Patches

“…the girlfriend is a good cook so the dog has to go.”

Yep! You’ve probably guessed it. Somebum (as opposed to someone) is getting rid of his hound in favor of a new girlfriend. Testosterone and culinary ability take precedence over “…a good well trained dog (that) is house trained, kennel trained, and very smart…..loves children, loves to run and play….is truly the smartest dog I have ever owned.” (The bum’s own words).

This was part of yet another Craigslist ad that caught my attention, the gist of it being that the girlfriend had moved in with her dogs, including a rottweiler that didn’t get along with Patches. So instead of doing the right thing and taking a little time and effort to train the pooches to live in harmony, poor Patches had to go after three years of love, loyalty, no complaints, ready kisses, obedience and companionship. Wonder if the bum will get all that from the girlfriend? In fact, what do you want to bet that she’ll even be around three years from now?

If you’re looking to re-home a pet or are thinking about adopting one, take a look at these other articles on Purrs ‘n Gurrs:

How Not to Foreclose On Your Pet

Kids Want A Pet? Take A Test Drive First

Is Pet Adoption Right For You?

And take a look at Don’t Get A Dog for things to think about before you bring a pup home.

“A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.” ~ Buddha

Here’s the thing, just how much of your hard-earned cash actually helps those animals?

There’s a site, humanewatch.org, that devotes itself to tracking the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). David Martosko is its creator and operator who writes frequent, straightforward and often times pithy exposes of HSUS.

Of note is a recent article that discusses a poll wherein 7 out of 10 Americans stated they believe HSUS is affiliated with thousands of humane societies around the country. Not so! Even more startling is Mr. Martosko’s accounting of just how very, very little of your generosity actually benefits the animals to whose welfare you doubtless believe you are contributing.

While I don’t endorse this site (I simply don’t know enough about it at this time), I have no reason to doubt Mr. Martosko’s apparently thorough research and I do suggest that you take a look for yourselves. More to the point, if you plan to give some of your hard-earned cash to any charitable organization, do your due diligence first. Make use of Charity Navigator and Charity Watch to find your charity’s rating and be sure you understand how the companies are rated.

Better yet, why not stick with local organizations where you can actually walk in the door and ask for information? And best of all, give a little of your time as well. You’re far more likely to learn where the money goes when you take a hands-on approach.

“Many years ago when an adored dog died, a great friend, a bishop, said to me, “You must always remember that, as far as the Bible is concerned, God only threw the humans out of Paradise” ~ Unknown

Play or fray?

There were just a handful of us at the park with our pooches when along came two women with three large dogs. They opened the gate, released the hounds and sauntered back to their car to get water, etc. As it happens, the dogs were well-mannered and well-adjusted but none of us knew that and the two women didn’t know our dogs. I’ve seen too many incidents where dogs I’ve known as docile and friendly can suddenly become aggressive if they feel threatened.

In this instance the smart thing would have been for one of the women to stay with the dogs and the other to fetch their “stuff”. If you’re on your own and juggling dogs with all their accoutrements, then bring the things in to the park first. Just leave them inside the gate and you’ll be able to give all your attention to your pups. But NEVER leave them alone, not even for a few moments.

Here are some other things to watch out for at the dog park.

“Dogs are great. Bad dogs, if you can really call them that, are perhaps the greatest of them all.” ~ John Grogan (Marley & Me: Love and Life with the World’s Worst Dog)

This isn’t exactly a tasteful topic but I need to vent. There’s simply no good reason to have to navigate the park as if you were tiptoeing through a minefield. Though we all miss noticing our pets’ deposits at times the primary problem is that too many people simply don’t watch their hounds, or deliberately refuse to pick up the messes.

Puppy picks up poo

Seriously, picking up the poop is not only polite, it’s the healthy and hygienic thing to do (see “Health Risks“). And it’s not only you but your hound that risks stepping in the stuff and stinking up your car and your house.

So, when at the park:

1. Watch your dog! You’re there for Rover’s sake, not for you to have a gossip-fest with the other owners.

2. Come prepared. Though many parks supply pick-up bags you should always have extras with you, just in case.

3. Making a habit of picking up your pooch’s “business” is a good way to help keep track of his health. (Does he have worms, diarrhea, blood, etc.).

“Take your stinkin’ paws off me you damn dirty dog” ~ Stewie, the Family Guy

How do you find a pet sitter?

I thought I had the perfect (well, near-perfect) pet-sitter but I just discovered you can never rest on your laurels and assume things won’t change.

Returning from a recent trip, my husband and I walked into our home and were first hit with the smell. We’d taken our three dogs with us but left Ann (not her real name) in charge of our nine rescued cats. What had been a minor – and controlled – problem with inappropriate urinating by Cappy, who suffers with recurring urinary problems, had seemingly escalated into a full-scale pee-fest amongst several of our males.

In the kitchen the water bowl was bone dry, my plants were equally devoid of moisture, dirty underwear was on the bathroom floor, the door to a room that was to be kept closed was wide open and there were several spots of urine on the carpet. It didn’t look as if any of the cats had been brushed (we brush almost daily) and, most disturbing, we had a sick cat.

Within a short time of our return, Ditto threw up a small amount of foamy mucous. I was a little concerned at the appearance but not alarmed. We are, after all, now into hairball season so I assumed that was the most likely cause. When he continued to throw up and also refuse any food I did become alarmed, and he was obviously lethargic and unhappy so I whisked him off to the doctor to discover he has pancreatitis. Ditto had also lost 1 1/2 pounds, so this wasn’t a problem that manifested itself just as we arrived home. He’d been suffering for several days.

Thing is, I don’t expect my pet-sitter to know my “kids” as I do. However, when pet-sitting is your profession I do expect you to be able to notice when one of my cats is apparently suffering or behaving strangely, especially when you have cared for my pets on many previous occasions. Surely you have an inkling of their personalities and behavioral habits by now? And if in doubt, I’m always just a phone call away!

As for the mess in the house, I don’t expect my pet-sitter to be a cleaner but I do think it’s reasonable that she keep my home tidy. And about the marking all around the house, if instructions had been followed regarding Cappy’s faux-pas, the situation would have been contained. As it was, no apparent attempt had been made to deal with the urine, not even the Anti-Icky-Poo that was readily available had been used, let alone any of the many packages of cleaning wipes that were prominent everywhere.

Maybe you think I’m expecting too much (though there were a number of other issues of concern) but I’m not asking for more than the service that is offered. And, in fact, I always pay more than asked. I even make a point of getting my pet-sitter gourmet coffee and teas, Belgian chocolates and wine (hmmm, maybe that’s the problem!).

Anyway, to help you find a pet-sitter you can be sure of, here are a few hints to keep in mind:

1. In spite of my recent experience, it’s generally better to hire a professional. Your friends and neighbors may be willing but someone who does this for their living is likely to be more committed and more experienced. And if problems do arise, you won’t be risking a friendship.

2. Interview at least three potential sitters and insist they come to your home. You need to see how they behave with your pets and how your pets react to them.

3. A good resource for sitters is your vet, or ask people you trust for recommendations. There are lots of online services such as the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, Pet Sitters International or  sittercity, where you’ll find listings of sitters in your area. I’ve had no personal experience with any of these sites but I would caution you to read all the details before committing to anyone. Some sites have a screening process that is a plus though is not foolproof.

4. Have a list of questions ready and pay attention to the sitter’s openness to answer as well as the actual responses.

5. A good sitter will come armed with references and you should certainly check them. However, don’t rely too much on references; it’s easy for someone to get a pal or two to fake a reference.

6. To protect your home and contents as well as your pets, a sitter should be bonded and have liability insurance to cover accidents, theft and negligence. And I strongly recommend that you draw up a contract, if the sitter does not have one, to provide a written agreement of services and fees.

7. An often forgotten, though very important point, is to ensure that your sitter has a back-up in the event that something happens to them and they are unable to continue caring for Rover or Kitty. Several years ago my husband and I were out of the country. My mother-in-law was caring for our little mutt (pictured in the header) when she fell and dislocated her hip. An ambulance was called and so was our back-up sitter, who came and took Muttley and cared for him in her home ’til our return. Happily, mom-in-law was also fine.

7. Lastly, it’s a huge plus to hire someone with professional experience in pet health care (like a vet tech) and animal training.

“Animals can communicate quite well.  And they do.  And generally speaking, they are ignored.”  ~Alice Walker

Remy

16 month, blue-brindle, female pitbull. 40-45 lbs who will be coming in heat anytime now. If you’re interested, please email me. Thank you. Rehoming fee of $250 obo.

That’s how a recent post read on Craigslist. But it left me with a few questions like……. If she’s such a good girl, why are you getting rid of her? Is she usually tied out on such a short chain and with no water in her bowl? Does that mean she doesn’t get exercised and isn’t socialized? Why is she not spayed? Did you breed her or were you just too cheap or too ignorant to ensure she couldn’t have pups, especially by some stray who might mount her while she’s tied outside?

The most pertinent question, of course, is why did you get a dog in the first place?

Here’s another…..

Cute dog needs a good home!

4 month Golden Retriever/Boxer needs a good home!

He is crate trained and is a very active puppy. He can already sit, shake, and lay down. He is more of an inside dog and does not run off when you take him outside. Needs a home where he can be inside most of the time and not tied up! $25 rehoming fee to let us know that you are serious about keeping him.

For crying out loud, he’s just four months old! And the way he’s dressed I’d say he was a Christmas puppy so somebody really put a lot of thought into this (note the biting sarcasm) because 9 weeks ago you had to know you couldn’t afford a dog! Or is it just that you didn’t think? You didn’t think that puppies chew, they need to be house-trained, they need time and effort and patience! You didn’t think that this is a living creature and by bringing him into your home you would be making a lifetime commitment; that a puppy is not like an old rag that you use for a while then throw away.

Oh, and by the way, how much did you pay for this pup? Must have been less than $25 if you think that’s all it takes to find someone “serious about keeping him”.

And here’s a slightly different one….

3 year old white dove w/ cage and stand

Beautiful white dove 3 years old handled by a 9 year, who has a very busy after school schedule. so he would be better off with someone who has more time to love him. small re homing fee.

Come on! You had the bird before the kid’s schedule “got busy”.  A captive dove can live for 12 – 15 years. It was pretty unrealistic if you thought your then six-year-old would care for the creature through college age; you should have been prepared (and willing) to pick up all the slack before you brought the dove home.

OK, you see what I’m getting at here. When you get a pet, it’s for the life of the pet. Just ’cause your girlfriend moves in with her rottweiler who doesn’t get along with the hound that’s given you love and loyalty for the last four years you don’t just chuck the hound out! Try training! (By the way, I wonder if the girlfriend will give love and loyalty for four years).

Because your kid whines about wanting a pet don’t wimp out and just get one. Do your due diligence and help your child understand what it takes to care for an animal.

When it becomes inconvenient to care for your two 12-year-old cats that have been with you since kittenhood because you want to spend time on the road with your new boyfriend, you don’t euthanize them with the excuse that “they’ve had a good life anyway”. (Yes, I used to know someone who actually did this).

Of course, there are people who are beset with genuine hardship, who do everything possible to keep their pets. And if it truly does become impossible, they do everything they can to ensure they find a wonderful new home including, perhaps, putting an ad on Craigslist. Shelters and rescue organizations also use Craigslist and it can be a great resource for prospective pet parents.

“You become responsible forever for what you have tamed” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

For any of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, at last night’s Westminster final two women interrupted the judging by walking into the ring holding signs above their heads reading, “Mutts Rule” and “Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs’ Chances”. This from a group that routinely kills thousands of dogs and cats at their own shelters; potentially adoptable pets, that is. (I should clarify, the women, PETA members, acted on their own but their actions are supported by the organization).

Without doubt, there are some breeders whose approach to their dogs is decidedly unethical. I can cite the story of the rottweiler pup with a hernia, brought to the vet by a breeder to be euthanized because he would never be show quality. Happily, a woman in the waiting room with her own pet said she would take the rottie and the story had a happy ending. Such incidents are not the norm, however. Many breeders are active in the rescue arena as well as the show ring.

And arguably, events such as Westminster serve to illustrate what a healthy, happy, well-trained  dog should be like and can foster interest and discussion in dogs in general, including those less fortunate creatures at shelters who are in need of homes.

Winnie

Winnie is a 1-year old Scottie mix in need of a home as of this writing. She’s being cared for at PAWS in Anna, IL.

I realize that Sadie’s win will likely prompt a surge in popularity of Scottish Terriers but not everyone will rush to a breeder to buy a puppy. A search on petfinder.com brought up a host of available purebreds and mixes in need of forever homes, and there are lots of Scottie rescue groups such as that run by the Scottish Terrier Club of America.

So congratulations to Sadie and if you’re thinking of getting a dog, Scottie or otherwise, take a look in your local shelters.

“No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.” ~ Louis Sabin

Twice in a matter of days recently I’ve had seriously unpleasant altercations with freaked-out owners at the dog park. The latter incident was so disturbing that I immediately went out and got myself a super dooper pepper shooter under the assumption that armed would make me equally as dangerous (only in a defensive way, of course) as the freak who was threatening me.

The first occurrence was relatively minor. A whacky woman with two rough and tough Staffordshire Bull Terriers (and I love the breed but they’re powerful animals and need a firm hand) was in an argument with a guy because her dogs had been getting aggressive with the guy’s pooch. Actually, the guy was being extremely pleasant and patient while whacko-woman was yelling that it was his fault because he should have had his dog on a lead (I didn’t say there was any logic in her argument). Anyway, I’d been keeping my distance but as Whacko departed the park she decided to exude venom on me. Next thing I know she’s a shrieking wildcat spewing invective and telling me she’s going to beat the c–p out of me! Not caring to deal with c–p beating or the woman’s verbal c–p I decided the prudent thing was to walk away.

The second incident was decidedly more unnerving. There’s a guy who frequently brings his abundantly bouncy, always disruptive, extremely annoying and totally-out-of-control dog to the park. In spite of that, I don’t dislike the dog! He’s happy, good-natured and it’s not his fault that his owner can’t handle him. The owner, however, is a different breed of animal altogether. There’s something wrong with him – seriously, there is!

Usually this guy takes his hound into the small dog park where he walks around for 10 minutes muttering to himself then, long before the poor dog has had a chance to run off steam, he leaves. On the morning in question the small park was occupied with, well, small dogs. So bouncy Bucky and his odd owner had to run with the big boys.

There were three of us with our pets in the park at the time and as soon as Bucky entered he was all over all of us, nearly knocking down one woman who is pregnant. I figured I’d get out of the way and take my canines to the other end of the park. Bucky, of course, decided to bound along with us, exuberantly jumping at me, terrifying my toy poodle, Coco, who was squealing at the top of her lungs as I kept pulling Bucky off her and forcing me to carry her in an effort to keep her out of the caroming canine’s way.

Throughout all of this, the owner kept his distance and totally ignored the fracas, which is what annoyed me most of all.

Eventually, Bucky turned his attention to Angel and that was fine with me as she obligingly played chase with him. Then the dynamics changed.

Angel and Bucky started wrestling. ‘Though the dogs were well-matched, I called Angel away. (I’m always mindful that some owners get panicky at any seemingly rough play). Not surprisingly, Bucky immediately jumped on Angel again, so again I called her away. Ditto Bucky’s reaction. Suddenly, bellowed across the park, I hear “Angel’s going to get a pounding”. From out of his cocoon of inattention, here comes the owner from hell.

I thought I must have misheard and muttered a startled, “Excuse me?”, at which point Super Freak stuck his face in my space and screeched “Angel’s going to get a pounding. Do you hear me?”. Considering my deaf granny could have heard him a mile away above a roaring freight train it seemed sensible to respond with a simple “Yes” and try and initiate a reasonable discourse at a more comfortable decibel level. Well, that didn’t get beyond about three words before the situation accelerated into a verbal cacophony of abuse and threats to my dog and to me.

I have to tell you, at this point I wasn’t scared, I was way too angry. But I looked into SF’s eyes (they were, after all, only about six inches from mine), saw dilated pupils, then noticed dried food around his mouth (yeah, it was pretty gross) and realized I was facing either alcoholic or drug-induced and barely pent-up rage, and I didn’t want to be the final trigger that would set it loose. So I remained passive and tried to ease myself away and head to the exit. Of course, Super Freak followed me, shrieking all the time, but then took Bucky and left the park ahead of me.

It took a while for my own anger to subside and, you know, it was only then that I began to realize how dangerously volatile the situation had been and to consider how easily things could get out of hand another time. I’m a 55-year-old woman with, sometimes, debilitating health issues. The only threat my pooches could pose to another human being is licking them to death. And it’s not unusual for me to be alone with my dogs at the park. That makes me pretty vulnerable!

So that’s when I decided to empower myself with a weapon. I may not be lethal but I can certainly inflict damage, and will, if necessary.

It turns out I’m not the only one Super Freak has threatened and there have been other problems with him at the park in the past couple of days, so it seems that his condition could be escalating. But now I’m wondering, is this a sign of the times? Are these weirdos actually people who have lost their jobs, their homes……? Are more people going to be “losing it” and posing a threat to others? Certainly, I’m being more cautious and trying to be more aware in my every day dealings with people, though it’s their pets I really feel badly for. I mean, what about Bucky? Is he going to take the brunt of his owner’s ire one of these days? He got loose from SF a couple of days ago, so I’m told. When SF finally got hold of him he hurled him roughly into the car. He hasn’t been seen since so who knows if Bucky is OK.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not uncaring about the dire circumstances some people are finding themselves in these days. However, that’s absolutely no excuse for inflicting harm on anyone else or on any pets.

“There is no fundamental difference between man and the higher animals in their mental faculties… The lower animals, like man, manifestly feel pleasure and pain, happiness and misery” ~ Charles Darwin

Play or fray?

I love the dog park! For an all-be-it unwilling suburbanite like me it can be a godsend. My alternatives are pounding the pavement while choking down exhaust fumes, driving miles to reach an area that at least has pretensions of being countryside, or confining my canines to the backyard. However, there are also some definite drawbacks to the park, not least of which is ….

The Old Maid Owner. This guy hovers over his pet in a perpetual state of nervous anxiety that Fifi will do something he thinks she shouldn’t do or that another dog will do something nasty to Fifi. His over-protectiveness is usually accompanied by a steady spate of instruction that his pet doesn’t remotely understand. “Fifi, you shouldn’t do that.” “Fifi, leave that alone.” “Don’t worry, Fifi. Daddy will chase that nasty dog away.” “You mustn’t drink that water, precious. It’s dirty.” The problem here, of course, is that the owner’s nervous tension transfers to his pet who becomes more and more hyper herself.

The See-Nothing, Do-Nothing Owner. There are plenty of these at my regular dog park. They seem to think that the park is a place for them to socialize, and while they gossip together in their little group they’re completely oblivious to the fact that their hound just pooped a mountain, or is tormenting Fifi, or leaping on other unsuspecting owners, or digging a hole to China in the walkway. What’s worse, however nicely you try and bring these problems to their attention, they close ranks tighter than a duck’s ass and rudely dismiss you.

The Steeped-In-Denial Owner. There’s a woman whose newfoundland has been in several fights. The dog is definitely dominant-aggressive and the owner is definitely passive-obtuse. A recent altercation ended with a labrador needing 18 stitches and a court case ensuing. I’ve come across this woman with her dogs on two occasions since and, both times, there have been problems involving this same dog, yet she still insists that it his not her canine’s fault. She even proclaimed on one of these occasions that my dog, Angel, was really happy to see the newfie. In fact, Angel was in more of a submissive panic mode because the dog had once attacked her, so she clung to my side like glue.

Without mincing words I’ve given this woman my opinion that her lack of control over her pet is a serious hazard and, if she insists on bringing her dog into the park, the animal should be muzzled. I might as well tiptoe through the tulips for all the good it did.

The Panic Attack. Then there are the owners who completely freak out. Here’s an example. A very large and very bouncy (but friendly) Rottweiler puppy basically sat on another dog (mid-sized) in play. Who knows why, but the dog’s owner lost it and started shrieking at the puppy, waving her arms in the air and zipping around like a whirling dervish. Not surprisingly, the commotion got the attention of every other dog in the park and they all came running to get involved in the fray, which escalated into total bedlum and the poor rotty puppy got hurt. Not too badly, but this was a situation that should never have happened. And, I have to add this, it seems that women are far more likely to react this way than men.

You might have noticed by now that all my criticisms are directed at the pet parents and not their pets. I’m firmly of the belief that it’s a very rare occurrence to have a bad dog and that blame for a dog’s bad behavior lands firmly at the feet of the owner.

Macho Man (or Woman). Usually it’s men who are guilty of this though, recently, a woman was badly bitten at my park when she committed the cardinal error of stepping into the middle of a dog-fight and reaching down to try and grab her pet. Who knows which dog actually bit her? Not that any of the dogs went after her intentionally. But what do you expect when stick your hand in the middle of a host of snarling snapping fangs? Here’s a tip. If you can’t head off a fight before it starts (learn the signs, if you don’t already know), then walk away. Most fights resolve themselves quickly and, most often, without serious injury. If you absolutely must interfere, then grab the dog’s tail and haul him away. Don’t get in the middle and reach down. More than likely you’ll aggravate the situation and risk a nasty injury yourself.

Health Risks. Any time your dog interacts with others there are health risks other than injury from fights. If your pet is healthy, the likelihood of him catching anything is slim. But don’t take your mutt to the park if he’s not up to par, and keep him away from any dog who looks at all under the weather.

Fleas and ticks can be a problem at some parks. Even if the grounds are treated other dogs bring in the little critters and pass them along. So check your own pup carefully.

The thing that bothers me the most, is dog poop. Not only is it foul-smelling when left lying but it can pose a serious health risk – to your dog and you! Animal waste is one of the most common sources of a number of diseases – coccidia, giardia, hookworms, parvovirus, roundworms, and whipworms. Animal feces can take a year to disintegrate but parasites can remain in the soil for many years. And here’s another thing – the “Fido Hypothesis”, which relates to how your dog’s waste can affect the water we drink. So be sure you have plenty of scooper bags with you at all times!

“If your dog is fat, you’re not getting enough exercise”.  ~Author Unknown

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, in a recent interview with People Magazine, first lady, Michelle Obama, announced that daughters, Malia and Sasha, will be getting their longed-for new dog after spring break. The likely addition to the presidential household will be a Portuguese Water Dog. What’s not yet clear is the canine’s name.

Portuguese Water Dog

As it’s to be their dog, the youngest Obamas are tasked with deciding the pup’s soubriquet. So far, their mother isn’t too impressed…

“Oh, the names are really bad. I don’t even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they’re bad,” Mrs. Obama says with a laugh. “You listen and you go – like, I think, Frank was one of them. Frank! Moose was another one of them. Moose. I said, well, what if the dog isn’t a moose? Moose. I’m like, no, come on, let’s work with the names a little bit.”

Doesn’t this sound just a teensy bit elitist? Moose seems really down-to-earth and normal, although one Moose has attained a certain rock star status – the dog who played Eddie in the sitcom, Frasier. As for Frank, one of my dearest and best friends (two-legged variety) is called Frank. He’s 87 years old, a survivor of the Battle of Guadalcanal and one of the finest people you could ever know. Any self-respecting pooch would be proud to be dubbed Frank.

Of course there’s another aspect to this story. Suddenly a bunch of people will probably want a Portuguese Water Dog. Unfortunately, too many of them will be people who shouldn’t have any dog and the one pooch the Obamas rescue will be replaced by who knows how many others. And, more than likely, there will be unscrupulous breeders who start churning out as many dogs as possible, without concern for the animals’ welfare. But we’ll get into that another time. For now, I say let Sasha and Malia call the pup by any name they want.