Dog Blog

Pit bulls are not for everyone, but these dogs can be fantastic family pets with the right handling, and if the dog’s temperament is sound. Rascal2 is now waiting at the A&S Pit Bull and Am Staff Rescue in Antioch, Illinois.

Rascal has already been there too long, and may not be available when you read this. Hopefully, he will go to a good home, and the rescue organization won’t need to euthenize him.

Unfortunately, there are far too many of these large, energetic dogs available in shelters and rescue organizations, and not all of them can find homes. Rascal appears to have a good temperament, according to the rescue group, and is good with people and other animals - but the scare stories that abound, and the large numbers of unwanted pit bulls, means that he has several stikes against him.

My mother once owned a Staffordshire terrier (the English version of a pit bull) and he was a loving, even-tempered dog. Much of his personality was the result of careful breeding to remove all traces of the pit bull’s traditional fighting temperament. Unfortunately, when you adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue group you have no way of knowing the philosophy of the breeders, or how the dog was treated in his previous home.

Some of these animals are, unfortunately, the result of random breeding by less-then-savory characters who still participate in dog fighting as a sport. This means that extreme care must be taken to make sure the dog is sound and safe before you bring him home. You can read more about dog behavior and temperament on my main site. Most responsible shelters will test their animals before releasing them for adoption, but this does require training - and not all shelters have volunteers or staff who are qualified to do this testing correctly. To be safe, be sure to get to know as much as you can about any dog you adopt (no matter what it’s breed) before you decide to bring him home to your family.

I hope by now Rascal has found a new home, with a nice soft, warm bed and plenty of attention and exercise - doesn’t every dog deserve a human to love?

If you’ve been looking for more information about the recent pet food recall, I suggest you go straight to the source - You can find the FDA’s statement at their website.

You can find the press releases and list of recalled dog and cat food at the following websites:

Menu Foods, Inc. Press Release

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company Press Release

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. Press Release

P&G Pet Care Press Release (Consumers who have purchased IAMS or Eukanuba pet food who have questions should check the IAMS web site. Consumers who have purchased other pet food distributed by Menu Foods, Inc. should contact Menu.)

There have been no dry foods recalled at this time.

My next post will be about something more positive - like a nice older dog waiting for you at your local animal shelter.

I haven’t written in my dog blog for months - too busy moving to a new home, writing books, and building websites.

Now that I have a few minutes to spare (between writing a new website and rebuilding my new garden…) I thought it might be fun to highlight some of the great older dogs available now at animal shelters. My main site at older-dog.com has lots of articles on how to choose the right dog to adopt, but showing some pictures of real-life adoptable pooches might help you to see who might be waiting for you at the local shelter.

Today’s special canine is “Angel,” a spitz mix female, 10 and 1/2 years old, who is now at the Portland Oregon Humane Society Shelter. (Of course, by the time you read this she may have found a home, but if you’re in the area be sure to check out the nice dogs available on their website. It’s unusual to find small dogs like this at large city shelters - so Angel probably won’t be there very long.

Since Angel is a small dog, it would probably be best for her to go to a new home with older adults, instead of children. She’s still got a lot of years left to love her new owners, but may not want to play with active kids, who are often too rough for smaller dogs.

You may think that 10 years old is much “too” old - but my last pooch was a 10 year old Border collie (adopted from the Portland shelter), and I could barely keep up with her. A dog this age, especially a small one like Angel, could live another 5 to 8 years, and you know how grateful she’ll be to live with humans who love and care for her. Unlike humans, dogs readily adapt to their new families, and within a few days she’ll act like she belonged to you her whole life.

Have you adopted an older dog from an animal shelter or from a friend? Have you had good experiences (or bad…)? We’d love to hear your story - just add your comments to this article, or to any page on our site.

Central Fla. Inmates To Help Train Dogs
Local6.com - Orlando,FL,USA
In the “Paws and Stripes” program, inmates work with untrained dogs from rescue shelters and help the animals with social skills. …

Owners put their dogs health at risk by under exercising
Easier - Chester,UK
British dogs are being grossly under-exercised by their owners according to new research from Halifax Pet Insurance. The survey …

How to let dogs run free, be ‘good citizens’ in park
Louisville Courier-Journal - Louisville,KY,USA
I have been going to Barringer Hill for a number of years with my dogs and even before being a dog owner. In all this time, I’ve …

Nobody enjoys thinking about dog urine stains and odor, but it happens. Even older dogs have accidents. (And let’s also admit that dogs sometimes do it on purpose in order to mark their territory - no accident involved).

I’m thinking about this unpleasant subject at the moment because I just moved, and a very distinctive stain showed that a medium-sized dog had recently lifted his leg on my new porch. To prevent my own dog from re-marking the house when I moved him to his new home, I had to find a good dog urine cleaning product, and fast. With the help of my local pet store owner, (who also runs a house cleaning service), I did find a great product - but not at her pet store.

So where did my friendly pet store owner take me to find a serious dog urine cleaning product? She led me next door, to the auto supply house. She asked the proprietor to search his shelves for a product that would be good enough to remove the smell and the stain from my porch wall, but which would not be so strong that it would remove the paint. The product he had in stock was called Unbelievable!, from CORE Products Co., Inc., (but the man at the auto parts store said there are other brands that work as well). The product was developed for professional cleaners, and works to remove pet and food stains (and odors) from a car’s upholstery and carpet.

The product costs far less than the enzyme product I recently purchased from a veterinarian and it worked immediately. I just sprayed it on the siding where the dog lifted his leg, and the stain disappeared instantly, along with the smell. I’ll be trying it on that suspicious spot on the carpet in a few minutes.

So, next time you have a need for a dog urine cleaner, don’t head for the pet store - go to the auto supply store, and ask for a product that works on urine stains and odors. You’ll save money by not buying a product from the pet store or vet’s, and be happier with the results.

Some day (when I don’t feel like I’m in a hurry), I’ll try out a home-made product made from diluted hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. This works phenomenally well to neutralize skunk odor, but I’ve never tried it on dog or cat urine. If it does work, it will cost only a few pennies, and be much cheaper than anything you could buy at a store.

The first product that most people turn in these situations is enzyme-based cleaning products that can be purchased at grocery and pet stores. I recently had an opportunity to use an enzyme product on a borrowed cat carrier that had been sprayed by the owner’s cat, and most of the odor did go away, eventually. However, the enzyme product, which I purchased from a veterinarian, was expensive. It also took a long time to work, and my own cats could still tell that the carrier had been sprayed, even though my own human nose can no longer detect it. The product I purchased from the auto parts store worked better, and faster. And it cost less.

Some people try using ammonia for urine stains, but this doesn’t make much sense, except that it’s cheap and it’s something that you probably have on hand. If you’ve ever raised rabbits, you’ve already discovered that ammonia is a nitrogen-based compound that can be created by a buildup of urine. You know the hutch needs to be cleaned when you smell the ammonia. It doesn’t make sense to use ammonia to clean up urine. And besides - it stinks!)

Vinegar has traditionally been used to get rid of animal stains and odors, but I haven’t found that it works all that well. Vinegar does remove odors from the air, but it doesn’t do a thorough job of permanently removing the urine from a carpet or other surface. Therefore, the odor comes back, and it can encourage additional accidents.

Until I prove to myself that the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda recipe works, I’ll be sticking with the stain and odor removing product that I purchased from the auto parts store. It’s a serious dog urine cleaning product, and I’ve just proven to myself that it works.

The following article brings up a subject that many dog lovers would like to avoid - our beloved older dog’s risk of contracting cancer.

Cancer effects more than just people

From The Nevada Appeal, August 2, 2006

Tine Leutheuser isn’t your typical cancer survivor. When her right leg was bothering her a few months ago, the sable haired, brown-eyed beauty took a trip to the doctor only to find she had bone cancer.

A few days later while deciding on a course of action, her leg broke, leaving few options - she’d just have to get by on her other three.

Yes, Tine is a dog, and like many of her human counterparts in Incline Village, she is a cancer survivor.

So is her owner, Incline resident Ed Leutheuser, who beat bladder cancer 12 years ago.

The duo plan to walk in Friday’s Relay for Life event to celebrate cancer survivors, help raise money for cancer research and remember loved ones.

One person who Leutheuser, 75, will be remembering on Friday is his wife, Sue, who died of ovarian cancer in 2004.

“The great benefit of Relay for Life is that it’s a lot different than just writing a check,” Leutheuser said. “You actually get out there and participate and see other people participate. It’s a whole new dimension for the awareness of cancer treatment; the importance of helping to find cures.”

Leutheuser purchased nearly 30 luminaria bags this year to recognize the people close to him directly affected by cancer. His father, wife, two brothers and sister died of cancer.

“Cancer has touched me because (it has affected) a lot of people in my family, a lot of people I’ve known for a long time,” said Leutheuser, an Incline resident since 1999. “It’s a very personal thing for me this year.”

And last spring, cancer almost took his dog.

Walking by his side on Friday will be 10-year-old Tine, a Belgian Malinois Shepard, who had her right hind leg and right hip amputated in April. She will be donning a red short-sleeved sweatshirt that reads “Cancer Survivor.”

“Tine recovered fantastically,” Leutheuser said. “She bounds out of the house in the morning like a deer. She doesn’t hurt anymore - that’s all. She doesn’t know she has three legs.”

Cancer is common in dogs as they become middle-aged or older, said veterinarian James Lane of Incline Veterinary Hospital, who performed Tine’s surgery.

Cancer is a major cause of death in dogs, he said.

“I think (Tine’s story is) a great inspiration,” Lane said. “I’m not sure if this will be an inspiration to other dogs, but hopefully it will be an inspiration to their owners.”

Relay for Life takes place from 4 p.m. Aug. 4 to 7 a.m. Aug. 5 at Preston Field in Incline Village. For more information, contact Ginny Moore (775) 888-4204 or email vmoore@tfhd.com.

I just visited the local Humane Society, and it reminded me of the most difficult problem you experience when choosing a “used” dog. It’s a canine version of “false advertising.”

The quietest dog in the kennel could turn into the most exhuberant barker in your yard. The friendliest dog may just be begging to be uncaged - and he may be just as eager to find his way out of your yard and into trouble. The dog that looks the biggest and baddest may be a couch potato who licks your cats instead of chasing them, and who will be far happier on your lap (although he couldn’t possibly fit) than in the back yard.

It’s easy to take home the dog you think will be perfect, based on past experiences with other dogs, while the pooch you really need, (and who really needs you), was never noticed.
So how do you get to know the dogs well enough to choose the right one? By getting to know the people at the pound.

Anyone who works or volunteers at an animal shelter is deeply in love with animals. They know that finding the wrong home could be just as traumatic for their dogs as not finding a home at all.

For that reason, they will be honest if you ask about a particular mutt in their care. They’ll want you to know every idiosyncrasy, every strange habit, every destructive or inconvenient behavior. They won’t just tell you the good things about the dog, because they don’t want you to be surprised when you get your new dog home.

Even better than finding a dog and then asking about his history and temperment is to find a person at the shelter that you trust and ask him or her to watch for the perfect canine companion. Let this person know what type of personality you’re looking for, the perfect age, and the level of training you would like your new dog to have before you adopt him. Also share a bit about yourself - your age, your expectations, your limitations. Call back regularly to let the shelter know that you’re serious about finding the perfect dog for you, and they’ll call you when “your” dog walks through the receiving door.

My stepmother used this technique to find Oscar, a Wolfhound/Airdale cross who was a perfect fit in her household. If she were looking on her own, the size of this big-hearted mutt could have turned her away - but the shelter folks knew that Oscar belonged in her home, and she trusted them enough to begin a long and successful relationship. He finally passed away 4 years ago, and he is still sorely missed.

I finally met my brother’s new used dog, a Mini-Austrailian Shepherd. The little guy is one year old; his previous owners didn’t have time for him - a common problem with any of the herding breeds. He now has a perfect home - three acres of farm and woodland, and a new owner who adores him.

After meeting this sweet little dog, I got to thinking - does he still belong to the herding breeds? Genetically, he certainly does, and his behavior and personality fit with the Aussie mold. But he’s so little!

When we research dog breeds, in order to find exactly the right one for our family, we don’t always use the scientific breed categories, which are based on genetics. Instead, we consider basic personality, size, and behavior. However, these two go hand-in-hand - a true companion breed will never act like a bloodhound, or a search and rescue dog. Companion breeds were selected over many years for just one job - being with, and entertaining, people.

So we have to wonder - what happens when a breed that is remarkably well-suited for active, intelligent work in the field, like the Aussie, is then modified to have a smaller body so it will fit into the standard-sized home? His genetic makeup will still give him an intense curiosity and great problem-solving skills, and an obsessive desire to work. Whether or not that personality fits into a family setting is going to depend on the family. Can you give your new dog the time and attention that his powerful brain and active body will demand? Or would a slower dog (both mentally and physically) be a better fit for your lifestyle?

As the mini and toy Aussies become more and more popular, they may find themselves keeping company with the many Border Collies at the local Humane Society - a sad result of poor planning and selection on the part of their previous owners, but a great opportunity for people like my brother, who have the time and space that’s needed to keep one of these intelligent, loyal dogs happy.

Does everyone have that one dog in their life that all other dogs are measured against?

Mine was Simka, a big, hairy mutt whose mother was part German Shepherd. His father was unknown. My roomate and I both picked out a pup from the litter of 12, and Simka and Mica coudn’t have been more different. Her Mica was headstrong, sociable, and always ready for a game. My Simka followed every rule he could understand, tolerated other animals only because he had to, and acted like a grumpy old man before his first birthday. But he was amazingly loyal, loving, and devoted to me - and of course it was mutual.

My most recent dog, (who was 9 years old when I adopted her), was a darling Border Collie who was always polite, well-mannered and happy. Pepper’s only fault was a minor obsession with her Frisbee, but with Border Collies, an obsession or two is part of the package. No matter how you looked at it, she was a perfect dog - but I admit that there were times when I compared her to Simka. It wasn’t fair, of course (almost like comparing children - it just shouldn’t be done). But it happened.

I’ve known people who give up on dogs because they grieve the loss of that “special” dog that they know they’ll never be able to replace. But that’s just not my way. They’re all special, in one way or another, and it’s such a pleasure to get to know them. And who knows - it’s always possible that the next one will be even more perfect that old Simka was.

Carol, a reader, submitted the following:

I highly recommend adopting an older dog. We were fortunate enough to adopt an old Newfoundland about 1 1/2 years ago. She was rescued by the fire department from a storm drain which she had somehow gotten stuck in. They think she was stuck there for several days.

She was taken to the local animal shelter where they had to completely shave her because of all the mats. Afraid that no one would adopt a bald, elderly and very large dog, a worker called my sister to inquire if she knew anyone who would adopt this dog, and my sister called me. I didn’t hesitate to say, “Yes.”

We only had Suzie a year before she had to be put to sleep, but during that year I fell in love with Newfoundlands. Suzie was the sweetest, most gentle and patient dog I have ever had or known.

She spent her days indoors with us, sprawled out so she looked like a big black bear sleeping in our house. At night she went outside to sleep in a giant dog house my husband built for her, with a giant dog pillow for warmth and comfort.

We miss Suzie.

Carol

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