How to Keep Your Pets Safe During the Scorching Summer

THE SUMMER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE FROM THE HEAT

So, how do you keep your pet safe?

WARM BLOODED PETS

Cats and Dogs can suffer from heat stroke and dehydrate quickly. So keep water bowls filled. Be sure the water you give them is at the appropriate temperature your pet needs. Some dogs cannot have very cold water from the fridge or ice in their water.Keep Rodents, Rabbits and Birds' bowls filled also.

HOW ABOUT FISH?

You can actually put ice in a fish bowl or tank if you have Betta or Goldfish. But make sure to test the water temperature before putting in the ice. The water will most likely be at the home temperature when it just sits. You may NOT want to put ice in the water if you have tropical or salt water fish. Any kind of change in their environment may cause them to become stressed, or die. Just keep an eye on the water temperature and move them to a place inside where they are most comfortable, if possible. Betta and Goldfish are hardy fish and can take a little more change.

KEEP YOUR REPTILES WARM

Reptiles need the warm temperatures because they are cold blooded. Some can be put outside to absorb the sun on a nice, sunny day. Water turtles do very well absorbing vitamin D from the sun outside. Just be sure to keep a top on your container your reptile is in so other critters won't come along and hurt it. Reptiles include snakes, turtles, tortoises, lizards, alligators....animals with protective scales or shells.

AMPHIBIANS CAN BE KEPT SOMEWHAT WARM

Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders are another story. They are cold blooded, but because they mostly have soft skin, they need to stay in the shade, under something or in mud. They can become injured if they get too warm or sit in the sun. So if you have a pet amphibian, make sure to keep it away from a sunny window or very hot environment. Being outside is NOT good for it either, unless its in the mud or the rain. Amphibians are unable to maintain their body temperature above that of their environment and only become active when the temperature is high enough. (kind of muggy)              

The Truth About The Holiday Shelter Animal

In my years of rescuing animals I have seen different neglect and abuse cases, but my experience is that many of these animals do get another chance of being in a comfortable and secure home for the rest of their lives.  The sad truth is that our country’s shelter animals’ chances for the same are slim to none.

Did you know that when there are holidays during the year shelter animals have a lesser chance of getting adopted than they do on regular days?  And regular days may only run from 3 to six days for most shelters. But during the holidays, many shelters across the U.S. close for the holiday putting more of the animals in their care in a bind of being euthanized at a faster rate, less days they have available to be adopted. On many of the closed days, shelter animals are being evaluated for euthanasia. Families drop off their unwanted pets so they can “enjoy their holidays better”, meaning even more animals will be put to death around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

This holiday season, all animal lovers, let’s tell our friends about these animals that breath the same air we do and are open to our world to bring us holiday joy.  And remember to also tell everyone that we want to spay and neuter our pets so we don’t have to worry about more shelter animals up for euthanasia when next year’s holiday season comes around!

Adopt A Senior Dog In The Month of November

 

~ November is Adopt a Senior Dog Month ~

WHY ADOPT AN OLDER DOG?     

From the very beginning you’ll know their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the exact dog you are looking for and get that instant connection that will last their lifetime. Not into surprises? Then an older dog is for you!

Can you teach an OLD dog NEW tricks? The answer is YES!!!!
Older dogs have a good attention span and great at focusing on you. They can be better learners because they’re calmer than youngsters. Plus, more years of experience reading humans means they can quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.

Older dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, are very active at home or need to take some time to yourself, this is a great bonus.


Less messes in the house means more time to do things you need to do. Most older dogs are likely to already be housetrained. If they’re not, they have the physical and mental abilities to pick it up really fast (unlike puppies). And with their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to chew on things and become destructive chewers.

Please consider an older canine rather than a high-energy young dog who may run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise.....younger high energy dogs need lots of exercise, but the older dog is not going to need, or want, to run every day.


AT SHELTERS, OLDER DOGS ARE OFTEN THE LAST TO BE ADOPTED AND THE FIRST TO BE EUTHANIZED. Nowadays, rescues are having trouble finding space to hold on to the senior dogs that seem to find a home slower than the youngsters, and a lot of times the fosters that keep the dogs have a major life change and if the dog is not adopted in time, they have to go to the shelter. Their last hope for living out their lives naturally and comfortably is adoption.  THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN. Saving an animal’s life offers an ENORMOUS emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.


The Joys............

• What you see is what you get
• A buddy to spend more time with and less time cleaning up after
• Friend to go places with and less time training
• Your older dog will already have passed the stage in life to know to alert you when there is someone outside the door
• An older dog will appreciate and understand the hugs they receive around the neck

Pictured above was our loving, fun and outgoing Reno. He passed away this year at the ripe age of 16 years (human years).  He lived longer than either of his background breeds, Pit bull & Boxer. And he never saw a sick day in his life until he died. That was one of the last pictures taken of him.

September is National Guide Dog Month

Dogs help us daily by being our companions, workers, and cuddle buddies.  But one of the greatest ways they help people is being a guide dog for the blind. September is National Guide Dog Month. 

Guide dogs of America provides guide dogs and instruction in their use, FREE of charge for blind and visually impaired men and women in the United States and Candada.

Check out their website for more information at www.GuideDogsofAmerica.com

The Questionable World of Dog Feelings

Do dogs have feelings?
Have you ever been mystified by the thought of this question?

Our dogs run, jump, play, dig, swim and enjoy us just like we enjoy them.
But do they have feelings?

There is a story that has been hitting the air waves for a while now. Its a very touching story about a man that found a dog at the train station. He brought the dog home and tried to find its owner, but never did. So he kept the dog to grow up with his family...wife and daughter. They loved the dog very much and spent lots of time with him. The dog was very curious and spent most of the time in the yard.

One day the dog saw the man leave home. He climbed over the fence for the first time and followed the man all the way to the train station where he daily took the train to go to work. The man came back to the same train station after work to go back home that day and the dog was there waiting for him. This actually became their every day routine for about 10 years or so until the man died.

When the man died the family moved and took the dog with them. The dog became distressed, ran away and went right back to the train station where he used to meet the man every day. He stayed around there for the rest of his life until he died.

The question again was "Do dogs have feelings?"

We see them each and every day. They all have different personalities. They love us just like we love them, in their own way.

Dogs do have feelings, but not like we do. They are just like us in so many ways in that they learn from the way they are socialized and train to act. If there is neglect, they tend to learn things on their own even if it is something that would'nt be considered "good manners". But they don't know any better.

The best way to see man's best friend is to know that we, man, took them from the wild and made them a part of our pack. We DOMESTICATED the dog.

Our dogs are happy, communicate and show affection to us because this is the way we have raised them to be as they have grown and it is part of their nature as a pack animal. They learn from their surroundings as well as the animals that are not so fortunate to be raised in a home that shows them comforts and love they deserve.

Yes.....your dog has feelings and they rely on you to love them the best you possibly can.

Who Really Needs the Training……Your Dog or You?

Picture this: Petunia has the day off from work and spends the day with Max, her dog (her baby). They go to the park together, play ball and run around ‘til they are both tired. When it’s time to go home, Petunia calls Max to come to her so they can walk to the car and leave. Max takes the time to think about it and decides that he doesn’t want to end the day yet. He jumps around everywhere except where Petunia wants him to be. What would you do in Petunia’s situation? Chase Max and risk the chance of him running into the road? Call him and get upset letting out all of your frustrations? My, my, my have we a long way to go to learn about dog training.

First of all, who really needs the training…..your dog or you? Who is in control here?

Many people want a “dog trainer” to come to their home and assess the dog’s problem. Don’t you agree that there is work to be done and that you, as the owner of your dog, should take complete responsibility? Well, then why are you looking first for the dog to be trained?

Here is the scenerio. The “dog trainer” comes to your home. You introduce him/her to your dog, Duchess. She loves to dash out the door when it is open and you don’t want her to run into the road and get hit by a vehicle. How is Duchess to learn this behavior? Will Duchess and the “dog trainer” have a conversation so she can cooperate with you? Or will you have the conversation with the “dog trainer” so you can learn how to communicate to Duchess that you don’t want her scrambling out the door when it is open? (Smile)  Get the true picture? It is simple. You learn from the trainer. You train your dog.

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