An Apple a Day...

I find a curious perplexity to the fact that every (able) household in America does not have a dog. Some may find that an oddity, however, given the innumerable ways in which dogs are of great benefit to their human counterparts, (very often even lifesaving benefit), it makes perfect sense. The pet lovers of the world have long experienced the reciprocity of ownership, however, those that have not understood that no outfit is complete without at least some dog hair are now becoming privy to the scientific evidence of health benefits that pet ownership provides. 

As the old saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, yet  unlike apples, pets provide benefits to their human counterparts mentally, socially, physically, and physiologically. Pets provide companionship. They thwart loneliness and depression, provide comfort, often a sense of security, encourage routine, and the list goes on and on.

Dogs have been domesticated for centuries and have shown to provide noteworthy advantages to their two-legged counterparts in a major way from the start. Early on, when most of mankind was still hunting for their own food, domesticated dogs assisted in the hunt success. As time passed, they also would protect their human counterparts from other predators and alarm when foes approached.

In modern times, we have come to see the significance of having dogs perform specific jobs. They safely lead the blind, alert when their epileptic human has an oncoming seizure that they are not yet aware of, and alert a parent that their diabetic child is headed for a hypoglycemic attack.  Prevention saves lives.

Dogs have been known to save lives in other ways as well. They have been known to bring humans out of comas and to aid in speedier recoveries in children undergoing cancer treatment. There are news reports centered around the dog that pulled a baby in her bassinet away from a burning fire and then woke the parents up by barking incessantly as well as yet another dog who alerted a father to a choking toddler seconds away from the infant losing consciousness. The in-tune alertness to our concerns that many canines possess is remarkable to say the least.

Dogs provide an excellent format for teaching the importance of responsibility and compassion with kids. Significant studies have also shown that babies and children that are raised in an environment with a dog are healthier than those without. The hygiene hypothesis gives partial rise to this very momentous finding.

Due to their own need for adequate nutrition, the fact that they thrive on routine, and their own exercise requirements, dogs can be the gateway to healthier habits that last. In providing important care for our canine counterparts, we often increase our social interactions with those we share common interests with, leading to healthier relationships with others.

These are only some of the countless ways that canine compadres truly prove to be man's best friend. All in all, we have a lot to thank our eager-to-please companions for. The relationship between human and canine produces a truly unique bond that cannot be replicated with any other animal on earth, which is rather remarkable given that we are much more closely related to other species.

My advice? Forget the apple. Get a dog. 

Retractable Leashes: A Dangerous Idea

Written for Examiner in April of 2011, I covered some of the dangers related to the misuse of retractable leashes. With concern for the growing popularity of this style of leash, it seems appropriate to tackle this topic again to help dog owners avoid a few devastating mistakes.

Originally designed to let owners choose how far a dog can go and offer more freedom for canine companions on walks; retractable leashes are proving to provide a false sense of security and pose a danger to both dog and owner.

There have been thousands of human-related injuries reported from use of retractable leashes such as:

• blindness from the clasps breaking and snapping back to the face
• amputations to fingers when the cord gets wrapped and a dog jerks
• rope burns
• deep cuts

On the canine side, injuries are occurring as well and the results are proving tragic. A not so well-known cause for severe injury from dog fights comes from retractable leashes not capable of holding a dog running full speed. When a dog is running, and the leash is unwinding rapidly, the stop button is often difficult to engage and when it is engaged, it can break fairly easily. In addition, when the dog has reached the end of the leash, the forward momentum paired with the jolt of the lead coming to a sudden halt on the owners end, often causes the lead to snap and break where it is connected to the handle. The end result leaves the owner with a potentially irreversible injury and a dog given the ability to commence attack.

Retractable leashes prove to be constantly cumbersome in vet hospitals. Owners and dogs often become entangled when other dogs are entering or exiting the clinic. Countless cases of entanglement have resulted and staff finds themselves having to cut the dogs free from their entwined leads. Getting two dogs untangled that have come to a disagreement during the commotion can prove dangerous to the pets as well as the owners and staff trying to untangle them.

In the case one would need to quickly pull their pet away from danger, (car, bicycle, aggressive dog, away from cliff while hiking) doing so with a retractable leash proves frustrating, slow, and often ends undesirably without complete cooperation or ability from the dog.

From a safety perspective, retractable leashes offer very little control over a pet. One never knows if the next dog walking by is friendly or not; it is important to be in control of your pet at all times not only just for their well-being and safety, but for the well-being and safety of other dogs as well.

Perfect walking position for canine companions

 - Diane Jessup

Safer alternatives to retractable leashes for safe areas of play are lunge lines, training leads, or simply allowing your dog off-leash to exercise and play in a fenced area.

Overall, the safest way to leash your pet is a thin, comfortable lead, (such as a leather lead or soft nylon lead) that positions your pet by your side for walks in the neighborhood, veterinary visits, or trips to your favorite local pet stop.

Taking time for important stuff; something our weekend event has sparked

I haven’t posted on this blog since January; not because I haven’t wanted to, but because I have been completely consumed with work, event planning, getting dogs out of bad situations and into good homes, school, and the list goes on.

Writing brings release, music calms my soul, family grounds me with comfort, and learning experiences with new friends spark innovative thinking. Lately, these are all things that I have not made time for, which has created somewhat of a void. In the mass chaos of daily goings on, time blurs together and leaving out the important “stuff” is what creates exhaustion. It can be a never ending cycle should one choose to let it. By the way…choose is the most important word in that sentence.

I hosted a rather large event this weekend that has had me running around like a beheaded praying mantis whose inhibitory neurons are no longer present to tell the body to stop flailing about. Adding to an already complicated schedule makes for difficult concentration and follow- through, (no matter how much of a multitasking master one may be, (or think they are)). Carrying the amazing encounters I had this weekend from new people that I have met and those that are already an important part of my life, I catapulted to a halt to reflect on what experiences I am taking away with me.  One experience being the need to stop and thank those that enable me to thrive as the person that I am.

Gratitude is such an important factor in relationships. As obvious as it may seem, people do not know that you are grateful for something unless you tell them. Some individuals, (cough cough…like myself) are not always the best at showing gratitude, though are extremely grateful for the relationships and benefits of those relationships that form. I am working on taking the time to thank everyone that helped make the event from the weekend such a success. Even if it had not been a success, those who took their time to show support and aid in a cause are more than deserving of being thanked for their efforts.

In the effort to continue making time for the important “stuff”, I am determined to engage in those activities more regularly; to make them a part of my daily routine, starting today.  

An extra belly rub for each of the dogs, an extra 20 minutes of the game pile snuggling and tickling with the boys in the morning, a moment to thank those that truly deserve to know they are important, and another moment to center; all the makings of a great new start to the week.

If you take anything away from this entry, take with you the importance of finding your center, (more than occasionally). What brings you release, what calms your soul, what grounds you comfortably, what sparks your innovative thinking? Find those things and hold on to them. Make them more a part of your daily chaos and perhaps your daily chaos will turn into a more organized, effective, and fulfilling routine.

Working towards deserving my dogs

For those of us who are used to living with dogs as a regular part of our daily routine, I think we often take for granted how lucky we are to have them as a part of our daily routine. At least I can say that I am guilty of it.

After an exhausting day, (or night) at work, my first sight at opening my front door is two blurs of canine shapes wiggling their entire bodies in sheer delight that I am home. One farily quiet and the other crowing at the top of her Pit Bull lungs, they dance around like my repetitive arrival is the most joyous experience. The Min Pin chimes in with the exasperated yipping, (which sounds like "reek "reek") and frolicks about.

My training side says to ignore them, my headache says for the love of dog, stop crowing so loudly, and my tired legs are noodling from the thrashing happy tail syndrome. All I want to do is relax for a few moments and all they want to do is get a few moments of attention from me. It's as if they had been anticipating my home-coming every second of the day and are about to burst.

Sitting on the couch, Boada, my male Pit Bull, can't quite reach my face and in an effort to impress me with his French skills, he steps on my feet with his small, but heavy paws and claws. Not impressed by the tongue technique I jerk up in response and fuss at him for stepping on me. He pouts like a 3 year old. Actually pouts.

Then there is feeding time. I just have to walk by the dog food cabinet and the drool spicket from Ophellia's never-ending faucet of slobber begins. I feed as quickly as possible for minimum clean up. As she inhales every chunk without chewing I ask her what her teeth are even in her head for if she's not going to use them. Then I look at her like I expect an intelligent answer or a different result at the next feeding.

I often go about the dialy routine without stopping to remember my dogs are dogs, not people. I love them like I love people, but often forget that my exhuberant furballs don't understand headaches, or Mommy can't throw the ball because she's late, or your breath smells like the salmon oil I just poured on your food so no, I don't want one in the kisser.

Then the guilt sets in. Often I spend so much more time with other people's dogs that mine get the short end of the stick, when they should come first. Someone once told me that if you don't have time to put your hands on all of your own dogs at least once a day, you aren't giving them the attention that a good owner would.

Being that I know my dogs would put themselves between harms way and my children in a heartbeat, or alert me to dangerous situations, I have a lot to be thankful for in having them. Aside from our safety, they really are just ridiculously pleasant to be around. Who else in your life greets you quite as excitedly as your dog. Who doesn't mind the way you smell when you need a shower, or wants to kiss you even though you haven't brushed your teeth yet. I garuntee your spouse will give you that look if you pass gas in front of them, but not your dog.

We remind ourselves daily to live in the moment. Our canine companions could not be better teachers of that very philosohpy. They are quick to forgive, quick to love and always loyal. The lessons are immeasurable.

So... stressed and tired; out the door with you, and, as much as I hate Salmon, bring on the kisses. Our years together are numbered and I want to enjoy every moment. Maybe not the "you left me at home all day so I chewed up your favorite pair of shoes" moments, but then again...they're just shoes.

I work on fun activities to enrich the lives of my children, now it's time to play tug of war more and get a little muddy to enrich the lives of my dogs as well. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two along the way.

The HOA Battle; the problem and solution

Always and never. Both are very definitive words that are all-encompassing when referencing a situation; no exceptions. Can one truly say that every dog from an entire breed will always act in the same manner or never act in another? A growing number of Home Owners Associations, (HOAs) and property managers seem to think so.

Define “aggressive breed”.

For starters, let’s begin with a simple English lesson and break down the phrase into its two simple components:

 Aggressive: tending towards unprovoked, offensive, attacks, invasions, or the like; militantly forward or menacing.

Breed: relatively homogenous group of animals within a species developed and maintained by humans. Lineage, stock, strain.

So when making the reference to “aggressive breed” collectively, one is, by definition, labeling an entire group of animals in the species as having the characteristic of tending to attack offensively and unprovoked.  Pit Bulls are often the target, (amongst a few other misunderstood breeds) of this derogatory term.

What about the Pit Bulls who currently serve our country as Search and Rescue Dogs? What about the Pit Bulls who are war heroes, service assistance dogs to the handicapped, or therapy certified and help children with literacy challenges learn to be more confident in their reading skills? These are not dogs that are boldly assertive or likely to attack, but in fact the opposite. If there is a breed ban in the neighborhood; these life saving dogs are banned too.

Here is a good question to ask these discriminatory associations: How are they determining which dogs are actually Pit Bulls? Nine times out of ten, (by personal and other research) when asked to identify a Pit Bull out of a group of pure bred dogs, people answer incorrectly.  A dog may be a mixed with Pit Bull, be a full-blooded APBT, or be 0% Pit Bull but just have a big head and stout body; according to breed biased apartment managers and HOAs, they are all the same. Pit Bull or not.

The all-encompassing term doesn’t seem so all-encompassing after all. Truth-be-told, the term “aggressive breed” is an ignorant conglomeration of words which only reflects poorly on the user as an inadequate attempt at the English language and a poor example of a quick fix to an issue they don’t have the first clue as to how to solve.

As a parent, would you be content with a Band-Aid over a stab wound? Would you rather raise your children in a neighborhood with no Pit Bulls, so that your child can’t have an accident with a Pit Bull specifically, or would you rather raise your child in a neighborhood where they have the smallest chance of a bite or attack from all breeds? It is not okay for any dog to attack a child.

The answer is proactive, responsible action on the part of not only the HOA, but the entire neighborhood as a whole.

Let’s try a different approach to labeling; how about “responsible owner”.

If an HOA, property manager, or Insurer is truly concerned about safety, then why not take a more tactical approach? Any breed of dog can exhibit an aggressive individual in the group, be they Lhasa Apso, Golden Retriever, or Viszla. Perhaps instead of singling out groups, why not single out irresponsible owners? To do so is not overly time intensive or taxing on HOA or management members.

·         Check veterinary references.

·         Are there any bite reports or continuous complaints filed with Animal Control?

·         Is the dog licensed if required by the county?

·         Enforce leash laws.

·         Start a responsible dog club within the community and hold Saturday training classes for CGC certification.

·         Put out bite free/accident free reports in the neighborhood newsletter or website.

·         Recognize a responsible owner of the month.

Another consideration is that discriminating against a specific group of dogs is essentially discriminating against a specific group of owners. When did discrimination of any sort towards another human being become socially or morally acceptable? How is singling out a specific group of people and not allowing them to be housed in the same neighborhood not highly offensive to more than just those affected by the discrimination?

HOAs need to tackle the problem from a positive approach and work on improving the overall responsibility of the owners in the neighborhood; not enforcing Band-Aid approaches while using terribly improper terminology.