pet connection

I guess I wasn’t quite done blogging here yet. My sister just called me with a dog problem, and I thought some of you might have some good advice for her. Susie lives in El Dorado, a rural area just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. None of the homes in the area have fenced yards, except maybe for courtyards. Each home is on two or more acres. Susie likes to go for walks and just recently a dog belonging to one of the neighbors has started to menace her. She describes him as big–”more than 50 pounds”–and thinks he is a Chow mix.

So far, she has done all the right things, especially for not really being a dog person. The first time, she stood still, was careful not to stare at the dog and backed away slowly. She yelled for help but no one came out. She ended up just going back the way she had come to get back to her house. The next time, the dog waited until she was on the road in front of his house and ambushed her, running out at her and barking. She had brought bear spray with her this time. The spray seemed to startle him and he backed off to his house but was still barking at her, so she didn’t think it disabled him any. She sprayed it from quite a distance, though (15 feet, maybe), and unfortunately sucked in some of it herself.

Other people, including children, have been threatened by the dog. Animal control has been called but they’re on the other side of Santa Fe County and by the time they get there the dog is inside and the people won’t answer the door. The dog apparently belongs to the homeowner’s live-in boyfriend. The homeowners association has been notified and has gotten a lawyer, but so far the people have ignored demands to confine the dog.

I suggested that she get an air horn to blast at the dog but am otherwise at a loss if animal control and the HOA have already been notified and even a lawyer and the threat of a lawsuit haven’t made the owners budge. I don’t want to get a call that she’s been bitten or worse, and I don’t especially like the idea of her getting a gun and blasting away at the dog (at the neighbors, maybe).  Advice?

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

Housebreaking tips, anyone? Or do ya’ll have completely housebroken puppies already?

No matter how many dogs you’ve owned and no matter how good you are with dogs, there’s no replacement for socialization and going out to partake of the big world. That’s why puppy kindergarten is so important for puppy development, not to mention great photo opportunities.

After lengthy waits for puppies from responsible breeders, two of my friends each ended up with puppies who were born one week apart: Olivia, a lovely and earlicious German Shepherd dog with a wise face, and Niles, an adorable, fluffy miniature schnauzer with natural ears. Their owners decided they should go to puppy kindergarden together. The puppies met before the first class when they got into the same car (different crates).

For these two puppies, there were no less than five women with them at their first day of school. I wanted to stand at the bus stop and wave at them as they left home to go to school. I don’t think anyone cried. Oh wait, I did. It was the perfect antidote to living with a beloved geriatric.

I have never been to puppy class before because I generally adopt adult rescues, and I have to say it was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen. Seriously. Dogs of every size, color and activity level seemed to be there, all in darling, sweet, miniature baby form with puppy breath, puppy faces, and sharp little puppy teeth.

The best part of class was play time. The instructor, a lovely woman from Patricia McConnell’s Dogs’ Best Friend, said that they would break the puppies into three play groups based on their personality and activity level.

“Some dogs like to play football, and some prefer to have tea,” she said.

She also said that over the course of the class some puppies would switch back and forth between those three levels and people shouldn’t worry about it. Don’t worry, be happy…it’s puppy school!

The football players, including Olivia, went outside where there was a wading pool with water. The average-activity puppies, which constituted the largest group and included Niles, goofed around in the large sectioned-off area of the main room. The two or three puppies who preferred to have tea went to the small sectioned-off area. It took a while for the tea puppies and the average puppies to get going.

Outside, the football players were rocking. There was a Labrador, and there was a wading pool with water – need we say more? Olivia didn’t go in the pool, at least not when I was looking, but she chased the lab around and was clearly having a great time.

Niles took a moment to get into the spirit of playtime. “Really, I’m supposed to go out there without you? And do what, exactly?” He eventually did get himself into the crowd, although it also may have come to him. One of the puppies skittered across the linoleum like a wind-up toy.

The tea party had a hard time getting started, as you can imagine. It’s hard to party hearty from between mom’s legs, but the people stood close together.

The first change was a puppy who came in from the footballers to the average group, but ended up playing too hard for the average guys and thus had to play on a leash. One of the average guys went for a cuppa tea. Eventually another dog was removed from the footballers, but so late in the game that she just stayed outside standing behind her people.

Next week everyone will know what to expect, but none of the dogs will be any less enthusiastic. After all, they’re puppies!

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

The incidence of dogs being stolen has gone up 49% in the past year. The American Kennel Club’s data leads to the obvious question: why? NPR‘s story suggests it has something to do with a continuing rocky economy.

“We believe the increase is due to economic times,” Lisa Peterson, a spokesperson for the nonprofit group, which has been tracking pet theft for several years, tells Weekend Edition Saturday guest host Jacki Lyden.

“You have people who want pets … but can’t afford to purchase them or pay the adoption fees, so we find that they’re just taking them for themselves or to give them as gifts,” she says. “But then on the other hand, you have the criminal element that steals dogs and tries to sell them to unsuspecting buyers.”

Peterson says the top two ways dogs are being stolen are during home invasions and out of parked cars. She cites a case in Florida where criminals took a 55-inch television set and also Boo-Boo, the Yorkshire terrier, with all of his belongings.

Large-screen televisions can be replaced. Best friends can’t. The article discusses steps pet owners can take the safeguard their pets, including microchipping.

Cats behind bars: Inmates at a jail in Nebraska have new friends: cats. Excellent stress reducer. HuffPo‘s got the story, with an accompanying video report.

Thoughts on Pacifica: Outstanding post by BadRap, one of the most consistently thoughtful pet blogs out there.

New therapy reaps benefits: A pit bull in Reading, Penn. had his paws burned by spending hours on a black roof top on a roasting hot day, but thanks to a first-of-its-kind treatment, his ruined paw pads can be repaired. The groundbreaking therapy is based on stem cell research. Details at the Reading Eagle.

Veterinary client ethics: Your veterinarian explains that an upcoming procedure entails risks of complications. All you hear is blah blah blah procedure blah blah blah surgical blah chance of improvement.  When complications arise, do you have a right to yell at your veterinarian that the treatment wasn’t perfect? Pet Connection’s BFF Dr. Patty Khuly weighs in.

Picture of the week comes from our favorite photographer of all things horse: Sarah Andrew, the wonderful presence behind Rock and Racehorses.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credit: microchip, latimes.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

As an exotic animal veterinarian, I am constantly asked why anyone would want an exotic pet (bird, rabbit, guinea pig, chinchilla, ferret, lizard, turtle, snake, hedgehog, sugar glider, or other unique creature) over a dog or cat. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with cats and dogs. I have several cats and dogs of my own, in addition to my exotic family members. It’s just that there are so many reasons to have an exotic pet that it’s hard to limit my answers to just a few. But here are a few simple reasons for choosing an exotic pet:

1. There are so many varied species that owning an exotic animal can be an incredible learning experience.

Exotic pets are fascinating. With their unique behaviors and incredible social interactions with each other and with us, they really can teach us all sorts of new information. But this is a Catch-22. Before you embark upon the journey into exotic pet ownership, be sure to learn enough about the social, nutritional, and environmental needs of the exotic pet species you are considering so that you don’t end up with a pet whose needs are more than you bargained for.

2. Many exotic species don’t take up much space.

For many city dwellers that live in cramped, tiny apartments, a pet such as a dog or cat that requires a lot of space just isn’t an option. A small mammal (such as a hamster, gerbil, guinea pig, chinchilla, or rat) or even a reptile or small bird that can live in a fairly small cage, might be a more feasible choice.  Ask anyone who owns one of these smaller exotic species, and they’ll tell you that these pets can provide the same love and companionship that a larger dog or cat can offer.

3. Some people are allergic to hairy pets.

Although many people would love to have a dog or cat as a pet, they often cannot because they or their family members have allergies to the dander that hairy pets carry on their fur.  These seemingly unfortunate people can still have a loving pet, however, if they choose a reptile (such as a lizard, turtle, tortoise, or snake) that has neither hair nor dander on its skin.  If they are not allergic to feathers, they might also choose a bird. So don’t despair if you’re allergic to hair!

4. Most exotic pets don’t need to be walked.

For many busy pet owners who work long hours, owning a dog that needs to be walked every few hours is not an option because they can’t get home to do it and don’t have the finances to pay a dog walker. The good news is that most exotic pets don’t need to be walked. While they do need time out of their cages to be socialized and to have a good quality of life, most birds, small mammals, and reptiles can adapt to our busy human schedules when it comes to “time out of cage.” In general, as long as we make some time to interact with them on a daily basis, the time we make available for most exotic pets can be flexible.

5. Some people only want pets that will live a long time.

People comment all the time that they could never own a pet because they’d get so attached to the pet that they couldn’t bear losing it. Of course, no pet – exotic or otherwise – lives forever. However, certain species, such as larger birds and some reptiles, can live for 20-40 years in captivity. Certainly, these animals must be taken care of properly: fed appropriate diets, housed according to species’ needs, and receive regular medical check-ups to live to their genetic potential. But for many people who have grieved over the loss of a relatively shorter lived pet such as a dog, cat, or small mammal or tiny bird, the prospect of having a potentially very long lived pet can be very appealing. Once again, this is a double-edged sword in that before you rush out to buy or adopt that reptile or large bird, you should seriously consider whether you have the lifestyle, finances, and future provisions available to support a pet that might outlive you!

Photo credit: amsccanton.com, blogginpet.com

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email

My neighbor’s orange tree overhangs my yard and while I’ll pick some every once in a while for juice, I otherwise ignore them. (I don’t like oranges, or any other citrus fruit for that matter.)

The other day I noticed an orange had just fallen to the ground so I picked it up, bounced it in my hand a couple of times, and once I got the dogs’ attention, I threw it the length of the yard. Sisko was the first one to the ‘ball’ and grabbed it.  He then spit it out, sneezed, picked it up again with just his front teeth, carried it a few steps, dropped it again, and gave me the strangest look. I couldn’t help it, I had a good laugh over his confusion.

So I encouraged him to get it, praised him when he did, and the watched as he disemboweled it and then interestingly enough, ate it. Good puppy!

Of course that may not have been the wisest thing to do, he’s already eaten all the ripe blueberries off all three bushes and any tomatoes he could reach.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email