Wind, Earthquakes, and a place of refuge

After four years, I was finally going to breakdown the Midwest Dog Crate that has been a fixture in this house.  

During various stages of development, this crate has sat in the living room, my home office, and the master bedroom (which is where it now resides).  It has served as a training device for my two dogs throughout their puppyhood and a recovery room for one major surgery.  While it’s still in perfect condition and the orthopedic bed is in great condition, it’s still just that…a dog crate…and Not the most attractive piece of furniture in our house.

As millions of people do this time of year, I was looking at the interior of my house and making a project list of things to do to get ready for "HOLIDAYS 2010 " last weekend.  While brushing my teeth one morning, I caught a glimpse of the crate in the mirror and realized that I hadn’t seen a dog inside the thing in weeks.   

We finally have the Labrador retriever under enough self control to be able to hang out free in the house when we are gone. The two dogs have beds throughout the house to rest on during the day.  They spend most of the time while we are gone sharing one bed and staring out the front window, waiting.

Then it happened….we got our first genuine windstorm in a couple of years on Monday night.  It was a corker.  Rumor has it that winds were clocked at over 60 mph in our neck of the woods.  The huge trees around our house were swaying and peppering our roof with branches. 

As a believer that Gods Plan is absolute and unstoppable, I usually do my best to make my family comfortable during storms and don’t really get too nervous.  But…this was a bad one and at one point, I was fully ready to wake up two sleeping kids and EVACUATE.  (Luckily the wind died down while I was still formulating my plan).  

The next day, we awoke to a house covered with pine branches but mostly unhurt and THANKFULLY, our power had been restored.  Unfortunately, for our dogs, at about 7:50am, we experienced a small shallow earthquake.  I didn’t feel it…my kids didn’t feel it….BUT….The dogs did.

Later that day, I went up to the bedroom with some laundry and saw………

Obviously, that crate is still a place of safety for our CharlieGirl.  When the sky is falling, when the ground is shaking, she has a place to go where she feels safe. We should all be so lucky.

So….for now, we will remain the “highly stylish” people that we are and continue to share our bedroom with a (sometimes furry) wire dog crate.  It’s the least we can do for the dogs whom  give us comfort and joy and ask for nothing in return.

Incidentally....it seems that Lillian Rose...our rescue kitty...needed some safety herself!  

Stay safe everyone!

10 reasons why dogs are better than turtles.

My sister is a bit more eccentric than myself.  While I stick to sharing our house with dogs, cats and an occasional pocket pet, she prefers to fill her with a beautiful (loud) assortment of Birds, Rabbits and lately, yes.....Turtles.........that's right....Turtles.

So.....we here in Washington decided to list the top10 reasons why

DOGS ARE BETTER PETS THAN TURTLES......

1. Dogs have fur.....Turtles have shells....When a dog curls up next to you at night, they are warm, furry and cuddly.  When a turtle curls up to you at night......oh....nevermind that would never happen.
2. One word......FRISBEE.......Whats a turtle going to do with that?
3. Stay with me here...  Dogs require a yearly vet visit.  Yes, this costs money and its a hassle to get an appointment .  Then, when you arrive, you end up dragging your dog through the front door while he pulls back at you with all of his weight because he KNOWS its the Vets office and DOES NOT WANT THEM TOUCHING HIM. True......but there's an Up-side.....For a few moments, your famous in that vets office.  If the staff is worth their mustard, they are working to calm the poor tortured canine and complimenting you on the utter cuteness of your terrified pooch.  Does that happen with a turtle?  I think not.  They come in a box, look like a hubcap. 
4. When you scratch a dog under the chin, his tail wags......WHERE IS A TURTLE'S CHIN HALF THE TIME?
5. Two words....DOG PARK.....a turtle wouldn't last 5 minutes.
6. You can teach a dog to sit, stay and fetch.  According to Michael J. Firth,...you can teach your dog 100 words.  What can you teach a turtle?  Maybe, just maybe, after years of trying...you can get the little guy to take a piece of lettuce out of your hand.  WOO HOO
7. Turtles can not stick their tongues out like dogs can.  Think about it. No licking, No grooming, they don't slobber after slurping up a huge amount of water.......how boring.
8. Two more words....."Home Security".  Studies have shown that MOST would-be burglars are turned around by the sound of a dog barking.  Unfortunately, turtles have not developed their skills in this area and are still unable to replicate the sound of a 90 pound Rottweiler.  (As a side note - we might as well have had a turtle.  We think our dog not even invited the hoodlums in, but offered them refreshments:). 
9. The Reverse Sneeze - Anyone who has witnessed this phenomenon can tell you that its probably one of the funniest things their dog has ever done.  Its unclear whether it's the look of surprise on the dogs face when these little fits hit or the spontaneous eruption of gas from the back end that often accompanies them....but its definately comical.
10. Finally.....Fur.  Yes, we curse it, we wash it, we comb it, we hate rolling it off of our furniture every spring and fall.  It sticks to our black clothing.  It defines us as dog owners in that it ends up in our cars, on our purses, stuck to our jackets.  But.....when properly cared for, it's soft and warm and fuzzy and fun to pet.

Yeah Yeah Yeah...we used fur twice....but hey.....that's HUGE...take a look at your dog and imagine him naked..... Ewww....

Oh yeah...and if you need anything to take care of that fur....check us out www.Xfleas.com!

How to Crate Train your Dog?

At the vet hospital where I work, there has been a steady parade of puppies, kittens, and newly adopted older pets coming through for their first checkups and shots.  Our puppy/kitten package sales are through the roof!  (For anyone not in the know...this is a "pay one price" package that gets you all the vaccines, exams and dewormings for the first year of a new pets life...its a great deal if you need it.)

At the same time, in the past week, I have spoken to two pet owners who are looking for homes for their dogs.  They just can't handle the destruction their dog has caused or deal with other behavioral issues.

This touches a nerve with me...mainly because I've been there!  We had a Lab for 14 years that systematically worked to destroy our home and our possessions until the day she died.  Coming home from a day of work was always an adventure.  Which floor would be chewed?.....which photo album destroyed?....which pair of shoes obliterated?  We spent one entire weekend building an outdoor pen for her safekeeping.  Only to watch her scale the fence within minutes.  The fifth of July was always a foreboding date for us.   Traditionally, we would spend that day cleaning up the diarrhea and vomit left behind by our poor dog tortured by the booming fireworks.

Still....the day she died, remains one of the saddest days of my life.  For all her faults....she tried to be a good dog....she just didn't have the confidence to be left alone or the self control to stick to her many training courses.

So.....I set out last night to write an entry on HOW TO CRATE TRAIN YOUR DOG!  I decided that I would start with some research to see if any of the ideas on crate training had changed since we trained our two year old Lab...Charlie.  What I found was one of the best resources that I have ever seen. It comes from The Humane Society of the United States and believe me, they know the drill!  This is one of the most exhaustive explanations I have ever read about crate training; why and how we do it and the positive results of the experience.  They map out the four main steps in crate training and also tell how to deal with problems that may occur along the way.

We learned our lesson the hard way....we raised two dogs to an elderly age without a crate. Yes...It can be done successfully..and we probably saved a couple hundred dollars in crates along the way.  But...we ate a ton of dinners in the parking lot of fast food restaurants because we knew that when we went home, there would be a mess to clean up.  We replaced flooring and carpet.  We lost cherished family mementos.  We even dealt with the local ASPCA a few times after they had retrieved a freaked and fleeing dog.  So yes...when we began the next dog generation in our house...we crate trained both of them.

Our three year old Aussie....is now free to roam the house when we're gone....we don't worry about damage or that she is on the furniture.  She trained in the crate and has the confidence and self control to wait patiently for our return.  Our two year old lab?  Still can't be trusted outside of her crate when her family is gone.  She loves her crate....hangs out in it while we're home and at night...voluntarily.  Finally, she usually crates herself 10 minutes or so before we leave the house for the day.  I swear she would pull the door shut behind her if she had thumbs!

So...if you are interested in a crate...or just want to know more about the different kinds available etc....go ahead and visit my website at Xfleas.com

And please remember.....Genesis 1:28  God blessed them and said to them "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." ....You are the boss!

Dr. Becker....I love your advice...but are you kidding?

Recently, I saw this post from one of the animal care blogs that I follow ......It was a clip that Dr.Oz had on his show.  Without further introduction, I'll ask you to click on the picture and view the piece....

Is your cuddly one causing chaos in your home? Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker joins Dr. Oz to offer up some expert advice on common pet-owner complaints...

A Balloon?

Dr. Becker.....a Balloon?


(OK, now here's where those of you who tried to skip the video need to GO BACK and review the clip:)

Even Dr. Oz didn't know what to say!

These are two well educated men that I hold in very high esteem so I don't want to be disrespectful here, but let me just ask...

How many balloons...exactly, would it take to pick up the fur left behind by my 65 pound labrador retreiver?

How about my cat...she's quite a bit smaller.....should I use one of the smaller water balloons?  
 
A balloon........hmmmmmm


We were living with that very same "embarrassing" problem of a shedding pet.  Vacuuming and bathing and brushing.  Finally...we bought a Furminator.  For those of you who haven't heard of the Furminator and have a short haired shedding dog.....your missing out. Why did we FINALLY try it?  I'll tell you, I had one of my favorite sales reps in my office a couple of weeks ago and he GUARANTEED it.  He said, "Try it...if you don't like it, we'll buy it back."  So..because I love to give this guy a hard time.....of course, I got it to prove him wrong....

In two days....we brushed enough fur off that dog to create an ENTIRELY NEW DOG....(just kidding...but we could have made a fur coat for a small child:) 

To be fair.....It didn't work as well on the Australian Shepherd.  She has more "hair" than "fur" and for her...I'll probably stick to our old method of collecting her fur on our couch and picking it up with our black pants and good church clothes. Or maybe a balloon if we have one around. 


So....there you go....my pet care advice for today....take a cue from one of the most popular vets out there and grab a bag of balloons and buy a Furminator!


PS....Dr. Becker and Dr. Oz....On the off chance that you happen upon my blog....I love you guys! 

Three years ago.....my in-laws bought me a dog......

Well....not "me" exactly, but our family.  We had lost our dog...the last of two longtime companions, almost a year before and just didn't have the heart to try to "replace" either one of them.  So....my in-laws decided it was time our little ones had a dog and they bought us a puppy.....an Australian Shepherd puppy.

Now....we weren't usually in the habit of "buying" puppies.  In my business you just "saved" them.  And....more than likely, there was some medical problem to go along with it.  But...here we had our first "whole" dog, with all of the potential.  And we proudly named her "Shabby doll".........

Those of you who know me, know that I "dabble" in running.  "Dabble"...as in hobby.  I'm not very fast and won't win any races.  BUT..I have solved half the worlds problems, (and most of my own) while on long runs and I was really looking forward to taking Shabby on a run.

Unfortunately, according to the experts; you aren't supposed to go on a sustained run with any dog until they are fully grown, and to be safe, that could be around two years.  So....we decided as a family that we were going to help Shabbs to get all of the exercise and stimulation that she needed in other ways.  We took her to the local sheep herding farm and put her in a pen with some sheep.....no interest.  We took her to the local dog park to play with the other dogs....better.  We taught her how  to catch a frisbee....EVEN BETTER.

Finally, time went by and we celebrated Shabby's second birthday.  She was now, sufficiently developed and trained and able to start running. Unfortunately, this event coincided almost exactly with my very first back injury.  Unable to run, and only barely able to walk comfortably, that dog walked patiently alongside my limping, uneven gait for months.  There were times during my rehab when I didn't even trust myself to have her on a leash. Shabbs would simply watch me leave and wait patiently at the front window for me to return.  Always with that Shabby greeting......a little stub of her former tail wagging and a warm welcome.

The point of the story?  On this coming Saturday, we will celebrate Shabby Dolls third birthday....and finally.....last weekend, I got the opportunity to run with my dog.  What a great feeling.  We'd finally worked our way into doing the one thing we BOTH liked to do.......ToGETHER......and it felt great.  Four miles of that little stub wagging in front of me.  And only the quickest of looks over her shoulder, up at me, every once in a while....just to make sure that her human was still on the end of her leash.  You could see the joy in her body at being able to go with me.  You could feel her energy coming off of her leash.  And I'm here to tell you, that there aren't very many Saturday morning runs that I would rank above that laborious four miles.

We learned to work together, my dog and I. Shabby learned to read my pace, and not to pull against the leash.  I learned that its not the end of the world to stop for a moment and let the dog sniff a bush.  It's just part of the run. 

I think there are a lot of adventures ahead for my running dog and I.  My body may be getting older and not as tolerant of the punishment that running hands out....but I still have plenty left in me...and now I have a companion.  Unfortunately, my companion now knows which leash is the running leash..and now I'm afraid to take it out of the drawer; unless I'm serious that is.......maybe tomorrow eh girl? (I just thank God she can't read!.....yet)

My latest rescue kitty...Lilian RosaSharon

Welcome!

…..and I say that sincerely.
My mother tells a story over and over that never fails to embarrass and humiliate me but sums up my personality like only a mother can do.
When I was growing up in Upstate New York, I was riding my bike to the local P&C (grocery store…probably to buy some candy with my allowance ).  I came across a cat lying on the side of the road.  It was obvious to me that the cat was hurt, so I did the only thing a 10 year old can do………
I placed the cat carefully into the basket on the front of my bike and rode home to my mom to get help……

(My mom was so grossed out!)

As my mother tells it….she wasn’t sure how to break it to me that the cat had been dead so long; rigor mortis had set in and there was nothing she could do.
I was heartbroken……even though I had never seen that cat before in my life.  It was a cat and I was sad that it had to die.

(So we found my calling early on…..)

I think my mom knew from that day on that I would end up in the animal field one way or another.  Its been convoluted journey, but I have worked in Veterinary Care, in animal rescue, in wildlife rehab, in pet supply, and been a lifelong partner to many dogs and cats…..and the occasional guinea pig.  (sweet little cavys).

(Why the blog?)

It occurred to me, that every time I am in a social setting, I end up talking about pets.  I LOVE to exchange funny pet stories almost as much as I love to help someone with a question or concern about their pet. So…why not have a blog?
My hope is that you will find this blog …..
Sometimes Funny
Sometimes Touching
and Sometimes…..informative.

And….of course, if there’s anything you want me to talk about…PLEASE…..let me know…..
This ought to be fun:)
Jackie