It's Cold Outside

 Like most of the U.S., I've had enough of snow & cold.  At first I didn't mind since I got stuff done.    New Year resolutions were actually kept. Now we're in the last half of February and the weather hasn't eased up.   Dog classes with my dogs was one of my resolutions.

I registered for two classes with Aeon, our newest addition.  Aeon is a 2.5 year old black miniature poodle, weighing in at 14 pounds.   A fuzzy-wuzzy, bumble-bee ball of enthusiastic energy whose root belief is:  Everybody is wonderful, smart, lovable & beautiful.  Including herself.    Aeon appreciates being groomed & has great manners.  In addition, Aeon takes daily 4 mile hikes with Kaili, standard poodle, and Joe, human.  Aeon runs while they walk.  She loves running through weeds, mud & water.

We're taking our classes over at Boom Towne Canine Campus www.boomtowne.com   Dog Yoga and Beginner's Obedience.  

 About Dog Yoga; our practice at home is going well.  It's a different story in class which includes incense, cheese sticks, massage, and lowered lights.   Unfortunately, there's an agility practice taking place next door and while Aeon is willing to go through the break-down of asanas, her entire body vibrates with tension and energy.  She wants to go check out the room filled with lights & alive with action!  

Obedience involves clickers, which is new for me.  You click when the dog exhibits the behavior you want which means you need to be paying attention to your dog from the very beginning.  If your dog sits, you click and give a treat.  If your dog lies down, you click and give a treat.  Eventually, the transition is made to verbal and non-verbal cues.  I took the class because of Aeon's size, I didn't want to chance an injury due to a correction on my part.  I'm a big person and I've always worked one on one with mid-sized dogs or larger.  In addition, Aeon is so responsive that I knew she would work well with a simple band collar.

What I'm finding out is that clicks works on Kaile the standard poodle.  Being a poodle, Kaile had the smarts to figure out how to behave off leash.  She can be counted on to return on command or stop/wait in the event of an emergency.   She is very resistant on leash.  I figured out her preference for the wide collar used on greyhounds.  This works well when we've needed to go to the vet, groomer or other places.  Still, "sit"and "down" are not part of her working vocabulary, on or off leash.   I want to add these.  

I started Kaile on the click last night.  Kaile was charged on the clicker by the 3rd.  Her head whipped around so fast, I feared whip-lash.  Both dogs sit, I click and they get treats.  Pavlova was right.  They're becoming clicker savy and adding more behaviors in hopes of more treats.

 I'm learning something new and my dogs are enthusiastic about our new games.   Joe has cleared out our basement of of unused fitness equipment so there's quite a bit of room down there.  So, that's where you'll find me;  down in the basement, hammering the bee hives, watching the dogs from the side of my eyes, clicking at wanted behaviors and handing out treats.

Love is Commitment

There are those who believe a pet will teach a child responsibility.  Expectations and rules are outlined with the understanding that failure to follow-through will result in consequences. 

Sometimes this agreement is put in writing and considered binding, at least for the parties involved.  

  

I don't have a problem requiring the child to pay rescue fees or having to use their birthday/holiday/confirmation savings to buy the pure bred they so much desire.  

Problems arise when the child isn't able to consistently ensure the animal's well-being.  The kids spent their budgeted allowance on anything other than feed for the animal.  Maybe the carpet is soiled repeatedly because Dog wasn't walked.  Or Kitty messed on dad's shoes because her litter box was full.  Rat got loose because the cage-door wasn't latched & the arm of the couch got chewed.  Fishie found floating due to sporadic feeding or the water not being changed for weeks.  Kids aren't little grownups.  Thats why they need adults in their lives, to guide & help the child in learning the skills needed for a lifetime.  

 Toys, feed, grooming, vet bills are a biggie, licenses, registrations, training, socialization, repairs, walking, changing the litter, purchasing the necessities; pets are costly & time-consuming.  It is possible a pet's surgery used up the funds ear-marked for an upcoming vacation.  That is what love is, ensuring the health & well being of those in our lives.  We won't take our disappointment out on the kids.  We step up & do the right thing.  

Using animals for teaching responsibility without commitment to the animal's well-being is not right.  Taking a pet to the local shelter due to a child's failures does not prove anything other than that you are the quiter.  To willfully allow an animal to die of starvation or thirst is evil.  

  It is okay to admit you don't have the resources or lack an interest in being personally responsible for animals.  If you still like the idea of animals in your children's lives, provide an opportunity to volunteer or help a neighbor with their pets.  

Interactions between animals & chidren can be wonderful.  Children learn to observe, communicate & play with a totally different species.  They learn compassion and how to deal with solitude.  But most of all, a child begins to understand what commitment means because they watch adults ensure animals receives what is rightfully theirs.  

You're the Adult & Role-Model.  You're the one teaching what love means.  

 

Cold Weather & Houses

Winter came early for those of us living in the Northeast.  We've had some serious cold & snow.  As a result, some of my cat families have become snowbirds.  

I'm willing to make sure the plumbing doesn't freeze, bring in the mail, change the lights sequence each day for the upcoming night.  I water the plants, ensure the paper was stopped, shovel the walk so that I can get in.  I clean the litter boxes and take out the trash.  

The part I like best is visiting with the cats.  I bring along feathers on strings, jingly balls and treats can be found in my pockets.  Cats like playing, "Which Pocket".  

If you're considering a quick trip away & live in Monroe County, give us a call at 585-506-6270.  You don't have to have cats in order to have an insured, bonded person keep an eye on your house's working parts.  

Those Blue Bags

Most cities, towns, villages & pretty much any area considered for public use, has what's commonly called a "bag it" rule when it comes to your dog's waste.  Many communities back up this expectation with fines.  True, you have to be caught to be fined.  Whats more likely to happen is that your friendly dog warden will knock at your door with the information that there has been an informal complaint.  Pay attention because once a formal complaint has been filed against you (your dog), its difficult to resolve the issue.  Fines, town clerks, upset neighbors, village court - who wants to go there.

Personally, I wish everyone would bag in the blue bags.  The bags are bio-degradable.  The fecal matter breaks down in approximately one year's time.  That's good in a controlled waste management environment.  

The problem arises when you deposit the blue bag into a plastic-lined container.  What you've essentially done is assure years from now, sometime in the far future..., the archaeologists will come across these filled blue bags .  Based on their research, they'll ponder long and deep as to whether the people of the early 21st century greatly valued their dog's poop.  

The moral of the story - if you're going to blue bag, make sure it's placed between the plastic liners and the side of the trashcan.  That way, it'll go to the dump and not be counted as treasure trash generations from now.  

Mow & leave behind?

Grass is a great fertilizer for your lawn.  You can mow with no need to rake.  Unfortunately this doesn't hold true when you mow over poop.  Then you get what I call Grassy Poop Pieces. 

The pieces are a result of grass mixed in with fecal matter so finely that its comparable to cutting up a garbage bag into chunks and distributing on your lawn.  It's a fast way to kill whatever grass lies beneath.  I've seen burnt spots within the hour and if its left without pick-up, forget about seeing grass there until you've reseeded, watered and nursed the area.  

Plus you've created a mist by arrogating the poop, which causes more grass damage.  Likely, you've inhaled it as well.  That's not good.   

Pick it up.

The idea of doing this is yucky.  Especially if the poop stinks, is runny and there's a lot.

You can control that.  One of the reasons human mothers' are encouraged to breast feed is because a child's body is able to utilize and process breast milk efficiently.  While changing diapers isn't at the top of any one's favorite thing to do, one filled by mother-milk by-products is more tolerable.  

Its the same for our diapered adults.  If they're being fed a plant-based diet, their diapers are easier to change than those of adults fed Santilac and other food substitutes.  We found this true for ourselves when we made the decision to shift from a processed & meat based diet to one that is minimal-grain & plant focused.  Exercise is definitely part of the picture.   

The reason your dog's shit stinks is because of the following:  You could be feeding your dog the equivalent of McDonald's, Burger King & Pizza Hut at every meal.  

Maybe you've gone to natural feed and it has meat or fish.  

You're overfeeding

The dog isn't exercised on a regular basis, consistent with it's breed type.

Dogs need to move and a big yard doesn't count.  They are wired to move freely and go distances.  Anything less will result in an overweight dog.  Walk the dog & his poop will become firmer because his digestive system has processed the feed better.  

Dogs that forge for themselves do not eat meat daily.  Their diet consists of grubs, leaves, bees, insects, etc.  When they do get meat, they gorge and that's okay if they did the work to get the meat.   Our dogs don't need to do that.  Food is handed to them in a bowl along with a filled bowl of fresh, room-tempered water, right? 2 times a day?  

So the need for meat in their diet goes down drastically.  Just like ours.  Purchase a quality dry feed and supplement with excellent canned food once a week.   

Just because your dog is weighs 50 pounds, doesn't mean you feed based on 50 pounds.  Read the 

label.  Feed at the lower recommendation if you're not walking the dog.  And like us, your dog will be irritable and "hungry" unless distracted.  So go outside, play or walk.  Then feed the "extra" for their pound range.  

Back to the poop - do you mow or do you scoop?

When you scoop, use designated tools.  a garden trowel and small rake, a lined bucket, surgical gloves/double gloved, plastic bags, etc.

Bag it or compost it?

Bag it.  And before you place the bag in the trash, check with your waste removal company.  They'll know the rules of your area.  Some require double-bagging, still others will specify a bio-hazardous waste container marked as such.  

Composting is not the answer unless you are willing to have a designated area specifically for animal waste removal.  Dog fecal matter can not be used as fertilizer for your garden, ever.  

Remember the sooner you get out there to scoop, the more likely your lawn will stay decent.  Drench the spots with water.  

When you're picking up after your dogs at home, don't let them watch you.  Mama Dogs clean up after their babies and your dogs aren't puppies anymore.  The chances increase that you'll be challenged for your alpha position at a later date.  

Walks on lead are different, the dog is still under your authority.  Challenges for alpha rarely occur.  If you are walking off-lead, walk where your dog's dump doesn't matter.  Chances are good a wild animal will clean-up on your behalf.  

 If you're thinking of adding to your dog family, honestly evaluate your life-style and the remaining available toilet area.   Dogs, like cats, prefer their own space.  

You can train your dog to toilet in a specific area.  But again, what human wants to go in an over-filled outhouse or use a non-flushed toilet?  Its the same for the dogs.  Dogs are clean animals, they don't want to come any closer to excrement than they have to.   And when it's winter, why would your dog want to squat further from the house as opposed to near the patio door - again, it's a matter of training yourself.

Good Luck & remember, you can always give me a call.  585-506-6270 

When the Snow Goes Away

 Most dog foods today include beef, chicken, and/or pork by-products.  As a result, your dog's waste is highly acid which means it is toxic to grass.  It is not a fertilizer. If you leave the waste in your yard, it can take up to a year to break down.  

  Dog waste has parasites which can be passed on to humans and other dogs.  Children are especially vulunerable.  These parasites go by the names of:  coccidia, hookworms, roundworms and trichinosis.  

In addition, the EPA considers dog waste to be a dangerous pollutant.  When the rains come, your dog waste can become part of our water supply.  One gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria.  Dog waste can spread giardia and salmonella as well.  

Whether your dog uses your yard or soils while out for a walk..., scoop it up!  

If you need help scooping up your pet's waste, call 585-506-6270 and schedule.  We'll take care of this tiresome and dirty chore for you.  www.in-home-petsitting.com

Facts were obtained from City of Rochester pamphlet:  "Your Dog, Your Neighborhood, Your Responsibility."

Seniors & Seniors

It's a sad fact.  Domestic animals die from euthanization.   They're not being euthanized because they're suffering from serious pain related to terminal disease.  They've being euthanized because someone at home decided to get rid of the animal.  The average age has been 7.  The life span of the majority of dogs is 12 to 15 years.  For cats, 15 to 17.  On a daily basis, thousands of dogs & cats are being euthanized simply because they are 7 years old or above.

One of my favorite human seniors is a vibrant, entergetic 86 years old.  Just before Christmas, she contacted me to say that she was all set to buy a puppy & what did I think?  Would I be upset?  

 I encouraged her to ask her primary care physican what he thought about the idea.  His response was no to a puppy but yes to a dog or a cat.  She asked me to find her a dog.  Only if she arranged for the necessary care to be in place in the event she became incapicated or died.  She said her family would step up. I asked that she get it in writing and ensure enough money was in place to pay the expenses.  I didn't want to be part of another animal being dropped off at the shelter.  

Her family's response?  No.  

Of course she's upset.  

I don't know how this is going to end as the saga is still going on.  We're exploring options. 

 But I have learned. 

As I become more aware of my own finitity, I realize I have a responsibility to those I leave behind & possibly alone.  I have begun the work of putting my life in order.  I have asked a daughter if she is willing to take on the responsibilities of my 3 seniors;  cat, dog, & fish.  Fortunately, she feels she can.  She agreed  because she can see them in her life for the next 1 to 5 years.   After that time & if I am still around,  I will have another dog or a cat.  They'll be adopted seniors from a foster care program and chosen with the idea that I will outlive them.  I will make sure there are funds to cover for their care by another or that they're set to be readmitted into the same foster care program in the event of my not being able to care for them.   

Whether you're 55 or older, an adult child considering a pet for your senior parent..., consider a senior pet.  Senior Pets have better manners, a great sense of humor, and are appreciative of the ordinary & routine nature of life.  

www.in_home_petsitting.com