Flavored Freezer Pops for Pups

When we traveled extensively in summer to dog shows we often took this summer treat along to help cool off the dogs. Souxsie, pictured above, especially liked them. With the weather turning really hot now I thought I would share this with you....
Using low sodium or preferably, sodium free chicken broth,diluted way down with water or unflavored Pedialyte, pour into an old fashioned ice cube tray and freeze until ready to give to your dog.
That's it,really simple, and really fun for your dog on a hot summer day. I only give one cube at a time.
If you are not sure how much to dilute the chicken broth, remember that chicken broth is very rich and can cause some dogs to have a runny stool. For a large dog I use a teaspoon per cube but you will need to use your best judgement as you know what your dog can tolerate. Your dog will still know the chicken broth is in the cube as dogs can smell down to one part per 700 billion. Turkey or beef broth, even lamb, can be substituted. Just be sure you are not giving them a heavily salted broth. And no MSG!
Pedialyte, if you choose to use it, is wonderful for restoring electrolytes lost in the stress of summer heat. (With your vets' APPROVAL, it is also great for dogs waking up from anesthesia, or an illness like parvo when they have trouble keeping water down).
Dogs seem to enjoy chasing the ice cube around their bowl and the cost of course, is mere pennies...

Choosing a Crate for Dogs and Puppies, Is Yours Too Small?

Someone just asked me which crate they should get for their new 6 week old pup.
I can understand the confusion as there are as many different crates on the market as there are breeds of dogs.
We have come a long way since this crate pictured was used. One of my favorite crates is an antique Doskocil with bakelite trim but it would hardly be considered useful in todays world. Still, I have a parrot who loves it and has deemed it his crate when traveling...all my animals are crate trained and yours should be too. I rarely crate anyone but there will be times in your dog's life when being crated could be a life or death situation and it is imperative that your dog accept his crate quietly and calmly....
I subscribe to the belief that pups should stay with their mother until about 15 weeks of age as do most all responsible breeders. Doing this virtually eliminates separation anxiety issues, housebreaking issues, and crate training.
That's because in a natural world, this is the age where a mother starts letting her pups exert some independence,wandering out of the den and learning about the world around them. And because this is the way dogs are hardwired, I have never, ever taken home a pup younger than this. The weeks prior to going to their new home is a special time for the pups, they copy everything moma dog does, including going outside to potty and laying in the crate...and they learn that the crate is a safe place to be.
Show dogs spend long hours on the road and that requires being in a crate A LOT. It is imperative that they learn to relax in a crate from an early age. I usually suggest that owners get two crates, one for travel,and one for crating at home.
The travel crate should be smaller because in an accident, you don't want the dog to be jostled around. The door should be shoulder height and there should be enough room to lie down and stretch out the front legs and to turn around easily in the crate,but that is it. I am often puzzled by people who say that when you buy a crate for the house, that this is the size they need because it ISN'T. A crate suitable for travel is too small for using in the house. And what is up with the trend to section off a big crate for a puppy so it won't potty in the crate? That is ridiculous. No pup wants to soil HIS space, period. Making it smaller won't stop him if he didn't have enough outdoor time prior to being crated or he has been crated too long. Pups have little bladders that don't hold much for very long. People expect too much of them at a very young age. They are babies, people!
The average pet owner aquires a puppy at 6 to 8 weeks, plays with it all weekend, goes to work on Monday and leaves the little baby in a too small crate for 9 hours and then gripes when they have an awful mess to clean up when they get home.
It is sad but true. They need to be taking the pup to dog daycare or hiring a pet sitter to come let the pup out. And they could simply enlist the help of a dog friendly neighbor to let the pup out several times during the work day.
When he has a potty accident in the travel size crate he will have to lay in his 'mess',making him desensitized to cleanliness over time. But in the larger house crate he can get away from his 'mess' and stay clean. Contrary to what many so called trainers will tell you, the larger crate will help housebreaking issues longterm better than the small crate.
Your pup needs exercise and he won't get any in a travel size crate, whereas in a larger crate he has more room to amuse himself with all the safe puppy toys that you put in there with him before you left. If he is in a too small crate all day he will resort to things like incessant barking ( a hard to break habit once it develops) and chewing on the cage door ruining his teeth. I have seen dogs who have scraped their teeth all the way down to the gums from boredom chewing on the crate door.
Every dog needs his own safe space to be there for him when he wants to get away and rest. Dogs sleep better in crates as they can let down their guard and sleep deeply without having one eye open as we know dogs are wont to do.

Puff was of course, already crate trained when I got him at 15 weeks and he was housebroken so most of his crating came from travel to dog shows and staying in hotels where many of them require the dogs be crated in the room. He had a crate at home which was larger than his showdog crate and it gave him a place of his own to get away from the world and relax. He came and went in that crate at his own digression.
After the accident, where I had the flu and tripped and fell on him, injuring his back so badly he had partial paralysis and seizures,he had to be crated while I was at work.

From my brother who showed Borzoi, I got a huge Wolfhound sized wire crate. I had considered simply putting an ex pen in the kitchen but it looked like Puff might have to be crated forever so I went with the crate. It was a good choice as there was plenty of room for a piddle pad. I don't buy the ones for dogs, I buy the generic 36 inch underpads for people available at any drugstore as it is way, way cheaper than buying wee pads. Your vet doesn't buy puppy piddle pads, he buys underpads made by Kendall which are just like the ones you can buy at any drugstore.(And that scented stuff they advertise will make your dog use the pads,is mostly a gimmick as teaching your dog to use the pad doesn't require a special smell,he is smart enough to know what is a pad and what isn't.)
Puff was easy to convert to pads and it alleviated any guilt he might have had about 'going' in the house as his injury was throwing off his potty timing. There was also room for his bed and toys, including his all important ball and he could bat it around when he was bored. I put the crate by a window where he could watch things outside and also left a radio on. He had no problems adjusting to the fact that he suddenly had to spend most of his time in a crate... If I was at work and he had a seizure, then by being in the crate, in all likelihood he would not injure himself or break anything. I however, had a lot of adjusting to do and a lot of guilt to deal with. He lived this way for several years and now that he is completely well I am SO glad to have that giant crate out of the house,but I must admit I couldn't have done his recovery without an adequate crate. Safety is a big reason to crate your dog, whether it is protection from bad weather approaching or illness related or, ( and this is a common reason) because that Lab pup hasn't gotten out of the chewing stage yet and could chew an electrical cord or ingest something else hazardous (or get their head stuck in a can). The right crate is crucial to your dogs welfare.

For the most part I find that dogs prefer plastic crates to metal ones, but it doesn't seem to have been much of an issue with any dog I have worked with. Plastic crates are really hot inside and that is something you should take into consideration when choosing the type of crate you want. The nylon crates are not suitable really for frequent crating, they are nice if you have a well behaved dog and are going to the park for a day of activities. Don't worry about aesthetics either as you can make any crate fit into your décor if necessary. That giant Wolfhound crate was draped with a ruched and tassled french-style throw to hide it when I was home. I have had house crates in the past that I disguised with archtectural fragments and books and such so that they blended in with the decor...and there are lots of pretty crate covers available on places like ebay and Etsy. My mom made hers with ties on each corner so she could easily raise and lower the sides.
Definitely don't buy a crate retail as you can find used crates anywhere. Yesterday I saw two on the side of the road with a for free sign on them. Craigslist has them every day. Bleach a used crate with 1 part bleach to 22 parts water and rinse ,rinse ,rinse before using. People used to buy crates from the airlines cargo department at wholesale cost but I doubt you can do that anymore. The airlines would let you buy their crates in advance so the dog could get used to it before flying. Ask people you know if they have a crate they don't want. That is how I got my antique Doskocil and also a wonderful strong, but lightweight titanium crate that folds up into a suitcase and comes with its' own grooming table built in...you never know what you might find if you just ask....

A Calling to Dog Loving Teachers and HSUS is at it Again

My neighbor Melanie is an Elementary School teacher and home for the summer. Like most teachers, Melanie is very glad to have the summer off and she looks forward to puttering in the garden,doing some home improvements, and catching up on her reading.
But Melanie wanted to do more this summer,something charitable that she could contribute without taking her away from home....and she found the perfect summer charity work in fostering for a local rescue...which got me to thinking,if every teacher across the country who is home for the summer, took in just one foster, what a huge difference it could make for those rescue organizations!
And so I throw out this challenge to teachers across America, take in a foster today!
Just think, you could be fostering an adorable Chin like Kuma pictured above.
There are many dogs like little Kuma who have had to have surgery and need foster care. See more dogs like Kuma and find out how you can help here http://www.japanesechinrescue.org/
Speaking of the Jap Chin folks,a big thank you to Pam, a West Virginia JC Care rep who sent me an article detailing more of HSUS' insane attempts to stop dog ownership...every one knows how I despise Wayne Pacelle and HSUS!
The article can be read in full at americansportingdogalliance.org
I do however want to share some portions of this well written article by John Yates:
AVON LAKE, OH – 'The sky is not falling in this tranquil suburban town on the outskirts of Cleveland, but local animal rights activists are trying to convince the Avon Lake Municipal Council that a tough ordinance is needed to control “vicious dogs.”What’s happening in Avon Lake this week also is happening now in dozens of communities across America. Thus, we urge dog owners everywhere to read this report and be aware that what’s happening in Avon Lake may – and probably will – happen to you someday.In the Avon Lake draft ordinance, all dogs are by definition declared “vicious,” simply for acting like dogs. Normal and even desirable canine behavior would entrap a dog of any breed under this doomsday category. Even chasing a chipmunk or barking at a stranger would cause a dog to be declared vicious, under the terms of the latest draft ordinance.The entrapping language is very deliberate, and reflects one of the current tactics being exploited by radical animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).HSUS has nothing to do with local humane societies, despite its misleading name. Instead, HSUS is the political arm of animal rights extremist groups. It seeks the gradual elimination of all animal ownership in America, which it sees as exploitation and slavery.Relying on an emotional campaign and the fear of “pit bulls” that has been carefully cultivated in the media, HSUS supporters are advancing so-called dangerous dog ordinances in many towns, cities, counties and states all across America. HSUS has been very successful at painting a picture of dog owners that is associated with criminal dog fighting rings, the drug and gang underworld, barbaric ethnic traditions, and mauled children.Facts are not the friend of HSUS, which relies only on emotion in swaying the media and public. The facts show a 200-percent reduction in reported dog bite incidents over the past 20 years, but HSUS does not want you to know this. The facts show that dog bites do not even rank in the top 20 causes of injury or death to children, and HSUS doesn’t want you to know that, either. Nor to they want you to think too hard about a very simple truth: probably 99-percent of all Americans have never even seen a dog fight or even heard of one where they live, and have never seen a drug gang on its home turf.The HSUS tactic, however, is to exploit emotion and fear to make people feel threatened by a problem that simply doesn’t exist. It’s a canine version of the swine flu pandemic scare, which has millions of people living in terror of a disease that has actually killed fewer people than the average January head cold.
To get around the unconstitutional nature of breed bans, the Avon Lake ordinance attempts to define a vicious dog by behavior. Unfortunately, the definition is so brad that every dog in America falls under its net.The draft ordinance defines a vicious dogs as any dog that has "approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack, or has attempted to bite or endanger any person, cat, other dog, or animal (domestic or non-domestic)." Under that definition, a dog could be declared vicious if it:· Chases a chipmunk or squirrel.· Points a robin.· Barks at a burglar breaking through a window.· Acts threatened if a stranger approaches its kennel.· Defends its owner from physical attack by a mugger or rapist.· Chases the neighbor’s cat out of the flower garden.· Defends itself when attacked by a stray dog.'

...so folks, tonite as you lay down to go to sleep, think for a moment what the world would be like without dogs,because if we don't stop Peta and her sister HSUS from entrenching their way into the public consciousness, our world will, one day, be dogless.

Legislators Make Dining With Your Dog Legal

I must admit going to the grocery store is less mundane when one can occasionally stand in line behind celebrities like Michael Mcdonald,Miley Cyrus and Sheryl Crowe, (Lattes,DVD's and organic beer,in case you wondered) but what I really enjoy is the outdoor cafe at Whole Foods where you can dine with your dog, like this couple I recently snapped enjoying some time with their well-mannered Basenji.
This week, Tennessee legislators passed a pro dog bill making it legal to dine in outdoor areas of restaurants...I say it is about time as everyone is doing it anyway as I mentioned in a previous post back in March
What has surprised me is the resistance to this bill from so many people in East Tennessee.If they don't want to dine near a dog then they can just go inside and eat!

More and more cities are suddenly having 'pooches on the patio'according to Evangeline Mcmullien on the dog channel and to all those business owners, I say good for you! The more dogs are included in society and not left at home in the back yard the better behaved and better cared for dogs will be...(well maybe not, I see a Weimer climbing out of someones sun roof as I type this,lol)


I wanted to share this vid as I think the idea of having a standardized door sticker for dog friendly restaurants is a good one. In England, the Kennel Club gives Restaurant owners the stickers.
The people in East Tennessee will have to get over it, this is a dog trend that is here to stay...

Grow Some Herbs For Your Dog

Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine and Thy Medicine Be Thy Food...so said Hippocrates around 500 B.C.

While I am normally leery of taking diet advice from anyone whose name begins with Hippo, this quote has been ammunition for herbalists since, well, probably 500 B. C.
As for myself, I have used herbs most of my life, and on my dogs too.
If you have been a reader for a while, you know that I have spoken of using Slippery Elm tree bark powder and other herbs such as Kelp and Alfalfa, regularly in my dogs' diets. And I grow a little bit of herbs for Puff because I believe that all of us, dogs included can benefit from some live herbs. Juliette De Bairacli Levy,the extraordinary dog breeder, and gypsy herbalist said that adding just picked herbs transfers some of the cosmic life force needed for good health.
I don't have much space to grow herbs living in the city, but I do grow Rosemary and Peppermint.
Rosemary has a variety of uses. I don't put it in his food but I like to have it around as it works well made into an infusion ( which means make a tea out of it) and the infusion is a great antiseptic. It can be sprayed on dogs with skin inflammation and I have used it on canine gum inflammations as well. It also has anti-fungal type properties.I used it on a clients' Doberman I showed. She had the worst skin and was going to a veterinary skin specialist who naturally wanted to pump her full of drugs...spraying her with Rosemary infusion and wiping her coat down with a leather chamois did wonders. With a longhaired dog you would have to forgo the chamois and just massage it onto the skin with your fingers.
If you like, you can add a few drops of Listerine,especially in Summer as it has some mosquito repellant properties.
For digestion problems, Peppermint is quite good. (It is yummy mixed with cream cheese and spread on a bagel,I don't give it ALL to the dog))I grow it in the garden with the rosemary (pictured above) and give it to Puff in his food, just a tad. He never ever has mucous in his stool and he can eat anything without a digestive upset. I attribute that to the Peppermint (but I don't feed him crazy junk either)...maybe this summer you will consider growing some herbs for your dog.

When Microchips Don't Help Your Dog

I have such a weak spot for Poodles.
Today I met a married couple with a beautiful apricot- colored toy wearing a full blown Continental show clip. I had to introduce myself so I could ooh and ahh over the dog. As we talked I noticed that the dog sat quietly at his owners side, in that way so often seen in obedience competition dogs,staring intently at his mistress, waiting for her next command...
''So, I said, you have shown Majesty in Obedience Competition”...''Oh no'',she replied,'' but he is very well behaved,he came like this.''
I asked if I could see his lead for a moment and I took the dog for a quick spin...he was fully competition trained and even heeled perfectly off lead. Something seemed amiss.
“I would love a dog like this,” I said, ''Where did you get him?''
''We found him 2 years ago on the way to my sister in laws''....(who lived in the next county).
''You found him?'' I exclaimed,''his coat must have been a mess...''
'' No, actually it was just like this, I drive across town to a groomer who can do this haircut he came with.''
I ran my fingers through his immaculate long apricot mane,'' I can't believe a dog like this wasn't microchipped.''
They looked blankly at me and asked,'' WHAT IS A MICROCHIP?''
That told me everything....
I explained about microchipping and how many dog owners have it done, especially dog show people.
Majestys' mistress looked pale and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was, that this dog was probably carrying a microchip....
Tears welled up in her eyes as she said,'' I couldn't give Majesty up, we have had him 2 years and we don't have children, he is our whole life...''
I told her I understood, but who ever lost him is hurting too, not knowing what has become of a beloved pet is an almost unbearable pain and his original owner put a lot of time into his care and training. It was very likely that Majesty was a bench show champion and an obedience competitor as well....

It turns out that Majesty was wearing a rolled leather collar with a rabies tag but they didn't know that the county health department would have tracked his owner for them. The tag and collar were discarded.
So may I suggest that if your dog is not wearing an identification tag to go along with the microchip that you get one asap. On the tag, engrave REWARD and your phone number. Don't put the dogs name on the tag, that just makes the dog more responsive to the persons who found him and you don't want them to be tempted to keep your dog. If you have space on your tag, put NEEDS MEDICATION,
even if your dog doesn't. That will also help deter them from keeping the dog and it may inspire them to work harder to locate you. Lastly, if you have room for two phone numbers put a second number that would be your dogs caregiver in case of emergency....
I seriously doubt that Majestys' present owners will have him scanned for a microchip. But, if they do,
I hope at the very least they will send his original owner a note saying he is healthy and well- loved. For the original owner, knowing that, would be the next best thing to being re-united.

Caution! Fun in the Plastic Puppy Pool

Puppies and grown dogs alike have a blast cooling off on a hot summer day in a plastic wading pool.My local Pet Superstore is currently selling them priced under ten dollars...that price even beats Walmart.
However before you rush out to buy one, let me share what I learned the hard way, that your pup can get injured in them! The pup facing the camera in the above picture(Champion Petra's Beckonwind Barbarian) cut himself severely on the lip of the pool shortly after this pic was taken, and it required a trip to the vet for stitches. A double layer of duct tape will eliminate the sharp edge on the pool. Also the bottom of the pool is very slick, even though it is ridged, so I recommend putting a bathtub mat in the bottom to give your pup proper traction.
Because Giardia is a protozoa that grows in stagnant water, be sure you change the water in the pool each day. Giardia causes loose stool, sometimes very severely in dogs.
With the summer sun bearing down on us soon, don't overlook using a sunscreen on your dog,especially if you have a Collie type or a Sighthound as they are very prone to a skin cancer condition commonly referred to as Collie Nose. Many dogs, including Puff, have a tiny bit of pink skin right behind their black nose pigment and this little bit of skin is very,very prone to skin cancer. I use a dot of zinc oxide rubbed in well on Puff. There are sunscreens available for dogs that you can buy that are non-toxic.
This weekend is the unofficial start of summer, so let's get splashing!