The Story of Harvey

This is Harvey. Harvey had until today to be rescued from the shelter he ended up in because his family unceremoniously dumped him at a dog park after nine years. He has known no other family. Now he sleeps on a cold, concrete floor and searches for hope in the faces of people that pass by his kennel run day after day because he is "too old" or "too large" or "looks like pit bull" (he's actually a lab/sharpei mix according to the shelter). He's a great dog who is down on his luck. Harvey is great with people of all ages and other dogs. He tested so well on his temperament test that the staff has been using him to test other dogs. Chances are Harvey reached his deadline tonight without making it out of the noisy, overcrowded shelter into a loving home with a warm bed for his weary, tired bones. Harvey is but one of thousands who ended their days this week in a stressful shelter. It doesn't matter if they are purebred, hybrid or mutts, they all go out the same way and end up in a dumpster behind the shelter. Is it because they are bad dogs? No. Poor dogs like Harvey just had bad owners. Their owners didn't make a lifetime commitment to them. Instead of viewing them as the living, breathing animals they are, they view them as disposable objects. Dogs feel every emotion that we do. Studies have shown that they grieve their owners, even the bad one like Harvey's. They may spend years in the backyard with no attention or years in the house until the baby comes and pushes them out. It doesn't matter. They have the emotional capacity of a toddler. Imagine leaving your two year old at daycare and never coming back for them. That's what your pet feels when you dump them at the shelter and walk away. Many wait hopefully for days and weeks (if they are lucky), desperately searching the faces of people who pass for any sign that their "owners" have come back for them. They never come. Most of them end up being pulled down the long hallway to the room at the end where their lives will end. They struggle and fight on that last walk like they know they won't be making it back out.

When we started our search for a pet, I walked through row after row of these hopeful faces. All these wonderful dogs whose "owners" had failed them miserably. I vividly remember a woman bringing her two small boys in, dragging an older terrier mix behind her. The dog was in need of grooming and desperate for a kind word. She handed the leash to a shelter worker. "This dog is too old," she announced. "Um, okay," was the response because there really isn't any other response for logic like that. She then led her children into the shelter to look at the puppies and they picked one out as their "too old" dog was being pushed into a kennel run just down the row. This was a city shelter so they aren't allowed to say no to any adoption.
I couldn't let her leave without pointing out the message that she was teaching her children. Old means no good. "Don't be surprised," I told her, "when they put you in a home rather than taking care of you because you are too old. Kids learn from their parents." She didn't care. But she will care later in life when she is "too old" and her sons dump her the way she dumped that dog.

Every shelter across the country is overflowing at the moment with dogs like that poor, old terrier mix. Dogs like Harvey who didn't get good owners willing to make a lifetime commitment to them. There seems to be a misconception that their dog will find a home - they're purebred (big deal, that's one in every three dogs), they're well behaved, they're cute. The shelter is full of purebred, well behaved, cute dogs. So are the dumpsters in the back. Then there are the poor dogs whose owners failed them completely. They've lived their entire lives in the backyard with no socialization, no company, no training. These dogs have no hope of ever making it out. People don't want dogs like that. They gravitate towards the friendly, well trained, cute dogs. Even those dogs don't have a very good chance of getting out. Thrust into an unfamiliar environment, some dogs shut down completely, even well trained and well socialized ones. They shake at the back of their kennels and don't come out to see people. Those dogs have lost all hope. After all, the hope they did have left them.

Pets are a lifetime commitment. Moving is not a reason to give them up. We have an American Staffordshire Terrier. This breed is on most ban lists. When we move, we allow months to find a place to live WITH her. Our friends Molly and Anthony have moved several times with their American Pit Bull Terrier without trouble. If we can find rentals with our breeds, no one has an excuse to leave a pet behind. There are so many pet friendly rentals that no one should be dropping their dog or cat off at the shelter because they are "moving." You take the time to find a pet friendly rental and save the money to afford a pet deposit. When you don't, your pet becomes just another statistic like Harvey and so many other good dogs who were unlucky enough to be purchased or adopted by bad owners.

The Truth About Pit Bulls

Whether or not you're interested in adopting a pit bull, there's important information you need to know about these dogs. Irresponsible owners and the media have contributed to grossly inaccurate information about them. We hope the following factual information about breed history and temperament standards will help alleviate the fear and misinformation associated with pit bulls.

'Pit Bull' is a general term used to describe 4 breeds of dogs: the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff), the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the Bull Terrier. All 4 breeds have a common ancestor, the Bull-and-Terrier. The Bull-and-Terrier and its descendants were all originally bred for bull-baiting and dog fighting as entertainment, even though it was illegal. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Bull Terrier were developed first in the British Isles. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was brought to the US in the late 1800s to fight, and became known as the pit bull terrier. Americans favored a slightly bigger dog than the English, and over time the two diverged. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes the Bull Terrier, the AmStaff, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The American Pit Bull Terrier is recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC). Although technically different breeds, the APBT, the AmStaff and the Staffordshire Bull terrier are essentially the same in both appearance and temperament. The Bull Terrier, however, has a much more distinct egg-shaped head.

Dog aggression and human aggression are two distinctly separate traits and should never be confused. Because of their history as a fighting dog, pit bulls are prone to dog aggression. However, care can and should be taken to modify this tendency since pit bulls can often learn how to be dog tolerant or even dog friendly. It is quite common for a pit bull to be wonderful with people, while at the same time not 100% trustworthy around other dogs. Human aggression, however, is not a normal trait in pit bulls and should not be taken lightly. The official UKC breed temperament standard is the following: "the essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog… The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable." If poorly bred, mishandled, abused, or unsocialized then a pit bull, like ANY other breed, can develop behavior problems or aggression that is atypical of the breed.

Due to misinformation and lack of education, certain breeds have been incorrectly labeled "dangerous." Dogs of all breeds can and will mature into well tempered adults if raised properly. A large part of raising any breed properly includes socializing and training them starting at a young age. If you're interested in learning more about whether a pit bull would be right for you, it's important to research the breed. The websites badrap.org and realpitbull.com have large amounts of quality information.

Why Should I Train My Dog?

Obedience training is one of the best things that you can do for yourself and your dog. It is essential to creating a healthy, happy relationship between you and your canine. Unfortunately, many owners don't realize the importance of training and behavior problems are now one of the most common reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters. Dogs aren't mind readers. They don't just instinctively know how their owners want them to act, or what the rules of the house are. Like children, they have to be taught what is appropriate and what is not. Owners who haven't bothered to teach their dogs the rules often find they end up with unruly dogs.

Things that are cute as a puppy, such as mouthing your hands and jumping up to play, are suddenly unacceptable when the dog is full grown. These are issues that could have been easily prevented had the owners taken the time to train their new family member in the first place. Even if you are adopting an adult dog who is past his puppy behaviors, training will help you establish yourself as the leader of your pack. Dogs are pack animals, and therefore social hierarchy is extremely important to them. If it isn't clear who the pack leader is, they will attempt to take charge of the household. This can lead to behavior problems like claiming resources such as the couch or your bed.c Most behavioral issues are often perfectly natural canine activities that are performed at the wrong time on the wrong things, such as chewing your shoes instead of a chew toy or going to the bathroom on your rug instead of outside on the lawn. Training teaches your dog the appropriate ways to exhibit his natural canine behaviors. Using physical dominance to achieve the status of pack leader is unnecessary. Your dog is showing his respect for you when he obeys even a simple command like "sit".

Dogs are a 10-20 year commitment, depending on the breed you choose. Time and effort put into training during the first few years will pay off in dividends later on in life. You can't enjoy being around your dog when you're constantly irritated at him. A well trained dog is fun and easy to live with. They know how to behave in public so they can be taken on more family outings. The dog can be trusted around children, strangers and other animals because he has been taught appropriate behavior. Friends and family will enjoy visiting your home rather than avoiding you because of your dog's rowdy behavior. By taking your dog to obedience training, you are creating a confident, happy dog who will get to live a fuller life. This improves your life as well as that of your pet.

If you can't afford training classes, click here for printable training pages that will teach you how to effectively communicate with your dog and teach him necessary commands. All you need are these training sheets and some treats. You can use turkey hot dogs, cheese, leftover chicken. Just cut it up into bite size pieces and you are ready to go!

Earthquake Preparedness for Your Pets

With the earth shaking the way it has the last few weeks, I thought we should include a blog post about Earthquake Preparedness for our four legged family members. Here is what I have included in ours:

Food – 2 bags each (dog and cats)
Treats
Bottled Water
Bowls (food, water)
Medication (Lily)
First Aid Kit (which includes a booklet on first aid for companion animals)
Poop Bags
Litter box/Litter/Liner
Extra Leash
Extra Collar
Carriers
Blankets
Toys
Copy of all Medical Records

Food
We always have two bags of food for the pets at all times. You want to have at least a week supply of food in case the pet stores aren’t open to get your pets food. We use one bag and keep the other for reserve. As we start to get to the bottom of the first bag, we immediately buy a new one. This way, we always have at least a bag and a half of food for our pets. We also keep wet food. Should anything happen and water be in short supply, canned food will give them some hydration. Canned food can keep outside of the refrigerator for 24 hours if stored properly (covered, in a cool location).
I included treats because Lily is food motivated. If we need her to be focused on us, the treats will help grab her attention immediately.
I have enough water in the earthquake kit that our four animals can drink half a gallon of water a day. We have supplies for seven days. Even though pets can drink from sources unsuitable for humans, we don’t know what kind of contaminants will be in our water supply. It’s not worth risking stomach and intestinal irritation when there won’t be a vet handy to treat our girls.

Medical
We picked up a first aid kit for animals at a sale that included a booklet on treating your pet’s injuries. You don’t have to purchase a complete kit, though. You can google pet first aid kits and simply make your own (shout out to Anthony and Molly who hike with one Anthony made himself that rivals ours!).
We have Lily’s medication in an easily accessible place where we can grab it in an emergency, throw it in the kit and go. We never let it get below a seven day supply. Better safe than sorry.
We have copies of the girl’s medical records in the kit. I put them in a plastic bag to keep them dry. Lily’s shot records, microchip information and registration are in hers. The cats have copies of their shot records in theirs. We also have a current picture of each of them in case we become separated.

Sanitation
Just because there has been an earthquake doesn’t mean we no longer have to clean up after our pets. This will be especially important for sanitation in the event of an earthquake. We have included biodegradable poop bags for Lily. We also have an extra litter box and some litter in the kit because we don’t know where we will end up with the girls. Some experts recommend using sand in an emergency, which is certainly doable, but you will need to include litter box liners with your kit if you plan to do this. We have relatives in San Diego, Arizona, Oregon and Washington that all have opened their doors to us in an emergency. Because we will be indoors, we won’t need to resort to sand.

We’ve included familiar blankets for our pets that we rotate with each laundry cycle. In the uncertainty of the situation, it will help them to have familiar things like blankets and toys around them. The cat carriers and extra leashes are kept together in our den. They are easily accessible should we need them.

If an earthquake does hit, do not try to pick your animals up during the shaking to comfort them. Animals will instinctively seek a place to hide in safety. Wait until the shaking has subsided to locate your pets in your house. Assess the damage and decide if it is safe to remain indoors or if you will be moving to another location. Remember that this is a traumatic event for your pets. Use caution in handling them. They will be upset from the trembling and the noise. Even a gentle pet can bite or scratch when scared.

Chica the Chihuahua

We are teaching at a school this week in North Hollywood that holds a special place in my heart. This school taught me a year ago that what we do at Paws and Learn Humane Education truly makes a difference - in the lives of the children we teach and in the lives of the animals we will never see. Below is the story of Chica the Chihuahua:

I changed the life of a dog named Chica and I've never even met her. I was teaching a 2nd grade class Dog Bite Prevention when I first learned of Chica. This presentation starts by getting the kids to think about things our pets need that we need as well (food, water, exercise, doctor, love). We then move into feelings that we share with our pets (happy, sad, mad, scared). I ask the class "if our pets have the same feelings that we do, is it ever okay to hit an animal?" At this point, the whole class shouts "no" and I move into Dog Bite Prevention. This particular morning, a boy in the front row interrupted me. "Especially if you're trying to potty train them." Very astute for a 2nd grader. After agreeing with him, I asked him what he does with his dog. "When Chica starts to go, we clap our hands and say 'AH!' like a buzzer. She stops. We scoop her up, rush her out back and put her on the grass. When she goes potty, we say 'Good girl, Chica! You're such a good girl!' and Chica does a little happy dance." I was blown away that this was coming out of a 2nd grader. "That's very smart," I told him, impressed. "Who taught you that?" "You were in my sister's 5th grade class last week. She told you that Chica always goes potty in the house and my dad spanks her until she rolls over." I then remembered Chica and the pain in his sister's eyes as she told the class how sad it made her when their dad hit the chihuahua. For two years her father had been abusing her and for two years she continued to go to the bathroom in the house. "...because hitting an animal doesn't teach them anything except that you're a mean, painful person to spend time with." Desperate to ease her pain and anxious to help poor Chica, I instructed his sister the proper way of housebreaking. SHOW her where to go and praise her when she goes there. She didn't just listen, she went home and taught her family. "How is Chica doing?" I asked. "She hasn't gone to the bathroom inside since last Saturday. My dad said she must have finally learned her lesson, but my mom says it's because of what you taught my sister." Four days without being hit so hard she rolled over. Kids have the power to change the world, one chihuahua at a time!

Commonly Swallowed Household Poisons

Certain household items, like chemicals, are obviously poisonous to our pets if ingested. But many people are unaware of some common household items that are equally damaging when consumed. Here’s a short list to watch out for around our 4 legged family members:

grapes & raisins – most fruits and veggies are safe (and healthy!) to feed, but for some reason certain dogs experience bad reactions to this fruit, some even suffering from acute renal failure.

Chocolate – the theobromine and caffeine in chocolate is very dangerous, especially the darker the chocolate is and the smaller the animal is. Dogs have also been poisoned after eating the cocoa mulch used in some gardens.

Onions – the thiosulphate in onions can cause hemolytic anemia in dogs.

Xylitol – a common sweetener in gum, candy, mints and other products. It can cause vomiting and hypoglycemia. I recently met a woman whose Maltese was killed after ingesting 2 pieces of gum.

Macadamia nuts – in any form, these nuts can cause a range of symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and hind-end weakness

Zinc - some dogs (like Labs) will eat anything that fits in their mouth, and many are prone to swallowing pennies or other items containing zinc. This causes zinc toxicity, resulting in hemolytic anemia, gastroenteritis and damage to the liver, kidney, and pancreas.

The ASPCA’s poison control hotline recently released their 2009 list of most common poisons. Top on their list of offenders was human medications, either snatched off counters or eaten off the floor. The second was the misapplication of spot-on flea and tick products, especially for cats. Inhaling household cleaners and nibbling on toxic house plants also made the list.

Keep the number of your vet and the ASPCA Poison Control Center on hand in case of an emergency. The ASPCA PCC hotline is: 888-426-4435.

Hiking with your dog

When we first got Lily from the shelter, we had already been told repeatedly "a good dog is a tired dog and a tired dog is a happy owner!" We had done research on the breed that was right for us and had been searching for an American Pit Bull Terrier to join our family. Erik and I are very active and enjoy being out in nature so we went with an active breed that would hike for miles with us on the weekends. We started out slow with Lily. The first trail we chose was only a few miles roundtrip and included a river so she would be able to drink and cool off. Our destination was a waterfall where we could rest before returning to the car. It was a 4 mile roundtrip hike and the pup was only about 4 months old. She loved it. Not only did she enjoy the scents of the trail and the sounds of the forest, she had fun greeting all the people and dogs we passed on the trail. When we got back to the car, she fell asleep on the backseat. She was out for the rest of the day!

WHY SHOULD I HIKE WITH MY DOG?
Dogs need a break from their normal, everyday walk. Trails offer different smells and terrain than your neighborhood. They bring a bit of excitement into your dogs life! This is my favorite time of year to hike Lily. The days are cool, sometimes overcast, so she does better and can go for longer distances. The rain draws new scents out of the ground so even a trail we have done before seems like a brand new one to her. It's hard to describe to someone how happy my dog is on the trail. If you hike with your dog, you have seen it as well. Her tail curves upward and wags frequently. She will turn and look me every few minutes with her big pit bull grin that seems to say "isn't this GREAT, Mom!" Lily just loves being out in nature. It's such good exercise for her, as well as great mental stimulation.

WHERE DO I START?
I recommend checking for trails in your area at http://www.localhikes.com. We have found many good ones listed on this website. They have reviews of the hikes, which can be very helpful especially when the initial description of the trail is a few years old and recent weather has changed the trail a bit. The hikes also clearly state whether or not you are allowed to hike with dogs. You can also see whether you will need to be on the lookout for mountain bikes and horses. Once you have decided on your trail, you will need to fill your backpack. We take water, snacks (for Lily too!) and a first aid kit incase she gets injured. We purchased one at the pet store and threw it in the pack, but you can also google Pet First Aid Kits and put together your own. Better safe than sorry.

Part of being a responsible owner is keeping your dog on leash in areas where there are leash laws and on trails you will be sharing with mountain bikes and horses. Not all horses like dogs no matter how charming your dog might be. We share the mountains with others so we need to be respectful of them. No one wants your dog rushing up to startle their horse and you certainly don't want your dog kicked or trampled. On most of the trails we travel, mountain bikers have no clue of etiquette. There are too many close calls with rude bikers so we recommend having your dog on a leash even when one isn't required in these areas. Bikes come racing down the mountain with little thought of anyone around them and we have seen so many tragic accidents, including one that resulted in the death of a horse, while we are out there. It's just not worth risking. (Note: the picture of Lily above was on a trail in a remote part of Northeastern Oregon where mountain bikers and horses are not allowed so we let her off leash for that hike since there isn't a leash law in the area)

WHAT NOW?
Grab your dog, pick a trail, pack your backpack and get out there walking! It's good for you and great for your dog. The bond will increase between you and your pet as you strike out on new adventures!