Pit Bulls We Loved Before They Were Feared

Posted on: October 24, 2017 by: DougB Comments: 2 Comments

According to nationalpitbullawarenessday.org, Jodi Preis of Bless the Bullys, a non-profit rescue and education effort in Tennessee, introduced the idea of National Pit Bull Awareness Day in 2007 and it took off like wildfire. Now, the entire month of October is known as National Pit Bull Awareness Month, while devotees of pit bulls recognize October 27th across the country as National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

National Pit Bull Awareness Day (NPBAD) is a day of appreciation and education designed to change perceptions and stereotypes about pit bulls and their responsible owners. NPBAD was established to educate and foster positive communications and experiences in the communities in which we and our dogs live, and it is an initiative dedicated to restoring the image of the American Pit Bull Terrier.

It is well known that pit bulls, and pit-mixes, are at the current target of breed specific legislation, discrimination, and negative bias among the nation’s media and government. Despite continued efforts by supporters, much of the general public is overwhelmingly misinformed about the breed and hold to a fear-filled image created by humans who exploit the dogs, not the breed itself.

Making Cheesy Dog Treats

Posted on: September 20, 2017 by: DougB

Dogs love cheese, so even the most discriminating dog ought to love these cheesy dog treats. Because they’re homemade and you will choose the ingredients, you know they contain nothing insidious — something you can’t be sure of with commercial treats. They’re easy to make, too! Because they’re made with real cheese they add protein to your dogs diet, but they ARE treats: so dispense responsibly.

Ingredients

Using Raw Honey As A Topical Antibiotic

Posted on: September 13, 2017 by: DougB

The use of honey as a topical antibiotic has a long history. In fact, it is considered one of the oldest known wound dressings. Honey was used by the ancient Greek physician Dioscorides in 50 A.D. for sunburn and infected wounds. He described honey as being “good for all rotten and hollow ulcers” [1]. Honey’s healing properties are mentioned in the Bible (Prov 24:13), Quran (16.68-69), and Torah.

Wounds infected with Pseudomonas, not responding to other treatment, have been rapidly cleared of infection using honey as a topical antibiotic, allowing successful skin grafting [4], [5].

Honey as a Topical Antibiotic?

Some of the compounds in honey kill certain bacteria and fungus. This is why honey is the one natural foodstuff that won’t spoil. No one knows how the bees do that, but we know it works. When applied to the skin, honey also serves as a barrier to moisture and keeps raw skin from sticking to dressings. Honey also provides nutrients that speed healing.

Food Guarding In Dogs and How To Deal With It

Posted on: September 5, 2017 by: DougB

Dogs tend to protect or “guard” things they feel are most important to them, things they feel they can’t do without. Some will guard toys, some food, some will “guard” or become vicious when others approach their people. Guarding is rarely a desirable trait. Food guarding is dangerous to other dogs and to the people who care for the dog. It needs to be corrected.

Why Is the Dog Food Guarding?

Some dogs just have a greedy nature, even (perhaps especially) as a puppy. They don’t share well. Working with them as a puppy is needed to correct this early. Some dogs guard food because they came from an environment where food was scarce and they had to fight for every scrap they got. Some dogs guard because, although food is plentiful, others steal theirs.

Discovering why the dog guards is the key to undoing the behavior.

Buddy Beagle: Notes on a foster dog

Posted on: September 1, 2017 by: DougB Comments: 5 Comments

Buddy Beagle, is an 8 year old beagle who was picked up by Animal Control on August 1st 2017. While in their care he was attacked by three large dogs. An eye witness said Buddy didn’t fight back, the others were going to kill him and he was going to let them. That’s how sweet-natured this guy is.

Until recently Buddy looked like something out of a Frankenstein movie: criss-crossed by lines of sutures where Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital’s staff cleaned up his torn flesh and stitched him back together. He had a flap of flesh three-fingers deep hanging off his neck that left is trachea and neck tendons exposed. His rump was torn up just as badly. Cedarwood’s staff was not sure he was going to live; many vets would have just put him down, but they tried … and succeeded!

He’s also had some plastic surgery to deal with granulations and scar tissue. Buddy Beagle has been in intensive care at Cedarwood for a month, but now he is ready to go into rehabilitation and can be moved to a medically aware foster home. That’s where we come in.

Josie’s Midnight Con

Posted on: August 15, 2017 by: DougB

Josie Bean has taken it in her mind that if she gets me up anywhere between 2:00 am and 4:00 am and goes outside that I should give her a stick-treat. We are in the habit of giving stick-treats to good dogs who go outside after they get up so they are “safe” to let run loose in the house. But that is after We the People get up, not whenever they decide they need a snack. She’s trying to con me: and it’s not the first time.

Invasion Force

Posted on: July 18, 2017 by: DougB

On Sunday I noticed Cochise shaking his head and scratching at his ears. I checked him out and found some gunk inside, which I removed with Q-tips. I made a note to stop into Tractor Supply and get some ear mite medication, just in case.

This morning I checked him again and found both ears swollen and hot. I decided to put a call in to Doctor Sandra and make an appointment: I assumed he’d scratched at his ears enough to cause an infection.

Before I could do that, during the morning poop patrol, I found what I believe to be the true source of his discomfort: a yellow jacket nest in the play yard.

Giving People Medicine to Your Dog

Posted on: July 7, 2017 by: DougB

If your dog has mild allergies, you can treat them with over the counter medications intended for humans (people medicine) and avoid the risks and cost of prescription drugs like Prednisone.

Benedryl uses and dose diphenhydramine — Click to enlarge

There are a number of reasons you might want to give your dog Benedryl (diphenhydramine – also available in many generic brands). Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, so it helps in relieving itching from contact allergies or bug bites or stings. It can be used to reduce swelling and pain from a snake bite. It will calm a hyperactive dog or reduce “terrors” during fireworks or thunderstorms.

The usual dosage of Diphenhydramine for dogs is 1 mg per pound of dog every 8 to 12 hours (two to three times daily), but a single dose can be doubled to 2mg/lb if needed in an emergency such as a snake bite. This suggested dose is for formulations containing the active ingredient diphenhydramine only — NO Tylenol. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is poisonous to dogs. Overdosing on diphenhydramine for an extended period can be lethal, but there is a wide margin of safety.

If you need something stronger, Cetirizine (Zyrtec) and Loratadine (Claratin) are also safe for canine use and available in affordable generic forms.

Dog Park Update

Posted on: June 19, 2017 by: DougB

For the past three days we have been hosting an installation crew from Stanley Fencing Inc. in Sevierville TN. In a previous post I described what we hoped to do and asked for help with the cost: we just didn’t have enough to cover the cost – and we want to get it done before winter.

The response was heart-warming. A batch of fellow dog lovers stepped up and offered generous gifts. In just 5 days following the posting of our request, we had covered our deficit and had scheduled the fence company to do the installation. They started work on Wednesday and got all the posts in and some of the top rail on.

On Thursday they came back to hang the chain-link and install gates. They ran into a couple of Oopsies: and an opportunity to show off their customer service.

The fella who counts out parts and bags them up for each job shorted the job 10 tension straps, so they cannot properly install the final run of mesh. Their business is too far away to have these guys go after more.
The fella who welds up gates made one too small and it doesn’t fit. This will take some time, so they would have to come back again anyway: might as well do it all in one trip.

Bullymake Box Brings Treats for Our Gang

Posted on: January 23, 2017 by: DougB

Cora with Bullymake Box — Cora says “Open it up!”

Last week we received a Bullymake Box in the mail. We assume it’s a gift from a fan of Cochise and his gang of furry fosters. Very likely is is primarily for Gator.

I planned to do one of those cute unboxing videos with all the dogs, but it quickly became clear that that was not going to work for a variety of reasons: not the least of which is that my crew is NOT good at sitting still in posed positions around a box of yummy treats while I take a photo or video.