“This chained dog was aptly named “Torture”;
his poor excuse for a doghouse is full of water.
A dog like this would be an excellent candidate
for your ongoing attention.”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, December 31, 2007.

In case there is a spot remaining on your list of New Year’s resolutions, I have a good one for you. This one will warm your heart and the heart of a grateful dog. Here it is:

First, scour your neighborhood on foot or by bike to locate at least one neglected dog. Chained and penned dogs are obviously neglected, but dogs that have the run of the entire yard can be neglected too. Any dog who is left outside 24/7 is neglected.

Next, evaluate the dog’s living conditions. What kind of shelter does the dog have? How clean or filthy is the area in which the dog is living? Does the dog have water? Is it frozen or covered with algae? Zero in on Fido’s health. Does he have runny eyes? Diarrhea? Scaly or red patches of skin with no fur? A cough?

Once you’ve taken stock of the situation, take a deep breath and go see if you can make friends with the owners. Depending on your temperament, you may need to give an Oscar-worthy performance, but keep in mind whose life is at stake. If the owners have some pretty flowers in the yard, rave about them. If they have a car, mention how cool you think that model is. Anything to curry favor with the owners and win their trust.

Gradually, incrementally over time, work Fido into the conversation. Mention that you’ve been meaning to start getting more exercise and would they let you walk their dog for them? Bring along a chew toy and tell them that your own dog doesn’t want it and would their dog like to have it? Stop by with a bale of straw and say that you got it for free from a friend of yours—would Fido like to have it in his doghouse or scattered on top of the mud? Offer to put it there yourself (because they probably won’t bother). Mention that you noticed that Fido has diarrhea and you have to take your own dog to the vet anyway, so would they like you to take Fido along, too, just to check for worms? Perhaps Fido could even come to your house to play with your dogs?

Ideally, you would eventually become a trusted friend, permitted to come and take Fido to your house to play with your dogs at any time. Once you’re in that position, you can be sure that he gets everything he needs and more. And you will definitely be the person the owners turn to if they ever decide to give Fido up. But it takes patience to get there.

If you meet with nothing but negativity or even outright hostility, don’t give up. Search for ways to ingratiate yourself with the owners. If all else fails, at the very least you can stop by once a day and give Fido a treat or a dog biscuit, scratch him under the chin, and check on his water. He will deeply appreciate anything you can do to alleviate his woes. And if things are just abominable to the point of being illegal and you can’t get anywhere with the owners, call the authorities. Notify the local animal control department, the nearest SPCA, the newspapers, or even PETA. Just do something. You are that dog’s only hope.

Cheer Up Nation / cc

If you’re trying to tighten your belt—in more ways than one—you might want to cancel that pricey gym membership and invest in a pair of walking shoes and a comfy harness for Harley instead.

According to a recent survey in the U.K., dog guardians get more exercise from walking their canine companions than people with gym memberships do—an average of eight hours and 11 minutes of exercise a week for dog guardians, compared to a measly one hour and 20 minutes of exercise a week for people without dogs.

This makes sense to anyone who’s ever been owned by a dog. Dogs need to get outside, stretch their legs, breathe fresh air, and sniff the hydrants every day, and so do we (OK … maybe not that last one). Each walk is an exciting adventure to dogs (Who will we meet? What will we smell?), and their enthusiasm makes exercising enjoyable for us too. According to the survey, more than three quarters of respondents said they’d rather walk their dog than hit the gym. And unlike human exercise partners, our dogs never bail out on us at the last minute. (If your normally enthusiastic pup declines a walk, get him or her to the vet—your pal could be sick or injured.)

If you don’t share your home with a canine companion, you can still reap the benefits of dog-walking by offering to walk a friend’s or neighbor’s dog (a lonely dog who is kept chained or caged would be especially grateful for the attention, exercise, and change of scenery) or by volunteering to walk dogs at your local animal shelter.

“Louie: “Let’s have fun!”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, December 12, 2007.

And they’re all free!

1.) A long walk every morning. With this gift, your dog is halfway to nirvana. A long walk promotes an enduring sense of well-being and contentment, and it’s great for every dog’s health. Walking together is also key to your bond with your dog.

2.) A calm environment. Pledge never to lose your temper with or in front of your dog. If you’re a drama queen, decide to stop being one now―hey, if I can do it, you can too. Dogs don’t do well with drama. Serenity is more their cup of tea.

3.) A holistic approach to veterinary medicine. Investigate chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, nutrition, and all the other alternatives to the standard drugs and surgery that conventional vets offer. In most cases, these methods are less invasive yet more effective at promoting healing because they get to the root of the problem instead of just masking it or suppressing it.

4.) Commitment. Adopt a dog with the same kind of commitment that you reserve for marriage. You will part company only under the most dire and irreconcilable circumstances. Otherwise, never give up on your dog’s behavior problems―there is an answer out there. You just need to find it and implement it.

5.) Respect. Pledge never to disparage your dog. Don’t believe that your dog can’t understand what you’re saying. We vastly underestimate dogs’ comprehension―often they can pick up on the underlying idea. In all relevant matters, consider your dog’s point of view. This, of course, requires empathy, the ability to put yourself in your dog’s position and see things through his or her eyes.

6.) Quality time. Play a new game, like hide ‘n’ seek. Bring home a new toy or object of interest frequently. You get out more than your dogs do―so bring some of the world back home to them. It can be as simple as a pine cone or as elaborate as a fun, interactive toy from your local pet supply store. Hang out together and focus on Fluffy―don’t let thoughts about work or anything else creep in.

7.) Careful observation. Pay close attention to Fido’s appearance and demeanor. Look at him from all angles (his tummy, his paw pads, under his tail, under his lips). This is the best way to detect health problems early on when they are most treatable and least painful.

8.) Hands-on attention. Dogs are sensual creatures―most of them love to be massaged, scratched, and petted. Caress or scratch them the way they like it, not the way you like it. Some dogs like a good hard scratch on the butt, while others like a medium scratch on the chest. Some love a gentle caress, while others like a deep-tissue massage. Find out what pleases your dog.

9.) Some silliness. Dogs are never more photogenic than when they are being silly―a photo captures the sheer pleasure of playtime on their faces. So join them! Even initiate it. Get down on the floor and do a play bow. Find out what gets your dog in a goofy mood and do it every day.

10.) Unconditional love. Love your dog with the fullness of your heart, with every fiber of your being, every hour of every day. Dogs’ lives pass much too quickly, and before you know it, it’s time to say goodbye. Don’t waste a single moment!

These are all gifts that money can’t buy, yet they are the gifts that your dog will appreciate the most. Happy holidays!

Woman’s Day / cc

As if the H1N1 flu (aka “swine flu”) weren’t evil enough, it now turns out that if you get sick with the flu, you could pass it along to your animal companions. A cat in Iowa recently made the news after testing positive for H1N1—the first time a cat has been diagnosed with the virus. Two of the cat’s three human companions had been sick with the flu before the kitty started showing symptoms.

So what can you do to avoid infecting Max and Mittens if you’re feeling ill? Basically, use the same precautions you would take to prevent spreading your germs to any family member. In case you need a refresher, here are some tips:

• Don’t cough or sneeze on your animals—cover your mouth with a tissue or the crook of your arm.

• Wash your hands frequently.

• Don’t share eating utensils with your animals (e.g., no letting Lulu lap up the rest of your veggie soup until you’re healthy again).

• Limit contact with your animal companions (e.g., hold off on the doggy kisses), but be sure not to ignore or neglect them. Enlist a healthy friend or family member, if necessary, to play with, walk, and cuddle your animals for a few days until you’re no longer contagious.

• Closely monitor your animal companions’ health. If they show any signs of the flu—such as lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, runny nose and/or eyes, sneezing, coughing, or changes in breathing—get them to the vet, pronto.

• For more tips on protecting your animal companions from H1N1, visit the American Veterinary Medical Association’s site.

Of course, the most effective way to protect your loved ones from H1N1 is to avoid getting the virus in the first place. My advice? Fight back against the cruel factory farming industry, which breeds H1N1 and other diseases, by going vegan!

K9 Magazine / cc

According to a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and Petside.com, the majority of animal guardians said they wouldn’t hesitate to perform CPR on their cats or dogs to save their animals’ lives. But the same poll found that most people overlook an equally important way to protect their beloved companions: having an emergency evacuation plan that includes their animals.

Our animal companions are helpless against hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. Who could forget the images of terrified and dehydrated dogs and cats stranded on rooftops, clinging to trees, and frantically treading water after Hurricane Katrina? Please don’t let your animals end up like this. Make an emergency plan for your animals now, using the following tips:

• Never leave animals behind in an evacuation. You may not be able to return home for weeks, leaving animals stranded without food or water.

•Check with hotels, relatives, and friends to see if you and your animals can stay there until the emergency is over. Many hotels waive “no animals allowed” policies during emergencies.

•Make sure animals are current on vaccinations and are wearing collars with identification tags. Pack leashes, bowls, towels, blankets, litter pans, litter, and at least a week’s supply of food and medications.

•If you have no choice but to leave your companions behind, leave them indoors, with access to upper floors and at least 10 days’ worth of dry food and water. Fill sinks and multiple containers with water. Place signs in windows and on the front door indicating how many and what kind of animals are inside—rescue teams may be able to save them.

TVs, couches, and even homes are replaceable, but best friends aren’t. Please, plan ahead. Visit our page on protecting animals in emergencies for more tips. And to be an even more prepared animal guardian, check with your local Red Cross chapter about companion animal first aid and CPR classes!

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, October 29, 2007.

I’m not really that into Halloween. Although I enjoyed it as a child, these days trying to facilitate the interface between my six resident dogs and a steady stream of unknown, excited, costumed children is just plain difficult. I could make all my dogs stay behind closed doors in a bedroom, but that just doesn’t seem fair to them, so I usually end up placing a big basket of Peanut Chews on my porch with a sign that says, “Help yourself!” and making myself scarce during trick-or-treat hours.

By the way, if you have dogs, please be extra vigilant that they don’t get their paws on any Halloween candy, especially chocolate. Candy in general is full of sugar (horrible for the immune system, joints, teeth, etc.), but chocolate in particular contains a substance called theobromine, which can be fatal to dogs if they ingest enough of it. (This applies to cocoa mulch as well, so gardeners and dog people, beware.) Other food substances poisonous to dogs include raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, alcohol, coffee, uncooked yeast dough, onions, and onion powder. Garlic and avocado are debatable—there is some evidence that they can be toxic to some dogs, so it might be best to avoid those too. Xylitol, which has become a common additive in foods and toothpaste, is also quite toxic.

If you suspect that your dog has eaten something poisonous, please call the ASPCA’s animal poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435. (Why not post this number next to your phone, just in case?) It’s open 24 hours a day, every day, but you will be charged $60 on your credit card in exchange for advice on how to proceed. Obviously, this service is worth every penny—you’re dealing with the life or death of your beloved canine companion!

Do have a safe and happy Halloween!

Click here for a larger view.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, November 19, 2007.

Whenever I’m at the dog park, inevitably I’ll hear someone talking about putting their dog in a crate or even exclaiming, “Oh, my dog LOVES his crate!” At that moment, my hackles go up big-time, and I want to say, à la Saturday Night Live’s Church Lady, “Well, isn’t that convenient!” Of course, it’s highly convenient to lock your dog in a box when you’re too busy or stressed out to deal with misbehavior or rambunctiousness.

“Oh,” they’ll say, “dogs are den animals. A crate is exactly like a den and being in it makes them feel secure.” What they always so conveniently gloss over is the fact that a den doesn’t come with a locked door. In a den, you can come and go as you please.

It boggles my mind that people can be so obtuse about something so obvious. Birds hate to be caged, lions in the circus hate being in cages, humans hate being behind bars … why should it be any different with dogs? Oh, wait—there is one big difference: Dogs are the only animals willing to do ANYTHING for someone they love. And that includes tolerating being locked inside a cage. Dogs are stoic and they love unconditionally and they want to please their guardians, which is a perfect recipe for abusive treatment.

People take full advantage of their dogs’ desire to please and then they even twist it around and tell everyone that their dog enjoys being taken advantage of. It would be like a controlling husband saying, “Oh, my wife LOVES to stay home every night,” when in reality, he won’t permit her to go out.

I wish people would think for themselves and stop taking everything that their veterinarian or their dog trainer or the pet store sales clerk says as gospel. Vets and trainers and sales clerks can have ulterior motives or be uninformed or even mean. Common sense is really the bottom line. Does it make sense to say, “My dog LOVES to be locked inside a cage”? You can put a soft bed in there, and you can throw in some toys and treats, and you can “acclimate” your dog to the crate, but you can’t change the basic fact that the dog is locked up with very little space to move around in.

I wish crates had never been invented. I shudder at their current popularity. I’ve taken care of eight dogs, half of whom came to me as puppies and I never made a single one of them stay in a crate. You puppyproof your house and you train your dogs (getting help as needed) and you stop aspiring to Better Homes and Gardens. That’s all. Sure, I’ve still got some shredded books and furniture as mementos of the puppy eras. But who cares? My dogs’ liberty and comfort and well-being mean far more to me than my material possessions.

If you agree and would like to help counteract this pernicious trend, please order some of PETA’s anti-crating posters and leaflets, like the one accompanying this post.

Taylor: “Don’t forget to respect
your elders.”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, May 19, 2008.

With each passing year, I relate better and better to my aging canine friends. I had a cocker spaniel who lived to be 15 and a German shepherd who died at the age of 13, so I’m acquainted with many of the health problems of elderly dogs and holistic ways of addressing them.

“Why use holistic methods?” you might ask. For the past 20+ years, I’ve found holistic methods to be gentler, less invasive, more natural, and more healing than conventional methods. These tend to work with the body in a way that nourishes and heals it, rather than simply masking or suppressing symptoms, which are bound to resurface in a different way. Of course, there is a place for conventional medicine, but many chronic and old-age health problems lend themselves to holistic treatment.

In my view, the most important thing that you can do for your aging pooch is to stop vaccinating. Yearly vaccinations are by no means harmless and can damage the health of susceptible dogs both in the short and long terms. And the side effects of vaccinations can be cumulative from year to year. Only rabies vaccinations are required by law (and skipping the rabies vaccine can lead to extremely dire consequences, such as being forced to choose between months-long isolation of your pup in a kennel or immediate euthanasia, so don’t do that). But none of the other vaccinations is required by law. Generally, one round of vaccinations during puppyhood should cover a dog for a lifetime, but if you feel uncomfortable skipping the yearly vaccinations, get a blood “titer” test done instead. This will indicate how much immunity your dog continues to possess and give you the scientific data you need to make an informed choice about vaccinating.

Dogs can also benefit from nutritional supplements, just as humans can. It’s important not to just give them willy-nilly but to do your research beforehand, as not every supplement can be given to both humans and dogs, although there is a tremendous amount of crossover. When giving dogs herbal supplements formulated for humans, follow the dosage on the label, according to your dog’s weight. If a human should take two capsules twice a day and you have a 65-pound dog, then you can give your dog one capsule twice a day.

For smaller dogs, you can buy empty capsules and use them to divide full capsules in half or into thirds or quarters. Many herbs come in liquid form as well, which makes it easier to administer them to small dogs (just a few drops in their food will do it). Look for liquid herbal products containing glycerin, not alcohol. Always give supplements with food, unless otherwise indicated on the label. Here are a few suggestions for supplements and other holistic treatments for that canine companion “of a certain age”:

•Many older dogs begin to get cataracts or a condition called “nuclear sclerosis,” which also affects their vision, particularly at night. You can see a cloudiness forming in their eyes. But this can be prevented, arrested, and even somewhat reversed by providing your dog with antioxidants (such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium, and especially lutein) as well as bilberry capsules. (Legend has it that bilberry jam was eaten by World War II pilots to maintain their keen night vision.)

•To stave off hearing impairment, ginkgo and amino acids N-acetyl cysteine and acetyl L-carnitine, which act as antioxidants, are helpful. They are also good for slowing down mental decline, as is curcumin, a substance found in abundance in turmeric, that orange spice used in curry dishes.

•For improved digestion, which is really the foundation of good health, digestive enzymes added to the food will help immensely, as will probiotics like acidophilus, which will repopulate the intestines with healthy flora―particularly important after a round of antibiotics. And speaking of antibiotics, when your dog gets a cut or sore on the skin, there’s no need to rush to the vet for an antibiotic that is going to destroy your dog’s healthy intestinal flora. A little colloidal silver applied topically will keep it from getting infected. Colloidal silver, which contains tiny particles of silver suspended in water, yet looks and tastes the same as plain water, is said to be able to purify sludge!

•Creaky joints and arthritis are the bane of all old folks, whether human or canine. Fortunately, there is an abundance of holistic help available in this area. Veterinary chiropractic can straighten out a misaligned spine, which will improve overall health, as the spinal nerves extend out into the rest of the body, affecting everything. Helpful supplements for arthritis include glucosamine, turmeric, vitamin C, MSM, hyaluronic acid, and cetyl myristoleate. Also, exercise should not be neglected, although older dogs should stick to low-impact exercise, such as walking. As my mom likes to say, “Old ladies need to work hard.” I think those are wise words; use it or lose it.

•To keep the hard-working liver healthy, nothing beats milk thistle, which has been prescribed for human liver problems in Europe for years. Something else that’s good for the liver, as well as for the heart and the gums, is coenzyme Q10, a very powerful antioxidant. The oil-based form is about three times as potent as the water-soluble one, so you can buy it in a lower dosage.

•A multivitamin formulated for dogs is also a good idea―a kind of safety net in case there are any gaps in the dog’s diet or ability to absorb nutrients. Green superfoods, such as spirulina, barley grass juice powder, chlorella, wheatgrass, and alfalfa, can also fill in nutritional gaps and provide enhanced immunity. And many dogs do not get adequate omega-3 fatty acids in their diets, which will eventually catch up with them. Omega-3s are essential for healthy skin, supple joints, heart health, etc., so add them to the diets of all dogs, young and old.

And last but definitely not least in importance, do not obsess about your older dog’s health. Do what you can to support it, but do not replay grim scenarios of your dog’s impending brain tumor, senility, lameness, heart disease, or blindness over and over again in your mind ad nauseam. Your dog will pick right up on these negative thoughts and probably get the disease that you keep worrying about! So cut it out. Positive, healthy, happy thoughts only! Enjoy the time that you have together.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, September 27, 2007.

I was at a large dog park recently on a hot day, and there was just one puddle in the entire park (from a leaky pipe). Naturally, all the dogs kept gravitating toward the mud as inexorably as a moth to a flame, and this set the dog guardians to screaming, “Max, get away from that!” “Don’t even think about it, Sasha!” I was standing nearby and tried to advocate in behalf of the hot dogs: “But it’s so hot out! You can just let the mud dry and then brush it out of her coat.” I don’t understand why muddy dogs cause such freak-outs. If you’ve got a blanket or a tarp over your back seat, your dog will be dry by the time you get home and will probably have licked most of the dirt off too. But what’s left can easily be brushed or combed out. And for those unfortunate inevitable incidents when Fido merrily rolls in something really fetid, you can just use enzyme wipes (Nature’s Miracle makes nice ones). Try that first before going to all the trouble of lathering up your little Lucifer.

People are always so shocked to find out that I almost never bathe my dogs. Yet, they smell fine. They really do. The truth is that chronic bad doggie odor usually comes from within (from a diet that is not agreeing with the dog), so frequent baths are just masking a serious health issue that requires a dietary change, not shampoo.

Darla: “I just can’t resist―
chewing gum is so tempting!”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, May 14, 2008.

I used to say that my dog Dexter couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time, because whenever we were out on a walk and I gave him a treat, he would stop walking in order to chew. He’s gotten quite a bit better at this, but I hope he never really gets to try out his gum-chewing skills because many gums today are extremely toxic to dogs. Sugar-free gum very often contains a sugar substitute called xylitol.

A blog post by an editor with the Los Angeles Times Sports Section, Steve Clow, detailed the ordeal that can follow when dogs get their paws on xylitol-containing gum or other xylitol-containing products. Clow’s dachshund, Hershey, wolfed down 15 mini-sticks of sugarless gum and had to be rushed to the emergency room.

Xylitol is the sweetest of the sugar substitutes sold in bulk, and it has really taken off in the food and dental hygiene industries. Not only can you find it in chewing gum, it’s also added to toothpaste, mints, mouthwash, candy, and many foods as a sugar substitute (you’ll see it on the label). It’s great for humans―it inhibits the bacteria that cause tooth decay and can cut calories from sugar―but it does a number on dogs. When dogs ingest it, their blood sugar plummets to dangerous levels and they need medical attention right away.

If you catch Fido eating a xylitol-containing product, try to induce vomiting by giving him a tablespoonful or two of hydrogen peroxide. Then rush him to the vet, but on the way, try to get him to eat something sweet and rich, like soy ice cream. This can help to prop up his blood sugar while you’re en route. Without veterinary treatment, Fido can start to experience vomiting, lack of coordination, and weakness within a half-hour and proceed quickly to seizures, coma, and, finally, liver failure. This is serious!

So keep that sugar-free gum, toothpaste, and any other xylitol-containing products out of your chowhound’s reach. Don’t keep gum in your coat pocket, either.