I went to a dog Meetup over the weekend.  What is a Meetup?  You can have one for just about everything, but this one was for people who are owned by dachshunds.  I took my two weenie dogs and we had a good old time.  The evening prior, I needed to give them baths because they just had too much fun prior to the party.   I was looking around and I no longer had the oatmeal shampoo that I used to have, but had dog shampoo that allegedly has a “Tropical Puppy and Kitten” scent. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know how my dogs are going to feel about smelling like a Hawaiian kitten.

At any rate, it was a bit of a disaster.  Alex did fine. Ollie is a bit of a wiggler and I noticed after he was almost completely dry that I missed a dollop of shampoo on his head. Now, I had to rinse him yet again. The stuff almost was like a drop of vaseline as far as ease of rinsing. When all said and done, I took a whiff. Apparently, “Tropical” scent is just the smell of a wet dog, just minus some of the stinky mushroom he rolled in. It just merely took the edge off to be “good enough” but still, he was never going to come out smelling like a Luau. The scent just sort of masked the fungus residue.  Of course, a day later he would also look like he had dandruff.

I am always concerned with using natural products, especially because Ollie has sensitive skin. It is not uncommon for doxies and mixes to have that. Dinovite makes a shampoo called Dogosuds® that really addresses both my needs of destinking my dog, and having a product that I can feel safe with.  It has no perfume that cover up smells, and no dyes for my sensitive guy!  What surprised me most is that it contains essential oils.  Not just a single one, but it is almost exclusively made up of them.

Ingredients:
Saponified coconut oil, Saponified olive oil, Saponified jojoba oil, vegetable gum/glycerine extract, aloe extract, yucca extract, peppermint extract, lavender extract, tea tree oil, bergamot extract, geranium extract, patchouli extract, sandalwood extract and rosemary extract.

It sounds like a luxury shampoo or massage oil for people, doesn’t it? It always puzzles me to see warnings on the back of pet shampoo that the product is not intended for humans, but this one is not toxic to two legged creatures just as it isn’t to four legged ones.  Of course, I can’t speak of the safety of species with more than four legs.  I hear that fleas flee when they are around peppermint oil.

What does saponified mean?  It means that sodium hydroxide (alkali) and the oils in question chemically bind together to create soap.  If that didn’t happen, you would still have something that smelled wonderful, but it would be a tube of oil without all of the sudsy goodness and consistency.  I know, it sounded more exotic before the term was defined.

Mr. Ollie had a fabulous time meeting up with his other dog pals.  Next time, I am definitely going to leave the “Tropical Puppy” on the shelf and go all natural.  I think he smelled a bit too much like a wet dog crossed with a pineapple shaped car air freshener for my tastes.   I want to put him on a 30 day challenge to see if it improves the smell and condition of Mr. Stinky’s coat.  I normally don’t over bathe a dog, but with all of the rotten mushrooms, stinky goose droppings, and thimblefulls of miscellaneous sticky goop in the world that he can’t seem to miss, I am up for the challenge.  Maybe my long haired dog who is less of a mudslide magnet will be pitted against him, as he has his own hairstyle challenges.  Let’s see which dog is marked “Most Improved.”  It’s mine versus, versus mine, versus yours!  Are you in?

• Collars and Leashes for Medium and Large dogs, and several large breed puppies.
• Cat and dog carries.   The toy dog/cat carrier can be used for a cat, the small to medium dog carriers can be used for mom cats with babies, or several older kittens.

A hand is needed also.

• One or two more drivers are needed to drive from Franklin, GA into Tennessee, or Franklin, GA to a point in between.  Driver needs to be ready to load at Heard County animal control at 9:00 A.M. or earlier on Friday (tomorrow) and be able to transport several dogs or cats.

Also, financial donations would be appreciated by the rescue as well.   It will help offset the cost of vet care.  There are two dogs that are owner turn ins that are up to date on their care, and three dogs that have already received their rabies shots.  The rest need help with basic vet care to give them a chance at rescue and home.

This is their last chance.  There has been little or no interest in the dogs and cats because of the holiday weekend, and the shelter is closed to the public over the holiday.   One shelter, in Henry County, already lost all but seven souls in the entire shelter.  Let’s not lose 35 more!

Please see the Heard County Animal Control page for the latest details.

According to the site, this myth is busted. I was trying to find something in writing to show him, as he wasn’t keen on my anecdotes.

MYTH:

If a dog ever tastes blood it must be destroyed because it will become a killer
FACT:

Dogs are canines, not vampires. This is a very popular myth and one that has devastating consequences to dogs. There is not some genetic trigger that goes haywire if a dog tastes blood. This myth most likely got started because some aggressive dog bit several people and it was then decided that the blood itself was the what cause the dog to do this rather than the more probable cause which was likely the past mistreatment by humans. This myth is plain and simply not true.

I don’t know why people still believe this, and what perplexes me is that people who are otherwise very dog savvy still point to their grandparents’ old sayings and go with it as tried and true.  My dog had cut himself once, and licking himself certainly did not turn him into Cujo.

Are there any other common myths that you can’t believe are widely believed, or are there some that you have recently come to learn that are not true?

When it was my time to be on the front of an announcement, apparently, you picked pink or blue, and teddy bear or duckling. The color was an easy choice, as with the color, the associated gender was already printed. The teddy bear versus duckling choice was often to much pressure for people. Things really got thrown out of whack when gender neutral yellow was introduced, for parents who wanted to buy their cards ahead of time.

Wouldn’t it be fun to order birth announcements when you adopted a pet? Pets are family members, and more and more people consider them their “children.” It would be both a special way to let family and friends know how important welcoming a four legged family member is to you, and to spread a smile to your loved ones.  In fact, someone I knew put balloons on their mailbox when they adopted their puppy.  Sometimes the “baby” will be 90 lbs, and be 30 inches tall, but there is room to customize the statistics, as well as cards without the vital stats.

Since, I have always been sensitive to what I have put on the lawn and in the garden. Organic gardening is something that is so easy to do, especially on a small scale, such as in your garden.  There is some controversy in the minds of critics.  In some countries, for instance, they might not use pesticides, but may use natural matter that may not be suitable for use with plants that are going to ultimately be consumed.  It is kind of like my theory about junk food: “Just because its all natural doesn’t make that potato chip any better for you.” While I can’t personally regulate that, what I can regulate is what is grown in my own garden. I am particularly concerned with the safety of pets as well as the safety of the eventual food the plants will become.

There was recently a segment on Designing Spaces, a show which appears on TLC and We, that features products from Saferbrand. Organic products are defined, and some are demonstrated. It is important to note that organic pesticides ARE indeed effective if used correctly, contrary to some opinions.

The delivery, to me, in the segment, appears a little stilted, but the information is good.

There is good news, of course.

Recently, there was a mini Twitter contest to guess how many pets were saved this year by SSP.  The winner will be revealed after the newsletter comes out.   If you are not on the list to receive it, click here.  It is coming out soon, so register right away.  It is well worth receiving for the latest news on where you can lend a hand, even in a small way.  Of course, as always, you will see photos of adorable rescued animals, which is more than worth it right there.  For pictures, in the meantime, of adorable puppies, check out the last transport.  Funds were a little short, but over 60 puppies were rescued, given medical care, and placed in rescues.

The Pitchfork Festival is just around the corner.  Saving Shelter Pets will have a table at the show between July 17th-19th, in Chicago.  Stop by and say hello!   You can grab information and chat up some volunteers.  Also, I hear there is going to be an extra special surprise.  You are going to have to drop by the table and see for yourself.  In fact, you may be so intrigued by me playing coy cat about all of this that you may want to hop in a car or on a bus just to see what it could possibly be.

My lips are zipped.   What are you talking about?  There isn’t a surprise.

Also, be sure to check out Lindsey McCool’s paintings.   She is donating part of the proceeds to Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., and is a supporter of the group.  She creates unique portrait, which is watercolored, of your best friend(s).  Be sure to contact her and express your interest.   She charges only $100, and you will need to supply a photo of your pet for her to work off of.  She is a Chicago based artist, but, of course, ships out of her area.   Why not order one now for a Christmas present for a friend or relative?  I would imagine they would make beautiful memorials as well.  The recipient would probably be touched that a portrait of their pal was able to save some lives as well.

I spoke to a pleasant woman named Michelle, who read the pet policy to me. There is a $75.00 room deposit for pets against any damages. You are required to keep dogs on a leash at all times outside of your room, and they are not allowed in the dining areas, which is pretty standard. Cats are allowed, but most likely will not leave the room. There is a special “Pets in Room” door hanger that you can obtain from the front desk that will alert hotel staff to not enter the room just so kitty won’t run out, or your dog won’t be surprised.  If room service should come in, you are required to be present with your pet(s) for everyone’s safety and happiness.

As far as number of pets, there was no language in the regulations. I assumed if you had a pair of dogs or cats, it would pose no trouble. Michelle agreed that pets are such a part of the family, that it would be a shame to leave them behind. To me, it is so important for hotels to offer vacancy to pets. The more hotels that offer it, the more people may get in the mindset that they don’t have to give up their pets just because they travel.

Upon further digging I looked at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, which is a sister property. I was able to find that the hotel allows pets up to 75 lbs which is good news. Both hotels have the same regulation. It may not be what English Mastiff owners want to hear, but the hotel seems to be amenable to the average dog, which is indeed good news. I find that owners of dogs of the XXL persuasion are aware of their size and make other arrangements, or have thought about a backup plan.   I wonder if they actually weigh the dog.  I am sure if your dog was 76 lbs they wouldn’t scoff, but if you walked in with a 175 lb Mastiff they may wonder if the dog would be comfortable.  I would follow the rules in that case.

Jack and Hennessey are now home!!!  Thank you for all of your help.  A shout out goes to A Day In the Good Life and the Humane Society of West Texas who were nice enough to reblog about their Incredible Journey!  Now, there are five more dogs that need our help.  Ace and Abi, shown in the far left, are a case of an owner moving out of state and just dropping their dogs off at Animal Control!

If you live or work, or can reasonably get to I-75 between Atlanta and Dayton, Ohio, your assistance is graciously requested.   Five wonderful dogs have a rescue in Toledo who is willing to take them out of a high kill shelter in the Atlanta area.   There are just no takers on giving them a ride. Many transports occur on Saturdays, but the problem this week is that Saturday is a holiday, where many people just don’t want to drive.  The biggest factor is that the shelter itself is closed on the 4th, so there is no way to even pick up the dogs that day.    Is anyone along this route and is willing to take part of the drive prior to Saturday?  Also, if there is anyone willing to be a temporary foster in the Atlanta area, or somewhere along the way just so they can get out of the shelter until the rest of the journey comes together?

There are five dogs total.  If you can’t fit them all, the legs can be split up between two drivers.  If they cannot find a ride, they will be euthanized.   The only alternative is to find a spot in a local rescue.  If you know anyone who can take these dogs, or can drive, please spread the word along.

***Updated 7/1.  The shelter IS NOW CLOSED SATURDAY!!!*****

Times and legs are all flexible.  If your car is not big enough for 5, we have split the legs.

Reason for transport: from kill shelter to rescue

Sending Shelter
Heard County Animal Control Center
11818 Ga Hwy 100
Franklin, GA 30217
Phone: 706-675-3570

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA430.html

Receiving Rescue
Pooky Boo Rescue
Toledo Ohio
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/OH663.html

**Route and Legs**

All legs are flexible! Please let us know if you need to change anything!

15 minutes has been added to each leg for water/potty breaks

FRIDAY JULY 3rd, 2009

Leg 1 driver 1 - filled, thanks Dee!
driver 2 - filled, thanks Holly!
Depart: Franklin GA 9:00 am
Arrive: Marietta GA 10:30 am
1 hour 30 min

Leg 2 driver 1 filled, thanks Linda
driver 2 - needed
Depart: Marietta GA 10:45 am
Arrive: Chattanooga TN 12:15 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 3 -driver 1 - filled, thanks Elisabeth!
driver 2 - filled, thanks Jennie!
Depart: Chattanooga TN 12:30 pm
Arrive: Knoxville TN 2:00 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 4 - driver all dogs possibly filled by Heather (pls confirm this change)
Depart: Knoxville TN 2:15 pm
Arrive: London KY 3:45 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 5 -driver 1 - filled, thanks Lauren!
  driver 2 - needed
Depart: London KY 4:00 pm
Arrive: Williamstown KY 5:30 pm
1 hour 30 min

possible change in plans - may overnight and continue Sat morning

Leg 6 -driver all dogs - filled, thanks Terrie!
Depart: Williamstown KY 5:45 pm
Arrive: Dayton OH 7:15 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 7 - Needed, rescue unable to meet transport
Depart: Dayton OH 7:30 pm
- Hide quoted text -
Arrive: Toledo OH 10:00 pm
2 hours 30 min
may be divided into 2 legs

please reply to cherryharleysavinganimals@yahoo.com

 Do not contact the shelter for offers to drive, as they may not pass them along.  Contact the shelter if you are interested in adoption or rescuing them!  If you can drive, email Emily or leave a comment!

Last year, I thought for sure I saw one. I spotted the telltale beating of tiny wings in the garden, to only be disappointed to find a hummingbird moth instead. They are moths whose wing rhythm closely mimics the speed of the little jeweled birds. This year, I am going to stack my deck a bit, as I know that if you supply a hummingbird feeder, they are more likely to visit your yard. Having the right flowers helps, but of course, the flowers won’t be in bloom exactly when you can predict them.

There is more and more creativity in commercially available hummingbird feeders.  They are deviating from the idea of mimicking traditional seed feeders and heading towards the more artistic.   Hummingbirds require nectar, rather than seeds, so the receptacle needs to be different anyhow.

Traditionally, I have been told to leave sugar water in the feeders.  The little birds will drink it, but I have found it very unsuccessful.   In the feeders, like the “Garden Ballet” feeder, which looks a lot like a mobile, a nectar solution is used.  You can actually buy a nectar solution that comes from hibiscus flowers.   This seems to me the most natural food other than having the flowers available themselves, making them more likely to be attracted to them.   Once they find the nectar, they are sure to tell all of their friends about the spot in your garden.

The nectar is very economical, being that it is under ten dollars for a 2 liter bottle.  This is quite pricey compared to a bottle of soda, but considering that a hummingbird has a tiny belly and a much smaller appetite, the pretty red fluid will last quite awhile. If you are like me, it will last quite a long time, as the birds just won’t show up. Exercise a little patience. The first year that you supply a feeder, it may take a little while for the word to spread. Also, try to put the feeder out year after year, so the little birds will have something they can depend on.

Recently, many of my friends have become strong advocates for Positive Reinforcement Training. It makes absolute sense, as a dog is a social creature that is so willing and wanting to please, and it is a method that the average dog owner or even someone who is new to dogs can understand. Among all the dog trainers at the moment that I have received info on, there are just a couple that stress this as a method. If you are looking for a dog trainer in San Diego a dog walking San Diego company, you can go to Expertdogtrainingsd.com to start the process of the hunt. Of course, never hire a trainer based on a website, and don’t be fooled by the allure of a glossy website alone, but a website can be valuable at weeding out candidates based on geographic location and philosophy. Once you have that narrowed down, you can start emailing and calling to find the right fit. Keep an open mind to the idea that while the dog may have come into your life with certain conditioning that has nothing to do with you, you may also share some of the root causes for the behavior issues. You and your dog may be communicating with eachother on a proverbial scratchy phone.

If anyone can understand positive reinforcement, than why do you need a trainer? Training dogs is not just training the dog to understand what is expected of them, but to also teach the owner how to communicate clearly, and even more so, to be consistent. I have seen more than several dogs that people have given up on with housebreaking or other training and the actuality is that they just didn’t give the dog a chance. If they change their expectations every single day, there is no possible way a dog will understand what is expected of him or her.

Do yourself and your dog a favor: when trouble is brewing, don’t be afraid to ask for help. That little issue may be something the two of you can overcome to enjoy many, many happy years together. Remember, only 1 in 12 dogs ever gets a permanent home. The other 11 are bounced around from place to place or are euthanized before they can know the love of a special person forever. Make sure the dogs that are in your care are the #1’s.

Admit Advantage is a service that she has looked at. It is group that focuses on helping you mold yourself into a stronger candidate.  Indecision really plagues many potential students. On the one hand, you want to appear to be open minded about the ultimate career path you will take, but if you are not careful, it looks like you are very unfocused and not quite so driven.  There is no way that you will be accepted into the program that is your first selection if you appear that you are willing to blow whichever way the wind takes you, rather than exhibiting the more positive trait of adaptivity.

There is complementary admissions assessment that helps you determine if you are truly ready to send in your application, and if not, how to get there. Often, when you apply to a program, there is only one chance to make a first impression.  One typically does not get to amend their application if they think that it is poor.

If you are pursuing this path in life, I wish you the best of luck, and encourage you to put your best foot forward.

There are a lot of situations where a dog has bitten a repairperson, a landlord, or anyone else who could unexpected come into an apartment or home.

You might be expecting them, but your dog isn’t. Remember, to your dog this is like a “break in.” Sometimes, even if you are are present, the dog reacts very differently than if you were receiving a “guest”. Part of it may be your body language. Usually, even though you don’t feel threatened in any way, you are not 100% “at ease.” One also doesn’t go through the same ritual as when greeting someone known to you, so your dog might not get the “all safe” signal. Thirdly, the repair person, technician, or inspector might be walking into and touching areas of the house a regular guest wouldn’t…crawling on the floor, ducking behind a desk, etc.

What is often NOT talked about is not the danger that your dog can be to a person coming into your home, but also vice versa. Some dogs are less dominant and would kiss a burglar rather than defend your home, but they are still at risk. Some repair folks carry a can of dog spray, and do not let their hand stray from it. I am not saying ALL folks do but enough. If your dog went toward them quickly, even if it was in a friendly way, they could potentially squirt them and ask questions later. We had a repair person come recently, and even though I was holding a dog in my arms, he still had his finger on it. Sprays can cause great discomfort to a dogs eyes and nose and can potentially burn or blind in some cases.

There are several ways to avoid a potential situation, from preventing a normally well behaved dog from having to spend time at the pound on bite hold, to preventing a dog from harm from a spray can or a foot.

The first is, arrange for you or someone who knows the dog(s) well to be present during repairs. Otherwise, the apartment or home is off limits.

If you have an apartment, a landlord does NOT have the right to come in at any time without proper notice. Even if they are selling the building and bringing someone through to see it, they must tell you ahead of time. The exceptions are in the case of fire, roof leak, or other major safety situations. Being as it may, when you are not home it is best to get a baby gate and keep your pet restricted to a particular area of the apartment or home when you are not home.

Whether you own a home or rent, crate training is also an excellent idea. This way, when you are home with the dog, he/she feels “safe” when put inside his/her carrier or crate when an expected stranger comes to your home. Or when you are not home for a little while, your dog is protected from a potential situation.

Call to action:

Tell friends and family.
Send a link to this article to a friend or post a link on a bulletin board.
Print up a flier about the benefits of crate training and post it in your apartment building and vet office.

Right now, Cryo-Cell has a discount offer that expires this Sunday, June 28th. They are giving families a $725.00 discount on their U-Cord service.  At checkout, use the promotional code HOT.  The promotion is to reach out to families in tough economic times.  Having a baby can be costly, and they don’t want anyone who is strongly considering it to be left out.

I know the subject of stem cells use is controversial, but the use of umbilical cords in babies and menstrual blood in women that would otherwise be shed, is a much more widely accepted and safe concept.   Of course, there are people that keep the umbilical cord as a momento, but putting it in a locket or a box doesn’t store it in a way that it could be preserved. The cryogenically stored cord can potentially treat up to 12,000 diseases.  The traditional method has an 85%-99% chance of really embarrassing your kids when they are about thirteen years old and they find out what you have kept.

The question in my mind is why I am so obsessed about linking the idea of stem cells, and babies with pumpkin or various other vegetable stems on their heads.   Maybe I am always operating on just a partial tank of fuel and it strikes me as ironic.

If you want to drop in a last minute guess, Go to @SSPets on Twitter and check cast your vote. Of course, read the profile page first to see if the contest is still running. The person that guesses the closest will win a pack of three SSP buttons. If someone nails the number and gets it on the nose, everyone who had guessed that number will win. So far the closest is less than 40 away from the number.  If you miss the contest, consider following them anyhow to be up on the latest.

Are you interested in following ME (as in me, myself and I?).  You can do that too. You can find me at @thesnackhound  I don’t have an individual twitter account for this blog…but I do update all the news about this blog there as well.

If you are not on Twitter and want to know what my latest update is, this is me, at left. Yes, I want to scream. Do you know why? Read all about it HERE. Lots of puppehs and kittehs need saving today and I just don’t feel like I am making any headway.  There are 50 million billion (okay, really more like 15) who are not on the page yet. It has nothing to do with SSP, it is extracurricular.

I just need to take a deep breath and remember how blessed and grateful I am to have done what I have been able to do so far.  That attitude definitely makes things go more smoothly as you can appreciate the little victories, and also can get a lot more done when you don’t panic.

I remember taking some computer based courses when I used to temp. They used it as a pre-hire exercise to assess my skills in a very concrete way. The format allows you to take an online tutorial to learn the skills, or you can dive into an assessment right off the bat. The choice is yours. The most common usage, just like I alluded to, is to assess potential hires and expand the skills of current employees.  However, it can be used to increase the amount of skills that you can bring to the table.

When I was in my early trainings, training like this helped me jump from working in a production plant to being at the customer service desk and making more money.  I think production is a lot of fun, but I needed a way to prove my skills so they would look at me for the other job rather than using subjective criteria and just thinking that I might be good.  One of the reason I wanted it was because I was going to school, or trying to, and the hours were amicable.   Of course, I had to run around town to do so, unlike having Learn.com for my employer to test me or take initiative on my own.

When anyone grumbles that the sky is falling, I always remember that there are great opportunities out there when the status quo is broken.  So, seize the day.  If that position above you opens at your company, why shouldn’t it be you?

In 1999, Pet Sitters International held their first Take Your Dog to Work Day.  300 employers officially participated.  Today, thousands of workplaces around the world actively participate in the event.   This year, the event takes place tomorrow, Friday, June 25, 2009.  It is suggested that if you choose to take your dog to work, that you follow the appropriate protocol.The first two are recommended by TYDTWD, the remaining are tips from HoundsGood.com

1) Tell your employer about the special day and ask permission to bring your pal in.
2) Make sure your dog is up to date on routine vaccinations, and is in good health.

3) Bring treats, a pick up bag for accidents, and a water dish or bowl. A dog bed or pillow works for someone who has a desk job.
4) If you don’t have a private office, put a crate in your car. If you are somehow called out to an appointment where you can’t take your dog, your coworkers will have peace of mind. For example, you may want to use the bathroom sometime.
5) In the morning, walk your dog around to meet people in the office that normally come in contact with you. This way nobody is a stranger.

This year’s theme is “Second Hand Dogs,” promoting the importance of selecting a shelter or pound dog when looking for a new companion. Petfinder is the official 2009 TYDTWD adoption partner.

Are you taking your dog to work tomorrow? If you do, let me know. I would love to hear about your experiences, and I wouldn’t mind a photo, either!  If I get enough, I’ll feature my readers in a story about their big day.