Coyotes and Dogs

Last night around 8:30pm, the coyotes that live in our neighborhood made another kill, this time right in the meadow behind our home. The sound is blood curdling.

I know it’s the circle of life and I try to remind myself of that when I picture the sweet rabbit or baby deer that just lost their life for coyote dinner. I just can’t help myself from thinking they got someone’s dog or cat. There are plenty of pet cats that people let roam around here and several small dogs that people tie outside all by themselves. Circle of life, circle of life, circle of life.

I would be devastated if the coyotes attacked my little dog so I have taken preventative steps to prevent this from ever happening. I’ve listed the steps I take to help you prevent coyote attacks on your pets:

I never let my dog outside without my supervision. It’s that easy and a small price to pay for living in such a beautiful community shared with wild animals.

Please keep your pets safe.

Another Dog Fighting Ring Busted

This week, Police raided a dog fighting ring in Chicago, only this time the dog fight was in process. This is the first time the Sheriff's Department has broken up a dog fight as it was happening.

Disgusting and disturbing is how the Cook County Sheriff describes it. They found two severely injured dogs, one so mutilated he had to be put to sleep. Equally disturbing is who was watching the fight, a pregnant woman and two children were among the crowd of at least 50 people that each paid a $5 cover. All of this happened in the basement of a home.

Full Article

If you suspect dog fighting in your neighborhood, please report it to your local police department and you could collect a $5,000 reward offered by the Human Society of the United States. For more information contact HSUS.

Holiday Tips From The Dog Whisperer

With the holidays approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share some Holiday Tips from Cesar Millan.

1.) Tire your dog out before visiting or receiving holiday guests. Keep in mind that holiday visits are not typical visits. They may involve more heightened energy than normal, since often we haven’t seen these people in a while, and dog people have a tendency to get excited around others’ pets. Your dog is more likely to behave if it’s just had a nice long walk. If they’re not dog people, your guest may be nervous, insecure, and unsure; a tired dog can help these people relax.

2.) Don’t forget rules, boundaries, and limitations just because it’s the holidays! When it comes to the aromatic holiday food, sweets, and candies lying about the house, there are many temptations for your dog. You have to remind him or her that the rules, boundaries, and limitations are the same. Use the holiday as a chance to intensify good behavior instead of intensifying bad behavior. It’s up to you to take the opportunity to make it a great holiday by working on your leadership skills!

3.) Protect your dog from the cold. Many breeds are not built to handle cold weather. Check out your local pet store for the many ways to handle this. You can buy doggie boots and gear made specifically for cold weather. There are also paw waxes that protect from the cold and aid your dog’s grip on slippery surfaces like ice or snow.

4.) Let your dog check the weather. Dogs don’t have the Weather Channel, so they don’t know why they are being denied a long walk for the day. Allow your dog to step outside and feel for itself that it is too cold or too stormy to go on a long walk. Instinctually, the dog will understand why it is coming back inside where it’s safe. But, be careful not to allow them to do this too often. They can learn to use this open door to manipulate and control you. Also, some dogs, if out in the cold for too long, will develop thicker fur and maintain their fat as a natural protection, so they may not feel the cold as intensely as we humans do. This can be an advantage if you want to continue to take your dog for walks in cold weather. However, please keep in mind that many short-haired breeds do not have this natural resistance to cold weather.

5.) Be cautious when around the fireplace! Animals are instinctual about fire; it is natural for an animal to stay away. However, during this holiday season, many owners like to dress their dogs up. Never use a product which may contain alcohol, such as hairspray, silly string, or entertainment paint, on a dog that will be around fire. Always be cautious near a fire with an animal that is wearing clothing. A stray piece of fabric can quickly cause the entire outfit to light on fire. A screen is a good way to keep a “done-up” pup safe. Also, never leave an animal alone in a room with a lit candle. As a general holiday precaution, test your smoke alarms, and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times!

6.) Be aware of dangerous holiday items. The festive poinsettia causes dogs to vomit. Chocolate is a poisonous treat. And tinsel has sent many a dog to the emergency room, as it can easily cut up intestines. Paper-based tinsel is generally a safer option, but the plastic or metallic-based varities should not be used.

7.) Protect your presents and decorations. Remember that a dog will know if a gift contains something edible, even if you don’t. Ask your guests in advance if there is food inside the presents, and keep them out of your dog’s reach! Keep fragile ornaments toward the top of the Christmas tree; only place sturdy ones near the bottom. Often people use a pen to keep dogs away from their tree. Keep it fun by decorating the pen with ribbons. And, above all, set rules, boundaries, and limitations!

8.) I don't recommend giving a puppy as a holiday gift. Most often, giving a puppy for emotional reasons turns out badly. Love is never the problem. Who doesn’t love a puppy? But most people don’t know how to keep a puppy balanced, and the puppy is going to suffer the consequences from the first day. In particular, if a person doesn’t know they are getting a puppy, they will be in the wrong state of mind to receive him or her. I highly recommend holding off on affection for a week or, at the very least, until the end of the day when the puppy is quiet, in his kennel, and ready for sleep. This is virtually impossible to do if you just received a puppy as a surprise!I strongly believe that people need to have some basic knowledge about the commitment and responsibility of pet ownership and how to play a leadership role even though it’s a puppy. The beautiful part about starting with a puppy is that, if you know what to do, you are going to prevent problems. But if you don’t, you are going to create problems. We have to take the same philosophy as adopting a child. You don’t just give a kid away. You have to get the whole family involved. Everyone has to understand the responsibility they are taking on.

9.) Live in the moment! Be happy! Laugh! Celebrate! Want to do something special for your dog for the holidays? Be balanced. Don’t be nervous. Don’t be fearful. Don’t be tense. Don’t think about anything that makes you sad, depressed, or angry. Really live in that moment. Believe it or not, that is one of the biggest gifts we can give to our dog--and ourselves! Everyone, rich or poor, can practice this simple activity. It has more meaning than any gift you can buy. Live in the now, with your dog right next to you and your family around you. Your dog is going to get the benefit of it, particularly if you don’t have days like this on a regular basis. This special day will linger in his or her memory, and, hopefully, you can learn to practice these days more often, not just during the holiday season.

For more great advice from Cesar, check out his website. Oh, and look forward to more posts about keeping your pet safe during the winter and holidays.

Grooming Danger

Did you know that Pet Groomers are not required by law to have any training, a permit or even any skill? It is a startling truth that some pet owners have to learn the hard way, by an injured pet or even worse a dead pet.

Because there is no licensing required, other than a business license, anybody can basically pick up scissors or clippers and call themselves a groomer. And they are. More and more people are spending more and more money on pampering their pets so the dog grooming industry is booming. As a result, the complaints of pet injuries and sometimes death are on the rise.

I have firsthand experience with this, several years ago Bailey was injured while being groomed and the Groomer never told me. He was poked in the eye, most likely by the scissors, and his cornea was ulcerated. I noticed because his eye became swollen shut shortly after I picked him up. He now has permanent vision loss in the spot where he was poked.

Here are a few things you should do to help safeguard your pet from incompetent Groomers:

=Ask your groomer if they have any certificates of training. If not, ask about their on-the job experience.

=Ask to take a tour of the facility and make sure it is clean and does not smell bad. Also make sure there are no insects or rodents running around.

=Ask them to show you the steps of the grooming process and how they safeguard your dog along the way.

=Make sure they don't use hot blow driers on your dog or blow dry cages.

=Ask how many groomers are in the facility watching the dogs.

=Inspect the areas your dog will be waiting before and after grooming.

=Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints listed against the Groomer.

=Ask your neighborhood dog owners for a referral.

This list is not all encompassing so just ask questions until you feel comfortable your furry baby is in the best hands possible. A truly qualified Groomer will be more than happy to show off their top notch facility and talk about their experience.

Dog Drives Car

While waiting for his owner in the car, a dog slipped it into gear and drove in a loop before the car came to a stop.

Police said the dog's owner was washing the vehicle at a car wash, when the 70-pound pit bull jumped on the dash and somehow shifted the car into reverse. The car backed out of the car wash bay, continued onto a highway and then looped around before coming to a stop at an automated car wash lane.

There were no injuries except now Pit Bull’s bad reputation includes car jacking.

Presidential Pet Museum

Did you know there is a museum for Presidential Pets?


With all the buzz about Obama’s soon to be adopted puppy, I started thinking about all the pets that lived in the White House and did some Googling.

‘The Presidential Pet Museum was founded in 1999 as a repository and means of preserving information, artifacts, and items related to the Presidential Pets. The Museum is now open to the public for all to view and enjoy. Over 500 items of interest are displayed for lovers of pets, Presidents and pet trivia. Children learn by association and what better way to educate visitors about our Presidency, than through the White House Pets. Nearly every President had a pet, both exotic and common, and one can learn about them all at the Presidential Pet Museum.’


Check out the Presidential Pet Museum website and you will find all the facts about the countries first pets. Did you know that in 1981-1989 President Regan had a Bouvier des Flandres named Lucky? She had natural ears and was sent to their ranch in California as she grew too big. Her spot in the White House was filled by Rex, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.

The Presidential Pet Museum is a nonprofit corporation whose mission it is to facilitate and provide support, raise funds, engage in supporting activities, encourage membership and in general work to create a National Pet Museum, and to see that the Presidential Pet Museum collection and concept is responsibly represented in a unique, riveting and monumental way.

Kids will love it!

Pet Thefts Are On The Rise

It might not be up there with burglary or other types of property theft, but dognapping is on the rise, says American Kennel Club spokesperson Lisa Peterson, who tracks dog news around the country.

Police reports don't make a distinction between pet theft and other property theft, so there's no way to pinpoint the exact number of stolen pets each year, but anecdotally, officers say that pet theft is increasing this year.

"More people are reporting it and it seems to be occurring more frequently," says Lt. John Kerwick, president of the U.S. Police Canine Association, Region 7, New York, an organization of officers who work with police dogs.

In the first five months of 2008, the AKC noted three times as many dog thefts as the year before. (The organization tracked 30 from news reports and customers; the entire year before they only recorded 10.)

Toy breeds, puppies, and purebred dogs that look expensive or unusual are most vulnerable, says Peterson. Among the stolen breeds tracked by the AKC in 2008 are Yorkshire terriers, poodles, Pomeranians, shih tzu, bulldogs, corgis, a Norwich terrier and a mastiff.

Plus, people increasingly view their pets as members of the family and are willing to cough up big rewards if they go missing.

Some thieves walk off with puppies from pet stores and animal shelters or take dogs tied up outside stores and coffee shops. Others break into cars where dogs have been left while their owners run an errand. Some have even posed as prospective puppy buyers to case breeders’ homes, breaking in later to snatch the dogs, says Peterson.

Kerwick, the policeman who works with canines, says that while some dogs are targeted for stealing, most dog thefts are crimes of opportunity. “The average guy doesn’t wake up in the morning and think about stealing a dog for a family member or himself, but the dog is there, there’s no one watching, and they take him,” he says.

Full Article

Yarn of the Dog

My very cool friend Dave sent me the link to a blog, If It’s Hip It’s Here, that features a series of photographs by Erwan Fichou of people posing with their dogs that are wearing clothing made from the hair (or fur) of their dogs. Yes, that’s right.
Believe it or not I already knew about the practice (not the pictures). Earlier this year I saw a segment about saving and spinning your pooches hair on Martha. She had her beloved Paw Paw’s hair spun into yarn and was trying to decide what to make with it.

What’s funny is that when I saw the segment on Martha it reminded me that many, many years ago a very important customer of mine was into raising dogs. A breed I hadn’t heard of prior and rarely since, Bouvier des Flandres. Anyway, he was wearing a scarf that his girlfriend made for him from yarn she spun (all by herself) from all the dog hair she saved after brushing. I have to say that once he told me that story about his scarf I was totally distracted by the dog scarf and kind of grossed out the whole time we were having dinner. I just couldn’t stop looking at that scarf and wondering if it was clean, did it smell like dog, would people be allergic to it, would dogs want to hump you when you wear it. I just thought the whole thing was weird and couldn’t even imagine wearing anything made from dog hair. This had to be at least 12 years ago, funny how it is catching on now. Or is it?

I must admit, for a moment, after I watched it on Martha I thought I could save all the hair I cut off Bailey and have a scarf made. Then I thought you are a crazy cat lady but with a dog. I just can’t get over the gross factor.

So it must definitely must be hip to wear your dog, I mean your dog’s hair, but you decide for yourself, check out Martha's Blog that includes a detailed description of the process.

I won’t judge but I might try to see if you smell if you are wearing a scarf of your dog.