Wednesday, September 26, 2012
How can wearing a yellow ribbon on your dog's leash help ease your dog's leash aggression? Plus, some news about the future of this column.
So many times I want to take my dogs out, but Kaiah is not good on the leash even though she is the friendliest and most playful dog. In the last year or so, she's become increasingly aggressive when other dogs approach her while she's on the leash. I found I can resolve the issue by taking the other dog's leash and walking a couple of steps (like I have accepted them to the pack) and she is fine. The hard part is the beginning because people just assume that since she is a Labrador she will be fine. But that is not always the case. This is why I was so excited to see something on Facebook the other day from another rescue group that shared the "yellow ribbon" approach. The rescue group suggested placing a yellow ribbon on the leash if …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Dogs that have been used as bait will sometimes find themselves in shelters when law enforcement breaks up a fighting ring. They deserve to know love.
The other day I heard someone explaining why somebody would ask if a dog’s teeth were ground down. A dog whose teeth are ground down would not be able to fight back and defend themselves, making them perfect bait dogs for dogs being trained to fight. I have seen so many injured dogs on Facebook lately, also dogs up for adoption that were once a “bait dog.” Some people may think that "bait dogs" are far and few between, but that's not the case. There are laws against dog fighting, but just like everything in life, the criminals keep hidden. Rescues do their best to help the dogs in the shelter, but there are people out there that adopt these dogs with the intention of using them as bait dogs. There are different stages training fight dogs…
Monday, September 3, 2012
"I felt like a mommy whose child just took their first steps! I emailed everyone I could think of ... stating this wonderful news: ‘Pearl just went pee pee on her own!’"
Many of you have heard about the detriment of puppy mills, but how many of you can say you've seen what it does to a dog? Before I moved to Florida, I knew puppy mills were bad, but really never fully understood the impact until my work with a local rescue put me around puppy mill dogs. I can explain this best by telling a story of a dog named Pearl. Dunedin Doggie Rescue rescued Pearl, a West Highland terrier, from a puppy mill after living seven years in a cage. Pearl never got to see what a real dog life was like. Pearl ate, slept, peed, pooped, was forced to breed, and lived (if that is what you call it) within the confines of her cage. Pearl did not know what grass was and probably had little, if any, human contact. When Pearl came …
Monday, August 27, 2012
X-rays from Miami showed that all the carpals of her foot were broken and ligaments torn. Infection had begun to destroy the tissue around her bite wounds and the splint was not going to be effective.
Animal Services in Miami-Dade picked up Nalia, an injured pit bull mix who was struggling to walk and limping around on three legs. Pit bulls are banned in Miami-Dade; regardless, Nalia was initially treated for a fractured and bitten front leg, but was also scheduled to be euthanized, according to Harlan Weikle, executive director at For Paws Hospice, an Ozona-based non-profit. This little girl did not know that she had angels getting ready to save her life and start her on a new journey. For Paws Hospice acted immediately and called the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL). That organization contacted 1 Lucky Dog Rescue, who was able to pull her out of the shelter and get her additional treatment. Nalia's first …
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
I thought I'd secured everything enough to keep Grayson in the yard. I don't have to worry about Kaiah so much. Grayson — of course — proved me wrong.
I recently moved from an apartment to a house — a house with a fenced-in back yard. I went from a large apartment without a yard to a small home with a large yard. The best part of this move is that I was also allowed to put in a doggie door for the kids. (What a landlord, right?!) My friend came over, installed the doggie door, and after I get all moved in and settled, he brings me a newspaper article pointing out the inherent security risk of robbers getting in through people's doggie doors. I figure I'm OK because, after all, what robber would want to come into my home and come face to face with my protective large dogs Kaiah and Grayson? My friend then warmly reminded me of another uninvited guest. Rodents might want to come in, also…
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
She has a dog, and he said he doesn't like animals. Now what?
I was talking to a friend the other day who told me she had been talking to a guy and they were going to go on a date. But then came the deal breaker: he does not like animals! My friend has a dog, and the guy knew that. This made me wonder, would it be a deal breaker for every one? I look into the eyes of my two babies, and it would be a definite deal breaker for me. My two dogs are my babies, my children, if you will. Sadly, during my volunteer work with a local dog rescue group, I have sat and watched people actually give up their dogs because of a new baby, because they can no longer afford them and, my favorite, they no longer have time for them. To take it a step further, if my dog does not like the person, or if the person does …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Animals are so sensitive to their owners, that they're likely already aware something is going on with Mom when she's pregnant. However, it's your job to make sure they know how to behave when baby comes.
A pregnancy in the family can be an exciting time for everyone — even your dogs. Animals are so sensitive to their owners, that they're likely already aware something is going on with Mom when she's pregnant. However, they may not know exactly how to behave. They are, after all, picking up on all our emotions: happy, sad, excitement, worry, anxiety, etc. (I know my girl Kaiah, mirrors my emotions all the time.) I have a friend who is expecting and she has two dogs in the house. I can only imagine what emotions her dogs are picking up on. So, in honor of her, I thought I'd gather up some hints on what makes for an easy transition for ALL your babies, whether they've got four legs or not. The No. 1 principle to remember: your dog should …
Monday, July 23, 2012
Debbe Decker had no way of knowing what was lurking around her home one recent night when she let her dogs out for their nightly potty break.
Debbe Decker had no way of knowing what was lurking around her St. Petersburg home when she let her dogs out for their nightly potty break on July 3. Then she heard a yelp, followed by a much louder yelp, and saw her 12-year-old Rottweiler, Macks, run toward the house. Debbe’s husband Bill saw an alligator get back into the water nearby, and they immediately called their other senior German shepherd mix, Rocky, who is 14, and went to the house. Within five minutes of being outside, Macks, who weighs 104 pounds, had been attacked. Gator Attack Disfigures Dog Debbe panicked at the sight of Macks. His ear and face was torn from his head. He was also wet, which means the alligator pulled him into the water to try and drown him! "I was so …
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Monday, May 14, 2012
Several ladies went above and beyond to make one Shar Pei named Rosie's final passage one of comfort and love.
Rosie, a Bearcoat Shar Pei believed to be 5 years old, was in dire shape when she was dropped off at Animal Control. Her owners decided they no longer wanted her. A woman named Judy Labadie circulated Rosie's picture, and got the attention of Mary Schacherbaur of New York and Betsy Meek. Judy immediately took her to a vet in Altamonte Springs, where she was told that Rosie was heartworm positive, had a respiratory infection, had a a skin condition caused by a flea allergy, was in renal failure and was blind and deaf. Her condition was more like that of a 10-year-old dog, the vet said. The vet thought that Rosie was in stage three of heartworm disease and was going to write her off. But all of these wonderful ladies had a different idea. …
Monday, April 23, 2012
Rescues are careful to place pets into loving homes for the animal's own protection.
Some say it is easier to adopt a child than it is to adopt a dog from a rescue. Now whether you believe this or not, I have to say, there is a good reason for it. The rescue I volunteer with checks references, does a house check, and does home trials before anyone is allowed to officially adopt a dog. You may be asking why a rescue would go through all of that. Isn’t the point to get the dogs adopted into a home? Well, that is partially true. Yes, the rescues want to get the dogs adopted, but they want the dogs adopted into a good home. After reading an article a couple days ago, I became furious! I read an article about a woman in New Port Richey that saw a dachshund in her neighbor’s yard, whimpering with blood coming from its mouth. …
Nancy Burt
10:59 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Shelly, I would love to catch up with you as we are coming to Florida in December. I enjoying reading alll your articles. I know it has been some time since I have seen you girls but I will always remember you guys joining our church many years ago, back in the day. Hope to hear from you,Nancy more ›