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Articles from December 2019

Canine Decompression: What It Is and Why It’s Important

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As of this writing (Sept 15,2019) my wife and I have fostered 95 dogs. Some were here for only a week, some for nearly a year.  Of those 95 dogs there have been 12 to 15 people who contacted me wanting to know why the dog they got from me is not behaving as advertised: getting aggressive, peeing in the house, and generally acting out.  Of the cases where I was able to ask questions of them – and got honest answers – I found that this family almost always did just what they should not do with a new dog.  This is to toss the new dog into the midst of the family and proceed to lavish love and permissiveness on them, thinking that this will make the dog feel welcomed and loved, so it will (of course) show it’s love for them by being well behaved and obedient. This almost never works.  There are several reasons for this:

  • Dogs are not short, furry people who walk on all fours.  Their psychology differs from ours in several key ways.
  • Entering a new home with new people and new dog siblings can be a scary proposition.  Your new family member needs a little time to get his bearings.
  • If arrival at your place was preceded by a many-hours-long rescue ride, she will probably be quite stressed and maybe a little nauseated.
  • Once she is settled, he will need to decide where he fits into the social order of your home.  It’s up to you to help him do that.

What Is Decompression?

Decompression is a combination of acclimatization and recovery. An uncomfortable experience: a rescue run or incarceration in a shelter, will take a little time to get over. Recovery refers more to physical well being.  It is a necessary step in helping your new family member (adopted or foster) settle successfully into your home.

How Is Decompression Done?

I strongly recommend using a crate in a quiet part of your home.  Not in isolation – unless that turns out to be needed, just not in the center of your traffic flow.

Some people view crating a dog as cruelty.  When done properly it is not.  When done properly a dog will view his crate as his “room”, his personal space and a safe place to go when he’s feeling stressed.  A crate should never be used as punishment.

By crating the newcomer, you can safely introduce the rest of your pack (four-legged and two legged) with reduced discomfort for the new dog and in perfect safety for you.

Make the crate as comfortable as possible with a cushion or blankets, add a couple of toys, and a bowl of water.  Make sure the crate is located for easy access to an exterior door for regular walking. And check on the newbie often, preferably not en masse. Do this gently and softly.  If she wants to come out and cuddle with you, fine.  If not, then sit on the floor a short distance away and talk to her.

Feed him in his crate to start with. He will feel safer in there.  Have ONE person do the feedings for the first week or so.  This helps to establish who the top dog is, even if it’s a person.  Whoever is going to be responsible for this dog needs to do these initial feedings, and needs to spend the most time with him.

Once you know all the other family pets will be tolerant of the newbie, she may come out to explore the house under supervision.

Like people, dogs have differing personalities.  How much time it takes to fit into a new home will vary from dog to dog, but generally speaking, give it at least a couple of days – longer if the new dog seems nervous or frightened.  The former home may have had dogs, cats, and children just like your home, but they were different dogs, cats, and children.  And a different home.  It’s a different lay-out, different smells and sounds.  Everything here is new to this dog.  Give her time to adjust and accept the changes.

The Worst Things You Can Do

Sudden Immersion Do not toss the new dog into the middle of your family without decompression time.  Imagine if you were abducted from your life, everyone you know and care about, and suddenly found yourself among strangers in a strange place who act as though you should be just fine with it all.  Even in a shelter, dogs form bonds with their caretakers.  They know the dogs in the kennels near them. They know the smells and sounds of the place, they may not like it, but it’s what they know.  Being swept away to a new life, even a life of luxury, is change and change takes time to adjust to.

Mobbed by Clowns  Keep initial “getting to know you” sessions short and positive.  Limit the number of visitors (human and otherwise).  Mobbing the newcomer, especially if you’re all giggling and squealing with delight, will most likely be frightening.

Alone and Ignored  On the other hand being lonely and ignored is counter productive.

Reward Bad Behavior  If you rush in and release the dog every time she paws on the crate door or cries, you are teaching her that these bad behaviors are the means to freedom.  If you think it likely that she needs to go out to potty, get her to calm down before you open the door.  Reward the good behavior.

Let Him Make the Rules  If you allow the new dog to set his own boundaries you are telling him that he is the boss and you are subservient.  That is a horrible idea, for this will lead to aggressive behavior as he tries to fill the roll of pack leader that you set up for him.  Establish your house pet rules then stick to them. Everyone in the house needs to adhere to the same rules.  If Dad says “No dogs on the sofa” but Mom lets the dog sit with her while dad is gone, she’s confusing the dog and setting him up for failure.  Your dog will be only as reliable as you are consistent with his training.

Award Unearned Privilege  You will not bribe a dog into good behavior by offering treats or privilege.  That’s one of the differences between dogs and people.  Provide your dog with treats and privilege only as it is earned through the choices they make.  When good choices yield a good thing (treat or privilege), good behavior is reinforced.  When bad behavior results in the same rewards, bad behavior is reinforced.

SUMMARY

Give your new house guest a safe, comfortable place to stay while she adapts to her new environment.  Be patient, let her progress at her speed.  Reward only good behavior.  Be her new pack leader.  Do this and you will have a rewarding relationship with your new dog.

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Why Foster Care?

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Animal shelters and rescue programs desperately need the help of people who will provide in-home foster care for some of their animals.

What Is Animal Foster Care?

Foster Care saves lives
Belle – July 3013

Animal foster care is similar to human foster care in that you provide a loving, safe, temporary environment for animals in need. Programs vary from facility to facility, but generally The Shelter/Rescue provides the food and medications; you supply the place and the love.

Why Animal Foster Care?

Shelters and rescues need foster homes for several reasons:

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SMILE

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Piney Mountain Foster Care is now registered with Amazon Smile.

If you don’t know what that is, it’s a program Amazon.com runs where it lets its shoppers decide where it will give their corporate charity donations.  To use it you go to https://smile.amazon.com and choose the charity you want to support.  To select PMFC, use this window:

and type in “Piney Mountain Foster Care” in the “Charity name or location” window.
Click/tap the [Search] button and it will pull up Piney Mountain Foster Care, Inc.

Once you’ve selected it, all Smile purchases will have 0.5% of the order total sent to PMFC.  I should point out that this money comes off AMAZON’S profit, it is not added to your total.  They do not inflate prices for Smile shoppers (I’ve tested this).  Amazon is simply letting you tell them where to donate the money they have already decided to give to charity.

The catch is that to make it work you need to enter Amazon.com through the Smile portal (https://smile.amazon.com) for your purchases to count.  I make this easy by saving this site to a tab on my browser navigation bar.  Click that link and I’m in and ready to shop.

Once you’ve used it a time or two Amazon.com will ask you, “Wouldn’t you rather be using the Smile portal?” and switch you over if you say “yes”.  But you have to get it right on your own a couple of times first.

The really cool thing is that you can support PMFC (or any other registered charity) just by shopping for things you were going to buy anyway!  It’s not just certain items, or at certain times: it’s everything, always.

So, if you use Amazon.com, please support PMFC each time you shop by using the Smile program.  And tell your friends!  Half a percent may not be a lot of money on a single purchase, but if a gang of folks are doing it regularly it adds up.  And we will gladly accept all the help we can get!

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PMFC is a 501(c)(3) Charity
 If you enjoy our updates, Doggy Tales, and educational articles consider subscribing for notices when new pieces are posted. It’s painless and you can unsubscribe any time you want. Your e-mail address is used ONLY to deliver these notices. [email-subscribers namefield=”YES” desc=”” group=”Public”]

Dog Bath Day: When and How to Wash Dogs

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Originally published on Apr 16, 2014

dog bath time
If only it were this easy!

This was supposed to have been MEGA DOG BATH DAY here at Piney Mountain Foster Care. What I mean is that all 5 dogs, ranging from 50 pounds to 85 pounds, would be getting a trip through The Dog Wash. That being the bathtub I left in place when I converted the mobile home we once lived in into my workshop and office and now kennels. Having their own tub saves a lot of wear and tear on our bathroom at home.

But, it has turned chilly today (high 40’s) rainy (been raining steadily since 10:00 last night) and now becoming quite windy. It doesn’t seem fair to give them all baths on a day they won’t dry out. Maybe tomorrow – then I can include Smokey (due to arrive tomorrow) and have the whole crowd done and ready to receive their flea and tick treatments for the month.

And if you don’t hear from me for a while, it’ll be because I’ve strained every muscle in my body wrestling these dogs into the tub: it is amazing the way they can manipulate gravity at the sight of a bathtub! Cochise and Blondie can easily dial up their 85 pounds to what feels like 200!

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Scout Shepherd

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Originally named “Gus” by the Friends Animal Shelter, details eventually came out as to who he was and why he is so scared of people.  You’d be scared too if someone shot you in the head!  Scout is here to find serenity and learn trust once again.

Last Updated: Nov 26, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Jan. 14, 2020
  • Breed: Shepherd Mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Youth, Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 55 Pounds
  • Spayed/Neutered: Unknown
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Nervous, timid but not aggressive.
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: No
  • Housebroken: Maybe.
  • Departure date: Undetermined

History

Scout was part of a “pack” of dogs whose owner let them run loose in the neighborhood.  One neighbor took exception to that and shot Scout in the head.  He survived — physically — but is so scared of everything now he won’t let most people anywhere near him.

Scout’s Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: Unknown

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Getting there
  • Is good with:
    .   Men: Yes, once he warms to you.
    .   Women: Yes, once he warms to you
    .   Children: Little Kids are scary things!
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: No

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: No
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Unknown
  • Understands going outside to potty: Unknown
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: Unknown
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Unknown
  • Stays off people furniture: Unknown

Commands:

  • Comes when called: No
  • Sits on command: No
  • Down / Off: No
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: No

Medical

  • DA2PP: date (by)
    . Booster:
  • Bordatella: date (by)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
  • Rabies: date (by)
  • Spay/Neuter: date (by)
  • Heartworm Test: date, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . Stopped eating 06/10, very loose stool.  Giving 11ml Fendbendazole daily 06/11 – 06/15 – that took care of it.
    .

Diet

Victor Classic Professional dry dog food:
. ½ cup kibble & 5 oz home made stew AM
. ½ cup kibble & 4 oz. home made stew PM

Our peanut butter treats as rewards for compliance.  Other treats include Retriever Beef Basted Sticks and Hartz Oinkies: Chicken

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Your room is ready, sir.

Tarp in place to block that cold North wind.

Scouts hidey hole from the bitter cold.

Dog’s eye view

New ceiling from sheets of cardboard over warm room hold down the heat.

But he’s not having any part of that, so I hung a heat lamp over his bed outside.

Scout is letting me pet him!

FINALLY! I got a collar on him

Progress Updates

Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.

Jan 14

Today Scout bade farewell (for a while) to Autumn at Friends Animal Shelter.  She was the only staff member able to get inside Scout’s defenses (and his kennel).  She accomplished this with her gentle spirit — and bags of Krystal cheeseburgers.

I took her advice and showed up for my first “interview” with Scout with a bag of bribery in tow.  It worked, he let me come into his kennel and sit in one corner while he cowered in the opposite corner.  But he let me in!

Yesterday Marie bought a box of White Castle cheeseburgers at the grocery store — they’re pretty much the same, right?  Maybe not!  Today I held out a quarter of a White Castle to Scout, he sniffed it and turned up his nose, “That is NOT a Krystal cheeseburger!”  He wanted nothing to do with it — until we got him into the transport box and were on our way to PMFC, then he decided to pick out the meat and cheese, but stomped the bun into paste on the floor of his box.

Jan 19

It’s going to be COLD over the next few nights, down in the teens.  Yeah, yeah, the Wisconsinites scoff when I say that, “You call THAT cold?” Well, yeah, in Tennessee we DO call that cold.  And I’m concerned about Scout.  All the others will go inside at night — and in the day if it’s too cold, just come out for potty breaks.  But Scout isn’t having any part of wearing a collar yet, much less going for leash walks.

The plan has always been to have inside and outside areas for our kennels.  But the inside part has not come to pass yet.  But we decided to try to do something with it for Scout.

Dog’s eye view

The building is still full of lumber stacks.  There is an aisle between one stack and the kennel side wall.  We bought a couple of brood lamps to hang over that aisle, put a piece of carpet on the floor set a raised bed in there with blankets on it and a bed warmer under them, then blocked off the end of the aisle with a large live trap stood on end.  Then, I unblocked the door to the interior so he could get in there.  I put his water dish in there, and his food dish.  He went in to eat then came back out.  I went in to retrieve the dish and it was noticeably warmer so it should stay reasonably comfortable even when it gets down to the 20’s outside.

Jan 26

Scout still prefers his outside bed.  But then, it’s only getting down to the mid 30’s at night.  I think enclosed spaces make him nervous.  But someone has been in sleeping on that bed in the warm room.  So, maybe, late at night when things are boring …

When I take Phoenix her lunch bowl, I warm up a White Castle cheeseburger for Scout.  He has gotten to where his eyes light up when I come out at noon.  I tear it into quarters and he takes the pieces from my fingers.  He will let me  pet him on the muzzle, and when I go in his kennel to perform “housekeeping” he often just lies on his bed and watches instead of scooting about trying to find an escape route.  We’re getting there.

Feb 4

Feb 16

This boy has reached a tableau. He is comfortable with me being in his room and will let me pet him, but he’s still too nervous to put a collar on. I think it would do him a world of good to get him out of his kennel occasionally for some yard time. But I’d need to be able to get him back in, and that means a collar and lead at the least.

He too has an inside space, a larger space, heated with a brood lamp where he can escape the bitter cold. He usually does not use it. I can only guess that he prefers to be out where he can see what’s going on. So he has a heat lamp over his outside bed as well. There have been a couple of times that I went out for Phoenix’s early walk and Scout was in his hidey hole.

March 6

Scout hates the camera, so it’s hard to get photos or videos of his progress, but we are making some progress.

He will now let me pet him any time I want.  He still loves his cheeseburger for lunch, and will come right over and stand next to me to get the pieces I tear off for him.  He does a little spin-in-a-circle happy dance when I bring him food.  His tail is not tucked up hard under his belly all the time.

Heavy rain spooks him really badly and this is about the only time he will go hide inside the building.  Otherwise he prefers to lounge on his Kuranda under the heat lamp.  That steel roof IS loud in a heavy rain.  I should probably have the underside of it sprayed with urethane foam to deaden that and insulate it against heat transfer in the summer.

March 20

We have made slow, steady progress with Scout.  He still stresses and is anxious about human interaction, but he will let me pet him any time I want.  He is especially sensitive about touching the left side of his head behind the ear, that may be where the bullet wound is.

When I bring him his cheeseburger for lunch, he does a little happy dance by twirling in a circle.  I wish I could get video of it, but if I bring the camera, even if I set it up outside the kennel, he spooks out and won’t do anything.  He will walk right over and stand in front of me to get the cheeseburger pieces I hand him.

His tail is now longer permanently tucked tight up under his belly, Most of the time it hangs down and is motionless.

I did get a collar on him.  That caused him to lie on his bed and tremble the rest of the day.

Its been a couple of days now and he’s getting used to the collar, as long as I don’t touch it.  It’s possible it presses on that bullet wound and hurts – but that’s a guess.  A harness might be better for him, but getting him into a harness is a pipe dream right now.  My goal is to get him out in the yard on a lead.  He’d do better if he had some freedom.

April 15

Every animal lover knows that a dogs tail tells volumes about what the dog is thinking or feeling. (If you don’t know, check this out: https://pineymountainfoster.org/dogs-tail-tells-a-tale/ ) So you will understand the happiness I feel over the changes in Scout.

Scout is (or was) terrified. So much so that he was perishing at the shelter. So he came to Piney Mountain to find some serenity. It’s been a long road, a road paved with White Castle Cheese Sliders as inducements for him to let me get close (Thank you Autum: that was a great tip). He has spent much of his time with his tail tucked up tight under his belly. Terrified. You would too if someone yelled at you for being in his yard and then shot you in the head. He survived, but he carries more than physical scars.

He has come to anticipate my mid-day visit, when I bring him a warm cheese slider, tear it up into pieces and hand feed it to him. He got into a habit of doing a little spinning dance of joy when I approached his kennel with his favorite snack. In the past few days he has started doing this when I bring him his morning and evening kibbles too. And yesterday he turned loose and allowed his tail to come up above his spine as he spun around. I loved seeing that!

He allows me to pet him on the head and shoulders. He often draws down to the floor: he’s still nervous about it, but not fearful. And if I’m late with his lunch, he’s not afraid to call me out, reminding me that he’s waiting. It’s slow, but he’s making progress.

It may be that Scout will need someone special to give him a forever home. Someone who is patient and kind, and gentle. He may never be a “normal” dog again. But Scout is a sweet fellow. An exceptionally handsome fellow. A good boy. He wants to be loved, and to love, but that fear of being hurt again gets in the way. It won’t be long now that the crust is cracking, and he’s opening up. Now that that tail is rising to the occasion.

June 27

Scout show definite signs of wanting to come out and play with the Huskies, especially Cyrus.  But when I go in with a leash, the leash spooks him – foreign objects are scary.  I can go in with my pooper scooper, hose, floor brush, squeegee, and disinfectant foamer and he’s fine with all that because he recognizes these things now.  I’ll start taking a leash in with me at treat times and work on getting him out in the yard.

One thing I must say is that he tries SO hard to keep his room clean.  He lifts his leg and pees THROUGH the fencing to get his urine outside, and he has one small spot where he leaves his poop, and no where else.  If I can get him out for leash walks, he will “housebreak” easily.

Nov 26

Very little has changed.  We seem to have reached a plateau with this boy that he is not wiling to move past.  It’s time to seek some other solution for this sweet boy.  Obviously I don’t have what it takes to fix Scout.

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Cheyan Cinnastreak: Notes on a foster dog

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Friday the 13th may be unlucky to some, but for Cheyan this was one wonderfully lucky day:
she got sprung from Animal Control, passed her blood tests, and got to meet a couple more Beagles!

Last Updated: Feb 13, 2020

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Dec. 13, 2019
  • Breed: Beagle
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 31.2 Pounds currently
  • Spayed/Neutered: Yes
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: A bit timid, but very sweet and friendly.
  • Departure date: January 17, headed for New Hampshire.

History

Cheyan was an owner surrender.  Her Mom lived in an apartment with no yard, and just let Cheyan run loose.  Neighbors were complaining and calling Animal Control.  When they picked up Cheyan, Mom said, “Just keep her.”  When she came to Animal Control she was terrified: all eyeballs and tremble.  The staff there worked with her and she has calmed down, but was still skittish with strangers.

Cheyan’s Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
  • Preferred style of play: She likes to run/chase and wrestling.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Is scared of large men, does fine with me.
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Yes
    . Cats: Yes
  • Jumps up on people: Yes, but is very gentle, seeking petting.  Still, I’m working on that.
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters her crate: Yes, with a bribe.
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes.  If left alone she will bark for a bit, but settles down.
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes: goes to the door.
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No.  She knows it’s bad, but … she’s a beagle.
  • Stays off people furniture: Mostly.

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Usually
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: Yes
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: Yes

Medical

  • DA2PP: 12/07/2019 (NAC)
    . Booster: 12/21/2019 (PMFC)
  • Bordatella: 12/07/2019 (NAC)
  • Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
    .   12/07/2019 Pyrantel Pamoate 2.0 ml (NAC)
  • Rabies: 12/26/2019 (Cedarwoood)
  • Spay/Neuter: 12/26/2019 (Cedarwoood)
  • Heartworm Test: 12/13/2019, Negative (Cedarwood)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . 12/29/2019, Credelio, 25-50 lbs
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . 12/13/2019, Ivermectin Solution, 0.3 ml
    . 01/13/2020 Heartgard, 26-50 lb
  • NOTES:
    .  She has been underweight because she’s a picky eater.  It is suspected she existed on table scraps before.  21.4 lbs at NAC intake.
    .

Diet

4Health Salmon & Potato recipe, 1¼ cups AM, 1 cup PM.  She is eating this well now.
Loves our peanut butter treats as rewards.

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

FEATURED VIDEO

Progress Updates

Notes on Cheyan’s progress will be entered below: newest on the bottom.

Dec 13

When I first met Cheyan, she was still quite scared: choosing to stay at the back of her kennel and tremble.  Today she did better.  It did not take nearly as long as I thought it might to win her trust enough to fit her into a harness.  I was warned that she’s a runner.  If she gets loose, she will turn into a cinnamon colored streak that is exceptionally hard to catch again.  A harness is more secure, and easier on her neck if she decides to start jerking the leash.  She did not.  In fact she walked well in the harness.

I took her to Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital for her Heartworm test.  While she was with me in the waiting room, she sat calmly between my knees.  When folks came to say “Hi” she responded well to most.  There was one fellow — large side of average for a man — who came in with a cat, stopped to pet Cheyan but she dived under the chairs.  As we were leaving, another large fellow met us outside and, although he was friendly and gentle, Cheyan was terrified of him.   She did not react this way to the women, and she was wary of me at first, but got past that quickly.  I suspect this is because I’m small, for a man, and I got down on the floor with her quickly to ease her tensions.

Cheyan has had a potty run with Buddy Beagle.  They got along famously!  When I went into her kennel to put on her walking harness, she stood up and slipped her head through the neck hole — she really wanted to go for a walk.  Smart girl!

Dec. 23

Cheyan has given me no trouble at all.  She’s a sweet, loving little gal who adores being petted, enjoys playing with other dogs, and runs like the wind.  She’s good at keep-away, too.  Until she will reliably come when called, I keep a “handle” on her during yard play time.  This is a 12 to15 foot length of rope with a piston clip fastened to one end.  I attach this to the collar or harness of dogs in training so I can get hold of them by grabbing or stepping on the rope as they tease me by flashing by, just out of reach.

She walks well on a leash, and looks forward to going inside at night.  She sleeps in a crate, has not torn up her blankets and is quiet once she gets past the initial, “don’t go away” phase right after I leave the room.

Dec 26

I took Cheyan to Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital this morning for her spay surgery.  She rode inside the extended-cab with me and did well.  I’ve set up a crate for her in the house where she will be sleeping until she transports north in January.

After her surgery, Cheyan was in a good deal of pain, but refused to take her Tramadol (for said pain).  Eventually I had to poke it down her throat, which she made more traumatic than it needed to be.

The only thing she has eaten in the last 24 hours got vomited up in the truck on the way home from the veterinarian, so the pain meds hit hard and fast on an empty stomach.  Hopefully she will feel like eating in the morning after a good night’s rest.

Dec 28

Cheyan went over 30 hours without eating or drinking anything.  Everything she consumed, even water, came right back up.  I took her to Cedarwood and Dr. Courtney gave her an IV injection of something to fight the nausea.  That worked.  She finally settled in to sleep and when she awoke was able to keep down a little water.  She wasn’t interested in the food I offered her.  So we tried some shredded mozzarella cheese and bacon bits.  That interested her!  So I rolled out my secret weapon.  Something I keep on hand to use in giving medications to dogs who won’t take pills hidden in cheese, peanut butter, or hot dog: Cat food!  The tins of cat food with small chunks of meat in gravy.  Dogs go nuts for that stuff and its got less salt and fat than cheese and bacon – which is okay as a kick-starter but not a meal.  I gave her half of a can of the canned cat food and she licked the bowl clean!  I left her a small bowl of kibble to nibble on over night, and she has, but don’t want to over-do on her first meal after being empty for so long.

Oh, and she is not as housebroken as I had thought.  So I set up a BIG crate for her to rest in.

Jan 5

Cheyan has recovered well from her surgery.  She is eating regularly and eagerly.  She’s still a bit thin, but not so bony now that she’s been eating.  She does run a lot so she burns up a lot of the calories she takes in.

Cheyan still gets along with everyone.  She is better at the house breaking thing but I have to keep an eye on her.  When she needs to go out she goes to the door.  If I miss that, she will pee on the floor.  She has never left a BM in the house.  As long as I let her out often she’s fine.

She can eat free-range with the other dogs.  And she plays well with everyone.  She is not intimidating to anyone (other than having weaponized her cone (LOL)) but is the only one who can keep up with Bandit.

Jan 14

Cheyan hanging with her friends.

Cheyan & Blondie

Hey, what gives?

Mischief with Buddy

Resting with Callie Roo

Snoozing with Josie

Jan 15

Cheyan has been doing really well in her house-breaking: no accidents in quite a while now, and she has started coming to get me if I don’t see her standing at the door.  She’s also ready to dispense with the crate for sleeping at night.

She pays attention when she gets rowdy in the house and I teller to settle down.  And she is doing much better at going outside and coming back.  Where she would go out and stay out for an hour or more, she now comes back more quickly.  This is good when we’re doing potty runs and another shift needs to go out.

I don’t like letting all 6 dogs go out unsupervised at once — too much chance of one aggravating another, who grumps, which could start an argument, which will turn into a full-on dog fight as everyone piles in.  Not good!  I avoid setting that up.

Jan 18

We sent Cheyan off to A.R.N.N.E. yesterday.  In her last week here she has become quite civilized.

Cheyan developed this as her “nest”. Her favorite bed adorned with her favorite toys arranged so each is in easy reach. Any time I didn’t see her, this is where she would be.

But when the need arose, Cheyan could share her special space with others.

Cheyan rode well on our little road trip to meet her ride North.

We met the transport at a truck stop.

Cheyan’s paperwork was found to be in order and a stateroom assigned for the journey.

Our part in Cheyan’s rescue story has come to an end.  But the rest of her life, a happier life, is about to begin.  Happy tails, Little Miss!

Feb 13

Her adoption is complete and her NH foster mom writes, “Cheyan takes the last step to her forever home tomorrow. Cheyan we’ll miss you and we’ll never forget you. Stay goofy and adorable. Have a wonderful life.”

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Canine Heartworm Disease Cause and Treatment

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Originally published on: Apr 25, 2014

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Heartworm disease is a serious and eventually fatal condition caused by parasitic nematode (roundworm) living in the arteries of the lungs and the right side of the heart. Dogs are considered the primary host for heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis), however heartworms may infect more than 30 species of animals including coyotes, foxes, wolves and other wild canids, domestic cats and wild felids, ferrets, sea lions, etc. They can infect humans as well, although this is rare. Cases of canine heartworm disease have been reported in all 50 states, but are particularly endemic in the south and east portions of the USA from Texas to North Carolina.

What Causes Heartworm Disease?

mosquitos carry heartworm diseaseHeartworm disease is spread by infected mosquitos. A mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected animal and takes in blood containing the heartworm pre-larvae or microfilariae, pronounced: micro-fil-ar-ee-a. During the next 10 to 14 days, the microfilariae mature to the infective larval stage within the mosquito. These small, hair-like organisms can then be transmitted to other dogs by the same mosquito. It then takes a little over 6 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms. The mature worms then breed and release more microfilariae which can be transferred to other dogs via new mosquito bites. Those that remain develop, mature, breed and produce more new worms. These adult worms take up residence in the arteries of the heart and lungs, interfering with the operation of heart valves and blood flow through the lungs.

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Burton Flirtsworthy: Notes on a foster dog

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Burton is quite the lover.  He loves everyone, and just wants attention.  He even plays with cats.

 

Last Updated: Dec 28

Base Info:

 

  • Arrival date: Dec. 7, 2019
  • Breed: Black & Tan Hound
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: @ 49 Pounds (should be 60-70)
    .              54.8 pounds 12/18
  • Spayed/Neutered: Not yet
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Friendly, affectionate, gentle.
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Working on it
  • Departure date:  Jan 11, 2020, returned to FAS

History

Picked up as a stray on November 30th, this poor boy was skin and bones.  He needed some serious groceries!

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No: is grabby from being starved.
  • Preferred style of play: He’s not really into play.  He prefers to explore the yard.  Another dog may join him on walking around, but if the other gets rowdy, Burton retires to his room.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown – but probably.
  • Jumps up on people: No
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: No.  Pulls.  Working on that

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty: Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: No.
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No he will seek food anywhere it may be found.
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Sometimes
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: No
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: Yes

Burton’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/30/2019 (FAS)
    . Booster: 12/18/2019 (FAS)
  • Bordatella: 11/30/2019 (FAS)
  • Wormed: 11/30 to 12/02/2019 | Product? | 9.8 ml | (FAS)
  • Rabies: NEEDED
  • Spay/Neuter: NEEDED
  • Heartworm Test: NEEDED, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . Burton was underweight by 15 pounds.
    . Burton’s teeth are bad, but that does not seem to affect his eating.

Diet

4Health Salmon & Potato recipe, 1¼ cups with 2 Tbs Coconut oil 3x daily.  Down from 1 cup 5x daily now that he’s looking good.

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Progress Updates

 

Dec 8

He loaded up easily and rode well in a transport box from FAS to PMFC.  Initial meetings with the PMFC gang went smoothy, Bandit really wanted to play with him.  I think the two of them will get along well.  But I was wrong.  Bandit is too “enthusiastic”, Burton is not strong enough to match him, so Burton retreats.  He likes Buddy Beagle, though!

That night, he crated easily and settled in right away.

Sunday afternoon I let him play with Josephine (who declined) and Buddy (who followed Burton around calmly).  He’s doing exceptionally well at getting along with others.

Dec 18

I took Burton to FAS for his parvo booster today.  It’s COLD out so I let him ride in the extended cab of my truck instead of using a transport box in the back.  I have a shell over the bed so there would be no wind, but there’s no heat back there so it would still be 29° in there.  He did well.  He also behaved at the shelter, even played with a couple of hallway cats.

Dec 28

Burton is looking much better.  Being a big, lanky hound Burton should be … lanky.  But not scrawny like he was.  His ribs, spine, and hips no longer show through in sharp relief and he is building muscle in his legs.  His cough has cleared up too.

But he is still the sweet, gentle, affectionate fellow Burton has always been.  He will make a great family companion.

He still attacks his food like he hasn’t eaten in days, and he has become quite strong – and can pull like a tractor on a leash.  Using a front clip helps deter that.  He has not torn up the bedding in his crate and he LOVES going inside at night to sleep.

He likes to explore and will be a wanderer if allowed to run loose.  Burton is ready to seek a forever home.

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Dawson Wigglestump: Notes on a foster dog

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This is a foster dog diary post about Dawson. New information will be added to the end of this post so all info on this dog is kept in one place and in chronological order. If you subscribe for updates, a short note will be sent when updates are posted. If you don’t subscribe, check back periodically to see what’s been added.

Last Updated: Dec. 7

Dawson is a friendly, gentle, amusing fellow.  I can’t imagine why someone starved him then dumped him.

Base Info:

  • Arrival date: Dec. 2, 2019
  • Breed: Boxer/hound mix
  • Sex: Male
  • Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
  • Weight: 53.8 Pounds
  • Neutered: Not yet
  • General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
  • Temperament: Sweet, playful, loving
  • Gets Along with: People, Dogs, Cats
  • Crate Trained: Yes
  • Housebroken: Yes No
  • Departure date: December 7th, 2019

History

Dawson was dumped by someone at the end of a dead-end road in Del Rio. He was 30 pounds under-weight and in pretty rough shape, but still a sweet boy. A local called Animal Control to come rescue him.  He weighed 46.1 pounds at that time – should be at least 70 pounds!  Friends Animal Shelter put eight pounds on him before he came here.  I’ll finish the job so they can adopt him into a GOOD home.

Progress Summary:

Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.

Dog to Dog Behavior

  • Relates well to other dogs: Yes
  • Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No Yes
  • Preferred style of play: He likes to play with a large ball.  Hasn’t initiated play with Blondie yet.

Dog to People Behavior

  • Is affectionate: Yes
  • Is good with:
    . Men: Yes
    . Women: Yes
    . Children: Unknown
  • Jumps up on people: He bounces into me in play.
  • Mouths: No
  • Walks well on a leash: Yes

House Dog Training

  • Willingly enters his crate: Yes
  • Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
  • Understands going outside to potty: No Yes
  • Alerts me of need to go outside: No Yes
  • Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
  • Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
  • Stays off people furniture: No Yes

Commands:

  • Comes when called: Getting better
  • Sits on command: Yes
  • Down / Off: No
  • Shake / Paw: No
  • Kennels on command: With bribery

Dawson’s Medical

  • DA2PP: 11/19/2019 (FAS)
    . Booster:
  • Bordatella: 11/19/2019 (FAS)
  • Wormed: 11/19/2019, Panacur, 9 ml (FAS)
  • Rabies: NEEDED
  • Spay/Neuter: NEEDED
  • Heartworm Test: NEEDED, result (by)
  • Flea/Tick preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • Heartworm preventative:
    . date, product, dose
  • NOTES:
    . At intake he has a bad case of runny stool due to his digestive system shutting down from starvation.  I’ll add sweet potato to his kibble to help regulate the bowels.
    .

Diet

1 cup 4Health Salmon & Potato recipe with Coconut oil and fresh sweet potato added,  5 times daily

Gallery

In chronological order, newest at the bottom. Some pictures are linked to a more detailed Doggy Tale about that update, click those to open the related story.

Progress Updates

When picked up by Animal Control, Dawson weighed only 46.1 pounds when he should be at least 70 pounds.  He was described to me as being “skin on bones”.  He is approximately 1 year old, maybe a bit less.  Probably someone’s Christmas puppy last year, now dumped to make room for this years “gift”.  His digestive system isn’t working right from having been empty for too long.  We’re addressing that with pureed pumpkin and small, frequent meals.

When I picked him up he met the shelter cat on his way to the scales.  He gave the cat a friendly, “Hello there!” and kept walking.

Dec. 02

His first day has been spent settling in.  Our gang has been out to meet him and no one had any disparaging words.  Except Spartacus the 23 pound beagle.  He stood up on fencing and baroo’d several times, telling Dawson that he is boss here.  Dawson cocked his head and looked at him with a “you’ve GOT to be kidding me” look.

Dawson found a yard ball and had a great time playing with it while I set up a crate in the bunkhouse for him to sleep in at night.  Bandit will be glad to have a roomie again.

This big boy is going to go through a LOT of kibble as we get some weight back on him, and coconut oil, and canned pumpkin.  If anyone would like to help us with that expense, we’d be ever-so grateful.

Dec. 5

Over the past couple of days, adding mushed up sweet potato (from my garden) to Dawson’s kibble has done wonders for his diarrhea.  He’s passing almost normal stools now.  And I think his bones are not showing through quite as sharply as they were.  He’s getting kibble measured for a dog of 125 pounds PLUS coconut oil.  He’s fed at 5:30 am, 9:00 am, noon, 3:00 pm, and 5:30 pm.

He goes inside at night to sleep and he is good about going into his crate and settling for the night.  In the morning he’s eager to get out but does not drag me back to the play yard.  He eats his breakfast, makes a quick potty run, then returns to his room (kennel) to settle in on the blankets on his Kuranda with his chew toys and his ball.  He LOVES that ball!

Dec. 7

Im going WHERE!?
I’m going WHERE!?

Last night we got back late (just before midnight) from a transport and I was messaging with Elisha at Friends Animal Shelter.  She said that a rescue in Boston had seen this page and really wants Dawson.  I mean REALLY want’s him, and they want him ASAP.  So I took Dawson back to FAS this morning where he will hook up with Brother Wolf (from Asheville NC), who will facilitate his transport to Boston.  Wow!

It has been a genuine pleasure working with this handsome fellow.  I loved the way when I’d bring his food to him (in a zip-lock baggie because I made up the days supply every morning) he’d put a paw on his dish and scoot it back and forth, indicating, “Here it it, this is my dish.  Put the food in here so I can eat.  I’m SO hungry!”  But he never went after the baggie or tried to take the food away from me.  Handsome and polite!  Happy tails, big fella!

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Lyme Disease and Your Dog

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Originally published May 2, 2014

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Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete: a type of bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to dogs by a tick. The most common type of tick to carry Lyme disease is the Deer Tick. Once in the blood stream, the Lyme disease organism is carried to many parts of the body but tends to localize in the joints.

Lyme disease affects both dogs and people, but people cannot get it directly from a dog. The disease is transmitted by ticks, therefore preventing tick bites is important for your health and that of your dog.

Clinical Signs of Lyme Disease

lyme disease rashHumans with Lyme disease develop a characteristic “bull’s-eye” rash around the bite in three to thirty days. This makes the disease easy to diagnose at an early stage. Lyme disease is more difficult to detect in animals. Dogs and cats do not develop this characteristic rash. Other symptoms may be delayed or go unrecognized because the symptoms are similar to those of many other diseases. Lyme disease in animals is often not even considered until other diseases have been eliminated.

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