Dogs and Fireworks

Keep Your Dog Safe

by Krista Mifflin for About.com




Every year, the fireworks used during some of our noisier celebrations send dogs all over the continent scurrying for cover.

The noise of the fireworks, and the bustle of Independence Day, Guy Fawkes Day, and Canada Day celebrations wreak havoc on dogs and dog owners alike. Some owners are simply unaware of the effect these festivities have on their pets, and bring them to the party with them.

So here I am, with a formal plea, on behalf of your dog: Please leave your dog at home!

The day following these celebrations can be a nightmare at animal shelters, due to the influx of lost pets who have fled in panic from the fireworks. Even from as far as miles away from the display, an animal can feel and hear the loud noises that a fireworks display puts out. The safest and kindest thing by far, is to leave your dog safely stashed inside the house with a television or radio playing to drown out the noise. Crating your pet during this night is even better.

What To Do
Here are some helpful hints to help your dog get through the day (and night) with as little stress as possible:

Keep him in his crate for the evening.

Leave him at home, preferably in his crate, with a Kong or any other
favorite toy.

Bach's Rescue Remedy. To help him keep calm before the noise starts. There is also a new aromatherapy therapy available for severely anxious dogs.

Television or radio for "normal" background noise.

If you go out, do NOT make a big production of leaving. This will tell him that something is up and you are worried (and therefore he should be too).

Previously content dogs have been known to dig under fences, break through glass windows, doors, etc, to bolt free. Be sure your dog is secure!

With vigilance, plenty of distraction and a caring owner, your dog will make it through this harrowing day, and return to his previously stable condition.

http://dogs.about.com/cs/generalcare/a/fireworks.htm

Enjoy The Dogs For Adoption Slideshow Below

Behind the Scenes—A Closer Look at the Puppy Mill Industry

This article contains graphic photos, some may find it offensive. However, it is all VERY true. The original article can be reach by clicking on any of the links in this summary. Everyone should know.

Below is where the cute puppies at the pet store come from:

The stench of garbage, urine and feces is unbearable. Ammonia hangs heavy in the air, and flies are everywhere. Dim lighting and the constant barking of dogs in distress create a sense of chaos. Row upon row of stacked cages hold dogs matted with feces—some too sick to move. This is the world in which a puppy mill dog lives.While many people may be familiar with the term "puppy mill," few are aware of the horrors associated with one.
The ASPCA has been investigating puppy mills for years, helping to expose the realities of this deplorable industry, and thanks to our experts and detailed reports from our undercover puppy mill investigator, the new ASPCA Puppy Mill FAQ offers a greater insight into the notorious puppy trade.

“We hope the findings from our investigations will help educate the public about the horrors of puppy mills and will result in an ultimate solution to this very serious problem—the end of selling puppies in pet stores and the closing of puppy mills,” says Bob Baker, Investigator, ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Initiatives.

What’s it really like inside the walls of a puppy mill? What happens to sick animals or those no longer able to breed? How much money does a puppy mill actually make per puppy? Are puppy mills similar to factory farms? Find out the answers to these and other questions in our new Puppy Mill FAQ.

Eleven Reasons To Foster A Dog

1. You increase that dog’s chance of being adopted.
By fostering I am a link between [them] and potential homes. I can spread the word about what a good dog [they] are, how they love people and how they walk nicely on a leash. By living with me, [they] had the chance to learn behavior that will make [them] more appealing to other families. If you foster a dog, you have the ability to transform that barking, out of control mutt at the shelter to a dog someone would be honored to live with.

2. Your own dog will learn more social skills.

[My dogs] get along with all animals, but it’s still important for [them] to be around a variety of dogs.

3. It’s a good way to see if you are ready for an additional dog.
It’s not always clear whether a second or third dog would fit in with your family. Sometimes an additional dog is a disaster. Other times it couldn’t be better. With fostering, you have a chance to see whether or not another dog is right for your family. Maybe providing temporary care is better for you.
4. You help the rescue learn about the dog’s personality.
[snip] It’s hard to know much about a dog when [they] are living in a shelter environment with 15 other dogs. Placing dogs in foster homes help rescues learn if the dogs like children, beg at the table, chase cats, bark when crated, know basic commands or have high or low energy. The possibilities of what a foster family will learn about a dog are unlimited.

5. You will appreciate your own dog’s good behavior.
Or maybe you will realize the foster dog is better behaved than your own dog!

6. You are saving a dog’s life.
Many rescues are full to their limits and cannot take in more dogs until additional foster homes open up. The rescues can save money on their boarding fees and use it to save another homeless dog.

7. Many animal shelters can’t function without foster homes.
If it weren’t for all the generous foster families, [many] program would not be functioning.

8. You might end up with a new family member.
Many foster families realize the dog they are fostering is a perfect fit for their family. This is a happy ending for both the dog and humans. If you don’t foster a dog, then you will never know what you are missing. You might never meet that special dog that could add to your life.

9. The dog gets to live with your family rather than at a shelter. Dogs get stressed from shelter conditions. Shelters are noisy with limited one-on-one interaction. The dogs don’t get enough exercise, training or socialization. With time, many dogs develop psychological issues as pent-up energy, frustration, aggression or boredom builds.

10. Any volunteering makes a person feel good.
Fostering a dog is a way to give back to your community. If you love animals, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a homeless dog.

11. It’s a way to help without spending money.
If you don’t have the money to donate to animal shelters, you can donate your time by fostering. Some programs require foster families to cover all the expenses of the dog’s supplies. Other rescue organizations cover everything for you, providing food, a crate, bowls and veterinary care.

~Courtesy of That Mutt Blog

Wouldn't You Know The Competition Is A Shepherd!

This adorable shepherd has over 1200 votes, we're about 100 votes behind this adorable girl. Please pass this on to your friends & family!

Let's really push to win this one for Reveille! This photo moves our founder, don't let Reveille's short life be in vain!

Click on this entry's header to go to Animal Attraction, join & vote ~EVERYDAY! Yes, everyday, set your reminders on your calendar at work or at home. It's what I do!

In Memory of Reveille ~ Pass The Word

Check out this picture from a photo contest on AnimalAttraction.com, a really cool online community for pet lovers that also helps homeless pet

Whoever wins the contest gets to select their favorite animal shelter or rescue group to receive a $250 donation from AnimalAttraction!

Yes, you have to create a login to vote, but why not?

Consider Fostering

One can never have too many dogs (well, as far as I'm concerned).

Newest Dogs On The Block

Cadet is a sweet, pretty, petite German Shepherd, about 2 years old & 65lbs. She came with her friend General. They would love to be adopted together. However, he is very dominant over her, so she might do better on her own. Cadet is very sweet & submissive, but seems to have not had any training. She is learning basic doggie manners, & that she does NOT jump on you to get your attention. With a little work, she will be a gem of a girl! Cadet is learning to walk nicely on a leash, & will be ready for adoption after her heartworm treatment. Won't you consider giving this sweet girl the wonderful home she deserves?


If you are interested in adopting Cadet, please go to our website, copy, paste and complete our adoption application then email it to gsdrescuectx@yahoo.com.

General - Adult male 6 years purebred German Shepherd dog came to us with his friend Cadet. Seems their owner passed away, & his parents could not care for them. Both were living for a while in their backyard before making it to rescue. He is big boy, around 90 lbs. General has a good disposition, but is a dominant male. I would not advise someone without GSD experience to adopt him. He will have to go through heartworm treatment before he is ready to go to his new home. General walks fairly well on a leash, & is learning to sit, plus basic doggie manners. Check back for more info as we get to know this big, sweet guy.

If you are interested in adopting General, please go to our website, copy, paste and complete our adoption application then email it to gsdrescuectx@yahoo.com.

Help Your Dog Beat Summer's Heat From Iams™

The old saying "the dog days of summer" wasn't coined for nothing.
The phrase actually stems from the stars, as Sirius, the "Dog Star," rises in conjunction with the sun between July and August. Some of our ancestors believed that the brightness of the sun and star combined to cause summer's extreme heat. Over the years, however, we've come to use the expression for sweltering days that aren't fit for any dog.

The truth is that dogs are more susceptible to the summer heat than we are. They have to wear a fur coat all year round. Whereas we can sweat to cool ourselves down, our pups sweat only through glands on the nose and paws and try to release heat by panting. "They can't cool themselves off like humans," says Kelly Connolly, an issues specialist with the Human Society of the United States. "They can't roll down the windows of a car or turn on the air conditioning. It's up to humans to make sure that their dogs are comfortable enough and that they can live healthily in the summer heat."

As global warming brings more extreme temperatures to all corners of the planet, it's important for pet owners to do what they can to keep their furry friends cool and recognize signs of discomfort. Veterinarians say signs of overheating include panting hard. But heat stroke symptoms can include a staggered gait, rapid heartbeat, listlessness, restlessness, vomiting and a darkening of the gums and tongue. If your dog's bodily temperature rises above the normal range of up to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, it may be time to take the dog to a veterinarian or animal hospital, says April Guest, DVM, of the Meyerland Animal Clinic, near Houston.

Summer Don’ts

There are several summer hazards pet owners should be aware of. Here are five things you should never do with your dog:

Don't leave your dog in a parked car Even with the window cracked, temperatures can rise up to 30 degrees in the space of a few minutes, says Connolly. "Pets are in danger of heat stroke when the indoor temperature reaches 110 degrees," she says. "Even when it's 70 degrees outside, it is going to be suffocating in a quick amount of time in that car."

Don't tie your dog up outside in the blazing sun Our canine pals need an escape during sunny summer months, so if you plan to let your pet outside, make sure that it can find shelter under a tree shade, a porch or other structure. The heat is not only a danger to your dog, but your pet can also become sunburned if it’s a thin-coated or wire-haired breed.

Don't put sunscreen made for humans on your pooch Chemicals in some sunscreens can be harmful if pets ingest them, says Dr. Guest. What dog won't try to lick off the gooey white substance if given the option? Pet stores sell sunscreens formulated especially for dogs.

Don't exercise your pup under the midday sun Chasing sticks or a Frisbee, or even a long walk, can put extra strain on a dog during peak sun times. "The heat of the day can take a toll particularly on dogs who are overweight, older or who have certain diseases," Dr. Guest says.

Don't walk your dog on asphalt unless you test the temperature A dog's paw pads are susceptible to burns, says Elaine Acker, CEO of Pets America, a nonprofit animal rescue organization. "Slip off your shoes and stand on the pavement with bare feet first," she advises. "If it's not comfortable for you, it's not going to be comfortable for your dog either."

Calypso aka Callie w/Pal Dakoda

Calypso living the good life finally - in her foster home. Calypso is the lighter colored, larger, albeit thinner GSD in this video. Just click on this link to view: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5280106?fr=yvmtf

Vote Everyday For Reveille!!!

Reveille has more votes than a lot of the entries! You can vote everyday, but you may have to "sign up" or "join" this website. It's all for a good cause, the pets!

Scroll down to a previous post or click the header of this blog for contest and website rules!

Dog Park Dos and Don'ts by Pedigree

Dog Park Dos and Do Nots – Brought to you by Pedigree

A dog park can be a terrific place to exercise and socialize your dog. But it can also become a place that traumatizes him. Your experience often depends on the behavior of your fellow dog-owners. A few unmannerly people can ruin the experience for you and your dog. For a more pleasurable bark park experience for all, just follow these simple rules of etiquette:

DOs

Come equipped. Bring a bowl and water from home. Towels for cleanup and to cover car seats are a good idea, too. After all, romping, running groups of dogs have a way of getting very dirty. And don’t forget to bring something to clean up after your dog.

Let your dog be a dog. If you don't know the difference between rough play and real dog fighting, spend some time observing dogs playing in a group.

Many owners have been known to panic the first time they see their dogs on the bottom of a dog pile.

Make sure your dog wears ID. Either a tag or information on your dog’s collar will do. Replace training collars (choke or pinch collars) with buckle collars or a harness before letting dogs loose to play—training collars can get caught in the teeth of other dogs, with dire consequences.

Keep your dog on-leash until safely inside the park. Then remove your dog’s leash after you enter the off-leash area. Mixing on-leash and off-leash dogs can cause stress in the leashed dogs, which may lead to aggression.

Supervise your dog’s play. It may be tempting to bury your head in today’s paper—but don’t. Be ready to interrupt inappropriate play whether your dog is the perpetrator or the victim.

Limit your use of toys or food treats to avoid potential conflicts. You can adjust this rule depending on how many dogs are in the park when you visit.

Make sure your dog responds to basic commands. "Come," "sit," and "leave it/off," are the most important ones—they can help you control your dog if necessary, and help prevent him from provoking others.

DON’Ts

Don’t bring a dog with behavioral problems. If your dog's behavior is unpredictable, he should be carefully socialized in environments more controlled than a dog park.

Don’t bring your dog if he has been sick in the last 48 hours. When in doubt, visit your veterinarian.

Don’t discipline another person's dog. If you find another dog's behavior unacceptable, take your own dog out of the park rather than correcting someone else's dog.

Don't feed other dogs. You don't know if their owners allow it, and your treats might upset another dog's diet or digestion.

Don’t stay if your dog isn't having a good time. Some dogs enjoy a small circle of friends but aren’t keen on crowds. Some enjoy park play as puppies, but less so as they mature.

One final guideline worth following: don't wear white clothes and don't bring a freshly groomed dog. Neither of you will come home unmarked.

Vote For Our Beloved Reveille!

Although Reveille is no longer with us ~ vote for him anyway. He's been entered and the group can receive $250 from Animal Attraction. You may need to "sign up" using the link below first: http://animalattraction.com/PhotoContest/Home?entryIndex=1&listStartIndex=21#theEnd. Then look for the heading 'Photo Contest'.

Check out this picture from a photo contest on AnimalAttraction.com, a really cool online community for pet lovers that also helps homeless pets.
http://animalattraction.com/PhotoContest/ShareMyEntry/7011

Whoever wins the contest gets to select their favorite animal shelter or rescue group to receive a $250 donation from AnimalAttraction!

Rhea's Adopter Staying In Touch

Rhea is doing well. I just got her groomed the other day too and she now looks like a white tailed deer. They took a bunch of hair off around the backs of her legs, so she doesn't look as cute as she used to. But, she's a happy dog, for the most part. I try to take them down to auditorium shores at least 3 or 4 times per week and Rhea LOVES to swim. Ossa also swims, but she's scared to go in too deep!

Rhea at 4 mos. of age after playing in the mud!

Here she is now!

Paris Hilton! No Way!

PARIS - She's a beauty that needs donations to help finance her heartworm treatments.

2 yrs old, PB German Shepherd, female. Paris has a very nice personality, but this poor girl is heartworm positive, as well as having the upper resperatory crud from the shelter. She needs to be spayed. It appears that Paris has been used for breeding and could use lots of TLC.

If you are interested in adopting Paris, please go to our website, copy, paste and complete our adoption application then email it to us.

From One Of Our Newest Adopters

Thunder (was Hero)

[Thunder] is doing really well. We went to our first training class on Wednesday evening, kind of orientation. We are practicing what they suggested before the first class with dogs next week and he is SUPER smart! It's amazing how quickly he learns. Abby has trained him to wait for his dinner with it sitting right in front of him with only a word and a hand signal. He went camping with us for two weeks to Inks Lake State Park and absolutely loves to run and play in the water.

He is also doing great with agility in our back yard, can jump about 1 1/2 feet and run over the a-frame.

He still loves the dinosaur chew toy you brought with you, loves to play fetch with it! He looks funny dragging that big toy around. He and our other dogs have actually become fairly friendly. Brie, the larger dog, doesn't really play with him but she occasionally licks his face and accepts a lick from him. One of Abby's friends has a Border Collie puppy about a month older than Thunder and we have had several play dates together. They were fast friends and it's really funny to watch them play together.

I appreciate your concern for these dogs. You do a great service for them. We are very grateful and happy with Thunder. He and Abby are inseparable!

Blessings, (Adopter)

Some Dogs Live Where Cats & Squirrels Rule!

Here is a pic my husband Ken took of our two boys in our back yard today!
I know you remember Dax adopted through you in 2005 and Jedi was a stray who "just happen to"show up in our neighborhooed right after Rita came through in late August 2005. Today, the boys had once again chased a squirrel up the tree and was trying to get him. His buddy/bro Jedi is sitting there on the ground waiting for a chance to get the squirrel too! They never have gotten a squirrel yet. Although, Dax has scaled our brick wall which borders part of our yard along a park that is right behind us in many attempts to get those squirrels! We then have to get in the car and drive to the park which borders are lot and retrieve him!

Our son in law gave us a great idea and that was to put up a plexi-glass panel by using some kind of glue/cementing it on the brick wall right in the corner that he liked to use to scramble up and successfully get over the wall. Now, when he is running to that very corner he hits the plexi-glass his paws just slide down. Sorta sounds like chalk on a chalkboard. It doesn't hurt him and he can't over the brick wall - so we can relax knowing he is still in his yard! But of course we never leave him outside for long periods of time unless we are with him or if we are gone then he is always safe inside our house.

Last vet check...Dax weighed in at 107lbs of love.Hope you enjoy the pic!Love,(Adopter)