Creo came out of a hoarding situation created by a mentally handicapped man. He was abused in ways we can’t even describe. Yet, Creo so desperately wants to be loved that he will follow his people around all day. He climbs out of an outdoor kennel, not to run off but so he can go sit on the porch and wait to be let in with his family. He needs socialization so he does not see all visitors as a threat to his family. He lived in a foster home, but it was remote and isolated, he became too protective. He lived in a shelter and was allowed to wander the halls during the day to meet new people. That was nice, but being shut up in a kennel and “abandoned” at night stressed him out and he began behaving unpredictably, nipping a couple of people. They were going to put him down. We pulled him to give him one last chance.
Creo’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: Romping
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with:
. Men: Fears men, especially in hats
. Women: Yes
. Children: No
. Cats: Yes
Jumps up on people: No
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: Yes
Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes. Will sit and wait patiently as Fridge is opened to get a treat.
Stays off people furniture: No (sleeps on the bed or floor)
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check. We do not adopt to people who neglect their dog’s health.
An adoption Contract must be signed by PMFC and Adopter. This is a legal document and an actual signature is required. If the form must be mailed back and forth, allow time for that to happen. Electronic PDF is allowed if you can print/scan.
Adopter arranges transport if needed. We have worked with PETS LLC and HEARTS LLC (fees are paid to the transport service).
Adoption fee is $150.00
Commands:
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Yes
Down / Off: No
Shake / Paw: No
Kennels on command: Yes
Medical
DA2PP: 1/13/2020 (F.A.S.)
. Booster: date (by)
Bordatella: 1/13/2020 (F.A.S.)
Wormed: Date | Product | Dose | By
. 1/13-15/2020 Panacur 9.2 ml F.A.S.
.
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
June 23
Creo is in foster with Gwen, who has been caring for him since he was brought into the local animal shelter, along with several other dogs, and surrendered by a man who (according to shelter staff) was beating the dogs with his hat. Creo is, therefore, skittish around men, especially men with hats. He does fine with women.
Creo is learning his commands. He is house broken, and is generally obedient.
July 13, 2029
Creo was adopted by a Veteran today. Their meet-n-greet went very well with Creo being uncharacteristically accepting and attentive of the older gentlemen. Congratulations to Dennis for arranging this great match!
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This playful, spirited boy is just a pup and has not had much if any training, but we’ll get him settled down and teach him to be a Good Boy.
Last Updated: June 13, 2020
Base Info:
Arrival date: Apr. 30, 2020
Breed: Husky / Black Lab mix
Sex: Male
Age: Youth, Adult, Mature, Senior Birthdate: November 2019
Weight: 24.3 Pounds
Neutered: May 14, 2020
General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Temperament: Playful, vigorous, affectionate
PetFinder Listing
Available for adoption? ADOPTED
Departure date: June 12, 2020
History
Spirit was one of four dogs surrendered by a family claiming they were moving and they could not afford to support the dogs. Spirit spent only a few hours at the Friends Animal Shelter of Cocke County before we happened by and agreed to take him. The shelter manager knew he, being a Husky, would degrade quickly in close confinement. She also wants him adopted to someone experienced in handling Huskies, which she is not likely to find locally. We are able to give him more comfortable accommodations and cast a wider net for a proper permanent home, so we took him with us.
Spirit’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Some dogs.
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: No
Preferred style of play: RUNNING and nipping
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with:
. Men: Yes
. Women: Yes
. Children: Yes (Too rowdy for toddlers)
. Cats: Unknown but probably not (Husky)
Heartworm preventative:
. 05/15/2020, Ivermectin, .25 ml
.
Microchipped? YES (PetKey) Not yet registered.
NOTES:
. Thin and bony under his fur, working on that
. Carprophen (75 mg) given for 5 days after neuter.
Diet
4health Puppy kibble, 1½ cups AM, 1½ cups PM. Retriever Beef Stick mid-day, PMFC Peanut Butter Cookies for compliance.
Gallery
In chronological order, newest at the bottom.
Progress Updates
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
May 3
Spirit has been with us a few days now and we’ve had a chance to evaluate his behavior.
He is a rowdy boy and tends to get wild when we interact with him. But, when we catch a moment when he settles to pet him, he calms down immediately and will happily stand, leaning against our legs, enjoying his petting. When he’s had enough petting he wanders off into the yard to play. If we stop too soon he gets rowdy again.
Being a Husky he is vocal, but he is quiet at night. He is playful, but a bit assertive with the other dogs. I’m working on helping him learn his place in the pack. Getting him neutered will help.
He does guard-food. As skinny as he is that’s not surprising. I would not feed him with other dogs yet.
He appears to be in good health. He’s been wormed and saw no worms being ejected. We’ll get his rabies, microchip, and a health screening as soon as we can schedule the neuter.
May 5
Being just a puppy, Spirit has an energetic, playful side. But he also has a sweet, attentive side. But, it would seem, no middle ground at all!
May 11
In the past I have allowed Spirit to play in the yard with some of the other dogs. He did fine with Buddy: he intimidates lil Josephine, but she hunkers down and waits for him to lose interest. Blondie will play with him sometimes and when he gets too rowdy she tells him off. Generally he listens and runs off to play in the yard. I don’t trust him around Callie. Callie has been getting … reactive, to pushy dogs. Best to keep them separate for now.
Spirit has started being hateful toward other dogs when they are in the yard and he is kenneled, especially Callie and Buddy. I assumed it was because they were free and he confined. The other day I let Spirit out of his kennel with Buddy in the yard. Spirit was on a long lead. He took off toward Buddy and I clamped down on that lead. I burned my hand, but stopped him a couple feet short of Buddy while Spirit snapped and snarled at Buddy. Buddy just stood there looking at him like, “What’s YOUR problem?” I reeled Spirit in and put him back in his kennel.
Blondie is big enough to intimidate him when he gets too rowdy, I’m keeping him away from the Beagles for now. He’s scheduled to be neutered later this week, maybe that will take the spit and vinegar out of him.
May 14
Spirit was neutered today. He passed his Heartworm test, so I can put him on a preventative. He was clear of intestinal parasites. And he did well in his surgery. He rebounded quickly and has been quite active and HUNGRY since he got home. I am having trouble keeping a cone on him, being a Husky he is quite clever in finding ways to get it off (and chew it up). This will likely be this cone’s last tour of duty!
May 19
Spirit has done exceptionally well in his surgery recovery and in his efforts to destroy the cone he wears to keep him from licking at his incision.
May 22
Spirit finds the cone he’s wearing frustrating and entertaining at the same time. It impedes his free movement, limits his vision, and interferes with feeding and drinking. He learned quickly to hold his head up while running so the cone does not dig in and send him into a somersault. Eating and drinking are still a comically messy process because the cone tends to flip his dish over.
When bored, he does his best to eat the cone. He has gotten out of it a couple of times, but he did not go straight to licking his incision. That is still looking fine, and I will remove (and dispose of) his cone Sunday evening. That will reduce his frustration level and make him more compliant again.
May 30
Spirit had a meet-n-greet with Alicia and her dog, Savage. Savage is a full-blooded Husky and Alicia has done a great job of training him, he is a calm, gentle, patient fellow. Alicia wants a play mate for Savage, but as we brought them together Spirit insisted on trying to nip Savage in the face. I had Spirit on a lead so I was able to prevent that from happening, but he would not be dissuaded. We eventually labeled this attempt a failure and they left. I downgraded is rating for dog compatibility a notch. I think he was trying to play, but it was inappropriate play.
Housebreaking
We have had inquiries about adopting him. As to “Is he housebroken?”, I have to answer: probably.
He was living with a family and three other dogs. I do not know what their living arrangements were, but Spirit definitely knows what the door to the house is and wants in there. When he needs to potty he does yell for me and if I’m quick he will hold it until released into the yard.
He plays hard and is destructive of blankets and toys. Not in an aggressive way, just being playful. I would crate him when left alone in a home for an extended time, at least until he learns the routine and rules of your home.
Why Limited to a Husky-Experienced Home?
Huskies are a unique breed in the dog world. They are exceptionally smart, and as is typical of the smarter breeds, they tend to be … opinionated. If you let them, they will dominate your home. Heading that off is not difficult, it just takes consistency in making it clear that you are the pack leader. Most Huskies also shed like crazy — this has not been the case with Spirit, but as a rule, they do. Huskies tend to be vocal and like to converse with their owners, sometimes loudly. Huskies are strong, energetic dogs with tons of stamina (sled dogs, duh!). If any of this will grate on your nerves, you do not want a Husky.
Not long ago shelters worked through a glut of Huskies because people saw them on Game of Thrones and wanted one, only to find they were not prepared for Husky ownership and dumped them. I know, I worked in a shelter then and saw it first hand. It was heart breaking seeing these gorgeous, personality filled dogs being adopted because they were Huskies and then returned days later because they were … Huskies.
But, for those who will set and maintain boundaries; have the time, space, and energy to work with the dog; and own a good vacuum; Huskies are highly rewarding and entertaining companions.
On the Up Side
For a Husky, Spirit is not as vocal as most (usually), he hardly sheds at all, he likes to play in water, and he is quite a lover (all traits he gets from his Lab side). And he is a gorgeous dog. He’s really smart. Small for a Husky, he’s easier to leash walk. He will make a great companion … for someone who isn’t expecting him to be a lazy Labrador.
June 12, 2020
I love you, Mamma, take me home with you!
After quite a few inquiries and two false starts on adoption (both fell through after being approved), Spirit was adopted today. His new Mom has lots of Husky experience, a fenced yard, and her references checked out glowingly and quickly. She had all the information I needed and we don’t (can’t) do home inspections, so I saw no good reason to make her wait while we considered it. I did call the other member of the adoption committee and discussed it with her, so it was still done “by the book” it’s just a smaller book than what rescues do.
Spirit looked a little confused at first, “Where are we going, Mamma?” But he settled in and once they got to hi new home had had TOYS to play with and gas to lounge in, an ladies to dote on him. He’s a HAPPY BOY!
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During this time of medical emergency when more and more cities are locking down and prohibiting travel, it has ripple effects on others, even those far away and not (yet) under mandated quarantine. For instance, of the 10 dogs currently in residence here at Piney Mountain Foster, 3 have been claimed by a rescue and 1 has been adopted and are ready to move on toward their forever homes. But they can’t because of travel restrictions. So they will stay here until the emergency is passed and folks are allowed to venture out enough to claim their new family members. Will you help us feed them during this time of trouble?
Paw-Print Coasters
Click me to enlarge
These delightful coasters are hand crocheted from super-absorbent yarn by multi-medium artist Donna Gregg. They are approximately 5″ in diameter: big enough to protect your furniture from a large mug or even a bowl. These will be custom made for you in your choice of colors, then shipped directly to you.
These make great gifts for any animal lover, as well as being a useful addition to your own home that helps feed hungry rescue dogs.
$5.00 each or a set of four for $18.00
(with free shipping)
To Order e-mail DGregg6@hotmail.com or Message her on Facebook
Donna accepts on-line payments through PayPal.
On January 17th Gem Lieser, a reporter for the Newport Plain Talk newspaper came out to interview us about Piney Mountain Foster Care. She became aware of us when Tourism Director, Linda Lewanski, talked about us and our Dogwood Days festival planned for May 2nd during an “upcoming events” segment on the radio. She was plugging us because we are Newport Chamber of Commerce members.
The article came out in the paper on March 15. Ms. Lieser got some of the info about dogs mixed up – but I threw a lot of info at her pretty quickly. It was Buddy who came here from Cedarwood, not Scout, Scout came from The Friends Shelter. If you’d like to see the article, I scanned it to JPG files. Click the thumbnails below:
Temperament: Playful, affectionate, a little needy (Chi)
Departure date: April 24, 2020, headed to A.R.N.N.E.
History
One of a bonded pair owned by an elderly woman who developed dementia and could no longer properly care for her boys. The woman’s daughter surrendered them to Animal Control.
Chip’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: Mostly he just follows either me or Carme around. Likes to run with Josephine.
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with:
. Men: Yes
. Women: Yes
. Children: Yes
. Cats: No Yes
Jumps up on people: Yes
Mouths: Yes (gently)
Walks well on a leash: Yes
House Dog Training
Willingly enters his crate: No Yes
Is calm/quiet while in crate: No 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 Yes
Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
Stays off people furniture: No Yes
Commands:
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: No (he stands up instead)
Down / Off: No
Shake / Paw: No
Kennels on command: Yes
Chip’s Medical
DA2PP: 02/2/20 (NAC)
. Booster: 02/26/20 (NAC)
Bordatella: 02/2/20 (NAC)
Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
. 02/2/20 | Pyrantel | 1.2 cc | NAC
Heartworm preventative:
. 03/16/20, Ivermectin, .1 ml (PMFC)
. 04/16/20, Ivermectin, .1 ml (PMFC)
NOTES:
. Has fur loss from flea allergy. Bathing with Keto-C shampoo has helped heal that and the fur is growing back in. We will continue this treatment while he’s here.
. Microchip# 982000408360982
Diet
4health Salmon& Potato kibble.
½ cup AM & ½ cup PM
LOVES our Peanut butter treats.
Gallery
In chronological order, newest at the bottom.
Hair-do like a teeny lion
Chip & Carme, best buds
PIC
Progress Updates
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
March 16
Chip and his “brother” Carme were surrendered to Newport Animal Control over a month ago. Chip had hair loss from what tuned out to be a flea allergy. NAC cleared them of fleas and has been bathing Chip is medicated shampoo that is improving. They had their heart worm test this morning, it was Negative, I was alerted, and I scooted right over to pick them up so we can begin the mandatory 2 week quarantine period before transport. Otherwise, they are both ready to travel.
March 20
I have been attaching long leads to Carme and Chip when I let them out of their kennel to play in the yard. This is partly to be sure I can get them back in their kennels. Playing “can’t catch me” with a young, spry dog is no longer my idea of fun. I am also concerned that if he wanted to, Chip might be able to squeeze through gaps in our gates. He’s pretty small.
Chip has been coming to me when I call him – and he show no interest in escaping the yard — so I’ve dispensed with the lead. He eagerly comes when I call him, always happy to get a good head scratching.
April 5
Little Chip a such a cute fellow. One of my favorite things about him is the bark he does when he’s happy: it’s a “whoop-whoop-whoop” that is straight out of the Three Stooges. Unfortunately hi didn’t do that one for me today, but he was still totally adorable as he talked with me. Give him a listen!
He is also a MAJOR lap dog. Any time Marie or I are in the yard with him and sit down, regardless of where Chip is, he will shout” LAAAAAAAP!” as he comes racing across the lawn to leap into our lap and curl up for petting. He’s so little and light-weight that his enthusiastic arrival causes no discomfort, but it is hilarious!
April 28
Chip and Carme’ left us last Friday (the 24th), riding along with Phoenix. They have landed in their foster home in New Hampshire. We knew Chip would be happy anywhere he could find a lap to snuggle into – and he did. Carme’ seems to be settling in nicely too. Happy tails, boys!
May 3
Chip and his “brother” Carme’ have been moved to a foster to adopt home. This is how ARNNE always does things, it gives a family a chance to try it out before committing to adoption. Unless something bad happens, this is usually their forever home.
Nov 3
We received a not from Chips family:
“Hope all is well with you ! I just wanted to let u know how Chip was doing and send along some pics!
He’s doing great and I love having him around. He’s a joy! We’ve gotten him groomed 2 times now since we adopted him.
I think he’s gained a pound or so since then also. My husband cant stop himself from giving him treats !! I’ve been sticking to 1/2 C Kibble and 2 tsps wet food, but he just loves to eat. always looking for more.
We go on plenty of walks. Now that it’s getting cold, I don’t go as far. But last night, I came face to face with a coyote. it was dark, 6-6:30ish, that’s the time I take him out for his last poop. I flashed my flashlight at him and he ran away. I scooped up Chip and ran with him all the way home. I might have to change his schedule, take him out at 4-4:30ish while still light out. hopefully, he’ll poop then.
Also, we’ve noticed that he does not like to get wet at all! When it’s raining out, he does not like to go poop outside. He’ll hold it. Just does a couple of pees and makes a beeline to the house to go inside again. That must be a small dog thing.
We just luv him to bits !! Sending along some pics. He was a cowardly (‘ferocious’) lion for Halloween.
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Departure date: April 24, 2020 going to A.R.N.N.E.
History
One of a bonded pair owned by an elderly woman who succumbed to dementia and could not care for her dogs. The lady’s daughter surrendered them to Newport Animal Control.
Carme’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: wandering and peeing on things
Is affectionate: Likes petting, doesn’t seek it
Is good with:
. Men: Yes
. Women: Yes
. Children: Yes
. Cats: No Yes
Jumps up on people: No
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Yes
House Dog Training
Willingly enters his crate: No Yes
Is calm/quiet while in crate: No 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 Yes
Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: No Yes
Stays off people furniture: No Yes
Commands:
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Yes
Down / Off: Yes
Shake / Paw: No
Kennels on command: Yes
Carme’s Medical
DA2PP: 02/12/20 (NAC)
. Booster: 02/26/20 (NAC)
Bordatella: 02/12/20 (NAC)
Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
. 02/12/20 | Pyrantel | 4.3 cc | NAC
Heartworm preventative:
. 03/16/20, Ivermectin, .45 ml
. 04/16/20, Ivermectin, .45 ml
NOTES:
. No issues
. Microchip #911001001439094
Diet
4health Salmon & Potato kibble, 1¼ cups AM, 1 cup PM. Enjoys our peanut butter cookies as treats.
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.
Carme the Magnificent
PIC
PIC
PIC
Progress Updates
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
March 16
Carme and his “brother” Chip were surrendered to Newport Animal Control over a month ago. They had their heart worm test this morning, it was Negative, I was alerted, and I scooted right over to pick them up so we can begin the mandatory 2 week quarantine period before transport. Otherwise, they are both ready to travel.
March 20
I have been attaching long leads to Carme and Chip when I let them out of their kennel to play in the yard. This is partly to be sure I can get them back in their kennels. Playing “can’t catch me” with a young, spry dog is no longer my idea of fun.
Carme has been coming to me when I call him – usually, and it helps if I have a bribe ready for him: he is fond of my peanut butter cookies — so I’ve dispensed with the lead. If I let him out often enough Carme prefers to do his business in the yard, not in his “house”.
April 28
Chip and Carme’ left us last Friday (the 24th), riding along with Phoenix. They have landed in their foster home in New Hampshire. We knew Chip would be happy anywhere he could find a lap to snuggle into – and he did. Carme’ seems to be settling in nicely too. Happy tails, boys!
May 3
Carme’ and his “brother” Chip have been moved to a foster-to-adopt home. And they have BOYS! This is a standard process with ARNNE, to give a family the chance to try things out before committing to adoption. In most cases this will be their permanent home. Carme’ looks pretty happy to me!
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I’ve been working on a book for some time now. It’s called Cooking for Your Dog, not exactly an inspired title, and that will probably change before it goes to print. Marie will come up with something catchier.
The book is, as the mundane title says, about cooking food for your dog. But it’s not just recipes. It’s chock full of information on canine nutrition and the various ways they differ from people in what they can and cannot eat and why. I’ve been researching it for a long time because it takes a lot of effort to validate information that is found on the internet. In case you haven’t discovered it yet, you can’t trust everything on the internet to be accurate or even true. Such is the case here. Companies that make kibble sponsor “studies” that slam canned food. Canned food producers disseminate info, through side channels, that tells how dangerous raw diet is and how much healthier a canned diet is. You get the idea: everyone has an agenda and you can’t always tell who sponsored a particular study, or if it was truly unbiased. I asked Dr. Sandra Conard Manes DVM for help in sifting through the hype and getting at the “meat” of this issue.
I’ve got a few details to finish up, but it’s mostly written. I just need to test the recipes.
Getting Phoenix to eat enough to gain the weight she needs to gain has been a challenge since she does not like kibble, and gets bored with canned food. Besides, good quality canned dog food is expensive. I came to the realization that if I’m going to be spending over $40.00 per week on canned food for one dog, I could be testing the recipes and probably saving some money as well.
So here is documentation of my first recipe test and what I learned as I went.
Broccoli-Beef Doggie Stew
Ingredients
2 cups Beef cut into 1/4″ cubes. We used a roast, but you can use whatever cut you want.
1½ cups of chopped broccoli
1 large sweet potato (needs to yield 2 cups when mashed)
½ cup barley
4 cups liquid (including beef broth)
1000 mg calcium citrate
Steam the veggies until soft. Don’t boil them. Then mash or puree to release the nutrients, a dog’s gut does not break down cellulose like ours do, so they can’t get at the nutrients of many plants, especially leafy plants. Use some of the beef broth for thinning the puree so it renders down smoothly.
Cube up your beef. Cut it into small pieces that won’t choke your dog (they are not known for diligently chewing their food) and will be easily digested. Trim away excess fat. Too much meat fat causes pancreatitis in dogs.
Boil up the barley according to package directions. You may have to do some math here — or just make a larger amount and save the excess in the fridge for the next batch. Use the beef broth to cook the barley. If you need to drain off excess liquid after cooking, use a strainer and bowl to capture the liquid, don’t pour it down the drain. That has good stuff in it, don’t waste it.
Add the calcium citrate. You can use vitamin C capsules for this. If they are the gel-caps, pull them apart and add the powder. If a tablet, crush it/them in a pull crusher or between two large, nested spoons. Calcium is important to your dog’s diet. A wild dog gets calcium by eating the bones of its prey. If you have a great butcher shop near by, you can get beef ground with bones in, just for dogs. If not, add calcium citrate or dietary bone meal to the recipes. Do not use the bone meal you find in the store’s gardening section.
The result is going to be stiff. Add beef broth – barley water to thin to a pleasing consistency. Go ahead and give it a taste, everything you’ve used is human grade food so just because you’re calling it dog food doesn’t mean you can’t try a bit. I can definitely taste the sweet potato, the broccoli is more subtle. That’s a good thing as far as dogs go.
Okay, pack that into an air-tight container and store it in the fridge. If you have any liquid left, save that too, you’ll need it for thinning in days to come: it will stiffen up as it sits.
How Much To Feed?
This was the hardest question to find a good answer for, and I’m going to give it to you for free! But first, some preamble.
If you are accustomed to feeding your dog canned food, you are probably thinking that the slightly over 3 pounds of stew this recipe produces won’t last but a day. Less if you have a large dog. Because you’re used to feeding your dog 3 to 8 cans of food per day. That’s because commercial dog food is notoriously low on nutrient and high on fillers. The cheaper the brand, the more true this is. The top brands (see www.DogFoodAdvisor.com) contain less bulk, but cost $2.00 to $3.00 per can.
My book goes into how to arrange for a balanced diet. This one recipe will not do it. You’ll need to vary ingredients to achieve nutritional balance over the long haul. A general rule of thumb to use with any of the recipes in my book is to figure 2% to 3% of your dog’s ideal body weight in home-made food per day. Note that I said “ideal body weight” and “per DAY” not per meal.
Let’s do a couple of examples.
This stew, as I made it, weighs 10 ounces per cup. Let’s write that on a sticky-note and pop it right up here where we can see it while we work this stuff out.
Phoenix
YUM, warm beef stew!
Phoenix needs to weigh 55 pounds. She is well under that right now, but that’s what we’re working toward so that’s what we use as a feeding basis. And since we want her to gain weight, I’ll use the 3% figure. 3% of 55 pounds is 1.65 pounds or 26.4 ounces, of food per day. She gets fed 3 times a day, so we divide that into thirds, and she needs just under 9 ounces. (check the sticky note) Not quite a cup of stew per feeding.
As she closes in on her ideal weight we can cut back to the 2% figure or 5.9 ounces (call it 6 oz) of stew per feeding (check the sticky note) or about 2/3 cup.
Blondie Bear
Blondie Bear should weigh 80 pounds. She usually runs heavier, so we’ll use the 2% figure.
2% of 80 pounds is 1.6 pounds. Let’s convert that to ounces now: 1.6 x 16 = 25.6 ounces needed per day.
25.6 divided into two meals per day is 12.8 oz. per meal. Let’s call it 13. (check the sticky note) That’s 1 1/3 cups per meal.
That’s equivalent to what she gets fed in kibble. The canned food we’ve been using says to feed one can per 15 pounds per day. That’s 2 3/4 cans per meal. That’s a lot of food!
Dr. Manes agrees with other evaluators who say that even the best dog kibble is essentially junk food. It has to be cooked at such high temperatures to produce shelf-stable dry nuggets that most of the nutrient contend is killed off in the process. A top brand of kibble is better than a cheap brand of kibble, but kibble is still kibble.
If I really want to do this right, I should just start making my own dog food for the whole pack. I’d only need 8 pounds of home made food per day — that’s three times the batch I made today.
The Humane Society of Jefferson County nick-named this guy “Dreadlocks” because of his twisted, knotted fur.
Hopefully he’ll be able to be groomed one day soon and the moniker won’t fit any more.
Last Updated: July 11, 2020
Base Info:
Arrival date: Feb. 06, 2020
Breed: Poodle Mix
Sex: Male
Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
Weight: 26 Pounds (April 23)
Neutered: Yes
General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Temperament: Wants to interact, but cannot be handled.
Departure date: July 11, 2020 returning to H.S.J.C. then to Carolina Poodle Rescue 7/14
History
Camden was one of several dogs pulled from a hoarding situation in Green county that ended up at the Humane Society of Jefferson County. He is not at all aggressive but is terrified of being touched, so he cannot be handled — or groomed. He needs a low-stress environment to just chill out and learn to trust.
Camden’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: unknown
Is affectionate: In his own way, just no touching.
Is good with:
. Men: Yes
. Women: Yes
. Children: No
. Cats: Unknown
Jumps up on people: No
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: No
House Dog Training
Willingly enters his crate: Yes
Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
Understands going outside to potty: Unknown
Alerts me of need to go outside: no
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
Refrains from kitchen counter cruising: Yes (can’t reach)
Heartworm preventative:
. May 4, Ivermectin Oral 0.25 ml
. June 1, Ivermectin Oral 0.25 ml
. July 3, Ivermectin Oral, 0.3 ml
NOTES:
. I’m told he has bad teeth and needs soft kibble or he won’t eat.
.4/23 – 4/27 Amoxicillin Trihydrate 62.5 mg 2 x daily for infected ingrown claw (removed at neuter)
Diet
Mixture of Pedigree Pouches and Kibbles & Bits: (supplied by HSJC), 1 cup twice a day.
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.
Camden says he’s a BEAR, he wants to hibernate in his den.
A new snuggle friend.
Enjoying the sunshine
Progress Updates
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
Feb 6
Camden has just arrived, so we don’t know much yet. However he tolerated riding around in a transport box without fussing and crying. I checked on him frequently. During the transport and after being released into his kennel he seemed guardedly interested in Marie and me. Not shrinking away and cowering in a corner. That’s a good place to start with him.
Feb 12
Camden has lost his fear of me to the point he tends to be underfoot a lot while I’m in his room doing “housekeeping”. He will come right up and take bits of cheeseburger (sliders) from my fingers, but won’t let me pet him yet. Working on it … we’re getting there.
Feb 16
Cammie is making some progress with his fearfulness. He won’t quite let me touch him, but he will take treats from my fingers and will come over and sniff my hand.
During this cold, I set up an old transport box that’s missing its door inside the garage/lumber-shed/kennel. It’s on a sheet of Styrofoam to insulate it from the cold concrete slab and held in place against the doorway through the wall with concrete blocks. I draped a blanket over the box leaving the louvers on one side open, put lots of blankets inside it, and set up a propane furnace to blow warm air through the open louvers. That gave him a warm place to go when it got down to 24° at night.
April 8
Made some progress with Camden today. He has been willing to come out and be quite close to me any time I’m in his kennel with him, but is leery of my hands. If I reach out to touch him he scampers away. Every day at noon I take him a few hot dog bits. He will take these from me if I pinch them between thumb and fore-finger, but if I lay one on an open palm he stays back. Until today.
April 24
Camden was neutered at Humane Society of Jefferson County (HSJC) on Wednesday the 22nd. While he was unconscious, they shaved off the tangled mat he was wearing and checked him for hidden problems. I’ve seen matted up dogs like this end up with colonies of maggots underneath, living in skin lesions. Not the case here: aside from and ingrown and infected dew claw and one small skin lesion he’s in good shape.
He is not happy about being naked, though! That will grow back, and I need to get him accustomed to being touched, so he can be brushed (at least) and (hopefully) groomed occasionally.
May 11
It’s been almost three weeks since Camden’s neutering and he should be all healed up now. I can’t tell for sure because he will not let me look closely let alone touch.
It’s time to take the cone off, but it does not untie by pulling on the ends of the gauze rope. I’ll need to cut it off, but he still reacts badly to touching and I don’t want to accidentally stab him in the neck with scissors. I’ve been in touch with Julie, Manager at HSJC, about getting him a dose of something to relax him. She says she has some Trazadone in the proper dosage that should do the trick.
I had hoped to be able to use his cone to protect me from being bitten so I could try some “forced petting” but that has not panned out. His fear of being touched is deeply ingrained, not just an aversion. Yet he meets me at his kennel door when I bring him food, plays around my feet while I clean his kennel, and will all but climb into my lap (I’m sitting on the floor) when I feed him his mid-day hot dog treats. He will take them off my open palm. But will not allow me to touch him. (sigh)
July 3
I got word over the weekend that Camden has been accepted by a Poodle rescue in North Carolina. They say this “Social Distancing” behavior is quite common in abused Poodles, they know how to deal with it and can help him.
While in our care, he has become a friendly, happy, little fellow who will come out of his dog house to cavort around my feet as I clean his kennel. He just backs away from being touched.
He got out of his kennel once and went around checking on the other dogs, who thought this was quite exciting! I was able to herd him back into his kennel without incident. Another time he decided to moosh himself between his dog house and the fencing of his kennel with his back pressed up against the fencing. I came along and decided to try scratching his back. Usually that would result in a flying leap over the dog house to get away. This time he turned his head to stare at me with a “What do you think you’re doing?” expression and drew himself up a little but there were no panicked acrobatics. Maybe he’s made a little progress with this too.
July 8
July 11
Camden was safely delivered back to Humane Society of Jefferson County. It took only a little coercion to get him into hos transport box, he rode well, and at the other end he came right out, trotted around and hopped up on the cushy raised bed they had prepared for him. Happy as a clam in silt. Happy tails to you, Cammie!
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Phoenix is so named because everyone who knows her believes that although she may have been found
in the ashes of her life, she WILL rise again.
Last Updated: April 28, 2020
Base Info:
Arrival date: Jan. 15, 2020
Breed: Grey Hound/Shepherd mix
Sex: Female
Age: Puppy, Young Adult, Mature, Senior
Weight: Records show 29.1 pounds at NAC intake!
. 34 Pounds at PMFC arrival
. 37.1 lbs Feb 3rd
. 39.1 lbs Feb 27
. 39.8 lbs Mar 5
. 40.1 lbs Mar 10
. 39.8 lbs Mar 19
. 40.5 lbs Apr 23
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
General Health: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Temperament: Sweet, calm, affectionate, goofy
Departure date: April 24, 2020 Headed for a foster-to-adopt home through A.R.N.N.E.
History
Phoenix was spotted running loose behind Food City West in Newport and Animal Control was called in to catch her. She was scrawny, wormy, and extremely frightened, but not at all aggressive. She spent 25 days at Animal Control before PMFC pulled her on behalf of ARNNE. During that time she ate very little and was scared and depressed despite the NAC staff’s attempts to comfort her and provide an enticing diet.
Phoenix’s Progress Summary:
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: Likes to run with Josie
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with:
. Men: Yes
. Women: Yes
. Children: No Yes
. Cats: Yes (no reaction to cats at NAC)
Wormed: Dates | Product | Dose | By
. 12/20/2019 Pyrantel 3 cc NAC
. 01/14/2020 Proziquantel ?? NAC
. 01/14-16/2020 Panacur 8 ml NAC/PMFC
Rabies: 02/03/2020 (Cedarwood) #000090
Spay/Neuter: Was done long ago
Heartworm Test: 01/14/2020, Neg (Cedarwood)
Flea/Tick preventative:
. date, product, dose
Heartworm preventative:
. 01/16/2020, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml
. 02/17/2020, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml
. 03/17/2020, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml
. 04/16/2020, Ivermectin solution, 0.4 ml
NOTES:
.Microchip #982000409195236
Diet
We’ve switched her to home-made stew using recipes from my upcoming book. 03/03 Started feeding her Satin Balls for lunch (1/2 lb each) for this week to see if they help her gain weight faster. They did! 3/10 eliminated lunch, just two meals from now on. Cutting back on the fats. Sticking with the home made stew for now: 12 oz. stew twice each day. April 6, changed to 1/2 cup 4health Salmon and Potato kibble topped with 5 oz. home made stew in the AM and 3/4 cup kibble topped with 8 oz stew in the PM. This seems to suit her eating habits well.
Gallery
A heavy shirt to help keep her warm
A custom made hoodie does even better.
Happily resting in her “room” indoors.
Wandering the yard now.
Ready to go for a jog.
She’s a house dog now.
Progress Updates
Progress notes are listed below, in chronological order, newest at the bottom.
Jan 18
I’ve let Phoenix settle in for the past few days. She is well behaved. Rarely barks at all. She acts like she’s been a house dog before. She’s scrawny, so it’s hard to keep her warm in the January days, so we’ve gone through a couple of iterations of outer wear for her. She loves her hoodie!
She sleeps inside in a crate at night and on the colder days. When it’s warmer she has a futon with a thick felt blanket atop it to lounge on. She needs to put on weight, but she eats so little that’s going to be hard.
Jan 24
Phoenix very much prefers to be indoors in her cushy crate where it is warm and dry and there is no wind. Because she is SO thin, she does not tolerate cold at all.
When she does come outside, on nice afternoons: some have been up in the 50 degree range, she gets a futon as a bed and a warm wool blanket to lay on. I hang a brood lamp above to provide warmth as well.
On those nice afternoons, Phoenix does like to wander the yard. Now that her depression is dissipating she is eating better. That gives her strength to go out walking around.
YUM, warm beef stew!
She is a picky eater. She won’t touch kibble yet, and the canned food has to be stew. In order to get her to eat the pate’ style dog food I have to chunk it up and add beef or chicken broth — effectively making it stew. And it has to be warm, she won’t eat cold stew. But then neither would I. So I warm it before I take it out to her.
She’s up to 21 cans of stew per week.
When she first arrived, I was doing well to get her to eat one can a day. She’s up to finishing three cans per day now. It’s hard to tell if she’s gained any weight just by looking at her, I need to take her to Cedarwood and put her on a scale. But her energy level is up and she’s developing a delightful, quirky personality. She has quite the sense of humor.
I have yet to hear her bark, but she is communicative through head tosses and mouth movements. She lets me know when she needs to go out, and when she’s ready to go back in. Her eye’s are brighter and she desires affection more now that she feeling better. Starvation does tend to take the fun out of life.
Jan 27
Normally Phoenix makes a quick trip outside to potty then wants back inside where it’s warm. But since I put a heated pad in her bed she is enjoying being outside much more.
I think maybe she is Shepherd mixed with some Grey Hound. Now that she’s developing a personality again, some of her mannerisms are decidedly Gra-Hooond.
Jan 29
Phoenix is a skinny gal who has been gradually increasing her food intake. She does not like kibble, so I feed her wet food. She prefers stew. Especially beef stew.
She is to where she will polish off a can at each of her three daily meals. Time to increase her portion to help her gain weight. I thought I’d try mixing 1/2 cup of kibble into her stew before I warm it up for her. It must be warm when I take it to her or she’ll leave it and go back to her heated bed.
She took a couple of bites then reared her head up and stared at the contents of her bowl for several moments. Turning her head she looked over her shoulder at me with a definite “What do you think you’re trying to pull here, bub?” look.
After a while she began to eat again, slowly. It took her quite a while to finish. When I collected her bowl, there in the bottom was almost 1/2 cup of kibbles that had been sucked clean and spit back out!
Okay, you win: no more kibbles!
Jan 30
We had a nice, warm, sunny afternoon today. The perfect chance to strip that hoodie off of Phoenix and launder it. She said, “I don’t LIKE being naked!” and was relieved when I brought her red hoodie back out to her.
Jan 31
Today I let her out of her kennel to use the yard while I went in the house to warm up her lunch. Previously she never moved faster than a leisurely walk, but when she saw me coming down the path with her bowl of warm salmon mush she trotted over and did a little happy dance. It made my heart SO happy to see her acting like a dog again.
Feb 2
Her level of activity and animation are WAY up the last few days (see video in Gallery above). This is great to see.
Feb 3
Phoenix went to Cedarwood for her physical and an estimate on the cost for getting her in good shape again. She did well, and everyone commented on how much better she looks now and how much more animated she is. Phoenix was friendly with the other people in the waiting room and the Shepherd pup who was waiting with us.
She rode well with me in the truck, and was highly conversant the whole way. She’s so funny!
Feb 16
I love this dog! She is so funny. I have yet to hear her bark, but she talks to me all the time with mouth movements, head shakes, and bouncing on her front legs.
She is gaining weight and I’d like to have the blood panel done on her as soon as we can afford it to see if she is a candidate for surgery. If she’s got weak kidneys or heart anesthesia could kill her, so we need to know that first.
Phoenix loves attention and walks well on a leash. She sleeps in a crate inside the heated bunkhouse, and is eager to go inside at 9:00 PM.
She can’t hold her bladder longer than from 9:00 PM to 4:30 AM, so I go out to walk her and put her back in her box until breakfast time at 5:30. If it’s warm enough, she comes out to her kennel to eat, if not she eats inside and I’ll bring her out when it warms up.
She needs walking every 2 hours during the day or she will be needing a blanket change and crate scrubbing.
Feb 18
I tried making some home-made stew as an alternative to canned food for Phoenix. Will she like it?
Feb 20
Phoenix was getting lonely sleeping in the bunkhouse alone at night, so I brought her (and her crate) into the house. She’s doing REALLY well. When she came in Phoenix immediately claimed this bed as “hers”. That will be contested, but for now that claim holds.
The whole PMFC gang came to say “Hi”, but Blondie Bear settled in to keep Phoenix company. Blonde Dogs must stick together.
She is SO sweet, gentle, and unassuming. In the evening I put her hoodie back on her and took her outside. She wandered off into the yard, I went back inside. She was gone for the longest time, so I went out to call her in because it was cold. When I called her she came BOUNDING back through the snow like a gazelle, “Oh! You’re letting me come back in!?” It’s hard to say what this girl has been through, but she doesn’t expect much from people.
Feb 25
That was GOOD! May I have more?
I’ve switched Phoenix to new stew recipe that uses potatoes, cheese, and chicken fat to help her gain weight. She LOVES it!
We’ve also launched a new fund-raising campaign to get the funds we need to pay for the vet care she needs. I’m having no luck at all with grants. Gonna have to do it the old fashioned way.
Skinny Dog Stew: chicken, potato, cheese, spinach, oats.
Phoenix is doing fabulously as a house dog. She has mostly stayed in the den, but has recently started coming out to wander a little. She does like to dine in the kitchen with the others, I have to stand guard to keep Josephine from trying to horn in on Phoenix’s meal. They all want some of THAT!
March 1
I have been discussing Phoenix’s “talking” with Christine from ARNNE. This motivated me to go out and check up on the characteristics of Greyhounds. Here are some of my favorite entries from that list:
Greyhounds are not barkers. If you have a barker, then you probably have a more insecure dog and he is barking because something has frightened him. … Greyhounds communicate with you by whining. Whining to be let in, to eat, to play, to get up on the bed — you name it and they’ll talk (whine) to you about it.
Grunt, growl, mmmmmmmph. These are the sounds greyhounds make when sleeping and dreaming. Don’t share a bed or couch with a dreaming greyhound. You could end up with a big harpoon of a leg in your side.
Contrary to popular belief, greyhounds do not need long walks or vast amounts of exercise. If your hobby is walking then your greyhound’s stamina can be built up over a couple of months. … For a normal greyhound, two, yes, two 20 minute walks per day are sufficient.
The greyhound is intelligent, gentle with a quiet disposition, and in spite of its great athletic ability, is content to spend most of the day sleeping.
Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs, tracing back over 8,000 years to early cave drawings.
Phoenix’s safe place
As for my own observations, when she first arrived she did not like being touched and would flinch away if I did. Now she likes being petted gently and often comes to me to seek being stroked on the head.
Helping fix dinner
Phoenix is really smart and trains easily. She is doing better about holding her bladder at night and I’ve been letting her sleep on her bed in the den at night. I crate her only when we’re leaving the property for an extended period. Until recently she spent nearly all of her indoor time right here. She is happy to sleep away most of the day. Over the past few days she has started wandering out as she gains confidence that the other house dog’s aren’t trying to kill her with their rowdy play. She even comes out to the kitchen at meal times to watch preparation and enjoys eating her meals with the other dogs.
March 3
I started feeding Phoenix Satin Balls for lunch. Will carry this through the week and see if it helps her put on weight faster.
Phoenix has been “free-range sleeping” on her bed in the den. Not because we’re sequestering her but because she’s more comfortable there in her own space than in with the whole pack.
Last night just after 3:00 am I heard the soft huffing that is how Phoenix speaks to me and I woke up. She was standing next to the bed telling me she needs to go out to pee. Not something she normally does in the middle of the night, but … if she needs to go, she needs to go.
I let her out, she came back, got her treat and went back to bed.
I’m so proud of how far this girl has come. This was, as Marie put it, “A bold and courageous move” for her.
March 17
She’s wagging her tail occasionally. Normally it just hangs straight down, but today it has been up about half way and swinging side to side. So good to see!
March 20
Her tail is not wagging today. Yesterday she had her surgeries – or, as it turned out: surgery. As they were shaving her belly for the spay surgery they found an old, faint spay scar. Spay surgery unnecessary! As they were cleaning her teeth, they decided the molar they thought was bad was just really grungy and extraction was not needed. So all they ended up having to do, surgically, was the removal of the two lumps on her leg.
She started licking the incisions just before bed time, so I put her in a donut. As it turned out, I was up frequently through the night and was able to check on her often. She slept through the night. About 4:30 this morning she wanted to go out and pee.
She refused dinner last night, but ate some breakfast this morning. I made an appetizer for her with small pieces of Satin Balls (with her medications hidden inside). She’s been sleeping most of the time since. That’s the best thing for her. She will be feeling better soon.
March 27
Phoenix had her stitches removed yesterday. I took the cone off and she immediately started picking off scabs, so the cone went back on and I’m treating the bleeding spots with Chlorhexadine and Bacitracin.
Dr. Courtney informed me this morning that the histopathology on Phoenix’s lumps came back: both benign and both completely removed. Good News!
A.R.N.N.E. has made reservations on P.E.T.S. LLC for her to be picked up April 17th.
April 4
I removed Phoenix’s cone again. All her wounds are healed up to where she can’t do any more damage.
Kibbles topped with fish stew
Phoenix has decided that she’s being discriminated against since she gets a bowl of straight stew and everyone else gets kibble topped with stew. Keep in mind that previously Pheenie would not eat kibble if I gave it to her. But this morning she ate about 2/3 of her stew, then went and shouldered Blondie out of her bowl to eat her kibbles. Blondie said, “Okay then I’ll go eat your stew. Fair trade!” And they did. They’re both really good girls.
I’m hoping that now that Phoenix is not encumbered with that cone she and Josie will do some racing in the yard again. Phoenix is in good health now, but she needs exercise to tone up her muscles. She’s been convalescing for too long. I’ve got just under two weeks to get her shaped up and ready to go to her new family.
Phoenix’s roosting spot
As an update: Phoenix is not crated anymore. Even when we leave the property for an extended time I leave her loose in the house, just make sure she goes out right before we leave.
Until recently Phoenix pretty much stayed on her special bed in the den. But lately she will come wandering out when Marie and I are having dinner and stand staring at Marie, hoping for a hand-out. We don’t do that, but she hopes. At night when the rest of us are settling in the bedroom, she comes in and looks around the room like she would like to join us. She is welcome, and we encourage her to stay, but she goes back to her own place. Maybe now that she’s not dealing with the added burden of the cone she will choose to curl up in one of the empty beds and stay the night with us.
Phoenix is hard of hearing. Not surprising in an older dog. She is not deaf, but one has to speak loudly for her to hear us, and it’s easy to sneak up behind her and startle her (especially when she was in a cone). We have had to be mindful if this: she’s still unsure of her position in our home and spooks easily, sending her scampering back to her bed where she feels safe because I make the other dogs stay off of that one bed, leaving it always for her.
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 recent changes in Phoenix.
Phoenix is … uncertain, about her surroundings and the other dogs, and at first about us. She has obviously had a hard life, including neglect (starved almost to death) and probably abuse. Her tail has hung straight down most of the time we’ve known her. And she spends most of her time camped out on the special bed I set up for her in our Den. Normally, all dog beds are shared property and all the dogs rotate through the 10 available beds (not counting blankets and crates). But I have judiciously maintained that THIS bed if for Phoenix. It is her one safe place since she no longer needs a crate. At all. She’s a wonderful house dog and I trust her to be loose even when we leave the property for a long while.
In the past week or so, Phoenix has been venturing out of the Den more often. First to take her meals with the other dogs. Then to hang around while Marie and I eat. To check on us if we’re in the living room watching a DVD. And most recently, to greet Marie when she gets home from work.
This is always a joyous occasion that sometimes turns into a rowdy party. Phoenix has been coming out to watch, standing in the end of the hallway where she is out of the fray. The past two days, she has joined in with the bouncing around – and TAIL WAGGING – as the whole pack greets (accosts) Marie. It does my heart good to see her tail up where a dog’s tail belongs and swinging side to side as she bounces on her front legs and sings, her soft, “har, har, harrrr” which is as close to barking as she ever gets.
Pheenie will be leaving us the end of this week. The long trip, quarantine for 2 days, then introduction to a new family and location may set her back a bit. But I know she’s going into a foster-to-adopt situation with a family who is experienced and has two other senior dogs. Phoenix will do well there, and I look forward to getting updates from them.
April 16
Transport run cancelled by the carrier. Her departure has been rescheduled to April 24. I’ll need to have her health certification done again since the current cert will be expired by the time she arrives on the 25th.
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When I worked at the Humane Society of Jefferson County I was taught to be fanatical about not allowing visitors to touch the dogs, especially new arrivals. We earned many annoyed glares from people who could not understand why they couldn’t interact with the cute doggos. Especially the puppies: who could resist poking your fingers into the crate and allowing them to lick you fingers?
We were frequently told, “I haven’t been around any sick dogs.” to which a co-worker of mine developed the response, “Have you been to a grocery store or Wal-Mart? If you pushed a shopping cart in there you may have picked up parvo virus from someone who pushed that cart before you did. It is that easy to pick it up and bring it in here. And if you do, that cute puppy could die a horrible death in a couple of days. So, please, don’t touch the dogs.” And she was right: it is that easy.
Even though we vaccinated all dogs against parvo, bordatella, and kennel cough upon entry to our facility, it takes 21 days for a vaccine to develop full immunity in its host. Before then, especially early on, that dog is still susceptible.
Graphic attributed to Canineparvovirus.org.
Parvo virus is a contact-spread disease, not air borne, but the virus is so resilient that it can live on surfaces, in dirt or concrete, or in carpeting and upholstery for very long periods. It can withstand extreme temperatures. It can be killed, but not by regular household cleaners. (Cleaners that kill parvo) And as mentioned above, you don’t have to have direct contact with an infected dog to pick it up and spread it around.
You could step in the feces or vomit of an infected dog and bring it into your home. Your dog could contract the virus from a public water source shared by other dogs. An infected dog could rub its nose or drool on a chair. This may dry, but if you sit on that chair, you could still pick up the virus on the seat of your pants and transfer it to your car, and the furniture in your home. Keeping the virus out of your home and away from your dog may be impossible. So the best defense is to vaccinate your dog.
If your dog contracts parvo virus it has a good chance — 80% — of survival if it is caught and treated early. The common form of parvo is the intestinal form, which is characterized by vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weight loss and lack of appetite (anorexia). (More) If untreated or let go too long, parvo has a 90% mortality rate. If you see any of these indications in your dog, see your vet as soon as possible!
And if you go window shopping at a local kennel or shelter, please don’t get grumpy if the staff asks you, “Please don’t touch the dogs.”
Arrival date: June 5th, 2020 (remote foster home)
