Lacey and her friends bring you the latest dog information on health, safety, and humor in one easy location, from professionals and a collection of bloggers active in the pet industry with a blend of writing styles. We look forward to sharing with you and your fur babies; keep those tails wagging!
*All written content is unique to Lacey’s Barkery Blog*
After fostering dogs for five years my husband and I have welcomed three of them (at various times) to be part of our forever pack. One thing that I learned with our second adoption was that sometimes people actually equate the value of a dog (or cat) with the number of years they MAY have left to live. To hear someone say “$150 to adopt a ‘rescue’, the dog is eight years old,” then look at the dog they are talking about. Sad. So what? Look in the dogs eyes…does she seem less lovable because she’s old? NO. Don’t kids value their grandparents more as THEY age…interesting irony here! However, I do understand that humans and pets aren’t the same (to some).
Dolly was a happy girl to the end (confused at times and not feeling well but happy)
As my own pack ages, we have twin eight year old beagles and two unrelated rescue beagles that are over 10, I don’t think, “Gee furballs, I don’t love you quite as much now that you’re older?” Good grief. Granted when you are adopting a companion for another dog it may be very prudent to get one closer in age and of course temperament.
We adopted a nine year old pitbull into our pack, that’s right, a double whammy she was old AND she was a pitbull! Dolly was the calm my rowdy beagle boys needed and a great friend to us. After taking her to several adoption events and people sort of snarking at her, my husband and I just thought this dog just needs a place to ride out her years, a place to either feel love again or for the FIRST time. She loves us, we love her, and never looked back.
She came pretty healthy, a 7-8 year old. Our rescue group vaccinated and fixed her (this old gal had a litter of puppies several months before she came to us–poor thing–and then ended up being found as a stray and in a shelter for about 2 months before she came to our rescue group). About eight months after we adopted her she developed a lump in one breast, we had it removed and didn’t bother testing for cancer, as treatment for cancer at her age would’ve reduced her quality of life significantly.
About 3 months before her time… Dolly started having seizures, actually she probably was having small ones we weren’t noticing according to the vet — when she started having full body seizures we definitely noticed. The vet gave us an emergency medication in case she had another and otherwise she was healthy, she did markedly begin to decline mentally after the “big ones”…she would be disoriented easily, and began to look as though she just didn’t feel well or care to go outside to potty. The rest of the pack seemed to notice as well that Dolly was slowing down.
I don’t remember who I am at times, and I don’t remember you either…but I know whoever you are–you love me. –Dolly
After only about a year and a half with us, Dolly’s time came and we had to lay her to rest. When I look back though I still feel like we were able to squeeze in a lifetime of love for her and from her in the little time we had with her. We don’t feel like we got ‘jipped’ or that it wasn’t worth the minor cost to remove her lump (which didn’t return).
Sometimes an elderly dog does come with a little more health related baggage…sometimes they don’t, but in the scheme of things it doesn’t reduce their ‘doggy value,’ at least to me.
Now when someone says “that dog is old” about a dog looking for a new home I am sure to try to share with them, “it’s not the number of years but the life and love in the dog.”
Surprisingly, yes, we did all sleep here. Not sure where the humans will sleep!
Hello old friends! Sorry I have been out of touch. My clinical trial of the weight medication is over. I loss about 2 pounds in 5 months. We changed nothing during this tijme. They measured me in kilos so I was a bit confussed but I ended up at 13.4 in the kilos.Just the sound of being ,measured that way is better. Momma Jean said she wish the human doctor would wiegh her that way too. Now I am on a month of just observation and no more pills. I only took 2 pills once a week. AT the end of this last month the doctor is going to go over my diet and we will discuss how to continue my success. I wanted to add a picture of me smiling but for some reason my blog won’t take a picture. Sorry.
That’s a question I’ve been asking myself several times. What are the skills or abilities that make one a good animal trainer? Or actually I should say an exceptional animal trainer? Who has the ability to mold the animal nature into the direction we humans want it to be formed?
I’ve had several discussions on this topic with my colleagues. We have listed several skills that an exceptional animal trainer should possess; among them are patience, creativity, innovativity, joyfulness, being consistent, playful mind, visionary etc. All these describe the quality features of a good animal trainer. But as we know there are trainers and then there are those trainers who have something extra in their relationship with animals. What is it that makes the difference?
Good trainer has to know the animal and be aware of the circumstances the animals are exposed to; environmental wise and the reinforcements they are affected by. Surely we must know the ins and outs of animal behaviorism and the geometrics of animal behavior management, i.e. different forces that affect the animals in our care. How are we capable of changing the balance in reinforcements?
Basically, that’s all it is, the balance of reinforcement. How do get our dog or any other animal to behave the way we’d like it to behave. We just need to find a way to give a stronger feedback, reinforcement, than the feedback, enrichment or stimulus the animal´s environment is providing to it.
Needless to say, the training methods have to be based on positive reinforcement and operant conditioning. When we are talking about positive way of animal training we should remember that it doesn’t mean that everything is allowed for the animal in question. It is just the way we handle the animals, whether they are dogs, cats, horses, otters, dolphins or rhinos etc. The idea is to redirect the focus of the animal with positive and more powerful secondary or primary reinforcement into a trail of success.
But let’s get back to the original question. In my opinion what makes an exceptional animal trainer is the ability of closeness.
We all love and cherish our animals. Especial attention is given to domestic animals because we spend a great deal of time with them. The closeness I am thinking of is not the same as love. Of course we have to love our animals and get involved with them but love is a bit different matter than closeness. What I mean by closeness is: all the quality features listed above combined with sensitivity, intuition and capability to read the small signals animals in our care are giving to us. It’s neither supernatural nor superstitious but a way to read the animal´s motions and signals, to be sensitive to what they might do next and to be just a little bit ahead of them – as no animal trainer should be surprised in training situation by our four legged companions.
Kai Mattsson
Meritime
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You are about to go on vacation and you are thinking about taking your dog with you. Should you get poochie a seat belt or let him roam free?
You are headed to the grocery store, it’s just three blocks away. Spot just loves to stick his head out the window, why not let him come along too?
You need to go to the nursery and pick up some mulch and Smokey wants to ride in the back of the truck. There’s more than enough room for the both of them. Why not let Smokey do what he wants and be happy?
According to AAA, “An overwhelming 84 percent of survey respondents stated that they have driven with their pets on a variety of car trips, including day trips, local errands and leisure trips, the pet store, dog parks, and to work. However, only 16 percent use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog.”
According to this report from ABCNews, here is some info on why you want to restrain your pet when out and about. The full video can be found here.
ABCNews Report on Distracting Dogs.
That New Jersey Pet Safety Belt Amendment mentioned in the report was passed, so if you have a pet who is loose in the car and you live in New Jersey, you will be facing a fine equal to the amount you would pay for an unbelted person ($250 to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail). The New Jersey Pet Safety Belt Amendment states that “(f)or example, an unsecured, 25-pound dog in a 40 miles per hour crash becomes a 1,000-pound mass flying object inside the vehicle that could produce serious injury or death to vehicle passengers.” How horrible. Which begs the question: Why wouldn’t you want to restrain your pet? Other states are looking into adding this law and many states have laws against driving with your dog in the back of your truck unrestrained.
Think about it. Inside your car, on the loose, they can roam around, jump into your lap and distract you. AAA says that, 52% of drivers have pet their dog while driving and another 17% allowed Snuggums up into their lap. And if you have one of those pocket pooches? What is to stop them from running around in the wheelwell and then crossing over to your driver’s side and getting in the way of the gas and break pedal? Dangerous, dangerous!
Not to mention all the dangers that can occur just by letting them stick their heads out the window. Let’s see: getting debris in their eyes, ears, mouth. Accidentally ingesting bugs. Oh, is your dog allergic to bees? Sticking his head out the window, certainly isn’t a good idea. Ever had your husband not pay to close attention to where he was going and scrape the side of the car against the bushes? If your dog’s face is hanging out there, it could get ugly and expensive and cost you a trip to the vets.
Fortunately, there are many types of restraints out there to purchase. Jenna Stregowske, an RVT and an About.com guide has an excellent post on car restraints for dogs. In it she outlines four main types of restraints that are available:
The College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University advises that you use a dog seat belt or a crate when transporting your dog. They also recommend that your pet’s collar and leash with ID tags are on your pet. This idea is to help in the recovery of your pet should there be an accident and your dog escapes from the car.
Another reason to have your dog restrained is to help emergency workers in the event of an accident. Hurt and injured dogs are unpredictable. Having your pet restrained protects him and the emergency workers from harm. It also helps ensure that he won’t escape or if he does, that it will be easier to find him because he has all of his ID on him with a leash to easily snag him.
In researching reviews and background for this post, I came across a very moving personal story. I thought I would share part of it here, with a link to the whole piece if you were still interested. Paula is handicapped and uses a wheelchair and is assisted by her service dog Joella. One day, there was an accident.
Slip Sliding Away….
It was pouring rain. The dirt road was rutted, slick, steep, and had that big hump in the middle. Just as it started to level off, we slid into a ditch. We landed partway on the driver’s side of the van. My wheelchair was almost in my lap, its simple restraint broken. But Joella, who was in the back of the van, got tossed through the air, hitting all sorts of things along the way.
I was trapped in the driver’s seat. Joella was whimpering.
But God and luck where on our side. A woman happened to be coming down the hill just behind me. She rushed to the van, made sure I was okay, and called the Fire Department. Her husband works there and she was on her way to take his lunch. The big fire truck arrived and, while they could get me out, they could not get to Joella. They hooked the van (a giant Chevy G20) to a winch and, after some fancy tricks using the rope, the winch, and a tree, the van was pulled out of the ditch.
One of the firemen checked Joella out for me. She was scared and still whining, but fine. After much thanks, we got back into the van and continued on our way. I do well in a crisis and remain cool headed and intelligent. However, once it is over, I turn into a quivering mass of jelly. We pulled into a parking lot and I lay on the back bench with Joella, crying and holding her tight.
Joella now has a seat belt of her very own and I now have a truck with four wheel drive. Joella’s seatbelt, after trying out various ones, is a padded harness attached to the seat belt via a tab (short loop leash) that has the seat belt through it. Joella goes everywhere with me in the truck. On these country roads, you never know what will be in the road around the bend: anything from a stalled tractor to an irritated bull to cyclists. Brake slamming and swerves are a regular occurrence. Our Service Dogs do a lot to help us and it is our duty to keep them safe and healthy.
Here’s a link to her full story and recommendations/reviews.
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This issue is very important. You shouldn’t be driving with your dog unrestrained. You wouldn’t do it with your child. So, read some reviews, pick out something that works for you and your furry baby.
At Southeastern Guide Dogs, as puppy raisers, our manual instructs us to have our dog either in a crate or on a tie down in the floorboard of the car in a down-stay. The tie down is not needed if there is a passenger to hold the leash and make sure the down-stay command is adhered to. Our dogs are never allowed to roam free, be alone in the car, stick their heads out of the window of a moving car, ride on the seats, or ride in the back of a truck. And I can tell you, they all love riding in the car. It hasn’t damaged them one bit!
Trust me. Being safe, is the better choice. Be safe out there!
Valentine’s Day is coming up. If you have a significant other, you probably already have some special chocolate (keep it up high out of puppy’s way!!) or flowers or shiny gold jewelry picked out. Or maybe you are more of a homemade dinner or specialty gift kind of person. But have you thought of everyone in your house? Did you remember your bestest friend? The one by your side through thick and thin? Who loves you know matter what you look like? Who never gossips about you or talks behind your back? The one who is always excited to see you and sad when you leave for work or school or an errand?
Yes. Your pooch needs a little something for his or her devotion. And trust me, there are tons of options out there. For starters, I bet that Lacey would make you up a killer Valentine’s day basket of treats!! OMG! Would that be amazing or what? Willow and Coach go nuts for the peanut butter treats (I need to put in another order!). So, consider some homemade, specialty treats as a Valentines Day gift for your furry loved one.
OK. You want to do something special for your pooch. Something you made by hand. How about some soap? Check out the instructions at the Candle and Soap About.com page.
Of course if you crochet, there are lots of options for dog sweaters. If you do a search on you tube, you can find some tutorials on how to crochet a sweater super fast (time is running out, my friends!). Check out the great sweaters in the video below.
Or, you could go to Etsy if you want handmade without the bother of making it yourself. Etsy has plenty of fabulous artists and crafters who are making wonderful things and then selling them online. For instance, you could get a Valentine dog collar: Dogologie has one at their Etsy shop and Clementine also has a red rose collar (my personal favorite! See photo below).
Clementine Red Rose Valentine Collar From Clementine’s Etsy site.
There are also sewn sweaters for dogs, such as the Valentine’s Love Jacket for Fido as seen in the photo below.
I Love You Dog Reversible Dog Jacket small/medium
If you are really in an expansive mood, you could have your pooch’s portrait made. Christina Lindley is an artist who does pet portraits (see photo below) and her mom is a fellow puppy raiser. Her website is at Pet portrait’s by Christina.
If those suggestions aren’t enough, there is also a Pinterest page that has oodles of Valentine’s dogs and lots of ideas for Valentine’s Day and your dog. Check it out. You might just surprise yourself and your fur baby! Have a great Valentine’s Day. Coach and Willow and I wish you lots of love and kisses!!
Here is some very exciting news. Shortly we are expecting the release of the new Slow Pull Retractable Leashes to hit the market. The retractable dog leashes are found in many dog households in the USA. But the new Life’s Abundance version is an exciting and superior product because of its unique and industry-changing technology.
This innovative leash works like any other retractable leash when a dog walks at a controlled pace. However when a dog suddenly takes off running, this unique leash will instantly increase resistance in
Slow Pull Retractable Leashes
proportion to the dog’s force, enough to almost stop the dog completely. In addition, since the leashes design prevents the leash cord from rapidly pulling out, it could save dog owners from injuries including burns, abrasions, lacerations and even amputations. This leash also protects pets and their owners by eliminating the force generated when a dog runs out the length of the leash cord.
These “hard stops” from traditional retractable dog leashes have resulted in dog walker injuries to the shoulder, elbow and wrist and dog injuries to the trachea, eyes and even death.
By gradually slowing the dog down, the Slow Pull Retractable Leashes will give the dog walker time to hit the emergency brake and or regain control of the dog with verbal commands. This promises to be like no other retractable leash available on the market today!
If you are interested in getting on our list to be notified as soon as these Slow Pull Retractable Leashes are released for sale please email us at slowpullretractableleashes@aol.com. The Slow Pull Retractable Leashes will be sold thru Doggies Unlimited (www.doggiesunlimited.com), Life’s Healthy Pet Food (www.lifeshealthypetfood.com) and Slow Pull Retractable Leashes (www.slowpullretractableleashes.com)
“Ranger or ‘Smiles’”
I took the assignment because of my love for dogs. Through no fault of his own, this fella lost his home and family. They were being transferred and couldn’t take him. So far, none of the possible adoptions were working out for him.
I walked through the backyard with confidence- not thinking I could get bit or worse, I was just interested in the dog. I wanted to meet the dog I drove across the universe to photograph- driving from Virginia around Washington DC to Maryland often seems like another world.
The foster informed me of his luck, or lack thereof, and then the future possibilities. I felt sorry for him because people were missing the “greatness” in this dog.
So to work I went- I petted him, he played, and I followed him around. Not long after we started, I got a photograph of him which has been one of my favorites- “Smiles”.
As a side note, he did find a “Forever Home” soon after I saw him last.
Best Pet Tip of all…Spend Quality Time Together EVERY DAY!
Often times the best of intentions go by the way side with that list of New Year’s Resolutions being broken by January 3rd. We’re embarking on Month Two of 2013, so it’s time to reassess and catch up on anything you bombed out on or that wasn’t on the list to begin with. That should include enhancing the relationship with your dog or cat and taking even better care of them. Set realistic goals that you can practice for a lifetime!
1. REALLY GET TO KNOW YOUR PET! Knowing what is normal can help you more quickly determine when something is not. Do a weekly Head-to-Tail Check feeling for lumps and bumps; noticing the condition of the skin and coat and feeling for any tender spots. Also pay attention to your pet’s habits — is he drinking more than usual or asking to go outside more frequently? Any change in habit can be a tell tale sign of something “not quite right” and should not be ignored. Getting prompt medical attention could be a lifesaver!
2. DON’T SKIP ANNUAL VETERINARY VISITS! Unfortunately our dogs and cats don’t live as long as we do, so each calendar year for them compares to approximately 7 years worth of physiological changes in us. Have your Vet examine your pet and if you haven’t already, spay or neuter your dog or cat! Doing so will lower the risks of many cancers as well as the number of homeless animals, and…if you didn’t know it, 80% of all dogs and cats hit by cars are un-neutered males!
3. SOCIALIZE & OBEDIENCE TRAIN. An obedient dog is less likely to get into trouble. He’ll “leave it” and not ingest poison and will “stay” out of traffic. Good mannered pets are welcomed family members able to go on outings and be part of gatherings. A well-socialized dog or cat is less likely to bite a person or get into a fight with another animal. Exercise does a canine, feline and human body good and besides keeping joints limber, it provides much-needed oxygen to the brain, so exercise, train, socialize and spend good quality time with your pets daily!
4. READ PET FOOD LABELS! Know which human foods are dangerous to your four-legged best friend and don’t create your own dishes until you become knowledgeable in pet nutrition. Just because it’s good for humans does not make it good for Fido or Fluffy! Read ingredient labels and know WHAT you are putting into your critter’s body. Fillers and chemicals you can’t pronounce do not a healthy pet make. Look for a high quality protein listed first on the label — no by-products and what the heck is “meat?” Have you ever seen a “meat” roaming on the range? Do keep your pets at a healthy weight where you can feel the ribs, but not see them.
5. PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED by learning Pet First-Aid & CPR before you need it. Have at least one well-stocked pet first aid kit on hand, know where your nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital is and have a means to pay when the worst happens. Also, develop a Disaster Preparedness Plan for the WHOLE family…two-legged, four-legged, feathered, finned and scaled. Dangers lurk everywhere and don’t think it won’t happen to you!
I have clients ask me about whether they should keep their dogs collars on or not when they are not home. New dog owners also ask how to find the right collar for their new puppy. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when looking for the perfect collar. For new puppies, look for a collar that allows you to easily slip two to thee fingers between your pets neck and the collar. If collars are too tight they can become embedded into the dogs neck and cause considerable pain. If you are going to keep your dog in a crate or kennel, remove their collar first to keep them from becoming caught and choking. If you have multiple dogs in your home it is a good idea to remove their collars while in the safety of your house to keep them from becoming entangled in each others collars if they begin to play. If you insist that your dog wears a collar at all times, look into a break away collar. These collars allow your pet to “break” the collar should they become caught on something and prevents your dog from becoming injured. I hope these tips help in choosing the perfect collar for your best friend.
Although you may think all pet food manufacturers have your pet’s best interest in mind, this is not always the case. Currently pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to your pet. In fact, you may be shocked to learn what some brands of pet food really contain.
As stated in a book written by Ann N. Martin, “Foods Pet Die For”. In recent years some small pet food companies have begun to use human grade ingredients in their products to provide healthy and nutritious food. However, the standard fare from most commercial pet food companies is far from nutritious. In fact many of the ingredients are potentially harmful and composed of the dregs from slaughterhouses and the rendering business. Even some of the “premium foods” promoted by pet food companies are really not any different than their standard line-other than being more expensive. Ultimately, the best defense is to feed your animal companions human grade food, either home cooked, or made by pet food companies that use human grade food.
After researching the different pet foods available and losing my best friend to cancer and also finding out that the Vet recommended big name brand food I was advised to give my best friend that it ended up on the top 5 list of recalled pet foods in the 2007.
During my research the food that I found that I could safely recommend to others on my Doggies Unlimited website is Life’s Abundance to which I am now a Rep. for. Dr. Jane is the Holistic Vet that formulated the food and monitors every aspect of the production of it. From ingredients, manufacturing, storage etc. Life’s Abundance is also made in small batches, so it is shipped right to your door within 4 to 6 weeks of production. Not like the big name, big companies that produce in large quantities and that by the time you buy it from the store it can be up to 6 years old. During which time it has been stored in hot warehouses and truck for long periods of time which can cause the oils in the foods to go rancid. Life’s Abundance is stored in temperature controlled locations to keep it as fresh as when it was made. Just remember that if your pet refuses or snub’s their food it may be because there’s something wrong with it. 
Life’s Healthy Pet Food (www.lifeshealthypetfood.com) is the Rep. for this very nutritional pet food. You will see a difference in your pets health by feeding a high quality food.
I have read numerous testimonials from very happy customers as to how great their pets are doing with their overall health since making the change. “Isn’t Your Pet Worth It”