Posts
Inception Dog Food Chicken & Pork Meal Recipe
5 years ago
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
If I Didn't Have Dogs
Read more!
What would life be like if I didn't have dogs?
Read More......
If I didn’t have dogs:
- I could walk barefoot around the yard without dodging “land mines”
- My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated
- All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars, would be hair-free
- When the doorbell rings, my home wouldn’t sound like a kennel, plus I could get to the door without wading through all the fuzzy bodies who beat me there.
- I could sit on the couch or lay on the bed any way I wanted , without having to take into consideration how much space several fur bodies need to get comfortable.
- I would have enough money, and no guilt, to go on a real vacation.
- I would not be on a first name basis with my veterinarian, or the folks at the pet food store.
- The most used words in my vocabulary would not be “out”, “sit”, “down”, “come”, “no”, “stay” or “leave it”.
- My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates and barriers.
- I would not talk “baby talk”, such as “Where are mommy’s babies?”, “what good puppies want a chewie?”, or “Who wants a yummy?”
- My house would not look like a day care center, with toys everywhere.
- My pockets would not contain things like dog treats, poop bags or extra leashes.
- I would not have to spell out words like b-a-l-l, c-o-o-k-i-e, b-y-e-b-y-e, or w-a-l-k.
- I would not have as many leaves inside my house as outside.
- I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog ties them down too much.
- I’d look forward to spring and rain instead of dreading “mud” season.
- I would not have to answer the question “Why do you have so many pets?” from people who will never know the joy of being loved unconditionally by the closest thing to an angel they will ever encounter.
How empty my life would be!
Read More......
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Great, Great Dane
Read more!
We'll look at another winner soon.
Read More......
Although every dog is a hero to its owner in one way or another, there are hundreds of dogs in America who have performed truly brave feats in the face of danger. In 1954 Ken-L Ration decided to recognize these outstanding achievements of our canine companions and began the Dog Hero Awards. Kibbles and Bits currently awards these amazing dogs. Only one dog each year is awarded the "Dog Hero of the Year" title.
I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the past winners, so from time to time I will post an article on some of these heroic dogs.
This is about Top, a great dane who was awarded this honor in 1969.
Los Angeles, California - In a heroic double-header, Top, a child-loving Great Dane owned by Axel Patzwaldt, saved two children from certain death.
The dogs exploits began one morning when an eleven -year-old girl was allowed to take Top out for a walk. Crossing the street, she failed to notice a large truck barreling down the road. Top, barking loudly, jumped in front of the girl and pushed her backward out of the way. The girl was unhurt, but Top was hit by the truck, shattering his right rear leg.
Top was rushed to the hospital and his leg put in a cast. He limped around painfully for weeks, but only one week after his cast was removed, Top saved another life.
With Top's cast off, his owner let him out of the apartment to play by the pool. Seconds later, Top came running to the door, soaking wet and barking at the top of his lungs. His owner and other residents ran after him to find a two-year-old boy, Christopher Conley, at the bottom of the six foot deep pool.
Top's owner, a former lifeguard, dove into the pool and brought the lifeless child to the surface. he began mouth to mouth resuscitation and managed to revive the boy. Paramedics arrived, and eight hours later, emergency room doctors pronounced Christopher out of danger.
What an amazing dog!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Dog Hoarding: When Do You Cross the Line?
Read more!
by Maria Goodavage
Five? 10? 20? 100? You can't tell a hoarder by the number of dogs -- or can you?
You love your dog, so you get another to keep her company. And then you find a stray and you have to take him home. Then you see this irresistible dog who needs a place to bunk down, so naturally he becomes part of your household. Another dog comes into your life, and you can’t say no. You love them all, and give them a good home, so occasionally people just dump a dog on you.
Your canine brood grows. It gets a little crowded, but you’re okay. You know you have more dogs than most people, but you can handle it, and the dogs need you. At some point, you might get strange looks. Then someone may refer to you by the "H" word: Hoarder.
Wait! What? You can’t be a hoarder. You love your pets, and you don’t have hundreds, or even dozens, or all that many compared to those stories you read. But some people still look at you askance, as if they’re saying, "There goes that crazy dog lady!" And you might start wondering just where the line is drawn between hoarding and just having a larger-than-normal number of pets. Is it a certain state of mind coupled with certain actions, or is there a magic number? Are you defined as not a hoarder at X number of dogs, but once you pass that, you tip the scales into lightweight hoarding?
Of course, there is no simple equation. It’s about much more than numbers. There are many theories about what makes someone a dog hoarder (here's a good article about pet hoarding/collecting), but there’s no clearly defined number cutoff. If someone with X dogs cares for his dogs but isn’t keeping them in ideal conditions, how does the law differentiate between him and someone with X+1 (or more) dogs who are given the best care the owner knows how to give?
I started thinking about this question when I read about two Pennsylvania brothers who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after nearly 200 dogs, mostly Chihuahuas, were discovered in their house. Like most other hoarders, they truly loved the animals and thought they were doing what was best for them. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, it was hard for the brothers to enter the guilty plea. They said they “treated the dogs like our boys and girls.”
What set these men apart from many hoarders was the condition of the dogs in general. Unlike what’s found in many hoarding cases, most of the dogs were in decent shape. “Veterinarians who checked the Chihuahuas -- plus two other dogs that were also removed from the residence -- found no serious health issues, only minor eye, teeth and skin problems, and officials say they apparently came from a loving home,” the article said.
Yes, authorities found the bodies of 30 dogs in the freezer, but they’d died of natural causes. (Not being able to part with the bodies of deceased pets is another of the characteristics of many hoarders.) Unlike the case of Rosie, the severely deformed Chihuahua we’ve been writing about since her rescue from a hoarder in June, there were apparently no calamitous deformities from inbreeding issues in this household.
The brothers' situation is a classic hoarding case, perhaps minus the decent physical conditions of the dogs. But where did they stop becoming simply super-caring dog lovers taking in their share of dogs to becoming hoarders? Again, before I get accused of oversimplifying things, I realize that hoarding/collecting animals is a very complex psychological issue; it’s anything but clear-cut.
At one point, fellow author and Dogster writer Julia Szabo had five large dogs living in her small NYC apartment. She’s down to four, but it seems people still talk.
"While most people say nice things about how kind I am to rescue, and how healthy and happy and well-socialized my dogs are, etc., a few (mostly anonymously, online) have accused me of being a hoarder," Julia wrote me. "These lovely folks call themselves 'true animal lovers,' and such. To which I say, if y'all were such true animal lovers, maybe you'd have ONE dog each, so I wouldn't have to have four or five?"
Her dogs are all rescues, and generally sleep in her bed –- yes, the non-kingsize bed you see above. If Julia lived in a big country home, no one would ever consider her a hoarder. But that fact that she’s a single gal living in a small one-bedroom apartment in New York City with four big pooches tips the scales for some people.
If you saw her apartment, you would shake your head at those who hurl around the H word so easily. It is neat. It is lovely. Yes, it may have more doggy doodads than the average NYC apartment, but it's definitely not the abode of a hoarder. My one-dog, one-child house should be so well organized.
Years ago I knew a woman in my San Francisco neighborhood. She had somehow accumulated about 10 dogs through her rescue efforts and failed foster attempts. Her yard was kind of stinky, and in her house you were lucky not to trip on Kongs and tennis balls and rawhide bones. But it wasn’t unhealthy, just slightly cluttered with dog toys –- and dogs. Her landlord (yes, she was a renter) was getting pretty balky about all those critters, and she was way over the city’s dog limit. I remember clearly when she told me she was going to move to Montana to live on a few acres she was buying with her partner. “We can keep the dogs, but no more of them. I’m not a hoarder, at least I don’t think so, but I was beginning to worry.” Read More......
by Maria Goodavage
Five? 10? 20? 100? You can't tell a hoarder by the number of dogs -- or can you?
You love your dog, so you get another to keep her company. And then you find a stray and you have to take him home. Then you see this irresistible dog who needs a place to bunk down, so naturally he becomes part of your household. Another dog comes into your life, and you can’t say no. You love them all, and give them a good home, so occasionally people just dump a dog on you.
Your canine brood grows. It gets a little crowded, but you’re okay. You know you have more dogs than most people, but you can handle it, and the dogs need you. At some point, you might get strange looks. Then someone may refer to you by the "H" word: Hoarder.
Wait! What? You can’t be a hoarder. You love your pets, and you don’t have hundreds, or even dozens, or all that many compared to those stories you read. But some people still look at you askance, as if they’re saying, "There goes that crazy dog lady!" And you might start wondering just where the line is drawn between hoarding and just having a larger-than-normal number of pets. Is it a certain state of mind coupled with certain actions, or is there a magic number? Are you defined as not a hoarder at X number of dogs, but once you pass that, you tip the scales into lightweight hoarding?
Of course, there is no simple equation. It’s about much more than numbers. There are many theories about what makes someone a dog hoarder (here's a good article about pet hoarding/collecting), but there’s no clearly defined number cutoff. If someone with X dogs cares for his dogs but isn’t keeping them in ideal conditions, how does the law differentiate between him and someone with X+1 (or more) dogs who are given the best care the owner knows how to give?
I started thinking about this question when I read about two Pennsylvania brothers who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after nearly 200 dogs, mostly Chihuahuas, were discovered in their house. Like most other hoarders, they truly loved the animals and thought they were doing what was best for them. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, it was hard for the brothers to enter the guilty plea. They said they “treated the dogs like our boys and girls.”
What set these men apart from many hoarders was the condition of the dogs in general. Unlike what’s found in many hoarding cases, most of the dogs were in decent shape. “Veterinarians who checked the Chihuahuas -- plus two other dogs that were also removed from the residence -- found no serious health issues, only minor eye, teeth and skin problems, and officials say they apparently came from a loving home,” the article said.
Yes, authorities found the bodies of 30 dogs in the freezer, but they’d died of natural causes. (Not being able to part with the bodies of deceased pets is another of the characteristics of many hoarders.) Unlike the case of Rosie, the severely deformed Chihuahua we’ve been writing about since her rescue from a hoarder in June, there were apparently no calamitous deformities from inbreeding issues in this household.
The brothers' situation is a classic hoarding case, perhaps minus the decent physical conditions of the dogs. But where did they stop becoming simply super-caring dog lovers taking in their share of dogs to becoming hoarders? Again, before I get accused of oversimplifying things, I realize that hoarding/collecting animals is a very complex psychological issue; it’s anything but clear-cut.
At one point, fellow author and Dogster writer Julia Szabo had five large dogs living in her small NYC apartment. She’s down to four, but it seems people still talk.
"While most people say nice things about how kind I am to rescue, and how healthy and happy and well-socialized my dogs are, etc., a few (mostly anonymously, online) have accused me of being a hoarder," Julia wrote me. "These lovely folks call themselves 'true animal lovers,' and such. To which I say, if y'all were such true animal lovers, maybe you'd have ONE dog each, so I wouldn't have to have four or five?"
Her dogs are all rescues, and generally sleep in her bed –- yes, the non-kingsize bed you see above. If Julia lived in a big country home, no one would ever consider her a hoarder. But that fact that she’s a single gal living in a small one-bedroom apartment in New York City with four big pooches tips the scales for some people.
If you saw her apartment, you would shake your head at those who hurl around the H word so easily. It is neat. It is lovely. Yes, it may have more doggy doodads than the average NYC apartment, but it's definitely not the abode of a hoarder. My one-dog, one-child house should be so well organized.
Years ago I knew a woman in my San Francisco neighborhood. She had somehow accumulated about 10 dogs through her rescue efforts and failed foster attempts. Her yard was kind of stinky, and in her house you were lucky not to trip on Kongs and tennis balls and rawhide bones. But it wasn’t unhealthy, just slightly cluttered with dog toys –- and dogs. Her landlord (yes, she was a renter) was getting pretty balky about all those critters, and she was way over the city’s dog limit. I remember clearly when she told me she was going to move to Montana to live on a few acres she was buying with her partner. “We can keep the dogs, but no more of them. I’m not a hoarder, at least I don’t think so, but I was beginning to worry.” Read More......
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
What Parents Should Know About Pets
Read more!
I found the following article by Dr. Marty Becker and thought I would share it. I had pets of some description, usually more than one, the whole time I was growing up. I can't imagine my childhood without at least one dog. At times they were my best friends. They still are.
Read More......
What Parents Should Know About Pets
By Dr. Marty Becker | August 13, 2012
Every parent knows the feeling: It all goes by so quickly.
You’re newlyweds, then you’re the parents of small children. Turn around again
and you’re empty-nesters. And then … grandparents.
My wife and I are grandparents now, and everyone who knows
us knows we’re madly in love with our granddaughter. Give me five minutes and
I’ll show her picture, followed by those of our beloved pets. There is nothing
more important to me than being a good husband, a good father, a good
grandfather — and, yes, a good veterinarian.
From the vantage point of seeing so many children grow up to
have children of their own, I offer five things this veterinarian (father,
grandfather and husband of more than 30 years) wants every parent to know about
pets and children.
Your Pet Can Be Your
Child's Best Friend
Pets are nonjudgmental, loyal, loving and always excited to
be with their people. Unlike classmates, friends or even, at times, family
members, a pet will love your child unconditionally. Rich or poor, tall or
short, under- or overweight, porcelain skin or pimples, smart or struggling in
class, popular or pariah, athlete or academic: We all need unconditional love.
Pets are also doggedly loyal; a pet will never leave your child because he's
tired or a better offer came along.
Pets Teach
Responsibility
Animals need to be fed, watered, groomed, exercised and
played with, and they need medical care and love. They're not like the newest
video game or toy that can be enjoyed for a while and then left to be forgotten
on a shelf. Although you should never allow a pet to be cared for exclusively
or primarily by a child, pets can help children understand how to nurture. Pets
need care, constantly and consistently, and they teach children to give to
others.
A Pet Can Teach Your
Child About the Circle of Life
At each stage of life, a pet provides valuable lessons. For
example, adopting a pet from a shelter is an opportunity to talk with your
child about homelessness and a forever, loving home. A pet can also offer
parents a way to talk with a child about death. For many of us, the loss of a
pet is the first of many such losses we will all experience in our lives. A pet
can teach your child that it’s important to love and just as important to
grieve. A pet can also teach children that compassion needs to be extended
beyond our own species.
Pets Provide Physical
Contact
In our lives, we are not always sure when touch is
acceptable and when it’s not. But not with our pets: They always love our
touch, always welcome it. Anyone of any age can kiss a dog or cat and say
"I love you!" and nobody thinks anything of it. We need touch, and
“heavy petting” is always fine with our pets.
Pets Are Good for Our
Health
Pets are life support systems. Pets don't just make us feel
good. They're good for us. Being around pets in early childhood lessens the
severity of allergies, asthma and eczema. Pets can blunt chronic pain; fight
depression; lower cholesterol; decrease blood pressure; lower the risk of heart
disease or stroke; improve survivability of a heart attack; help treat ADHD,
anxiety and PTSD; detect seizures; help Parkinson's patients; and even detect
cancer. Adding a pet to your growing family is one way to protect your child's
health — and your own.
Read More......
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
5 Rules for Finding a Pet Friendly Nanny
Read more!
When parents begin their nanny search one of the things they should take into consideration is if they have or plan to have a family pet. Whether it is due to allergies or a fear that they’ll have to care for the family pet, for some nannies working in a home with a pet is simply out of the question.
If you’re considering hiring a nanny and have a family pet, you’ll want to be sure to find a nanny that’s comfortable around animals and willing to provide any necessary pet care. To attract a pet friendly nanny, follow these five rules:
Rule #1. Give full disclosure. Be upfront about having a pet and being an animal loving family. Whether creating your profile online or when working with an agency, be sure to include information about your pet in your family’s description. Even if you don’t expect your nanny to provide any care for your family pet, if she has a severe allergy to dogs or cats and you have one it could be an employment deal breaker.
Rule #2. Advertise for a pet loving nanny. When you describe your ideal nanny candidate, include a nanny that enjoys being around animals. When you do, you’ll naturally attract nannies who enjoy being around pets.
Rule #3. Be clear about the pet responsibilities your nanny would have. If you expect your nanny to walk or feed the family dog, communicate that from the get go. If part of her job would be taking the pet to routine vet visits, be sure to discuss it upfront. While opening the screen door to let a dog out may not be a big deal to you, to a nanny who has an allergy to dogs or a general dislike of them it’s not going to be something she wants to do.
Rule #4. Be willing to hire a dog walker or pet care provider and make that clear in your family profile. Dogs with lots of energy and young children with equal amounts of energy don’t always mix. If a nanny candidate is aware you’re willing to outsource the pet duties, a pet may be a non-issue. If you love a nanny who doesn’t really love dogs, hiring a dog walker or taking the dog to doggie daycare may be your only chance of securing her.
Rule #5. Compensate your nanny if she agrees to take on any pet duties. When discussing compensation be sure to include what you’re offering to take care of the family pet in addition to her nanny salary. Showing your nanny that you appreciate her going above and beyond the call of duty will go a long way in helping her to feel valued and respected.
If you’ve hired a nanny and then decide you want to get a family pet, it’s important to discuss the idea with your nanny first. If you decide you’d like to get a puppy, for example, the reality is that your nanny is going to be spending the majority of time with the puppy, unless you make alternative arrangements. If she’s not willing to train the puppy with you and give the puppy the care it needs, getting a new pet will be problematic.
While there are many nannies that love working in homes with pets, there are some that do not. If you have or are planning on getting a family pet, being upfront about it will ensure that the nannies you meet would enjoy working in a home where a pet was a valued member of the family.
by Maureen Denard
Find a Nanny.net Read More......
When parents begin their nanny search one of the things they should take into consideration is if they have or plan to have a family pet. Whether it is due to allergies or a fear that they’ll have to care for the family pet, for some nannies working in a home with a pet is simply out of the question.
If you’re considering hiring a nanny and have a family pet, you’ll want to be sure to find a nanny that’s comfortable around animals and willing to provide any necessary pet care. To attract a pet friendly nanny, follow these five rules:
Rule #1. Give full disclosure. Be upfront about having a pet and being an animal loving family. Whether creating your profile online or when working with an agency, be sure to include information about your pet in your family’s description. Even if you don’t expect your nanny to provide any care for your family pet, if she has a severe allergy to dogs or cats and you have one it could be an employment deal breaker.
Rule #2. Advertise for a pet loving nanny. When you describe your ideal nanny candidate, include a nanny that enjoys being around animals. When you do, you’ll naturally attract nannies who enjoy being around pets.
Rule #3. Be clear about the pet responsibilities your nanny would have. If you expect your nanny to walk or feed the family dog, communicate that from the get go. If part of her job would be taking the pet to routine vet visits, be sure to discuss it upfront. While opening the screen door to let a dog out may not be a big deal to you, to a nanny who has an allergy to dogs or a general dislike of them it’s not going to be something she wants to do.
Rule #4. Be willing to hire a dog walker or pet care provider and make that clear in your family profile. Dogs with lots of energy and young children with equal amounts of energy don’t always mix. If a nanny candidate is aware you’re willing to outsource the pet duties, a pet may be a non-issue. If you love a nanny who doesn’t really love dogs, hiring a dog walker or taking the dog to doggie daycare may be your only chance of securing her.
Rule #5. Compensate your nanny if she agrees to take on any pet duties. When discussing compensation be sure to include what you’re offering to take care of the family pet in addition to her nanny salary. Showing your nanny that you appreciate her going above and beyond the call of duty will go a long way in helping her to feel valued and respected.
If you’ve hired a nanny and then decide you want to get a family pet, it’s important to discuss the idea with your nanny first. If you decide you’d like to get a puppy, for example, the reality is that your nanny is going to be spending the majority of time with the puppy, unless you make alternative arrangements. If she’s not willing to train the puppy with you and give the puppy the care it needs, getting a new pet will be problematic.
While there are many nannies that love working in homes with pets, there are some that do not. If you have or are planning on getting a family pet, being upfront about it will ensure that the nannies you meet would enjoy working in a home where a pet was a valued member of the family.
by Maureen Denard
Find a Nanny.net Read More......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
