Above, we have my Greyhound’s “before and after” photos. As I look at the “before” pictures – all I can think of is “ouch”!
Here’s her story…
To the best of our knowledge, Bounce’s corns appeared about three years ago, when she was 5. I consulted with her veterinarian and we discussed various options for relief. She stated she did not want to consider surgery at the moment.
According to our vet, the corns would most likely return with a vengeance. (In other words… faster and larger!) Not to mention the lengthy recovery time, the pain, risk of infection and just the fact of having to put the hound under for surgery.
She recommended we do our best to maintain the corns by keeping them below surface level as this seems to provide the temporary, needed relief. She also mentioned to cushion her feet during walks. The boots might also keep new corns from forming.
I also discussed the situation with Bounce’s chiropractor and she agreed that surgery should probably be the last resort.
Bounce was extremely tolerant of the constant probing and picking.
As she lay on her bed, I would tell her to go to her “happy” place 🙂 If she appeared uncomfortable, I would cover her eyes with a small towel. Generally, she was a good sport and fully cooperated.
Initially, I had to “dig” them out about every 6 weeks; using my fingernails. I would use thumb and forefinger in a back and forth motion (like a top loader washing machine) to get a good grip and then literally twist them off.
Did you know there are cases in which the corns became so large and painful that the end result was amputation?
Over time, the corns would decide to pop up at about every 5 weeks instead of 6. In addition, over the course of the past year, I had to remove them every 3 weeks. This was really starting to concern me due to the fact they were not shrinking and we were seeing a lot less of the affected toe pads and more of the corn! The corns appeared to be winning.
So, what exactly causes the corns?
There are many theories as to the cause of the corns. The lack of fat on a Greyhound’s body also leaves them with a deficit of natural cushioning on their toe pads causing constant friction as the bone rubs against the pad.
Another thought is that their tender toes might allow a small piece of debris to enter the pad and a callous will form around the foreign object.
Next, we have the virus theory. It is that particular theory, along with homeopathic treatment – that has just about eliminated the smaller of the two corns and the larger one is well on it’s way to being a thing of the past.
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear…
I wrote about the corns in a previous post; desperately requesting help in this matter. Soon, I received an understanding note from a Homeopathic Practitioner informing me that she has developed a natural formula to help the hounds with very positive results!
I immediately wrote back for more information as I was interested in beginning treatment ASAP-as in yesterday! Finally…help was on the way. I told Bounce I believe I just had a conversation with her guardian angel…
As I applied the oil, I realized I was telling those nasty rascals they were not welcome and they had no choice in the matter but to go away-the sooner the better!)
Administering the remedy is a simple and painless process applied over a 4-8 week period. (No need to cringe at the word “process”.) Seriously, it takes 2-3 minutes at most per day.
After only 5 days into the treatment, I already knew there was something going on. The remedy was working from the inside out – getting where it needs to go and moving the corn up and out.
During those first 5 days, I actually had to remove a part of the corn that had surfaced already. After another 5 days – same thing. (I have to be honest here…my initial thinking was that the corns were growing faster when actually, they were healing from the inside out with the base of the imbedded portion being pushed out.) After another 2 weeks, if part of the corn would surface, I was able to simply “peel” off a very thin, softer layer (not the rock hard pieces as before!)
They were getting smaller in diameter and the pad was healing. She was more comfortable walking on hard surfaces.
I am so pleased with the treatment. Bounce is more relaxed. It shows in her facial expressions; especially in her eyes. She appears to have more energy and looks forward to her walks.
Fran from Melbourne writes…
Thanks Jackie. It is all coming along well and it was a week since we commenced the treatment. The ‘swelling’ which was causing a bulge out to the side of her paw has gone down the corn itself is taking on more of a definition. It is as though it is separating from the rest of the tissue.
Her demeanour has really improved. When you take her for a walk she is back to her beautiful greyhound prancing walk, with her head held up looking all around her. When he took the two dogs down to the usual park where he lets them have a run free, for the first time in a long time she was prancing and wanting to join in with Hugo who runs and plays with a lab they meet up there – she has been disinterested for some time. Last week she was off and joining in the fun.
So we are grateful for finding out about the wonderful treatments from Lori. I will be passing the info on to my reflexologist as she is a firm believer in natural treatments for pets also.
For more information on this homeopathic remedy, you can email me at: info@MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
Until next time…
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Now, just for fun…
Here is a picture of our toe model as a youngster – BBC (“Bounce” …Before Corns)
We adopted our first Greyhound, Bonita, in 1992. Bounce came to us in 2003 (as a puppy) through a relative in Florida. She comes from a family of lure coursing champions.
As adults, Greyhounds are so elegant and regal. On the other hand, they are the cutest puppies.
After being in her new home for just a couple of hours, it’s very apparent she was ruling the roost at 9 weeks of age…already telling her big brother it definitely was in his best interest to release the Frisbee…
Is your Pug seriously starting to resemble a sumo wrestler?
Has your Greyhound lost her “girlish” figure and in desperate need of Spanx?
Has your Lab been “snorting and grunting” around the house? How long has he been affectionately known as “Porky”?
I s Y o u r D o g G o i n g T o B e t h e N e x t “B i g g e s t L o s e r” ?
I believe your dog has entered…
…the “Pleasingly Plump Pooch Zone”
Thirty years ago, we were the proud “parents” of two Dobermans and a Cairn Terrier. The terrier was about one-quarter the size of the Dobes and that half-cup of kibble barely covered the bottom of his bowl. It just never appeared to be enough but I faithfully fed the proper amount every day.
Here a treat, there a treat…everywhere a treat, treat!
I knew they required more than just dry dog food. (Just as we require more than the same box of cereal, 3x per day, 7 days a week…) I would supplement on various days with more than just a multi-vitamin. I added fruits, veggies, yogurt, oils, etc. He was always slim and trim until…little did I know…that those big, brown eyes were earning him lots and lots of points in terms of excessive snacks…
Prior to heading home with him after having his teeth professionally cleaned; we were told by his vet that he needed to lose some poundage. As most owners, I believe I was possibly offended by that statement. This subject was prompted by the fact that it took him a bit longer than normal to wake up after the anesthesia. (If I remember correctly, I was told this is common with an overweight dog and it had something to do with the extra fat cells.)
A wise veterinarian gave me some great advice at that time
To help me understand what was going on, he asked us to run an experiment for a week; recommending we keep track of everything the dog ate during the course of a day. Not just by writing it down…he wanted us to actually see what he was consuming. Example: Dog gets 1/2 cup of food, and 1/2 cup goes into the “experiment” dish. The dog gets a treat, a treat goes into the “experiment” dish, etc. Everyone feeding the dog had to participate. After 2 days, I understood how his nickname had changed from “Little Stud Muffin” to “Jelly Roll” over the course of a few months. He was practically eating Doberman rations!
Here’s what was going on when I wasn’t looking…
My in-laws were visiting from out-of-state and the little guy was their favorite. (I guess many don’t consider Dobermans to be “cute and cuddly”!) She would toss tidbits while cooking and he always made sure his plate had some leftovers for the lad.
We also had the weekly visits to my grandparent’s house. The little rascal would literally run through the door and sit in front of the fridge and stare. He knew his diligence would eventually pay off and the door would magically open.
I should have payed more attention. Never thought this could happen…not in a million years. How did I not know? I should have stopped this before it went too far! I’ve heard of his kind and know they’re out there. They are the ones that with a simple tilt of their head to one side or the other transforms them into…a bologna whisperer!!
Killing him with kindness
This behavior was just “too cute” for Grandma and Grandpa and I would catch Gramps tossing the 20# dog a piece of bologna as though it was a frisbee, with a chaser of limburger cheese (yum…) with a few of Grandma’s homemade cookies for dessert! (Sometimes they doubled up on the bologna because they couldn’t believe that he could catch and inhale before it hit the ground!)
The solution was simple at that time. JUST DON’T FEED HIM SO MUCH!
It starts to add up quickly. Luckily, it was summertime during his “doggy fat farm boot camp” and within a month, his waistline returned. During the reduction phase, I fed him the same amount of his regular kibble but without the “added attractions”. The few treats he received were broken in half to go twice as far. Quite often, we simply used pieces of his food for treats.
The in-laws went back to Florida and we compromised with Gramps. We allowed one piece of bologna about the size of a thumbnail…(or so they promised…) Eventually, he was weaned off bologna but he still stared intently at the door of the fridge. We decided to let him think he still had his magical powers and he was just as happy to chase the carrots we left for him in their fridge.
Current statistics show that 40-50% of dogs in the US are overweight
Sometimes we just forget about using commonsense. Our dogs will gain weight if they eat more than they burn off. Same with us. We may not think we eat too much, or eat too much of the wrong foods but the love handles, muffin tops and bat flaps for arms are a good indication that the cookies, jelly beans and sodas have found a home.
Quite often, our four-footed friends might need a little jumpstart in the early stages of “doggie fat farm boot camp”. Quite a number of years ago, I was fostering another Bologna Whisperer. She was tall for a Sheltie and needed to lose about 12 pounds. (Right here is a good case against total treat training.) At the tender age of three, she had 6 owners prior to our fostering her and they thought the only way for her to “perform” was to reward her with treats. I was familiar with the Life’s Abundance weight loss formula food at the time and decided to order it for her.
Within about 6 weeks, she lost her excess baggage. When we decided to give her a treat, it was a piece of her regular food. Her rewards were simply telling her she was a good girl.
I recently wanted to take a few pounds off of the Greyhound this past long, cold winter. So, for about a month, with great success, I switched her food to Life’s Abundance Weight Loss Formula for adult dogs.
Eat to live. Don’t live to eat.
Greyhounds generally have a “to die for” metabolism and while I kept her on the reduction food for about a month, she had actually slimmed down and lost the “belly fat” within about 10 days. She was able to eat the same amount of kibble but this formula has 30% fewer calories so she was none the wiser. In addition, I was confident feeding this food as it is formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, a holistic veterinarian.
She is now back to her regular diet. She loved the weight loss food and it agreed with her system from day one .
Life’s Abundance Weight Loss Formula for Adult Dogs
Click on the above link to find out more about this food and their other products. (Some of you may know the company previously as Healthy Pet Net but the food was always called Life’s Abundance.)
Oh, and did I mention you can order online and that it’s shipped via UPS directly to your door? An “auto-ship” option is also available to ensure you never run out and it offers a price savings, as well. They carry functional treats and chews the dogs tell me are delicious, as well.
Want to know “What’s Really in Your Pet’s Food?” Then click on this or the below link for a video that’s a real eye opener! If you experience any difficulties with the below link, you can copy and paste the following into a new browser: http://www.lifesabundance.com/Pets/PetsHome.aspx?realname=10036419
My heart goes out to these dogs. These photos are not meant to be degrading, humorous or entertaining-just a harsh reality. If your dog resembles the bulldog in the above photo or any of them below-SEE YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY! One of the photos shows the overweight Golden Retriever chasing a tennis ball. This dog should not be subject to this type of exercise at this time.
The terrier I was referring to earlier in the post only needed to lose a few pounds but a few pounds on a 20# dog is actually quite a bit. My Greyhound should weight between 68# and 72# and she was about 75# when we put her on the Life’s Abundance weight reduction food. We fed her the same amount but the food has 30% less calories and she shed the weight very quickly-in the middle of winter!
You do not need a scale to know your dog is overweight. If their waistline starts disappearing or you see a tummy bulge when they are laying on their side or you do not see their tummies tucked in any longer when standing-then it’s time to do something. Can you “easily” feel their ribs? (No cheating!) Remember…you probably see the dog everyday and hopefully, someone that hasn’t seen the dog in a while will honestly say something if the dog is becoming a “portly” pooch. Don’t wait until your dog looks like some of those below. Most of these dogs should have been on a reduction diet over 20# ago. It’s a very SERIOUS matter as years are being taken off their lives.
Do you really know what’s in your pet’s food?
Always pick up after your pets!
Life’s Abundance informative blog
Content copyright 2010 . All rights reserved.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Michael Vick’s return to wealth and prosperity continued earlier this month with a new $20 million NFL contract — while one of his former dogs is suffering another setback.
Vick, who served 21 months in prison for running a dog-fighting ring, signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles after leading the team to a 10-6 record last year. The 30-year-old quarterback’s financial comeback comes less than three years after he filed for bankruptcy following his conviction. However, one of the best stories to come out of the Michael Vick scandal — the rehabilitation of a small black-and-white pit bull named Jonny Justice — may not have such a happy ending.
Find out what happened to 19 other dogs…
After he was rescued, Jonny’s unrelenting enthusiasm won him a new home with Cris Cohen, a volunteer for the pit bull rescue organization BAD RAP. Upon arriving at Cohen’s San Francisco home in December 2007, Jonny responded well to the attention and training he received from Cohen and his fiancee Jen Long. He passed his Canine Good Citizen test (an American Kennel Club standard that probes 10 aspects of a dog’s temperament), and was certified as a therapy dog. He went to work in a program called Paws for Tales, in which kids read to dogs at libraries, helping to build their confidence and passion for reading.
 Michael Vick was convicted of operating an illegal dog-fighting facility in Virginia in 2007. [Photo: Getty] |
Jonny worked for more than 18 months in libraries all over San Mateo County. He appeared on CNN, CBS and in countless newspapers and magazines, including starring roles in a cover story I wrote for Parade last summer (Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?) and a subsequent book (The Lost Dogs). Jonny wasn’t simply helping kids read, he was teaching us all about the unfair bias against pit bulls — and the power of redemption.
Then it all came to a halt.
Last summer, Patricia Harding, a librarian in Burlingame, Calif., banned pit bulls from the Paws for Tales program in her facility. Neither Cohen nor Jonny had ever worked at Harding’s library, but another volunteer and her pit bull were suddenly no longer welcome. Cohen, an advocate for the breed, was offended by the ban.
He approached the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, which oversees 60 human-canine Paws for Tales teams in 20 cities. He wanted the Humane Society to pull the program from Burlingame in protest. “We asked [the library] to reconsider. They said they liked the program but didn’t want pit bulls,” says Scott Delucchi, of Peninsula Humane Society. “We were disappointed, but thought, ‘If we pull the program who loses? The kids.’ So we decided to continue.”
In January, Cohen and Jonny resigned from Paws for Tales in protest. He teamed with lawyers associated with BAD RAP and checked the state’s laws. According to California’s Food and Agricultural Code (Section 31681-31683), it is illegal to act against any animal based on breed except in the case of instituting mandatory spay and neuter programs. Cohen wrote a letter pointing this out to the librarian and Burlingame city leaders, including the mayor Terry Nagel, vice mayor Jerry Deal, and Jim Nantell, the city manager.
Two weeks ago, he finally heard back. City attorney Gus Guinan acknowledged that in accordance with the code, the ban would be lifted. Good news, right? Well, not quite. The letter also noted that the library decided to withdraw from the Paws for Tales program completely.
Although all dogs are tested extensively before joining the program, and they carry $2 million in liability insurance, Harding cited “safety and liability issues” for pulling the program. “For the amount of concerns we had we weren’t reaching enough kids,” she added.
She could not remember a specific reason for the initial ban, but noted, “Parents had concerns about dogs in the library, and since we need to allow all dogs we decided the program didn’t fit our needs.”
The library’s position seems justifiable on the surface. The Peninsula Humane Society sounds reasonable when it argues that even without pit bulls the program produces positive results. But what if the situation involved people instead of dogs? If one entire group—Native Americans, Mormons, lefthanders, etc.—were eliminated from a program because of a preconceived bias against it, would the local citizens stand for that?
“Some may see it as a loss to the children of the community. But I don’t,” says Cohen. “A library is a source of information and learning. If the person in charge is participating in discrimination, children should not be anywhere near that facility. There is too much hate in this world already, children do not need to learn it at the library.”
You probably think I am going to write about the beautiful sound of the birds in the morning when spring is right around the corner. Or, possibly, the faithful wake-up call of the rooster? Maybe the sound of the newspaper plopping onto the driveway? For those of you that like to sleep in, maybe it’s the sound of a lawnmower. As for me, I could easily fit into one of those Folgers commercials as my favorite is the smell of fresh, brewed coffee.
For those that have difficulty jumping out of bed in the morning…
I have the perfect solution. Finally, an alarm clock that truly works because you can’t cheat. While it does have a “snooze” button, it’s not a very functional one.
My invention would be an alarm clock that offers only one choice of sound to wake you. This is the sound of a dog puking. If you try to hit the snooze button, it will greet you with the sound of the dog quickly slurping the delicacy for breakfast before it cools off.
Want to sneak in a quick nap in the afternoon?
“The Deluxe Power Nap – Silent but Deadly” version of this alarm clock has the same features as the basic model but will emit the actual smell of a Greyhound passing the nastiest gas every 20 minutes or so to make sure you don’t fall back into a deep sleep. It’s so realistic, you would swear she was laying right next to the bed.
Sweet dreams!
Until next time…
** We need a catchy name for the “basic” model. Send your ideas in the “comments” section!
Content copyright 2011 . My Dog Never Did That Before, Dog Notes, Inc.. All rights reserved.
As a dog owner, I’ll bet you are asked that question a lot! Many people wanting to approach you and your dog might also ask “Is he alright?” (This probably means the same thing… but it’s also up for discussion.)
(Alright? Such as… is he hungry? nice? mean? sick? perverted? right in the head? infested with fleas? did he get enough sleep last night? horny? getting an urge to chew on something right about now?)
It’s always interesting that they seem to ask this when they are a foot away with their arms already extended, bending over and uttering gibberish. We shed some light on this question in a previous post.
For example, let’s take a look at this little guy at the top of page. At first, he might appear to be quite nasty. (Will he bite?) I don’t know. On second thought, he appears to be just a pup caught by the camera in a funny, playful pose. (But, is he really alright?) I don’t know. Define “alright”.
In addition, you really need to take a good look at the person behind the answers.
The next time someone asks if your dog is “alright” – have a little fun with it. If you can impersonate Bobcat Goldthwait, so much the better!
Checkout this 30 second video clip as Bobcat talks about accidentally setting a couch on fire as a guest on The Tonight Show!
Is he alright?
(Person approaching) “Is he alright…?”
(Dog walker using Bobcat’s voice) “Well, let’s see…is he alright? Yeah, I think so. He had a good appetite this morning and his poop looked pretty good. There were a few unidentifiables in there but for the most part, yeah, he’s OK and thank you very much for asking.”
(Person approaching) “Maybe I should rephrase my question…”What I really mean is this…Is he OK?”
(Bobcat Dog Walker) “Hmmm…he’s had all his shots, if that’s what you mean but this morning he started answering to the name of Cujo. Can you define ‘alright’?”
(Person approaching-still clueless) “He won’t jump on me, will he?”
(Bobcat Dog Walker) “That’s hard to say. Probably not, except for about 50% of the time. Depends if he likes you or not. Even then, it’s still about 50/50. He’s not even paying attention to you so I don’t know. Just don’t talk “baby talk” to him. I don’t think he likes that. Do you have a cookie for him. He really likes cookies. I’ll take one, too.”
(Person approaching-who is not approaching too quickly anymore) “I mean, how is he with people?”
(Bobcat Dog walker) “People? Yeah, sure, he’s seen people. Some days, he even chases men wearing hats. One hot summer day, he didn’t feel like chasing this one guy, so he just walked right up and peed on him; like three times.”
(Person approaching is now starting to look at me more than the dog) “Why do you think he did th…? Oh, never mind. How is he around kids?”
(Bobcat Dog Walker) “As long as they don’t look like the neighbor’s kids, I don’t know what he would do ”
(Person approaching-who is now starting to back away) “I really have to go now. All I wanted to know was – does your dog bite?”
Watch this video clip for the answer…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXn2QVipK2o
The above was a lighthearted approach to a serious issue and we have some serious answers at the end of the post.
While I don’t mind answering questions about my dogs, I shake my head in disbelief at the parents who allow their kids to run towards my dogs (or any dogs) while doing the “Doggie! Doggie!” thing. They approach head on shrieking with their little arms flailing. At this point the parents are yelling from 30 feet away, (as an afterthought) “Is he alright?” They expect and allow the dog walker (a complete stranger) to control the situation.
At this point, I should ask if their kids are “alright…” as they are the ones that appear to be out of control.
I understand both parents and their children need to be educated on this subject. This time, they are extremely lucky they are approaching an experienced handler with a couple of easy-going dogs. But hey, do these parents want to find out that someone’s dog “Never Did That Before” at the expense of their children?
Let’s face it, as much as we want to believe they are people in little furry coats, we are still dealing with animals. Domesticated, but still animals. Even highly trained police K-9 dogs have slipped away from their handlers and chased kids, knocked them down and have also bitten.
Many of these people don’t own dogs (but, then again, a lot of them do!) and they want to educate their kids at the expense of others. That goes right along with this thought process…”Our dog is going to have puppies so the children can experience the miracle of birth “. Hmmm…wouldn’t it be easier to hand them a book with lots of pictures? Better yet, why not just show them the film of their own birth? That should put a lid on it. After that, you might as well just call the vet and make the appointment because you don’t know “nothin’ ’bout “birthin’ no puppy babies”, anyway!”
Therefore, my answer to them in the future as they approach and ask “Does your dog bite?” I will have to smile and say…”I don’t know…he’s not my dog.”
Training tip…
Will my dogs bite? Probably not. If someone accidentally steps on the dog’s foot and they are face to face with the dog, will the dog bite if startled? My dogs? Still, probably not. Could they be startled enough to move very quickly, accidentally knocking someone down? Sure. Would I let a child run up to a dog? Hell, no. Even if I knew the dog and his “parents”? Nope.
Generally, most people walking their dogs have no control except for the leash and collar. Equipment failure never crosses their mind. The dog appears out of control and people will still want to approach and “pet” the dog after asking “Is he alright?”
Possibly the person walking the dogs is just that…the dog walker! Nothing more. Their job is to walk the dogs. As far as the dog being “alright”…who knows. Here’s a thought – does the dog walker (or even the owner) know that today the dog’s left ear is extremely painful when touched due to the beginning of an infection? That dog should not be out and walking until the situation is remedied.
A very basic rule to follow for both those approaching a dog and also for those at the other end of the leash is this:
Always ask permission to visit with someone’s dog. (Just because a dog is out in public is not an open invitation.) Next, ask them to have the dog sit and to hold that sit as they approach from the side. If the dog cannot remain seated, do not approach any further until a later date as the dog progresses with his training.
For those walking the dog-if your dog is too excited to sit when people approach, you do not have control. At this point, it’s probably not a good idea to let people start petting him and getting him overly excited as he might jump up on them; of which that in itself might scare quite a few. In addition, there is the possibility of scratching, bumping and bruising, getting knocked over and bitten even if they were just playing.
However, continue to work on the controlled sit using people as your distractions during training. Many are happy to help. Have your dog hold that sit-stay as the people simply walk by and continue on their way. This will help your dog to stay focused and calm when he sees people in the future.
Is that your dog?
One more hint for those walking their own dogs…if he misbehaves… apologize profusely stating over and over again that he’s not your dog (you’re just doing a favor for someone) and that you would never allow your own dog to behave this way 🙂
Until next time…
Always pick up after your dogs!
Dog Notes, Inc.
This is a picture of what I came home to the other day. It was too cold to play outside so they invited their friends over without asking my permission.
What the heck! I was only gone for 15 minutes. If only they moved that fast when I call them in from the yard!
They didn’t even realize I was standing there until one of them looked up and said “Oops…busted”. Even then, there were just a couple of quick glances my way and then back to the game. The nerve! They didn’t even try to distract me with an Eddie Haskell greeting. Leave it to Beaver “Hello, Mrs. Cleaver. . My, you’re looking wonderful this morning…Are those new shoes you’re wearing?”)
“Boys, what’s going on here?” I demanded. “Well, Mrs. Cleaver, we had an idea about a new home school study program. It involves various types of gambling and how it can prepare a young man for the future. As you can see, we use different age groups and keep careful notes so as not to corrupt an innocent mind; such as young Theodore’s. My journal is right here if you would like to see it and in theory…” “That’s enough, Eddie. Now! All of you! Clean up this mess!”
I had hoped it was simply a game of “Go Fish”
I wasn’t even close. I’m not even sure if it’s legal for neighborhood dogs to be involved in a game of high steaks poker. No, that is not a typo. I really mean “steaks”. The first hint was the fact that one of them forgot to close the door to the freezer. The second hint, was the red stuff dripping off the table. You could tell who was winning by the number of T-bones piled up in front of them.
Appears they ran out of frozen meat by the time I arrived because I noticed an open bag of rawhide chips sitting on the table. Lumpy already ate his winning chips so he threw a piece of paper into the middle of the table with the word “kat” scribbled on it.
OK, that’s it!! Game over. I couldn’t believe he was going to use the cat as part of the kitty!!!
The toilet seat was up.
One of them had dragged toilet paper throughout the room. I think they were getting a little buzz from the catnip candle burning in the background. Another was trying to hide his bottle of O’Douls. My camera catches Eddie in the process of attempting to boost his bone pile as he was slipping a card under the table to Lumpy.
Well, that does it. I realize it’s winter and they’re bored but my mind is made up and the doggy door is now permanently closed. No more surprises. Who knows what they might dream up next. Seriously…what if they attempt a doggie séance and as they try to connect with Rin Tin Tin they end up conjuring Cujo?
Although, if the Rin Tin Tin thing worked…Hmmm…that could be interesting…my next post could be the best ever! Let’s see…Rin Tin Tin…The Real Story…
Nah, with my luck he would like it here and never leave. Then he would probably invite some of his own friends over. Soon, I would come home to the likes of Old Yeller, Big Red, Petey from The Little Rascals and Asta from The Thin Man movies. That little Asta can be quite the prankster. Yep, bad idea. Then, there’s Toto and I really don’t think I will ever be in the mood for the likes of Ms. Gulch.
And, stay away from that darn Pet Semetary
If they started getting really good at this séance thing, they could become obsessed and I may not be able to stop them in time. For example, if they substitute a milk bone instead of a piece of beef jerky as part of the process, (while they are trying to communicate with that little hottie Cocker Spaniel from Lady and the Tramp; they might end up with Cruella DeVille) along with that hellhound from The Omen trailing right behind her. Creepy… Or… maybe even one that will just drive me nuts such as Wile E. Coyote.
On the other hand, I could have a little fun myself. On Rin Tin Tin day, all I would have to do was crawl into the room wearing a Cujo mask. Nah, on second thought, it would probably backfire and I would end up being the one in charge of clean-up after I happened to startle some of them just a little too much…
I can only hope that some day their friends will be just like this little guy…Every home needs a Harvey…
It’s 10:30 am…Do you know where your dogs are?
The party begins practically the moment you walk out the door…
Regarding dog crates…in hopes of eventually eliminating the crate once the dog is housebroken, many will attempt some “trial runs”. This involves leaving the dog out of the crate (totally unattended) while they leave the house for 10-15 minutes. They return, and everything appears to be in order. A few days later, they repeat the maneuver for the same period of time and this time the garbage can is knocked over and Bubba is eating chicken bones. Boo-Boo watched your car drive away and scratched up the woodwork and lost a nail in the process. Lucky turns on the stove trying to get at the pizza box. We will go into more detail in a future post but you must realize that for the most part, the logic behind this thought process just doesn’t work. Most destruction occurs within the first 10-15 minutes of your departure. It’s an art, not a science-depending upon the dog. After tearing up the house, they need a nap. They resume the destruction after they wake up. Be responsible and use a crate to protect them from themselves. More to follow…
Always pick up after your dogs!
Dog Notes, Inc.
There has been an update since “re-posting” and this person has been caught and is receiving “care”. Regarding the puppies, we have been told they were “found”. Be aware – the video is very disturbing. Thanks goes to “A Voice for the Innocent” for spreading the word on this. (See their link at bottom of post.)
Does anyone know if this is true? If so, has this person been caught? If not, spread the word!
Local artist is dogging it – chicagotribune.com. Click to read about artist Sarah Prescott
IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING CORN REMOVAL SINCE THE PUBLISHING OF THIS POST…(I am so pleased with the results that I am now a distributor of this homeopathic remedy)
June 16, 2011
Click on the following link to see our latest post on the subject of Greyhound corns as it is our most updated information with the “before and after” pictures.
6/8/11 Let’s take a look at some of the “before” pictures…
6/8/11 Within the next couple of days I will post the amazing “after” pictures. It has been 6 weeks and I am still dabbing just a drop onto each area in the evening but I am sure you will agree the results to date are astounding.
For more information and to purchase the homeopathic remedy using your PayPal account, please email me at: info@MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
Tell me about your dog and how long have those nasty corns been around and how many of them you are dealing with.
Fran from Melbourne writes…
Thanks Jackie. It is all coming along well and it was a week since we commenced the treatment. The ‘swelling’ which was causing a bulge out to the side of her paw has gone down the corn itself is taking on more of a definition. It is as though it is separating from the rest of the tissue. Her demeanour has really improved. When you take her for a walk she is back to her beautiful greyhound prancing walk, with her head held up looking all around her. When he took the two dogs down to the usual park where he lets them have a run free, for the first time in a long time she was prancing and wanting to join in with Hugo who runs and plays with a lab they meet up there – she has been disinterested for some time. Last week she was off and joining in the fun.
So we are grateful for finding out about the wonderful treatments. I will be passing the info on to my reflexologist as she is a firm believer in natural treatments for pets also.
***5/17/11 One corn has just about disappeared!! The larger one will need the 2 full extra weeks. She is not in pain any longer. Soon, I will have more information for you to obtain the homeopathic remedy.
Effective 4-17-11, I have been working closely with a homeopathic practitioner in the removal of my hound’s corns. We are looking at an approximate 4-6 week painless process. However, calling it a “process” does not do it justice as it involves a total of 2 minutes (or less) per day. I am very excited about this and will keep everyone posted as to the results. I am also very pleased to announce that I will be distributing her remedy in the very near future.
Now, on to the original post…
I’ve heard this is common in Greyhounds and might have something to do with their lack of body fat. The Princess Hound I refer to in many of these posts has two corns-one on the second toe of both front feet. Try to imagine a good-sized piece of gravel embedded in each of your big toes. You’ll probably feel them with every step. Ouch!
I remove them about every 3-4 weeks. While this can be uncomfortable for her, she’s extremely tolerant of the procedure. (But, no, she does not get couch and popcorn privileges, regardless of her cooperation during the process…)
When she is laying down (which is 99.5% of the time) I sit next to her, grab a foot and tell her to go to her “happy place” 🙂 I loosen the corn by going back and forth (like a top-loader washing machine) using thumb and forefinger nails. Eventually, I can continually twist it in one direction until it breaks off.
This is not my Greyhound’s toe but looks very close to it. After removal, Neosporin with Pain Relief is applied for a few days. Our vet recommended she wear TheraPaws when we walk as they really cushion the feet.
June 16, 2011
Please click on the below link for the latest update on the remedy for Greyhound corns. We have also posted the “before and after” photos!
Below, is the story of another Greyhound’s corn removal process. Very informative article. After reading, I sent an email to my dog’s chiropractor to get her opinion since she uses laser in her practice.
(Since publishing this original post, my dog’s chiropractor explained to me that her laser is strictly “heat” vs. the “cutting” type which would have been used in the below process.)
By greytblackdog blog: For those of you with a greyhound with corns you know how painful they can be for your pup. If you don’t own a corn dog, thank your lucky stars and knock on wood. These nasty little hard spots often cause lameness in greyhounds and only greyhounds for some unknown reason. Seka has two corns, one on each of her back feet. Most of the time she manages okay on carpeted floors. It’s on any hard surface that she has problems, which includes asphalt, tile, hardwood – pretty much any floor that doesn’t have a rug on it she will limp or totally refuse to use one of her back feet, depending on which one is hurting the most that day. I equate it to walking around with a rock in your shoe that you can’t get rid of.We’ve tried a lot of home remedies to soften the corns including using wart remover and covering her pads with duct tape. Some people have used Abreva (an over-the-counter cold sore medication) with some success. We put a nightly application of Bag Balm on her pads to keep them as soft as possible, but nothing gets through that hard, calcified tissue. Many vets turn to coring out the corn with a special dental instrument, which basically pops out the hard part of the corn from the pad, but everyone who has ever had this done to one of their corn dogs will tell you that they come back nine times out of ten. So, there’s not a lot treatment options available to our corn dogs.In October, the corn on Seka’s “lucky foot” (the one with three toes) fell off while coursing. I figured it would come back, but (knock on wood) it hasn’t reared its ugly head yet. I attribute the switch to feeding raw to keeping this corn at bay. The way I look at it – no binders and fillers in her food, mean nothing for the virus to bind to in her body.But the corn on her good foot kept getting bigger and bigger, and last week it mostly fell off. Usually when the corn gets so big that it falls off it offers her a few weeks of comfort, but not this time. In fact, she steadily got worse and even stopped using her foot all together on the carpet on Tuesday. So I called Dr. Hottie’s office and worked ourselves into their schedule at 10a that morning to get Seka some pain meds to help her through the holidays.Now, Dr. Westmoreland and I had discussed using his laser to remove the corns on Seka’s feet, but I kept putting the procedure off due to our coursing schedule and the potential price tag (anything with the term laser in it has to be expensive, right?). Using a laser allows the vet to take off more of the infected tissue than an old fashioned surgical tool would and hopefully get low enough to completely get rid of the virus so the corn doesn’t grow back.As we hopped into the vet’s office on three legs at 10a I kicked myself that I hadn’t done something about this stupid corn earlier. But after the vet took a good look at her and made sure it wasn’t any other kind of soft tissue injury, Dr. Westmoreland had Seka’s toe numbed up, and his trusty laser aimed at the offending corn, blasting away like he was playing Space Invaders. Seka is pictured above, happy and relieved after he was all done. Her corn-less toe below, post-procedure.
As we walked out of the vet’s office at 10:45a to pay our bill of a mere $110 (the procedure was only $35, the rest was meds, numbing and exam fee), I almost cried looking at my dog who was standing firmly on all four legs for the first time in at least two years. We go back in two weeks for a recheck to be sure the spot is not growing back as a corn. Fingers crossed that Seka will no longer be a corn dog, at least for a few months.
It never fails. During the worst of weather (90’s and humid in summer, single digits in winter, heaviest snow days and the days it literally rains cats and dogs ) the same group of 3 dogs, sometimes with a 4th, are on their own-roaming the neighborhood.
The last time I saw this “street-wise trio” was two weeks ago during a snowstorm that blanketed the area with over two feet of snow.
I had visions of these small, obese, short-haired dogs, being scooped up by the snow plows or becoming a permanent part of a someone’s tire, giving an innocent driver nightmares for weeks because they couldn’t stop in time.
The owners have been on the County Animal Control “S” list for at least 5 years. The Animal Control officer tells me that the attitude of these owners is that they have lived in the area the longer than most (before it was built up) and that their dogs should be able to roam where they please.
One of the dogs in this group was attacked by a much larger dog while pounding the pavement as a pup and almost didn’t live to roam the ‘hood another day. Their “people” are certainly not “single experience learners”… but at least the dogs were smart enough to realize they should not continue to walk down that particular block.
Our Animal Control Department is about an hour away, so many of the neighbors have tried to coax the dogs into their garages to give them shelter but it never seems to work out.
Ironically, while taking advantage of the balmy temps in the upper 40’s today, the princess hound and I crossed paths with these dogs and they were actually accompanied by their owners. We just stood in the road and waited while 3 people attempted to catch 3 slippery dogs. (Leash laws are just suggestions in these parts-just like the speed limits). It was more entertaining than a Keystone Cops movie with lots of useless running around in circles and crashing into each other as the dogs continued to enjoy the fun game of tag.
It helps to have a “bitch” of a Greyhound…
However, in this case, it wasn’t a silent movie at all. Their dogs are barking. The people are yelling and literally screaming. (I have to admit, their actions prompted me to look down at my own dog wondering if she had shapeshifted into some sort of red-eyed, three-headed monster Hellhound.) Maybe she does when I’m not looking…
Their dogs start heading our way and get within a few feet of us. The hound must have given them one of her famous “don’t even think about it” looks followed by her signature “hiss” and they immediately ran back to the the Three Stooges, appearing thankful for the security of the leash.
In England and Australia, the “powers that be” are looking at competency testing for those wanting to acquire a dog as a pet. Read for yourself…
The Liberal Nanny State, England is going to the Dogs…
I sure hope all dogs go to heaven…
Always pick up after your pets!
Dog Notes, Inc.
Well, I suppose it is greener-on a nice, sunny day but what happens when your dog wakes up to a world without grass and realizes he has one square foot of space to do his business…?
If your snowblower is still cooperating after hurtling 2 feet of snow for a couple of hours, some of you might be able to coax it into creating some running paths for the dogs. For fun, definitely add some peek-a-boo circles around the evergreens. If you have any time and energy left, create a maze and throw in a few snow tunnels leading to an igloo. That should keep the dogs, husband and the kids busy for quite a while.
Did I do all that? Honestly…uh, no, but we did create paths with a couple of figure 8’s. I planned, directed and did a lot of pointing from inside the house. They were doing such a great job without me, I didn’t think it would be right to go outside and spoil their fun 😉 Plus, my coffee maintains a much better temperature indoors.
After a few days, the paths will take on a different look. Mainly in color and will probably start to resemble a “yellow brick road”.
If you waited but have decided that now is the time to teach your dog to “hurry up and just do it™” while you hang on to the door to keep it from flying off it’s hinges during some of those 60 mph winds, you might want to review “Let’s Potty…You Can teach your dog to Eliminate on Command”. Here is the link:
https://dognotesinc.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/teach-your-dog-to-eliminate-on-command/
Be sure to keep them on a leash so you don’t lose them in a snowdrift or just in case they decide to visit the neighbors by walking over the fence.
For more information on the wiener doormat and other cute Dachshund gifts and novelties, go to:
http://www.thefind.com/pets/browse-doxie-wiener
Always pick up after your pets!
Dog Notes, Inc.
Just Do It! Nike™
Ugly little spud, isn’t he?
Here’s an informative article regarding the potential danger when using flea collars. Following the article, there is a link to a special cartoon for you!
FLEA COLLARS TO CARRY WARNING A settlement is reached in a California case over toxic flea and tick collars. Pet Age Magazine, February 2011
Eighteen pet product retailers and manufacturers, including PetSmart and Petco, have agreed not to distribute or sell flea and tick collars containing propoxur in California without warning labels, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Under terms of a settlement reached in December with the NRDC, the retailers and manufacturers agreed not to sell the collars without a warning that they include a chemical listed as a known carcinogen in California.
NRDC, headquartered in New York, filed the lawsuit against the companies in 2008 for failing to comply with California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act. The law prohibits businesses from knowingly exposing consumers to any chemical known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive harm without proper warning.
A 2008 petition the Council filed with the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the chemical from pet products nationwide is still pending. Pet Age Magazine, February 2011
Here is the cartoon we promised…
Warning! It’s going to be hard to get this song out of your head 🙂 There’s more to the cartoon by clicking below. Please note–a few times during the cartoon, the music stops and a picture of some guy shows up for a couple of seconds and then the cartoon continues. A little strange but it’s worth it to view the entire cartoon.
More food around the corner… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBjaNLlF50I
Always pick up after your pets!
Dog Notes, Inc.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/columnists/ct-talk-brotman-dog-0210-20110210,0,1079543.column.
Having had enough, dog talks about the weather…
Click on the above link to checkout this very clever and entertaining article by Barbara Brotman of the Chicago Tribune as her beautiful dog voices her opinion on a cold, snowy day when asked to go outside.
Always pick up after your dogs!
Dog Notes, Inc.
For all you Dave Barry fans…
Taking the zip out of Zippy – Dave Barry – MiamiHerald.com.
Dog Notes, Inc.
Random (and sometimes very strange) thoughts on yet another cold, winter day…
The sun finally made an appearance. As we walked around the lake, it was the first time I noticed his highlights (and lowlights) on the top of his head and a bit on the ears.
My first thought was…maybe the “sun did it” (does anyone remember the Sun-In commercials? To my surprise-the product is still around- quite reasonable, too, at about $4.99. I should check that out…) Anyway, my next actual serious thought was, I really don’t remember this rainbow of colors on his head. Hmmm…, maybe he’s born with it? 😉 Maybe it’s…? Nah… Nevermind.
Author’s note: I cannot be held responsible for these strange outbursts. This is what happens when we can only get out for about 10 gulps of fresh air every few days. Now I know where the term “brain freeze” started. Mine hasn’t thawed out yet.
During our last outing, the lad was giving me every indication that I walk way too slow for his standards. At the beginning of every walk, he insists upon testing me to see if he can set the pace.
Initially, his little doggie boots were in my favor. They started out as the “Invasion of the Paw Snatchers” and actually slowed him down a bit. Now, sadly they are ReeBark cross trainers. He’s found his feet and thinks he’s “large and in charge” at least for the first few minutes of the walk.
My evil teasing doesn’t slow him down anymore, either. “Hey buddy. Cute Collie approaching from the right. (I glance over and see him holding his breath as he tucks in his tummy…) Oh, nevermind, big guy. She’s batting her eyelashes at that cute Malamute pup coming out of the woods. Guess she’s not into redheads, ha ha ha! Especially, redheads wearing sissy boots! Ha, ha, ha! Gotcha! Woo, hoo! Good one!”
Didn’t work. He didn’t care. Watching me lose my mind was much more interesting to him, along with a couple of squirrels on the left and the fresh goose poop to the right.
Lately, I’m thinkin’ he has a couple of imaginary friends. Every so often he shakes his head for no apparent reason as if to say “No, not now! She’s right heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!”
I really don’t care for one of them.
That would be the “Bad One” and we will call him B.O. in future posts. B.O. is an evil mastermind. He is the one that makes your dog eat deer poop. He’s also been known to double dare our faithful friends to bring dead moles* into the house and proudly set them on the rug for approval. B.O. is the one that holds your dog back when you call him to come into the house from the back yard.
Venison caviar, anyone?
No matter how many times I see deer on the trail, I have to pause and enjoy the moment. Lately; however, as we walk by them, I notice a couple of quick nods in the dog’s direction. The dog appears to respond with a “Hey guys! Wassup?” cool nod of his own and continues to look for squirrels. I wonder if the deer would continue to think he was cool if they knew he was wearing doggie boots as I don’t think they can see them thru the brush. Soooooo… I’ll have to make a note to order those neon yellow ones from the new Spring line… Heck, we’ll try anything to keep his ego in check and yes, some of you will say that making him wear bright yellow boots is some form of negative reinforcement. Well, you are very wrong. Since it has to do with his feet, it’s actually “pawsitive” reinforcement. 🙂
(Remember, as stated above, I cannot be held accountable for these outbursts…)
These subtle greetings alert me to the fact this must be the deer that hang out in my yard. Yes, the same ones that dine on our fruit trees every year and teach their kids to do the same.
As if that wasn’t rude enough, after their dessert of apples and pears, they are too lazy to have the decency to leave my yard to poop over at the neighbor’s. Instead, they leave their calling card of tempting appetizers for the dogs to sniff, eat and/or roll around in. Sometimes, with B.O.’s encouragement, a few pieces end up on the rug to say “Hey! See what I didn’t eat today!”
Did you know that none of the doggie pooper scoopers work on deer poop? A cordless shop vac with disposable hoses would probably do the trick.
As Seen on T.V.
Mark my words…one of these days an infomercial is going to wake you up with some happy camper in their yard demonstrating the “Dang Deer Dung Dooley”.
Payback
I wonder if the boy thinks of the deer as being just one, big, fresh antler chew? “Hey! Prancer! Dude…! Who’s the dog with the awesome highlights hanging off your rack?”
Couldn’t end this without a Fluffy story.
On our way home, we were heading towards a woman and her little gray poodle; adorned with two big pink bows. (The dog-it’s the dog with the bows!) As we get closer, the woman sees us approaching and runs back to her pooch. I assume she is going to put a leash on her. But noooooooo, she walks back to have a “talk” with the dog.
Probably telling her that a huge monster is approaching and to stay with mama. For the most part; however, she’s not all that concerned because she never hooks up a leash nor does she pick up the dog. Instead, her dog finally sees us and charges – yapping all the way. She stops right in front of us, strikes a pose -which appears to be a paw on her hip as if she needs to get something off her mind.
What the heck? Did she see him checkin’ out the Collie earlier today? Did my dog stand her up last week? Forget her birthday? Breakup with her on Muttbook?
By now, her dog has worked herself into a frenzy. Finally, the woman scratches her head and asks “Is he “alright?”
Alright? Such as… is he hungry? nice? mean? sick? perverted? right in the head? did he get enough sleep last night? horny? getting an urge to chew on something with pink bows right about now?
I reminded her about the leash laws in the forest preserves and she proceeds to tell me with a slur and a stagger…she forgot the leash. Okey dokey, but on my planet when one decides they are going to take the dog for a walk, they usually remember the leash. Since under 10% of dog owners sign up for obedience class with an even smaller percentage actually following thru with their lessons; I’m tending to doubt this dog’s skills in the off-leash department. Therefore, “Leash Required” gets my vote!
Maybe we should give her a break here as the woman’s behavior tells me today was the expiration date on the eggnog so instead of tossing it… and let’s face it, she could have grabbed the leash and forgot the dog. (Although, I do seem to remember a student that showed up for class once without her dog. Said she drove about halfway and looked back at the crate and it was empty. She panicked. Turns out the dog was fine. If I remember correctly, he was waiting patiently for her in their other car…)
As we were leaving the park, about 12 geese took off flying from the edge of the lake which prompted me to start teaching my boy the “don’t look up” command.
Birdie, birdie in the sky; dropped some whitewash in my eye. I’m a big girl, I don’t cry. I’m just glad that cows don’t fly.
Speaking of cows, some day I’ll tell you about the lad’s experience with a black bull he met in Wisconsin last summer. We named him “Eddie”. The doggie boots would have really come in handy that trip.
It’s only the beginning of January and it IS a long winter…and that’s no bull!
*This is one little dude in need of a serious makeover…
** No moles were harmed during the writing of this post. The above are hired temps from the local mole academy.
***B.O. is so clever and deserves more than just a few sentences. Therefore, we will devote an entire post to him in the future. (He made me write that.)
Always clean up after your dogs! (especially when they clean up after the deer!)
Dog Notes, Inc.
One of our readers sent this for all to enjoy. Thanks, Nick! For more information on Kevin Fagan and the Drabble comics, go to:
http://comics.com/drabble/2011-01-02/
Until next time, remember to use your “inside voice” when barking back!
Always pick up after your pets!
Dog Notes, Inc.
They say these boots are made for walkin’…
Or not… I quickly realized after tightening the first doggie boot. He froze. He didn’t think he would ever walk again but he kept a brave face. He ignores the Greyhound making fun of him. Cool as a cucumber, he pretends to practice his “stand stay” buying ample time to solve his dilemma.
I didn’t know he could carry a tune, but as I walked away, I thought I heard him humming “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.
If your dog likes to wipe his feet on your guests, doggie boots are the perfect solution to keep “four on the floor”. If he likes to borrow things from counter tops; ta-da, doggie boots. If he likes to run out the front door or through the gate; let’s hear it for doggie boots. He figures the door or gate will be closed by the time he would actually reach them. Dog doesn’t like the cage much? Heck, you could probably be gone all day and find him still standing on the kitchen rug. How about biting? Sure, why not? Just stay out of his stretchable radius. Who needs basic obedience when you have doggie boots? You’ll know where your dog is at all times. Sigh…I wish it was that easy…
Sounds like a pretty cool concept but not too practical for the long-term. However, once they realize they can actually walk with their little doggie ankle weights intact, try slipping a sock over the boots and you can have an instant doggie Swiffer machine. Give those puppies a job, I always say!
After a few minutes, the humming stops but he was still frozen and pouting. I; however, required further entertainment soooooooo… I put a second boot on him.
You see, this way he forgets all about the first boot! However, for me to do so, he would actually have to put some weight onto the first foot for balance. He finally cooperates by balancing on the toes of his left foot with no bend in the boot just like a ballerina. This was getting more interesting by the minute.
The Case of the Missing Feet
Soon it was dinner time for “He Who Never Misses a Meal”. The Princess Hound (also know as Her Hein Ass…) finishes her food and walks over to his bowl. Surprisingly, her bold maneuver fails to get his attention as he’s still glued to the rug just a few feet away. I am now ready to hand him a magnifying glass so he and Nancy Drew can solve “The Case of the Missing Feet”.
I put a leash on him, gave a heel command and he literally “high steps it” along the “celebrity red carpet” right over to the food bowl. This evening, his designer is Muttluks.
ABOVE: Lookin’ pretty hot in his new duds. * Muttluks offer a self tightening (and reflective) strap to provide a secure fit and safety. (Author’s note-Boot model was embarrassed by a big zit on his chin, so he declined having his face in the picture…)
Back to the story…
He sniffs the food from a distance and decides one cannot enjoy a meal without their feet. However; after about 5 seconds, the thought of food was so overpowering he figures his feet are within workable range and stomps over to the bowl. So close and yet so far as his legs don’t bend for mouth to meet the bowl. Totally disgusted, he marches away from the food bowl, as if auditioning for the part of a toy soldier in the Nutcracker Suite.
The “March of the Toy Soldiers” quickly turns into the “Hokey Pokey“. Mostly the “shake it all about” part…
So where does the “better butt” come into play?
As we head down the driveway for an experimental walk, his happy feet have calmed down but his usual gait is now something between a strut and a prance. Major muscle groups are engaged in a very exaggerated tighten and release motion. He decides the best way to handle these boots is to prance like a Lipizzaner Stallion. This is fantastic because the cold, Midwest weather forces us to cut the walks short this time of year, but at this rate and the way he’s “workin’ it”, for every block he walks, it’s like we did 3 or 4.
These boots should be called Doggie Shapeshifters!
Thanks to the clever folks at ReeBark, Fido’s flabby fanny will be a thing of the past. No more embarrassing “chubby dog” food bags around the house. Now your dog can tone that tush by simply walking. He or she will have the tiniest heiny in the neighborhood and can join the other shifters as they strut their stuff around town.
Your dog will thank you for the gift of a better butt!
Little Muffy can now imagine a life without her dreaded thunder thighs. Bubba Jr. will have that six-pack in plenty of time for the summer months. No more belly fat for FiFi. Doggie Summer Fat Farm is just a distant memory. The rewards are endless.
I finally know the secret of teaching a dog to dance for over 3 minutes on their hind legs. I’ll bet Carrie wore boots on her front feet during rehearsals.
“Butt”, seriously, folks…
The most important step when fitting the boots for the first time is to have a helper. No, not to help with the boots. You’re on your own there but you will need someone to be ready with a camera or video recorder. You can thank me at a later date for this bit of advice.
Next, slip one on and tighten to the best of your ability and hook up the leash and proceed to walk. If your dog knows the heel command, use it! The command will override the distraction of the boots.
Most importantly – do not laugh at them… 😉
Walk them around indoors and continue outside with enthusiastic praise.. Initially, they will most likely practice their Hokey Pokey skills and you might feel a sharp kick now and then when they “put that right foot out” but don’t take it personally. It’s important to know you have installed the boot properly. Otherwise, mid-walk you will be chasing the boots down the street. Now, add a second boot.
Today was our 3rd day with the new boots. He could care less as long as he gets to go for a walk. All four boots stayed on today compared to yesterday where I had to chase flying boots about six times. Actually caught 2 before they hit the ground!
If you have any doubt as to using boots, especially in areas with snow where sidewalks and streets have been salted, just look at the bottom your own boots after the walk and then check your dog’s feet. They are going to probably look pretty rough so walk them in snow as much as you can during the walk and before you bring them indoors. Dry their feet and use a salve specifically designed for dogs. Many salves work well during both the winter and summer months.
“The Case of the Missing Feet” was really too easy for him to solve. I’m up for a challenge. It’s only January but never too early to start thinking about summer. I can’t wait to see his face light up when he sees his new little doggie flip flops, complete with a separator for every toe…
I have a feeling it’s going to be a loooooooooooooong winter…
Always pick up after your pets!
*Muttluks-“Proudly designed and made in Canada since 1994. Muttluks provide superior performance and “Pawsitive Relief” for your canine companion. Available in 8 sizes and two models: Fleece Lined and All Weather.”
www.MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
Dog Notes, Inc.
No “Baching” dogs here! Just a bunch of puppies chillin’ to Chopin!
Check out the new holiday CD from MusicMyPet.com and keep your pets mellow throughout the Holidays! Be sure to check out their Classic Cuts edition, as well.
Produced by Tom Nazziola, performer on Disney’s award winning Baby Einstein DVD/CD’s, “Classic Cuts” Music My Pet has been produced using all the sounds proven to calm dogs, cats and other household pets.
Play it when you leave the house, or whenever your pet needs to relax. It’s safe, natural and effective. It’s the perfect gift for your favorite pet – or pet owner! (Sample tracks are available on their website.) Veterinarians, trainers, groomers, shelters, daycare facilities and dentists 🙂 will benefit from playing these CD’s during business hours.
Thank you, Tom, for sharing this information and for producing a wonderful (and necessary) product!
As featured in the Nov. 22, 2010 edition of PeoplePets.com
Courtesy Music My Pet
“If you’re listening to something and it’s calming you, it’ll probably be calming to your pet,” says Tom Nazziola. “Pets respond similarly to humans in terms of music.” That thinking is the basis for Music My Pet, a series of two CDs curated by Nazziola that take the most soothing parts of classical songs and spin them into easy listening for cats and dogs.
“Being a composer, I know what music to look for,” Nazziola tells PEOPLEPets.com. “I chose pieces that would achieve the [calming] effect, then edited them. There’s some classical music out there that can be agitating. So it’s not just a matter of throwing some classical music on for your pet, but [choosing] something relaxing.”
Nazziola, a pet lover who performed on Disney’s Baby Einstein series, tested his first CD, Classic Cuts ($13.99), on some furry listeners. “We gave copies out to people, and our engineer had his dog by his side the whole time he was mixing, so he could gage his reaction,” Nazziola says. “We tried to keep pets involved the whole way through.”
So far, the composer has received positive feedback from many pet owners, who’ve noticed the calming effects of Classic Cuts when taking their anxious animals for rides in the car, or before leaving them for work in the morning. He has distributed several to New York City shelters, too, to help soothe animals waiting for adoption.
The latest CD in the series, Holiday Treats ($11.99, visit musicmypet.com to order both titles), was just released, and features quiet arrangements of favorites like We Wish You a Merry Christmas and O Holy Night. “It was a long process,” Nazziola says. “But it’s a nice departure from the classical thing. And something different for the owner to listen to, too.”
…and to all, a good night…
Always pick up after your dogs!
I do not envy the vet or groomer for that matter, in the exam room with an aggressive dog accompanied by an uneducated handler. They will do their best under the circumstances but these are not the dogs and handlers they look forward to seeing. The handlers have turned a simple office visit into a traumatic experience. They will also have all sorts of excuses instead of actually doing something about it.
No more excuses
Bobo bit the vet because he doesn’t like like getting shots. Well, Bobo baby; get used to it. Newsflash! You’re a dog. Therefore, exams and needles are going to be a part of your life. Deal with it. (As soon as your owner gets over their needle phobia, you probably will, too!)
Poopsie doesn’t like anyone touching her back end because she still remembers the last time her anal glands were expressed. Hey Poopsie, do you think your vet enjoys squeezing your anal glands? You should be kissing the ground he walks on.
Floppsy had a bad ear infection a while back and from that day on, will not let anyone touch her ears. Ms. Floppsy; vet says your ears are fine now. From now on you cannot use this as an excuse for your selective hearing problem, either. We will look into your ears 3x per day if necessary just because…
“Muffin growls because she doesn’t like the antiseptic smell at the vet’s office.” Sooooo…Muffin told you that? She would prefer it to smell like apple pie? I see…so just put some vapo rub right under your noses next time and practice your deep breathing exercises. You will appreciate the clean office smells next time.
“Nutters has to be pulled through the office door because his manhood just up and disappeared here last year.” Nutters forgot how pleased he was a couple of days after the procedure. Things swelled up a bit and he looked twice the size in his nether regions. Believe me, he forgot all about the vet’s office even before the swelling went down. OK, I know you still think he could have been a Westminster Champion. But, ya never proved it. Let it go. In your eyes, he’s still your cute little stud muffin. He’ll be just fine. Possibly you should have invested in a set of Neuticals prior to the procedure 🙂
“While clipping Peanut’s nails 6 years ago, the groomer accidentally cut the quick so now no one can get near his nails or feet. They stay trim from his walks so we just never touch his feet but I think he might have a sliver now.” (Double justification there.) OK, I don’t think three inch nails are considered acceptable; which means the hard surfaces are not doing a very good job; just as dry dog food doesn’t clean their teeth. If you are squeamish when it comes to nail clippers then try a grinder to keep them under control.
Don’t leave home without it
“Chopper hates having his teeth brushed which is why he won’t open his mouth for anyone and I’m pretty sure he broke a tooth.” Poor Chopper…he likes showing those pearly whites any other time except when it really matters. Teach him to open his mouth on command. Make a game out of it. He will learn to love getting his teeth brushed. Better yet, carry his toothbrush while out walking and show it to him every time he starts to get a bit uppity towards another dog…
And finally there’s Egore who had an eye infection last year. “He won’t let me go near his eyes. How am I supposed to administer these eye drops?” Who writes the checks and pays the bills in your household? Egore? Uh, huh, thought so. Don’t be so serious with your hand shaking as the dropper going towards his eyes. Smile. Relax. Practice on a stuffed animal. Do it from the side or over his head. Just do it. You have no choice to avoid further infection.
If you can’t touch your own dog, then you should not put the burden onto someone else.
Yes, they are professionals. Sure, they can clip his nails. Take him into the back room, muzzle him while 4 people hold him against the wall while 2 others clip. That fun day will certainly leave a lasting impression.
You need to be asking, “How can I get out of the habit of making excuses?”
You do realize it has become a habit, right? Simply put; you work through the issues. If Bubba doesn’t like being touched in the rear end, you work through it by touching his butt whenever you can until it’s as common as breathing. Start out slowly. Let him know you are approaching from the side. Make the movement very casual, praise and walk away. Do this when he’s eating, as well.
If Jaws doesn’t like getting his teeth brushed, you start with one tooth and end on a success. Put a bit of chicken flavored tooth paste on a finger and let him taste it. Next time casually work under the lips and touch a tooth and that’s it for the day. Same with the nails.
The more you clip or grind Tank’s nails, both of you will become more comfortable with the process. If Gator doesn’t like other dogs, you will safely use other dogs as your distractions during obedience classes and while out doing your homework.
Many of these dogs have to be sedated just to get them through the office door. Even if the dogs are muzzled, it can still be a rough time controlling them just for an exam. If the exam cannot be completed, the dog wins again! You will need to be confident at the vet’s office. Work through these issues prior to the appointment. Arrange some “practice runs” with your vet’s permission. Just go to the office, hang out a bit, chat with folks, then leave.
I like my veterinarian
I want her to be of sound mind and body (with all the original parts) the next time she examines my dogs.
If your dog does not like to be touched or examined, how are you going to get the best exam possible? This is such an injustice to you, your dog and the veterinarian. Heck, these days you want to get your money’s worth.
How can your dog be your best buddy if he won’t allow you to brush him, clean his ears, clip his nails, brush his teeth and give him a pill? You need to realize most of the above are at least weekly activities. Even if paying for the above doesn’t bother you, learn to do it yourself. Go slow and be gentle. If he cries out because you brushed too hard, quickly apologize and continue. Don’t make too big of a deal with the apology. Just a quick “sorry, baby” and continue. Always end on a success.
These handling and grooming exercises should be covered in your obedience classes as the dog progresses in his “stand for exam” exercise. If your obedience instructor is strictly “just that” and cannot assist with behavior modification, find someone who is capable of working with you on that level.
Always pick up after your dogs!
www.MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
Content copyright 2010 . My Dog Never Did That Before, Dog Notes, Inc.. All rights reserved.
They arrived at dusk. Tonight, the big dogs rule.
The Players
The huge German Shepherd is the first to arrive. This poor guy goes ballistic towards all entering the park. A poor attempt to deal with this problem has the handler walking the outer perimeter of the park next to the trees instead of the path. He starts barking and lunging and she does everything wrong. Once those attempts fail, she tries to stand in front of the dog to block his vision and well, that’s not working for her, either. Sadly, for them, Plan B is to leave the park.
The Rottie enters from the east. He is absolutely gorgeous but creepy as he growls at anything within a 50′ radius of him.
Another Shepherd appears. A smaller, younger version of the first one and just as convincing that he likes his space. Heard the owner praising him for the growling as we passed them. What’s up with that? Oh, it must be that new reality show; “DIY Protection Dog Training” followed by The “Bite Back” legal team infomercial.
In the distance, we spot German Shepherd No. 3 walking a very nice lady. We found out she is open to counseling as we yelled across the street to each other last week as her dog was making every noise imaginable trying to get at my Greyhound. She asked me to leave a business card in her mailbox. Said her dog has been this way since the other one passed away about two years ago. I expressed my sympathy and said we’ll talk soon. (Her reasoning for the dog’s behavior can be another topic for a future post.)
Next, we have the two unsuspecting Foxhounds. (They are very sweet; just rambunctious.) The owner comes out at night so he can walk both at once. These are 75+ lb. dogs and just about anything sets off the barking in hopes of a good chase. He has not a clue as to what he and the boys will run into this evening on the narrow path.
Finally, there is the clueless teen on a skateboard, ear buds intact, walking a 60+ lb. dog while talking on the phone. All in all, he actually wasn’t doing too badly until his dog decided to “exit stage left” towards the bushes. He tripped but recovered quickly and probably never missed a beat of the phone conversation. He has no idea that the first German Shepherd is about 200 feet away and heading right towards them from the opposite side of the wooded trail.
All of them are putting a lot of faith into the equipment they are using
Have you ever really looked at the clip on a leash? Not a whole heck of a lot going on there. These clips can break and collar rings have slipped through a faulty clasp. 99 out of 100 should be just fine. One percent can be defective and it’s not always obvious until it’s too late. The nylon webbing on a leash can boast a tensile strength of 4,000 lbs. but it doesn’t matter if the clip is stressed. In many cases, I have recommended they add another clip to the leash and hook both to the collar. (Or, use two leashes; one around the waist and the other held in the usual manner.)
On a positive note (I can only come up with one at this time)
It’s wonderful that these folks are actually spending time with their dogs. Maybe they picked out the chapter in a book emphasizing the importance of daily walks. This is why one cannot train a dog by a book alone. We’re always in a hurry and choose to read the chapter that will give us a quick fix. They have yet to read the important chapters leading “up to and following” the walk.
People will go to great lengths to try everything but ACTUALLY TRAIN THE DOG.
This always amazes me. They will go to extremes to avoid people and other dogs at the park. They limit themselves to very early am walks or later in the evening with no guarantee to be the only ones in the area. With a little work, they could enjoy their dogs so much more. It’s a shame those that need help are not the regulars that read these posts.
They spend big $$ for the no-pull harnesses, leash in a box, strange collar contraptions, bungee leashes, bark and remote collars, head collars and no-jump harnesses. Most will end up sitting on the shelf at home. Plus, some of these contraptions require a lot of skill to properly attach to the dog (“properly” is key here) and if the dog is extremely unruly, (which he probably is since you felt the need to invest in this training device) you can just fugggggggggget about it. These folks have the best of intentions but eventually it’s just too much of a hassle to take the dog for a walk.
As an example, there is a harness has about at least 8 steps to it (hook A to B, wrap 3 times around C) forget D for now and E goes around the ears. Wrap around each leg 4 times and clasp F back into G and ta da! You have installed the no-jump harness! It’s also a no-walk harness, a no-sit harness, a no-lay down harness( because if he does, it might fall off because they forgot to tell you what to do with “D”) I’ve got an idea here…why not just teach the dog to keep “four on the floor”. Problem solved.
Here’s the thing…there is going to be a time you don’t have one of these handy-dandy contraptions in your possession and you need to control the dog. There will also be a day you don’t hook up the contraption properly and oops…it falls off mid-walk. I want my students to be able to walk their dogs on a piece of dental floss if necessary.
Stranger Danger
I’ve written a number of posts regarding the aggression I see out there every day. It begins with a stare, which most novice owners will not recognize or they would (hopefully) stop the bad behavior right there and then. If the staring is allowed to continue their dogs start revving up by really pulling on the leash either out in front or to the side. If the handlers still do nothing at this point and allow the dog to keep a tight leash, their dogs are again, totally controlling the situation. The dogs are now in a frenzy and this starts the chain reaction.
The aggressive dogs view others as “The Intruders”. They bark and growl and the intruders walk away. The aggressive dog thinks he “wins” every time. (Picture “mailman syndrome…”) Many handlers are just oblivious or choose to ignore their dog’s aggressive behavior. Some are outright embarrassed. Sure, the handler should be able to see the hair going up on their backs but they don’t recognize any of the other subtle signs. You can see what I am referring to in the September post “Small Dogs are Larger than They Appear”. This aggressive behavior needs to be stopped at the first signs of trouble.
Let’s say today, the aggressor lunges and catches either one or both of the handlers off guard. One loses their leash grip. The other one falls. Now what? The bad doggie gets loose and he is so worked up, there’s no stopping him. I don’t want to see any more newspaper headlines stating “Grandma Hospitalized after Dog Attack” or “Child and Puppy Mauled by Vicious Dog” because someone thought they were TOO COOL FOR OBEDIENCE SCHOOL!
For now, until your dog has some manners and the hair lies flat on his back…any walking you plan to do with your dog should be done through the door of your local (vet recommended) dog training school!
*Always pick up after your dogs!
Oh no! It’s that crazy lady with her bags!
*Yesterday, from about a hundred feet away, I offered someone a pickup bag as they were leaving the scene of the crime. They literally ran, yes ran, away from me and out of the park.
www.MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
Content copyright 2010 . My Dog Never Did That Before, Dog Notes, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Once I figure out how to fully utilize the “video” feature on my phone, I will film some of the strange situations encountered while walking the dogs. Hopefully, people will permit me to film their dogs for my documentary and I’ll post a few of them so you can see for yourself.
However, it will be a while before I resume reading 422 pages of “Blackberry Curve Made Simple; as I’m still in possession of “Blogging for Dummies” and I’m keeping it until the library refuses to grant me another renewal.
Last night, we encountered one group of 3 killer Maltese, followed by a yappy Yorkie in addition to a sneaky Schnauzer while walking along the one mile wooded path of the forest preserve. (I call the Schnauzer “sneaky” because he walked 4 feet into the cattails to poop and his owner never saw it…wink wink…)
In their own way, all 5 of them attempted to relay a message to my dog; he’s on their turf and to pack his bags. The handlers do nothing. Not even an apology. Sometimes they shrug their shoulders and give me a look. A look that says “They’re just spoiled, bratty dogs. What do you want me to do about it? Just make sure you keep that big guy under control. Yeah…you better keep that one under control.”
Pfffffftttttttttt….! Yeah, my big tough guy. He’s a Doberman named Bruce. What does that tell ya? He’s a little over a year old and right now he’s just totally oblivious to all this commotion. He’d rather sniff at the goose poop along the trail.
You probably wonder what kind of neighborhood I live in with all this dog trouble…Well, it’s no Wisteria Lane, I’ll give you that much but all in all, it’s a pretty nice area. I’m thinkin’ that the vast numbers of these small dogs are currently bound to the forest preserve. Rumor is they are on probation after being kicked out of the dog parks; allegedly bullying the larger dogs.
Thank you for saving my dog?
After a safe getaway and having walked barely a block, we encounter one more yappy Yorkie that runs out into the street after us. The dog was in a frenzy. His park buddies probably gave him the “heads up” that we were on our way. These people send the teenager to retrieve him. I think she walked back to the house with him in her pocket. Again, no apology. She did take the time to give me a look; however… “Next time don’t walk by the house when I’m wasting time on My Space.”
Now, correct me if I’m wrong here but just because you have a toy or small breed of dog, there is no need to teach to them to come back to you when called? Sure, you can pick them up with one hand or toss them into your purse. But a lot of good that does “after the fact.” When we saw (and heard) the Yorkie charging, we stopped walking. My dog sat at my side, cocking his head watching the dog running towards us.
The car had screeched to a halt; as they probably saw me and the moose in the road. So unless that tiny pooch sprouted wings; we’re probably responsible for saving the little guy’s life. A simple “thank you” would have sufficed. Shame on you little Yorkie owner. There are no “do overs” here.
Oh, alright, so you say “My Dog Never Did That Before” do you now? Well, liar, liar, pants on fire, this is about the 5th time this dog has run into the street trying to chase us. My neighbor can vouch for that. How many others has he gone after? It only takes one time, just one time…
Speaking of bunnies…
We weren’t really. Just wanted to see if I still had your attention… I met with a client and his dog at the same local forest preserve a few weeks ago and we happened to see a rabbit; (a very bright white rabbit), slowly coming out from the trees and into the clearing, as if drawn to our voices.
My client handed me his leash (and dog) and he was able to walk right up to it. At that point, what does one do? Grab it and take it home? Leave it? It’s a tough decision. The rabbit was obviously domesticated. The decision was made for us as the rabbit would only let him get within a few inches and he would lightly hop away a few steps. This went on for about 2 minutes and once he figured out there was no food for him, he hopped back into the forest.
I would like to think that someone accidentally left the door open to the bunny hutch but more than likely, someone released him into the woods. The poor thing was probably hungry and drawn to our voices. Unless, a family of deer happened to adopt him that night to show him the ropes; maybe suggesting he roll in the mud a few times in order to blend, he’s going to have a quick night. Better yet, if the bunny rolled in the mud just right, leaving a white stripe down the back, his best defense would be to flirt with Pepé le Pew and hang with him; for like, uh, forever.
However, I am sure a coyote was blotting his chops with a dinner napkin later that evening; wishing all his meals were that easy.
Shame on you, too, bunny people…
Always pick up after your dogs!
www.MyDogNeverDidThatBefore.com
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Content copyright 2010 . My Dog Never Did That Before, Dog Notes, Inc.. All rights reserved.
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Always pick up after your dogs!
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