Facebook Gives Dog a New Leash on Life

Those of us on Facebook, Twitter or any of the other popular social networking sites have most likely caught up with old friends, established new business connections, snuck a peek at pictures of an old fl ame or have even avoided a friend request from someone we just didn’t know…or let’s be honest knew all too well!  But we are also very aware of the power of the repost and how fast a story can circulate. Hence the story of Chunk, a little brown and white Boston Terrier who captured my heart in less than 24 hours.  I first learned about Chunk via an email from St. Francis Society Animal Rescue in late October. Chunk’s bio was emailed along with a few other dogs who had limited time left at Polk County Animal Services. I scrolled down the list of dogs and promptly hit forward and typed in all of my “dog” friends and customers who I knew would forward the email along. Typically, someone in the litany of forwarded emails is touched by a dog’s plight and volunteers to be a foster parent or guardian angel. So, I was hopeful.  The first week of November, I received another SOS on Chunk. This time he was the only dog in the email.  For some reason, this little guy had not had anyone come to his rescue. His days were numbered. After an hour or so of attempting to send another group email blast, Yahoo decided to halt all sent email from my account. They thought I was sending Spam!! What to do?  O.k. I thought, I am posting this guy on both of my Facebook accounts and Twitter and let’s see what happens. I typed in his bio, attached his picture and hit Share. Amazingly, in less than 3 hours, one of my long time friends, who now lives in Orlando, replied to my Facebook post offering a glimmer of hope. She said the owners of Pookies Bow Wow Bakery in Orlando were looking for another Boston to add to their pack.  She would get back to me the next day.

Oh, the time crept by… the next morning couldn’t arrive fast enough. I couldn’t sleep, continued to check my Blackberry to see if a Facebook message had come through…had somehow snuck up in the last 30 seconds…but time and again nothing. Finally, the next morning at 8am the message from my friend said Yes, they are very interested in Chunk.  Here is their number. YES! This was the first step he needed.  Next was to organize the logistics, Chunk had to be “sprung” from Polk County Animal Services, brought to the vet in Tampa, then if he checked out o.k. he would be off to Orlando to meet his new foster parents. A lot to do in a couple of days. I had come this far, so I decided I would see this rescue to the end.  On November 9, I drove to Polk County Animal Services to pick up this little guy. I found Chunk in the quarantine ward as he had been pulled out of an animal hoarder’s home (he was there with 67 other animals!!!)  He had Demodex, which is a treatable skin condition and was receiving the most minimal vet care.  When I approached his cage, he was immediately at the gate licking my fi ngers and looking at me with hopeful eyes. Is she here for me? Really me? After about 30 minutes of paperwork and speaking with Animal Services officials, I walked Chunk out of his concrete jungle and to my car.  As soon as I opened the car door he was ready to launch his compact 20lb body right in. His crate was set up with comfy blankets and a furry toy which he immediately began to love, shake and paw. As I started the car, he was nuzzling his bedding and getting comfortable for the ride.  As we headed West on I-4 with the windows rolled down, I couldn’t help but stare at him through my rearview mirror. What he was thinking as the wind whipped across his face and he watched the scenery fl y by. Did he know this was his chance? His second chance at life?  We pulled in to Bayshore Animal Clinic that afternoon and I left him there for a few hours. After a great report he came to my home for a night of playing, walking, eating, snacking and overall good snuggling. A bath was certainly on the agenda. He was a joy to have around.  Chunk loved our yard and the walks around the neighborhood, but he most loved hanging out in his bed gnawing on a turkey patty.

The next morning we hopped back on I-4 and headed  east to Orlando. This time, Chunk was snoozing in the back seat…I mean really sleeping, head thrown back, mouth open and peeking at me with bleary eyes every once in awhile. A lump was building in my throat the entire drive. How did this little dog, skin infection and all, touch my heart so quickly? I wished for more miles between Davis Islands and Winter Gardens.  We made it to our destination, the West Orange Veterinary Hospital where Chunk met his new moms, Melissa and Marcia. It was love at fi rst site. After a quick once over by Doctor Fink, she asked Melissa and Marcia if they were in fact going to move forward and foster Chunk….Marcia quickly said, I think we are keeping him.  It was time to say goodbye and I cried like a baby all over Chunk’s head. Melissa and Marcia couldn’t have been any happier and Chunk, the little boy who had been in a 5’x5’ cage at a shelter for three weeks, looked right at home. A simple post on Facebook brought him from Pasco County, to Tampa, then to Orlando…his fi nal destination. I received my fi rst Chunk report on November 14 and learned that Chunk has a new lab mix girlfriend, loves his new raw food diet and most importantly has been accepted by the family matriarch, the house cat! Success!

To Board or Not to Board

Oh, the holidays. Ready or not, they have arrived. Turkey dinners are forecasted, suitcases are dusted off and it all begins!  Many of you are planning your holiday travels…to see Grandma Millie in New York, Mom and Dad in Atlanta or you may just want to get away to an island in the Caribbean and escape the chaos! What about your four legged family member? Who will care for them while you are away? Instead of visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, are you having visions of Macaulay Culkin in the movie Home Alone? If you have used your last I.O.U. and your trusted neighbor, friend or family member just can’t care for Fido this time around…you do have options.

 Pet Boarding. There are wonderful facilities in the area that will house your pet while you are gone and offer many packages from which you can choose.  Your dog can stay in a higher end facility with indoor “suites,” outdoor playtimes, daycare and grooming… the list of add on’s is extensive. Or, you can board at a facility that has traditional kennels which typically offer outdoor and indoor space and a couple of walks a day. Nowadays, pet resorts, as they’re often called offer a wide variety of options, all safe and secure, giving you peace of mind while you are away. Before you decide if this is the route you should take, go visit a few boarding facilities, take a tour, learn their policies and prices, meet the managers and note how you feel when you are there. Rates for cats and dogs can start anywhere from $20 a day and go up from there. Don’t be surprised that if you choose a top of the line package with a large suite, many play times, extra cuddling, treat before bed, etc. that your price per night could be upwards of $50. Most facilities offer multiple pet discounts.  Look for a place that allows your dog to eat his own food, not food provided by the facility. Your dog might be a nervous boarder, so any change in his diet might impact his digestive wellness. Also, your buddy will need to be up to date on the following vaccinations: DHLPP, Bordetellaand Rabies.  Once you have decided on a facility, have your dog or cat visit and spend the night prior to your trip. This way, he will be familiar with his home away from home and have an idea of the routine, smells, sounds and staff. The goal is for your pet to feel like he is on a vacation while you are on yours!

Pet Sitter – Pet sitters are a dedicated group of men and women that will take care of your pet in the comfort of your home. You can choose how many times a day they come to visit your pet and what they will do with Fifi or Fido while they are there. If your dog loves to play ball in the back yard, they will incorporate that during their visit time. If your dog is a dog park regular he can certainly enjoy this routine with his sitter.  Pet sitters can also take your pet to the vet or grooming appointments and will keep a close eye on their health and behavior while you are away. Some sitters will spend the night at your home if you so desire.  Upon your return you will fi nd notes written after each pet sitter visit so you will get a clear snapshot of how Fido spent his days while you were gone. They will let you know how often Fido did his “business” and how he behaved on his walks. Pet sitting costs range from about $18-$20 per visit per day.  As with boarding facilities, most sitters offer multi pet discounts.  Before making the decision to go the pet sitter route, assess whether or not your dog is well suited to be home alone for several hours a day. If your dog has severe separation anxiety or has destructive habits like chewing items, walls, furniture, etc, this might not be the best option for you. On the other hand, if your dog has no separation issues and is quite calm and happy in his own space this might just be perfect. Always have a new pet sitter come for a meet and greet prior to your trip…just to make sure their personality and Fido’s are a match.  Visit www.petsitters.com to find a pet sitter or to find out if your pet sitter belongs to the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Or, visit www.petcareservices.org to find a boarding facility that is part of the Pet Care Services Association.  There is nothing better than having the peace of mind that your pet is safe and well cared for while you are enjoying your holidays. Best wishes on finding the most sensible solution for you and your pet and happy travel.

The 411 on Pet Halloween Safety

Have you started to stockpile your Halloween stash? Searching the aisles for that particular candy that your kid’s desire? My husband and I always try to have the best candy (or so we hope) behind our door. And, as hard as we try, we never quite have enough….so by the end of the night, the kids are receiving Nutri-Grain bars, raisin packets and the like. Not so much fun for them I am sure! We do have a four legged kid named Abe and we always make sure that he is happy and safe during Halloween including making a batch of his oh so favorite treats…the recipe is below! To keep your pet as safe as Abe, please keep the following pet safety tips in mind:

• Keep Pets Indoors- Please, I repeat, please keep your pets indoors the night of Halloween. There will be many pranksters out, who just might find it funny to let your pet out of the gate, antagonize your pet or even worse.
• Chocolate, Candy and other Yummies- By all means, all candy, especially chocolate is a big NO NO for Fifi and Fido. Chocolate is toxic to a pet’s system and can have fatal results. Not to mention, the wrappers, foil, twist ties, etc. surrounding the candy can cause choking or may lodge in the pet’s intestines.
• Candles- We all know that Fido’s tail can whip around as fast as a category two and will take out anything in it’s path. Please keep all lit candles far out of your dogs range. And definitely remember to extinguish candles prior to leaving your home.
• Trick or Treaters- If your dog is like Abe, he likes nothing better than to run to the door and sniff each and every trick or treater who eagerly holds out their bag for candy. A warning for this behavior: dogs may get spooked by costumes and excited kids…causing them to bolt out of your open door or perhaps become scared/nervous. The best precaution is to not let Fido greet the trick or treaters without being on the other end of his leash.
• If your dog is nervous- It is better to leave him in a room with all of his favorite things while you are greeting trick or treaters or hosting a Halloween party. He will feel much better and you will not take the chance of your otherwise friendly FiFi becoming snappish.
• Costumes- If you choose to dress your pet this season, please make sure that their costume is not constricting in any way. If the costume includes a mask, please ensure that the eyeholes are wide enough not to impede Fido’s peripheral vision. Limited vision could cause your dog to become nervous and potentially act out of the norm. Give your pet extra water when dressed as he may become warm and try not to leave his costume on for extended periods of time.

Houndsight is 20-20

My eyesight is horrible…I mean bad… really, really bad.  At my last eye exam the doctor displayed the largest E on the brightly lit screen and I couldn’t decipher what it was. Sadly, I couldn’t read anything on the screen at all. Thank God for corrective lenses!

Have you ever thought about what your dog sees and doesn’t see? Is Fido’s vision 20/20? In one simple word, no. His vision is more like 20/75! What a person can see from 75 ft away a dog can only see at 20 ft.

You probably have heard that dogs are color blind. That their world view is in black and white. The latest research has shown that this is not the case. Because the retina in a dog’s eye contains about 1/10 the amount of cones (cones provide color perception and detailed sight) as a human’s eye their vision is more like someone who is color blind. Distinguishing red, green, orange and yellow is impossible for dogs. Studies have shown that they can pick out blue/violet and yellow, however. They can also differentiate between shades of gray.

Don’t feel too bad for them though. Dog’s can see much better in dim light than their two legged parents. They are also excellent at seeing things in M O T I O N. For all of you who have dogs that can run down a Frisbee and pluck it out of mid air or whose dog can catch a ball at any angle and height…or have witnessed your pooch chase down a lizard across the yard at dusk…you know what I mean.  Why is this possible? A dog’s retina may be lacking in the cone department but it is rod dominant. Rods provide the ability to detect motion and to see things in dim light.  AHA! This explanation makes perfect sense when you think of dog’s evolution. Our pet’s wild ancestors were hunters and predators chasing prey at dusk or at night.

Night vision and detection of movement was crucial for survival of the species.  Let’s apply this knowledge to our modern dog’s life. Think about training your dog. If you have taken a training class in the past you most likely were taught hand signals as well as voice commands. Your movement reinforces your voice and satisfies your dog’s sense of sight.  Even more innate is a dog’s ability to distinguish even the slightest movement in other dogs. This is how they understand the hierarchy of the pack, the messages being relayed and how they should respond. In fact, this is how they learn about us…their humans. They are very tuned in to our body language and take their cues from our actions. Don’t expect your dog to know who you are from a distance but as soon as you make one of your characteristic moves they will realize who you are. 

A dog’s sight or lack of vision in bright light…is supplemented by their other, stronger senses of smell and sound. Going back to our ball example, a dog can follow the ball as it fl ies through the air, but as soon as it hits the ground and stops rolling, their sense of smell kicks in and they “sniff out” their round prize. Or, our other example of knowing you from a distance…as soon as you use your voice they will identify you and of course they intimately know your scent. 

So, even though Fido’s sight may not be 20/20 it is perfectly made to suit his needs and has worked for his species for millions of years!