The Dog Addiction: Why we Love our Pups So Much

The facts are in and the statistics are overwhelming. Here in the United States we love our dogs. Dog stickers are on the back of our cars, dog clothes are in our closets, and our kitchen boasts healthier dog food than human food. In 2012, according to the American Pet Products Association dog lovers spent more than $50 billion on our fur-babies. But truly, who can resist those adorable pet clothes our babies are dying to wear, or the third purchase of the dog bed you know your love will tear up and de-stuff within in the first 5 minutes in the house. This pug hat,

for instance, would go perfectly with my pug’s sweater on these cold winter day’s we’ve been having. Don’t worry, you can find plenty more on etsy.com, a site that boasts a range of handmade pet clothes and products just for your angel.

As our Facebook feeds are filled with cute puppy videos and our houses with dog toys that never seem to stay in the toy basket, one must ask, why do we love our pets so ceaselessly, unconditionally, and tirelessly? In fact, we are not only giving dogs a higher pedestal in our households, we are also loving more of them. According to the humane society, pet ownership in the United States has risen 3-fold since the 1970’s. Back in the days of shag carpet and polyester suits approximately 67 million households had pets. Today approximately 164 million households are graced with fuzzy companions. There is more fur, more snuggles, and more treats to go around. So what has slowly changed since the 1970s? Why are more people welcoming furry friends into their homes and treating them the same, if not better, than any other family member?

                                         

Though I’m certain more thorough sociological, anthropological, and psychological studies could answer these questions with much more scientific veracity, throughout my 6 months as a dog walker with All Breed Care and 25 years as a dog owner I believe I have stumbled upon my own subjective version of the truth. We have all heard the basic arguments of why we love dogs: their ability to love unconditionally, act selflessly, forgive immediately, and always be thrilled to see you. Being around that energy is bound to lighten your day.  In fact, studies show that being a dog owner can increase both your mental and physical well-being. Personally, my dogs have always been the bright spot of my day, calming my anxieties, fears, and melancholy moments by their mere presence. Throughout my personal battles they have been the one constant I can always count on. The one thing that will never let me down. There will always be fur in my bed, a desperate looking pug at my feet while I eat, and barks serenading me as the days go by. And these things bring me more comfort than I know.

It is a compilation of a million little things. The cute antics- (have you seen this bull-dog puppy roll down the hill?!), kind spirits, and the comfort they bring to us daily. To me, this is why we love our dogs so much. And the love of our fur-babies is the same as any other, the more we give the more we get in return. And so, I will continue to let them sleep on the bed (sometimes under the covers), give them the long walks they love, the expensive food they eat so fast they probably don’t even taste it, and as many hugs and kisses I can manage. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll be YouTube stars like these cuties http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsj0bZrORAY.

Ziggy: A Foster Dog's Journey part 2

Ziggy's Journey Continued...

I got a call from Chris when he was about 10 minutes out from our house.

I have to confess that I was more than a little nervous, feeling more apprehensive over the introductions that had to take place between canines. How shut down was he? How thin? Would an illness rear it’s ugly head? He probably isn’t house trained. How am I going to make time for the whole pack, especially walking them all with no fenced yard to rely on for exercise? How and when was I going to integrate Luke into our over scheduled lives?

I had fully prepared as much as anyone could in 24 hours, fixing 2 exercise runs together in our house, pulling out a crate from the garage, shopping for toys, kongs and treats for the new arrival and my own pack as well. I set up the pens, trying to figure out what would be the best configuration, redoing the configurations dozens of times. Finally, exhausted, I accepted that it would do for now.

I hear the car pull up and get excited.

There he was, that sweet puppy I saw in the picture, just as afraid and shut down.                

Luke didn’t want to come out of the car. 

He sought refuge in the passenger side floorboard. 

I wanted him to come out when he got the nerve, on his own, without pulling him or picking him up. 

I sat on the ground with the door open and my back to him, my hand reaching out behind me, hoping he wouldn’t feel threatened.

After a minute, that seemed like an eternity, Luke responded by easing out of his safety zone and into the unknown, trusting me to be his friend.

With a few tail tucked spins on the end of the leash, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, he arrived… home. Within seconds he began to leap with happiness, play posture and show signs of being a typical puppy.

Watching Luke leap, run and play I realized that by nature he was a happy dog all along. In fact, Luke was one of the happiest, most joyful dogs I had ever seen.  I’ve witnessed dogs being grateful to their rescuers, but this was different. He was so full of life, it bubbled up and overflowed. I would watch him from a distance, play by himself, tossing his sticks and balls in the air and catching them. He loved playing with other dogs too, but was content to amuse himself for long periods of time. I kept thinking to myself, this puppy was so full of life and that life would have been snuffed out just 24 hours ago.

His whole short story was a one of extreme contrasts, then and now: death/life, alone/in a pack, terrified/joyful, sad/happy, discomfort/contentedness, hungry/full, shut down/playful.

After 24 hours of spoiled dog orientation, we started taking little walks in the neighborhood. It was time to see what was in store for socialization. I took a great picture of Luke with my phone. He already looked like a completely different dog. He looked bigger. His coat didn’t look dull anymore and neither did his expression. He seemed to quickly be coming into his own and finding his way in his new life.

I sent the picture to Karen who runs the Aussie network and that’s when he transitioned from his old life as Luke to his new life as Ziggy.

Ziggy: A Foster Dog's Journey

Facebook post from a shelter through an aussie rescue

Luke

Luke at the shelter

Animal ID 15554685

Species Dog

Breed Spaniel/Mix

Age

Sex Male

Size Large

Color Brown/White

Housetrained Unknown

Location Kennel

Intake Date 3/3/2012

All dogs at this shelter have a mandatory hold of 72 hours, except for owner surrenders. Emancipation dates are the date they can be ADOPTED OR RESCUED! ALL DOGS/CATS AT THIS FACILITY MUST BE CONSIDERED URGENT!!!!

Aussie rescue message sent to me personally on facebook:

Quick favor! Would you be willing or know of someone who would be willing to foster a "golden" aussie. It is a young pup, about 5 months old, and scared to death in the shelter. He is slated to be euth'd at 9am tomorrow morning.

Shut down in typical Aussie fashion, in the shelter and time running out…

The word went out with no response. I sent desperate messages to other rescue organizations, friends and dog acquaintances.

Tick Tock… shelters are overflowing… fosters are over their capacity…

Always, in the back of my mind is the recognition of who I want to be. I want to be hands on, not just a net-worker on facebook. Dreams of a large farm and animal rescue station… Black Beauty Ranch East, I think to myself. All dogs, all animals, would have love and the finest care. My Utopia: a place where children that suffered similar fates as the animals, and people of all ages that were ill or struggling could all come there and heal together. People that loved animals like me could come and give.

But reality hits me over the head like a hammer.

Lil' Buddy and Carrie

I’m a suburbanite with no fenced in yard and 3 dogs already, one of which goes by the name of Lil’ Buddy. He doesn’t answer to it, but that’s his name. Bud is a rescued Corgi mix that, well, is a Corgi mix with occasional tendencies of mad dog fights over dirty dishes in the dishwasher, a sack full of oyster shells, basically whatever he deems as his. If you are a canine in my house, excuse me, his house, then, get out of his way.  His outbursts are enough to strike fear in the heart of the most seasoned dog owner. On the other hand he is a sucker for human attention and knows how to work a room with his big brown eyes, sweet expression, and fluffiness. He can be quite the little charmer.

We also have an Aussie female, Carrie, a blue merle from working stock. She is our GORGEOUS baby and she knows it. She was born with strong opinions and disdain for most other dogs and treats her fellow canines as livestock. She entertains herself by herding them into the ground! What else could they possible be good for, I mean really!

Katie the Sad Elf

Our third and by far not the least… we are saving the best for last. We would like to trot out Katie the Keeshond, our little stage hound Diva who is always putting on a show, expects an audience and the cheers and bravos that she deserves. She makes sure that everyone watches while she is on her little stage by meeting every eye with her own… “Watch this everybody”, “Did you see that”, she seems to say while she performs her 360 leaps to catch the ball, her violent toy thwacking and her routine of obedience that is preformed in one giant spectacle…real fast, pay attention now…sitdownrolloverspeak " tada… did you get all that?" "I will do it again if you cheer for me." She is not a dog person we say. She is into people. This dog once sulked for days after receiving only 2 toys for Christmas. She kept going back to her stocking and back to us. “Okay, great, I got a Mean Kitty toy for thwacking and a ball and, and, and …” complete deflation and devastation ensued.

Did I mention that we have a neighbor that hates dogs and has made this fact known to all who will listen including our home-owners board?

Received a message from the aussie rescue...


Please help. Fosters full and no place else to go.
He is slated to be euth'd at 9am tomorrow morning.

Seeing Luke's poor expression over and over, again and again, left us no choice, in spite of all of the rational arguments, practical thinking, impossibilities mounting… our conscience would lead us to the only decision that we could make, the right one… we had to save him.

Our workweeks were well underway and the shelter hours limited, located 90 miles away, the earliest we could get there would be after his scheduled euthanasia. With our stomachs tied up in knots, the aussie rescue got back in touch with the shelter and they agreed to hold off no later than that afternoon. We had to get there by then or it was over for this pup.

Unable to leave work myself, I enlisted the help and fast driving skills of my boyfriend Chris, who raced to the shelter with very little time to spare, skipping a lunch meeting, worried that he wouldn’t make it in time for this scared pup.

The contact person at the shelter was wonderful, kind and loving. Chris talked to her for sometime about how difficult her job must be and how grateful he was to people like her. She said it was really hard and she gets through it by knowing that she is giving all the love she can to these unwanted animals in the short time that they have left and for most, it may be the only kindness that they have ever known.

Seeing the remaining dogs at the shelter was extremely tough for Chris, but knowing that they were slated for rescues and foster care was a relief… and it was a relief that he made it. Chris made it in time to save one young dog named Luke.

Luke starts his freedom journey

The journey back to life and a chance for happiness was not
realized for Luke in those first few hours after his “emancipation”, as it was described on his paperwork.



He sat glued to Chris’s leg in the car, still shut down and unsure of the love that awaited him only 90 miles away.

"What's next?"

Local News: Wake County Pushes Animal Adoption

Ariella Monti writes, "Wake County Animal Center is stepping up efforts to decrease the number of animals that are euthanized each year.


From January 2008 to June 2011 about 8,200 dogs and 15,600 cats were euthanized. Statewide, Wake County has the lowest euthanasia rate at 49 percent in 2010. But it also has the highest adoption rate at 39 percent."

Click here to read the full story

Ask Pachoo!

      Dear Pachoo,

I am petrified of loud noises, like thunder and fireworks.    Is there anything I can do to calm my nerves when I hear them? 

From Tommy in Wake Forest

Dear Riley,

You’re not alone! This is very common among the canine community.  It’s not breed specific and varies in intensity from dog to dog.  My brother, Prince, who’s a border collie, gets all stressed out during storms.  Needless to say, the 4th of July is his least favorite time of year.  My sister and I don’t mind so much.  Prince gets all quiet and his ears stick straight up.  His eyes get all big, and he becomes very alert and sensitive.  Sometimes he barks at the noises, as if that’s going to help.   Usually, he runs upstairs to the bedroom, his favorite place in the house, and waits out the storm/noises.   We have a lot of friends who don’t handle it as well as he does.  For some, their anxiety can put their safety and health (emotional as well as physical) at risk. For you and them, I have these tips:

1.  Find a nice cozy spot where you feel safest and ride out the storms, like Prince.   

Some of our friends hide in closets, bathrooms/bathtubs, or under beds.

2.  Don’t go to your Mom or Dad for reassurance and comfort.  They’re going to worry

about you and stress you out even more.  Otherwise, they’ll give you the wrong kind of attention, trying to comfort you.  Instead, it will confuse you and validate your fears.

3.  Ask your Mom or Dad to buy you a Thundershirt.  These fashionable sweaters   

have worked for a lot of our friends at All Breed Care.  They are super soft, yet tight   

and snug.  Wearing one can help take the edge off.  You can find them at your local

pet store, like Gourmutt’s Bakery.  You can also find them online.  They really work!

4.  Try to keep your mind busy with other stuff, like go get some treats, or ask your    

other pack members to play your favorite game with you.  Keeping your mind active

and distracted can help a lot.

5. Sometimes, you can take over the counter medication like “Rescue Remedy” or 

Calm Down.” They don’t always work and really all they do is make you drowsy. If

you like a good buzz on, and you are not a belligerent drunk, I recommend you try it.

6.  Ask your vet for prescription medication or other medical suggestions that can help

with those difficult times.  Be careful with these, however.  You don’t want to end up on “Animal Interventions” or “Crack Dog Hoarders.”

Ask your Mom and Dad to read this article.

Good Luck and hope you have a safe 4^th of July!

Sincerely,

Fenway "Pachoo" Hodjat, K9phd

ABC Advice Columnist

Fourth of July Safety Tips from the ASPCA

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
  
  
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.
  
  
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
  
  
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
  
  
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
  
  
  
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
  
  
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.
  
  
• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.
   
  
  Link to article on ASPCA.org
  
  
  

Newbie News by Erin Weiss

Pet Quirks!

One of my new favorite things about my job is learning the quirky behaviors of all the animals I visit.  They are what make our pets unique and entertaining, and I know every pet owner can list one or more silly little things their furry friends do every single day without fail.  I am accustomed to my own dog’s quirks – from her favorite spots to nap to the funny ‘talking’ sounds she makes when she’s frustrated with us, and everyone in my family can predict when they’re coming.

             As a dog walker, visiting someone else's pets opens up a whole new hilarious world of quirks to be learned and laughed at.  I’m sure every Pack Leader with All Breed Care would agree, and could rattle off some silly things they witness with their clients every day.  I have Belle the lab who sits in the middle of the road whenever she feels tired, Sophie who stops abruptly every walk to roll around in something smelly, Lav the Shar-Pei who runs around in circles and growls excitedly when you walk up the stairs, and his sister Oste who likes to walk backwards when she’s sick of the direction I’m leading her.

            Cats have their share of quirks too, as I’m sure any cat owner can attest. Here is a video I found of a cat who barks like a dog – that is, until he gets caught and resumes meowing. 

If your pet has any quirky behaviors you’d like to share, leave a comment!