Sunday, September 23, 2012
Dogs that have been used as bait will sometimes find themselves in shelters when law enforcement breaks up a fighting ring. They deserve to know love.
The other day I heard someone explaining why somebody would ask if a dog’s teeth were ground down. A dog whose teeth are ground down would not be able to fight back and defend themselves, making them perfect bait dogs for dogs being trained to fight. I have seen so many injured dogs on Facebook lately, also dogs up for adoption that were once a “bait dog.” Some people may think that "bait dogs" are far and few between, but that's not the case. There are laws against dog fighting, but just like everything in life, the criminals keep hidden. Rescues do their best to help the dogs in the shelter, but there are people out there that adopt these dogs with the intention of using them as bait dogs. There are different stages training fight dogs…
Monday, September 17, 2012
I thought I'd secured everything enough to keep Grayson in the yard. I don't have to worry about Kaiah so much. Grayson — of course — proved me wrong.
I recently moved from an apartment to a house — a house with a fenced-in back yard. I went from a large apartment without a yard to a small home with a large yard. The best part of this move is that I was also allowed to put in a doggie door for the kids. (What a landlord, right?!) My friend came over, installed the doggie door, and after I get all moved in and settled, he brings me a newspaper article pointing out the inherent security risk of robbers getting in through people's doggie doors. I figure I'm OK because, after all, what robber would want to come into my home and come face to face with my protective large dogs Kaiah and Grayson? My friend then warmly reminded me of another uninvited guest. Rodents might want to come in, also…
Monday, September 10, 2012
"I felt like a mommy whose child just took their first steps! I emailed everyone I could think of ... stating this wonderful news: ‘Pearl just went pee pee on her own!’"
Many of you have heard about the detriment of puppy mills, but how many of you can say you've seen what it does to a dog? Before I moved to Florida, I knew puppy mills were bad, but really never fully understood the impact until my work with a local rescue put me around puppy mill dogs. I can explain this best by telling a story of a dog named Pearl. My local rescue group rescued Pearl, a West Highland terrier, from a puppy mill after living seven years in a cage. Pearl never got to see what a real dog life was like. Pearl ate, slept, peed, pooped, was forced to breed, and lived (if that is what you call it) within the confines of her cage. Pearl did not know what grass was and probably had little, if any, human contact. When Pearl came …
Monday, September 3, 2012
X-rays from Miami showed that all the carpals of her foot were broken and ligaments torn. Infection had begun to destroy the tissue around her bite wounds and the splint was not going to be effective.
Animal Services in Miami-Dade picked up Nalia, an injured pit bull mix who was struggling to walk and limping around on three legs. Pit bulls are banned in Miami-Dade; regardless, Nalia was initially treated for a fractured and bitten front leg, but was also scheduled to be euthanized, according to Harlan Weikle, executive director at For Paws Hospice, an Ozona-based non-profit. This little girl did not know that she had angels getting ready to save her life and start her on a new journey. For Paws Hospice acted immediately and called the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL). That organization contacted 1 Lucky Dog Rescue, who was able to pull her out of the shelter and get her additional treatment. Nalia's first …
Monday, August 27, 2012
She has a dog, and he said he doesn't like animals. Now what?
I was talking to a friend the other day who told me she had been talking to a guy and they were going to go on a date. But then came the deal breaker: he does not like animals! My friend has a dog, and the guy knew that. This made me wonder, would it be a deal breaker for every one? I look into the eyes of my two babies, and it would be a definite deal breaker for me. My two dogs are my babies, my children, if you will. Sadly, during my volunteer work with a local dog rescue group, I have sat and watched people actually give up their dogs because of a new baby, because they can no longer afford them and, my favorite, they no longer have time for them. To take it a step further, if my dog does not like the person, or if the person does …
Monday, August 13, 2012
Animals are so sensitive to their owners, that they're likely already aware something is going on with Mom when she's pregnant. However, it's your job to make sure they know how to behave when baby comes.
A pregnancy in the family can be an exciting time for everyone — even your dogs. Animals are so sensitive to their owners, that they're likely already aware something is going on with Mom when she's pregnant. However, they may not know exactly how to behave. They are, after all, picking up on all our emotions: happy, sad, excitement, worry, anxiety, etc. (I know my girl Kaiah, mirrors my emotions all the time.) I have a friend who is expecting and she has two dogs in the house. I can only imagine what emotions her dogs are picking up on. So, in honor of her, I thought I'd gather up some hints on what makes for an easy transition for ALL your babies, whether they've got four legs or not. The No. 1 principle to remember: your dog should …
Monday, July 30, 2012
Debbe Decker had no way of knowing what was lurking around her home one recent night when she let her dogs out for their nightly potty break.
Debbe Decker had no way of knowing what was lurking around her home when she let her dogs out for their nightly potty break on July 3. Then she heard a yelp, followed by a much louder yelp, and saw her 12-year-old Rottweiler, Macks, run toward the house. Debbe’s husband Bill saw an alligator get back into the water nearby, and they immediately called their senior German shepherd mix, Rocky, who is 14, and went to the house. Within five minutes of being outside, Macks, who weighs 104 pounds, had been attacked. Gator Attack Disfigures Dog Debbe panicked at the sight of Macks. His ear and face was torn from his head. He was also wet, which means the alligator pulled him into the water to try and drown him! "I was so upset I could barely …
Monday, July 23, 2012
"Watching the rescue dogs that have come through my house, I have to say that for a while I feel they remember the bad things, but when they are around good things, the bad tends to fade away."
How many of you have seen the YouTube videos of dogs welcoming their owner’s home from the military? I cry almost every time I see them. As I watched one today, I saw another titled "Reunited After 3.5 Years!" Joplin, the dog, seems so excited and happy to see its owner. The video indicated that the owner had been incarcerated, but it is OK, it doesn’t really matter. After watching, I wondered if they remember everything, or choose to remember only the things they want. Watching the rescue dogs that have come through my house, I have to say that for a while I feel they remember the bad things, but when they are around good things, the bad tends to fade away. For an example, I have told you about my old foster Baxter that would hide …
Monday, July 9, 2012
Getting your dog fixed is good for your dog, good for other dogs and even good for your bank account.
Lately, I have seen more and more dogs at the dog park that are not neutered, and I found out some of the females are also not spayed. Almost every dog park has a sign saying that dogs should be neutered before coming into the park. One dog owner's reply recently: “My dog is balanced.” Allow me to explain. Just because your dog is “balanced,” it does not mean that other dogs will like him. Other dogs tend to go into frenzy when a male dog that is still intact enters the dog park. They smell the excessive testosterone, and that causes a problem. One dog owner at the park recently said neutering a dog would take away its reason for living. Another wanted to have the option of having puppies someday. How are their dogs getting along? The …
Monday, June 25, 2012
At least seven dogs I know have contracted kennel cough in the last month and a half. Here's what to watch for, and how to respond if your dog has symptoms.
In the last month and a half, many dogs in this area have contracted kennel cough. I know of seven dogs from the local dog park that have gotten it, and who knows how many others that I don’t know about. I've been one of the lucky ones (knock on wood), and Kaiah and Grayson have escaped this round. A friend told me that someone told her that he would not be coming back to the park because other people don’t vaccinate their dogs. She asked him if he had vaccinated his dog, and he said, “Well, yes, from rabies, but that is it.” This made me think that maybe I need to talk a little about kennel cough and preventive measures. How Do Dogs Get Kennel Cough? Just like humans, dogs can get a virus many different ways. Dogs contract kennel cough …
George Gould
5:20 pm on Monday, September 24, 2012
I don't much care what human beings do to each other but that apathy doesn't apply to what human beings do to dogs. Dogs are the unique manifestation of unconditional love in this world. Dogs are the sole living reason I have to believe that there might be a God who loves us. People who do these things to dogs deserve to have done to them whatever their sick little minds have conjured up to hurt … more ›