My Friendly Pets

In a recent poll taken by the Associated Press-Petside.com, it was determined that 1/2 of all American pet owners consider their pets full members of their family. An additional 36% said that they consider their dog/cat a member of the family, but not a full member. Wow!!! That means that 86% of pet owners believe that their four legged friends are worth of family status. That is awesome.

Many of us are so comfortable with otu dogs/pets as part of our family, we share our human food with them and even let them share our bed. In fact 50% of dog owners say that they feed their dogs human food.

Many enjoy taking their dogs on vacations, which is why so many hotels/motels and camping facilities are now making their environments pet friendly. For many families it is so much less traumatic for the dog to be and stay with the family during a vacation than it is to kennel the animal or even have someone stay with the dog at home.

Many people also enjoy dressing up their dogs. For most, this takes things a bit too far, but for someone like Bernice Miller, 71 from Springfield, Missouri, dressing her Maltese up on special holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas just adds to the festivity of the holiday. Tully, as he is known has not offered a comment on his costumes!!!

While the American economy is still suffering in this recession, many are still indulging their dogs with treats, outfits, and toys. We spend money to get them groomed, keep them well, and also entertained. If that isn’t treating the animal like family, I don’t know what is!!!

There have been many accounts by people that tell the story of their dog being able to warn them of impending disease, such as cancer and other illnesses. Many people now have seizure dogs, who can warn their owners about a coming seizure and prepare the individfual so that they are not hurt.

Well, recently in Aylesbury, England dogs are being trained in Britain as potential life-savers to warn diabetic owners when their blood sugar levels fall to dangerously low levels. A dog’s ultra sensitive nose can detect the tiny changes that occur when a person is going to have a hypoglycemic attack. A survey of 212 people in Belfast reported that about 65% of diabetics reported that the behavior of their dogs changed when their blood sugar level began to drop. As a result of that survey, trainers at the Cancer and Bio-Detection Dogs Research Center in Aylesbury are now working with the 17 rescue dogs to enhance and develop the natural skills the dogs have for low blood sugar reactions. Currently the dogs are at various phases of the training process, but once the training is complete the dogs will then be paired with diabetic owners. Many of these owners are hoped to be children.

Chief executive of the Center, Clair Guest said the following, “Dogs have been trained to detect certain odors down to parts per trillion, so we are talking tiny, tiny amounts. Their world is really very different to ours”. Much of the research in terms of diabetes followed the case of Paul Jackson, who told Guest and her team about his dog Tinker who warns him when his sugar levels get too low and he is in danger of collapsing.

As discussed, dogs are not only companions, in many cases they are life savers!!!

Well, we are part of the social networking age and that phenomenon should not be limited to just ourselves. Today, there is rarely a person who is not linked to a “My Space” page or a “Facebook” page. And if you do have a Facebook page, consider being friends with Dogchannel.com. Yes, they have their own Facebook page and you too can become a fan on Facebook. I recently became a fan on Facebook. Why? Because I love the use and networking on Facebook (I only started my own page about a week ago) and also, I think www.dogchannel.com has some really great information. For instance, on June 17th, they posted on the wall of their Facebook page, the following: “Know the signs if your Senior Dog may need to see a vet” With the click of your mouse, you are on dogchannel.com and can see the valuable information the site has to offer.

How about a social network for dogs and their owners? Well, believe it or not, there is one out there and it is known as “Doggyspace.com”
On this site, there are over 600 groups you can join let alone getting to know various dogs and their owners individually. In fact on their home page, this site states the following regarding the purpose of their site: “Doggyspace is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who love dogs. People use Doggyspace to keep up with friends, upload funny dog videos, and to give their dogs their own cyber place.”

If you are truly into your dogs, your friends’ dogs or dogs in general and like people who like dogs, just try going on the Facebook page mentioned or better yet, get your dog a social network id for him/herself on doggyspace.com. See you there.

For instance,

This coming Friday, June 26, 2009 is Take Your Dog to Work Day!!! I know many of you are thinking that this is taking the dog thing a little far, but this day is special for a variety of reasons. According to the site that is dedicated to this project, they say the following: “First celebrated in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day was created to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs. This annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in their workplace for this one special day to promote pet adoptions.”

Pet Sitters International is the organization that sponsors this event and their mission is clear. They state the following: “PSI created Take Your Dog To Work Day® in 1999 with one goal in mind–to make every pet a wanted pet with a professional pet sitter to care for it. If there is room in your heart and your home for a furry companion, please consider adopting from a local shelter.”

It is obvious that the efforts of this organization are working. They want to bring awareness and are doing so in a positive way. What better way to do so than to get the support of businesses, large and small to support this effort and allow employees to bring their dogs to work.

Of course, before you do so, there are certain things you should insure. Will your place of employement allow it? Are there people in your department or area, that are allergic or fearful of dogs. If you are not able to bring your dog to work, there are many things you can do to insure that the mission and message of this organization are carried out. Check out the website by going to the following website:
http://www.takeyourdog.com !!!!

It has been almost nine years since the attacks on the United States by terrorists and 9/11 will forever remain a sacred date. When this tragedy occured, James Symington, a former Canadian police officer, put his 7 year old German Shepard, Trakr in his car and off they went to New York City to do whatever they could to help those in need at the site of the World Trade Center. Symington said this of Trakr’s magnificent abilities, “He always excelled at scenting, at air tracking, and combined with his courage and determination and his intuition, that made him an incredible search and rescue dog.”

However, as age crept up on Trakr, he died this past April at the age of 16. As a result of an essay contest, where they told Trakr’s story, the Symingtons were given the gift of Trakr over and over again, 5 times to be exact. The contest was sponsored by BioArts International, a company that partnered with a South Korean company to clone the animal whose family won the essay contest. Those at BioArts were moved by the essay written by the Symingtons and role that Trakr played in helping in the aftermath of September 11th.

As a result of the cloning, the Symingtons have been blessed with 5 “mini Trakrs”. Last Sunday, the five Trakr clones were delivered to the Symingtons in Holmby Hills, California. James Symington said the pups are already displaying some of Trakr’s personality traits. He said,
“They’ve got confidence and that sense of curiosity. It’s so unique and so extraordinary.” These dogs have helped to lift the spirits of Symington who has mourned and grieved the loss of Trakr quite hard. Well, now Trustt, Solace, Valor, Prodigy and Deja vu will be able to bring 5 times the comfort, fun and companionship to the Symingtons as they honor the dog that they loved so much!!!

Yesterday I wrote an interesting entry about a woman who used her talents to make clothing for the dogs she loves and for those that hire her to make clothes for their dogs as well. However, according to a recent article on MSNBC, people in China, will soon only be able to have one dog in their household. Yes, that’s right!! Beginning on July 1st, each household will only be able to raise one pooch. Unfortunately, this regulation won’t be grandfathered in, so families with two or more dogs will apparently have to decide which one gets to stay. I can’t imagine having to make that truly difficult decision.

This regulation is going into place in a city called Guangzhou, but many other Chinese cities have also regulated dog ownership. The regulation appears to be part of an effort to control stray dogs, specifically in this City, formally known as Canton. However, it is one of the richest cities in China and has a rapidly growing middle class that can afford to own dogs. Many of those that are owning dogs for the first time, are not knowledgeable about responsible pet ownership. As a result, some people will just abandon the dogs, they will reproduce and there you have the problem. Because of a lack of vacination policies, groups of rabid dogs can form and the government uses this as an excuse to round up as many dogs as possible to dispose of.

These rulings, which exist in many cities, as mentioned, including Beijing, gives the government the authority to do almost anything they want with the dogs that don’t have homes or the ones to be displaced.

What China needs is stronger animal control measures. It looks like they are headed in that direction, but at what cost to the families that will have to make a most difficult decision.

In a country like China, most wouldn’t think that a clothes maker for dogs would be able to earn a living. This would have been especially true many years back when Chinese leader Mao Zedong banned raising dogs as a bourgeois pastime. Keeping dogs was only made legal a few years ago as living standards rose. As a result, entrepeneurs like Hu Xi, have found a niche for her love of dogs, clothing and making things by hand. Xi began her business out of her home nine years ago and it is growing by the year. In fact, demand has grown so, that demand from clients in China and abroad has prompted her to open a small factory in Beijing’s suburbs.

So can this really make a living for the 27 year old. It appears taht it can. It takes about an hour to make a simple jacket or dress, which sells for 60 yuan ($9) while a more complex outfit can take up to three days to make and can sell for over $100, roughly half the monthly wage of a construction worker in the city. In fact, Hu estimates that she has sold between 10,000 and 20,000 items since she opened her studio. In winter, when demand is higher, Hu makes around 10,000 yuan ($1,460) a month, an enviable wage for most Beijing residents.

So where does Hu Xi come up with her designs. Well, they range from traditional Chinese clothing to Western pop culture and children’s cartoons. One of Hu’s regular customers is happy for Xi’s business. Zhang Mengyi says the following, “I think of them just like my own children, so of course I like to dress them up and make them look more beautiful,” who has bought nine outfits for her dogs. “I also want my friends to like them.”

In addition to providing a safe place for your dog to go to during a thunder storm, there are some other things that can be done that can help your pooch overcome his fear.

If you know a storm is coming, some of the things that can be done to minimize the effects of the storms include the following:

*Enhance the appeal of a safe room your dog selects by putting a favorite toy or one of your un-washed T-shirts there for comfort.

*Muffle the storm’s sounds by turning on the air conditioner, television, or radio. Close window blinds to block out lightning.

*Distract your dog with a chew toy stuffed with peanut butter or treats. Or engage it in a favorite indoor game like hide and seek or fetch during a storm. This form of counter-conditioning instills in a dog that good things like fetch can occur during a storm and that it is safe.

Some people even engage in full behavior modification treatment. That is trying to desensitize your dog to the sounds of a thunderstorm, by introducing certain sounds at certain levels until the dog obtains some some type of comfort level. This can take certain amount of time in terms of conditioning and may not always be successful, but if you are committed to working on this issue with your dog…it could work…just take it slow.

If the reaction of your dog is so severe from a thunderstorm, where it would compromise the safety and health of the dog, it might be worth talking to the vet about some type of low dose tranquilizer or sedative. I don’t advocate drugs for dogs, but sometimes it may be necessary. Since we are currently heading into true thunder and lightening season, let your dog know you care.

We in the Northeast have been plagued by rain for the last 10 days. In the last three days there have been some really violent thunderstorms. When I came into work today, one of my co-workers looked especially tired. We were talking about the storm early this morning (2:00 am) and how with the intensity of the thunder and lightening, her dog became especially “spooked” and kept she and her husband up for a good bit of time before, during and after the storm. Our first dog hated the thunder and would shake and shudder as the thunderstorm passed over head. Of course our first reaction was to coddle and cuddle him in order to help alleviate fears. Little did we know that we were just reinforcing his fear by letting him know that he will get more attention during the storm.

Perhaps it is the loudness of the noise to the super sensitive ears of the dog that causes them so much trauma. The level of this noise has been compared to playing the drums in the close proximity of a small baby. Try that and see the reaction that you get. There are several things that can be done to help your dog cope with this fear. One of the first things to do, according to the Humane Society is to create a safe place for your dog. Most dogs want to get away from the sound that firghtens them as quickly as possible. If your dog has a particular spot in your home where he/she tries to go to help calm his/fears, make sure the dog has access to that spot. If the spot is in a particular room, make sure the door to that room remains open. There are also several other ways to help your dog with this fear and they will be addressed in future entries. Because we are in “thundertorm season” now and will soon be in the midst of hurricane season, it is best to learn how to help your dog out now!!

When Mary-Margaret Burke wanted to take her dogs for a walk in Groveland, Mass., she never thought she would have that walk threatened by coyotes. However, that’s just what happened. Mary-Margaret was walking through a wooded area with her four Labradors and came upon a pack of coyotes. According to Burke, ” I could see their eye teeth, coming up out of their mouths. They were showing their teeth to us. They wanted to attack us.” Burke was ill prepared for this encounter and just came to a dead stop. Burke tried to walk deeper into the woods to get away from the coyotes. However, she became lost and disoriented and fortunately had her cell phone to call 911. Police were able to talk her out of the woods with the gps signal built into her phones. According to Burke, ther were about eight coyotes in this pack and she wonders what will happen to the next person or persons, especially a child who come across this pack of coyotes. According to police, the best thing to do in a situation such as this is to make a lot of noise to scare away the coyotes and then leave the area as soon as possible.

In a sad story, a thirteen year old mix breed dog had to be put to sleep this week, because a burglar who entered the home of the Minnich family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania beat the dog to the point where the dog’s hip bone was broken and bone fragments in the hip, made it impossible to fix. Carly, the dog had been acting strange and somewhat ill and was taken to the vet in the middle of the night. The vet determined that the dog had been beaten or kicked and that is what caused the severity of the injuries. The Minnichs were devastated and didn’t care at all about their possessions, because they could be replaced. However, Carly will never be able to be replaced and for that, they are all heartbroken.

As noted yesterday, the garden, flowers and plants can be a dangerous place for your dog. I started yesterday by giving a couple of tips to help keep your dog safe and will continue today by adding a few more.

Becoming educated about the plants in your garden is very important. There are some hibiscus plants that are fine and nontoxic, but there are others that are highly toxic and could truly damage your dog.

Many of us use pesticides on our plants to keep them from being destroyed by certain insects. While the plants may be nontoxic, the pesticides usually are. The most dangerous time for dogs to be around those toxic chemicals is within the first few hours after the pesticides have been applied. They are considered still wet at this time and contain the most toxicity. The best rule of thumb is to keep your dog out of an area where pesticides have been applied for about 24 hours.

I have written several entries about the danger of cocoa mulch. The ingredient, theobromine is present is chocolate and cocoa mulch and is one of the most dangerous ingredients for your dog.

People who travel tend to bring back little trinkets or jewlery that is often make from seeds or beans. Be careful if this is the case. You don’t want your dog to get a hold of this as the dog can be just as easily poisoned by your souvenier as any plant in your garden.

Most importantly, don’t take a wait and see attitude with your dog. If you know they’ve eaten something toxic, call the vet. Don’t waste time inducing vomiting. The time wasted could save your dog’s life.

We all love Spring and Summer for the foliage, greenery, and flowers that are so abundant. They smell wonderful and look beautiful. But did you know those same plants that you put in your garden to make your yard and garden attractive can also kill your dog?

According to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, a veterinarian and board-certified toxicologist who is vice president of the Animal Poison Control Center, “Many people aren’t aware of just how toxic some of these really common plants are. A rule of thumb is that the prettier it is, the more likely it is to be toxic.” This is especially true for rhododendren plants as well as azaleas, cycad palms, oleander, foxglove, lily of the valley and castor bean plants.

At the Animal Poison Control Center, where they get about 8000 calls per year, the most common plant that poisons dogs and cats are the Easter lillies. If not treated promptly after ingesting any part of this plant, including a leaf, the animal could rapidly go into severe kidney failure and die.

There are about 10 expert tips regarding your dog and plants that I would like to pass on. I will address some in this entry and the remainder in tomorrow’s entry as a followup.

First, don’t assume your pet won’t eat a particular plant. Remember, animals, especially dogs investigate with their mouths and that means they find about things by tasting them. This could be disaterous. The point being, don’t tempt the dog!!

Secondly, know the names of the plants in your yard. If your dog does eat something that could be poisonous and you have to call the poison control center, you want to be able to tell them exactly what your dog ate. Without that information, it may be more difficult to treat your dog, resulting in a more severe reaction or possibly death.

More on plants when we continue tomorrow!!

I recently posted an entry about a new airline that will only exist for the purpose of making the flight for your dog enjoyable. In fact, all they transport will be our furry friends. For many who have had to transport your dog by air, this can be a blessing. However, there are many reasons why dogs are not meant to be in the air, besides the fact that they don’t have wings.

First of all, air travel as it currently stands (other than with PetAirways) is rather dangerous for dogs. Many are hurt or killed specifically while in the cargo area of the plane. In fact, since 2005 109 animals, mostly dogs, have died as a result of their air travel experience.

It is unfairly expensive to fly dogs around the country. Consider the argument I read in an article on MSNBC.com. While airlines have various rates to fly dogs on their planes, which seems inequitable to begin with, consider the fact that you can have a child, if young enough to sit on your lap for free, but even if you have a small dog that can be put under the seat in a small carrier, you will pay anywhere from $70 to $200 one way, just to fly your dog with you.

Suppose you find an airline with great fares and great flight times to suit your needs. Certain airlines, like Southwest Airlines simply refused to transport pets for any reason. In some cases, even when the dog’s flight goes well, they are so spooked by the experience that they run at the first opportunity. An award winning American whippet that had just won an award in the Westminster Dog Show in 2006 went missing out at JFK airport when the dog escaped from its cage during a flight transport.

So a word to the wise…avoid planes with your dog…take a nice long road trip.

For those who are Broadway bound (and I speak of this as it is the night of the Tony awards), you might want to check out the play called “The Wiz” which will open with a new cast. Ashanti will assume the role of Dorothy and the other very important cast member will be the dog who plays Toto. This very special pooch was a rescue dog named Nigel that was found online by Bill Berloni as he browsed the website of the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society. Berloni is the famous Broadway animal trainer who also gets credit for rescuing “Sandy”, the dog that played in the original Broadway production of “Annie” over 30 years ago.

For Nigel, Berloni’s rescue would change the course of his life. The dog was born about 20 months ago in Arkansas. The 15 pound pup was abandoned on the street and finally found safety and haven at the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society. The rest, as they say, is history!!!

According to Ashanti, she had requested that her dog, a teacup Yorkie named Mimi be used as the dog for Toto. However, after second thought Ashanti agreed that Mimi would probably cause more trouble as listening to someone besides herself would be difficult.

For those interested in checking out “The Wiz”, and seeing Nigel and Ashanti in action, the production will run at the New York City Center from June 12th - July 5th. Both Ashanti and Nigel hosted a “There’s No Place Like Home” Adoption Day on May 30th, also at the City Center was to showcase the work of the New York Humane Society and provide patrons with pooches available for adoption!!!

Major Steven Hutchison at 60 is the oldest casualty of the war in Iraq. He was killed on May 10th of this year by a roadside bomb. However, the spirit of Major Hutchison will live on through his dog Laia, who he named after Princess Leia from Star Wars. Hutchison was a big Star Wars fan and even called his unit “Team Force”.

He had another love while in Iraq. and that was Laia. The dog was placed in his vehicle by another unit when they were moving out and told to abandon the dog. They couldn’t do it nor could Major Hutchison. Hutchison wrote and signed a memo authorizing the dog as a member of the unit and requesting it get shots from the base’s vet. He then took in the pup, letting her sleep in his bed and sometimes ride with him to meet Iraqi counterparts. Soldiers are not supposed to adopt pets, however, this soldier defied those orders and truly loved Laia.

Upon his death, the soldiers in Hutchison’s unit wanted to honor his memory and send Laia to the U.S., so the dog could have the quality of life that the Major would have wanted for her. Friends of Hutchison contacted Operation Baghdad Pups and coordinated the travel for this dog to come “home”. While Richard Hutchison will never see his brother again, he was so happy to see the dog arrive that had been so much a part of his brother’s life. The brother said, “Even though Steve’s not here, I know how much Steve loved the dog. You can kind of feel Steve through the dog. I can see something that he loved over here. I can see it here licking us.”

Laia arrived on Monday and will ultimately have a permanent home with another member of “Team Force” Richard Hutchison will visit the dog often, knowing this was an animal his brother truly loved.