uncomfortable and a dog will choke herself to death. The choking of the chain will not stop a dog from pulling at the leash. When the dog feels the choke, he will actually pull harder.
Never use a very heavy chain - not only is this against the law. It's uncomfortable and cruel
Never attach a tether to a fence or have a tether close to a fence. This is the easiest way to a dog to hang herself
If you must use a tether, try a trolley type. This is still dangerous but it will minimize the danger of the dog wrapping himself around a pole or tree
If you must use a tether (please don't), make sure the leash is at least 10 feet long. It is against the law to have the tether too short
Check on the dog as often as possible to make sure she hasn't wrapped the chain around her neck or legs; and make sure her collar isn't too tight, ensure the collar has rubbed your baby's skin raw, etc..
Clean up the area often - dogs (just like humans) do not want to eat, sleep, live around their own elimination
Check to make sure the dog has continual access to fresh, clean, cool water. Water must be changed out at least once a day. More often is better

More Info on chained dogs: http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/chaiingaustin.html; http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/mythguarddogs.html

Note: If you like for your dog to keep you company in the front yard while you wash the car, pull weeds, etc.. Then this type of attended tethering is perfectly safe and much safer than letting your dog run loose in the front yard. If your dog is loose, he can run out and harass joggers or other dog walkers, he could run out and get hit by a car, etc..

Spay or Neuter

Speutered dogs are less likely to roam looking for sex and a spayed female is less likely to attract male dogs who might destroy your fence trying to get to her

Doggie Doors

As noted above, your dog is always safer in the house when you are gone. For some people this might be impossible because of long work hours, dogs who destroy the house, etc..

Instead of locking the dog outside all day while you are gone, consider a doggie door. This way the dog can go outside when he or she needs to potty or run around but Max can also go in the house when frightened, to hot, too cold, wants to watch TV, etc.. Even well-adjusted dogs can be frightened by thunderstorms, rain, fireworks, cars backfiring etc.. A scared dog will try to escape. If the dog has a doggie door, he she might run into the house instead of trying to get out of the yard.

Of course, you will still want to make sure your yard is extra secure. I

If you have a glass sliding door, there are doggie doors made to fit those: http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_ProductList_PC_productlist_Nav_291_N_22+136+5059+30+4294957679.aspx?cm_mmc=GooglePKW-_-Containment_Pet_Dog_Doors_Patio-_-%5Bpatio+doggie+doors%5D-_-xxx

Doggie Door Cautions

If your dog can get out then other creatures can get in. If you live close to a wooded or undeveloped area or if your house backs up to a green belt, think twice about the woodland creatures who might come in your doggie door.
Additionally, if your dog is very large, then a human criminal might also be able to get into your doggie door. For those folks who have a large doggie doors cut into their home, some suggest putting a dog house (with a hole in the back) up against the doggie door. That way potential thieves who are casing your house will see a dog going in and out of a dog house and not suspect a large doggie door to break into.
Some dogs love to run in and out of doggie doors. If your yard has any dirt areas, prepare to get a lot of that dirt in your house

Is your dog outside because he or she destroys the house, potties in the house?

As mentioned above, try keeping your dog stimulated and exercised
You can also crate your dog when you are gone. Be sure to talk to a trainer about acclimating your dog to a crate
Talk to a trainer about potty training.

Does your dog have separation anxiety?

Sometimes no matter what you do, your dog will be determined to leave the crate, house, or yard when you are gone. Consult a trainer or behaviorist for your dog's safety and well-being. Here is some info on Separation Anxiety (note anti-anxiety medication should be a very last resort and when used should be used in conjunction with training, behavior modification, exercise, stimulation, etc..: - these medications can affect your baby's liver and/or cause other complications.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2865

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1393

Extra precautions must be taken when living with shy, unsocialized, nervous or skittish dogs:

http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/11/precautions-when-living-with-shy-dogs.html

Things out of our control (or are they?)

Neighbor Dogs

So your dog doesn't dig or climb or destroy fences, but your neighbor dog does. Try to calmly and amicably talk to your neighbor about the situation to see if you can come to some kind of resolution. If that doesn't work, then it's up to you to keep your dog safe. It might not be fair that you have to do all of the work or spend extra money if it's not your fault, but it worth your dog's safety.

If the neighbor dog digs, see the advice above about digging; if the neighbor dog jumps the fence, build a taller fence, etc.. If your neighbor's dog rips apart your would fence, put up a concrete fence.

If you have a shared fence, then you might have to get your neighbor's approval to make modifications. If this isn't possible. Put up your own fence inside of the shared fence. This will be expensive and will make your yard smaller but your dog and maybe you and your family will be safer. If you build a second fence, leave plenty of room in between the two fences for several reasons:

It will be easy to mow or weed eat if there is room between the fences
If the neighbor dog is a jumper, the dog will jump his fence then fall in between the two fences. It will be hard to jump the 2nd fence because Cujo won't have any room to get a running start
If the neighbor dog is a digger, it will take her a while to get through one fence, then she'll have to start all over once she gets through to your fence. Hopefully she'll be tired out or maybe you can be home by the time she makes it through the 2nd fence.

Utility Workers

Keep your gate securely locked at all times. Put up a sign that states: "Dogs on Premises - do not open gate" or something to that effect.

Bad Weather, Fireworks, etc..

If you know that inclement weather is in the forecast - keep your dog inside. Always, always keep your dog inside on New Years, Halloween and Independence day.

Your dog will be frightened by loud noises and will try to escape
Some people still fire guns into the air on certain holidays. You dog is in danger of getting hit by a stray bullet or falling bullet
A lot of people are up to mischief on the holidays - especially Halloween. It's not safe for your dog to be outside unattended.

Thieves, abusers

If your dog is in danger of being abused or stolen, she will have to stay in the house. There is just no way around that. This can be a problem in certain neighborhoods with any pet. Certain breeds attract thieves and abusers: Pit Bulls/Am Staffs and other pure breeds, toy breeds. Most of the time, it's just not safe for those dogs to be outside unattended.

Walking our Dogs

When walking our pet, be sure he/she is wearing a secure collar or harness

A spooked dog can easily slip a buckle or snap collar. Walk your dog with a martingale collar. Be sure to get with a trainer or other expert about proper fitting

Choke chains and prong collars should only be used after consulting a trainer or behaviorist about proper placement and usage

Harnesses are fine as well. But be aware that some dogs can slip a harness, probably less so than with a buckle or snap collar though. See more info at: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/dog-walking-devices.html

Doggie Day Care, Dog Walkers

If you can afford it and if your dog is up for it, consider putting your dog in doggie day care or hire a dog walker to come in to check on your dogs while you are way. Even if you don't do this everyday; it will help with boredom and lonliness

Safe Outdoor Cats

http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/09/safe-outdoor-cats.html

Finances

Times are tough. Even in good times, coming up with 1 to 2 thousand dollars to put up a new fence can seem like an insurmountable task. But think about our babies' safety. Is it worth that much? If Buffy escapes a fence in need of repair, a vet bill can run in the thousands. Not to mention Buffy could suffer needlessly or even loose her life. Even if Buffy doesn't get hurt, an at-large dog is illegal. And an at-large dog can be a nuisance to all those want to use the street - walkers, joggers, bikers, children on their way to school, etc..

If you know your dog has some aggressive tendencies then keeping the dog safe is especially important.

Think of some things to cut back on to save enough money for a new fence (or just keep Snowflake in the house)

How much is cable or satellite TV now? $100.00 a month? Turn off the cable, watch http://www.hulu.com instead and have enough money for a fence in less than 2 years. Cut back on eating out and junk foods - shave another year off the saving time. Give up alcohol, cigarettes, etc.. Now you might have your brand new sturdy fence in 6 months. Six months seems like a long time, but if you did not start saving right now, where would be you be in 6 months - still without a safe, secure fence.

Tails

2010-08-02T06:38:00.001-07:00

Tails and Teeth

You see a dog playing with a toy. As you approach, the dog starts wagging her tail. You of course assume that Lady wants to play so you try to grab the toy to throw for her and Lady snaps at you.

Did Lady aggress for no apparent reason or were the warning signs there?

Contrary to popular belief, a wagging tail doesn't always mean "I'm friendly" or "let's play" or "I'm happy to see you". Some dogs will display what I call an "alpha wag". Actually I don't remember if I call it that or if I read it somewhere and am now plagiarizing the term :)

Akitas can be notorious for this. My Akita Mix, Cisco (RIP, baby). Had 3 different types of wags|

- Very loose and wide - I'm happy to see you or let's play

- Quicker but still a little loose- I don't want to have to hurt you, but if you don't fall down and expose your belly right now, there is going to be trouble

- Very stiff, short bursts - come any closer and you'll draw back a knub.

Some dogs show their "alpha wag" by putting their tales straight up in the air and wagging stiffly. Actually, it's not really a wag.. Maybe a better term is a quiver.

So how do you know if a dog is displaying an "alpha wag" or a happy wag? Look at the rest of the dog's body. Is Junior stiff? Are his hackles up? Are his eyes soft or hard? Are his lips loose or are they forming a "C" or an "O"? Is his mouth open?

Is an alpha wag always bad? No, but just be aware. Most dogs will pick up an alpha wag right away. You might see two dogs meet. One stands tall, displays the alpha wag. The beta dog might hang her head, stick out her tongue or lick the alpha dog. The very submissive dog might fall on his back and expose his belly and neck. So now these dogs have established the pecking order.

But be careful. If two dogs approach each other - each standing tall and stiff; each with tails high and stiff - this could mean trouble - two alpha dogs; neither one wanting to give up authority.

Teeth

A dog showing his teeth doesn't necessarily mean he is being aggressive. Some dogs are just grinners. Some show their teeth when they are being submissive (submissive grin). How do you know the difference? Once again, check their other body signals. See below for some info from the Humane Society of the United States:

Bottom line - always be extremely cautious around any dog whom you don't know. If the pet parent is around, always ask for permission before touching.

A great book that addresses how dogs communicate is How to Speak Dog by Dr Stanley Coren. Available at the San Antonio and Randolph AFB Library.

Canine Behavior, Aggression, Fear, etc..

Taken from Humane Society of the United States Training Program

Pasting... Cancel

2010-07-30T20:12:00.001-07:00

Ref: SA Big Dawgs Promotional Video

Hi There

My name is Lupe
And what I'd like to do today
is talk to you about a place
where my friends and I love to play

San Antonio Big Dawgs is the name of the group
But you don't have be big to stay in loop

Just check out my little friend Mojo
He's a JRT so he's always ready to go

There's me and my brothers
35 pounds is about all we weigh
We like to go to training
Where we learn come, sit and stay

You see, big is a state of mind, an attitude
So little dogs can join us to

The Human Top dog is Kevin
He's been in charge since 2009, August 11th
Next to T, his wife
His best dog Indee is the love of his life

The Co-Organizer is Jimmy. He's really smart
He started a training program right from the start
The training is so much fun, it makes Indee bark

In addition to training, we go on lots of walks
This gives our humans a chance to socialize and talk

Okay, Training, walking, what else do we do?
Oh! We float in rivers in nice big tubes
This fun activity keeps everyone cool
During the hot summer months
It's so much fun, we like it a whole bunch

Sometimes we even go to restaurants and have lunch

So I've talked about all the fun things
But we have an important message we'd like bring
Dogs are part of the family and should be treated that way
That human-canine bond is so important today.

Tell all your friends about Big Dawgs, Kevin and Jimmy
Let's make San Antonio a pet friendly City!

And what I'd like to do today
is talk to you about a place
where my friends and I love to play

San Antonio Big Dawgs is the name of the group
But you don't have be big to stay in loop

Just check out my little friend Mojo
He's a JRT so he's always ready to go

There's me and my brothers
35 pounds is about all we weigh
We like to go to training
Where we learn come, sit and stay

You see, big is a state of mind, an attitude
So little dogs can join us to

The Human Top dog is Kevin
He's been in charge since 2009, August 11th
Next to T, his wife
His best dog Indee is the love of his life

The Co-Organizer is Jimmy. He's really smart
He started a training program right from the start
The training is so much fun, it makes Indee bark

In addition to training, we go on lots of walks
This gives our humans a chance to socialize and talk

Okay, Training, walking, what else do we do?
Oh! We float in rivers in nice big tubes
This fun activity keeps everyone cool
During the hot summer months
It's so much fun, we like it a whole bunch

Sometimes we even go to restaurants and have lunch

So I've talked about all the fun things
But we have an important message we'd like bring
Dogs are part of the family and should be treated that way
That human-canine bond is so important today.

Tell all your friends about Big Dawgs, Kevin and Jimmy
Let's make San Antonio a pet friendly City!

Pasting... Cancel

2010-07-30T20:06:00.001-07:00

They try to tell me she's just a dog

But she's not; can't you see

She's just as special as you and me

They even tried to say she's feral and could never be tamed

I didn't care; I loved her just the same

Humans and dogs are alike in so many ways

If you made a list, it would go on for days.

We get hungry, we get cold

We get arthritis when we get old

Dogs get a lot of the same ailments that humans do

Like allergies, coughs, even the flu

They tell me not to call her "fur baby"

That's she's just property

But she'll always be my baby to me

I know when she is happy and sad

I know about the things that make her glad

She didn't ask to live with me, I chose to take her in

Now I owe her; she's my best friend

She lives inside with me and sits on my chairs

Some say that lowers my status as master

But I don't care

Dogs and humans both have hearts

And either heart can break

To be away from their human companion is an awful fate

So bring your dog in the house

Onto your bed, your sofa, into your heart

Today's the day to make a new start

Pets are social animals

Another human trait they share

Wherever you are, they want to be there

So legally, she's my property

But spiritually, she's my whole world

She's my fur baby; my special girl

Safe Outdoor Cats

2010-07-29T06:52:00.001-07:00

Safe Outdoor Cats

I'm sorry to hear that you might have give up your babies. I'm so glad that you are trying to keep them safe. Please consider a safe, cat-friendly outdoor/indoor enclosure before giving them up.

You can put up a chainlink fence outside around a window in the house (put a top on the chainlink fence). Inside the house, put an enclosure around that window that extends into part of the room. That indoor enclosure should also have a top. The put a little cat door around the window. So that way, the cats can come in and out, but not be mixed with the other pets. And the cat door will keep some of the heat/cold from getting into the house.

Or if you have or can create a spare room, then close off that room. That way the cats can come in and out of that room.

The indoor and outdoor enclosures and/or room can be set up to be cat friendly - scratching posts, carpeted "cat trees" to climb, some pet friendly grasses, etc.. Maybe some nice pando music * piped in.

I've even seen some really fancy indoor enclosures with little fountains and streams. Will see if I can find some examples on youtube when I get home. Can't really get on there at work.

But in the mean time, here are some examples you can ponder.

Here is a house in San Antonio: House with outdoor enclosure. This is probably made for birds and you won't need anything this fancy, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Other ideas here: Safe Outdoor Cats

Some people might think this is crazy, but think about it: Get your cats used to a harness. Take them for walks. Yes, people will look at you like you are crazy, but why not? Most puppies hate a leash at first but once they learn how much fun it is to go for walks, they won't leave you alone. Yes, your cats are already grown, but I've taught many adults dogs who have never been on leash before (including my own) to learn to like the leash.

Something else to consider if the harness idea just doesn't work for you - Musical rooms. Lots of folks do it. Put the other pets in a room or a couple of rooms or crates (I don't know the size of your house), then bring in the outdoor cats and spend time with them. Then put the outdoor cats back out, bring out the other pets and spend time with them. Do this about 3 times a day. Might require you to get up a little earlier because you'll want to do this before work, but it might be worth it. See what other activities you can cut back on to make this work.

Also talk to a behaviorist to see how you can integrate the two cats into the household. It appears that your dogs are already cat friendly. Maybe if you take baby steps - starting with the indoor enclosure, maybe the cats can eventually get along with the rest of the family. Or at least perhaps they can all be out together when you are home to supervise, then separated when you are not at home.

Outdoor enclosures, behaviorists, etc.. - all very expensive, and times are tight for everyone. But look at things you can sell or cut back on. Try to find used chain link fencing, see what you can do yourself. Depending on how determined the kitties are, you might be able to get by with 50 dollars worth of goat fencing and 30 dollars worth of posts to put something together yourself. You can ask the customer service folks at Lowes or Home Depot to help with a plan

Or Google "How to Build a Cat Enclosure to see what you can come up with

Here is one example: How to Build a Cat Enclosure

* Pando Music - Dr Dan Kirby mentioned this product on his radio show. He endorsed it.

Walking a Reactive Dog

2010-07-23T10:29:00.001-07:00

WALKING A REACTIVE DOG

Note: I am a not a certified trainer or behaviorist. These are only my personal thoughts as a dog lover

This information is based on my personal experience, my personal philosophies, and my partial reading of an excellent book titled Click to Calm: Healing the Aggressive Dog by Karen Pryor. Take from the below info whichever parts work for you

Walking a large, strong reactive dog can be a daunting task. It might be tempting to stop walking the dog; but this will not help the problem and will probably make it worse because now you have a large, bored, destructive dog on your hands.

In this Article

SAFETY
Avoidance
Training

Only positive reinforcement

Check your own behaviors
Free Training Available
Free Dog Walking and Socialization Available

SAFETY

Dogs with known aggression issues must never be walked on a regular buckle or snap collar. The potential is just too great that the dog might slip the collar.
Always use a properly fitted martingale collar or a slip lead (martingale is safer; a slip lead can choke). A Gentle Leader would also be acceptable. Less secure than a martingale but safer than a buckle collar is a harness. Some dogs can slip harnesses. Still have a buckle collar for ID. So the dog should be wearing at least two devices - a buckle collar for ID and a martingale or slip leash, or harness or gentle leader for walking
Absolutely no flexi leads during neighborhood walks. Walkers must use a sturdy 4 to 6 foot lead and keep a good grip on the lead at all times.
Walkers must wear sturdy shoes - no flip-flops.
If the dog is extra aggressive and extra strong, consider a basket muzzle - which allows for airflow, panting, even drinking and taking treats. Still exercise caution. A dog can remove a muzzle if determined enough. The drawback to wearing a muzzle during neighborhood walks is of course if you are confronted by an aggressive stray, your dog won't be able to defend herself.
NO dog parks! At least not until the issues are resolved. Not only is this not fair to others at the park (they become participants in your training issues whether they chose to or not) but it is also a way to set your dog up for failure - too much at once.

Avoidance

This is not the answer and it won't fix the problem, but this is better than not walking the dog, and it is a place to start while you are working on your dog's issues:

Avoid Other Dogs as much as possible. Walk late at night and early in the morning. Walk in the rain. Keep an eye out for other dogs and go in another direction when you see one coming

Training

No negative reinforcement. No punishing

Never yell, poke or hit the dog when he/she is reacting. (not with hands, not with newspaper, not with the leash) This will just make matters worse. The dog will associate bad things happening to her when she sees another dog, and it will just make her dislike other dogs even more. Please note that it doesn't matter whether or not popping your dog with a leash hurts or not. The act is still negative.

Only positive reinforcement

Reward the dog when he is being good. If you have someone willing to help you with this: (Use a basket muzzle if safety is a big issue)

Have a friend stand still with a calm, not reactive dog in a sit. Stand back as far away as your reactive dog needs to be before barking. When your reactive dog isn't barking or lunging or growling, click, treat. If your dog acts up, Do nothing; just stand there until she calms down.

Note that this is not a quick fix. This could take weeks. Once your dog is comfortable at, say 300 feet. Then try moving in an arc just a little closer. Try to stop before your dog reacts. Tell your dog to sit, praise, click, treat.

Keep working on this day after day, week after week, until you can get closer and closer.

If you don't have a friend with a calm dog, you will just have to practice this technique during your neighborhood walks.

When you see a dog approaching, get your dog's attention before he starts reacting. Talk weird baby talk, make weird sounds. I personally like to blow lightly on a party horn. Put your dog in a sit, have your dog "watch me,", etc.. When your dog is not reacting, click, treat, praise highly. Continue getting his attention until the offending dog is gone.

Check your own behaviors

Do you get overly anxious when another dog approaches? Do you hold the leash tighter? If so, your dog will notice this and react accordingly. I've found that using the basket muzzle allows me to relax a little more. Not hold my dog too tightly.

Free Training Available

SA Big Dawgs has weekly free training sessions. You can start out far from the rest of the group and work your way up. You can also talk with the trainer about your issues

Free Dog Walking and Socialization Available

SA Big Dawgs has free dog walking and socialization meetups all over town, most days of the weeks. You can start out far from the group and work your way up.

Also see,

La Trenda's Progression of Reactions to a loose dog

Dog Walking Devices

And see Item 3 at Animal Education Links for more animal info

Taming Vet Bills

2010-07-22T09:52:00.001-07:00

Taming Vet Bills

Times are tough. Many people are unemployed or under-employed. With so many other things tugging at our pocketbooks we need to be sure that our fuzzy kids aren't left out when it comes to proper vet care.

Contents

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Establish a relationship with your vet
Get small health issues taken care of right away
Get your pet spayed or neutered
Get Pet Insurance
Establish a savings account for your dog
Establish credit
When that big expense happens

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

It's an old cliche' but so very relevant in so many situations. If you don't get a 30 dollar oil change every few months, you can wind up spending thousands to repair your engine. If you don't get the proper preventative care for your pets, you could wind up spending thousands at the veterinary hospital.

Get your pets vaccinated. Parvovirus and distemper are awful diseases that affect many unvaccinated pets - especially puppies. Pet parents who have experienced these diseases can tell you that their dogs suffer greatly. Sometimes a pet parent can spend thousands of dollars at the vet and the dog still dies. Those that survive can have life long complications - especially from distemper.

Vaccinations against Rabies, Parvovirus, and Distemper are only needed every one to three years (depending on the vaccine). Luckily, these are not surprise or emergency vaccinations - pet parents can save money specifically for these things. Rabies vaccinations are required by law. Rabies disease is transmittable and potentially fatal to humans and most mammals (dogs, cats, raccoons, etc).
Puppies and kittens must get a series of shots, starting at 6 weeks of age and every 3-4 weeks thereafter until their last vaccine is given after they are 16 weeks old. Talk to your vet about the schedule and please please don't let your pet on the ground or on the floor in public until he/she is done with shots. Please don't let him/her in the dog park, Petco, Petsmart, etc.. They can pick up diseases easily before they are done with shots.
note: For the more experienced pet parents - I know there are some schools of thought about how often or even if vaccs are needed. I'm not smart enough to debate anyone on this subject. But I will say with some confidence though that if you choose not to vaccinate your pet for health reasons then titer testing is a must to make sure your pet still has antibodies. But this is a discussion for another time. This post is about saving money. Titer testing costs several hundred dollars. Vaccinations are quite cheap in comparison.

Keep your pets on heartworm preventative each and every month. Heartworm is an awful preventable disease that is often fatal if not treated. Worms grow in the heart and cause all kinds of complications- heart disease and enlargement and- eventually death. Many dogs feel like they are choking as the worms fill up the heart. Treatment for heartworms consists of basically poisoning the worms. Then the worms have to be absorbed in the dogs circulation. Some dogs don't even survive the treatment. Also the treatment is very expensive. Expect to spend 600 dollars or more for treatment depending on the size of your dog. Heartworm preventative will cost less then ten dollars a month depending on the size of your dog. That's less than 30 cents day. Once again - not a surprise expense - something a pet parent can prepare for.

Dogs that are mostly inside still need preventative. All it takes is one mosquito bite for your dog to become infected.
Also note: If you have never used heartworm preventative, get with your vet first. An inexpensive test needs to be done to insure your dog doesn't already have heartworms; and certain breeds (collie type breeds) might have medical issues with certain brands of heartworm preventatives.
Also be aware that heartworm medication is a prescription and generally requires one in order to obtain it.

Keep Fifi's or Fido's weight in check. Obese dogs have the same complications as obese humans - heart and joint disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc.. Keeping weight at an acceptable level will save on vet bills. Feed your dog a nutritious dog food (talk to your vet) and cut back on table scraps and dog biscuits. Some human foods are okay for an occasional low calorie treat - carrots, apples, etc.. Once again talk to your vet and see a previous post about foods that are bad for our pets: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/8403478

Note: I'm not smart enough to talk about a raw diet. If you decide to do this, do your research and talk to your vet

Keep your fence in good repair. Replacing a board might cost 5 dollars. Much cheaper than the 600 to 1,500 dollar vet bill you will incur if your dog gets hit by a car. Fence only 4 feet high and your dog keeps jumping it? If you can't afford a 6 foot fence right now, keep Fido inside until you can save up the money. Sometimes no matter what you do, your dog will get out of the yard. Some of them are just that good. These dogs should only be allowed outside when they can be attended to. These dogs are not only in danger of causing you a huge vet expense but they could loose their lives, get lost or stolen. More info on escape artists can be found here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_783f77z5sc3. Additionally, even if your dog is not an escape artist, never take him/her out in public without a secure collar or harness and leash. Not only is this the law in most areas, but more importantly, any dog can get distracted and take off. A dog running after a rabbit might not notice the speeding car coming in her/his direction.

Caution - tethering, tieing out, chaining your dog is never a good way to restrain your dog for oh so many reasons. Please do not leave a tethered dog unattended. More on tethering can be found here: http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/chaiingaustin.html; http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/mythguarddogs.html

Please don't let your dog ride in the back of a pickup truck. All it takes is that one time for your dog to jump out while you are speeding down the highway - huge vet bill or worse- dead. Not only could your dog get injured or killed but you might even cause a traffic accident. Some folks might say that their dog has never jumped from the back of a moving truck, but my response is another old cliche' - "there is a first time for everything". One example (of many I hear): A lady who was needing help finding a lost dog was telling me that her dog always walked down the street to go visit the neighbor's dog and "he always comes back". A short time later, I received another call from a good Samaritan. The dog was found dead. So the baby always came back - except for that one time that he was run over by a car. You dog might always ride well in the back of a truck - except for that one time he sees a deer or smells a female dog in heat. Restraining our dog in the back of the truck is a bad idea as well. The dog can try to jump out and hang him/herself. Pet parents should also be extra careful about letting their dogs stick their whole head or parts of their body out of the car window. They could jump out or get hit by flying debris.

Establish a relationship with your vet

Find a vet you like and go to him/her for all of your vet care needs. If your dog gets injured or sick, your regular vet might be more willing to work with you on a payment plan. Shot clinics may be a great way to save money (however, often they are no less expensive then the regular vet and many times do not provide a complete physical examination); but a yearly check up at your vet is a must - not only for preventative care but to also establish that relationship. Also, if a vet sees your dog regularly, he or she will be more attuned to your dog's needs and will be able to see health changes more easily. I get my dogs nails trimmed and anal glands expressed at the vet about once a month. Sometimes I go to my vet for nothing. We just sit in the lobby and I give him treats. This helps me for two reasons - a. 3 of my dogs are very shy and nervous. I want them to get accustomed to the vet's office and I want them to know that going to vet office doesn't always mean something bad. b. And of course, it establishes that relationship. The staff there knows me and my dogs.

Get small health issues taken care of right away

So you see a tiny little bald spot on your dog. You don't want to spend 30 or 50 dollars or so for a vet visit for something so small? Well think about what it will cost when the spot gets bigger and it's harder to treat. What if that little spot turns out to be sarcoptic mange - which is transmittable to humans. Take care of small problems before they become big problems. Not only is it much cheaper in the long run, but your baby will avoid needless suffering.

Get your pet spayed or neutered

This is a good idea for so many reasons - pet over population, health issues, etc.. A neutered dog might be less likely to want to roam. A 200 dollar spay surgery is much cheaper than taking care of 15 puppies - or worse. Some Mamas have complications during birth just like humans and require c-sections or worse- can die. The vet bill can be very expensive and your dog will needlessly suffer. There are many low cost or even free spay neuter clinics in San Antonio. Two Hundred Dollars is probably about what you'd pay at a regular vet. Lost cost (and sometimes free) spay/neuter resources are also available: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2010/03/low-cost-spay-neuter-vaccinations-in.html

Get Pet Insurance

Shop around and read the fine print. Some deals are better than others. Some are not deals at all. Ask your vet for advice. It will be easier to come up with 10 to 20 dollars per month for insurance rather than come up with 600 dollars for an MRI or X ray if something goes wrong. We have medical insurance for humans - why not for our companions? keep in mind all insurance polices require upfront payment and then will reimburse you.

Establish a savings account for your dog

Even if you only have a couple of dollars to spare, put it away for Rex. If you don't have 2 or 3 dollars a month to put away, then start looking at what you can do without to come up with some spare change (but more is better). Eat out less, give up foods that aren't good for you. If you smoke or drink alcohol - give that up. Give up that cable or satellite TV. Instead of going out to the movies or to a night club, socialize with people and other dogs at free dog walking meetups.

So times are tight and you've done all that already and there is still no money? Look a little harder. Nutritionally, a meal of beans and brown rice has about as much protein as streak. And it provides plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. You can get about 10 or more servings out of a 50 cent pack of dried lentils. Gave up meat, candy and pastries already? Can you eat a little less food? Many of us eat way more than we need. Can you cut back on a snack a day for the health of your dog?

Establish credit

Just so you will have it for emergencies. Don't use it to buy new clothes or a game station. If you haven't established credit yet or if you are trying to repair bad credit; then you might have to start with cash secured cards or department store cards. Buy some necessities with them (groceries, school clothes, etc..) to get your credit going - but be sure to pay them off right away. Don't even wait until the end of the month. Have the money to pay the bill before you use the card. For vet expenses, also look into Care Credit: http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

When that big expense happens

So, you've kept your dog safe in your yard or on leash; you've kept her or his weight to an acceptable level and fed her/him quality dog food. But a big vet bill still comes in and you are low on cash - what do you do? Pay day loans are always a bad idea. But if you don't have credit established, then you might have to consider that. Pawn something - Jewelery, furniture, electronics, etc.. Anything that is worth less than your dog's life or health. Which is everything. If you spend time calling around to see which vet is the cheapest, the dog could be getting worse and the expense could be going up - not to mention your dog might be suffering.

So you've sold everything, you are hungry from lack of eating and you still can't afford the vet bill?

Charitable organizations are over taxed but give them a try -

http://daisycares.com/

http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/

http://www.hcaltx.com/

http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=162
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/what_you_can_do_if_you_are_having_trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

http://www.petpalsoftexas.org/

Our dogs do so much for us and ask for so little in return. We should try our best to make sure they are safe, happy, and well. For more info on vet expenses, and for information on free or low cost spay/neuter vaccinations, please see:

http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/08/if-you-cant-afford-vet-care.html.

For information on cutting back on expenses - The Tightwad Gazette is an excellent resource - don't buy it. Get it at the Library:

http://sapl.sat.lib.tx.us/search~S1?/Ytightward+gazette&searchscope=1&SORT=D/Ytightward+gazette&searchscope=1&SORT=D&SUBKEY=tightward%20gazette/1%2C89%2C89%2CB/frameset&FF=Ytightward+gazette&searchscope=1&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C

Other useful info on saving money

http://clarkhoward.com/

http://www.daveramsey.com/

La Trenda

210-649-0391

rescue.connections@yahoo.com

http://facebook.com/aapawfans

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Pets and New Babies

2010-07-22T06:51:00.001-07:00

Please note: I am not a professional:

The main thing for any parent - even ones who have well adjusted dogs - is supervision, supervision and more supervision. Children and babies make weird noies, they move about in weird ways and make quick jerky movements - this can be disconcerting to dogs especially a dog who is already skittish. And parents should be aware of this.

I can understand the Mom not wanting to go to 6 weeks of training to learn sit, stay, heel, etc. But with children and pets, there is no easy, quick fix. Especially for a skittish dog who might have missed out on human contact during his/her formative weeks/months or worse - has been abused.

Luckily the Mom has plenty of time though - during the pregnancy and while her baby is an infant she can start workinng on some socialization with her dog.

Dogs and humans get so much more out of training classes than sit, stay, come. They are around strange humans and other dogs in a relaxed and fun environment. Getting a dog focused on commands is a great way to calm his/her frazzled nerves. Excerise and mental stimulation are so important for a dog's well-being. Especially a scared dog. "A tired dog is a happy dog"

Also training is important so that the dog learns not to jump up on baby or a toddler. So training reduces the chances of injury.

SA Big Dawgs offer free training classes every weekend so she can go when it suites her schedule and she is not obligated to a 6 week time block. The classes are on-going. If the dog is a little skittish around other people or dogs, she can start off in the back and slowly work her way up.

Mom can ask the trainer about getting her dog used to the baby. I'm sure he will have good advice.

SA Big Dawgs also has free dog walking and socialization meetups all over town at different times of they day - weekdays and weekends. Just walking with strangers will be good for the dog. In the evenings and weekends children are usually at some of the walks which will provide some child time for the dog. Just exercise extreme caution if she doesn' know how her dog will react around kids.

I am a big proponet of rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad behavior such as the techniques taught in Click to Calm. Taking tiny baby steps. The Click to Calm book doesn't really address children, but the technique could be extrapolated:

To prepare the dog for a baby:

Play a recorded baby sounds for a few seconds; click, treat. If the dog doesn't look stressed, play the sound a little longer
Borrow baby blankets, baby clothes from friends, let your dog smell; click, treat
Get your dog used to child-type movements. Wave your hand briefly; click, treat. If the dog doesn't appear stressed, wave hands more, click treat.
When dog gets better with weird hand movements, start making other child-type movments like running in a weird way. Always stop if dog seems uncomfortable - remember baby steps
Bring baby things into the house and make noises with them bottle, rattles, etc..
Use baby scents - powders, oils, etc..
It might seem a bit extreme but get a life-like baby doll - once that makes sounds and wiggles. Very slowly, get the dog use to it. Treat it like a real baby.
If your dog has any sensitve body areas (like feet, tail, ears), start working on desensitization very slowly. Toddlers are going to be touching the dog everywhere (so remember supervision)

My own personal example of how training a dog can help her disposition. My Matt-Matt is very nervous. Lately he has decided that he is afraid to walk at night. I took him out one night (against his wishes) and we sat a park in the dark and did some tricks - sit, sit pretty, lady down. After a couple of minutes, he calmed down and walked normally - instead of pulling like crazy to get back into the house. We have done the same thing at the vet's office.

More information

Living with a shy dog

Animal Education Links - Go to item 2 - Resources. It has children's books. Can be used when the child is older but also can be used for the parent to teach the child about how to safefly live with pets - i.e. don't bother a dog when he's eating, etc..

You Tube - Pet Care For Kids - two of the videos are about pet care - made for kids. One of the video is just for fun - If I were a cat

Humane Society info on Introducing Pets and New Babies - excellent info - including Spay and Neuter. A spayed or neutered pet is likely to have fewer temperamental issues

Also, simply Google "new baby and pets" or "introducing pet to baby," etc.. Also go to the Library and ask the Librarian for info on introducing pet to new baby.

Note about relying on experts. Just my opinion. If somone gives advice that includes negative reinforcement or punishment or pain or fear, then I'd ignore that advice - no matter how much expertise that professional has.

i.e. never hit, yell, stare. Try not to use electric collars, electric fences

For anyone who says they want to give up their dog because they are pregnant or have a baby, show them these videos

Youtube - Baby and Boxer

Yahoo Video - Baby and Sheltie Playing a Game

There are many more - just Google babies and dogs or something like that.

One other thing I forgot to mention that is important when bringing in a baby - The dog will need to learn how not to jump up when excited and other proper mannners for help keep baby safe from injury.

Great Advice from a vet:

my favorite trick is to always reward the dog when you have the baby out- so the dog associates the baby with being petted, food, handling etc. I sometines will recommend ignoring the dog when the baby is sleeping so the dog begins to associate very fond things with the baby. I am not saying not to touch/pet/feed the dog when the baby is asleep- but reward the dog when the baby is present- the positive reinforment helps build the bond...

just an extra thought

Shy Dogs - Recognizing Shy Dog Behavior

2010-07-19T10:52:00.001-07:00

Shy Dogs

You've probably seen them - the ones who duck or back away when you try to pet them

Many people assume these fearful dogs were probably physically abused by someone in the past. This might be true but many times, the only abuse is neglect. Dogs that miss out on human socialization during critical periods in the their life can grow up to be shy. [img]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv229/latrenda12/Rodney/RodneyatBotanicalGardens08-01-2009C.jpg[/img]One or two trainers have told me that the critical period is between 6 and 20 weeks. Sadly, there are a lot of dogs who go years without any positive human contact. Some of them have survived on the streets or in the country on their own for a while and sadly some of them had a "home" where the "parents" simply left them outside all day..maybe throwing out some food and water occasionally.

These dogs can grow to like humans and enjoy their company. It just takes a little patience and time. Humans have to learn how to "speak dog" to help these babies come out of their shells. They are well worth the wait.

If you are like me, you love doggies so much that you want to pet and hug and squeeze and kiss just about all of them. It's especially tempting to try to "comfort" a fearful dog. Shy dogs like affection but you have to take it slow and only do it when they are ready

Imagine if you were in a strange land where all the beings were 4 times taller than you and they spoke strangely and moved strangely. Now imagine if one of them tried to make you feel better by walking over to you and giving you a big hug while you were backed in a corner. You might just feel worse. You'd probably want to spend some time understanding their customs and their language first. You might want to make sure they are not a threat before you let them touch you.

How do you know a dog is shy? Look at their body language. Their eyes are darting back and forth - probably because they want to check to make sure there is a safe place to retreat to. Their tails are tucked - sometimes plastered to their belly. They might stick out their tongues a lot. They might crouch, duck, try to run or at least back away when approached.

Caution: A fearful dog is just as likely to bite as an aggressive dog. Make sure that the dog feels like he has an escape route. Cornered dogs, are highly likely to bite. A dog on a leash who can't get away might also bite.

How to "talk" to shy dogs

In dog language, a direct stare can mean confrontation. When dealing with a shy dog, use your peripheral vision or look over their heads. Don't face them directly but have your side facing their side. Note: with some extremely shy dogs, I have walked backwards or crawled backwards to approach them but I don't recommend this with an unknown dog. A fearful dog could nip you on the butt or heels when your back is turned.

Don't approach a shy dog directly (normally you don't approach; let them come to you). Walk in an arc and make sure your movements are fluid and smooth. Not jerky or quick. Crouch and move slowly but not too slow. It can make a scared dog suspicious.

Make yourself appear smaller and less threatening by crouching or squatting or getting on your knees. Note: dogs really appreciate when you get down on their level. But (just personal experience) it seems to me that they prefer the human to crouch or sit rather than lay down flat. But you are less threatening laying down than standing up.

Offer a cupped hand or open palm or forearm only after the dog seems a little curious about you or is approaching you. When trying to pet the dog, make sure your fingers are cupped - not spread out towards the dog. According to one researcher, fingers pointing directly at a dog can look like bared teeth.

Never try to pet a shy dog on top of the head. Start low, scratch their chest, maybe under their chin. If they seem to enjoy it, you can try moving slowly up to their shoulder. If you really want to pet them on the head, you can move from the shoulder to the back and then to the ears then pet their head from the back (only if they are comfortable). Going over their head from the front can scare them.

You might notice that many shy dogs are more fearful of men and children. Could it because a man or child abused them in the past? Could be but.. men are bigger; their voices are louder. So they can be scarier. Children move in weird ways, they wave their hands all about, they make strange high pitched noises and they run directly towards dog. Of course children should always be highly supervised around pets. This is especially important with shy dogs. Most dog bites happen to children and many of those bites are on the face. Children must be taught when a scared dog has "had enough"

So, why is it that a well-adjusted dog doesn't mind when you stare at him or pet him on the head or go to pet her with your fingers out?
This is La Trenda's philosophy (haven't read this anywhere)
Well-adjusted dogs are "bilingual" - speaking human and dog. You'll see a dog greet another dog with eyes averted (dog language) but that dog won't mind when you stare at him (human language). So dogs who received human socialization when they were younger understand that a direct stare is okay in human language.
Dog who like cats are also "bilingual" or "trilingual". In cat language a tail that points straight up means the cat is in a good mood. In dog language, a tail putting straight up could mean confrontation is about to happen. But a dog who "speaks cat" doesn't mind when kitty walks around with her tail sticking straight up:

For more info on speaking dog, Check out "How to Speak Dog" by Stanley Coren.
Also see: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/shy-or-unsocialized-dogs-approaching.html
http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/11/precautions-when-living-with-shy-dogs.html

Lost and Found Be careful when turning over a found dog

2010-07-14T10:21:00.003-07:00

Lost and Found - Be careful when turning over a found dog

If you are Good Samaritan who picks up strays in San Antonio, you probably know by now how hard it is to find a place for the fur kid. San Antonio has one of the worst stray problems in the country. Even though there are several shelters and rescues in the city, they are always full.

Kind hearted people have to take precautions when placing found dogs. Of course the first thing you need to do is try to find the original parents - flyers, newspaper ads, internet ads, etc...http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/9347136/10#36523778

Precautions apply to any found dog, but good Samaritans who find small dogs, purebred dogs and certain bully or power breeds or breeds with reputations have to be extra cautious. Puppies are also quite popular but good Samaritans should be aware that a lot of people will dump puppies once the cuteness wares off

[list]

[*]Big market for lap or purse sized dogs. People will sell the dogs to the first person who comes along or to the person with the most money - not making sure the dog gets into the best home. Since the seller or broker is only concerned with making money, the conditions in which the dog is kept while waiting for a buyer could be atrocious. Vet care, proper nutrition is non-existent because that costs money.

[*] Purebred dogs can also be a money maker for unscrupulous people

[*] Unscrupulous people are happy to take Pit Bulls, Rottweiler, Chows, etc... for fighting, "junk yard dogs," guard dogs, money makers, etc...

[*] Note that any size or breed dog can wind up in the wrong hands - unstable people (hoarders, animal abusers, killers, bait dogs) research labs, etc...

[/list]

Sometimes no matter how well you try to make sure a dog winds up in the right place, bad things can happen. But there are some precautions that good Samaritans can take

[list]

[*] If someone claims to be the owner of a dog you found, ask for vet records, family photos, copies of lost/found flyers, ads, etc. If none can be produced, then ask questions to try to figure out if the person is telling the truth or lying. Ask the same question in different ways and check for consistency. If on the phone, ask caller for distinguishing physical characteristics (something you left out of the flyers). If face to face ask how they acquired the dog, personality traits, etc... You can ask when their dog went missing. If they say May 18th, but you've had the dog since April, then you will know something is up

[*] If you post the dog on the internet - like craigslist, etc... be extra cautious of anyone who contacts you claiming to be a rescue. Rescues are always over flowing. True rescues/shelters turn down turn-in requests every day. It is highly unlikely that a rescue would contact someone offering to take a dog. It is more likely that the person calling is looking to make a quick buck off the dog you have found. Or worse.

[*] If you are able to find a rescue or shelter to take the dog, be sure to check out the place if possible. See what conditions the pets are kept in. If the rescue is a foster network, they won't have a location to check out. But still ask lots of questions about how the dogs are housed, what are their adoption procedures. Ask to see their adoption application, adoption contract. Ask which vet they use for their rescues (very important). Ask about their 501 C 3 status. There are some good rescuers who might not have that status yet, but they should at least know what it is. If they claim to be a 501 C 3 check them out at guidestar.org or charitynavigator.org. Ask how their pets are advertised. The rescue should know about Petfinder.

[*] If you are going to try to find a home for the animal yourself - which is likely because shelters are always full - do criminal background checks, home visits, check with apartment managers, rental property owners to see if pets are allowed and if there are any breed or size restrictions. Check vet records of any present or past pets. Ask lots of questions about how the dog will be living, who will be caring for the dog, etc..

[/list]

More info for rescuers here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_762fvbhqjdk

http://charitynavigator.org/

http://www2.guidestar.org/

Lost and Found Be careful when turning over a found dog

2010-07-14T10:21:00.001-07:00

Lost and Found - Be careful when turning over a found dog

[list]

[*] Purebred dogs can also be a money maker for unscrupulous people

[*] Unscrupulous people are happy to take Pit Bulls, Rottweiler, Chows, etc... for fighting, "junk yard dogs," guard dogs, money makers, etc...

[*] Note that any size or breed dog can wind up in the wrong hands - unstable people (hoarders, animal abusers, killers, bait dogs) research labs, etc...

[/list]

Sometimes no matter how well you try to make sure a dog winds up in the right place, bad things can happen. But there are some precautions that good Samaritans can take

[list]

[/list]

More info for rescuers here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_762fvbhqjdk

http://charitynavigator.org/

http://www2.guidestar.org/

Lost and Found - Scam Artists and Opportunists

2010-07-13T08:39:00.001-07:00

People who lose their precious fur kids are often distraught; and understandably, will do anything to get their babies back.

Scam artists and opportunists know this and will use this to their advantage. Sadly there are also pranksters.

For this article, this is how I'm defining the three:

Scam artists - those who lie, cheat, break the law to make money

Opportunists - those who may or may not provide a legitimate service but who use shady tactics to make money

Pranksters - those who aren't out to make money. But enjoy a laugh at other's people's pain

A typical scam artist ploy:

I was in the area for a conference. On my way home, I saw your dog. I took him with me. I’d be happy to get him back to you; I just need xxx dollars to ship him to you.

A typical opportunistic ploy

I’m sorry you lost your dog; I just want to let you know about this great service that helped me find my dog…etc...

Note this email is sent like it’s from one person to another. But why would one stranger send another stranger this email when there are so many lost dog postings all over the place.

A typical prankster ploy
Someone calls and says that they have your dog. They give you an address. You tried to find that address and it doesn’t exist. When you try to call back, the prankster will not answer the phone or will answer the phone and claim that the dog ran away.

Also please be aware that scam artists will also try to take advantage of people who have found a dog. They will claim that they want to buy the dog from you at a price that is too good to be true - without even meeting the dog.

The above are just some typical ploys. Be aware that other ploys exist:

Never send money or hand over money to anyone unless they are standing right in front of you holding your dog.

Don’t deal with people from out of town/state/country; don’t cash checks that are sent to you

Note that there are some legitimate pet searching companies (who may or may not be shady). If you decide to use one, try to find someone you know who has used them – don’t rely on an email from a stranger.

Ask them to provide the exact details of what they will do for you. Consider if this is something that you can do yourself (or with the help of friends) for free or for cheaper. Be sure to get an exact price quote in writing. Be wary of those sites that make you enter a bunch of personal information before giving you a price quote.

Additionally, if are trying to find a place for a found dog, be sure to thoroughly check out the person who is taking the dog from you. More in this in another post.

Sadly, it’s been my experience that many scam artists and opportunists hang out on Petfinder. It is a useful site. Be sure to use for lost and found, but also be very wary of anyone who contacts you from there.

A good article on petfinder concerning scam artists

Includes actual scam artist letters: http://www.petfinder.com/classifieds/scam.html

http://www.petfinder.com/classifieds/scam_examples.html

AnimalEducationLinks

2010-07-12T09:27:00.001-07:00

Animal Presentation/Information Links

Slide Shows
Resources
Additional information and education

Slide Shows

AAPAW Presenation Template

Dog Obedience Training

Spay Neuter Myths Benefits and Resources

Animal Presentation Example

Resources

Fido Friend or Foe Activity Book

Fido Friend or Foe Activities – Land of Pure Gold

Preventing Dog Bites – State Farm

Order Activity Books from Channing L. Bete

Pet Care PDF Files and info from US Humane Society

Some of the files listed below:

Shelters and Other Animal Resources

San Antonio Animal Control Pamphlet (includes reasons for spay neuter and spay neuter resources)

For additional resources, go to:

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CCAB/Related.htm#children

Free Pet Care Class at Northeast Lakeview College

http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_101d9mmc2hp

Maricopa County Educational Materials

http://www.maricopa.gov/Pets/Education.aspx

Spay Neuter/ Immunization Resources

Resources

SNAP 210-673-7722

http://www.snapus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SanAntonio_Mobile_Schedule

San Antonio Animal Care Services 311 or 210.207.4PET

http://www.sanantonio.gov/animalcare/

Animal Defense League (low income) 210-655-1481 X104

http://www.adltexas.org

Man and Beast

(210) 590-7387

Windcrest Animal Hospital

210) 653-3660

Own up SA

http://www.ownupsa.com/

Additional information and education

Living with a shy dog: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_812hzh3m6df

Taming Vet Bills: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_11hfw32jvt

Escape Artists: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_783f77z5sc3

Tails and Teeth: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_785fj3sw2sg

Nipping: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_787gfgdvwfn

Lost and Fond - Indentification Part II http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_792p9hz7ggt

Lost and Found - Indentification Part II http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_795cvhp79cj

Lost and Found - Rita - http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_797dz5c3xft

Lost and Found - Sam Artists, Opportunists and Pranksters: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_802d8d9r3ft\

Lost and Found - Be careful whem placing found pets http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_803hfr35df3

Capturing: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_800fjn2gzfp

Dealing with Loose Dogs: http://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17RB4xs4XYEhUFDFL8D9TsQ3DJLaF0_8L07y8XsCF8O4

Pets and New Babies: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_814dt2vhfg4

Videos

Pet Care Video for Kids - Avoiding Dog Bites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atN46tQmN6M&feature=player_embedded

Pet Care Video for Kids - Going to the Vet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6htjmtxUOg

Ticks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szifvr_GCSY

Using a slip leash: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIY4UTjFjo

Using a slip leash Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARA7pVgmOq0

How to make a slip leash: http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-make-slip-leash.html

Poems

Going to the Vet and What do our pets need: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_799vt5mnqff

Puddin's Wrap Parents Just Don't Understand - Pet Safety: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_798gkkbwkp8

General Info

Media Contacts: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_1hsrwthgc

Finding Volunteers and Fosters: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_7g7d26tcn

Giving up Pets - Extenuating Circumstances: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_769gkgd4cfv

Rescue Resources Foster Training http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_788d59927f8

Information from others:

Heartworm and Flea Prevention : http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_5g4548bfk

Capacity Building Courses - To be or not to be a 501 C3 http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgq9n3n6_0g49p5pfh

Lost and Found - Identification

2010-07-12T08:58:00.001-07:00

A shelter employee once said me: "San Antonio has the cleanest strays." When I said, "Whatever do you mean?" Her response was that whenever someone reports their dog missing, when asked about collar or tags the response is usually, "Well I was just giving him a bath..."

After a bath, my dawgs like to run around like maniacs, drying themselves off on bed spreads, running outside to dry on the the grass, etc.. and I encourage the craziness because I want bath time to be fun. Since they are allowed outside immediately after baths (when it's warm of course), I put their collars and tags on while they are soaking wet. The collars are canvas; it doesn't hurt anything.

Some people want their dogs to be comfortable so they take their collars off when they are inside the house. But dogs slip out of front doors all the time. Especially homes with children who don't know or understand the dangers of letting Queeny run out the door.

One person told me the sound of all the jiggling tags is annoying. That sound would probably be welcome music to the ears of someone who has lost a pet. Besides, you can buy those little rubber thingies to go around the tags to cut down on the noise.

Tags are super important for several reasons.

1). If someone finds your dog, she/he can call you right away with info on the tags (keep your tags current!).

2). Good Samaritans are more likely to pick up dogs wearing tags. Folks who have been in San Antonio long enough know the big stray problem we have, and that no that no kill shelters are always full. They know that if they pick up a stray, they might be stuck with the dog for months trying to find place for the fur baby. But if a dog has tags, they are hopeful that they can reunite the dog with his/her parents quickly.

3). Proof of ownership might save your dog from getting killed at a municipal facility.

So, one way to prevent your dog from becoming a lost statistic is to make sure your baby is never "naked." Rex should always wear a collar with his Rabies tag (the law), his microchp number and most importantly, an ID tag with your phone number. Your dog should certainly be microchipped especially since tags can come off. But ID tags can get your baby home a lot quicker.

I picked up a blind dog once at 9:30 PM. She was also either death or hard of hearing. She was wearing rabies tags that had a phone number to her vet but most vets aren't open at 9:30 PM. I kept the dog overnight, called the vet the next morning and the dog was reunited with her parents. But if the dog was also wearing a tag with her parents phone number, they could have been reunited that night. I guess I could have gotten in my car and driven to the closest emergency pet center that was open to see if she had a chip. But I was tired and sleepy, didn't know if I could get this strange dog into my car. Didn't know if I'd drive all that way only to find that she didn't have a chip. Some people don't even know about getting a dog scanned. What if this had been a Friday night. I could have had the dog all weekend.

Puddin's Rap - Parents' Just Don't Un...

2010-07-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

Puddin's Rap - Parents' Just Don't Understand

You know parents are the same

Even if there’s fur on their face

They don't understand that us dogs

Are going to make some mistakes

So to you other pups all across the land

There's no need to argue

Parents just don't understand

I remember one day

I wanted to go to the park

“Hold on there young lady,’ my doggie Mom barked

You wear a collar and tags in the day and in the dark

Aww! Come on Mom; tags are really lame

I’d rather wear my fat gold chain, fat gold chain
Phat, Phat, Phat gold chain!

Then my Dad went mad and did the ultimate
I asked him for ice cream and she gave me kibbles and bits

Human food is bad for pups
Now take your kibble and eat it up

For the rest of the day, I’d tried to explain to my dad
That human food isn’t that bad

But even bit brother wasnt’ havin’ it
We don’t want baby girl to sick

So all you other dogs all across the land
There’s no need to argue Parents just don’t understand

Oh-Kay, here the situation
I wanted to walk in a neighborhood location

My mom started bugging with this leash that she chose

I didn't say nothing at first

I just turned up my nose

She said, "What's wrong? This leash will keep you safe
It’s keeps you from running around all over the place
You need to have a leash where ever cars go
Your going out for a walk, not for a fashion show

Mom, Dad, you ruin my rep

Your only 9 months, you don’t have a rep yet!

The cats are gonna laugh at this leash that I’m wearin

If they are laughing you don’t need ‘em cause their not good friends

It didn’t help to try to plead my case;

Well, parents are the same no matter time nor place

To all you other kids all across the land

take it from Pudd, Parents just don’t understand

La Trenda
210-649-0391
http://rrc.petfinder.com
http://www.facebook.com/aapawfans

Taming Vet Bills

2010-06-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Taming Vet Bills

Taming Vet Bills

Contents

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Establish a relationship with your vet
Get small health issues taken care of right away
Get your pet spayed or neutered
Get Pet Insurance
Establish a savings account for your dog
Establish credit
When that big expense happens

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Get your pets vaccinated. Parvo are distemper awful diseases that affect many unvaccinated pets - especially puppies. Pet parents who have experienced these diseases can tell you that their dogs suffer greatly. Sometimes a pet parent can spend thousands of dollars at the vet and the dog still dies. Those that survive can have life long complications - especially from distemper. Vaccinations against Rabies, Parvo, Distemper are only need once every one to three years (depending on the vaccine). Luckily, these are not surprise or emergency vaccinations - pet parents can put away money specifically for these costs. Getting Rabies vaccinations is the law. This disease is transmittable to humans and can be fatal to humans and dogs.

Puppies must get a series of shots by the time they are 16 weeks old. Talk to your vet about the schedule and please please don't let your pet on the ground or on the floor in public until he/she is done with shots. Please don't let him/her out at the dog park, Petco, Petsmart, etc.. They can pick up diseases so easiy before they are done with shots.
note: For the more experienced pet parents - I know there are some schools of thought about how often or even if vaccs are needed. I'm not smart enough to debate anyone on this subject. But I will say with some confidence though that if you choose not to vaccinate your pet for health reasons then titer testing is a must to make sure your pet still has antibodies. But this is a discussion for another time. This post is about saving money. Titer testing costs several hundred dollars. Vaccinations are quite cheap in comparison.

Keep your pets on heartworm preventative each and every month. Heartworms is an awful condition that is fatal if not treated. Worms grow in the heart and cause all kinds of complications - eventually death. Many dogs feel like they are choking as the worms fill up the heart. Treatment for heartworms is basically poisoning. Some dogs don't even survive the treatment. Also the treatment is very expensive. Expect to spend 600 dollars or more for treatment depending on the size of your dog. Heartworm preventative will cost about 10 dollars a month depending on the size of your dog. That's about 30 cents day. Once again - not a surprise expense - something can prepare for. Note the Animal Defense League will treat heartworms for 200 dollars but that is still more expensive that preventative and your dog still suffers greatly from the treatment.

Dogs that are mostly inside still need preventative. All it takes is one mosquito bite for your dog to become infected.
Also note: If you have never used heartworm preventative, get with your vet first. An inexpensive test needs to be done to insure your dog doesn't already have heartworms and certain breeds (collie type breeds) might have medical issues with certain brands of heartworm preventatives.

Keep Fifi's or Fido's weight in check. Obese dogs have the same complications as obese humans - heart disease, diabetes, joint issues, etc.. Keeping weight at an acceptable level will save on vet bills. Feed your dog a nutritious dog food (talk to your vet) and cut way back on table scraps. Some human foods are okay for an occasional low calorie treat - carrots, apples, etc.. Once again talk to your vet and see a previous post about foods that are bad for our pets: http://www.meetup.com/sabigdawgs/messages/boards/thread/8403478

Note: I'm not smart enough to talk about a raw diet. If you decide to do this, do your research and talk to your vet

Keep your fence in good repair. Replacing a board might cost 5 dollars. Much cheaper than the 600 to 1,500 dollar vet bill you will incur if your dog gets hit by a car. Fence only 4 feet high and your dog keeps jumping it? If you can't afford a 6 foot fence right now, keep Fido inside until you can save up the money. Sometimes no matter what you do, your dog will get out of the yard. Some of them are just that good. These dogs should only be allowed outside when they can be attended to. These dog are not only in danger of causing you a huge vet expense but they could loose their lives, get lost or get stolen. More info on escape artists in another post. Additionally, even if your dog is not an escape artist, never take him/her out in public without a secure collar and leash. Not only is this the law in most areas, but more importantly, any dog can get distracted and take off. A dog running after a rabbit might not notice the speeding car coming in her/his direction.

Caution - tethering, tieing out, chaining your dog is never a good way to restrain your dog for oh so many reasons. Please do not leave a tethered dog unattended. More on this in another post.

Please don't let your dog ride in the back of a pickup truck. All it takes is that one time for your dog to jump out while you are speeding down the highway - huge vet bill or worse. Not only could your dog get injured or killed but you might even cause a traffic accident. Some folks might say that their dog has never jumped from the back of a moving truck, but my response is another old cliche' - "there is a first time for everything". One example (of many I hear): A lady who was needing help finding a lost dog was telling me that her dog always walk down the street to go visit the neighbor's dog and "he always comes back". A short time later, I received another call from a good Samaritan. Her dog was found dead. So the baby always came back - except for that one time that he was run over by a car. You dog might always ride well in the back of a truck - except for that one time he sees a deer or a female dog in heat. Restraining our dog in the back of the truck is a bad idea as well. The dog can try to jump out and hang herself. Pet parents should also be extra careful about letting their dogs stick their whole head or parts of their body out of the car window. They could jump out or get hit by flying debris.

Establish a relationship with your vet

Find a vet you like and go to him/her for all of your vet care needs. If your dog gets injured or sick, your regular vet might be more willing to work with you on a payment plan. Shot clinics are a great way to save money; but a yearly check up at your vet is a must - not only for preventative care but to also establish that relationship. Also, if a vet sees your dog regularly, he or she will be more attuned to your dog's needs and will be able to see health changes more easily. I get my dogs nails trimmed and anal glands expressed at the vet about once a month. Sometimes I go to my vet for nothing. We just sit in the lobby and take treats. This works for me for two reasons - 3 of my dogs are very shy and nervous. I want them to get accustomed to the vet's office and I want them to know that going to vet office doesn't always mean something bad. And of course, it establishes that relationship. The staff there knows me and my dogs.

Get small health issues taken care of right away

Get your pet spayed or neutered

This is a good idea for so many reasons - pet over population, health issues, etc.. A neutered dog might be less likely to want to roam. A 200 dollar spay surgery is much cheaper than taking care of 15 puppies - or worse. Some Mama's have complications during birth just like humans. The vet bill can be very expensive and your dog will needlessly suffer. There are many low cost or even free spay neuter clinics in San Antonio. Two Hundred Dollars is probably about what you'd pay at a regular vet.

Get Pet Insurance

Establish a savings account for your dog

Even if you only have a couple of dollars to spare, put it away for Rex. If you don't have 2 or 3 dollars a month to put away, then start looking at what you can do without to come up with that amount (or more is better). Eat out less, give up foods that aren't good for you. If you smoke or drink alcohol - give that up. Give up that cable or satellite TV. Instead of going out to the movies or to a night club, socialize with people and other dogs at free dog walking meetups.

Establish credit

Just so you will have it for emergencies. Don't use it to buy new clothes or a game station. I you haven't established credit yet or if you are trying to repair bad credit; then you might have to start with cash secured cards or department store cards. Buy some necessities with them (groceries, school clothes, etc..) to get your credit going - but be sure to pay them off right away. Don't even wait until the end of the month. Have the money to pay the bill before you use the card. For vet expenses, also look into Care Credit: http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

When that big expense happens

So, you've kept your dog safe in your yard or on leash; you've kept Queen's weight to an acceptable level and fed her quality dog food. But a big vet bill still comes in and you are low on cash - what do you do? Pay day loans are always a bad idea. But if you don't have credit established, then you might have to consider that. Pawn something - Jewelery, furniture, electronics, etc.. Anything that is worth less than your dog's life or health. Which is everything. If you spend time calling around to see which vet is the cheapest, the dog could be getting worse and the expense could be going up - not to mention your dog might be suffering.

So you've sold everything, you are hungry from lack of eating and you still can't afford the vet bill?

Charitable organization are over taxed but give them a try -

http://daisycares.com/

http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/

http://www.petpalsoftexas.org/

http://fuzzychildren.blogspot.com/2009/08/if-you-cant-afford-vet-care.html.

For information on cutting back on expenses - The Tightwad Gazette is an excellent resource - don't buy it. Get it at the Library:

Other useful info on saving money

http://clarkhoward.com/

http://www.daveramsey.com/

La Trenda

210-649-0391

rescue.connections@yahoo.com

http://facebook.com/aapawfans

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Summer Safety

2010-06-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

The summer heat can be dangerous for all dogs but some are more susceptible than others - the "winter" breeds - the dogs with long thick coats - Huskies, Akitas, Malamutes, Chows, etc..

The dogs with short snouts - Boxers, Rotties, Bulldogs (Frenchies, English, etc..); the very old and the very young.

Also be extra cautious if your dog has white fur or very short fur or pink skin. These dogs can sunburn easier than other dogs (any dog can sun burn)

Watch for signs of heat exhaustion like excessive panting. Some dogs will tell when they are tired. If your dog stops all of a sudden during play or walking, listen to him or her. It's time to go inside and rest. But note that some dogs will not know when it's time to quit. They will keep going just to please you. You will have to know when it's time to take a break.

Be very careful taking your dog out in the middle of the day (avoid it if possible). Pavement can get very hot - can even burn their sensitive little feet.

If your dog is mostly outside, check his/her water source often. The water can become hot very fast. Put out some ice cubes often to keep the water cool. Make sure the dog has plenty of shade and/or a dog house. Of course, living inside is much better especially during extreme temperatures.

Most garages will not provide suitable housing for our Big Dawgs. Most are not insulated and the temperature can be just as extreme as the outdoors. Maybe even hotter if there is no ventilation.

If your dog hasn't been exercising much - now it not the time to start a jogging regimen. Dogs have to slowly get into shape just like us humans.

See this link for more info on summer safety: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=405527368488&id=219916225124&ref=mf

Interesting note - according to the above article, a wet dog can become overheated. The water can heat up on the fur causing a "sauna" effect.

La Trenda

If you don't have time for your pets

2010-05-30T09:56:00.001-07:00

As a rescuer, you want to see dogs and cats and other pets in safe in loving homes. Of course you won't be able to take in every stray and you won't be able to take in every owner surrender. One of the ways to cut down on animal suffering is to try to keep pets in their home. If a pet parents tell you that they want to surrender their pet because they "don't have time and it's not fair to the pet," try to educate them on how they might be able to make time:

Are there some things you can cut back on in order to pay a dog walker or pet sitter to visit your baby while you are at work? It's very expensive but look long and hard and some things that you might be able to do without in order to pay for the pet sitter - i.e. cable or satellite TV. Can your dog stay at a play and stay facility while you are at work?

Sometimes, just being home with with you pet means the world to her. As long as your pet lives inside with you, you are spending time with him... when you are helping the kids with homework, cooking, cleaning etc..

Giving her to another family won't guarrentee that she will get the time and attention that she deserves. Most people have full time jobs, children or parents to care for, etc..

Can you figure out away to work your fur kids into your social schedule - i.e. making friends at dog friendly meetups as opposed to other outings.

Instead of going to an indoor movie theater, go to an outdoor movies theater and bring your dog. Or rent a movie and stay home with the dogs and cats. If you want to eat out, visit one of the many dog friendly dining establishments or have a picnic in the park with your dog or simply stay home with your cat.

When you are washing the car or pulling weeds in the front yard, take your dog outside in a crate and talk to her while you are working.

Instead of going to the gym, take your dog on a nice long walk or job. For an upper body working, wear a weight vest. Do calesthenic in the home - pushups, situps, etc.. Bad weather keeping you inside? Ask a trainer for help in teaching your dog how to walk on a treadmill.

Instead

Fosters - Finding and Keeping

2010-05-20T08:41:00.001-07:00

Fosters

Choosing Fosters

Rescues should have an interview/application process for fosters that is the same as or similar to their adoption process for two reasons

Foster Failures - Many of your foster parents will fall in love with the dog or cat they are fostering for you. If the foster parents have already been screened, then this will be a simple and rewarding process for you, the foster parents and especially the fur babies.

If the potential foster parents are a poor parents to their own pets, then you don't want them caring for your fosters. You don't want your fosters abused, chained, left outside in inclement weather, allowed to roam at large, etc..

Where to find fosters

Some businesses highly encourage volunteering among their staff and they have volunteer suggestions posted for them. See if you can get on those lists: USAA, South Texas Research are probably two.

Get on lists with United Way, Petfinders, Volunteer Match, etc.. These are some sites where volunteers can enter their preferences and volunteer opportunities are shown to them

Post your needs on community calendars and pet forums such as SAPAWS. Even consider craigslist but just be extra careful about screening.

Training fosters

Don't assume that just because your fosters are animal lovers that they know very basic animal care. Have extensive written procedures in place and provide verbal training for very basic care (feeding, watering, cleaning, exercising ) and more advanced care (neonatal, mama dogs/cats, broken limbs, heartworms, pregnancy, etc..)

Motivating Fosters

Promote a since of belonging, caring, appreciation

Talk to foster parents about their interests, hobbies, work, human children, etc.. Not only will this establish rapport, but you will also get a sense how they can best help your organization. Example: If your foster parent works full time, then a litter of one week old puppies won't be reasonable, but an older dog on cage rest might be okay

In addition to the initial training, provide additional/follow-up training programs and seminars to fosters. Get trainers/behaviorists, vets to provide seminars to your people

Have foster/volunteer luncheons, dinners, pot lucks, meetups when possible

Network with local businesses to see if you can get "freebies" to give away to your fosters/volunteers - the gift doesn't have to be expensive - just something to show that you are thinking of them.

Call them every once in a while to see how they are doing

Let foster parents stay involved in the process from beginning to end. Get their input on care, training issues. Let them interview prospective adopters and do home visits. Let them do follow-up phone calls after adoption.

Legal

Have all fosters sign a contract containing very specific criteria

How the animals will be cared for (indoor, outdoor, exercised, etc..)

Who pays the bills (food, medication, toys, crates, emergency vet visit, etc..)

Who screens adopters (how much say the foster parents will have in choosing a permanent parent)

What happens if an adopter is approved and a foster decides he/she wants to keep the pet instead

What to do in an emergency

Will they be required to attend a set number of mobile events

Is a vehicle required

Is a valid driver's lisence required

Physical requirements

Language requirements

Don't reinvent the wheel

Network with other agencies and use some of their materials. Humane Society and Animal Defense have some good info on their websites - including information on neonatal care, and working with shy dogs. Contact HS, ADL, others and ask if you can copy, use some of their written procedures, contracts, handbooks, etc.. Townlake in Austin might

Resources/Networking

This group just started up a facebook page. They said they are bringing training to San Antonio http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/The-Animal-Foster-Network/164366841730

Attend volunteer training/seminars whenever available for continual training, networking - this can be for the rescue and the foster parents. Here is one http://www.unitedwaysatx.org/Pages/UnitedWayCalendar.html

Information from a past seminar - good links at the end of the slide show: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0Bz3uap_ru2eOYzVkZTY0MjItMTZlZS00NjA4LWFjN2UtYjBlYjkzYmJmYWMw&hl=en

Regular volunteer administrator meetings in San Antonio: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0Bz3uap_ru2eOYzVkZTY0MjItMTZlZS00NjA4LWFjN2UtYjBlYjkzYmJmYWMw&hl=en

Petsmart Charities webinars often have very useful information and folks can interact on the web - ask questions, provide info, etc..http://www.petsmartcharities.org/agencies/webinars.php

Here is a paper I did on volunteering - the numbers (data analysis) is mostly made up but the literature review is all real http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddtbr7bw_772f3hq5gcg

Meetups

Can't find a seminar or networking venue that suits you? Then create your own and invite others to join. Meetup.com is a great way to find people with similar interests. Not only will you learn and share ideas, but this can also help to promote that sense of belonging that some of your fosters and volunteers will need to stay motivated.

http://www.meetup.com/

Other Resources:

http://www.rescuematters.com/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/rescuematters

SUBMIT TO GOOD CAUSES - shows in the Sunday Paper

MHeidbrink@express-news