Posts Tagged ‘Dogs’

This is scary! I read this and had to share. As a professional pet sitter and dog walker going into homes all over Lawrenceville, I see pet treats of all kinds. I thought of a few people who feed jerky treats to their pets, but couldn’t remember which brand they use or if they are from China or not. What it boils down to is buy American if at all possible and never buy edible anything from China, for you, your children or your pets! Article to follow, click the link to go to the actual story.

Chicken jerky treats linked to mystery illnesses, deaths in dogs

By JoNel Aleccia

(Obtained from the MSNBC.com site)

Chicken jerky treats may be to blame for dozens of new reports of mysterious illnesses and some deaths in dogs, prompting a renewed warning for pet owners by the Food and Drug Administration.

At least 70 dogs have been sickened so far this year after reportedly eating chicken jerky products imported from China, FDA officials said. That’s up from 54 reports of illness in 2010. Some of the dogs have died, according to the anecdotal reports from pet owners and veterinarians.

FDA officials say they have not been able to find a cause for the illnesses. Extensive chemical and microbiological testing has failed to turn up a specific contaminant and officials did not identify a specific brand of treats. They note that the reports of illness have not conclusively been tied to chicken jerky products, also sold as chicken tenders, chicken strips or chicken treats.

The new warning follows previous FDA cautions about chicken jerky treats in 2007 and 2008. But after a high of 156 reports of illness in 2007, the number of complaints dropped. Now, it’s rising again.

Dog owners and vets are reporting that animals may be stricken with a range of illnesses within days or hours of eating chicken jerky, including kidney failure and Fanconi syndrome, a condition characterized by low glucose.

Symptoms may include decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased water consumption and increased urination. If dogs show any of these signs, stop feeding the animal the chicken jerky products, FDA officials said. If signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours, seek veterinary help.

Most dogs have recovered, officials said.

Illnesses can be reported to the FDA’s Pet Food Complaint site.

“No man can be condemned for owning a dog. As long as he has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the better friend he has.”
- Will Rogers

 

 

Back in March 2011, I found Lili as a very frightened stray who had just had puppies. The thing is, she had hidden her puppies so well, that we couldn’t find them. Close to a week after finding Lili, we finally managed to find her puppies….hidden INSIDE a tree! Read the full story here:

Lili and Her Puppies

Below is an update on how each dog is doing in their new homes!

Lili

Lili is doing great in her new home! She was adopted by Jimmy and Rachel right here in Lawrenceville. Jimmy saw Lili while she was at adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee. He took a picture of her and a Georgia Humane adoption application and went to show his wife, Rachel, the dog he wanted to bring home. She agreed and they haven’t looked back! Rachel says that Lili is now a “spoiled suburban dog.” She has a Jack Russell brother and a Chow sister and is loving life! She still has some of her street dog traits, but she is getting more and more used to the spoiled life and is very playful and loving. Below are a couple of pictures that Rachel and Jimmy provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bernie

Out of all four of the puppies, Bernie stayed with us as a foster dog the longest. He is so sweet and loving, I wanted to keep him. The problem was, our dog Josie attacked him pretty badly once and I’m just not willing to take that chance. So, for months, we lived in a “divided home.” We had it down to a T and it wasn’t a big deal, we just took the dogs out in cycles instead of letting everyone out at once. We were taking Memphis, our Catahoula Leopard Dog (until we decided to adopt him), and Bernie (and Lili until she got adopted) up to adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee and we had a lot of people oohing and ahhing over the dogs, but no one had filled out an application.

One day, I made a joke to my sister, Laura, after her foster dog Skipper got adopted, that she could take Bernie. Our nieces, Maddie and Grace already knew and loved Bernie from spending time with him here at our house with Denny and me. Laura, who never fails to surprise me with her easy going attitude, said “Okay, cool!” A week or so later, I took Bernie to Laura’s house. He started as a foster dog, but Laura, her husband Chad and the girls were pretty sure that he was a perfect fit as a permanent furry family member. They adopted Bernie officially and have not regretted it for a minute. He is just as sweet and wonderful as I knew he would was! Pictures of Bernie below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maizie Mae

I was doing my best from the get-go to make sure these puppies and mama were getting as much attention as possible. I posted them on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else I could think of, and of course, we had the awesome Georgia Humane Society backing us as a foster home, providing the dogs with vet care, blankets, etc. and Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen helping us with food when needed. A fellow pet sitter Facebook friend of mine knew that a good friend of hers had recently lost their beloved dog and that they were considering adopting a new dog. She shared Lili’s and her puppies’ story and Diane, her husband Roc, and sweet daughter, Laura gave me a call and set up a time to meet the puppies when the pups were only 5 weeks old or so. They came over and immediately took to Maizie, filled out an application and waited patiently until she was old enough to get all of her shots, get spayed, heal and come home with them! She is doing really great in her home, and is extremely spoiled and happy and loved on. She is scared of her own shadow, which seems to be a trend with these puppies, but loves to play with her human “sister.”  Below are a couple of pictures that Diane provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonka and Willow

Carolyn‘s name has been mentioned several times in my blog articles because she is as crazy as I am when it comes to animal rescue. No, crazier. She was there for me when I was driving over to where Lili was a stray and feeding her until we found her puppies; we couldn’t take Lili out of there knowing that puppies were there somewhere. Carolyn went to feed Lili and look for the puppies when I was out doing my Spring Break pet sitting visits. She also came and helped with them when we found the puppies and brought them to our house. Her daughter, Elora, knew that one of these puppies was going to be hers, but I’m not sure Carolyn knew that from the beginning. Well, after knowing and loving them all, they decided to adopt Willow (the black female pup) and foster Tonka (the brown with black muzzle pup). I don’t think it took that long before I got a text from Carolyn saying that they decided to adopt Tonka as well. Both dogs have been through obedience training and are as spoiled as can be. Tonka, like Maizie Mae, is afraid of his own shadow, but Carolyn is a pro when it comes to socializing dogs and is doing a fantastic job!  Below are pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.” – George Graham Vest

Meet Lili and her four puppies! We found her as a stray and it took almost a week to locate her puppies. Now she is safe and warm at our house in foster care with Georgia Humane Society. If you want to read the full story about Lili and her pups, click here: Lili and Her Pups.

Here is a video of Lili so you can see how playful and sweet she is, and also of her adorable puppies!

 

 

 

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.  ~Dalai Lama

Those of you who know me, know that I am a professional pet sitter here in Gwinnett County, specifically Lawrenceville and that I am a stray dog magnet. When you find a stray dog, proceed with caution. You never know if a dog may have rabies, aggression, or could be hurt. Legally, you should call Animal Control when you find a stray dog. Being a volunteer with an animal rescue organization, when I find a stray, I do have to take the dog to animal control to report them as found, but I let them know that I will foster the found stray and they will snap a picture and get the dog in the system.

That being said, last Saturday, 3/19/11, I was walking my client’s dog Maggie and noticed a very sad looking dog who had obviously had puppies sitting on the front porch of a house. She was looking as if she was waiting for someone. There was a little girl outside and I asked her if she knew who’s dog she was, but she wasn’t sure.

I walked Maggie back to her house and gave her some love, playtime, treats, dinner and fresh water and then went back to the house where I saw mama dog. I keep dog food in my trunk, so I pulled some out and started walking toward her. Poor girl was pretty freaked out, so I approached very slowly, walking with my side to her, being silent so she could use her nose instead of her ears, and just being very conscious of my body language. I put the food down for her and I got her some water as well and decided to peek around the side of the house to see if I could hear or see puppies. Bad idea on my part, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly…she came in an arc at me and never came close enough to bite me, but let me know that she didn’t want me over there. I bowed my eyes and moved away respectfully. I knew I had to find the puppies, but I also knew that I would be gaining her trust first.

I called my friends Penny Cogdill from Huffs Flowers and Carolyn Stewart from CS Baskets the next day, both huge animal lovers and rescuers that I knew would help this mom and babies. I also called Tom Wargo from Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen and Michelle Humphries from Georgia Humane Society and they immediately sprang into action in helping to spread the word about the situation. Tom filled my trunk with puppy food for mom to eat, and boy did she. We were feeding her 4 cans in the morning and a few cups of dry food, and 2-3 cans in the evening. She wouldn’t let me pet her the first night, but she would take a treat.

 

In the meantime, we are worrying about the puppies. None of the neighbors have seen the puppies, or even heard the puppies. They said she had shown up around a month and half before. I was pretty shocked that no one had reached out to this dog. She’s only 25 pounds and adorable. That’s for another blog post, I guess.

After a few days of going over and feeding mama dog, she had really warmed up to me. Really. She was in my lap before I knew it, kissing me, and her entire body would wiggle when she saw my car pull up. I HAD to get her out of there. It’s not the best of neighborhoods; one man told us that the reason the Lawrenceville Police kept driving by was because there had been so much crime there lately.

On Friday morning, 03/25/11, I pulled up and Lili was very happy to see me. I grabbed her canned food and started to feed her, but she wouldn’t eat. That’s a first, because she had been chowing down for the past almost week. I started my usual hunt for puppies, as she followed me around with a “What are we looking for” look on her happy little face and and I noticed a hole in the fence to the house’s backyard, so I went across the creek and under the hole and started looking around. No puppies, yet again. I saw that she was pooping, and gross enough I knew I should look to see if she had worms or what not. There was blood in her poop, and I was worried, so I decided to take her to my vet, Woods Animal Hospital.

Well, this would be a new venture, seeing if I could get her in the car. Or, better yet, get her to want to be in the car. I had to go to my midday pet sitting and dog walking visits before I went to the vet. I also stopped off at home for some extra delicious treats to try to lure Lili into the car.

I got back to her around 3pm and started to give her the chicken outside the car. Then I sat inside the car and gave her chicken. Then, I put the chicken on the floor of the car. Then the seat and she was in. I sat in the backseat with her for a few minutes to make sure she was ok with this, all the while giving her little pieces of chicken. I climbed into the front seat, and off we went to Norcross to the vet.

 

At the vet’s office, they looked her over, gave her the vaccines that she could get as a nursing mother and checked her out to see if they could tell if she had been nursing. The doctor told me that yes, she had definitely been nursing. I called Denny and let him know that there are definitely puppies to be found, and we were determined to find them. We decided that we would do a stake out all night if we had to.

I swung by our house on my way back from the vet, picked Denny up and we went back to the empty house that Lili was hanging around. Mind you, Penny Cogdill, Carolyn Stewart, Denny and I had looked for many hours and days for these pups, to no avail.

When we got back to the empty house, I went ahead and fed Lili since she apparently wasn’t going to leave our sides. I went to my car to put the garbage in a bag in my trunk and got a tennis ball out. I tossed the tennis ball to Lili to see what she would do and she ran happily over to it, grabbed it in her mouth, and ran over to a big tree that was between her house and a neighbor’s….and disappeared. Denny followed her and found a hole in the base of the tree and called out to me, “We have puppies!”

I couldn’t believe it. I walked over and there was Lili in a tree. You could barely even see her; the tree was hollow on the inside and they were way down inside it, nursing. I called Penny, who promptly brought a crate over. I put Lili on a leash and led her to the other side of the house, so not to upset her with Penny and Denny around her babies. Denny is a tall guy (6’5) and had to lie on his back and put his arm all the way in the hole to get the four puppies out.

 

We put the puppies in Penny’s crate and brought them back with Lili to our house.

 

The puppies and Lili are now Georgia Humane Society foster dogs. They and their sweet mama will be available for adoption in about 4 weeks. If you are interested in applying to adopt or foster, please go to www.georgiahumane.com and fill out either an adoption application or foster application.

 

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.  ~Ben Williams

 

 

 

 

 

Clipping Your Dog’s Nails is Not as Scary as You Think!

It can seem intimating to trim your dog’s nails, but you can save yourself a lot of time and money if you learn to do it on your own.
First, make sure you have proper nail trimmers. You can ask your vet or a pet supply store what they recommend for your particular dog. Some dogs, particularly outdoor dogs, don’t need a nail trim as they shed naturally from the texture of ground they are used to. Breeds such as the dachshund and the Basset hound, need to have shorter nails at all times.

Start from underneath the nail, not the top downward. Be sure to remain on the white area of the toe nail. The pink area has blood vessels (it’s called the quick), and if you cut there, it will bleed. If your pup has black nails, then you can’t see the quick. Just trim a little bit at a time. The dead part is white (you can see this in the middle of the nail as you’re trimming), and as you get toward the quick, the white gets darker. Stop then.
Use quick, easy squeezes on the clippers. If you accidentally trim a little too far and your dog is bleeding, don’t worry. Just apply pressure with a tissue or dip their little toe that’s bleeding in corn starch or flour. If your dog keeps bleeding and it doesn’t seem to be stopping, call your vet.
After you’ve clipped your dogs nails, you can file them down to keep them from being jagged, or you can take them on a nice walk on pavement to file them naturally.
To begin, just clip a little bit at a time every week. You’ll quit being nervous after you and your dog are more comfortable with the process.

“In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” – Edward Hoagland

Keeping Your Pets Safe This Christmas

This is a truly fun time of year for all of us, including our pets! A lot of the decorations can pose a serious threat to our pets. Here are a few things to think about:

* If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room that is off limits to your pets. This can save you a lot of redecorating and also your pet from harm’s way. A baby gate around the tree can help as well.

* Tinsel and any other sort of string that can be swallowed are potentially deadly, as they can become entangled up within the intestines and will require surgery.

* Electric lights should be unplugged when your pets aren’t supervised. They are tempting to chew on and can cause electric shock.

* Glass ornaments look like toys and shatter easily, causing you and your pets painful cuts.

* The tree could fall on top of your pets, not only scaring them, but possibly hurting them.

* Some Christmas plants, such as poinsettias, mistletoe, and amaryllis bulbs, are poisonous, yet tasty. Keep these out of your pet’s reach.

* Tell your guests not to feed your pet holiday foods, such as chocolate and fatty or sugary foods. Keep pet treats around for your guests to give them instead.

* Make sure your guests keep all doors to outdoors closed and that your pet is wearing the appropriate identification.

* Keep your emergency vet and pet poison control numbers handy.

* Enjoy your holiday!

There are tons of great resources to learn training tips, pet diet tips, read great stories, etc. I’ve decided to make a list of some of these sites that I enjoy visiting and reading on.

Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer’s official website:

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com

On Pet Web Site you will find information on dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and mice.

http://www.petwebsite.com/

Dog breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.dogster.com/

Dogster’s fantastic blog:

http://dogblog.dogster.com/

Cat breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.catster.com/

Catster’s fantastic blog:

http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/

Horses, horse care, horse riding and driving, and safety:

http://horses.about.com

A site dedicated to saving animals of all kinds. Click the purple button once a day to feed a pet in a shelter for free. Lots of great merchandise, all money goes to animal rescue:

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Pet adoption, great blog and lots of info:

http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

All about birds. How to choose the right breed of bird for a pet, health tips, etc:

http://birds.about.com

Victoria Stilwell of It’s Me or the Dog’s official website:

http://www.victoriastilwell.com/

Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen. A non-profit organization helping struggling pet owners with pet food cost:

http://www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com

Lifeline Animal Project, Atlanta’s LifeLine for Homeless Pets:

http://www.atlantapets.org

There are many more websites to choose from, these are just a few. Type any pet question that you may have in your search engine and you’d be surprised how much information you have to choose from. Personalize tips to fit your pet and your schedule and don’t be afraid to modify!

Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. ~ George Elliot

While researching this subject, I found that there are MANY toxic dangers out there for your pets. I did my best to collect them all and put them in a readable and organized list. Please let me know if I left anything out and I’ll add it. There is so much, make sure that if you think that your pet has ingested or breathed or touched something that is making them act weird or feel bad, get them to the vet first and ask questions later. You could save their life.

PLANTS

Aloe Vera
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apricot (pit)
Arrowhead
Asparagus Fern
Avocado
Autumn Crocus
Azalea
Baneberry
Begonia
Bird of Paradise
Black Locust
Black Walnut
Bleeding Heart
Boston Ivy
Caladium
California Poppy
Calla Lily
Carnation
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Cherry (seeds, wilting leaves, and pit)
Chinese Evergreen
Chives
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Corn Plant
Crocus
Croton
Crown of Thorns
Crown Vetch
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Delphinium
Devil’s Ivy
Dicentra
Dieffenbachia
Donkey Tail
Dumb Cane
Dutchman’s Breeches
Easter Lily
Elderberry
Elephant Ears
English Ivy
Eucalyptus
Fiddle-leaf Fig
Florida Beauty
Four O’Clock
Foxglove
Foxtail
Fruit Salad Plant
German Ivy
Gladiola
Hemlock
Holly
Honeysuckle
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Iris
Ivy
Jack in the Pulpit
Japanese Yew
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Kalanchoe
Lamb’s quarter
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily of the Valley
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords-and-Ladies
Lupine
Marigold (Marsh Marigold)
Marijuana
Mayapple
Mexican Breadfruit
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Morning Glory
Mother-in-Law plant
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Nephthytis
Nightshade
Oak Tree (buds and acorns)
Oleander
Onion
Peace Lily
Peach (wilting leaves and pits)
Pencil Tree
Philodendron
Pigweed
Poinsettia
Poison Ivy
Poison Hemlock
Poison Oak
Poison Sumac
Poppy
Potato (all green parts)
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Cactus
Rubber Tree
Sago Palm
Schefflera
Shamrock Plant
Snake Plant
Snow on the Mountain
Sorghum
Star of Bethlehem
Stinging Nettle
Stinkweed
Swiss Cheese Plant
Taro Vine
Toadstools
Tobacco
Tomato Plant (entire plant except ripe fruit)
Umbrella Tree
Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wisteria
Yew

FOODS
Alcoholic beverages
Apple seeds
Apricot pits
Avocados—toxic to birds, mice, rabbits, horses, cattle and dairy goats
Cherry pits
Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
Garlic
Grapes
Hops (used in home beer brewing)
Macadamia nuts
Moldy foods
Mushroom plants
Mustard seeds
Onions and onion powder
Peach pits
Potato leaves and stems (green parts)
Raisins
Rhubarb leaves
Salt
Tea (caffeine)
Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
Walnuts
Yeast dough

This information was gathered from several sources.

The kind man feeds his beast before sitting down to dinner. ~Hebrew Proverb

With storm season upon us and Fourth of July right around the corner, I’m sitting here looking at our dog, Sammie, a German Shepherd and Collie mix, wondering what to try next. She is absolutely terrified of storms and fireworks. I’ve noticed that since adding Jake (our mini-schnauzer and cairn terrier mix) a few years ago and Gizmo (our shih tzu) that Sammie’s fears have gotten a little better. She went from constantly panting and pacing to occasionally lying down either in her crate or on her bed in the living room. The discomfort in her is still very clear, though, as she still has the wide-mouthed pant.

I read something new to me on this subject that I found interesting. When dogs are showing stress during storms and fireworks (or probably any other time), there is a 207% spike in their cortisol levels. Cortisol is a chemical also produced in humans during high levels of stress. The same study also showed that dogs that live with other dogs have a lower level of cortisol in the event of high stress, but there’s a catch. They also found that dogs who already live with other dogs have a higher level of cortisol just from living with another dog. Not really too sure about how that works, but I don’t recommend running out and getting another dog just yet!

There are a lot of different opinions out there about what to do about your pup’s fears. One thing that I have learned is that consoling and petting Sammie while she’s freaking out doesn’t help anything. Infact, it seems to have reinforced her fears. Leaving her be and providing her with plenty of “safe places,” like her crate with a big, soft blanket in it (her favorite hiding spot) and several other dog beds throughout the house has seemed to keep her a little more calm.

If you know that there is a storm coming in the next few hours, give your fearful dog some good, vigorous exercise. Take them for a nice, long walk or jog, or (if your dog has been trained to) put your pup on the treadmill for a nice workout. An exercised body can sometimes wear the mind out, so then they’re too tired to be afraid.

Some people swear by putting a snuggly fitting t-shirt on your dog. I’ve heard that this works from several different people. NEVER leave your dog unattended in any sort of clothing. If he starts to rip at the shirt, remove it. A piece of shirt in the intestines can hurt or kill your dog. Also, I’ve heard that rubbing a dog down with a fabric softner sheet is supposed to help block the static and won’t allow the change in the atmosphere to affect them as much. I don’t recommend this because if your dog licks the chemical, it IS toxic and can cause harm.

There are a lot of different homeopathic remedies to try. I’ve used Rescue Remedy on several dogs in kennels that I’ve worked in. I’ve seen it work on some dogs and have no affect on others. It’s definitely worth looking into. http://www.bachflower.com

I also found a book that I’m going to pick up soon to read. It’s called The Big Bang: How you can help your dog cope with thunderstorms and fireworks and was written by Claudeen E. McAuliffe. If anyone has read this book, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The best thing for Sammie that I have found so far in the event of fireworks and thunderstorms is to be available for her, show leadership and use calm assertive energy, but not to pet her, talk to her in a baby voice, or show her attention while she is in an anxious state.

Remember to take your dog to the vet if the anxiety or fear becomes destructive.

Do you have any tips or opinions on this subject to share? Our cats aren’t affected by storms at all, but I’d like to hear tips on fear of noises in cats as well.

My dog is usually pleased with what I do, because she is not infected with the concept of what I “should” be doing.
- Lonzo Idolswine

You might say, “My dog has a huge, fenced-in backyard to run around in all day, he gets plenty of exercise!” Did you know that dogs have a deeply ingrained, instinctual need to migrate with a pack and that there are breed specific activities that you can play to give your dog the balance she needs?

A well-balanced dog has all of her instinctual needs fulfilled, such as walking with their pack, and also exercises that fulfill the type of breed your dog is.

For instance, if you have a high energy dog, you may take him on two or three 30 minute to an hour brisk walks or jogs per day, in addition to some agility course training to satisfy their energetic nature.
If you have a medium energy dog, one or two 15-30 minute walks, plus some fetch in the backyard may suffice.

You might have a couch potato dog. Even if they appear disinterested in walking, you will find that they truly enjoy walking with you, their pack leader, and you might even see a new, more energetic side of your low energy dog.

Confining your dog to the backyard without a walk is comparable to confining a fish to a fish bowl. The world is you and your dog’s ocean. Explore it!

Well exercised dogs are balanced, less destructive and less rambunctious. Walking with your dog also creates a close bond between the two (or more) of you and can reinforce or establish your role as the dog’s pack leader.

If you are having issues with your dog, start simple. Take them for a few short walks a day to start out and see if that helps. They may need to be more challenged, and if that’s the case, you can find all kinds of games and puzzle-type toys for your dog. These can be homemade games and toys; no need to spend a ton of cash. It could be hiding a favorite toy in a sandbox, placing treats throughout the yard or house for your dog to find, or just a Kong toy filled with hard to reach treats.

I suggest checking out Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer and his books and website. He truly understands the nature of dogs and is easy to read and understand. Here is a link: www.cesarmillaninc.com

Dogs are great companions, especially well balanced and happy dogs. Make sure you do your homework on breeds before you go and get your new dog. Remember, your dog is not “human” and is quite happy being “just a dog.” Once you accept that, you are on your way to a strong and healthy relationship with your dog.

“In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” –Edward Hoagland